Evil Empire Signs Stanton; Red Sox Nation Gnashes It's Teeth

It’s no good for baseball that the Yankees bought Giancarlo Stanton from the Marlins for Starlin Castro and two unknowns. Although Stanton joins a lineup with Aaron Judge and Gary Sanchez, the World Series trophy isn’t headed to New York just yet.

Acquiring Stanton was a massive lift for a Yankee team that had enough power to begin with. Stanton will likely hit between Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez, Greg Bird and Didi Gregorius all who have monster power. The national league MVP ads decent defense in right field that can give Aaron Judge some off days and provides the Yankees with flexibility to trade Jacoby Ellsbury.

Reasons for pessimism regarding their chances start internally with the Yankees. Injuries are inevitable during an MLB season, and some of the Yankees have a history of trips to the disabled list. Stanton hasn’t had a ton of full injury free seasons and Masahiro Tanaka is usually injured as well. Any other injuries could hurt this Yankee squad in an unpredictable baseball season.

Stanton and Judge both had monster seasons last year, each hitting over 50 home runs and were both in the running for MVP. Those types of seasons are statistically proven to be peak seasons in a players career. The chances that Stanton will hit 59 home runs again is somewhat unlikely even though he will be facing the Orioles and pitching regularly throughout the year. During the second half of the year, pitchers started figuring out Judge allowing for more strikeouts and fewer home runs.

Since it’s clear that those are massive IFs one thing that is certain is that the MLB playoffs are the most unpredictable of the sports playoffs. Any of the ten teams involved have a viable chance to win the World Series, as proven when both road wild card teams made the series when the Giants beat the Royals. After 162 games, getting the 11 playoff wins are unbelievably difficult even for super teams like the new Yankees.

The Yankees are scary, but impact players are still on the free agent market. Additions can be made and injuries and declines can happen. Ten months separate today from October, so who knows what will happen between now and then.

--Robert Dickey, Sports Editor

Are bake sales gone forever?

by Emma Mari

Since the end of October, you may have noticed that there has been an absence of bake sales at lunch. This isn’t because clubs and sports have lost their spirit, but rather because Woburn High’s administration has had to put an end to these fundraisers. However, many rumors have spread concerning this decision and how it was made.

Some rumors say the decision has been made because bake sales compete with school lunch, others say that there is too much of a mess that comes with these fundraisers. Principal Callanan shed some light on this.

“The food that is being sold at bake sales is actually against the nutritional policies of the state,” explained Callanan.

Principal Callanan is not wrong. According to the department of Health and Human Services, the amount of calories allowed in a school snack is 200. A glazed doughnut sold at a bake sale is around 255 calories according to livestrong.com and the calories only go up from there. Principal Callanan also mentioned that many schools have completely stopped allowing bake sales, including Salem High School where she worked previously.

The issues surrounding bake sales were brought to Principal Callanan’s attention last year, but it wasn’t until they noticed how many bake sales were going on that the school had to make a decision to put an end to these fundraisers. At the beginning of this school year, there was nearly a bake sale everyday which allegedly caused chaos and competed with school lunch.

Principal Callanan has indicated that this will be a permanent decision and there will not be any more bake sales at Woburn High. However, this doesn’t mean that clubs and sports have no way of raising money.

“Bake sales after school or at sporting events are welcome! Athletes who have to stay after school for practice would especially benefit from after school bake sales so they have a snack before practice,” commented Callanan.

Principal Callanan also described some of the fundraisers Salem High School would have, including fun games like pie in the face.

In other news, many WMHS students are concerned with whether or not the talent show or Dating Game will happen this year. Principal Callanan could confirm that the Talent Show will be held after school so parents may also attend. Although, she wasn’t able to give a definite answer as to whether or not the Dating Game will be continued.

Work Cited

Dph. “School Nutrition Standards.” Health and Human Services, 14 Aug. 2014, www.mass.gov/eohhs/gov/laws-regs/dph/proposed-regulations/school-nutrition-standards.html.

Wile, Elise. “How Many Calories Does a Glazed Donut Have?” LIVESTRONG.COM, Leaf Group, 3 Oct. 2017, www.livestrong.com/article/277814-how-many-calories-does-a-glazed-donut-have/.

