SVHS Blog

Extra! Extra! Read all about your Spring Sports News from SV’s student newspaper: The Onlooker

SOFTBALL

Lady Mustangs take the season by storm
By Jennifer Eastham

The Mustangs are off to a great start as games get underway. The team will play bigger schools,
such as Montgomery and Windsor, to help them prepare for their season. Although they are 2-6, all of
their loses have been to bigger schools. The lady mustangs are now 2-0 when playing teams in their own
division.

“I think our team is going to be really good this year. We have seven new freshmen who are
going to be a huge help to the team. I think we have a really good chance of winning the championship.”
Hayley Olson

The lady mustangs proved that they can play with the best of them when they lost to Montgomery
High School 4-2. Although they did not prevail, there were many things that the girls could be proud
of. “Keeping a very good offensive team to only 4 runs the entire game just shows me how solid our
pitching and defense was,” said head coach Don Jensen.

All nine batters in the batting order can hit the ball. The team is extremely strong offensively,
which will help them win games. Junior, Morgan Selmi will be the driving force for the Mustangs’
offense once again this season.

“I find that the hardest thing about being on this team is trying to learn everything. Whether it
being the signs or plays or just little traditions that all the upperclassmen and sophomores know,” said
freshman, Katie King. This team is extremely young, having seven freshmen on the team, but they bring a
lot of talent to the team.

The lady Mustangs still have many things to improve on but they have proven that they can play
with the best of them. This team has the potential to make great things happen.

BASEBALL

Peanuts and Crackerjacks: That Ol’ Ball Game
By Anna Griffin

The Mustangs hold a strong overall 10-1 record, after their win against Hanna on
April 17. As a result of high-quality performance this year there are towering hopes for
a successful season. “In seeing our team in these first few games beating Branson and
Lick-Wilmerding, I have high expectations,” Dusty Oliver claims. “I can guarantee going
far in league, and I’m hoping for success in postseason games.”
Dusty Oliver, a sophomore in the 2012 season, was recruited to the Varsity team
late into the 2011 season accompanied by Alex Neve, also a freshman at the time. The
two, in spite of their ages feel that they are just as much a part of the team as every other
member. Dusty is most familiar pitching, but when he isn’t on the mound, he plays
shortstop.
“I’m really enjoying it,” Dusty remarks. “Despite my age, I feel a part of the team
every day at practices and in the games. The older guys are really great at cheering and
picking me up after an error and helping me get better at the game.”
Although only a few weeks into the 2012 season, a strong bond has been built
that is reflected in each member of the Varsity team. “We’re a family,” Sean Curry
responds. ‘We have a great group of guys,” Dusty adds. “We support one another through
cheering, teaching and picking guys up. We also have loads of talent up and down the
lineup, young and old.”
However, no team can be successful without the leadership of an impactful coach.
Head Coach Gary Galloway has been leading the St. Vincent Varsity Boys Baseball team
through victories since 1985.
“Coach is the man,” Sean Curry says. “Coach is an all around great guy. He’s
fun to be around and a great baseball mentor,” Dusty comments. “He will go down in St.
Vincent’s history for sure.”
Due to surprisingly rainy weather a week’s worth of games were cancelled
mid-March. The team however made a strong comeback in their March 21st game and
continued strong into April.

 TENNIS

Serving it up!
By Sydney Yarbrough

Spring has arrived, so naturally spring athletics are in full swing. This year the promising Varsity
tennis team coached by Mr. Vela and comprised of 14 dedicated and fun loving athletes has already hit
the courts after preparing for weeks awaiting their season to begin.
In order to prep themselves for their matches, the tennis team practices every day after school at
Luchessi Park. “We run around the park, then stretch every day. After that we either hit balls off the
machine, practice vollies, or play matches,” said senior Seth Thompson. This is Seth’s first year playing
tennis. “I enjoy the sport. I’ve been telling myself all four years that I’d play and finally decided to do it
this year,” said Thompson. Seth, isn’t the only knew face to the team. There are quite a few freshmen on
the team, including freshman George Morris who also does not have any previous tennis experience. “I’ve
never played tennis before and I just wanted to try it out. I have a friend who’s nationally ranked in tennis
and my dad played in high school,” said Morris.
You can clearly see by watching the team interact that they enjoy playing together and have some
great personalities! “My favorite part about tennis is the quality time I get to spend with the team because
I love my team,” said senior Maddie McLaughlin. The team also has nothing but nice and enthusiastic
things to say about their coach. “Senor Vela is my favorite part of the team,” said Thompson.
They have participated in scrimmages against schools such as Casa Grande and Windsor High
School so far.

