Mix-it-Up Day blends social groups Nisk-Art Gallery holds unique ...

Niskayuna High School
by Amy van Saun
NEWS
Students “mixed it up” at
lunch last Tuesday in honor of
Mix-It-Up Day, a national event
intending to break down social
boundaries in schools Although
the event was scheduled
to occur on the official
date of November 18, , it was
postponed at Niskayuna until
November 25, mainly so
that the students could wear
the custom t-shirts they had
ordered to promote the event.
Participating students
could be seen spread around
the New and Old Cafeterias
in their bright green t-shirts,
sitting and conversing, or
walking around, handing out
candy. The custom t-shirts
read “MIX IT UP”, and
“Rachel’s Challenge” on the
front pocket, with different
phrases appearing on the
back, such as “Embrace Diversity,”
“Bridge the Gap,”
and “Do you bring people up
or down?”
Earlier this year, a representative
of the Rachel’s Challenge
program, which is intended to
promote acceptance and goodwill,
came to the high school and
provided two assemblies to all
high school students. Students
decided to include messages from
the Rachel’s Challenge program
on the t-shirts for Mix-it-Up Day
in an attempt to connect the
messages of the two otherwise
unaffiliated programs.
Many students chose to participate,
including students
from all grades.
“[Cliques] are annoying and
they should be broken up,”
said senior Sara Weinstock.
Since 1974,
Now Weekly
December 5, 2003 Volume 30, Issue 11
Mix-it-Up Day blends social groups
by Alex Rivadeneira
NEWS
Nisk-Art Gallery Club’s latest show, “Selected
Works from the ViewPoint Gallery
Acquisitions Exhibition,” is up for display
in the lower F-Hall through December 12.
This time the gallery features guest artists
from the ViewPoint Gallery in conjunction
with the Sunnyview Rehabilitation Center
of Schenectady in a fascinating and inspiring
investigation into a disability’s effect
on an individual’s capacity to create art.
Established in 1998 for and by
Sunnyview Rehabilitation Hospital, the
ViewPoint Gallery has worked to collect
and study the work of disabled artists,
She continued to say that her
idea of a perfect social scene
would be one “where everyone
could be acquaintances.”
At the conclusion of the event,
one of the girls participating,
BRIDGING THE GAP: These three juniors, (from left) Jessica Sokolow, Ali
Sylvetsky, and Jaclyn Congress, sported Mix-it-Up Day t-shirts last Tuesday.
sophomore Glynnis Nadel, said
“It’s been fun.” After sitting at a
table and walking around the
New Cafeteria handing out
candy, Glynnis said she thought
the event should be repeated,
but without the candy, as it
sharing their findings with patients. Gallery
maintainers aim to provide hope and
comfort for Sunnyview’s patients by displaying
artwork throughout the hospital.
Now the rehabilitation center also provides
art classes for its tenants, and participates
in state and national artistic competitions
for the disabled.
The high school’s own Nisk-Art Club
came into contact with the ViewPoint Gallery
last spring when the group presented
at Proctor’s Theatre. Working with
ViewPoint coordinator Ruth Dealy, students
from the gallery club secured a number
of works, some of which are being
presented in the exhibit.
detracted from the main purpose
of the event. “Kids got distracted
and only wanted candy,”
she said.
Sophomore Sylva Tannous
experienced the day when a
senior sat at her table to eat
lunch and have a conversation.
She said that she
had seen the signs prior to
the day, and had been curious
about the event. “I
had a good experience,” she
said, “I think they should
do it again. If they did, I
would participate.”
Charice Steinberg, the
advisor of the Natural
Helpers club, which was
most responsible for the
organization of Mix-it-Up
day, agreed that the day
was a success, and said, “It
gets people to talk about
things, and creates a bet-
ter sense of community.”
Warrior photo / Julia Napolitano
Her original idea was to
bring together several service-oriented
clubs, such as
Natural Helpers, Visibility,
NICS, and Key Club, in a coalition.
She said the day was a
good “effort to start something,”
and that she would like
to try something similar in
the future.
