It’s race day. You think about the course and the race. How are you going to prepare yourself? What are your goals? What did you do last season that you can change today? Every race is different, and every course is different. I decided to rank my top five favorite cross country courses from my experiences after running for 3 years and running on many different courses.

#1 Course – Hazelwood West Invitational
Location: Koch Park
The Hazelwood West Invite is my favorite course because of how flat and fast the course is. This course only has one hill and a long downhill right after. This meet takes place on a Friday after school, which isn’t the best because it is usually warmer weather in the afternoon. But it gives you time to hydrate and you don’t have to spend the morning worrying. Another nice part about this race is the finish. It is wider and gives you space from other runners as well as enough space to pass people. Because of the flat and faster course, runners are able to gain a new personal record at this meet.

Grace Murphy
Photo courtesy of Gina Woodard

#2 Course – Parkway West Dale Shepard Invitational
Location: Living Word United Methodist Church (UMC) Campus
This cross country course is a close second to the Hazelwood West Invitational. The Parkway West course is mainly flat with one hill at the end of the loop, which is shorter and steep. This meet takes place towards the September, making it the perfect running weather, usually 60 to 70 degrees. This race takes place on a Saturday morning, so it can be hard to wake up and have to hydrate and eat before the race.

Grace Murphy
Photo courtesy of Gina Woodard

#3 Course – Stan Nelson Invitational
Location: Northwest Early Childhood and Senior Center
Let me start off by saying this course is one of the flattest courses the team run during the season. Even though this course is fast and you can get a personal record, it can also be super muddy depending on the weather. Two out of the three times I ran this course, it rained before the day of the meet and caused the course to be extremely dirty. Running in a lot of mud throughout the whole course makes it challenging, like bringing your feet out of ankle deep and running through many puddles. However, this is a fast course when it isn’t muddy.

Grace Murphy
Photo courtesy of Gina Woodard

#4 Course – Suburban Conference Championships
Location: McNair Park
The conference meet is another flatter course but has a few hills, which aren’t challenging. This course is fast with teams that you are able to compete against and that push you to run harder. The finish is one of the best finishes because it is wider and longer than most meets. The only problem with the finish is it is on a gradual incline, which can be hard because it is the end of the race and you are tired.

Grace Murphy
Photo courtesy of Gina Woodard

#5 Course – Parkway Central Invitational
Location: Parkway Central High School
The meet is on a Thursday after school, and it is usually very warm during this time of the season. This course requires you to run the same loop twice and it has multiple long hills. The first hill you have to run up feels like it is never going to end and is mostly gravel, that isn’t fun to run. The best part about this course is running through the woods. It is all shade and part of it is flat, but there is a long, steep hill at the end, that can be hard. One of the things I disliked about the course was the finish because, it is short and makes it hard to pass people. It also starts right after you take a turn making it difficult.

Grace Murphy
Photo courtesy of Gina Woodard

Three hundred Kirkwood students will join together for the third annual unified game of flag football on Wed. Oct. 10. This event takes place in the E.L. Lyons Memorial Stadium at KHS and allows students grades pre-K through 12, with and without disabilities, to participate in a KHS football game. They have the chance to play instruments with the KHS band in the bleachers, cheer alongside the cheerleaders and the dance team and play football. The event is free, but Kirkwood is accepting donations at the entrance that will go to the special education program, which funds activities like this. Individuals who donate $5 or more will receive a rally towel.

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Friday Night Lights: unified football game

5 p.m.   Kirkwood High School Cafeteria-participants will receive jersey and enjoy a pre-game meal together.

E.L. Lyons Memorial Stadium: 

6 p.m.   Gates and concessions open

6:15 p.m.   Participants storm the field

6:30 p.m.   Game One

6:45 p.m.   Alma Mater

6:50 p.m.   Game Two

7:10 p.m.   Varsity Valor

7:15 p.m.   Group Photo

Kirkwood varsity boys’ soccer had their game against MICDS on Thursday, Oct. 18. They suffered a tough loss falling 3-0 to the private school. The team has had a tough season, with a record of 4-17, but they are trying to stay positive and turn it around in the post-season.

“[This season] hasn’t been going so great for us, but we’re looking to turn it around for districts,” Aidan McGee, junior, said. “We try to encourage each other and be nice to each other, because when you start being mean it doesn’t help the team.”

Slideshow • 11 Photos

Jake Hinrichs, junior, blocks MICDS players as he dribbles the ball to the goal.

The NBA 2018-19 season started Oct. 16 and you should be hyped. Last year, the Warriors and Rockets were the main story of the relatively incompetent NBA. Due to the wild offseason, this year’s standings will definitely look different.

courtesy of the Creative Commons License

Teams to Watch in the West

Golden State Warriors

The Warriors’ superteam has a great shot at winning their fourth championship in five years and earning the sixth three-peat in NBA history. Their starting lineup is practically an All-Star team with their addition of Demarcus Cousins, providing post presence the champions previously lacked. Each player on the Warriors starting lineup is capable of becoming the base of a franchise.

Houston Rockets

The Rockets will have to battle the Warriors for control over the West after the championship slipped from their fingers when they barely lost in Game 7 of the Western Conference championships after point guard Chris Paul’s injury two games prior. Their addition of Carmelo Anthony will change their team dynamic and possibly give the Rockets the edge they need. 

Utah Jazz

Rudy Gobert led the well-rounded Jazz to a fifth seed in the playoff after a 29-6 run to finish the season. While the Jazz owns few large contracts, they have a strong team centered around 22-year-old guard Donovan Mitchell. They have enough talent to win at least one round or more in the playoffs.

Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers completely uprooted their previously poor 35-47 team. Lebron James’ arrival opened the floodgate of changes to provide a mix of young and old talent that will take time to gel and execute. When they do, however, they will fully transform from a recent embarrassment of the Lakers’ organization into playoff contenders in the first season after their overhaul.

Portland Trail Blazers

Damian Lillard will lead his small-name team, which includes guys like shooting guard CJ McCollum and center Jusuf Nurkic. Seth Curry and Evan Turner add depth to an well-rounded team who will enter the playoffs in the middle of the pack in the West.

