On October 17th York Suburban High School hosted its first official concert of the year where each musical group performed a series of captivating pieces that gave the audience a look into the exciting music-filled year ahead. The band presented a collection of spectacular numbers such as Rhythm Machine, Rain, The Haunted Carousel, selections from West Side Story, and Prelude to Firestorm. The orchestra also performed “Rock”-tobersongs including Back-in-Black, a medley of songs from the band Muse, Kashmere, Crazy Train, and Dust in the Wind. Following these instrumental ensembles was the chorus and their impressive presentation of songs like Stand by Me, Don’t Stop Me Now, and Song of the Lonely Mountain. The concert showcased Suburban’s best through its various music groups.. I had the privilege of interviewing someorchestra, band, and chorus members to get an inside look into how they prepared in the days leading up to the concert. The first person I spoke to was a second violinist, Bailey Phinney. She is a member of string ensemble and orchestra. When asked how she felt leading up to the concert, Phinney replied, “Rocktober is one of my favorite concerts! We’ve all been majorly hyping each other up during these final practices.” Though Phinney expressed some uncertainty and nervousness from the Muse medley because of the amount of string changes, the piece came together beautifully, demonstrating the orchestra’s skill when tackling difficult musical material. The next people I had the opportunity to interview were Ruthie Brown and Whitley Kamarauskas. They gave me an inside look into how the chorus organizes for upcoming concerts, saying, “We have double periods for chorus practice so we get to practice one to three times a week. The lyrics for some of the songs are a bit difficult but with this much practice we all should be good to go!” I also spoke with Reece Busse, a member of band and a talented percussionist. He explained, “The song selection we have for the fall concert is really good. We have some upbeat songs that are fun to play, and then some slower songs that are very moving.” Overall, the October concert was a phenomenal success because of the hardworking individuals who made the fantastic event possible.
Year: 2024
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Stories of Success and Defeat: October Sports Recap
October was a wild ride for all of our sports teams. The regular seasons were ending, and a majority of the teams made Counties or Districts. York Suburban also had numerous athletes recognized with a county award.
Field Hockey (6-11-1)
Field Hockey was not as successful as they have been in previous years. However, the girls were still able to place 3rd in Division 2, earning them a spot in the county playoffs. Grace Bramble had a standout season and broke the career saves record, ending her high school career at 656 total saves. They played Dallastown in the county quarterfinals, but were shut out 3-0.
Boys Soccer (9-7-3)
Compared to last year, the Boys’ Soccer team did significantly better, led by seniors Brayden Egger and Jackson Miller, among others. The team was able to make the county playoffs; however they lost to Northeastern 3-0. Although not as good as the County Championship season 2 years ago, the guys were looking for success in the District playoffs. Their opponent in the first round was 16-2 Shippensburg, who was able to hold off the Trojans in a 4-2 match.
Girls Soccer (13-6-1)
Earning YAIAA Division 2 Champion status was a big achievement for the Girls’ Soccer team, who haven’t had much success in the past couple of seasons. The girls were more successful in county playoffs than our other teams, and they had a 1-0 win over York Catholic in the quarterfinals, sending them to the semifinals, where the girls lost to South Western 4-0. In district play, the girls lost to Palmyra in the opening round.Girls Volleyball (12-4)
It was another dominating year for the Girls’ Volleyball team in county play, as they were 12-0 against Division 2 opponents, earning them the division title and solidifying a spot in the county playoffs. However, in the County quarterfinals, Central York was able to defeat the Trojans in 5 sets. The girls found more success in the first round of Districts as they beat Bishop McDevitt in 3 sets. However, Big Spring was able to win in 3 sets in the next round, ending the Trojan’s season.
Golf (30-0)
Our golf team was County Champions for the second year in a row. In the county championship, Vivienne Powers came in first place at +5, and Andrew Ekstrom came in third place at -3. In the District Championship at Honey Run Golf Course, Andrew Ekstrom shot par for a first place finish, and Vivienne Powers placed 8th, shooting +15. With their results, both players advanced to the state round, where Vivienne Powers tied for third place overall and Andrew Ekstrom tied for 31st place.
Girls Tennis (8-7)
The Girls’ Tennis team ended their season with a winning record, but they weren’t done yet. Doubles pair Bryn Johnston and Julia Brozoskie made it to the first round of counties, but lost to Dallastown. In singles, Sophia Bottali, Bryn Johnston, and Julia Brozoskie all made the county playoffs but also lost in the first round.