Nisk-Art Gallery holds unique exhibit
All of the artists in the show are disabled in
one form or another. One of the artists
whose work is included in the show, Gail
Nadeau, has a form of muscular dystrophy,
which causes degeneration of her
limbs. Nadeau was a painter before the
illness weakened her hands. She has since
taken up photography and uses computers
to edit her work. The other featured artist,
Matt Sesow, lost his left arm in a childhood
accident. The incident proved especially
trying for Sesow, as he had previously been
left-handed. Other artists included in the
exhibit include a blind photographer, a
(continued on Page 3,
EXHIBIT)

2 News December 5, 2003 The Warrior
NEWS BRIEFS
GERMAN CLUB: December 6 is
Nikolaustag (Nicholas’s Day). This is
when Nicholas comes and leaves goodies
and gifts in the shoes of German children.
German club will be selling gift
bags ($2 or $3) outside the New Cafe
today to celebrate this occasion.
HALL OF FAME SEARCH: Niskayuna
High School is searching for candidates
for the Hall of Fame. Nomination forms
are available in the office.
SCHOLARSHIP NEWS: The Ron
Brown Scholarship is a national contest
offering up to $10,000 for African American
seniors in the top 10% of their class.
See Mr. Bianchi in the Main Office for
details.
ATTENTION PTO MEMBERS: There
will be a PTO meeting on December 9 at
7:00 pm.
STUDENT ART SHOW: The NHS Student
Art Show will open in the District
Office to the public starting January 30.
SENIORS: During the week of January
5, forms for ordering caps and gowns will
arrive at your home via US mail. Complete
and return the forms ASAP.
Cranberry drive held to support charity
NICS collects canned cranberries to donate to the Equinox House
by Steve Chao
NEWS
Every year for the past thirty-four
years, the Equinox House has prepared
and delivered a Thanksgiving dinner to
the needy based on what was donated to
them from different schools. Each school
is assigned a specific food item to collect
so that there won’t be an abundance of
one item and lack of another. Niskayuna
is a relatively new member of the program,
having started participating two
years ago. Last year the high school was
told to collect yams; this year it was
cranberries. Turkeys, the main course of
the Thanksgiving Dinner, are donated
by Price Chopper. This dinner was for
less fortunate families within a twentyfive
mile radius of the Equinox House.
Leslie Johnston was among those who
made the cranberry drive a high priority.
She explained, “As my first year as a
NICS board member, this was the first
chance I had to help run an event. Addy
[Pagano] and I chose the Equinox House
Photo Credit / Michael Eddy
CAN-U-COPIA: NICS members and cranberry
drive coordinators Addy Pagano and Leslie
Johnston display their fruitful harvest.
can drive because it is an event that is
very important, benefiting people
throughout the Capital District, and it
is nice to know you’re helping to involve
the entire school in this one event.” Another
NICS member, Adam Schwartz,
commented, “We are so glad to have
surpassed our goal of five hundred cans.”
Sophomore Mike Macminn agreed, saying
that “the cranberry drive gave us a
chance to involve the whole school in a
community service project.” Sophomore
Sarita Upadhyay said, “I brought in three
cans myself because I believe that it is
important that everybody plays a part
in the communal effort to help the less
fortunate.”
Before collection of cranberries had
started, Niskayuna High School committed
to a drive with the goal of gathering
1600 items in an effort to get the
students and community as a whole more
involved in community service. Having
(continued on page 3,
SEVERAL)

The Warrior
(continued from Page 1,
NISK-ART)
printmaker with a brain disorder and
a painter with scoliosis.
Upon viewing the exhibit, sophomores
Chelsea Karbocus and Rachel Goldsmith
commented, ’“It’s inspiring to see what
people can do- even with their disabilities.”
Scott Battiste took a particular
liking to The Lady by Nadeau, calling it
“beautiful.” Most students found the artwork
presented to be quite breathtaking,
especially when taking into consideration
the physical and mental limitations
the creators overcame to create
their masterpieces.
Both featured artists Matt Sesow and
Gail Nadeau will be visiting the high
school on December 12 for the exhibit’s
Finale Day. The artists are scheduled
to give an “artist’s talk” and attend
advanced art studio workshops.
Nadeau will be demonstrating techniques
with mixed media and Sesow
will be displaying his work and discussing
his background as an artist.
The Nisk-Art club is also sponsoring a
public luncheon where the general
school community can meet with the
artists and enjoy refreshments.
