The Offseason

By Joseph P. (12)

Now that the basketball season is over for the Blue Devils, they are now reflecting on the season.

As a player in any team, you’ll have to look back on the season and point out all the strengths and

weaknesses of your game. The Blue Devils had a tough season this year on both ends, the Boys’

losing their playoff chance in the final games, and the Girls’, losing the first round of the playoffs. It

was a valiant effort, but it wasn't enough to push the Baruch teams to the top.

On a personal note, this was the best season I’ve ever had. Averaging almost 17 points per game

with almost 10 rebounds, my summer practice had truly showed. I was doing what I was supposed

to be doing, but I wasn’t entirely great. My defense was atrocious compared to my offense. And

even in my offense, I forced many shots and had costly turnovers. It was learning experience, and I

will be trying to play college ball.

As many of the seniors on both teams will be leaving, it will make the team different, as they can’t

rely on players to do things for them. They’ll have to do it on their own now. They have to use

everybody, even if they weren’t even close to what the seniors had done. It’s a matter of

teamwork and understanding what someone is capable of doing.

It’s now time to bulk up, to practice your game in whatever sport you played. Practicing by yourself

is key. It’s sacrificing time of your own to become better.

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Crunch Time

As the final weeks of regular season basketball began, the Boys’ basketball team had one thing in mind: getting to the playoffs. As hard as it sounded, we knew we had the potential and determination to win, and to be recognized as a team that could win. Our first game of the week was against East Side Community. Back in our first meeting, the Blue Devils fell short, losing by 6 in the final, crucial moments of the game. But with a new mind set, we easily set off to a big lead, and never gave up the lead, easily striding over East Side Community, 57-46.

We then played against PACE, who we had also lost to before by 12. A game where Joseph Park exploded for 29 points, but still could not fend off the PACE basketball team. Two starters were injured, and the game started off with numerous amounts of turnovers. As the game progressed, we were able to shorten the lead, but still lost 73-47, showing how losing two key players dug a hole for our team.

ICE, another good team, had beaten us the first time, but the game was forfeited, and Baruch had come up with the win. But ICE did not have the previous energy they had in our first meeting, and the game was close for the first half. But as the second half started, we lost control  of the game, and easily let ICE pass through our defense, losing the game, 62-43.

As we waited for our next game, against American Sign Language, we were determined to win. We had lost to ASL the previous game by 2, because we (AS A TEAM, NOT AN INDIVIDUAL), could not come up with 2 crucial rebounds. But for this game, we had no practice, and as the game started, we were off to a terrific lead, 29-13 in the first half. But all the magic had gone from our fingers, and by the end of the third quarter, we were trailing 37-36. As the game painfully wore on, turnovers and missed shots pushed up away from ASL, as they finished the game, 60-52.

That was the end of our playoff dream. Had we won that game against ASL, we could’ve gone to the playoffs, but our team could not win together, and as we look forward to our last game against M.H.S, all we could think about is finishing the season with pride. It was a great run, and even though we fell short, we all improved, which was the key to most of our success.

-Joseph P (12)

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2-1 & 3-3

2-1

A great start to the new season, the boys won at home against Henry Street 62-44. The Boys’
team is currently on a 2 game winning streak, and we’ll see to it that it will continue to rise.

The game started off with the Blue Devils winning the tip, and easily rallied for a 6 point lead
early on. As halftime came, we were still up by 6, but as Coach Soskind had said, “we should not be
winning by 6, but rather, by 16.” The game was close at the half, just like the game we had against JKO,
but as the second half started, we were easily sliding through their defense, getting steals, simple plays,
and although our defense wasn’t working correctly, we were able to manage an 18-point lead against a
team we had to beat. The game was another improvement both offensively and defensively. Everyone
played in the game, except for those that were injured, and we were able to use everyone to score, to
do anything that would help win us the game. In the end, the fans were a great support to our team,
and we’ll continue to win!



3-3
As the season for the Boys’ Varsity Basketball team continues, the final record as of this week is 3-3. This
week was a bad week of basketball, since we lost 3 straight games. (The game against ICE was forfeited
because ICE did not have their roster up, which means an automatic defeat, even if they won the game).

On Tuesday, we opened up a game against East Side Community, who was off to a poor start in the
season. The intensity level for East Side was overwhelming our team, and we were down early, giving up
12 easy points to East Side in the 1st quarter. The whole game, East Side had held the lead until the 4th
quarter, where we started to make a run, and eventually at the final minute, Peter Lok stole the ball and
scored the game-tying lay-up. Then we fouled, and they were up by 1 point. I lost the ball at the end of
the game, which caused us to lose, but when the scores were checked again, we had actually lost by 6,
so we would have never came back.