Looking into the spotlight: The mirror and the runway
By Anna Griffin and Shannon O’Kane

A murmured “shhh” drifted through the over-heated hallway, packed full of 108
impatient participants. On the opposite side of the thick double doors the full house sat in
groups of eight keeping up a mild chatter, unaware of the chaotic scramble occurring just
a few feet away. Then with the whisper of the first person to sight the crack in the door,
eager silence spread across the dining hall. The first primped model emerged in a delicate
outfit, dolled up in a precise fashion, leading the cascade of sculpted youth—and the
show began.
“I was definitely a little nervous,” says sophomore Maddie Perry. “In one of my
outfits I had to wear wedges. That was a little dicey at times. But everybody seemed to
maneuver just fine.”
This year’s show started off with a welcomes from emcees, Kenzie Chelemedos
and Emily Slaugh. The outfits worn by the models were on loan from by local stores
around Petaluma like Red Umbrella and Ooh La Loft, and by many well-known brands,
like Free People, Gap, and Van Heusen. Each of the S.V. models wore two outfits for a
total of 216 clothing outfits.
“It’s always amazing to me,” Emily remarks, “to see the students that are normally
shy at school, losing that shell and becoming a performer on stage at the shows. And I
know that I’m not the only one who sees that kind of growth, either. In this way, I think
that the Fashion Show has its own special way of building the character of the models in
it.”
This event is the only fundraiser that benefits the high school exclusively. The
profits will help pay for the remodeling of the student restrooms in the arcade area.
These improvements are scheduled to take place during the summer and be completed
in time for the start of the 2012-13 school year. The wonderful St. Vincent’s mothers,
Stacy Gambonini, Lisa Patin, Alicia Slaugh and many more, organized and produced the
fashion show. The theme of the show was “SVee” which is a word play on the title of the
popular show, Glee. Held at Stonetree Golf Club in Novato, the show offered separate
lunch and dinner performances.
The fashion show consisted of opening and closing dance numbers and
choreography to songs remade by the original Glee cast members. The students rocked
their outfits and strutted down the runway with poise. The seniors closed the show in
evening wear, debuting the newest prom dresses and tuxes in stock for 2012. The finale
featured two groups of performers coming into the room, clapping their hands to the
song, “Don’t Stop Believing” which led into a dance. At the end of the dance number the
participants ran to get fake “Slurpee cups”, filled with tinsel instead of ice which they
threw into a very surprised audience.
Although facing minor difficulties, slight changes in location, and having to adapt
to maneuvering through the massive chaos that was the models’ main hallway (which
doubled as the girls “dressing room”), both performances were a great success.
“It was a bit chaotic, but it had a great overall turnout,” Maddie claimed.

Students’ Art Displayed in Local Gallery

by Sydney Yarbrough

                  On Sunday March 4 Gallery One, a local art gallery on Western Avenue in Downtown Petaluma, opened its doors to proudly present an array of St. Vincent’s student’s artistic talent. For the afternoon, students who entered their work to this event played artist for a few hours, as their work was displayed for all to see.

                  Last year St. Vincent High School participated in a gallery walk with Petaluma High and Casa Grande in honor of Youth Arts month. The gallery walk was cancelled this March, so Mr. Gonzalez contacted Ms. Pedersen in hopes of organizing a special show just for the St. Vincent community. “It was a really good opportunity for the kids we have a lot of talent for such a small school,” said Ms. Waud, art teacher.

                  Spectators were wowed by the incredible art that was created by such young students. There was a mix of paintings, drawings, and photographs that were framed and hung on the walls of Gallery One, blending in with the artwork that was for sale in the gallery. 16 students participated in this event, and 18 pieces in total were entered. “I was really proud of everybody. They branched out and tried something new,” said Ms. Pedersen, art teacher. “I really like to see how proud the kids are and all of the recognition they received was such a great reward for all their hard work,” continued Ms. Waud.

                  In fact, 5 pieces were sold on opening day. The profit went straight to the students, unlike most shows when half the profit is split with the gallery owner. This experience definitely gave a taste of what it’s like to be a professional artist to the students and provided wonderful artwork for all of the spectators to enjoy.

Join award winning SVHS Volleyball Coach, Teri Scott for the annual SVHS Summer Volleyball Camps.

Download the flyer and registration form here.

This workshop will provide a review of topics students will need for success in Algebra 2.  These topics include equations and inequalities, absolute value, linear relations, functions, polynomials and factoring, exponents, square roots, and rational expressions.

ALGEBRA 1 REVIEW WORKSHOP

SV Summer Art Camp
When: August 6-10, 2012
Where: St. Vincent High School Art room
Time: 9-11:00
Age: 6 – 14
Cost: 95.00 includes materials and instruction
Checks made out to SVHS
Teacher: Amy Waud-Reiter, SVHS Art teacher and department chair. Amy has been teaching at SVHS for the past 13 years and received her art degree and credential from Chico State University with an emphasis in painting and drawing.
Camp: We will be working on several art techniques this summer. We will use acrylics, water color, graphite, clay, tie dye and glass.
Please bring: A white shirt that can get messy and a water bottle.

SV Summer Art Camp Registration Form

Join members of SVHS’ nationally ranked debate team for a week of debate camp for incoming 6th through 9th graders!  Click here for more information.

Won 1st place High Team Overall at the Fresno State FFA State Finals Field Day two weeks ago (SV Freshman Alex 5th from the right and SV Junior Frankie 6th from the right) Frankie also was 1st place High Individual overall out of 108 contestants .  The Petaluma FFA Dairy Judging Team has been having a tremendous season with winning 1st Place High Team Overall  in past competitions at UC Davis and Merced. Also placed 2nd Overall Team at Modesto JC. The FFA State Finals competition is this weekend at Cal Poly State U. Good luck to the Petaluma FFA Dairy Judging Team and especially SVHS students Frankie and Alex!!!