Nisk-Art Gallery Club advisor and
art teacher, Steve Honicki, said that
the high school’s show provides hope for
December 5, 2003
News
Exhibit showcases original artwork
students and others experiencing
challenges
in life similar to those
of the guest artists. Observing
such artistic
achievements will
make others think
twice before saying “I
can’t” and giving up.
In art, particularly,
Honicki states that the
show displays the fact
that there are “no limitations
in artwork” and
that determined individuals
can achieve
their goals.
As a follow-up to the
exhibition, Honicki
added that his Studio
in Video classes are
working on a documentary
concerning
the effect of brain
trauma on an artist’s
work. His students
will be doing research
on the brain’s role in
the creative process,
once again acting in a
partnership with the
Sunnyview Rehabilitation
Hospital.
Several high school clubs join to hold
cranberry drive for needy
(continued from Page 2,
CRANBERRY)
already donated many items
to the school, many students
weren’t willing to give away
more, making the collection
of cranberries much harder.
There was also added pressure
as the two coordinators
of this event, NICS members
Leslie Johnston and
Addy Pagano, were under
the misconception that they
were sixty cans short because
of a miscalculation.
Luckily, they recounted and
corrected the error, relieving
the strain.
While many people were
aware of the drive, others
weren’t. Sophomore Tim Vo
admitted, “I didn’t even
know we had a cranberry
drive, much less a [general]
food drive going on.”
Other students expressed
similar concerns. Said senior
Marjorie van Saun, “I knew
what was going on because I
had heard about it on the announcements,
but I never
thought to bring anything in.”
It seems that the cranberry
drive has proven successful
not only in feeding
the less fortunate, but also
in allowing for Niskayuna
as a whole come together for
a single cause to make the
community a better place to
live in. Although many students
were unaware that
there was such a drive, many
knew of it and contributed
to the effort. All in all the
drive was very successful
and, as sophomore David
Pierpont put it, “very cool!”
3
Photo Courtesy Barbara Colose
PAINTING A PICTURE: This piece, by Matt Sesow, entitled
Summertime and the Livin’ Ain’t Easy, was among the many featured
in the Nisk Art show.
Congratulations to Meghan and Greg
Sweet on the birth of their daughter,
McKenna Regan Sweet, born on
Monday, November 17, 2003. She
weighed in at eight pounds. Meghan is
a guidance counselor in the Counseling
Center.
Expressions of joy may be sent to:
Meghan and Greg
2220 Barcelona Road
Niskayuna, NY 12309

4 Opinion 4 Opinion
The Pledge: think about it
From an early age, children in this country
learn to pledge allegiance to the flag.
While many decide sometime between kindergarten
and high school that they no
longer wish to recite the
Pledge, we are still asked to
stand and express our patriotism
every morning.
In June 2002, the 9th
circuit appellate court declared the use
of the phrase “under God” in the Pledge
of Allegiance to be unconstitutional,
causing a storm of controversy. As a
result, the Supreme Court will decide
the fate of these words.
Whether you believe that “under God”
should be excised or not, it is important that
we consider the meaning of the Pledge.
After all, when we first learned it as
by Evan Ballan
OPINION
I tried searching for
“left arrow key” on eBay,
but it yielded no results.
Seems strange to me,
though, since these bits
of colored plastic seem to
be missing from a vast
majority of computers in
our school. Well, maybe
not a majority, but
enough of them are.
Some sort of left arrow
key black market must exist
somewhere, since I can’t
possibly imagine any other
reason why else these
keys would be so coveted.
I like it when I have a full
keyboard, and it baffles me
as to why someone would
want to deprive me and others
of this privilege.
In fact, of the thirty
computers in the lab, five
of them were missing at
least one arrow. Two of
them were missing all
four! Most of the computers
either had a pink
mouse, or a teal mouse,
but I found one computer
that had a mouse that
was half teal and half
pink. I wonder where the
other halves went.
Where are all of these
random computer parts
going? Perhaps someone
EDITORIAL
The smaller keys of angst
is figuring that if they take
little pieces from these
computers one at a time,
no one will notice, and
eventually they can build
a computer of their own.
But why would anyone
want a computer that has
fifty arrow keys and no
letters? I don’t imagine
that’s very useful.