The next game was against PACE, and we started off with amazing intensity, and PACE was not ready
both defensively and offensively. As the game continued however, we began to lose intensity, and our
defensive plays were not going well. We weren’t rebounding by boxing out, and we weren’t playing with
confidence. We lost the game by 12, but it should’ve been a close game.

The final game was against Eleanor Roosevelt Huskies, who proved to be a tough team from the start.
They were intimidating, with a 6’6” center, but height doesn’t win games; the better team wins. We got
off to a poor start, scoring only 3 points nearing the end of the first quarter. As the game progressed, we
were able to get some points here and there, but ultimately, ELRO dominated the entire game, and we
lost by double digits for our second straight game.
We need to play better as a team and make the right decisions. We were not controlling our tempo, but
making our own plays which weren’t working. We’ll continue to improve, and we hope to see more fans
come out to our games!

-Joseph P. (12)

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2-1

                A great start to the new season, the boys won at home against Henry Street 62-44. The Boys’ team is currently on a 2 game winning streak, and we’ll see to it that it will continue to rise.

                The game started off with the Blue Devils winning the tip, and easily rallied for a 6 point lead early on. As halftime came, we were still up by 6, but as Coach Soskind had said, “we should not be winning by 6, but rather, by 16.” The game was close at the half, just like the game we had against JKO, but as the second half started, we were easily sliding through their defense, getting steals, simple plays, and although our defense wasn’t working correctly, we were able to manage an 18-point lead against a team we had to beat. The game was another improvement both offensively and defensively. Everyone played in the game, except for those that were injured, and we were able to use everyone to score, to do anything that would help win us the game. In the end, the fans were a great support to our team, and we’ll continue to win!

Joseph P. (12)

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Boys Varsity pre-game practice (against Henry St.)

The Lui brothers. On the left is Edward Lui (the older brother) and on the right is William Lui (the  younger brother). 

Individual shots of players shooting around. 

William Lui, sophomore. 

Joseph Park, senior, and Spencer Tibbals, senior. 

Peter Lok, senior. 

Kenny Li, sophomore.

Edward Lui, senior, and James Davis, senior.

Brendon Chan, sophomore. 

The boys working on press breaker. 

The boys working on press breaker. 

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Baruch Girls Varsity v. Norman

Mikaela going for the jump ball.

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Blue Devils Newsletter - Issue 5

Adapted from the original Newsletter by Alexiandria Cintron, Kathy Chiam, Nicole Castiblanco and Erick Criollo
November, 2012

View original by downloading newsletter

Download Here

SOS CORNER: 

Are you in control of your own destiny? The answer to this question lies in seven letters; C-O-N-T-R-O-L! Do you set goals and plan how you will achieve them or do you fly by the seat of your pants? A disciplined step by step approach ensures you will maximize your potential, and increase the percentage of your power to accomplish.  I know that this may seem like more work, like the transposing notebook I am always on you about starting. However, no one ever said that the process would be easy. It all lies in how comfortable you are being uncomfortable.  Continuing to challenge yourself is the key to self management and growth. Don’t let your fear of failure prevent you from doing what is necessary. Let the thought of failure motivate you. Small accomplishments will build the confidence you need to set your own course. During this thanksgiving season, we should take the time to look at the big, and realize how fortunate we are to have the ability to fulfill our potential. Don’t allow time to keep passing you by. Grab the bull by the horns today and begin your journey.

 Have a wonderful holiday!

Model U.N

            Diplomacy has been a recurring theme throughout history. With tension building around the world, this strategy must be employed to insure the safety of mankind. In order to maintain peace for all people and to promote diplomatic relations, the U.N was formed in 1945, after World War II. Originally, there were 51 member states, now an impressive 193 member states including the United States of America. The Model U.N. (MUN), run by Mr. Harper, is dedicated to educating the youth about how world diplomacy works. Through a mock conference, each school is assigned a member state to represent as its delegation to the United Nations. The United Nations has multiple bodies, with two students assigned to each. Some include the Human Rights Committee and the Security Council.