Teams to Watch in the East

Boston Celtics

The Celtics have the best team in the East with young players like Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum learning from veterans like Kyrie Irving and Al Horford. The recovered Gordon Hayward rounds out their starting lineup, and with their great depth, the Celtics will get at least to the Eastern Conference Finals and have a shot at overpowering a team from the west for the title.

Philadelphia 76ers

“Trust the process” was the 76ers’ slogan as the team remained terrible for many of the recent years. However, their draft picks from numerous awful seasons of are finally panning out, with young starters such as guard Ben Simmons and center Joel Embiid will lead this team for a long time. However, they are slightly too young for serious title considerations, and so I think they will make it to the second round of the playoffs and possibly the Eastern conference finals.

Toronto Raptors

Last year, the Raptors fell like a house of cards to Lebron James and the other Cavaliers. Now, the number one seed replaced Demar DeRozan with Kawhi Leonard. Even with a slightly improved team and without Lebron in the East, the Raptors still will not be able to get out of their conference.

Indiana Pacers

The Pacers are a middle-of-the-road team. For the East, this means they are in the top half or third of their conference. Beyond young shooting guard Victor Oladipo, their depth of decent talent will allow them to get into the playoffs.

Milwaukee Bucks

The Bucks are a bit of a wild card this year. The Bucks have incredible talent in rising star Giannis Antetokounmpo and new head coach Mike Budenholzer. He will provide new pace and life to a previously slow, static Bucks offense that relied on Antetokounmpo’s production to score. Now, since the team has otherwise solid players who will be used effectively, the Bucks have a chance to do damage in the weaker Eastern Conference.

The NBA offseason

During the summer, the NBA offseason often stole the show from the slow-paced Major League Baseball (MLB) season. Here are some of the major offseason signings and trades teams made.

• Demar DeRozan was traded to the San Antonio Spurs and has three seasons left on his five year, $139 million deal.
• Kawhi Leonard was traded to the Toronto Raptors with three seasons and $83 million left on his contract with an opt-out option in the 2020-21 season.
• Austin Rivers was traded to the Washington Wizards with one season and $12 million left on his contract.
• Marcin Gortat was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers with one season and $13.5 million left on his contract.
• Lebron James, Lance Stephenson, Rajon Rondo JaVale McGee and more signed with the Los Angeles Lakers.
• Demarcus Cousins signed with the Golden State Warriors on a one year, $5.3 million deal.
• Carmelo Anthony signed with the Houston Rockets for one year and $2.4 million.
• Tyreke Evans signed with the Indiana Pacers for one year and $12.4 million.
• Seth Curry signed with the Portland Trail Blazers on a two year, $5.6 million contract.
• Isaiah Thomas signed with the Denver Nuggets for the veteran minimum- one year, $2 million.
• Dwight Howard signed with the Washington Wizards for two years, $11 million.
• DeAndre Jordan signed with the Dallas Mavericks for one year, $24 million.
• Tyreke Evans signed with the Indiana Pacers for one year, $12 million.
• The ancient Vince Carter signed with the Atlanta Hawks for one year, $2.4 million.
• Kentavious Caldwell-Pope re-signed with the Lakers for one year, $12 million.
• Chris Paul re-signed with the Houston Rockets for four years, $160 million.
• Dirk Nowitzki re-signed with the Dallas Mavericks for one year, $5 million.
• Kevin Love re-signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers for four years, $120 million.
• Kevin Durant re-signed with the Warriors for two years, $61 million.
• Dwayne Wade re-signed with the Miami Heat for one year, $2.4 million.
• Derrick Rose re-signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves for one year, $2.4 million.
• Aaron Gordon re-signed with the Orlando Magic for four years, $84 million.
• Devin Booker re-signed with the Phoenix Suns for five years, $158 million.

Potential Most Valuable Players to watch

Lebron James

James has been easily the best player in the NBA over the last ten years. Even though he is undoubtedly one of the best players of all time, Lebron will not win the MVP award this year. But the MVP is not what Lebron aims for. He wants championships that will prove his status as the GOAT. He has his strongest supporting cast yet to take on the stars and powerhouses in the West.

Kevin Durant

Durant’s style mirrors Michael Jordan in multiple ways. They are both tall and lanky, and Durant is an effective defender while being clutch in his mid range shooting. Durant might not be the greatest player of all time, but he is still a spectacular player to watch every year.

Steph Curry

The “chef” is an incredible player to watch. His handles and dead-eye three-point shooting is paving the way for the NBA to shift to a more three-point-focused league. He sets records every year with high three-point percentages and the best free throw percentage in the NBA.

Demarcus Cousins

Cousins’ dynamic with Warriors, who won the Finals three of the last four season, will be interesting (after he comes back from his injury.) He has never played for an excellent team, moving away from the Sacramento Kings after his first six seasons to the Pelicans for the last two seasons. Cousins adds size, the one arguable flaw the Warriors had, to the lineup as he will build off his 25.2 points per game and 12.9 rebounds per game last year.

Giannis Antetokounmpo

The “Greek Freak” is the only player in the NBA (besides Lebron James) who can play well in any role on the floor. He is changing the NBA with his versatility and hopefully, his new offense will help him get to the playoffs again.

Anthony Davis

Finishing third in the MVP voting last year, the big man is a quiet candidate. If he continues to bring the unremarkable Pelicans together and make a playoff run, he’ll have some chance at an MVP award. At some point, he will have an MVP-caliber season. It’s just a matter of when.

James Harden

The most recent MVP winner will continue his offensive dominance. If he would ever make real defensive contributions and lead the Rockets deep in the playoffs again, the MVP award would be his.

Russell Westbrook

The 2016-17 MVP winner has an improved team with the resigning of Paul George, the trade of Carmelo Anthony and additions in the backcourt. Westbrook has the potential to develop efficiency to become a Lebron-like player who can dominate the game but knows how to step back and make his teammates better.

Those who didn’t make the list:

Kawhi Leonard, who was hurt most of last season.

Joel Embiid, who needs a strong supporting cast to make the 76ers good in the NBA, not just the East.

Damian Lillard, who needs to assist and rebound more to round out his individual offensive potency.

After an eventful offseason, the NBA will facilitate another successful season as stars and superteams gear up for the season-long brawl to come out on top.