Volleyball Game Report

Varsity Volleyball

Woburn vs. Billerica

November 2, 2017

On Thursday, Woburn Volleyball played in the first round of the Division 1 North Massachusetts Girls Volleyball Tournament. After a 17-3 season, the Tanners got the #4 seed and Billerica (10-10) ended up as the #13 seed. Safe to say, the Tanners were expected to win.

In the first set, you could tell that the two teams were excited to be in the playoffs. The intensity was different than most regular season games, but a lot of shots had too much power as well. Luckily, more shots went out of bounds for Billerica and Woburn took advantage. After getting out to a 17-8 lead, Billerica called a timeout to try and slow Woburn down. However, nothing could slow the tank that is the Varsity Volleyball team and Woburn won the set 25-14.

In the second set, things started to get a bit more interesting. After Woburn went up 10-5, Billerica called another timeout. This time, the Indians came out with some fight. They went on an 11-3 run, now forcing Woburn to call a timeout. Now, you could feel how important this set was. If Billerica wins, they tie the game 1-1 and have the momentum. If Woburn wins, they open up an almost insurmountable 2-0 lead. After the timeout, Woburn made a push and managed to tie the game at 22. They would take advantage of some Billerica mistakes and end up winning the set 25-23. After a small scare, they were back in control.

The third set featured more of the same from the Tanners. After trailing for a bit early, they went up 19-16 and never looked back. Even as Billerica was looking for a miracle, Woburn closed them out. They won 25-20 and the crowd couldn’t have been happier. They will play Saturday at 7:00 P.M. in the next round of the playoffs. Be sure to attend the game at the high school and be ready to cheer on your fellow Tanners as they continue their tournament run.

Submitted By: Dylan Woods, Staff Writer

Football Game Report

Game Report: Varsity Football

10/27/17

Woburn vs Masco

The Woburn Tanners football team was more stunned than a two-year-old on Halloween last Friday in Masconomet. Woburn led 9-7 at the half as captain Eri Ibrahimi ran it in from one yard out on the opening drive, and quarterback and kicker Ryan Qualey added a field goal in the second. The Tanners were able to score late and recover a Masco fumble in the end zone. Senior Jack Hayes scooped the ball up and was touched down in the end zone resulting in a tough back. Unable to ice the game, Woburn punted the ball back to Masco with 26 seconds left. Masco was left with no time outs and needed a prayer to take home the victory, and their prayer was answered. Somehome, Masco drove down the field and scored with six seconds left to stun the Tanners with a final score of 20-17. Although the season is over, all was not lost. Co Captain Isaiah Cashwell-Doe ran for over 1,000 yards on the season and quarterback Ryan Qualey threw for over 10 TDs. Woburn continues their path to the Thanksgiving game against Sudbury this Friday at home in a consolation game.

Submitted By: Robert Dickey Sports Editor

Game Report:

Varsity Football

Woburn vs. Lexington

October 20, 2017

Woburn finished the regular season with their toughest opponent yet: Lexington. The Minutemen were 6-0 coming into the game and had been crushing every opponent. They had an average margin of victory of 23.2 points and were scoring 42 points per game. Safe to say that coming close to Lexington is a moral victory for any opponent.

Lexington made their mark just three plays into the game. A 60+ yard rushing touchdown put the Minutemen up 7-0, and they were not done there. Following a quick punt, Lexington went right down the field, finishing the drive with a passing touchdown. Lexington senior QB Sal Frelick was dominant against Woburn for the entire game. On most big downs he would scramble with ease for first downs. When the Tanners managed to stop the run, Frelick would hit them over the top with long passes. Frelick was playing like a Umass Minuteman against the Woburn High defense.

After Lexington scored two more touchdowns to make it 28-0, the Tanners finally got on the board. On 4th down from the 31-yard line, Woburn executed as flea flicker for a touchdown. Unfortunately, that would prove to be the high point of the night. Lexington put up another touchdown before the half, making the score 35-7 at halftime. As far as the crowd was concerned, this game was over. Many left at halftime, probably in a hurry to get their weekend homework done early.

