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Opening 2015-2016 CYO Power Rankings

Armed with Twitter skills, lady tactics, profanity-laden smack talk, and velvet-smooth shooting forms, the student-athletes comprising The Diocese of Cleveland’s Catholic Youth Organization are out for blood this holiday season. With players drawing looks from D1 organizations, ire from disgruntled parents, and technical fouls from straight-faced refs, there’s no doubt that the 2015-16 CYO season will be one to remember. Big men such as Mike “the Punisher” Bodnar and Nik “Big Daddy” Lancaster will look to push their weight around the paint, dishing it out to three-ballers in traffic like Tommy Lauer, Max “Drain-O” Danch, and Dan “White Mamba” Sullivan. Ryan “OSU” Karle is always a force to be reckoned with, and his scare tactics have knocked many a grin off the face of an unaccustomed opponent. Karle is competing for wild man on the floor with such monsters as Alex Ray and Ben Delhees, who bring such an energy to the floor that even Delly himself had to come to a 216ers practice to take some notes. Lone Ignatius man on the Thunderbolts from St. Mary of the Falls, Jared Yant, at a self-reported 6’9” – 245, will look to scrap in the paint and drop some rainbow 3’s from half-court. In fact, there are several moonballers in the league this year, not the least of which include Andrew Zawie and Jake “Canadian Bacon” Gawlik, the latter of which won’t hesitate to draw a charge or two and won’t shy away from a hard foul that needs to be committed. This season’s got it all, folks. Here’s how we’re stacking it up:

#1 GESU Bulldogs

The top spot in the Eye’s 2015-2016 CYO Power Ranking deservedly goes to the Gesu Bulldogs. This is basically the same squad that won the eighth grade city championship, and rival programs looking to unseat the ‘Dogs will have their work cut out for them. Led by Coaches Lauer and Lauer, the goal for the Gesu team is simply “to win states.” Here’s the lineup that’s looking to go all the way:

GESU Bulldogs
Front row: Tommy Lauer, Danny Volpe, Seamus Hawkins, Mark McHugh

When he’s not sliding into the other team’s girls’ DM’s, Joe Evans ’16 is channeling his inner Jimmer Fredette and knocking down shots from all around the court. He’s also known around the league for the 4-point play he converted while lending his skills to the JV Wildcats sophomore year.

Mike Vallee ’16 is your trademark all-around athlete, and a legitimate contender for MVP of the whole league. His silky smooth golf swing translates into master ball-handling on the basketball court, where he’s sending home opponents in ankle braces on the daily.

Danny Volpe ’16 leads the team in hustle, and he’s known for bodying just about anybody up on the glass, grabbing key boards, and occasionally knocking down the critical 3-bomb. He trades offensive duties with Tommy Lauer ’16, who is liable to catch fire from beyond the arc at any given moment.

The key players for the ‘Dogs, though, are Mark “Ewwie” McHugh ’16 and Seamus Hawkins ’16, both known for their skills at finishing and refusal to give in when the going gets tough. Hawkins has a nice jumper and is always a threat to steal, and McHugh, like teammate Volpe, can be counted on to crash the glass and deny opponents the rebounds on both ends of the court.

Team X-factor is Cal “Grab Cheeks” Grbac ’16, who can basically fit into any position you give him at any point in time and make it work. He specializes in the quick shot and is known for his Magic Johnson-like pass game.

#2 St. Gregory the Great

The Saint Greg’s team will certainly be a force to be reckoned with. With several varsity football players trying to make the transition from gridiron to hardwood, this team is looking to impress.

A defensive back on the football field, small forward Quinn “Flawless” Lawless will be the do-it-all forward Saint Greg’s is looking for. Point guard Max “I drain threes” Danch will be feeding Danny “Big Body” Yanosko, who made cameo appearances as tight end this year and is liable to toss his 6’5” frame around the paint when the going turns scrappy. #MackPack member Nick Berlin will come off the bench to support the squad. Colin “Crouton” Kruchan and Austin “The Houdini” Dipaolo will certainly be making contributions as well.

