After a long sequence of winter storms, spring weather is coming for a change.
Snow, snow, snow is all Lancaster County has been experiencing for the last couple weeks. With record snow accumulation in the previous weeks, spring might finally be coming to put an end to the wintry weather.
According to theweatherchannel.com, Lancaster will be witnessing 40 degree weather through out the whole weekend. Friday and Saturday will be in the low 40’s for its high temperatures.
We may not know what to do with ourselves. Afterall, Penn Manor has suffered or enjoyed four snow days this school year, depending on your point of view.
Sunday, however, we will have a high in the low 50’s which is a huge change to the recent weather Lancaster has been going through of late.
After this “heat wave” most the existing snow will be completely melted and for the first time in about a month, grass will be visible.
The Orange improved to 7-0 against ranked teams with a win over Villanova Saturday.
With the top ranked teams losing earlier in the day, it meant that if the Orange beat Nova they could be ranked number one for the first time since the 1989-90 season.
Jim Boeheim didn’t want to talk ranking.
Nova Senior guard, Scottie Reynolds lays it up. Orange forward Wes Johnson dunks. Taken from ESPN.cording to ESPN. He wanted to talk about his team’s victory over the Wildcats.
The cats came out with an early lead and kept it till the Orange went on a 15 – 7 run to take a 10 point lead to end the first half.
Nova never recovered from the first-half deficit with the Orange taking the easy victory, 77 to 95, in front of the record crowd of 34,616 on their home floor.
The Orange big men were the difference makers in the game with Rick Jackson scoring 19 points and grabbing 8 rebounds, Arinze Ounaku had 17 points and also cleaned the glass with 9 boards.
With the win, the Orange locked up a one seed in the Big East tournament and moved one step closer to solidifying a number one seed come March. The win also guaranteed them as the Big East regular season champions.
Novas star guard Scottie Reynolds still scored 16 points and was relatively quiet.
With two games remaining in the regular season for the Wildcats, they may still be able to get a good seed come March and could meet the Orange again in the Big East or NCAA tourney.
The Orange with two games remaining, and looking very strong, will be tough to beat in March in the upcoming Big East tournament. The Orange’s future could be filled with greatness but the same could be said of the Wildcats.
The poll gets released Monday and with the top three teams picking up losses this week and the Orange picking up a very sweet win, Syracuse should be ranked number one.
Crosby after game-winning goal. Taken from ESPN. Sidney Crosby stepped up and crushed the dreams of some of his NHL teammates and friends. Is he hated or a hero?
By Sam Valentin-
It depends where you live, the United States was hoping for the second upset in U.S. mens hockey. But just miles away, Canadians everywhere got their way when the Canadian National team scored first in the sudden death overtime victory over the U.S. Sunday on Canadian ice.
The U.S. achieved more in just being against the hockey machine, in the gold medal game because most analysts had the US team finishing fifth in this year Olympics and being able to force overtime.
The U.S. even defeated the highly ranked Canadian team a week ago.
Jonathan Toews scored early for Canada going up one-nill against the scrappy, young U.S. team.
Canada scored again in the second period when Corey Perry cleaned up a breakaway chance.
But no shut out because the U.S finally showed up almost 13 minutes into the second period off a shot by forward Patrick Kane that got deflected into the back of the net by Ryan Kesler to make it into a game.
The U.S had so many scoring chances because Canadian goalie Roberto Luongo couldn’t cover up the puck leaving the U.S. with a plethora of great rebound chances in front of the net.
The U.S. finally capitalized when a shot by Kane ricocheted off of Luongo and U.S. forward Zach Parise was in front to tie the game up with 25 ticks remaining in regulation.
The U.S. wasted the clock out after they got the puck and with momentum and all the U.S could taste the gold heading into overtime.
United States filmmakers were already thinking about a sequel to a miracle on ice.
But then Jerome Iginla passed the puck to Sidney Crosby and with a flick of his wrist and only 7 minutes and 40 seconds into the most watched game in Canadian history was ended.
He didn’t even know it went in; he was just trying to get off a quick shot said Crosby to ESPN after the game.
Forget George Street Café, Java-teas, Square One, and Prince Street Café. Penn Manor hosts their one-of-a-kind Coffeehouse.
This past Friday, Penn Manor High School’s chorus hosted their very own.
Tim Deubler, Courtney Jacobs and Kyle Hallet perform a Paramore cover. Photographed by Haley Blazer
“The set up was really nice and cozy. The people seemed to enjoy it,” said Luke Harvey, a member of the chorus and a performer that night.
The atmosphere was full of warm drinks, desserts, and light chatter.
Though there was a list of performers, the event was treated as more of an “open-mic night,” and the music department students provided one-song acts for the public.
From stand-up bass to acapella, the mic was visited by an array of music styles.