In the second half, Woburn put up 28 points to Lexington’s 17. Junior quarterback Ryan Qualey had three touchdowns, including a 63-yard touchdown pass. Also, Sal Frelick continued to dominate for Lexington, ending the game with 3 passing touchdowns and 3 rushing touchdowns. The final score was 52-35, Lexington staying undefeated and Woburn dropping to 4-3. Next Friday, Woburn will take on Masconoment in a do-or-die game in the Division 2 North Playoffs. Go root for your Tanners as they battle to stay alive!

Submitted By: Dylan Woods, Staff Writer

2017-2018 Student Elections

The student election is an annual event that takes place at Woburn Memorial High School. This year, elections and voting took place during the first week of October. Final voting took place during the first four periods on Friday, October 6th. All votes were in by that afternoon, creating a humorous and competitive atmosphere throughout the high school.  

The student body expects a lot from from their class officers. Candidates must possess traits such a leadership, confidence, communication, commitment, and honesty in order to be chosen for a certain role in the election by the peers in their grades. They manage money, class activities, and grade wide events. Every year with the help of the activities committee, these selected student leaders carry out tasks and make difficult decisions that not every student could make alone.

In the freshman class, four candidates ran a tight race for the Presidency. Jenna Casey and her competitors Melissa Murphy, Fred Parziale and Sophia Matthews fought for the two Presidential spots before primaries. However, the freshman class voted and narrowed the four candidates down to Fred Parziale and Jenna Casey after primaries. The freshman class also had more than two candidates run for Vice President. Sophia Bishop faced off against Jessica Pich and Adam Ghilli. The freshman class spoke again and Jessica Pich did not make it past from the primaries. For Secretary, Christie Delanois ran unopposed. Also running opposed was Ciana Dickey for the Freshman Class Representative and Timothy Pratt for Treasurer. Freshman Darian Cain discussed her feelings on her first student election with the Bull’s Eye.

“For me, my first school election was a very fun and interesting experience. I thought that the overall setup was extremely organized. Plus, the election made me feel more involved in my school.”

Next, the sophomore class battled for the Presidential seat. At the start, former president Isabella “Bella” LoRusso, her impeached rival Marc Beliard, and newcomers Meri Ibrahimi and Noah Stebbins strived for one of the two spots coming out of the primaries. During the class speeches, you could hear the excitement in all four candidates speeches about running either for the first time, or returning. Bella and Marc threw shade towards each other in their speeches. Bella focused mainly on educating the audience on how last year, although he won fairly, Marc was impeached and consequently Bella was appointed the President for the freshman class.

Bella believes, “Everyone deserves a second chance. I’m glad he ran because I love the thrill of the competition.” For Vice President, Isabelle Bickford battled Ariyana Bonab. In the speeches, Ariyana gave an incredibly enthusiastic speech and got the crowd rallied up while Isabelle gave a short and sweet speech describing what she would do as class Vice President. For the remaining three positions, Emma Connors ran unopposed for Secretary, Brooklyn Manna ran unopposed for Class Representative, and Kaylyn Pacheco ran unopposed for Treasurer. All three girls presented short and to the point speeches explaining that they had no opposers and described what they would each do individually to help the class of 2020.  

After sophomore primaries were held on October 4th, excitement was in the air as the presidential spot was narrowed from four candidates to two. The class voted, and history repeated itself as Bella LoRusso and Marc Beliard became the final two candidates for President yet again.

In the Junior class, candidates Bobby Concannon and Sumeya Abrar went head to head in a once again epic battle for the Presidential spot. In speeches, Bobby won over the audience with his words while Sumeya rose to the next level and rapped her speech. Sumeya had the crowd roaring by the end of her epic rap, and impressed not only her classmates, but herself. Sumeya Abrar told the Bull’s Eye.

“There was really no rivalry between Bobby and I. We have always respected each other and this year was just like any other year.” Next, Jesse Stocker and Alice O’Brien both ran unopposed for the positions of Vice President and Secretary respectively. Although running unopposed, neither candidates speeches showed any slack and both convinced the class of 2019 why they deserved these spots. The high energy competition was between Ryan Qualey, Renato Rosso, and Bryant Keatley for the Class Representative spot. All three boys proved themselves of possessing high quality traits that would make them successful for the spot.  