#3 The 216ers

The squadron of class-leading juniors representing the 216ers this season. Photo Credit: Adam Shibley ‘17
The squadron of class-leading juniors representing the 216ers this season. Photo Credit: Adam Shibley ‘17

Leading the juniors are a coalition of some of the Class of 2017’s best athletes. Standout linebacker James “Fish Lips” Leyden will add a powerful presence in the paint as he will look to dominate his opponents with physical play. He played on the JV basketball team last year, but he gave it up to become a meathead like John Spellacy.

Leyden will be joined by Adam Shibley, a fellow linebacker, who was able to put this squad together. “I’ve been as good of a recruiter as Urban Meyer. I’ve waited my entire life for this season.”

The center for the sixers is Michael “Big Bird” Czaja who stands in at 6’4″ 215 lbs. He is similar to the seven foot Lithuanian who makes an occasional appearance in Sullivan Gym.

The guards consist of varsity rejects Tommy Aris and Brendan Hudec. Some conspiracies say Hudec’s talent comes from private lessons with his neighbor, Kyrie Irving.

Others on this stacked team are Ben “Panda” Delhees, Tommy “Two-Time-State-Champ” Patacca, Michael “SweaterSZN” Lehto, and Sean “The Silent Assassin” Coyne.

#4 St. Albert the Great Mustangs

Ignatius students, from left: Liam Jenkins, Andrew Zawie, Matt Szubski, Will Cotton, and Alex Ray. Photo Credit: Andrew Zawie ‘16
Ignatius students, from left: Liam Jenkins, Andrew Zawie, Matt Szubski, Will Cotton, and Alex Ray. Photo Credit: Andrew Zawie ‘16

The Mustangs from St. Albert the Great are looking to take on Gesu and beat out the rest of the league in the process in the upcoming CYO season. Headed by master strategist Coach Jordan Smigel and sporting two offensive linemen from the Padua football team (not pictured), these players are planning on crashing the boards, tossing bodies, and posting up on the defensive end as often as physically possible.

Liam “Man Bun” Jenkins ’16 is the only obvious weakness on an otherwise beast-like squad, and while Matt Szubski ’16 has been deemed “the slowest kid to play CYO ever” and “better suited to a 60+ league” by his own teammate Andrew Zawie, Alex Ray ’16 more than makes up for the apparent loss in speed, setting up needlessly-complex plays as the 2-guard and running around the court like Wild Mike out of his crate.

Will Cotton ’16 has stated his intent to take a gap year upcoming to play ball overseas, his athletic ability apparent simply by his ability to “touch rim” and his status as a “full-time eater.” The team is rounded out by 5-star small forward NCAA recruit Andrew Zawie ’16, who’s every bit as likely to dish it behind-the-back a la Steve Nash as he is to drain an 80-footer off an inbound pass from the defensive zone.

Self-styled prediction: St. Al’s 54 – Gesu 18 in the city championship.

#5 Sts. Joseph and John Vikings

A team can be summarized by its strengths. The Viking’s greatest strength? Their good looks. When you have guys like David Pavlik, Jake “Canadian Bacon” Gawlik, and Nick Freund, you know that this team will be intimidating by their objective beauty.

Their ability is certainly there. Pavlik is like Shaq in the paint and the combo of Gawlik and Freund simply doesn’t miss from behind the arc. Also on the team is Robert Lisi, who according to Pavlik, is really really good at warming the bench.

#6 St. Mark Lions

Coming from wonderful West Park, the Saint Mark’s Lions will look to compete at a high level this season.

The Lions picked up a few players that did not play last year who are from St. Mark such as: Owen North, Andrew “Balldaddy” Baldado and Anthony Corte (The Big Three).

Also representing the pride of West Park, is Billy “shot blockin’” Buczek, Ben Tennant (who is described as “VERY old school”), George “the nose” Martin, Brendan “Cougar” Boland, and Omar “I don’t know how to pass” Bahur.

#7 GESU Jazz

lCZY9QZNHUGrDDMo8JeSpopInx3iijaaiKnfafnYJbQWith an all around physical and grinder-based team with finesse outside the arch, The Gesu Jazz look poised to take bodies this year.

