10/06/05 - Silver Chips Online - Montgomery Blair High School

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ilverCHIPS October 6, 2005 SPORTS 29 haracter must meet athleticism Athletic department’s emphasis on preventing drug use is right way to start the season By ARMIN ROSEN An opinion The “amateur ideal” is ndeniably in decline. The onceevered concept of the amateur thlete as a moral and physial exemplar, a well-rounded cholar-athlete in the mold of oger Bannister, who ran the fi rst our-minute mile while studying edicine at Oxford, is not just ntiquated, but gone. This isn’t to say that there are o longer athletes who can rake n fantastic grades while domiating their respective sports. here are several such athletes ere at Blair. But the idea of mateur sports as a test of charcter is outdated enough to seem uaint, and the days of idealzing and romanticizing amateur thletes have been replaced by rug use, public intoxication and ampant academic ineligibility. At least at Blair, the amaeur ideal is, to borrow a sports hrase, making a comeback. fter drug- and alcohol-related ncidents involving Blair athletes ast year, the athletic department as implemented a stricter drug olicy under which violators will eceive a year-long suspension or a fi rst offense and a ban from lair sports for a second. In a recent Silver Chips nline article, Principal Philip Gainous was quoted saying, We have really ratcheted up the onsequences of involvement in llegal substances.” And there re a couple of unambiguous entences thrown into the policy or the benefi t of whoever hasn’t ealized it yet: “This is a non-neotiable policy. Zero tolerance ill be applied.” And as far as the safety and the behavior of athletes go, there houldn’t be any negotiations r equivocations. Athletes have Girls tennis fl attens QO Blazers seal win despite blustery weather By MERLYN DENG SEPT. 29, MONTGOMERY BLAIR— The girls tennis team won a crucial divisional match last Thursday, beating the Quince Orchard Cougars 6-1. While the Blazers (4-4) expected strong Cougar opposition, the court’s windy weather produced some unforeseen diffi - culties. Even though strong winds prevailed throughout the game and diverted many balls, the girls were able to adapt to the unfavorable conditions. “It is defi nitely diffi - cult to adjust to the wind, but it all worked out in the end,” said senior team captain Stephanie Paul. Senior Stephanie Paul hits a ball in Blair’s victory over QO. Photo by Merlyn Deng undeniably higher profi les than other students. Their letter jackets and jerseys set them apart, and they are frequently written about in “The Washington Post” and “The Gazette.” They are the face and the character of Blair for coaches, athletes and fans throughout the county. Blair is, of course, represented by numerous academic competitors as well, but none have the visibility or infl uence of student athletes, who, according to athletic director Dale Miller, are looked up to by the rest of the student body. “We want our athletes to be leaders of this school community,” says Miller. “Nothing other than that.” Not every athlete can embody the dignity, spirit and rectitude of honest competition as, say, Lance Armstrong can. But it isn’t so much to ask that athletes avoid the opposite extreme: embodying a lack of self-respect and basic responsibility, like Ricky Williams has. It is because this has to be asked of athletes, in meetings similar to the one held for Blair’s fall competitors on Aug. 20 that explained the new policy, that the “amateur ideal” now seems so naïve. This isn’t something that should have to be reiterated. Athletes shouldn’t have to be reminded that they have to respect themselves, their community and their school. But studies and past incidents show such reminders to be necessary. A Boston University case study concluded that recreational drug use is as prevalent among high school athletes as nonathletes, while a study conducted by “Prevention” magazine suggested that alcohol use is signifi cantly higher among athletes than nonathletes. Past studies of college amateurs also reveal an equal level of alcohol use among competitors and nonathletes. Meanwhile, Blair athletes were caught for alcohol use at both the homecoming dance and a home football game last year. The athletic department has recognized that there is a problem and is doing what it can to keep its athletes clean. They have received no prodding from the county, as the offi cial policy for drug use by athletes mandates nothing more than a minimum 10-day suspension, regardless of previous offenses. As is so rare nowadays with anything involving sports, the athletic department acted purely and thoroughly on conscience. “We’re very concerned about our kids. This doesn’t have to do with them being athletes,” said Assistant Principal James Short, who helped coordinate the change in policy. Although Short says that this policy was formulated with the safety of students in mind more so than student-athletes specifi - cally, the reality is that this policy and others like it are important steps towards reversing the downward trend in expectations for amateurs. He clarifi ed that competition is a privilege and that anyone who puts on a Blair uniform shoulders the responsibilities that go along with wearing it — responsibilities to the community being represented, to coaches and teammates and most of all, to one’s self. Short has the right attitude. Perhaps the clarifi cation of this policy and the tremendous consequences for breaking it will succeed in reminding athletes of their responsibilities and in bringing back the dignity and character that amateur competition so sorely lacks. Third doubles players