Boys Cross Country (14-3)
The boys’ cross country team had a typical winning season, and were able to capture the Division 2 title. In the county meet, the team placed 3rd overall, and Neil Osteric (2nd), Carter Gingerich (19th), and Nathan Tedesco (24th) all placed top 30. In districts, Neil Oestereich placed 10th, qualifying him for the state meet this Friday.
Girls Cross Country (16-1)
The Girls’ XC team also won the Division 2 championship with a 5-0 division record. In the county meet hosted at John Rudy Park, the team placed 3rd overall and Sarah Deal (19th), Abby Passerellio (22nd), Ashlyn Kline (28th), and Cambria Rice (30th) all placed in the top 30. At the district meet, our girls didn’t place or qualify for the state championship. This can be accredited to the increasing of our classification from AA to AAA in the past year.
Football (1-9)
It was an exciting end to a disappointing season for our football team, as they got their first win of the season in the last game against Northeastern in a 1-point victory in what was dubbed the “Toilet Bowl” as both teams came into the game without a win. With the loss of key players from last season, the team was young and looking to rebuild, and the season wasn’t expected to be great. If you want to learn more about the specific games, visit this link to read detailed articles.
Awards
Girls Soccer:
- Player of the Year – Stephanie Herrera
- Coach of the Year – Tom Shugars
- First Team All-County – Addie Denenberg
- First Team All-County – Amelia California
- Second Team All-County – Sophia Sousa
- Second Team All-County – Mae Oestereich
Boys Soccer:
- First Team All-County – Jackson Miller
- Second Team All-County – Jonathan Stermer
- Second Team All-County – Brayden Egger
- Second Team All-County – Gehret Gentzyel
More awards will be announced within the next few weeks. Check back for updates.
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Football Comes Up Short Against Dover
It was a misty Friday night, and York Suburban was looking for their first win of the season against a Dover team that was not as strong as their previous opponents.
York Suburban received the kickoff, however, they didn’t get far before having to punt it away. Dover would have the same luck on their first drive, and the cycle would continue until the end of the first quarter, which ended scoreless.
The second quarter saw the first touchdown of the game, which was ran in 2 yards by Rylan Bratton. Jakey Royer’s extra point attempt was blocked, making it 6-0 York Suburban with 8 minutes left in the first half. The Trojans’ would continue to build on their momentum, and Gehret Gentzyle was able to get his first touchdown of the season off a 41-yard run. They would try for the two-point conversion and fail, making it 12-0. The Eagles found the back of the endzone once in the first half ending the half at 12-7. This was the first game that York Suburban had the lead going into the half, although it was short-lived.
Dover made adjustments coming out of the half, which led to a 2-yard carry at the goal line to put them in the lead 14-12. York Suburban had multiple opportunities to score, however they came up short every try. At the end of the third quarter, the score remained 14-12.
York Suburban had the ball at the beginning of the fourth quarter but could not do anything with it. Both teams went back and forth throughout the final minutes of the game, however, the Trojans were not able to find any more points. The game ended in a 14-12 loss for Suburban, however, there are still chances for us to get a win. Next Friday we host Susquehannock.
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Artist’s of the Month at YSHS
One of my favorite things about York Suburban is the creativity of our students; especially in creating beautiful artwork. When I first approached the art teachers about this idea, I was expecting them to say that it was too soon and that their students had not expanded their skills enough yet, completely understandable reasons. However, the students and staff of YS never fail to achieve excellence!
This month, Mrs. Fornadel and Mrs. Furjanic both selected some students they would like to highlight for their incredible work. Under their guidance, these students were able to grow in their talent and truly produce beautiful pieces of artwork.
Milan Gerald, Junior, is currently in Painting I, a class taught by Mrs. Fornadel. In this class, they investigate warm color pallets and as part of her investigation, she had illustrated this gorgeous piece. Inspired by the artworks of Amrita Sher-Gil, Home Salon was painted utilizing acrylics on canvas paper, and was clearly brilliantly executed. Congrats Milan!
Our next student is Olivia Diehl, who has gone above and beyond inshowcasing her artwork to the community. She is currently being featured at Creative York, who are displaying her work until November! Olivia also has her work accepted at The York Art Association Juried Expedition, which had 347 pieces of art submitted to it. She is such a talented artist and has depicted something so beautiful. This is truly incredible, we are so proud of you, Olivia!
And last but not least is a piece by Christian Sandoval-Hernandez, who was nominated by Mrs. Furjanic. We love your creativity and artistic abilities, keep it up!