There’s no stopping the lake-effect storm coming from downtown with all-star shooters like GP DiGiannantonio and Danny Murphy. And good luck trying to get dirty in the paint with these guys. Players like JP Purcell and Jack Straniero are not afraid to toss hands.

The Gesu Jazz expect nothing but W’s this season. Also be sure to pay attention to Robby “Robizness” Soeder, Trey “Truffle” Burke, and Nick “Papi” Neroni to name a few.

#8 St. Bernadette

The Bulldogs are a bit underrated, and will look to make some noise on the west side of Cleveland. The big man in the middle is Mike “The Punisher” Bodnar, who stands at an imposing 6’3”, 245 pounds. Bodnar is almost unstoppable in the post even for his shy demeanor.

If you’ve ever seen the movie Elf, I want you to think of Miles Finch, the “angry elf.” That character pretty much sums up SG Kyle “hard foul” McCafferty.

Canisius lacrosse commit Alex “Hype Man” Hornung is a rebounding machine, but he can’t shoot to save his life. What Hornung lacks in shooting, Danny “White Mamba” Sullivan makes up for it.

Rounding out the starting five is Anthony “BB” Bshara. Bshara thinks he plays for Real Madrid, and will often be found sporting soccer jerseys in pregame.

#9 Holy Family

Holy Family is a little-known parish, but they are trying to put themselves on the map with a big year.

Gary “Crazy Horse” Montgomery is an AAU All-star. It isn’t certain whether Saunders plays Point Guard or Power Forward, but he’ll make moves so smooth that you’ll know that for sure that he’s a baller.

Will Csiszar turned into a man at the age of 12, and it’s only been uphill from there. Chris “Golfer” Deucher is the most gentleman-like player on the court and the moms in the stands constantly check him out.

Allen “Curry” Varghese is known as such not because his performance imitates that of Stephen Curry, but because he enjoys a nice plate of chicken curry. He’s a big-time baller that shouldn’t be overlooked.

You can’t forget about Brian “Cheeks” Harrigal, who was last seen in “Alvin and the Chipmunks” and has extended his talent from the theater to the court. BH gains his power through the inflation of his cheeks.

Ryan “OSU” Karle has never seen a shot he doesn’t like and his tongue has never seen the inside of his mouth. “You know what, dude? You’re garbage.” is his favorite quote when sinking in a 3 in the face of an adversary.

Kaveer “Tupac” Shekar, the Major League Gamer, is extending his talents from his computer to the court. “Big Daddy” Lancaster joined in the last minute as an attempt to revitalize his career. From football to Basketball, his use of hands it tremendous.

Finally, Austin “Green Monster” Gilner is a Varsity B Rugby Superstar. He is known for having the best kicks on the team and believes that better shoes make a better player.

#10 OLA Cougars

The OLA Cougars are ready to take CYO by storm. Photo Credit: Caleb Geiger ‘17
The OLA Cougars are ready to take CYO by storm. Photo Credit: Caleb Geiger ‘17

No CYO Power Rankings could be complete without at least two teams of West Park boys. It is also no surprise that these guys had so many wins last year, they couldn’t even count them.

Johnny “Deuce” Lenehan’s great jumper and ungodly ball handling skills along with Caleb Geiger’s good mid-range game makes the Cougars a team a tough team to beat.

Jimmy Andrews will bring in his football prowess and jump shot, only bolstering this teams roster. With the addition of some St. Ed’s “athletes,” you can expect some questionable and risky gameplans. The Cougars apparently “have no weaknesses” according to “Cal” Geiger.

#11 Saint Joseph Vikings

With all players returning from last season, the Saint Joseph Vikings already know each other’s’ playing styles. The Vikings have decided not to reveal last year record, but went on to note that they “will probably lose every game” this season.

Chris “Yaco” Yacobucci is the planned team MVP by the end of the year at 4’11, 240 pounds.

Adam Kaye, Sebby Deban, David Scheatzle, and Eddie Thompson make this team possess the talent of ‘96 Bulls, but with a planned record of the 2015 76ers.

The wild factor, Ryan Schumacher, has so little known about him that he may be turn out like Chef Curry or just be a bust.