“I thought it was cool for each of us [music department students] to sing in our favorite style and hear everyone else perform what they wanted to do,” said Courtney Jacobs, sophomore.
Zach Levenson performs. Photographed by Haley Blazer
Guests were treated to all-they-could-drink coffee, hot chocolate, and desserts while students performed for a mere $5.00.
“It was no stress, and it was a place where you could relax. It was casual. It looked like a little Starbucks. I loved it. It was so much fun,” said Melissa Telesco, chorus director.
All profits benefit chorus students, who are planning on traveling to Hawaii in 2012 to commemorate the anniversary of Pearl Harbor.
It has been about a month since Lancaster has seen a glimpse of some grass since the county was struck by two large snow storms covering the region with the lingering powder.
Now with the anticipated spring season approaching fast, the people of Lancaster can expect their spirits dampened by the words “more snow”.
“This snow is horrible,” said Penn Manor junior, Ryan Pennell. “I’ve seen enough of it.”
WGAL Meteorologist, Matt Ritter, says that “tonight the snow will be heavier and winds will strengthen. Uncertainties still remain to how much snow accumulates as this is very complex system. East of the Susquehanna River should receive around six to twelve inches.”
When Penn Manor’s personal “weatherman,” David Bender was asked about tonight’s forecast he stated, “If we have any snow accumulation, we [Penn Manor] will more than likely have at least a delay because the winds are going to be so intense.”
Bender continued to say that the northern areas from Lancaster County along the east coast will have a larger snow accumulation.
With the storm approaching quickly from south, Penn Manor is well prepared with experience for this predicted snow storm.
Students at Penn Manor High School are feeling a little rumble of rage. Rumor has it that in order to graduate or move up a grade, they must pass yet another exam-the Keystone Exam.
The Keystone exams could be very beneficial, but everyone who has to take them may disagree. Kids already have a lot to worry about while they’re in school, like tests, quizzes, and projects-and now another really important exam?
The Keystone exams are similar to the PSSAS but will take the place of those tests which are administered in third, eighth and eleventh grades. The main difference is that passing the Keystone is now necessary for students to graduate and to pass to the next higher grade. The state Board of Education approved it in 2009. Students will take the first Keystone exams in biology, algebra I, and literature in the 2010-11 school year.
“The reason I favor the Keystone exams over PSSAs is because [the students] would take them as they finished the course,” said principal Phil Gale. “The Keystone exams will give[the students] immediate feedback on the content knowledge.”
Penn Manor Principal Phil Gale says "yes" to Keystone Exams. Photo credit Emily Brody
In other words, these exams should be easier than the PSSAs because they are taken immediately after a semester of instruction. However, they will play a huge role in the students’ final grade – a whopping 33%.
Students who receive “below basic” on exams will be given a zero.
In order to make up for the below basic score, the students could either retake the exam, or complete a Bridge Project.
“First of all, it’s better,” said math teacher Kim Frey. “It’s a better evaluation than the PSSAs, the reason being is because we take it at the end of every course.”
Kids that are now in seventh grade will have to pass at least six Keystone exams to graduate. But, this is only possible if Penn Manor decides to use the exams over the PSSAs. The school will not make the students take the PSSAs and the Keystone exams together in the same year, officials said.
“Basically, I just think it’s pointless, the PSSAs seem much better than these exams,” said student Neisha Stoltzfus.
“For people who are moving along successfully in high school, I don’t think it should take 33% of their [class] grade,” said Jesse Millis a freshman here at Penn Manor.
“They’ll be easier to manage in terms of kids doing better on them,” said Frey.
Teachers will be able to preview the exams, which will make it easier for them to teach the kids the correct material in order to do well on the test.
“I would guess that the teachers will have the exams, they’ll be the same year after year after year… but know one really knows,” Said Ken Long, a former Penn Manor Board member.
The tests will look similar to Penn Manor’s final exams; all the students have to do is take initiative and study for them.
The Comet’s basketball team lives to play another day.
Down 13 in the fourth quarter, Penn Manor’s basketball team stormed back to stun favored Harrisburg 63-61 in the first round of the district playoffs.
“We knew we could win, we lost to them three years ago and we wanted revenge,” said senior Keith Eshlemen, a small forward for the team.
Senior Keith Eshlemen was a key player in the playoff win against Harrisburg
For the first three quarters it looked like the Comets would not get their revenge from Harrisburg (16-8), who they lost to last year in the district quarterfinals, and the 2007 district championship,
Harrisburg dominated the second and third quarters to build up the big lead. But with a 20-2 run in the fourth quarter, the Comets took the lead and never looked back. Eshlemen and fellow senior Jon Brooks hit four key three pointers during the run.
“Parts of the game we really struggled with their pressure but we persevered,” said Penn Manor coach Charles Detz, in an interview with PennLive.com.