               Students spend months researching their specific topic and aim towards writing a position paper and presenting it. In May, a mock conference is held in New York City, where students from all over the world gather and discuss their various topics. They engage in debates and ultimately draft resolutions. Last year, BCCHS represented the magnificent country of Guatemala. Currently, we have not been assigned a country. Nevertheless, we have started the club and are educating some of our newer members about the role of The United Nations. Model U.N. is a brilliant choice when looking for a club. Realizing that the world of tomorrow is essentially controlled by you can be a powerful motivator to get involved. If anyone has any questions, you can contact Mr. Harper, Ms. Lau, or Mr. Sparrow.                                                                                       

-Jowel Uddin

Bond Returns

            Daniel Craig executes James Bond with intensity and magnitude. Skyfall introduces a story to the public that has been described as Craig's best Bond film. 007’s new mission involves working with a small group of agents in order to restore the role and reputation of the M16          Sam Mendes, director of American Beauty and Revolutionary Road, teams up with cinematographer Roger Deakins, Shawshank Redemption and O Brother Where Art Thou?, to present the public with a new visually stunning film that reminds us of some of the other best Bond films. Through their collaboration, another fantastic film has been made.

            Released November 9th, Skyfall has already made a total of $669.2 Million a result of both international and sales within North America. With this, Skyfall is a definite must see, and will be remembered for its visually stunning shots, cast, and story. .  Roger Ebert gives Sky Fall 4/4 stars.

-Gabriel Sommers

Red Cross Report

            This year the Red Cross Club will be extremely busy and we would love to have your support. We are hosting our annual Blood Drive on December 19th. If you are 16 and over, please try your best to give blood. You will be rewarded with 6-7 hours of community service and more importantly, you will be doing a good deed for society.

            I hope everyone was safe during Hurricane Sandy. We are trying to raise money in order to help out those in need.  We will be hosting bake sales, Backpack Competitions, and additional activities. There will be further information released at a later date.  There will be people coming around with wrist bands and measles pins to sell during the school day. All of the money goes to a good cause! If you are in need of more community service, you can volunteer for hurricane relief online with the American Red Cross, any events that you participate in, we will give you community service credit. Keep your ears open for upcoming Red Cross events!

-Joanne Yu & Imani Nicholas

Baruch Wrestling

            Baruch Wrestling is unlike any other sports team. Compared to my other experiences with sports teams, wrestling takes up all of my free time. As of now, my life only consists of two things; school and wrestling. I wish I could squeeze some more activities into my week, but now that wrestling season started there is absolutely no time for anything. Don’t get me wrong, I really love what I’m doing and I will never consider dropping the sport. Wrestling has taught me how to effectively use my time. The time I would usually use to watch television or play video games is now being used to do my homework and study. This has also led to me becoming a more diligent worker. Baruch Wrestling has done more than change my time management and work ethic. It also became the catalyst which gave my whole lifestyle a much needed 180 degree turn. Before wrestling, I ate whatever I wanted without thinking about the repercussions. These decisions made me overweight and unhealthy in a very short amount of time. In fact at one point I weighed over 200 pounds, but now I work out everyday and eat a balanced diet. These small changes not only led to me feeling much better physically, but it also turned my 200 pounds into 182 pounds and most importantly, a better me.

-Ayo Summers

A Promising Team Arises

            Baruch’s boys’ basketball team has never lacked talent. Each year, a fresh crop of boys stepped onto the court with a new multitude of skills and experience. Unfortunately, each year’s success remained paltry as the team struggled to find substantial wins. This year, it’s a similar story. A very talented group steps on the court with the hope of rising well above the team’s past. With seniors that have four years of experience, and underclassmen with a lot of potential, the Blue Devils are teeming with the promise of a winning season.          Perhaps the evidence for the word “teeming” lies in the coach Howard Soskind’s struggle to assemble a team this year. With only twelve spots available, Soskind knew it would be a long process cutting students off the team. But Soskind, an ideological man to say the least, was not concerned with making a team that could jump high or dunk the ball. He was concerned with putting together a team that would stay intense throughout the whole season. A team always looking to work and improve. Even though there were only twelve spots available, Soskind decided to keep thirteen. Perhaps his motive was to keep the players engaged, so no one could slack off without losing a jersey to the thirteenth man. Perhaps he believed that each and every one of the thirteen people could come to practice and the games prepared to work with an unyielding passion. Either way, Coach Howard Soskind’s choice to keep thirteen boys shows the promise of this year’s team – the talent is bursting out of the team’s seams. It is simply up to the Baruch players to rise to the occasion and prove they deserve their spot on the team. Along with the Baruch community’s support, it is highly possible that this year a new precedent will be set for future Baruchians. Success only exists in terms of hard work, intensity, and dedication.