#12 St. Paschal Baylon Knights

The Saint Paschal Baylon Knights may be the only team that actually practices at practice, but this tournament win speaks for itself. Photo Credit: Nick Ferritto ‘17
The Saint Paschal Baylon Knights may be the only team that actually practices at practice, but this tournament win speaks for itself. Photo Credit: Nick Ferritto ‘17

Coming off a 22-0 season, the St. Paschal Baylon Knights plan to take it all again this year. This team of juniors aims “to be in the top three in [their] division” and head down to Cincinnati for states.

The Getty boys, Tom, Mike, and Sean, seem to have an uncanny connection, almost as if they were all related, allowing them to pass down the court like no other.

Add in guys like Mike Hyland, Nick Ferritto, and Michael Abate and you have a monster of a team.

The Knights see their biggest strength as their middle, which is great at rebounding and scoring inside the paint, mainly from the effort of forward Michael Abate.

A state victory may be possible if the Knights can break the tension between all the Gettys claiming to be the best and improve Justin Cooney to the point to which he is no longer described as a weakness.

Record-breaking The Force Awakens exceeds high expectations

by Quintin Kovach ’16

This past weekend history was made as the new Star Wars movie, The Force Awakens, was released. Directed by J. J. Abrams and filled with young talent the movie was a new hope for all Star Wars fans, young and old. Theaters were sold out two months in advance when preordering for tickets went up, and ticket sales sites went down due to the massive number of fans attempting to guarantee their seats. As the date drew closer rumors and fan theories filled the minds of all who were even remotely interested in Star Wars. On the release date itself lines began over an hour before the showing at every single IMAX screen in the United States.

When fans were finally allowed within the theaters seats were rapidly taken until there was not a single left. Anxious conversation persisted as nervous fans awaited the continuation of their precious childhood. When the Lucasfilm logo hit the screen fans erupted into cheers, only to do so again when in blue lettering read “A long time ago in a galaxy far far away,” and yet again when the opening crawl began. A hushed silence filled the room as the film began.

With every character introduction applause and cheers erupted from the crowds, whether it was for a new villain or an old hero. The dialogue only encourage this even more with many subtle references to the original trilogy and hilarious jokes interspersed throughout the film. Fans very quickly had new favorite characters and new lines to quote as the wonder and awe filled them for the second time in their lives. Many saw parallels from The Force Awakens to the previous movies and the now banished expanded universe whether it be in characters or in events.

From the opening crawl till when the end credits rolled, J.J. Abrams and John Williams had us on the edge of our seats with gripping music and gorgeous visuals. Some complain that the soundtrack was not up to par with the previous movies but upon a rewatch of the movie or listening to the soundtrack alone an intrepid Star Wars fan would find themselves filled with hope and whimsical dreams when they hear “Rey’s Theme” or dream when they are overcome with “Snoke.” More powerful than the music alone though was the times when there was no accompaniment at all, fans would subconsciously pick up on this and realize that something important was about to happen. John Williams really outdid himself with the scoring of this movie, he decided to make sure that this trilogy would have its own sound and he truly succeeded.

Some fans may remember the cringe-worthy prequel trilogy, others have completely blocked it from memory, when they dare to think of what fears they had for the new movie. They should not have had any fears at all. None of the horrendous dialogue or spoonfed descriptions from the prequels are to be found in the masterpiece. Lines that taken on their own could have invoked a feeling of disgust where masterfully delivered in a way that they seemed natural and profound. After the movie is over all of the viewers were left with a sense of wonder, wondering what would happen next and what happened to cause the events in the movie. It was deliberately crafted and designed in a way to leave questions that would be later filled with the next movie, novel, or comic book.

Modern day moviegoers may know the current trend to fill movies with CGI, they need not fear the use of it in The Force Awakens. The use of real props and backdrops is almost completely unnoticeable from those that were digitally inserted. One of the most iconic characters from this movie, the hilarious and soul filled droid BB-8, had three different models built to be used in the movie alongside the occasional CGI version of him. Filming techniques that were first created by George Lucas continued to be used in this film, including stop motion for some nostalgic effects. Overall the filming was absolutely stunning and left you feeling as if you were actually within the movie, from beginning to end.