Senior Patrick Welsh led the Comets with 21 points for the game.
All the seniors didn’t want the Harrisburg game to be their last.
“We didn’t want to go out, because as freshman we didn’t get to play at the Giant Center and we want to get to states,” said Eshleman.
On Saturday the Comets will try to avenge their two losses earlier this season to undefeated Hempfield.
“Third times a charm,” said Eshleman.
The Comets take on Section One rival Hempfield on Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Hershey Giant Center.
I have never been so nervous or excited to watch a high school basketball game and never had more trouble getting into one.
It was Penn Manor against better-ranked Harrisburg team for another rung up the district competition ladder.
All week coach Charlie Detz had been preaching, “expect to win.” Even as a JV scrub, I understood the magnitude of this game.
Having the game at Cumberland Valley’s gym, put it on a whole different level.
David Mohimani muses on a number of issues.
As the game was about to start, an unforeseen problem occurred – we couldn’t get in.
We were faced by a fierce-browed ticket lady who clearly took her job very seriously. She said since we weren’t playing in the game (thanks for pointing that out) we needed a ticket to watch. How demoralizing. The only thing more embarrassing was the fact that we ended up sneaking in as ball boys, but hey, I saved $5.
When the game began, Harrisburg’s crowd was out in full force with comments like, “they’re just happy to be here,” and “this ain’t football.” For the first 24 minutes, they were right.
In fact the only thing humorous about the first two quarters was the lone freshman on the JV team, Alex Quinn, who entertained everyone by wearing his sweatshirt around his waist. This was just one of the hilarious things Quinn did throughout the season, like “accidentally” filming the other team’s cheerleaders. Quinn can’t avoid doing things that are just plain funny.
When the fourth quarter started, I was afraid the momentum was swinging Harrisburg’s way. I looked into the eyes of the five senior starters who knew that this could be their last quarter of basketball, ever. Did I see fear or disappointment? No, I saw fire.
Jon Brooks, who had been quiet all game, pick-pocketed a Cougar guard and took it down for a lay-up which sparked the team’s morale. Suddenly everyone’s intensity picked up and an 11-point deficit vanished with key buckets from Brooks and Keith Eshleman.
During the very last time out, Brooks came off the court and yelled, “expect to win!”
Even when no one else expected us to win, we did.
The game went down to the final seconds and, needless to say, we won by only two points.
But a W is a W, afterall. But to beat Hempfield, we need to “expect to win.”
After being the first woman in U.S skiing history to win gold in her event, Lindsey Vonn made it known she planned to take home four more medals before the Winter Olympics were over.
But most Penn Manor students are more interested in Shaun White, not even noticing Vonn, even though some of the most-watched stories coming out of Vancouver have been about the tragic death of the Georgian luger and about Vonn’s bruised shin.
Patrick Simpson, a sophomore at Penn Manor said, “I watch the Olympics with my friends and to see how our country is performing.”
Vonn didn’t even know if she was even going to compete in the Olympics because of the injury she sustained in practice in Austria on Feb. 2.
But with weather postponing events and practices, Vonn gained enough time to rest her bruised shin.
With injury and all she still brought the United States a gold medal in the women’s downhill.
Vonn had a disappointing fall in the super combined, which wasn’t caused by her injury, but by an error Vonn made, according to an interview after she fell.
She gained another medal in Super-G, this time a bronze medal for the US.
She now has two more chances to medal in the Giant slalom and slalom this week.
The Huskies gained their third win over a top ten team this season by beating the seventh ranked West Virginia Mountaineers. Kemba Walker scored 21 points to lead all scorers while leading his team to a victory.
The Huskies are 3-1 since Jim Calhoun came back after a medical leave for 23 days. During his leave of absence UConn was 3-4.
The Mountaineers had to finish the game without coach Bob Huggins, who received two technical fouls and was ejected in the last minute of Monday’s game. Jim Calhoun also picked up a technical foul early in the game.
Jerome Dyson added 17 points and Stanley Robinson had 15 points and 13 boards for the Huskies.
Jim Calhoun called the game a “street fight”. The game included 46 personal fouls. Connecticut shot 30 for 42 from the line while the Mountaineers shot 12 for 23 from the line.
Connecticut out-rebounded West Virginia 35-27. When West Virginia has been out rebounded, their record has been 1-3.
UCONN held the lead from about 2 minutes into the first half. At half, the higher-ranked Mountaineers were down nine. After that, it was all Huskies basketball with some big runs by the Mountaineers cutting into the deficit and even coming within one point of the lead.
Connecticut improved their NCAA tournament resume with another top ten upset. They won over former no. 1 Texas last month and no.3 Villanova last week.
With three games left for the Huskies and a relatively easy schedule, will they make the NCAA tournament? Maybe the Huskies have just survived to fight another day.The team is still on the bubble and must win all of their final games.