The girls varsity field hockey team played Eureka Wednesday, Oct.17 in their Stick it to Cancer Game. The girls won with a final score of 4-1.  The team has many special traditions for the game “I designed the shirt this year and we wear it for our warm up.  We also got a special headband,” says Lauren Fischer, junior.  When asked about the significance of the game Fischer said, “It’s a new tradition that started and really brings the team together”.

Slideshow • 16 Photos

Genevieve Francois

Siena Pack, sophomore, cuts the ball past a Eureka player.

The varsity girls’ field hockey team had their first game of playoffs vs. Pattonville at MICDS Oct. 27. The girls had a strong run in the regular season and ended fourth in state after a loss to Villa Duchesne.

“I feel like overall we played pretty well, the team really came together towards the end,” Annika Kline, junior goalie, said. “I think at the beginning it was a little bit rough because we had so many people who hadn’t played together, but by the end the end of the season everybody was working together really well. ”

Slideshow • 15 Photos

Natalie Ferber, sophomore, dribbles the ball towards the goal.

Americans do not care about soccer. The United States not being one of 32 teams to make the World Cup is not a valid excuse for ignorance, as the entire rest of the world still watched from the first whistle on June 14 to the last on July 15. Missing the tournament just means our team sucks. The U.S. national team’s absence was sealed after a 2-1 loss to Trinidad and Tobago last October after their poor qualifying performance against other North American teams. Mexico, Costa Rica and even Panama made it to this year’s World Cup. Mexico was the team from North America that made it the farthest, to the first knockout stage. But the United States would likely have lost in the group stage anyway. American soccer fans should be content with watching incredible players like Messi and Ronaldo and strong teams like France and England. Americans should be able to appreciate underdogs like Croatia and upsets like Russia’s win over Spain and actively enjoy the most popular sporting event in the world.

Let’s overview each round of the World Cup that led up to France’s victory. The group stage consists of eight randomly selected groups of four teams each, and these four teams with varying skill levels play each other once. Whichever two teams have the most points (three points for a win, one for a tie and none for a loss) after these three games move on to the knockout stage. This small group round-robin system usually causes the better teams to move on, and while there were some upsets in this early stage, the only major surprise this year was that underdogs Mexico and South Korea both took down mighty Germany in their group, causing them to miss the first knockout stage.

The round of 16, or the first elimination round, saw the early exit of Ronaldo and Messi, as their teams Portugal and Argentina, respectively, both lost in the first two games of the round. The rest of the round saw Russia’s, Croatia’s and England’s wild wins on penalty kicks. In addition, Brazil had a decisive victory over Mexico, Belgium managed to just beat Japan and Sweden upset favored Switzerland.

The quarterfinals were where the great teams began to emerge. France and England had solid 2-0 wins over Uruguay and Sweden, respectively. Belgium scored early and held off mighty Brazil in a 2-1 win thanks to an own goal in Belgium’s favor in the 13th minute. Croatia and Russia had a riveting match, with Russia managing to score once against Croatia’s possession-style team early. Croatia quickly answered and the game stalemated until both teams scored once in extra time. Then, Croatia managed to score four penalties over Russia’s three to advance.

The semifinals saw France hold off well-controlled Belgium in a 1-0 win decided by Samuel Umtiti’s goal in the 51st minute. The other game saw Croatia’s third come-from-behind win after England scored in the 5th minute. Croatia tied it at 1 in the middle of the game and scored once more in extra time to take a 2-1 victory.

The final was down to France and Croatia. The start of the game began with Croatia possessing the ball well, and yet, a controversial call off a flop allowed for France to take a free kick deep in Croatia’s half to score an own-goal header off of one of Croatia’s prime midfielders, Mario Mandžukić, in just the eighth minute. Only 10 minutes later, Ivan Perišić tied the game up at one for Croatia. In another 10 minutes, a call was reviewed with video replay and rightfully overturned that allowed French forward Antoine Griezmann to score a penalty kick, making the score 2-1 France in 28 brief minutes of play. The Croatians continued to possess the ball well into the second half. Croatia had the potential to come from behind once more. Then, Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappé scored in the 59th and 65th minute to seal the French victory. Mario Mandžukić scored for Croatia just after, but the goal was too little, too late, and France took the Cup in a 4-2 victory.

This was the “best World Cup in any of our lifetimes” as described by a commentator in the final. I just hope many Americans can fully appreciate this worldwide spectacle of the beautiful game every four years, no matter their team’s role.

She sprints across the finish line and although she is tired, makes it to the end of the first cross-country race of the 2018 season. Olivia Matthews, sophomore, finishes strong, and gladly accepts praise from a couple teammates who had already completed the race. Out of breath, she goes to meet the team manager and junior, Anna Smith. Smith brings Matthews a water and congratulates her on her accomplishment.

Matthews joined the cross-country team as a freshman during the 2017 season and will continue to run through her sophomore year. She met Smith in elementary school, but they said they grew closer during Matthews’ first year on the team because of daily practices.

“If it wasn’t for cross-country [Anna and I] wouldn’t have even started talking,” Matthews said. “Cross-country holds [our friendship] together.”

According to Matthews, she has found herself making friends she never would have expected to make. Her cross-country friendships have pushed her to run more often and enjoy the sport more.

“Cross-country makes me try my best because I feel like I need to uphold the standards of my team,” Matthews said. “It’s a great group of girls, and I don’t want to let them down.”

Matthews team inspires her to be the best she can. She feels as though the team pushes her to succeed not only in races, but in her daily life.

“A benefit of [cross-country] is the friendships from the team,” Smith said. “My freshman year I started in the lowest group, then I moved up. I met so many people because I was moving through [the different groups].”

Smith balances schoolwork and managing the cross-country team throughout the school year. She keeps times for runners, drives around with the coaches to make sure girls don’t get lost on the routes and makes sure girls are doing what they are supposed to be doing during practices.

“I was on the [cross-country] team freshman year, then sophomore year I was swimming a ton and I couldn’t fit it in my schedule to run and swim,” Smith said. “Now I’m still a part of the [cross-country] team by managing this year.”

Katie Rudolph, junior, has no trouble balancing friendships and cross-country. She has gotten a lot closer with her teammates through the sport, and plans on continuing to run through high school. Rudolph also finds running with friends to be helpful in encouraging her to try her best, and finds that the unity of the team pushes her to be a faster, more motivated runner.  Her friendships on the team positively affect her running.