The actors picked to play parts were chosen excellently. Each one fully fleshed out his or her role, whether it be angsty teenager or starstruck hopeful. They embodied the characters that they played, allowing you to truly see how they were supposed to be portrayed. Some very notable performances were made by Harrison Ford playing Han Solo, Daisy Ridley playing Rey, and Kylo Ren played by Adam Driver. Each of these actors or actresses became their character and made you believe that they were actually real. Even minor or supporting characters were masterfully chosen to have the best actor or actress to play them, whether it is just a stormtrooper or a rebel pilot each character was portrayed perfectly.

As blasphemous as this may sound I rate The Force Awakens as one of, if not the best, Star Wars films of all time. Fans were begging for a continuation of the saga and J.J. Abrams gave them one that was so good that it left them begging for more, so much more that it has made $247 million just on the opening weekend alone, half of what The Phantom Menace made in its entire thirty seven week run. This film is one that I would recommend fans to watch over and over again so that they could pick up on every little intricacy inside and truly appreciate it. Viewers will be just as awestruck as they were when they watched Star Wars for the first time. This movie will definitely break many more records and go down in the history books as the perfect continuation of an amazing saga. May the Force be with you!

Digital Film Production class brings out creativity

by Colin Howard ‘16

While many students have not ventured up to the sixth floor of the main building, those who do may be pleasantly surprised. Upon entering the sixth floor computer lab, one will find a heavily decorated room with colorful murals of people like Kurt Cobain and Bob Marley. What’s most impressive about this room, however, is not the art on the walls, but rather the videos being filmed, edited, and produced by Saint Ignatius students.

These videos are projects created by students taking Father Ross’ Digital Film Production class. The students who make these videos encapsulate a wide range of filming experience. Some students begin the class with previous knowledge of filming techniques and video-editing software, while others may have only ever used their cell phones to take a quick video. No student, however , is ever at a disadvantage due to the nature of the course. The course begins with an introductory project that allows students to become familiar with the Hollywood-grade editing software known as “Final Cut”. This introductory project sets every student on the path to impressive film production and helps make every student in the course feel more at ease with its intricacies.

The projects in this class are very open-ended and allow each student to create a personalized video that is unique to them. For example, one of the earliest prompts for a video was to film one person doing one action. This may seem like a basic and limited situation, but when elements like dubstep music, slow motion, and color filters are skillfully added in, mundane actions like chopping wood and starting a car turn into minute-long thrill rides.

While natural skill or talent is not necessary to thrive in this class, it is most definitely recognized. After every major project, students vote on which video they think is best. Ben Brown ‘16 is one student who has won the praise of both his classmates and Father Ross time and time again. What sets Ben’s work apart is his mastery of the fundamentals of filming and editing taught by Father Ross. These skills include smooth transitions, interesting camera angles, music synchronization, and the “rule of thirds”. But as proficient as Ben and many others may be at these methods, it still takes them hours of hard work filming multiple angles and editing footage to create a video which may be only a few minutes long.

As a whole, Digital Film Production is an engaging class that rewards hard work and creativity. This class not only leaves every student who takes it with professional-level knowledge of filming, editing, and producing video, but it also gives students a chance to express themselves by creating something amazing that others can enjoy. You can find the films on the FilmSIHS YouTube channel.

The playlist below has some class highlights.

Freshmen Agronin, Morgan come to St. I boasting weight-lifing prowess

by Dillion Gallagher ‘19

In every school, there is an unspoken, inevitable understanding that freshmen will undoubtedly cause more pain for everyone else due to first-year confusion and what-not. However, this year the class of 2019 has two students that could bring more than emotional pain to the table.