The Junior class voted in primaries and narrowed the three Class Representative candidates down to two. It was announced unexpectedly that Renato Rosso had been eliminated from the race which left Ryan Qualey against Bryant Keatley.

In the Senior class all positions had either one or two candidates per position. The Senior class runners took their final high school election very seriously. However, the rest of the class didn’t. Vice President candidate Liz Werner admits to the Bull’s Eye that the student election isn’t important to ALL students.

Liz says, “To those that are involved it means literally the world… For those [who] aren’t super involved with the activities committee, this year’s elections were a joke. There was a ton of controversy and drama because the Presidential race was going to be super close. For me, they’re important because this set of class officers decides what happens to [our class] not only for this year, but every five years for reunions.” Going for the Presidential position was Matthew Pollard against Sarah Weber. Both made an amazing effort to get their voice and views out to their classmates. The Vice Presidential spot was between Liz Werner and Bryan Govostes.  Secretary was Robert Dickey against Tracey Kalungi and Class Representative was between Shayla Callahan and Jenn Campbell. Isabelle Claude ran unopposed for the class treasurer, guaranteeing herself in her final high school student election. Myron Masotta ran against Jake Pineo for the Regional Student Advisor position, which is specific to the senior class.  

Unlike every other grade, the senior class did not need to vote in the primaries. Each position was already between one or two candidates and did not need anymore narrowing down before the final election.  

Tension and excitement built up throughout all four grades in WMHS leading up to the final election. When the announcement came through the loudspeaker, the school became almost dead silent. In some classrooms, you could hear a pin drop. Student Council members came over the speaker and reported the election results, starting with the freshman class. Below are the final results of each grade’s final votes.

         Freshman Class             Sophomore Class

President: Fred Parziale President: Isabella LoRusso

Vice President: Adam Ghilli Vice President: Isabelle Bickford

Class Representative: Ciana Dickey Class Representative: Brooklyn Manna

Secretary: Christie Delanois Secretary: Emma Connors

Treasurer: Timothy Pratt Treasurer: Kaylyn Pacheco

Junior Class                        Senior Class

President: Bobby Concannon President: Sarah Weber

Vice President: Jesse Stocker Vice President: Liz Werner

Class Representative: Ryan Qualey Class Representative: Jenn Campbell

Secretary: Alice O’Brien Secretary: Robert Dickey

Treasurer: Stephen Kolodko Treasurer: Isabelle Claude

Regional Student Advisor: Jake Pineo

After the final votes were announced, all elected students were extremely happy with their personal outcome and success. Fred Parziale ran a tight race against three other freshman candidates but proved himself to be high and was elected. Sophomore president Bella LoRusso talked to the Bull’s Eye about how she felt when she heard the results that she had been elected President for the class of 2020.

“When I sat in my science class and heard the announcements go off I was nervous because people told me everyday how I was going to lose… Hearing my name instantly filled me with joy. It’s an honor for me to know that the class of 2020 trusts me to be their class president. Knowing that just makes me want to do even better for my class. I can’t wait to get started and look forward to another fabulous year!” All elected students will be incredibly politically active in the WMHS community throughout the 2017-2018 school year. Junior Sumeya Abrar fell short in votes to Bobby Concannon who took the presidential spot.

Sumeya, a fellow Bull’s eye writer tells the Bull’s Eye, “I think [Bobby’s] elections in the past may have boosted his chance for re-election this year. I’m definitely going to run next year, because I’m running to show democracy!” Overall, the senior class ran a tight race in almost all positions. There was a lot of drama and tension throughout all grades wondering who would be elected, since all candidates were outstanding.

Elected Vice President Liz Werner talks to the Bull’s eye about the senior class’ elected President, Sarah Weber, “Sarah has been a great President for the past 2 years, and she’ll be amazing this year too.”

Submitted by: Emily Correia, Staff Writer

Work Cited

Abrar, Sumeya. Person Interview by Emily Correia. WMHS Bull’s Eye. 11 October 2017.