“In the end, you want to make each other better runners,” Rudolph said.  “You want to beat your times and run faster.”

After the Golden State Warriors won the 2018 NBA Finals, DeMarcus Cousins, the four-time All-Star who is one of the best centers in the league, announced this summer that he will join the Warriors. Signing a one-year, five-million-dollar contract, Cousins will be taking a $11 million pay cut to join the superteam. It seems like the Golden State Warriors attracts superstars like a bird’s nest in a front yard attracts snakes.

*This piece is entirely satirical

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For the first time in 50 years, a Pioneer won the individual cross country state championship. Senior Christian Baker won the Missouri Class 4 State Cross Country Meet on at Oak Hills Golf Course in Jefferson City, Missouri Nov. 3. Baker was the first of 165 runners qualified for the meet to cross the finish line, covering the 5-kilometer course in 15 minutes and 42 seconds.

Around the 3-mile mark, Carthage High School’s Clayton Whitehead passed Baker. But with 100 meters to go, Baker out kicked Whitehead and finished 2 seconds ahead. Baker said the state meet was the most exhausting meet he has run, but it was also the most exciting moment of his life.

“To be honest, I was just so dead,” Baker said. “I could barely stand up and walk. I just laid down and spread my arms. It was [the] most tired I [have] ever been after a race. Eventually, I got up and gave [my mother] a big hug, and all my teammates were [cheering for me]. It was super exciting.”

Kirkwood boys’ cross country head coach Wayne Baldwin said he couldn’t help but to join the celebration with Baker’s family and teammates after Baker won the state championship.

“[When Christian crossed the finish line, I thought,] ‘What a great race,’” Baldwin said. “I was following him around the course and I’m running around, watching, and I ran right up to him [to celebrate] when he finished. It made my day. It’s a significant, major milestone in those 37 years [of coaching].”

Baker was the first Kirkwood runner to win the state meet since 1968. He is also the first state champion that Baldwin coached in his 37-year career according to Baldwin.

“I was a fortunate human being to be able to coach and interact with Baker for four years,” Baldwin said “I hope it’s not another 50 years [for a Kirkwood runner to win the state meet], but it could be. Winning a state meet is a no easy task.”

Baldwin said Baker is one of the hardest working athletes he has coached and he was willing to do whatever is necessary to become the state champion. Baker said after finishing 29th on last year’s state meet and missing out on getting a medal, he was driven to train harder than he ever had before, even if that meant waking up at 5 a.m. to run.

“Winning state was [an] accumulation of [a] whole year of effort,” Baker said. “Last year, I had a disappointing state meet, so I put my head down and I was like, ‘I’m going to commit to [running] full-time.’ I started running every day [and I] didn’t miss a day over this winter and summer. So I think that’s probably the most exciting part of winning the whole thing. I spent the whole year working as hard as I could where I could be competing for the state title. So to finally to achieve it, it’s just an incredible feeling.”

Baker said he had a specific training schedule during the past offseason, running seven to nine times a week. Every Wednesday he ran a cut-down run, which is a 10-mile run where he gradually increased his pace each mile mark, running a 5:10 pace for the final mile. On Sundays, he went on long distance runs ranging from 12-14 miles and aerobic runs other days that are around eight miles. Baker ran a total of 575 miles this summer. But even with the first place medal, Baker said he is still training.

“[The team] has a Regionals [Meet] coming up to hopefully qualify for the Nationals,” Baker said. “I went on a long run yesterday and I got a tough week of training up ahead.”

“No doubt about it,” Mike Wade, associate principal, said.

Out of the 14 seasons he experienced, the 2018 football season had the worst turnout of students, according to Wade.

According to the KHS athletics office, Lyons Memorial Stadium at KHS has a total capacity of 3,800 people. The first home football game against Rockwood Summit sold a season high of 1,541 tickets, not including those who used the student sports pass, which is available only for KHS students and is designated for the student section. The sales gradually declined over the season, selling little over 400 tickets for the final home game of the season against Lafayette High School.

photo courtesy of Abby Larson

“At kickoffs, there are more seniors running the flags than there are in the stands,” Wade said. “Later it picks up, you get a full crowd and they disappear [by halftime]. I go down to the field during half time, and I look up to the bleachers, and because the band is out [on the field], the student section is empty.”

Max Zuniga, senior and pep nation director, said he was disappointed with the student section this season. He said he expected high turnouts especially from upperclassmen.

“We were super excited at the beginning of the year to get everything going,” Zuniga said. “Throughout the season we had low attendance. It hurt a little bit, but we tried to attract many students.”

Grace Hartman, senior pommie, said that she could not help but notice the low turnouts while they were performing during halftime. She said that pommies spent most of their summer vacation and practice three days a week to perform variety of dances for the Kirkwood home football crowds.

“We were out there in the last game even though it was raining,” Hartman said. “The stands were empty and the only people who were there were parents. I don’t feel like people see the work that we do.”

According to the survey, 35.3% (91/258) of KHS students believes that pep nation didn’t do a good job this season, while 29.5% (76/258) said they were unsure. However Zuniga said some people don’t realize how much effort pep nation put in to promote the games for not only football, but every fall sports as well.

“Pep nation works their butt off promoting the [KHS sport events],” Zuniga said. “We work very hard on social media posts. We worked on them for 15 weeks straight, [trying to reach out to KHS students] by Snapchat, Twitter and Instagram, and sent constant reminders out there. You see us on announcements [every] Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays to promote the game and the team.”

Hartman believes Pep Nation shouldn’t be at blame for the poor attendance of KHS students. Zuniga and Hartman both said that low attendance might have caused by poor weather. For example, the game against Lafayette was set in a mid 40s weather with light wind and drizzle.

“It [does] suck that we are out there, giving it all while nobody is there,” Hartman said. “But I get it. It has been absolutely freezing and pouring rain, so I’m not sure if I necessarily be there [if I was a in the student section]. We don’t have control of who will show up or not. At the end of the day it’s their choice.”

Wade said he noticed in declined participation in other school-spirited things as well. According to Wade, based on his past experience, there was always a surplus of students signed up for teacher positions for the senior skit, but this year there were 30 spots open by the end of October.