Graeme Agronin won third place at the World Karate and Kickboxing Championships in Orlando, Florida just this year, which is quite the accomplishment for a freshman of only three months. I was fortunate enough to sit down with Graeme (without fear for my health), and this is what he had to say:

“I started karate for fun at the rec center and stuff like that when I was two, but I eventually moved away from it to play other sports.” Despite his short recess from the ancient art, Graeme said he eventually came back to it after his older sister started dating a student at Ignatius who also did karate, “I thought that [was] really cool so I started going again and really started seriously at the age of four.” Not only has he been practicing since he was four, but Graeme also says that intense and methodical preparation is key. “Usually, if I’m training for something big, like this tournament, I’m up at the karate school four or so days a week and at home I have to train at least once or twice a day.” Graeme isn’t all about the international fame though, he says that he likes karate and kickboxing because it teaches discipline and self defense.

However, Graeme isn’t the only freak of freshman nature. Zach Morgan placed first at the 2015 National Powerlifting Tournament, held in Scranton, Pennsylvania in September, and took home the hardware by lifting 116 pounds.

“I started competing in sixth grade,” Morgan says. His experience stacks up quite well, but his time commitment isn’t quite as brutal as lifting those 116 pounds were: “I usually lift twice a week and I stay in shape and work out with wrestling and track.” The national champ doesn’t find the sport lonely either. Zach says that he does it with a few friends and his dad is a trainer, so he thinks “it’s pretty enjoyable.”

So this year’s freshman class might already have made some very substantial impacts on the world, the country, and the Saint Ignatius community here at home. The class of 2019 already has some world-renowned talents but only falls in line with the Ignatian status quo. Whether you’re kickboxing or weightlifting; whether you have ten years of experience or four, there’s work being done, so “God bless the work.”

The decline of the letterman jacket

Matt Jones ‘17

The letterman jacket is a staple of what it means to be a varsity athlete and is the core image of school pride. Lately, however, The Eye has made a shocking discovery: No one seems to wear letterman jackets anymore. Many students do not even buy them. What has caused the rapid decline of this once popular badge of athletic achievement?

Luke Wagner ‘16 explains that trends of style come and go, especially in private schools: “Back in the day they used to be very popular, but it seems like they lost their way with private school kids. I never really see Ed’s kids wearing them either.” Luke suggests that the decline of the letterman jacket at Saint Ignatius is a matter of fashion trends among high schoolers.

Varsity basketball player Devon Stover ‘16 owns a letterman jacket, but he does not wear it to school. “I think people wear them to show that they are happy where they go to school and to show what they’ve accomplished,” says Stover. Devon brings up a reason why students wear jackets, but why are the students who wear them such a small minority of the student body?

Cartoon by Nick Talion
Cartoon by Nick Talion

Jack Cook ‘16 says that the alternatives to letterman jackets contribute to their unpopularity. Although Jack is not a fashion expert, he asserts that the team gear that is issued to all athletes matches better with the types of clothes worn by high school students: “I believe that it (style/fashion) has changed and students have gravitated toward the team-issued jackets and gear. They seem to look good with a uniform or casual clothes.” Additionally, Jack goes on to mention that he does not even own a jacket because “the sports teams have good jackets, pullovers, and quarter zips.” Coach Rowell ‘11 of the soccer cats affirms Jack’s testament: “I would argue that letterman jackets are pretty cool, but style has caused their decline. Style is not what it used to be. What it is now is the Nike quarter zips. You don’t want that bulky jacket.”

Although students don’t wear their letterman jackets at the moment, they have a positive view on their meaning. Michael Fazioli ‘17 pledges to buy and wear his letterman jacket: “In a school that doesn’t necessarily promote individuality, for example, facial hair, long hair, dress code, the letterman jacket shows what you have done and accomplished. It can offer a sense of uniqueness in a homogeneous student body.” Trends come and go in the realm of Catholic high schools. Although the letterman jacket is currently obsolete because of changing fashion trends, students speculate that they will make a comeback eventually. Is this distinguished symbol of athletic achievement dead, or taking a hiatus from the always evolving trends of the hallways of Saint Ignatius High School? Only time will tell.

Pope Francis declares 2016 “Year of Mercy”

by Joseph Gutbrod ‘17

Pope Francis declared 2016 to be a Jubilee Year of Mercy and invites Catholics to follow the ideals of mercy and compassion. The Jubilee year will begin on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on December 8th, 2015, and will run until the solemnity of Christ the King on November 20, 2016.