senior Margot Pass and sophomore Priyanka Gokhale were the fi rst to leave the courts with a 6-1, 6-1 victory. Soon after, senior Kristi Chakrabarti and sophomore Bonnie Ding contributed to the Blazers’ lead after trouncing their second doubles opponents 6-1, 6-1. Paul fi nished soon and continued the string of victories for the Blazers. Paul did not relent during her match, with a combination of some of her best serves and approach shots, eventually winning in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3. Later, second singles player Pearl Horng solidifi ed Blair’s lead when she cruised past her opponent with a 6-4, 6-3 win. Sophomore Jasleen Salwan, seeded 11th, fended off her higher-seeded opponent to fi nish the match. Salwan played the rockiest match of the day, starting off 2-5 against her opponent. However, she was able to rally and won 7-6 (7-2), 6-3. Blair’s exceptionally strong performance in the match has renewed the team’s confi dence. Paul was especially excited about the performance and believes the girls improved since their previous match. “I think the team played very well today. We were defi nitely making a lot less errors,” she said. Coach David Ngbea also noted an improvement in the squad’s performance, citing the players’ stronger baseline shots and volleying skills as evidence. Above all, he was happy that this victory gave the girls a chance to remain in Division I for next year. “It was imperative that we had this win, and I’m glad most of our players came through. It’s a big win for us,” he said. Blazers break Cavaliers Field hockey gets fi rst win in tense overtime By JON BERGER SEPT. 29, KENNEDY— New Blair drug policy in effect for athletes in 2005-2006 school year • Montgomery County drug policy: “Any MCPS student-athlete with verifi ed use, distribution or possession of alcohol, tobacco, illegal drugs and/or controlled substances on school property or at a school-sanctioned event, shall receive a minimum 10 consecutive school day suspension from all athletic activities.” • Blair’s drug policy: “First offense...will result in removal from athletic participation for the rest of the school year. Second offense... will result in a ban from athletics for the remainder of that student’s time...at Blair.” • Case studies conducted by both Boston University and “Prevention” magazine suggest that alcohol use is disproportionately high among athletes and that the use of certain drugs by athletes is roughly similar to the levels of use among non-athletes. Blair fi eld hockey rallied in the second half to send the game into sudden death overtime. The team then scored a goal early in extra time to beat the Kennedy Cavaliers 2-1 in their fi rst victory of the season. The Blazers (1-5) were able to generate consistent offensive pressure and maintain a solid defense. Blair displayed its superior conditioning and improved as the game progressed, leading to a quick fi nish in overtime. While the team improved from previous games, it still struggled in the fi rst half. The Blazers had trouble smoothly moving the ball up the fi eld due to a lack of effi cient communication and spacing. Blair players often bunched up around the ball, generating penalties on themselves and making it diffi cult to avoid opposing players. Blair’s defense was more organized, with senior Jenny Jones aggressively rushing balls and clearing them to the sidelines. The game was scoreless deep into the fi rst half, when a Cavalier made a fast break towards the goal with several teammates. The Blazers failed to recover quickly enough, and the swarm of Kennedy attackers overwhelmed Blair’s defense, scoring the fi rst goal of the game. The breakdown frustrated and disheartened the Blazers, but they managed to fi nish off the half without further damage. The Blazers entered the second half revitalized and with renewed vigor. “[Blair’s] whole demeanor was different,” said coach Brook Franceschini. “They were more offensive than defensive, and they attacked the ball.” The Blair offense Graphic by Camille Mackler dominated the rest of the game and kept the ball in Kennedy’s territory for most of the half. The Blazers’ attack was helped by strong play at midfi eld from junior Jessica Hallberlin, whose aggressive play consistently disrupted Cavalier attacks. Despite a persistent offensive attack and numerous scoring opportunities, the Blazers didn’t score until the last 10 minutes of regulation. A throng of Blazers swarmed the net, taking several shots at the goal until junior Christine Kim snuck the ball past the Cavalier goalkeeper to tie the game 1- 1. The players battled back and forth for the remaining time without scoring, leading to sudden death overtime. The Blazers dominated the fi eld in overtime, scoring the winning goal in under two minutes. Kim and fellow attackers senior captain Julie Spatz and sophomore Iliya Smithka brought the ball up together, allowing Kim to score the winning goal on an assist from Smithka. The team was excited for its fi rst win of the year. “It feels so good to be out of a slump. We’re ecstatic!” said Spatz. She was proud of the team’s improvement in the second half after the slow start. “We started off slow, but in the second half we were communicating better and our passing was sharp,” she said. Franceschini agreed but said the Blazers can do better if they play hard from the start of each game. Nevertheless, she was encouraged by the team’s progress this year and was optimistic about the rest of season. “We’re focusing so much on improving, and we just need to keep concentrating on little things,” she said. The fi eld hockey team will play its next match at home today against Gaithersburg at 3:30 p.m.