- Spencer Tibbals

Girls Basketball Opener

          The beginning of the season has begun. With practice every day and having new Coach Jessenia. Although this is the first year she is coaching the team, we got acquainted to her practices fairly quick. We worked on handling skills and offense/defense drills. We had our first scrimmage on November 12^th against a school from Queens. Although we didn't have a crowd to cheer us on, we still played hard, with our returnees, Miyna, Sydney, Patty, Mikaela and Alexis starting the game. The score was kept tied for almost the first 2 quarters but as the second half came around we pushed hard and the intensity level increased which led to a team win by 20. Everyone got a chance to play and show their talent by making 3 pointers and getting rebounds. We may not have started off as strong as we thought for our first scrimmage but we will keep that in mind for our first game of the season. Come support us on Monday, November 26^th at 4:30 p.m. at the Baruch College gym against Washington Irving.

-        Kathy Chiam

Baruch Wrestling Needs You!

            Head Coach Frank Portella’s catchphrase this season is: “We are winning the City Tournament on February 10^th!” He often follows up with asking, “Who will be   an individual City Champ this year?” Coach is ecstatic about how many people we have on the team. Currently, Baruch Wrestling has at least one athlete per weight class from 99 lbs. to 220 lbs.  In fact, the only weight class we are missing is 285. In order to fill that spot, we need a wrestler at least 210 pounds. Prior to this year, Baruch Wrestling started every competition down by 30 points; that meant that every school we competed against had a 30-point advantage! Now it’s time for Baruch Wrestling to turn the tides on other schools and start matches with the advantage! Don’t fret if you’re worried about being good at wrestling, we have had over ten new wrestlers who just two weeks ago had no idea how to wrestle, but by working hard and committing themselves they’re almost ready for their first competition. Baruch Wrestling has six assistant coaches who pay close attention to each of us, and help guide us through the process of becoming a wrestler. The first few days of wrestling is always the most challenging, but if you really stick with it and never quit you can become an important part of this team too. Remember, seniors Isaiah Blake and Paul Schoenberg didn’t become city champions over night. So don’t let the excuse of, “I’ll try it next year,” or “I might not be good at it,” discourage you. Join Baruch Wrestling and help us win the City title while learning life skills that can only be taught on the mat. Baruch Wrestling needs you! For information email frank@BaruchWrestling.com

-Matthew Quinones

Fundraising Journey

            Fundraising is a major issue for all our athletic teams. It is not easy to raise the funds necessary to run a good program. A major draw on our budget is our gym rental from Baruch College. This leaves little money for official and tournament fees, uniforms, and other necessary equipment. The girl’s basketball team started to collect plastic bottles. Even though the girls only raised 40 dollars in one month, the team is looking forward to getting a new game ball. The team is going to think of some more fundraising ideas to get new uniforms for next season. Don't forget to bring in your bottles and cans. The competition ends on December 17th. The girl’s first game is on November 26^th. Please come out to support. 

-Mikaela Bordonaro

What’s up with the National Honor Society?

            We’re working hard! Last year, the induction of new members and celebration of graduating members set the stage for a new year.  We have been meeting every Friday at 7:45AM to organize and prepare for upcoming events. Every member of NHS has worked hard to reach this point, so now we’re ready to set things in motion.

We will always be achieving new tasks throughout the year, but recently we have been firing up our annual Halloween Candy Bag Sale! We are making sure this year is organized and successful, so we’re making these bags extra special. For the low price of $2.00/bag, you can send your friends or teachers a handmade, thoughtful, and “Halloween-y” delight. We designed the bags so that each one has enough chocolate candies as well as non-chocolate ones, such as Skittles and Twizzlers. In addition, we also snuck in a spooky surprise that everyone loves…but you’ll have to buy one to see!

Later on, we are planning on doing a whole bunch of helpful community service. National Honor Society lives for achieving worthwhile goals by helping others in our community; we encourage you to do the same. This includes volunteering at senior homes, cleaning parks/beaches, and fundraising money for needy organizations that help the less fortunate. We are also starting to dive into new things, but we’re not ready to announce them yet. Stick with us and you’ll see!