The idea to incorporate the Year of Mercy as a main theme of the school year was raised by Principal Bradesca. Following the Vatican’s lead, he requested that a banner be made to be used during all of the school masses throughout the year. Along with this banner, the ongoing theme “Merciful like the Father” will be integrated into the student body. Principal Bradesca is calling upon the students and faculty to organize activities that exemplify the theme, “Merciful like the Father.”

Many service organizations affiliated with Christian Action Team and Arrupe will be applying the theme into service initiatives throughout the St. Ignatius community. According to the director of the Arrupe Neighborhood Partnership program, Mr. John Gill ‘97, “The Year of Mercy is another attempt to remain with the Catholic reflection and apply it to service in a way Ignatius men have not experienced.” He mentions that after the completion of the Arrupe service programs, students will reflect upon how they showed and received mercy through their actions. Christian Action Team and Arrupe plan to implement prayer and reflection during after school programs as well as CAT meetings.

Coordinator of Volunteers and Programs at the Arrupe House, Mr. Patrick Valletta ‘05, calls upon the students to ask questions and to think about how the ideals of the Year of Mercy can be applied to their different service programs. The Year of Mercy is truly an opportunity for the St. Ignatius community to focus on being agents of mercy by concentrating on how we interact with one another as well as the greater community.

Teachers add unique twists to JUGs

by Collin Kelly ‘17

Many students at Ignatius have a unique JUG story, but we don’t think about how our teachers also have their own stories. Similar to students, many teachers have personal stories about JUGs.

Theology teacher Mr. McLaughlin has a unique way of giving out detentions. “I take a kid’s JUG card and place it on the door handle. If it’s there at the end of class he’s safe, but if it falls or fate makes make it happen that the card falls, then he gets a JUG,” Mr. McLaughlin said. Ultimately, Mr. McLaughlin wants “students to learn from their infraction,” even if you sometimes leave that moment up to fate.

Math teacher Mr. Barker also has a unique experience and perspective on JUGs. “My first year teaching, the classroom next to me would cheer every day during class and after a week, I decided that we would not lose to their cheer anymore. One day after they cheered, we cheered even louder. Then, one of my students ran out of my room, into the other teachers room, and cheered right to them,” Mr. Barker said. This is the lone JUG Mr. Barker has given because, as he said: “For me it kind of felt like a powerplay. I will go to the JUG if someone is being an absolute jerk to someone else. Then they deserve it.”

Parking conflicts aside, Saint Ignatius and Ohio City benefit from each other’s success

by David MacDonald ‘18

Chances are, that if you have been at this school for very long at all, you have in some way interacted with the Ohio City neighborhood around it. Whether you’re enjoying a treat from Mitchell’s Ice Cream, doing service with an Arrupe program, or even just greeting a resident of the local area; your attending St. Ignatius undoubtedly means being involved with the community that houses it.

St. Ignatius’s relationship with Ohio City has certainly changed since the time the school was built, nearly 130 years ago. In the mid to late 20th century, the relationship wasn’t as cooperative as it is now. “In the past, Ohio City residents had problems with Ignatius’s lack of communication regarding their events and developments in the neighborhood,” says Kerry McCormack. McCormack works as the Director of Community Affairs at Ohio City Incorporated, a community development corporation serving Ohio City.

But currently St. Ignatius is a much more open communicator on things going on at the school. Ms. Metro, Director of Communications at St. Ignatius, tells me that she, along with with Fr. Guaio, Mr. Koch, and Mr. Gill, is active in neighborhood block clubs and meets with businesses to keep the community informed on the school’s activities. McCormack also attested to this better communication.

There is still some friction between the two parties. Everyone knows about the street parking regulations and the new rules about entering the school on Carroll Avenue. McCormack admits that parking is one issue many local residents have with the school. But he emphasizes that these little issues need to be taken in context with the overall good the school does, “With so many people coming into the neighborhood for the school and school activities, there is bound to be some contention with the residents. But people need to look at all the good the school does for the community.”