Cain, Darian. Personal Interview by Emily Correia.WMHS Bull’s Eye. October 2017. 10 October 2017.

LoRusso, Bella. Personal Interview by Emily Correia. WMHS Bull’s Eye. October 2017. WMHS Bull’s Eye. 9
October 2017.

Werner, Elizabeth. Personal Interview by Emily Correia. WMHS Bull’s Eye. October 2017. WMHS Bull’s Eye. 10
October 2017.

Game Report:

Varsity Volleyball

Reading vs. Woburn

October 19, 2017

      On Thursday, Woburn played at home in a rematch against Reading. These two teams met previously in Reading three weeks ago, and the Tanners won that game easily 3-0. Now, even further into the season, Woburn looked to extend their winning streak to five.

      Before the game, Woburn honored its seniors Laurie Doherty, Jessica Skeffington, Rachael Richards, Brianna Lundin, Julie Miller, Shayla Callahan, Elizabeth Werner, Olivia Perenick, and Julia Barry. Coach Roy have his praise to the team, calling them the most professional group he has worked with. After the players were greeted with applause from the crowd, captain Julia Barry sang the national anthem initiating even more cheering.  

      Early in the first set, senior Olivia Perenick got into the game for the first time this season. She had been sidelined with a knee injury for the whole season but Coach Roy decided to put her in on Senior Night. Perenick had a few serves, watched her team score a few straight points, and then was subbed out with applause from the crowd. Woburn took that momentum and carried it all the way to a first set victory, 25-11.

      Woburn took no time getting out to a lead in the second set. They went up 8-1, and then 19-8 before Reading called a timeout. After the timeout, Reading started to dig in, hoping to even the score. They rattled off a quick 4-0 run and cut the Tanner lead to 22-17. But right when the Reading players and crowd were ready for a comeback, Woburn dug a trench of their own. They scored the last two points of the set, winning 25-19.

      Up 2-0, Woburn had a chance to end the game with a sweep and send the crowd home early. They took an 11-6 lead to start, and then stretched that lead to 18-12 before Reading needed a timeout. Once again, Reading came out of the break looking to comeback and get on the board. They cut the score to 23-18, but Woburn won again 25-21. Overall, it was a good test for Woburn to close out teams late in the game. They improved to 15-2 on the season and will take on Lexington this Tuesday.

Submitted by: Dylan Woods, Staff Writer

Game Report Varsity Volleyball

Arlington .vs. Woburn

10/17/17

      Woburn Volleyball killed it both on and off the court on Tuesday in front of a packed crowd in the Woburn High bleachers. On the court, Woburn annihilated Arlington in just three sets. It is beginning to become a pattern that Woburn only plays three out of the necessary five sets. The first set was a blowout as Woburn never fell behind after taking the lead and won easily by a score of 25-13. The twelve point victory was just foreshadowing what was going to come later on in the match. Arlington was able to take the first point of the second set but did not hold the lead for long. Woburn grabbed the next two points and never trailed again. The set was more of a nailbiter than the last one but Woburn still look it 25-19. The third set started off well again and never looked turned around. After gaining the momentum, Woburn never gave it back up and took the victory with a 25-13 score just like the first set. Woburn has now improved to 14-2 on the year and takes on Reading in their next match on Thursday which is senior night. Off the court, Woburn Volleyball was able to raise 1,000 for breast cancer awareness through donations. It was a true win for the entire program and all of those involved raising the money for a fabulous cause.