- Molly McGill

Rough Preseason Start   

            We have opened up our preseason losing our first three contests. During these games, the team has demonstrated the ability to succeed. Unfortunately we have not committed for the entire 32 minutes.  Lapses in defense, missed lay-ups, not running hard, are examples of behaviors that need attention. We need to improve our chemistry and confidence. With a more disciplined approach at practice, we hope to achieve our potential this season. Pre season for us is not about winning or the points. It’s about getting better. I think the team has a good chance of making the playoff this year. The real test will be Tuesday, November 27^th when we play ICE in the season opener. Come out and support!

- Peter Lok

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Blue Devil Newsletter - Issue 4

Adapted from the original Newsletter by Alexiandria Cintron, Erick Criollo, Nicole Castiblanco and Kathy Chiam
November, 2012

View original by downloading newsletter

Download Here

SOS CORNER: I always say that you will be judged more on how you handle adversity than how you handle success. Life is full of joy and sorrow. Unfortunately life has been bumpy the last few weeks; the passing of my brother, Hurricane Sandy, and an early nor’easter. I have felt and seen a tremendous amount of support from our school community. People seem to really come together when the chips are down. I want to encourage all of you to take “si oh en tee are O el” of your lives. Don’t wait for things to happen. Be proactive and preventative when it comes to the world around you. I believe that we write our own destiny. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring and therefore we must make the most of each minute we have. You will get out of life what you put in. Sometimes things are difficult to read.  We must find the inner meaning and how we are going to use it. Do you see the glass as half full or half empty? This is a question to ponder for our next SOS installment.

Baruch Film Club

            The Film Club is Baruch's oldest club and unites students from every grade to sit and watch, discuss, and analyze chosen films. With this, The Film Club encourages every student to create and share films for the end of the year BCCHS Annual Film Festival. Over the years, documentaries, dramas, comedies, animations, etc. have been made and viewed by many of the talented and bright students of Baruch. The mission of The Film Club is to introduce movies that may not be normally watched on a daily basis, thus allowing members to develop their list of seen films. "Film Club has introduced me to an array of movies that I now love. I don't know if I would have ever seen them unless I attended," stated Charles Noyes, Film Club member of two years. Gabriel Sommer, senior, and President of Film Club, takes in suggestions and recommendations in order to explore various categories of film. "The work done to execute a decent film is often over looked," said Sommer. "Many do not realize all of the characteristics and details in a film that creates a story. When we watch a movie after school, we inspect and review these aspects." With this, Mr. Zimmerman leads the club through discussions and the study of certain scenes of a given film. It is never too late to show up, sit down, and watch some delightful movies. Film Club meets every Friday at 3 o'clock in room 307.

By G.Sommer

Why I Vote

            Election Day, 2012.  I don’t believe that my vote will make any difference today.  In the elections for national office, nothing I can do will make a difference.  New York State’s 29 electoral votes are certain to be cast for Barack Obama, who leads Mitt Romney in recent opinion polls in our state by over 25 percentage points.  In the race for a U.S. Senate seat from New York, Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand leads her challenger by over 40 percentage points.  And the U.S. Congressional representative from my district in Brooklyn, Yvette Clark, is likely to win – again – with well over 80% of the vote.  Given this imbalance, and comparable ones (in either direction) in a number of districts throughout the United States, many Americans could be forgiven for avoiding the trouble of voting today.

            Add to that the fact that many Americans either do not know much about the candidates for elected office, do not care for any of the candidates, and/or do not believe that they will notice much difference no matter who wins, and you have a recipe for what’s called “low voter turnout”.  Voter turnout refers to the percent of the voting-age population who bothers to vote in an election.  Voter turnout in the United States has generally hovered just above the 50% mark since the early 1970s in presidential election years, and just above the 35% mark in midterm election years (elections for Congress halfway through a four-year presidential term).  Compared with voter turnout rates of well over 70% in most democracies, it would seem that Americans are uniquely disinterested in (or disenchanted with) politics.  Young Americans are especially tuned out (or turned off).  Voter turnout among Americans younger than 30 has typically been well below 50% in presidential election years, and below 25% in midterm elections.

            There are many reasons for Americans’ – and especially young Americans’ – apathy about voting, beyond those noted above.  First, there are institutional reasons, too technical to get into in this column, regarding the electoral system in the United States and its tendency to create noncompetitive districts and two-party races.  Second, the advent of broadcast & internet media – along with a host of changes to the format of election campaigns – have combined to make political campaigns a messy, rude, and incredibly expensive affair, complete with gross exaggeration of facts and attempts by powerful interest groups to deliberately mislead the public.  And although the number and type of media outlets have ballooned, the quality of information differs dramatically, and it takes some effort on the part of individual citizens to make sense of all the information available to us.  Third, both technological advances and other trends over the last few decades have significantly changed our lifestyles, generally in ways that force political awareness to compete with many more immediately stimulating activities (video games, YouTube, American Idol, etc.) for our attention.  Add to that the fact that the American political system was designed to make major change incredibly difficult, and you have a recipe for citizen – and especially young citizen – boredom, annoyance and disinterest.