Right now, both St. Ignatius and Ohio City stand to benefit from each other. The school does a lot of service in the area through the Arrupe Neighborhood Partnership. But also the mass amounts of people coming to the school for various reasons is good for the local businesses. As Mikki Pizzuli of Ohio City Burrito puts it, “St. Ignatius brings in a lot of people who wouldn’t usually come to Ohio City.” And as Ohio City continues to develop; a safer, better neighborhood is provided for the St. Ignatius community.

Mike Murphy ‘16 uses Emoticon Art to see the good in the world

by David Rossman ’16

Mike Murphy ’16 has earned the honorable title of artist of the month for December. Similar to last month’s featured artist, Mike’s artist talent shines best through his Emoticon Art. To remind readers of what this art form is, it involves picking three different emojis and creating a story around them. This artistic style is especially creative as it allows the artist to create an entire, unique story based solely on that artist’s imagination and sense of self-expression.

Mike’s featured work critiques the negative mood prominent in modern news. “It seems that everything we hear on the news is just terrible and I think we should report more on the good things”, says Murphy ’16. The artwork was created using a photo transfer mixed with charcoal to create the visual effect. This particular work shows a news reporter reading the prompter with a background image of a man returning a wallet.

“I honestly believe that Mike has found an artistic gift that will help shape his life for years to come.” -Ms. Burrows

Everyone at Ignatius has something that really makes them tick, and Mike has found his especially through art and drawing. This ability to draw and to enjoy art has been a staple of his Ignatius career since the beginning. It is a part of his personality he values immensely, and this talent has grown over the years, from his early drawings and sketches as an underclassman, all the way to the masterpieces he constantly pumps out now as a senior.

Expanding upon her student’s artistic talent, Ms. Burrows said “It brings me joy to see how much talent he has acquired over the past few years. I honestly believe that Mike has found an artistic gift that will help shape his life for years to come. I’m very proud of him and his desire to grow and create great work.”

Mike Murphy has shown himself to be a very expressive artist and has valued the Arts Department and its ability to provide for his gifts over his time here at Saint Ignatius High School.

MOVIE REVIEWS: Creed and Spectre

by Connor Holden ’16

creedCreed

Directed by Ryan Coogler, 2015

Creed is not a typical Rocky movie, because it is without any doubts a solid film. Though Rocky II, III, IV, and V are varying degrees of ridiculous and entertaining, only Rocky, Rocky Balboa, and now Creed can be taken very seriously. The story of Apollo Creed’s illegitimate son rising to greatness in the world of boxing with the help of his dad’s old pal Rocky manages to be both nostalgic and carves its own path. This isn’t even really a sequel though references to the continuity of the Rocky series is made Creed easily could have been the beginning of a franchise in its own right. Against my own expectations Creed stands up on its own even without the legacy of Rocky. Though the appeal in continuing the series does add a certain charm and more weight to certain scenes Creed is its own movie. Much like its protagonist Creed is able to escape the shadow of its beginning and rise to assert itself as a great film in its own right.

Rating: Could Watch Again

spectreSpectre

Directed by Sam Mendes, 2015

Casino Royale is a fantastic movie, Quantum of Solace was a scatterbrained disaster, Skyfall’s a movie that seems uninterested in its own story, and Spectre connects all of their plots with varying levels of quality. After some trite action, a little intrigue, one or two Bond girls, and a vague sense that the only direction anyone in the new Bond movies is given is “act cool”. It turns out that the organization known as Spectre has had a hand in all of Daniel Craig’s adventures as James Bond. Why have they seemed to be nonexistent in this current Bond incarnation until now? Just think up your own unique conspiracy theory out of thin air; the writers certainly don’t want to flesh out this little detail the movie hinges around. After watching Spectre I’m afraid Casino Royale might be the only truly great movie to come out of Craig’s tenure as Bond. Something about the over the top card game being the centerpiece of Casino Royale calls back to the more farcical Bonds of yore. Spectre feels like an imitation of a movie throughout, but if you like Bond there is no harm in checking this less than stellar entry out.

Rating: Just See it Once

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About The Eye

The Eye is the student-led publication of Saint Ignatius High School.

Editors-in-Chief: Kelly Coleman '23, Young Kim '23 & Aidan Oliss '23