--Submitted by Robert Dickey, Sports Editor

Varsity Football: Game Report

Wakefield .vs. Woburn

10/13/17

      Friday the Thirteenth in October is never an appealing date to see on your calendar and that stayed true for Wakefield fans on Friday night when they came into Woburn territory. Wakefield saw their team get annihilated right in front of their eyes as they were defeated soundly by a score of 32-3. The Tanners clinched a playoff breath with the win, improving to 4-2 and securing their fans at least one playoff game. Everybody seemed to be involved in the win this week. Touchdowns were notched by captain Isaiah Cashwell-Doe, who scored three times on nineteen carries, along with junior Ryan Ludwig and a throwing touchdown by junior quarterback Ryan Qualey, who ended the game 4 of 5 throwing with 53 yards to go along with the score. The defensive side of the ball was just as strong as the offense however as captains Eri Ibrahimi and Ryan Chillemi recorded nine and six tackles respectively. Senior Dustin Burkle tacked on five tackles which went nicely with a Jonathan Avery sack and a Ty Parish interception. The Tanners are now riding a two game winning streak and look to end their regular season strong with a game at home next Friday against Lexington. The winner of that game will take home the Middlesex League title and secure a home playoff game.

Submitted By: Robert Dickey Sports Editor

Game Report: Varsity Volleyball

Woburn vs. Watertown

October 11, 2017

Woburn continued their winning streak and improved to 12-2 on the season against a winless Watertown team. The Tanners dominated, winning by a combined difference of 75-19. The game was never in question, and the only interesting parts of this match was how fast it was going to end and how many points Woburn could score in a row. The sets themselves seemed to be going faster than the three minute breaks in between and the game only lasted forty minutes, including breaks for timeouts and the end of the set. Woburn got their largest lead of the game in the third set, ballooning the score to 18-1 after scoring seventeen straight points. I was rooting for a 25-0 sweep in one of the sets, but unfortunately that never happened. For your information, there is no volleyball mercy rule and a team must have less than three players to forfeit. These are the types of things you learn in a blowout volleyball game. Woburn won in straight sets, 25-8, 25-7, and 25-4. Their next game is in Belmont on Friday.

Submitted by Dylan Woods, Staff Writer

Varsity Volleyball Game Report

Woburn vs. Wakefield

10/09/17

     The Tanner volleyball team looked to improve their outstanding record to 11-2 on Columbus Day against a fairly decent Wakefield team. Inside the Wakefield gym, the Tanners were able to battle through a crazy first set. It was tight the entire set as every time one of the Tanners tried to end the set with a vicious spike, Wakefield would return it right away. The set got past the 25 point mark as neither team was able to win by the two points necessary. Finally, after a back and forth that seemed like it would never end, Woburn was able to take the set by a score of 29-27. It was amazing how things turned in the second set. Woburn was able to handle the Wakefield girls easily and keep them under wraps for a much less stressful set ending in 25-16. The final set was even easier as Wakefield stood no chance against a nearly perfect Woburn team. The set ended at 25-14, and the Tanners run of dominance continued. Be there at home on Wednesday October 11 for another home game against Watertown.

Submitted by Robert Dickey, Sports Editor

Football game report. WMHS BEATS READING IN A THRILLER

Varsity Football Game Report

Woburn .vs. Reading

10/6/17

Friday night in Reading, football fans were treated to a wild game. In by far the most thrilling game of the season, Tanner fans packed the bleachers all wearing the color pink. The fans were disappointed early, as it looked like the Woburn losing streak may reach two for the first time all year. Woburn went down 14-0 in the first quarter and looked dead in the water. That was before the Tanners showed their resilience and battled back. It started with the captain Isaiah Cashwell-Doe, running through defenders and making them look silly to the tune of two touchdowns. One of those scores came on a kick return, where Cashwell-Doe stuck his foot in the ground and changed directions on the fly, hyping up the Tanners faithful. The roll of captain success kept going, and even though reading put up points, Captain Eri Ibrahimi was there to match the scoring with a rushing touchdown. Reading was able to put up more points and led late in the game by three. That was when Junior quarterback Ryan Qualey threw a dime to captain Ryan Chillemi who ran to the end zone for his second receiving touchdown of the game. The Tanners defense was able to hold the Rockets and take over the ball with 59 seconds left and just two kneels to go before their third victory of the season. Qualey ended the game with 117 yards passing and two touchdowns. Chillemi caught both touchdowns and ended with four catches for 84 yards. Ibrahimi ended with 110 rushing yards to go along with his touchdown. Woburn finishes their road stretch with a solid 3-2 record, and take on Wakefield at home in the week 6 matchup.

Submitted by: Robert Dickey Sports Editor