            And it is precisely this boredom, annoyance and disinterest that can allow powerful interest groups, with the attentive ear of politicians, to take advantage of an opportunity to push policies that favor them, regardless of the effect on most of us (or, especially, on future generations).  And that is precisely why I vote.  Because whether we notice it or not, there are big changes taking place in the world that do matter very much to real people.  And government policy can certainly make a difference in how we respond to these challenges.

            For example, climate change is very real, and its personal and economic effects are already being felt, perhaps even by us (evidence indicates that powerful storms like Hurricane Sandy have become much more frequent in recent decades as a result of climate change).  Another example is growing inequality.  In recent decades it has become much more difficult for Americans to improve their socioeconomic status, in part because our education system tends to be incredibly unequal.  And, of course, there are important issues of civil rights & liberties, such as the right for same-sex couples to marry.  Several states have passed laws in recent years allowing gay & lesbian citizens to marry, while many more have passed laws denying them that right.  And even if you are not concerned about any of the aforementioned issues, you should at least be concerned about how government policies affect your access to (and the cost of) health insurance, or the kind of taxes you will have to pay in coming years.  And the differences between candidates – and political parties – on these sorts of issues are very real.

So here is my “one-thumb-up” endorsement for voting.  No, it is not usually very romantic.  And your one vote will probably not make a difference on the outcome.  And most of the time, you won’t notice big differences in your life depending on which candidate wins.  However, even if I don’t think that either presidential candidate running for election today will make significant progress (for better or worse) on any of the issues mentioned above; and even if I believe that my lone voice will not be heard by those with the power to make change; and even if the process of policymaking is slow, confusing, and disappointing; I’d rather sleep at night knowing that somehow, in some small way, I contributed to the world by voicing my support for the candidates that I think somehow, in some small way, will contribute to making a little change for the better.

By: Aaron Sparrow

The Iran Job

            In late September, the AP Comparative Government and Politics class, taught by Mr. Sparrow, was given the opportunity to go see “The Iran Job.” This movie created controversy in our society. Iran is one of six countries that our class will be focusing on. This was a perfect chance to explore different aspects of this country. The film is about Kevin Sheppard, a basketball player in the United States, who accepts a job to play on an Iranian team. Although he feared going to a precarious country, he was very optimistic and hopeful about having a successful season. While in Iran, he met three Iranian women that were very outspoken about their views on religion, culture, and politics. Regardless of how dangerous it was for these women to speak their minds, they felt like people needed to know the truth behind their country. These women could have gotten arrested, abused, and even killed just for being in this film. Even that didn’t stop them! In addition to showing us Kevin Sheppard’s lifestyle in Iran, director Til Schauder reveals the heartbreaking sides of Iran, giving us insight to a country often seen as a mystery. This film was really informative and I can honestly say I enjoyed it. It was humorous and unique, and most importantly, the film had a message. I encourage people of all ages to go and watch it.

By Nicole Castiblanco           

Wrestling Is Back

            Baruch Wrestling is readying for a campaign 2012-13 winter season. Seniors Isaiah Blake & Matthew Estrada attended the Beat the Streets (BTS) Leadership Camp at the Olympic Training Center in Lake Placid. Matthew and Isaiah had already attended the BTS camp at Sullivan County along with sophomore Jean Marti and freshman Mathew Quinones. In addition to these camps, Isaiah, Jean & Matthew all attended the infamous J Robinson Intensive Wrestling Camp this summer. The J Rob camp is widely considered the most rigorous high school sports camp in the world. All three Baruch Wrestlers completed the camp, and freshman Matthew Quinones graduated leaving with the “I did it!” shirt. Baruch Wrestling Club practices start this week. All wrestlers will get USA wrestling cards, which will insure them during pre & postseason wrestling for a full year. Preseason practice runs from 10am-12pm on Saturdays at the BTS Manhattan Training Center.  This is a great place to learn the sport in a relaxed environment without the stress of having to compete. Contact Head Coach Frank Portella – frank@BaruchWrestling.com or talk to Isaiah Blake or Matthew Estrada to find out how to join. (We’re always looking for more team members!)