It seems to me that if
someone really wanted to
be stealing things, they’d
take some things that are
worth more than left arrow
keys. I browsed various
online electronics
stores, and I couldn’t find
a single key! The only
other logical conclusion
might be that the expulsion
of these keys is a
natural occurrence, but
for all the time I’ve spent
in the computer lab, never
has a left arrow key projectile
shot off the board
and at my face. I don’t
think that’s happened
with any key, for that matter.
And if that did happen,
I think I’d notice, and
be kind enough to put the
key back in its place.
No, bizarre as it may
be, these missing left arrow
keys seem to be no
accident. Perhaps someone
is taking the “No
December 5, 2003 The Warrior
kindergarteners, how many of us actually
knew the meaning of such polysyllabic words
as “indivisible” and “republic,” or had the
ability to comprehend the concepts that
they represented? Those students
who do choose to say
the Pledge should do so because
they are aware of its
significance, and believe in
it, not just because they have been trained to
repeat it by rote. Those who don’t should do
so respectfully, not just because they don’t
care enough to figure out what its meaning.
There are probably many students at
NHS who are against eliminating “under
God,” and many who would like to see it
go. Regardless, we should take this as a
reminder to consider what the Pledge is
really about.
Games During School” rule
too far, and has decided to
remove the means of playing
games so that their
peers won’t start playing
Space Invaders during
study hall and distract
them from their English
paper with the noise of photon
laser guns and outer
space weaponry.
Regardless of the cause,
I have a simple request for
people who appropriate
these keys: please leave my
left arrow key alone. If you
need to take a key, take
the F8 one. Who uses that,
anyway? I like my left arrow
key just the way it is,
and I’d greatly appreciate
it if people left them there.
The PC lab next door recently
got a spiffy renovation,
and it’s not likely to
happen anytime soon to
the Macs. Let’s keep the
Macs and their keyboards
intact so that we can get as
much more use out of them
as possible. I’m also a little
bit lost on your motive.
Stealing left arrow keys
isn’t funny. I’ve yet to see
someone come into the computer
lab, take a gander at a
missing left arrow key, and
then convulse
(Continued on Page 5,
LOST)
The Warrior
Niskayuna High School
1626 Balltown Road
Niskayuna, NY 12309
(518) 382-2511, Ext. 351
http://www.nisk.k12.ny.us/nhs/
warrior/
T HE ST AFF
EDITORS-IN-CHIEF: Tae Andrews, Elspeth
Edelstein
NEWS EDITORS: Jesse Conti, Leanne
Merrill, Julia Napolitano, Jeremy Wolos
ASST. NEWS: Nate Staudinger
OPINION EDITORS: Kishori Rajan, Alec
Wilson
ASST. OPINION: Evan Ballan
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR: Stephanie Blair,
Matt Larkin
SPORTS EDITORS: Jonathan Chow, Lisa
D’Aniello
ASST. SPORTS: Peter Chalfin
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EDITORIAL POLICIES
ALL OPINIONS expressed on
the op-ed pages represent the
individual viewpoints of their
authors. The content does not
necessarily represent the views
of The Warrior, the high school,
the school district or the board
of education.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR are welcome
from all members of the school
community. The Warrior reserves
the right to edit letters for grammar
and length.
UNSIGNED EDITORIALS represent the
consensus of the paper’s editorial
board, which may not reflect the
majority of the students’ views.
THE OP-ED PAGES are a forum for
students’ opinions and ideas.
The Warrior is published each Friday
the high school has classes (33
times a year).
For a one-year subscription, send a
check for $25 payable to Niskayuna
High School to The Warrior, Attn:
Subscriptions, 1626 Balltown Rd.,
Niskayuna, NY 12309.

The Warrior
December 5, 2003
Opinion 5
Women’s rights still an important topic
Feminist stereotypes hurt the movement for equality and respect
by Stefan Borst-Censullo
OPINION
In the 20th century, women as a
whole made great strides towards
achieving equality in society. No longer
were women banned from a proper education,
voting, recieving birth control,
or having an abortion. Women were
even protected from the abuses of their
husbands with strict new laws regarding
spousal physical abuse, and rape.