“It’s never too late to get into the spirit,” Wade said. “You will never experience high school again. You are missing out. It’s so much fun.”

After extensive consultation from the TKC staff, we have decided not to release our annual list of 10 reasons why Kirkwood will beat Webster in the Turkey Day Game. Out of respect for the hard-fought 0-9 season put up by the Statesmen (that’s right, zero wins), listing reasons for Kirkwood’s imminent victory feels excessive. Considering the Pioneers scored more than 24 points every game this year and the most Webster scored was 14, we do not find it necessary to explain in detail why Kirkwood will dominate. It’s simple mathematics. The gap only widens when we look at the defenses; the Statesmen allowed 347 total points this season, while Kirkwood allowed just 269. Led by seniors and Mizzou commits Arvell Ferguson and Maurice Massey, as well as versatile quarterback Cooper Wise, Kirkwood will roll to their sixth consecutive win this Thanksgiving. Oh, and did we mention the Pioneers actually have a win?

Besides, The Webster Echo decided on their own to end the tradition of publishing 10 reasons for either team over the past few years. When it is our turn to publish the annual Turkey Day Magazine next year, you can expect our 10 reasons to be back in full swing. We will again invite The Echo staff to submit their list to honor this long-standing tradition and hope they say yes. That is, if we feel like they are worth stating. Maybe if Webster wins a game.

After the Golden State Warriors won the 2018 NBA Finals, DeMarcus Cousins, the four-time All-Star who is one of the best centers in the league, announced this summer that he will join the Warriors. Signing a one-year, five-million-dollar contract, Cousins will be taking a $11 million pay cut to join the superteam. It seems like the Golden State Warriors attracts superstars like a bird’s nest in a front yard attracts snakes.

*This piece is entirely satirical

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After extensive consultation from the TKC staff, we have decided not to release our annual list of 10 reasons why Kirkwood will beat Webster in the Turkey Day Game. Out of respect for the hard-fought 0-9 season put up by the Statesmen (that’s right, zero wins), listing reasons for Kirkwood’s imminent victory feels excessive. Considering the Pioneers scored more than 24 points every game this year and the most Webster scored was 14, we do not find it necessary to explain in detail why Kirkwood will dominate. It’s simple mathematics. The gap only widens when we look at the defenses; the Statesmen allowed 347 total points this season, while Kirkwood allowed just 269. Led by seniors and Mizzou commits Arvell Ferguson and Maurice Massey, as well as versatile quarterback Cooper Wise, Kirkwood will roll to their sixth consecutive win this Thanksgiving. Oh, and did we mention the Pioneers actually have a win?

Besides, The Webster Echo decided on their own to end the tradition of publishing 10 reasons for either team over the past few years. When it is our turn to publish the annual Turkey Day Magazine next year, you can expect our 10 reasons to be back in full swing. We will again invite The Echo staff to submit their list to honor this long-standing tradition and hope they say yes. That is, if we feel like they are worth stating. Maybe if Webster wins a game.

For half a decade, the Kirkwood Pioneers have successfully kept the Frisco Bell. This year they brought it home after beating Webster’s Statemen 75-34 on Nov. 22. Pioneer’s won by the biggest margin since 2013, and they also set the new record for most points scored at the Turkey Day game.

“It felt good to win that many times in a row,” Matthew Hartmann, junior football player, said. “Everyone always talks about how bad it feels losing the Frisco Bell so I’m glad I didn’t have to experience that, and neither did the seniors.”

The baseball season has come and gone, and for the fourth time in 15 years, the Boston Red Sox have won the World Series. Built upon the acquisition of free agent stars, as well as the development of promising young players, the Red Sox won 105 games to win the AL East, beating the Yankees in the AL divisional series and the Astros in the AL championship series. As the Cardinals watched the postseason from home for three consecutive years, it’s time for them to make the right moves to bein a position to compete with the National League heavyweights. Here are some wishes that the Cardinals should ask Santa for Christmas:

1. A big free agent splash
This one sounds blatantly obvious, but it is hard to ignore the truth. In order to become a top team in the National League, the Cardinals need to look for an impactful free agent. In previous years there were big names on the market with hefty price tags, and the Cardinals showed that they were willing to commit a large portion of money to a free agent, as they were in the David Price sweepstakes and they were active in trying to acquire Giancarlo Stanton from the Marlins. But ultimately failed to acquire either. They managed to acquire Marcell Ozuna in a trade with the Marlins. With the rarity of superstar controllable talent on the market, now is the chance for the Cardinals to sign a big name free agent. Combine that with the frustration from fans over three straight postseason misses, and you have a fanbase going restless over the amount of changes that haven’t happened. Look for the Cardinals to go all in on Manny Machado or Bryce Harper, and if they miss, expect them to go for Paul Goldschmidt, as the Diamondbacks look to trade high-salary players. As of Dec. 3, Goldschmidt was traded to the Cardinals for Luke Weaver, Carson Kelly, minor leaguer Andrew Young and a 2019 competitive-balance Round-B draft pick. Goldschmidt is be a tremendous lineup addition, more than likely moving in as the 3-hole and shifting Carpenter to third base, as it seems the Cardinals are willing to take another year to decide if they want to keep Kolten Wong indefinitely. If the Cardinals can’t make that trade, look for them to sign Mike Moustakas to a one-year deal, which would keep Carpenter at first base.

2. The continuing development of the Cardinals’ promising young stars
If the 2018 regular season proved anything for the Cardinals, it proved that their future seasons will be bright, as our promising young talent from AAA Memphis stepped up in the majors. Harrison Bader and Jack Flaherty filled in while others were injured, and by the end of the year, Bader became our starting center fielder, while Flaherty has the looks of a top-of-the-rotation starter. With 182 strikeouts in 151 innings pitched and a respectable 3.34 ERA (stands for earned run average, measures the amount of runs given per nine innings pitched), Flaherty could be the ace that the Cardinals haven’t had in awhile, since the dominant days of Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright. Bader accumulated 3.8 WAR (a measurement of how many wins an individual player contributes to their overall team win total) and is one of the fastest players in the MLB while playing gold-glove defense. Other prospects who helped contribute and have proved themselves to be useful next season are Austin Gomber, Jordan Hicks, Dakota Hudson, Patrick Wisdom, and Tyler O’ Neill, respectively.