Volleyball on Hold

            This year’s season of the girls’ Volleyball team has been put on hold due to Hurricane Sandy. Our last two games have been postponed until further notice. The season was supposed to end on November 1st, but now we just have to sit tight and wait for any news of our season continuing (or sadly, ending). On another note, the girls lost the game against School of the Future. However, they came back together and won against W. 50th in two sets!! Congrats girls!! Unfortunately, we lost against MLK on Oct. 24th. But overall, this has been a wonderful season. I don’t think I have ever seen us fight this hard before. This was also the year we switched from playing against Manhattan North schools to Manhattan South schools. Enjoy the rest of the year!

By Linda Huang

Start of Girls Varsity Basketball

            Basketball season has officially started for both the boys and the girls. The girls Vasity team, even without a big turnout of girls, is looking good for the beginning of the season.  We have seven returning girls from last year’s team and three freshmen who came out to join the team. We have a lot of talent, returning talent and new talent. Everyone is excited for the season especially our two coaches Ally and Jessenia. They have been pushing the girls hard in practice even though the season only started three days ago. Excitement is growing as the season’s first game is arriving. The girls’ first game is November 26th and it is a home game. Please make sure to attend the games to support, as well as bringing in your cans and bottles too. 

By Mikaela Bordonaro

Beginning of Boys Varsity Basketball

            Basketball season had arrived and you know what that means, try outs. The boys had their first workout on Monday for both the Varsity and Junior Varsity teams. There have been approximately 35 boys showing up for 24 spots. There were some returning players and many new faces. Edward Lui, Peter Lok and James Davis leading practice, they started off with some ball handling into some shooting, then working on defense stance. The crowd split in half with JV on one side and Varsity on the other. The intensity in the gym was evident by the hunger for success that these boys displayed. Ending with some 5 on 5 and a clap up to end practice. It's going to be a great season.

 By Kathy Chiam

A New Chapter in Girls Soccer

            The Girls soccer season has ended. Starting off with only 11 girls to having at least 20 on the team, shows our development. We may not have won the championship or played our first play-off game, but we are all winners. We come to practice being ready to work even if everyone doesn’t show up. We push each other, we critique each other but at the end we are all a team and we help each other develop. The last week was tough, games were cancelled, and we didn’t even have a couch for a week but we managed considering the circumstances. It's our last year on this soccer team, Kaylin, Patty and I. We may not have led them to the championships but we led a good team. We did our best and now it's time to hand this leadership role to the young ones. Good luck to you girls next season. GO BLUE DEVILS!     

 By Kathy Chiam

From your student body president

               In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, we, as a community we must come together to support those who are in need. Many of our students have been severely affected by the hurricane, and it is essential that we come together and help them through this rough time. In the upcoming week, the student government, along with many other clubs, will be collecting donations for the victims. Details will be provided by your advisory representatives on Tuesday. Enjoy your three day weekend.            

         Daniel D.

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Scrimmages 2 and 3

On Tuesday, the boys’ varsity team had a scrimmage against another division A team. It was an away game, up in the Bronx, and we weren’t entirely ready for it, especially their full court presses. But we needed to see what to work on before we entered our league games.
The games started off with a 3-pointer by me, but the quarter didn’t go well from there, and we trailed early, 11-5. It seemed like a game that we could catch up in, but the game was slowly loosening from our grip, and soon we were done by double our score.
Eventually, in the fourth quarter, we started to pick up, pressuring the ball and forcing turnovers. But by then it was too late, and we fell, 46-32 (not entirely sure what the score was, the scoreboard was weird). We hadn’t improved at all, except on our defense, which was still lacking in many areas.
The third scrimmage we had was at home, on Wednesday, the day before thanksgiving break. It was against another division A team, Beacon. We wanted to improve again, but this game wasn’t the game to improve upon. We started the quarter off slow, trailing again.
As the game progressed, we could barely scrape up points, until the fourth quarter. In the fourth quarter, we’re usually active. We got the game a little closer, but ended up losing, through a scratchy game.
But what we took away from this was that we saw our weaknesses, and how our team wasn’t on the same pace. But we’ll still improve from there, because the game is about making you and your teammates better, not just winning games.

Joseph Park (12)

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First Scrimmage

                Last week on Friday, the boys’ varsity team had a scrimmage against an out-of-league team. They were a division A team, and we were in division B, so it looked to be a challenge.

