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Ready to Hoop

TJ Boys' Basketball prepares for war on the court.

By Phillip Karlberg and Scott Bruskin

    Now that the fall sports have come to a close, it is time to get excited about the winter sports of TJ.  This year, the sport to watch will be boys’ basketball.
    TJ has been a 4A powerhouse since head varsity coach Grant Laman took over six years ago, and in the past few years the boys have always been in contention for a state title. In 2005 and 2006 the team won the 4A state championship in two consecutive seasons.
    After last year’s hard but respectable ending, the guys are excited for the chance to get back to their winning ways and compete for another state championship. “We are going to have to get our intensity back that we lost last year,” said Laman. “(We) need to work hard.” He went on to say that the tone will be set by practice, "If they practice at half-speed, they will play at half-speed as well."
    Laman believes the boys have what it takes to get back into their top form. “I’m very encouraged, I think we had a really good fall preseason and that it will translate well into this year.” 

    Now that the preseason is over, the guys will have to stay excited about the season if the energy is going to carry over into the games to come.  “I am looking forward to hopefully being able to play in the state championship,” said varsity player Kevin Barbour, “and we have the talent to do it.”
    Although the Spartans will be missing the talent of the nine seniors they lost last year, some new talented players have come up through the ranks to work as the backbone of the team this year.  Coach Laman will look upon forward Krubiel Workie as well as guard Derrick Ratcliff to carry the Spartans to the promise land. Read more

Shooting for Success

Girls' Basketball looks to build on the success of last season.

By Keenan Moore

    As another fall sports season comes to an end, it is time to get the winter sports rolling.  The Lady Spartans' basketball team looks to take what they did last year and put it towards their success this season.  Last year the Spartans ended up with a 14-11 overall record and a 5-3 record in league games.  The season looks to be just as tough for the Spartans, as they will have many mountains to climb, but they are prepared to battle with the best teams from around the state.
     The Spartans finished 4th in the Denver Prep League last year behind George Washington, East, and Montbello.  Over the past few years, these teams have always been able to find a chink in the Spartans armor.  During the past three seasons, these three teams have had a combined record of 2-7 against TJ.  They will have to find a way to beat these powerhouse teams if they want to contend for the playoffs in the upcoming season.
     While there were a lot of positive things to take away the previous season, there are a few things that they must improve on early this year.  Last season, the Lady Spartans had a grand total of almost 300 personal fouls.  This was more than double the amount that their opponents had.  This meant that the Spartan players often got into foul trouble early in their games.  Last year, a few important games slipped through their fingers, as they allowed their foul troubles to get the best of them.
     Another key issue that the Lady Spartans must improve on is there turnover ratio.  The team had almost four times the amount of turnovers compared to their opponents last season.  This caused promising leads to go down in flames as a few of their key games ended in defeat at the hands of George Washington and East. Read more

Drive It Like You Own It, Not Like You Stole It

A few words of wisdom to new drivers.

by Philip Karlberg

    One of the most significant moments in my life thus far was when I first took the car out by myself. Keys in hand, I set off in my mom’s teal minivan destined for Chipotle.
    The freedom was something I had never experienced before.
    For most teenagers, including myself, a driver’s license is a ticket to freedom. I have had a car of my own for about a year, and my license for nearly a year and a half. During that time, I have learned that along with this rush of freedom comes great responsibility. For many people, the most power they will ever have is when they are rolling down the road at 60 miles per hour. In the year or so that I have had my car, I have learned many valuable lessons and now I hope to teach others before they are forced to learn them the hard way, like I did. Read more

Driving to the Top

 TJ Wrestling prepares for a big year on the mats.

by Matthew Mankoff and Devon Fitzgerald

    Values such as character, pride, and determination took the Thomas Jefferson Wrestling Team to new heights last year, and this season they will try to continue that pattern of success.  
    Last year under the tutelage of second-year coach Mike Laurita the Spartan wrestlers had three boys make it to the state tournament, two of whom (Michael Hawkins and Alfonzo Moore) became State Finalists.  The bar is now set high for this year’s squad, because prior to last season the most recent wrestler to place in the State Tournament was in 1999.  The Spartans believe the success from last season will motivate them in the upcoming year.  Coach Laurita stated, “Last year’s success has made many of the kids become more serious about wrestling; as far as focusing on fundamentals and technique.  It has allowed the kids to start believing in the program.”
    Each year Laurita establishes a tagline for the season in order to keep his wrestlers focused on their goal.  This year’s goal is clear: “The Drive to the Top.”  The slogan could not be more appropriate, as Laurita said the goals for this season are to win the league title and to qualify several wrestlers for the State Tournament. Read more

Swimmers Take Your Marks

The TJ girls’ swim team sets sights on State.