3. Wise spending
The moves that Mike Girsch (and previously John Mozeliak), the general manager of the Cardinals, has raised concern over the intention and reasoning behind some of his deals. While the Cardinals haven’t spent big bucks on premier talent in free agency, they have made moves to try to solidify the holes that exist on the team. But while some of the past free agent deals have largely been disappointing (Dexter Fowler’s four-year, $60 million deal and Brett Cecil’s four-year, $30.5 million catastrophic deal come to mind), the front office is reluctant to not commit a decent amount of money to aging players and having it ultimately not pay off. Commiting over $7 million to a player coming off a fine season, Cecil, 31 imploded out of the bullpen in 2018, accumulating -1.0 WAR. With a 6.89 ERA and a 1.96 WHIP (average walks and hits allowed per inning), the Cardinals made a poor decision in signing the veteran, but pressure developing with the bullpen enticed the front office to make moves. There is high-priced free agent relief pitching on the market, which would prove quite useful, as the Cardinals blew 21 saves last season. In order to become a top team in the NL once again, the Cardinals need to spend wisely to ensure that they plug the holes present in the bullpen, acquire a middle-of-the-order hitter and continue to supply our team with fresh, young talent to ensure that the Cardinals can make a postseason run for the first time since 2015.

NFL Playoff Preview

With December football underway, it’s time to look forward to everyone’s favorite sporting event: The Super Bowl. The biggest sporting event in America will take place Sunday, Feb. 9, 2019. But before we can talk about that, we must see which teams will be competing for the chance to play in the ultimate title game. Here is my predicted American Football Conference (AFC) and National Football Conference (NFC) seeding for the 2018 NFL playoffs.

AFC

1. Kansas City Chiefs

2. New England Patriots

3. Houston Texans

4. Baltimore Ravens

5. Los Angeles Chargers

6. Pittsburgh Steelers

1.  Kansas City Chiefs – It is easy to hand the Chiefs the first-seed, based off how well they have played over the first 13 weeks of the season. With MVP candidate Patrick Mahomes at quarterback, the Chiefs’ offense is explosive, as it averages over 37 points per game (as of week 14) which leads the NFL. Mahomes has been everything the Chiefs needed as they made the decision to trade their former starting Quarterback Alex Smith and give Mahomes an opportunity to start. Combine him with explosive playmakers Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill, the Chiefs can outscore any opponent.

One key note for the Chiefs: Patrick Mahomes, currently at 41 touchdown passes, needs 14 more to surpass Peyton Manning’s regular season record of 55 touchdown passes, which he did in 2013.

2. New England Patriots –  The Patriots will have their ninth consecutive first-round bye, after clinching the second-seed in the AFC. The Patriots are relying less on their 40-year-old quarterback Tom Brady and more on their effective running game of Sony Michel and James White. Despite a 6-0 record at home, the Patriots finished their road schedule with a record of 3-5. Their inconsistencies away from home leads to concerns over how dominant of a team they really are.

One key note for the Patriots: Dating back to 2013, the Patriots have won their last nine playoff home games, but they have lost their last three away playoff games. Clinching a first-round bye would be crucial for the Patriots to make a return to the Super Bowl.

3. Houston Texans – The Texans began the season at 0-3, after losing close games to the Patriots, Tennessee Titans and New York Giants, won nine in a row, and currently have the third seed in the AFC. After recovering from a heartbreaking torn ACL last year when the Texans seemed destined to be one of the top teams in the AFC, Watson has been inconsistent, as he has 17 total turnovers (nine interceptions and eight forced fumbles). They have a legitimate shot at getting a first-round bye, but in order to do so, the Texans must continue riding their hot defense to win games.

One key note for the Texans: After losing to the Colts at home, the Texans have a favorable schedule coming up (Jets, Eagles and Jaguars). The teams combine for a 14-25 record, suggesting the Texans have a real shot at winning out, and if coupled with at least a Patriots loss, they could bypass the wild-card round with a first-round bye.

4. Baltimore Ravens – The Ravens will win the AFC North over the Pittsburgh Steelers after relying on rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson to lead them through the rest of the season. After narrowly losing to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Ravens visit the Los Angeles Chargers, sandwiched between a pair of winnable games vs the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Cleveland Browns. I pick the Ravens to win the AFC North based off the Steelers recent struggles, as well as the Steelers tough schedule coming up.

One key note: Relying on a rookie quarterback also has its drawbacks. Many question Jackson’s passing as a concern for the future, as he has completed only 59-101 passes, for a total of 684 yards and four touchdowns in four games. His inconsistency has created turnovers on offense, as he has thrown three interceptions to go along with eight lost fumbles.

5. Los Angeles Chargers – After several disappointing years in which kicking issues, injuries and inconsistent quarterback play have plagued them, the Chargers are one of the top teams in the AFC. They have the second best record, but since they are in the AFC West along with the Chiefs, the highest playoff seed they can clinch is the fifth seed. With a looming matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs, they can potentially bypass the Chiefs to receive the number one seed.

One key note: Last season, the Chargers converted (66.7 percent) field goal attempts and were actually efficient in converting 88.1 percent of PAT’s (point-after attempts). This year, they have already converted 23 of 28 attempts (82.1 percent). With Mike Badgley at kicker, the Chargers now have a well-rounded team, and unlike in years past, won’t lose due to inconsistency at kicker.

6. Pittsburgh Steelers – The Steelers, who currently hold the lead in the AFC North, will not win the division, but still make the playoffs as the sixth seed in the AFC. The Steelers issues began early in the pre-season, as former All-Pro running back Le’Veon Bell decided to not sign the franchise tag, and has missed all of the season due to the inability for both sides to reach a long-term deal. Even with the surprising absence of Le’Veon Bell, the Steelers still find themselves in a prime spot to contend in the AFC playoffs, due to second-year running back James Conner, who has more than made up for Bell’s absence. The Steelers have largely disappointed, with surprising losses to the Denver Broncos and Oakland Raiders. Inconsistency with the offense to score points and beat teams they are supposed to, their lead in the AFC North can disappear quickly, as they have the Patriots and Saints still left to play.