By the end of the 1970s, a new term
had even been coined to describe people
concerned with women’s rights and
concerns: feminism. Today, however,
conservative talk show hosts and
sophomoric teen comedies have turned
this word into a stereotype that unfairly
characterizes anyone supporting
women’s rights as a mean-spirited,
vengeful, man-hater. When hearing
such garbage, I wonder how many
of these people have actually looked at
the definition of the word “feminism.”
Here is the term defined by the Merriam
Webster Online Dictionary:
Fem•i•nism, noun, 1. the theory
of the political, economic, and social
equality of the sexes; 2. organized
activity on behalf of
women’s rights and interests.
Obviously the various segments
of society that misrepresent
feminism are ill-informed
and ignorant. But what about
the average American, or even the average
Niskayuna High School student?
What do they think about feminism?
The answer is simple; most people believe
that women’s rights are an issue of
the past, a resolved problem of a previous
generation. This is just not true.
The battle for women’s rights is constant,
even within the confines of our
own school. Recent statistics state that
(Continued from Page 4,
SMALLER)
in laughter as a result.
If you want to be funny, tell a
joke. Don’t steal my left arrow
key, because it isn’t funny. It’s
more of a hindrance, and, to be
honest, it’s really bizarre.
Thanks. I appreciate it.
To all: I tried to do the school
a favor and solve the mystery
almost all female students will be sexually
harassed sometime during their four
years in high school. Yet much of the
male student body that I know feels that
sexual harassment is a non-issue that
does not play a big role in their school.
Should someone be condemned simply
for defending a
women’s right to
be
free from
an assault
in a supposedly
safe
place?
Society
as a
whole
seems
to have
also forgotten
about feminism in recent times.
Women are being portrayed more and
more in movies and TV as weak sidekicks
or damsels in distress. The few
programs or movies that attempt to
buck this trend are forced into making
overly sexual characters, or fail outright
to achieve popular appeal. Music
television, as well, features more and
more sexually exploitive images from
Warrior art / Anjali Nirmalan
of the missing left arrow keys.
Subtly, I wanted to tie a string
around the left arrow key of my
computer. Then, I could hide
on the ground behind the computer,
holding the string. If a
left-arrow outlaw were to come
along and try to acquire the
left arrow key, the string
would tug, and I’d apprehend
the felon.
It was a great idea in theory,
but to my despair, I couldn’t
find a single piece of string.
And believe you me, I looked. It
would appear as though the
arrow pirates have become
privy to my plan, and snatched
all of the string so I couldn’t
catch them.
Yes, the left arrow key
thieves have outsmarted me
all different facets of popular music in
the hope of attracting a bigger audience.
Is it wrong to wish for a stronger
portrayal of women in entertainment?
Even fashion has gone against
women in the past few years. Many
popular store brands are featuring
overly provocative and suggestive
clothing for younger and younger
women. This is not to say that women
should be forced to dress in Burkas
when out in public, but when an 11
year old girl feels that she has to wear
low-rider jeans and a low-cut blouse in
order to attract men and be accepted
sociably, society is obviously heading
in the wrong direction.
Why are feminists so unfairly hated,
and why are women still facing discrimination
in this day and age? The
answer is a complex and intricate one
that many sociologists are still trying
to figure out. Why so many double
standards and inequities exist in this
country may never be known, but failure
to organize or take action may be
exacerbating the problem. Even in
Niskayuna, the newly formed Womyn’s
club was renamed this year and their
mission statement changed after the
members of the club felt like their
involvement with the organization was
leading to prejudicial remarks and harassment
from many in the student body.
It is time to re-examine all of our
roles, whether it be as a student, a
teacher, or even just an informed citizen,
to the problems facing women.
Perhaps it is time to let go of stereotypes,
get past bias, and start to think of
feminism for what it really is and what
those acting in support of it can accomplish.
We are all in this together,and the
more we respect and tolerate one another,
the better off we may be.
Lost parts frustrating and annoying
and remain at large. It was a
sad day in the history of left
arrow key justice. I am still
hopeful, however, that one
happy day the left arrow keys
will be restored. But until
then, I think a little spot of
glue under each key would go
a long way.
Except then you couldn’t
press the buttons.