0 SPORTS October 6, 2005 silverCHIPS he true heavyweight championship ompetitive eaters gorge for glory, knowing that fame is little more than a hot dog away By MICHAEL BUSHNELL biyashi, who ate 50 Nathan’s hot umor ood is supposed to provide sustenance. It replenishes your body with vitamins, nutrients and 11 of the Colonel’s original herbs and spices. Even better, what we eat provides entertainment for many and a livelihood for the chosen few. Of all the sports covered in these back pages of Silver Chips, none are as fun to watch as my new favorite sport: competitive eating. The only thing I like more than eating is watching other people do it. And hat’s saying something. You may know about the Japanese eating champion Takeru Ko- lair rebounds from tie, dominates Springbrook By SARA PIERCE EPT. 28, BLAZER STADIUM— The girls varsity soccer team established heir superiority over Springbrook in a 5-0 lowout. Despite having to recover from he previous day’s frustrating tie with Blake, lair came out strong against a weaker oponent and dominated. Contributions from tar senior Sophie Esparza as well rising reshman forward Annie Worden helped lair take control of the game almost from he very start. The two teams seemed evenly matched or the first few minutes of the game, until he Blazers stepped up their ball control and tarted attacking more aggressively. Esparza cored the first goal for Blair by capitalizing n a Blue Devils foul on Worden. She took direct kick from the 18-yard line and neted the ball near the far post. Several mintes later, Worden dribbled around several pringbrook defenders and secured another oal for Blair as her left-footed shot snuck ast the goalie. Springbrook could not counter Blair’s ffensive production because of the Blazrs’ solid defense, led by sweeper Esparza. lair’s defense continually cleared the ball efore the Blue Devils had the chance to take shot at the goal. Freshman Molly Brune nd junior Becca Vogel both refused to let p on defense and challenged nearly every pringbrook attempt to drive the ball into lair territory. Towards the end of the first half, Worden ontributed her second goal by weaving hrough Springbrook’s defense and pocketng the ball with a swift shot past the keeper. orden’s outstanding performance proved hat she deserves her spot on the varsity team s a freshman. Prior to this game, said coach obert Gibb, Worden seemed physically in- dogs in 12 minutes at last July’s competition in Brooklyn. He ate 54 the year before that, and he’s the number one ranked competitive eater in the world. Yes, they have rankings. But the Nathan’s hot dog eating contest is not the end of the trough for competitive gorgers. The International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFOCE) has a web site full of news, stats and other information for those who need to be informed and up-to-date in the world of eating. The web site contains eater profiles, similar to players’ statistics on a sports web site. Whereas ESPN might list noteworthy games for timidated by the size of the upperclassmen she faced in games. However, Worden “is getting used to playing around big bodies,” Gibb said. In addition to the contributions of the other two freshmen on varsity, Gibb predicts that Worden’s talent will be an asset to Blair once the team can adjust to having such a quick and perceptive player. “She’s very creative, and the offense needs to be there to support her,” he said. Worden explained how she took the initiative, saying, “The more I took people on, the more my confidence grew and the more I was in the game.” Gibb also recognized freshman Anna Rassman for her effort in midfield, describing her as “very fast and very dangerous.” Blair entered the second half with a 3-0 lead, and although Springbrook regained some control, their aggression soon faded without any tangible results. In hopes of generating more offensive backbone later in the game, Gibb shifted Esparza to center midfield, leaving Blair’s defense a little shaky at first. But Brune sufficiently filled Esparza’s place, and the position change freed up Esparza to orchestrate more risky plays and to boost Blair’s offensive conviction. Gibb justified his decision to move Esparza, who is an asset on defense, to midfield by expressing his confidence in her substitute. “When I throw Sophie forward, I feel very comfortable putting [Brune] in Sophie’s position,” he said. “She is a very versatile player.” Midway through the second half, Springbrook’s goalie misjudged a cross from junior Devon Madison, allowing Liebman to volley the ball into the net. With a solid 4-0 lead, the Blazers became more relaxed as the Blue Devils became increasingly frustrated by their poor offense. Gibb used this opportunity to keep some of his starters fresh and to give the second string more play time with Gilbert Arenas, IFOCE lists amounts of the most ridiculous foods people have ever eaten. Kobiyashi’s major accomplishments are listed as eating 17.7 pounds of cow brains in just 15 minutes and 20 pounds of rice in half an hour. I don’t want to say that competitive eating