The Newark basketball team is feeling really confident and can't wait to see what the future holds.
The Newark Basketball team has been working really hard during practices because they believe that hard work gets success. Some challenges Newark will face this year is trying to get less fouls and getting rebounds. The team gets pumped up before a game by listening to music.
Some goals of the team are winning state, having a good time while playing basketball, and according to senior Will Clausel, "getting Steve Young buckets."
By Jeremy Van Heiden
For the last couple years Newark has not had a JV team for cheerleading. This year we have a JV team consisting of 8 athletes. The varsity team has 7 athletes on it. The team goal is to improve overall as a team.
"Since we have a lot of new girls on our team, we get to experiment with new things and have new ideas, since a couple were cheerleaders at their junior highs. I’m excited to see what everyone brings to the table," said senior Kylie Eike.
Before the games started, the girls practiced four times a week. Now that the season is underway the team practices two times a week. "We try to do a dance for every home game. Christmas dance and the senior night dance are two of our big ones," said Kylie.
In addition, some team members are looking even further ahead. "I'm looking forward to post season! It's always a fun time with both teams," said Junior Lexie Pagel.
By Remington Kempiak
Starting off in the Somonauk Break-Out Tournament the week before Thanksgiving, the Lady Norsemen Varsity basketball hit the ground running and overtook Plano the first night out, the first win of three in the tournament, their other wins coming from Hinckley Big-Rock and Wheaton Academy. The Lady Norsemen’s only loss came from Aurora Central Catholic, leaving the team coming out of week one with a solid record of 3-1, the best opening week record in the last four years.
The following Tuesday, November 22, the Lady Norsemen battled against Aurora Christian at home, their debut on their home floor. It was a close win but a win nonetheless. In addition to celebration of the win, the team celebrated the 1,000-point milestone surpassed by senior Jasmine Mitchell amidst the game.
The girls had their next game Monday, starting off with a win against conference match-up Leland-Earlville. The next night, the Lady Norsemen took their streak to Dwight and defeated the Trojans, boosting their record to 6-1. On Thursday, December 1, conference member Hiawatha came out to Newark and got blown away in a 76-27 point game. Lady Norsemen basketball headed to Marquette that Saturday for a brutal match, which left them with a win but an injury to their point guard, freshman Meggie Scott.
On December 5, the girls defended their home court against the Timberwolves of Indian Creek in a close game, the win coming with a buzzer beater from Jasmine Mitchell. The Lady Norsemen continued to nurse their bumps and bruises, having to brush it off. They play in their Christmas tournament the week of the 19-23.
By Jasmine Mitchell
After a heart-breaking loss in the Super Sectional game against Leroy last season, the Newark Boys Basketball program is hitting the court running, again.
Coach Rick Tollefson returns to lead the boys to keep up the Newark basketball tradition after graduating four seniors who contributed greatly all four years they were in high school. Stepping up to take the mantle are another four seniors, Will Clausel, Steve McGrath, Cameron Myre, and Caleb Dierzen, three of whom have played on Varsity since sophomore year.
"I’m expecting the season to go well," says senior Will Clausel. "It’s gonna be a great time with the boys."
Revving up their preseason in the second week of November, they have to wait until the week of November 21 through the 26 before getting a crack at game time. They head to Seneca that week for their Thanksgiving Tournament.
By Jasmine Mitchell
Winter sports are gearing up for their seasons, including cheerleading, which is in full swing.
There are 15 people on the team this year, 9 returning and 6 new. This year, the team will be competing in their first competition in Tinley Park, Illinois. For the upcoming season, Junior Bailee O'Toole, one of the captains, is looking to "improve their dances for the halftime performances."
Since there are quite a few new people on the team this year, they will be doing a lot of learning and bonding with the team.
Junior Maggie Komes, another captain on the team, says her favorite part of the sport is "stunting, because it brings a challenge." Bailee and Maggie both agree that being junior captains this year could create some stability in the team, considering they could be captains next year also. December 2 is the first home game, and they will be out there cheering on the basketball team.
By Caeley Larson
The volleyball season finally came to an end and with it, the onset of the girl’s basketball season. The changing of the leaves and turning chill of the weather represents a lot more to basketball players than the turning of fall to winter.
The Lady Norsemen are coming back from a winning record last season under now second year Varsity coach, Coach Barb Scott. They lost four seniors last year with only one junior returning as the seniority on the team. “We are going to be extremely young this year, but with leadership from our senior and juniors, we should do very well,” Coach Barb Scott tells.
Their practices began the week of Halloween, a mere three days after the Regional Championship for volleyball, which meant for nearly fifteen volleyball players only the briefest of breaks.
With only two weeks of real preseason, the Lady Norsemen will head into the Somonauk Break-Out Tournament in the week of November 14 through the 18, playing four games on the weeknights against Plano, Wheaton Academy, Aurora Central Catholic and fellow conference member Hinckley Big-Rock.
By Jasmine Mitchell