6
Entertainment December 5, 2003 The Warrior
Need a Friday-night flick? Try Hitchcock
by Brian Dillon
ENTERTAINMENT
Every weekend I am burdened
with the task of picking
a good movie to rent. I
don’t want to waste my five
bucks on something I won’t
enjoy. I am always tempted to
rent a new release that I saw
advertised but never can
bring myself to shell out nine
bucks to see. So why suffer
through Bad Boys II when I
can select a film that has stood
the test of time?
My most recent selection
was North by Northwest, by
the Master of Suspense,
Alfred Hitchcock. It stars
Cary Grant, the Tom Cruise
of his time, as an ordinary
man who is chased across the
country by spies (who think
he is a double agent), and the
police (who think he is assassin).
Unlike other movie experiences,
I never looked at
the clock. The rental case said
it was 136 minutes but I could
never have told.
Even the greatest movies
have lulls that make you wonder
if it will ever end. But
even when there was eight
minutes of Cary Grant watching
cars go by on a country
road, I was still wrapped into
the film. Soon after, he had to
get away from a crop dusting
plane, and then fled an explosion
when that same plane
hit a gas truck.
The movie lived up to all
my expectations and then
some. What a great choice I
had made. It was the perfect
package of entertainment.
Great script, great acting,
great camera work, great editing,
great musical score,
great everything. I remember
feeling the same thing after
watching Rear Window, The
Man Who Knew Too Much,
Vertigo, The Birds, Strangers
on a Train and, who could
forget, Psycho. These all happen
to be Hitchcock films. And
they all happen to follow a
similar formula.
Hitchcock usually chose a
popular leading actor, like
Jimmy Stewart or Cary
Grant, because he knew audiences
could relate with the
actor; they would always root
on the actor’s side. He would
then create fear not by using
cheap tricks or fancy editing,
but by crafting situations that
struck a deeper fear: the fear
that at any moment your life
could be perfectly ordinary,
and then at the next moment
you are involved in international
intrigue, government
Photo courtesy imdb.com
STICK ‘EM UP: Cary Grant is mistaken for an FBI agent by the “bad
guys” in North by Northwest.
conspiracies, assassination
attempts, or other dangerous
situations by accident.
Hitchcock also required an
attractive blonde in every one
of his movies, a policy I don’t
mind at all. Within all the
suspense, he was still able to
incorporate romance scenes.
And, because he couldn’t show
the sex and nudity so presently
common in movies, he
had to work at his love scenes,
to make them passionate.
The Master of Suspense was
also a master of planning.
Before shooting a movie, he
would have a storyboard with
every single shot listed. The
Photo courtesy IMDB.com
HITCHCOCK NOSE DRAMA: Although situations such as a chase
sequence atop Mount Rushmore may seem surreal, Hitchock retains the
realism necessary for his films.
entire movie was already constructed
before any camera began
rolling. To him actual filming
was boring.
People say nothing is perfect.
But, to me Hitchcock’s films are.
If you know Hitchcock, you know
movies. You will be able to pick
up the many hommages to
Hitchcock in modern films. He
has influenced almost every director
today.
So next time when you are
perusing the aisles at Hollywood
video, do not settle for Terminator
3, or Lara Croft II. Instead,
pick up a Hitchcock title. Or just
catch his movies for free on
Turner Classic Movies.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
If you missed You Can’t Take it
With You last night, you can
catch this year’s drama club
production tonight and tomorrow
night in the Little Theater
at 8:00. It’s a great comedy and
a fantastic way to support future
drama club productions.

The Warrior
December 5, 2003
Sports
Ice hockey looks strong Swimmers
by Matt Friedson
SPORTS
It’s that time of year again, everyone.
No, not winter - hockey season!
The Niskayuna/Schenectady Mohawks
are ready to kick off their 2003-04
year. The team seems to be pumped up
more than ever this year and is ready
to dominate its opponents. Even
though they lost valuable senior leadership
last year, they still feel they
have enough talent and heart to beat
anybody in the league.
The Mohawks seem to have a positive.
Said senior Captain Pat Carney,
“I think this year will be one of the
best in the history of the Mohawks,
because every single person on the
team has the want and desire to win.”