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“Much Ado About Nothing” Comes to York Suburban
Get ready for an evening of wit, romance, and intrigue as our school’s theater club proudly presents Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing”. This comedy-filled show puts the audience through a rollercoaster of love and deception, featuring sharp-tongued dialogue, interesting character dynamics, and plot twists that will have you at the edge of your seat. Theater officer Reece Busse, who plays the character of Don Pedro, comments that “Shakespeare is timeless, there’s always something in the modern day that it can relate to.” He continues and explains how Shakespearean language can be difficult for him to memorize lines, but then goes to say “…our directors are great in understanding and teaching us about the language.” Our dedicated crew has also been hard at work preparing a Wes Anderson esque set that will transport you to the charming 1940s in New York City. Continuing, and our costume crew brings characters to life with stunning 40s costumes. Don’t miss out on this exciting production! Come support your fellow students and enjoy a night of laughter, drama, and mischief!
Name of the Production: Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing
A brief summary of what the show is about: One of Shakespeare’s comedies, the show follows two romantic pairings as a group of soldiers arrives in town, hosted by the Duke of Messina. One soldier falls in love with the Duke’s daughter, only for the play’s villain to trick him into thinking she has been unvirtuous. Another soldier trades verbal sparring with a woman he claims to dislike, but other characters fool the two into thinking the other is in love with them. We’ve taken some creative liberties with the story — our “Messina” is 1940s New York City and our “Duke” is a “Duchess” — but Shakespeare’s humorous story of love and deception remains.
Dates and Times: Thursday, Friday, & Saturday, October 24-26 @ 7:00 pm in the HS Auditorium
Ticket Price: $10 for adults and $6 for students
How to Buy Tickets: Tickets can soon be purchased at this link. We are in the process of going live with the ticketing website and getting this link on the HS website and the HS student announcements page.
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Girls Tennis Finishes with Winning Record, Players Advance to Playoffs
In this year’s memorable season, the girls’ tennis team finished their season with an 8-7 record. Players Bryn Johnston, Julia Brozowski, and Sophia Bottali qualified and competed in the first round of the county tournament. Julia and Bryn will take on country doubles on Saturday morning. The team defeated their West York rivals after losing to them by one point last year. Julia reflects, “This tennis season was one of my favorite seasons yet, and becoming closer with all my teammates both new and returning is something I’m so grateful for. This season was a learning experience and I will take everything from this season and improve for next year.” The young team had only one senior, Cayli Huynh, who played doubles. Most of the players plan to play in tournaments and clinics in the off-season.
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2024 Homecoming Dance
Article by Michela Soares
On Saturday, September 28, York Suburban High School had their 2024 Homecoming Dance. . The dance went from 7-9 in the High School’s gymnasium, which was decorated for the dance the day of. The dance performance attracted about 600 students and the effect was excellent.
YSHS Student Council worked endlessly to plan it, making sure everything from the DJ, to the photo booth was ready and set for the night of festivities. Our STuCo President, Sophia Scalet, trusted many students with committees throughout the homecoming festivities.
Many students, following unofficial traditions, went out for pictures and dinner before the dance! From South County Brewing Co., to Chilli’s, everyone chose their meal of choice to start off the night! Most students dressed up fancy and many were seen with flowers and corsages, matching with a friend or significant other.
Set in the High School’s gymnasium, laser strobe lights, and boom boxes created the perfect environment for a school dance. Whitley Kamarauskas (11) says, “half of it I knew and loved it, and the other half I just had no idea what was going on.” She also recounts that this was one of the best homecoming dances she’s had throughout her three years. Alex Bien (12) was on Homecoming Court, and he shared that being on it was a very fun experience. He was glad to be introduced to Mamoru Ikebe, the Japanese exchange student, someone he otherwise would not have met. As for the dance, one student said, “The music could’ve been louder, and choices could’ve been better,” he says, “they played Fein too early.” Likewise, students recalled that they liked the before/after Hoco festivities, more than the actual dance. While students were given the opportunity to recommend songs, many complained about the song choices. One student says, “The DJ did excellent with the mixing, but a lot of the songs were hard to dance to, and often you could just see people standing on their phones.” This seems to be a prevalent theme throughout students of all grades. Samara Dalton, a freshman, shares that “it was a lot of one genre, and it could have been more versatile, because only a few people knew most of the songs.” Overall, mixed reviews were shared about the dance and music separately.
Considering 600 students attended, it is obvious that not everyone’s opinion can be voiced, but talking to several people and interviewing a certain few, a consensus was reached that some parts of the dance were extremely enjoyable, and others not so much.