One key note: The Steelers have lost three straight, and there are concerns, that with losses to the Patriots and Saints could derail their playoff hopes, as there are four 7-6 teams fighting for the last wild-card spot. What makes the Steelers the most likely candidate to clinch the sixth seed is that they rank top 10 in both passing and rushing categories out of the remaining 7-6 teams in the AFC.

NFC

1. Los Angeles Rams

2. New Orleans Saints

3. Chicago Bears

4. Dallas Cowboys

5. Seattle Seahawks

6. Minnesota Vikings

1.  The Los Angeles Rams – With top-five metrics in both offense and defense, and a favorable schedule for the remainder of the season, the Rams will lock up the first-seed and clinch home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. They face only one team with a winning record the rest of the way (Chicago Bears in Week 14). They have a high chance of finishing 14-2, but that can change depending if playoff seeding won’t be affected in Week 17, where most teams bench their starters to keep them fresh for the playoffs.

One key note: The Rams have perennial MVP candidates in Todd Gurley and Aaron Donald. Leading the league in total touchdowns and scrimmage yards (19 and 1707 respectively), Gurley has established himself as the best running back in the NFL. Leading the league in sacks, Donald has a legitimate shot at breaking the single season sack record (22.5 set in 2001 by Michael Strahan).

2. The New Orleans Saints – Headlined by future Hall of Famer Drew Brees, the Saints are arguably the top team in the NFC. The reason why they aren’t projected ahead of the Rams is due to their schedule, as they face the Steelers at home sandwiched between two games against the Carolina Panthers. Earlier in the season, the Saints won a thriller against the Rams 45-35 (the game was much closer than the score, as the Saints scored a touchdown with a minute remaining in the game.

One key note: The Saints actually average more points per game than the Rams (34.4 compared to 32.7) and have the best running back tandem in the league in Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram II.

3. The Chicago Bears – Defense, defense and more defense. The Bears rank at the top in nearly every defensive category including total takeaways (25 interceptions and nine fumbles recoveries), total sacks (40), points per game allowed (19) and yards allowed per game (309.9). This defense only allowed six points to the Los Angeles Rams, which proves that this defense can stop any team.

One key note: The last time the Bears made the playoffs was in 2010, when they reached the NFC Conference Championship against the Packers but ultimately fell short. With the NFC North won, the Bears look to clinch a first-round bye by beating their remaining opponents, and hoping that the Rams lose two of the next three games.

4. The Dallas Cowboys – After falling to a 3-5 start, the Cowboys have stormed back in the NFC East, leapfrogging the Redskins and Eagles to take sole possession of the NFC East lead. The acquisition of Amari Cooper from the Raiders has lit a fire under this offense, as they now have an explosive wide receiver alongside their dynamic running back Ezekiel Elliott.

One key note: Before the Amari Cooper trade, the Dallas Cowboys were one of the worst teams on third down. Now the Cowboys rank among the leaders on third down conversion percentage, as well averaging more points per game after their trade for a potential number one wide receiver in Amari Cooper.

5. The Seattle Seahawks – The Seahawks have transformed into one of the more competitive teams in the NFC, and it shows with their 7-5 record. They have played some of the toughest teams very close, as depicted below:

Week 1 @ Denver: 27-24 Loss

Week 2 @ Chicago: 24-17 Loss

Week 5 vs Los Angeles Rams: 33-31 Loss

Week 8 vs Los Angeles Chargers: 25-17 Loss

Week 9 @ Los Angeles Rams: 36-31 Loss

Of course, to be a good team in the NFL, you have to win these close games, and the NFC West could be a whole lot different had the Seahawks beaten the Rams. The Seahawks’ path to the playoffs would be more clear, had they won let’s say at least two of those games. Despite that, the Seahawks sit at 7-5 and in the thick of the NFC playoff race, due to their reliance on protecting the football, as they have a +11 turnover differential.

One key note: The Seahawks have transitioned to a run-first offense, even with versatile Quarterback Russell Wilson. The change has paid off, as they rank first in the NFL in rushing yards per game (148.8); however, they rank 27th in the league with 204.4 passing yards per game. This transition has allowed the Seahawks to run early and often on teams, in hopes of establishing a league and managing the time of possession to close out games.

6. The Minnesota Vikings – After winning one of the craziest playoff games in NFL history, the Vikings fell short in the NFC Championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles. In an attempt to guide themselves deeper in the playoffs, the Vikings signed free agent quarterback Kirk Cousins to a lucrative three-year, $84 million dollar guaranteed deal. With a big improvement to the quarterback position, the Vikings were projected by many to be one of the elite NFC teams as well as super bowl contenders. The Vikings have largely disappointed, due to offensive inconsistency, as the Vikings lost a winnable game in Week 3 to the Buffalo Bills as they scored only six points at home. The Vikings will make the playoffs, due to the relatively easy schedule the rest of the season (vs Miami Dolphins, at Detroit Lions and vs Chicago Bears). The rest of the wild-card hopefuls have difficult schedules (Carolina Panthers face the Saints twice, the Philadelphia Eagles have to face the Rams and Texans). The final NFC wild-card spot may be won by the Vikings, even with a less than desirable 8-7-1 record.

One key note: The steep price the Vikings paid for Kirk Cousins hasn’t exactly paid off as they thought it would. Case Keenum, the starting quarterback last year for the Vikings, actually had a higher quarterback rating (72.8) than Kirk Cousins currently has (62.7). QBR is a measurement in which it incorporates all of a quarterback’s contributions to winning, including how he impacts the game on passes, rushes, turnovers and penalties. Is Kirk Cousins the answer for the Minnesota Vikings? We will find out in three weeks, if the Vikings can clinch the sixth-seed in the NFC.

Gallery|5 Photos

Grace Mennerick

When it comes to sports, TKC covers a wide variety of athletics that captivate fans. With diverse stories on local and professional topics, our sports staff covered it all in 2018. From investigating concussions in high school to a serious lack of attendance at Kirkwood football games, as well as more light-hearted pieces such as “The future of Golden State” by Daniel Kim, which satirizes the Golden State Warriors’ superteam, the wide world of sports provided for lots of discussion this year. Stay tuned in 2019, as our staff will continue to cover the vast array of KHS sports.