Replacing the seniors from last year
will be a hard task, but Carney, who
led all returning players in goals last
year, and senior Judson Dascher-
Shapiro, who led the
whole team in assists,
are up to the
task. With them, senior
Alex Neal, completes
the teams first
line, which could be
compared to the Colorado
Avalanche trio
of Joe Sakic, Paul
Kariya, and Teemu
Selanne. However,
defense is a very important
component as
well, and seniors Peter
Schick and Chris
Pierpont are hoping
to lead it with senior
leadership. Juniors
Carl Christy and
Nick Sapia are also
back in action on the
defensive end and are
looking forward to
putting in strong
minutes this year.
The team’s second
line consists of junior Louis Croce, junior
Ben Kelly, and freshman Steve Cardinal.
The Mohawks seem to think that
this line is going to step it up this year
and provide an offensive force to help
support the first line. They are strongly
confident in Croce’s ability to make
plays in the clutch and Cardinal’s speed
to slash through opposing defenses.
Goal tending assignments this year
are going to be shared by sophomore
Tim Zakriski and senior Steve
Photo courtesy Crossroads
MOHAWK MOJO: Junior Louis
Croce prepares to slam the puck up
the ice.
Kennedy. The Mohawks offense is going
to try and take the pressure off the
goalies this year by keeping the puck
on the other side of the ice, but Zakriski
and Kennedy are prepared to weed off
any opposing player if they attempt a
shot.
Dascher-Shapiro is confident the
team will climb any mountain for victory.
“Steve Cardinal and Nick D’Mario
are young, but will play a huge role in
keeping the team solid for our second
and third lines. We expect big things
from our senior forwards, and Pete
Schick should be a defensive force on
the blue line.”
The toughest opponent this Mohawks
team is going to have to face this year
is Shenendahowa, but they are going
to give them everything they’ve got
and should be an entertaining game.
Says Shick, “Our biggest strength is
our unity. Although we may not be
extremely deep, we
will still be one of
the most competitive
teams out
there.” The
Mohawks are hoping
to go all the way
through Sectionals
this year with their
competitive nature
and team unity driving
them.
Another strength
the Mohawks have is
their fan base, which
loaded up “the reservation,”
in the
Schenectady County
Rink Facility last
year. They are hoping
for the same this
year, especially from
number one fan se-
nior Corey Hinton.
“The Mohawks are a
young team, but
their senior leadership
will pull them through the
Sectionals this year,” he commented.
“As an avid fan, I look forward to the
games this year, which I expect most
of the school to come and support the
team.”
The Mohawks first game of the year
is tonight at the Schenectady County
Rink Facility against Northwood Prep.
They are expecting a big crowd and an
exciting game, and hope for a victory
to start the season.
prove their
strength at
States
7
The Niskayuna girls’ swim team
knew that having their own pool would
be a big help in making this season a
good one, but they probably had no
idea just how good it would be. After
finishing with an incredible 11-1
record this season, the team then went
on to capture the Section II Championship.
In addition, five girls qualified
and were able to represent
Niskayuna at the New York State
Championship meet held from November
21-22 on Long Island.
200 Yard Medley Relay: The 200
Medley relay, consisting of sophomore
Maria Prendergast, senior Stephanie
Miller, sophomore Lisa Cucolo, and
freshman Allison Montanye, finished
seventeenth, with a time of 1:55.30,
about eight seconds away from the
winning time.
50 Yard Freestyle: Montanye competed
in the 50 yard freestyle race,
and finished thirty-fifth in Preliminaries,
with a time of 25.32 seconds.
100 Yard Freestyle: In her third
race of the meet, Montanye finished
in twenty-ninth place in Preliminaries,
with a time of 56.27 for the 100
Freestyle.
200 Yard Freestyle Relay: Senior
Erica Archer, as well as
Prendergast, Cucolo, and Montanye,
competed in the 200 Freestyle Relay,
and, with a time of 1:40.32, ended up
with a fifth place State finish.
100 Yard Breaststroke: Both
Miller and Cucolo competed in the
100 Breaststroke together, and, as
good teammates, finished less than
.03 seconds apart. Miller placed
thirty-third with a time of 1:10.65
and Cucolo came in thirty-fourth with
a time of 1:10.68.