encourages obesity, but in one event, Sonya Thomas of Alexandria, Virginia, ate 40 crab cakes in 12 minutes. The way I look at it is, if having a colon or two good kidneys is important to you, don’t be a competitive eater. The best obese eater is Eric Booker, a 420-pound hulk who cut a rap album titled “Hungry and Focused.” He also ate 50 hamentashen (a Jewish cookie filled with fruit) in six minutes and 57 Krystal mini-hamburgers in eight. I guess he and Notorious B.I.G. used to have the same caterer. Not only is he the reigning king of hamentashen, but he was also recently named champion of a matzo ball eating contest by consuming 30 in just over five minutes. If he can eat 40 gefilte fish and still sit through Yom Kippur dinner next week with my family, then I’ll be impressed. Like my Bar Mitzvah, or wherever else gorging on hamentashen is encouraged, the IFOCE prides itself on its “safety standards.” Its site asserts that it will not under any circumstances sanction an event without “the highest safety regulations in place.” Either that or a bottle of Pepto-Bismol. But just like there are fat hockey players, white basketball players and pro-golfers who aren’t jerks, there are skinny eaters. In fact, the top three eaters in the IFOCE rankings all weigh less than 150 pounds. Thomas weighs just 105 pounds but is the best female eater in the world. She’s eaten six pounds of fried asparagus and 35 bratwürst in 10 minutes each. Her nickname is “The Black Widow,” although she bears no resemblance to the world’s most poisonous insect. However, the smell of her after eating 552 oysters in 10 minutes and nine pounds of crawfish jambalaya probably makes death by spider-bite seem almost pleasurable by comparison. I would’ve thought that there’d be more obese people at the top. After all, if you’ve been slowly eating your way to an early grave for the last 30 years, what’s another slice of cheesecake? And for all that cake, the prizes aren’t that impressive. For all the damage you’re likely doing to your periodic substitutions. In the final minutes of the game, Esparza scored a left-footed shot that sailed right under the crossbar, bringing the final score to 5-0. Gibb compared tonight’s outcome to Blair’s struggle against Blake last night. “Yesterday, we couldn’t get it through where it counted, and we went into double overtime even though we kept swarming their offensive end.” The Blazers set the tone of the game with an early goal, and they kept up their offensive momentum throughout. Gibb noted that Blair’s victory over Springbrook was not their best, partly be- organs, the average prize for the winner is about $1,500. The most valuable prize was from one contest that gave $5,000 and “historic pottery” to the winner. Yeah, pottery’s the first thing I want after I eat 10 sticks of butter. Last month, 409-pound Ed “Cookie” Jarvis ate a “buffalo wing buffet” of wings, pierogies, roast beef and other pieces of salty goodness. All for 500 bucks. When the prize is worth less than the food that you ate, that’s certainly a bad sign. And why the nickname “cookie”? How about “celery” Jarvis? I guess it just didn’t have the same ring to it. The buffets are popular with more than just Cookie. A guy named “Crazy Legs” Conti ate 12 pounds of “buffet food” in five minutes. I bet his legs are crazy because he can’t lift them up anymore. The only thing I don’t get is how they declare a winner in each event. It could be speed: The person who eats the most food in a given time wins, or least time to eat a certain amount of food. Or maybe the winner is the only one who isn’t convulsing from eating 8.31 pounds of sausage in 10 minutes. For me, the most fascinating part of the IFOCE site is in the “records” department, which lists all sorts of different foods and their world records. Thomas ate 8.4 pounds of baked beans in two minutes and 47 seconds. She also had 48 tacos in 11 minutes, setting another world record. For her sake, I hope that she can power-drink Listerine, too. So as you sit down to watch the baseball playoffs, where sluggers will hit 99 mph pitches 500 feet, take their skills with a grain of salt. After all, have any of them eaten 274 dumplings in six minutes? That’s what I thought. Senior Sophie Esparza dribbles around several opponents on her way towards the Springbrook goal on Sept. 28. The Blazers won, 5-0. Photo by Brandon Herbst cause it’s “hard to play well against a not particularly talented team.” Senior captain Sarah Rumbaugh, who is out for the season due to a torn ACL, added that the Blazers did not play very cohesively — instead, they simply took advantage of Springbrook’s weaknesses. Gibb said that although the team has made it through “a tough patch,” the girls need to play with consistent intensity and continue to dominate on offense if they want to “come up on the right side of the score.” The Blazers next take on the Damascus Hornets tomorrow at 7 p.m.
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10/06/05 - Silver Chips Online - Montgomery Blair High School

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