Issues: Concussions – Benji Wilton

Your athletes owe you nothing – Austin Cleveland

Empty bleachers – Daniel Kim

Top 5 cross country courses – Grace Murphy

The future of Golden State – Daniel Kim

Photo edited by Riley Arns under the Google creative commons license

For those of you who haven’t watched much football this year or don’t really understand the sport in general, I have created a guide that breaks down each remaining playoff team into their The Office character equivalent.

Kanas City Chiefs (Pam Beesly) Vs. Indiana Colts (Darryl Philbin)

The first match-up in the AFC is the Kansas City Chiefs vs. the Indiana Colts, but you’re going to remember it as Pam Beesly vs. Darryl Philbin. Just like Pam, the Chiefs are beautiful, smart and undeniably one of the best teams in the league. The Chiefs had the best offense in the regular season with breakout star quarterback Patrick Mahomes, throwing for over 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns, breaking tons of records along the way. Unfortunately for the Chiefs, they are more like season one Pam who is still a secretary and still engaged to the wrong man. While the Chiefs had the best offense they also had the second worst defense, allowing over 400 yards per game and 26.3 points a game. The Chiefs may not be good enough to win the Super Bowl this year, but their story is far from over.

The Chiefs have to face the Indiana Colts in the divisional round, a team I can only liken to Darryl. Just like Darryl, everyone knew the Colts had the potential to be a powerhouse but weren’t sure if the team could mesh in time for the playoffs with their quarterback Andrew Luck coming off an injury. In the first round of the playoffs, the Colts crushed the Texans with a score of 21-7 and are starting to look like the season six or seven Darryl we all love.

New England Patriots (Toby Flenderson) Vs. Los Angeles Chargers (Kevin Malone)

The New England Patriots are exactly like Toby Flenderson. While they are consistently good at their job and have won five super bowls in the last 20 years, they are hated by everyone. Nobody likes the Patriots outside a few people and you should not root for them for no other reason besides the fact that they are the Patriots.

I really struggled to come up with an Office equivalent for the Los Angeles Chargers but as a stretch Kevin Malone who is often overlooked but still provides tremendous value to the show. Just like Kevin, the Chargers season has been overshadowed by the Rams, but that doesn’t mean they’re worse. They are just different. The Chargers finished the season with a record of 12-4 which is only one game behind the Rams 13-3, but unlike the Rams, the Chargers were a top ten offense and defensive team. the Chargers have as good a chance as anyone does at winning the Superbowl.

New Orleans Saints (Dwight Schrute) Vs. Philadelphia Eagles (Creed)

The New Orleans Saints closely resemble Dwight Schrute in the sense that both of them get the job done at all costs. Dwight Schrute was the number one paper salesman every season of The Office and has a natural gift for his job just like Saints coach Sean Payton. During the Saints’ last practice Payton brought out the Lombardi Trophy sitting on top of $225k and said, “Y’all want this? Win three games.” No one has as much passion for the game or a greater desire to win than the New Orleans Saints.

The Philadelphia Eagles can only be compared to Creed. Creed was originally only supposed to be a background character, but turned into a fan favorite and a staple of the show just like the Eagles. Yet again their quarterback, Carson Wentz, has gone down with an injury and everyone thought that meant the end of their season, but backup QB Nick Foles is playing better than ever. The Eagles might make another spectacular playoff run like they did last year or they might lose against the Saints. Just like Creed, no one is quite sure what they will do but everyone is excited to see what happens.

Los Angeles Rams (Jim Halpert) Vs. Dallas Cowboys (Michael Scott)

The Los Angeles Rams are Jim Halpert because they are pretty much all you could ask for in a character/NFL Team. The Rams were the second best offensive team averaging 421.1 yards per game to the Chiefs 425.6 Yds/Pg, but unlike the chiefs their defense was respectable, sitting at 19th in the league. The Rams look unstoppable and their only true competition will be the will be the Dwight Schrute of the NFL, The New Orleans Saints.

The Dallas Cowboys are easily the Michael Scott of the NFL. Neither of them really know what they’re doing and were just in the right place at the right time. The Cowboys are ecstatic that they won a playoff game are going to ride that win until Saturday when Jim Halpert *cough* *cough* I mean the Los Angeles Rams destroy them.

After three seniors graduated from the previous year The Kirkwood Boys Varsity Basketball Team brought back the majority of the varsity team from last year. Bringing in a host of juniors coupled with some sophomores and returning senior leadership the boys are hoping for a strong season according to Jonah Mcdowell, senior. After an 8-2 start to the season, the Pioneers seemed to be heading a championship going into their annual Denver Miller Tournament. Coming off two consecutive victories over the Lafayette Lancers and the Lebanon Yellow Jackets, the Pioneers looked very strong coming into their first round matchup with the Ladue Rams according according to Bill Gunn, boys varsity basketball Coach.

“We felt very confident coming into our first game,” Gunn said. “We were really looking forward to moving on in the tournament and playing against Jennings and McClure North, two of the better teams in St. Louis. We wanted to win in order to measure ourselves against that caliber of a team.”

A 64-61 loss Tuesday, January 8, 2019 suffered at the hands of the Ladue Rams in which Kirkwood held the lead for a majority of the game. Up 13 at halftime, the Pioneers failed to finish the second half strong and finished with the loss.

“We came out strong, but in the second half we faltered,” McDowell said. “That has been our downfall this year. We came out and became to comfortable with our lead and too loose with the ball. Some of our possessions were not the best.”

After the loss to the Rams, the Pioneers responded with a 80-66 win over U-City January 10, 2019. Going into the second half with the lead and never relinquishing it Kirkwood came away with the win.

“We regrouped and went back to practice and had to play a good U-City team,” Gunn said. “I thought we did some good things to get a win there. I think the guys really responded well. We had some adversity and we weren’t really happy with the outcome, but we got together and took care of the U-City game.”

Due to the weather Friday, January 10, 2019 the game was canceled. The Pioneers are set to finish up their last game of the tournament this Wednesday, January 16, 2018 at seven p.m. as they face the O’fallon Township Panthers.

“We played a complete game against U-City,” McDowell said. “We had a lead going into half and in the second we kept it and came away with the win. If we keep playing like that we should be fine against O’Fallon.”