Many congratulations to the girls’
team on what was perhaps their best
season ever.
by Lisa D’Aniello

8 Sports December 5, 2003 The Warrior
Andre Davis becomes starter for Browns
by Pete Chalfin
SPORTS
Cleveland Browns head coach Butch
Davis recently upgraded Niskayuna
High School graduate Andre Davis to
the starting lineup. Davis responded
well, leading the team in receiving in
each of the first two games following
his promotion.
Following the Browns 9-3 loss to the
New England Patriots on October 26,
Coach Davis decided to bench Kevin
Johnson, the team’s leading wide-receiver
at the time, and replace him
with Davis. The coach’s displeasure
with Johnson’s attitude did not cease
in the following week, and Johnson
was dropped from the team, securing
Davis’ hold on the starting spot.
Johnson has since been signed by the
Jacksonville Jaguars where he currently
serves as the team’s number
two receiver.
In just his second year in the NFL,
Davis has emerged as the Brown’s top
scoring threat. His 4 touchdowns lead
the team as do his 833 kick-return
yards. Davis’ best game came in his
second week as starter against the
Boys’ Varsity Sports Home Schedule
Wrestling: December 16: Nisky Duals, 9:30 am
January 6: Colonie, 6 pm
January 14: Guilderland, 6 pm
January 21: Shaker, 6 pm
January 29: Saratoga, 6 pm
Basketball: December 16: Columbia, 7:30 pm
December 19: Bethlehem, 7:30 pm
December 22: Proctor H.S., 7:30 pm
January 9: Colonie, 7:30 pm
January 16: Burnt Hills, 7:30 pm
January 23: Shen, 7:30 pm
January 27: Schenectady, 5:45 pm
February 13: Averill Park, 7:30 pm
Bowling*: December 22: Shen, 4 pm
January 6: Averill Park, 4 pm
January 7: Burnt Hills, 4 pm
January 13: Bethlehem, 4 pm
January 20: Colonie, 4 pm
January 26: Guilderland, 4 pm
January 28: Shaker, 4 pm
February 2: Saratoga, 4pm
*Home meets are held at the Bowler’s Club
on Route 7
Arizona Cardinals on November 16. In
the game Davis collected a career-high
Photo courtesy ESPN.com
CLEVELAND CAVALIER: Niskayuna graduate
Andre Davis has put the ‘oo’ in ‘Ohio’ and
now starts at wide receiver for the Browns.
seven receptions for 117 yards and a
touchdown.
Prior to the breakthrough game
against Arizona, the highlight of Davis’
season came in week three against the
San Francisco 49ers. Davis got off to a
rough start in the game, fumbling a
punt that was ultimately recovered by
the 49ers. Davis made up for this crucial
mistake later in the game, however.
Down 12-0 in the fourth quarter,
he began Cleveland’s comeback with a
two-yard touchdown reception with
10:48 remaining in the game. Davis
was then on the receiving end of the
game winning-touchdown; an 11-yard
pass from Kelly Holcomb, with just 34
seconds left.
With four games remaining, Davis
will almost certainly surpass his totals
in receptions and receiving yards
from last year. He has caught a pass in
every game this year. At 4-8, the
Browns are not in playoff contention,
but the team is young and expects to
be much improved next year. If second-year
running back William Green
recovers from his stab-wounds and
Davis continues to improve,the Browns
could possess a very powerful offense
next year.
Ice Hockey*: December 10: Glens Falls, 5:45 pm
December 20: Shaker/ Colonie, 6 pm
December 26-27: Holiday Tournament
January 2: Plattsburg, 7:45 pm
January 9: Bethlehem, 3:45 pm
January 10: Suffern, 12:45 pm
January 16: Beekmantown, 7:45 pm
January 17: South Glens Falls, 8:15 pm
January 21: Queensbury, 5:45 pm
January 31: Pelham, 6:45 pm
February 14: Saratoga, 8:15 pm
*Home meets held at Schenectady County Rink
Facility
Ski Team*: January 7: Queensbury, 5:30 pm
January 19: Glens Falls, 9:30 am
January 21: Lake George, 5:30 pm
February 4: Last Chance Dual Slalom
*Home meets are held at West Mountain
Swimming : December 5: Shen, 4:30 pm
December 19: Mohonasen, 4 pm
January 6: Albany, 4:30 pm
January 16: Guilderville, 4:30 pm
January 22: Burnt Hills, 4:30 pm
January 30: Shaker, 4:30 pm