                The game started off slowly, both teams making bad passes, and no one really playing with intensity. Then Peter Lok scored, and the other team did as well. It was 2-2, and from there, we started to pull away. Peter Lok scored again, and then I (Joey P) scored 7 points to end the quarter at 11-4. We had shut them down on defense.

                But when the second quarter began, we lost our touch. After the first 5 minutes had come and gone, we still hadn’t scored. The other team had already caught up and passed us, and from there, we were never able to recover.

                The intensity level had gone, and we couldn’t break done their defense, and in the end, the boys’ team lost 33-44, but we had proven that we can do well against a zone defense. We will continue to work harder to break down any kind of defense, and build up our intensity along the way.

                Come out and support the team! We will be posting game dates as the season goes along. C:

 Joseph P.

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The importance of a drill

Basketball tryouts had taken place last week, starting form Monday and ending on Friday. The
Head Coach, Howard Soskind had said that he doesn’t even know who will be cut, but that shouldn’t
stop us from playing basketball. Michael Jordan was cut from his High School basketball team, but that
didn’t stop him from being one of the greatest basketball players ever.

Tryouts had started out with simple drills, and a scrimmage. It may have seemed easy enough,
but what we didn’t think about was what a drill was trying to teach us. A passing drill may be fairly easy,
but if you don’t understand certain points about a passing drill, you fail to throw/catch a pass in a real
game. When we pass the ball, you shouldn’t be standing in one place and passing the ball, but moving
with the ball. The player who is catching the ball doesn’t just stand in one place, but rather moves
towards the ball to make it both an easier and safe pass. You don’t want the opposing team going right
through the passing lane, getting a steal, and scoring an easy lay-up.

We take too many things for granted in basketball, instead, what matters are the small,
important fundamentals of the game.

Joseph P. (12)

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Is it over?

It has been a while since the most recent volleyball game.
Many had came to our volleyball games and it was highly appreciated. The Baruch Volleyball Team never had many supporters cheering because we do not home games and it becomes a hassle for those who actually did want to come and support at other schools. However, many of these supporters came through and our team was thankful. Thankful to know that someone acknowledges our wins and our lost.
With every lost, I would feel a pain inside. I take loses and wins pretty seriously, and that is why I feel pain with every lost. I also take every win seriously and this makes me too hyper. Though with every lost, someone on the team would come up to me and say "Cheer up Peony! We will do better next time!" The positivity of the team was extraordinary and it made me think even more positively. My coach told me that playing games are not only because of winning, but try to have fun and find pleasure in playing the sports that you love. I have learned a lot from him and it will stay with me forever; whether it was him enlightening me about life or teaching me how to be a better volleyball player.  
But is the volleyball season really over? Technically, it may be over on the PSAL board but you can play volleyball anywhere, anytime and play with the people you love.
This Friday may mark the end of our PSAL games and it may be the last time that the team can all sit together, with our coaches and have fun. But I know that this is not the end.
I truly wish that the Volleyball season can continue, not only because I personally love this sport, not only because I enjoy the school's spirit, and not only because it is great to win, but because I was lucky enough to have amazing team members.Though this may be slightly unrealistic, I know that I had enjoyed my time and I have made amazing memories.
It's not over until it's officially over, so for now, I'll say: I LOVE YOU GUYS AND I'LL SEE YOU SOON!

Peony Cheng
(Senior)
Writer for Sports

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Basketball

Basketball season is just around the corner! Try outs are on the 29th of October and I cannot wait! It’s something that I look forward to all year long; the games, the excitement, the fans, the chants, and everything that follows in a game. Being on the basketball team had made me develop as a person, a leader, and a role model. I have never regretted joining the team; in matter of fact, it has been the best choice I have ever made. Making new friends and just playing a sport that we all love. Bonding with each other inside and outside of school and just leaving the stress off for a few hours. Nothing to worry about, just basketball and I love it. Not only was I able to play a sport I love, meeting new people that became family, it was a great way to stay healthy and fit. I lost 20 pounds in 2 months!!!!!!!! Its great, during the season I eat healthy and stay healthy. During games, that intense feeling you get when it is crunch time and the scores are so close... it just gives me the butterflies, nervous feeling like playing the first game. Those are the feelings I love. The feelings like I am part of a team that I thought I wouldn't be able to make it in. I'm counting down the days until try outs, until our start of the season, until our first game.

Kathy Chiam
(Senior)
Writer for Sports

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