 

by Marc Houghton

 

    After a couple of successful years under Coaches Ono Piccone and Cindy Allen, the Lady Spartans' swim team hopes to improve once again in the upcoming season.  Led by a solid group of seniors and some talented underclassmen, the team has a chance to do some damage in the Denver Prep League. 

    A third place finish at the city meet last season behind DPS powerhouses George Washington and East proved that TJ was capable of competing against the best teams in the league.  This year the Spartans will be led by seniors Catherine Piccone, Ryan Mollo, Junior Hall Hupperts, and Sophomore Andrea Shacklock.  “We hope to send a couple of relay teams to state like we did last season, and these girls are going to be the key athletes in making the times,” said Coach Piccone. “We would like to send some girls to state in individual events also, and our large team is going to help us score points in our big meets.”   Fielding a group of about 25 swimmers and six divers, the team has grown in the past few seasons. Read more

Written by Marc Houghton · Filed Under Headlines, Sports, Swimming-Girls' |  

Planet Bowls Over Judges

November 26, 2007

TJ students' art is featured at the Core Gallery.

by Manuel Perez

    Some think high school ceramics is more than just a class, and with the help of some talented mentors, students are taking the elective to new heights.

    With the help of Catherine Salazar’s instruction, three handpicked TJ students, Sean Reifman, Josten Carino, and Ben Makovsky, were invited to showcase their pieces at the Core Gallery on October 12th in an opportunity to win several prizes. Read more

Written by Manny Perez · Filed Under Headlines, Living & Arts, News |  

Michael M. Davis II Shines Brightly

November 25, 2007

Davis is looking to leave a legacy at Thomas Jefferson.
by Christina Danek

    Junior Michael Davis aims to find out what it takes to become a legend, as he makes a name for himself at TJ and in his community.
Davis’ interests range from business and broadcasting to media and music. “DECA is fun and teaches you marketing skills,” Davis said, “and Video Intern deals a lot with computers, technology and broadcasting, which is what I want to do.” Along with holding a DECA officer position at TJ, Davis is also part of Interact Club, and National Honor Society. Read more

Written by Christina Danek · Filed Under Headlines, People |  

The Night I Saved Thanksgiving

November 22, 2007

by Asia Dorsey

    It’s the night before Thanksgiving, and all through the house every woman is running around the kitchen with a spoon in her mouth.
    It was hectic. It always is. Another challenge to out-do my specialty from the year before. Yes, fruit salad to me is the most exotic and extraordinary delicacy that I, and only I, have mastered the skill of perfecting.
    But that was not why this Thanksgiving was important enough to be mentioned; it was the Thanksgiving that the whole family would be together. After its long sessions of separation, my mother finally decided to end the rebellion against the family table. My oldest aunt decided the day off work was worth it, my great grandmother would not be sufficed with another paper plate carrying courier, and my little aunt was just happy to bring the entire family together and showcase the culinary skills she had gained since high school. And I, for some reason, believed that the fate of this night lied entirely on the tastiness of my fruit salad. Read more

Written by Asia Dorsey · Filed Under Headlines, Living & Arts |  

Most Wonderful Time of the Year, for Some

November 21, 2007

Lend a hand to those less fortunate this holiday season.
by Christina Danek

  With Thanksgiving here, many people are already envisioning platefuls of turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, rolls, three different kinds of potatoes, and four different kinds of pie. Many of us know the holidays as a happy time of year, when there’s plenty of food, and family and friends with whom to share it all. But the truth is, many people are not fortunate enough to be able to spend the holidays with their loved ones, filling up on a lavish feast. Colorado’s homeless and low-income families need help this season, and all of us can make a difference. Whether it’s buying a turkey for a family in need, volunteering at a soup kitchen on Thanksgiving Day, or donating toys and coats to children who can’t afford them, there is something that everyone can contribute to those less fortunate. The following is a list of projects and organizations that you can lend a hand to this season.
Read more

Written by Christina Danek · Filed Under Headlines, News |  

Gaggle Provides Solution

November 19, 2007

Website supplies students, administrators, and teachers with a reliable, safe form of communication.

by Andrew Craig

     Denver Public Schools' district officials have found a solution for email inaccessibility and the unnecessary restriction of certain websites: gaggle.net.
    Before gaggle.net came into play, there were telecommunication (Internet) complications, such as web page and email restrictions. Many students, teachers, and administrators were not able to access their private email accounts, because of Denver Public Schools’ strict internet filtering system. “The restriction of certain websites, many of which included email databases, definitely makes it harder for students who don’t have internet access at home to complete assignments,” said Mina Bradley-Belcaid, a sophomore at TJ. Read more

Written by Andrew Craig · Filed Under Headlines, News |  

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