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Beyond the ballot: Why the 2026 governor election matters
Beyond the ballot: Why the 2026 governor election matters
By Fatima Estrada - October 16th
The Massachusetts 2026 governor election is drawing attention as two candidates compete for the highest state office position ahead of the November 3 election.
The governor primaries were recently held on September 1. With 100,307 votes, Michael Minogue was placed as the winner of the Republican primary over Brian Shortsleeve. Meanwhile, Maura Healey won the Democratic party primary with 780,608 total votes in an uncontested race. The primary is the election that is held before the actual governor election.
“In the primary, each party is picking a candidate, and that’s who’s going to represent them,” Ms. Carey, history teacher at Burlington High School said.
Both candidates have moved on from the primaries and will compete against each other for the governor position on November 3. While their campaigns are very different, both candidates want to primarily focus on reducing costs, which is a really big issue in the state of Massachusetts. The home prices have increased more than in other states and healthcare expenses went up 150%.
“Even though Burlington is quite an affluent community, there’s still a lot of people that are very much in need.” said Kristen Clifford, a resident in Burlington. “I do see a lot of people kind of falling short and needing some sort of supplemental income and help with that.” Clifford said.
For first time voters, understanding how and when to vote is just part of participating in an election. Knowing why elections matter can also help first time voters make smart decisions about the issues that affect their communities.
“It's important to really research the person, especially in this day and age,” Ms. Carey said. “You can also look back at their past records and past actions, sometimes people might have not supported things, but then they'll come out and say they did support things.”
Beyond voting, civic engagement also includes how community members talk about issues and find solutions to them. In Burlington, disagreements over schools, and other local concerns can affect people’s daily lives.
“I think if we could find a way to come together to actually have meaningful discourse that would create a positive change about different topics[…]we would actually get a lot more done instead of standing around pointing fingers at each other.” said Kris Fabbri, a resident in Burlington.
Although many high school students are not yet eligible to vote, the decisions made by the state government can still affect their daily lives. Young people can begin preparing for future elections by doing research and understanding the positions and responsibilities of elected officials. By staying informed and listening to different perspectives, students can become more active and thoughtful members of their communities.
Photo by Will Manka
'A bumpy start:' How The Link's rollout is going in its first month
'A bumpy start:' How The Link's rollout is going in its first month
By Will Manka - October 21st
The Link, a free, on-demand electric shuttle serving Burlington, Woburn, Reading, and Wakefield, is expanding transportation options. However, age restrictions, geographic limits, wait times, and funding challenges may limit its ability to meet residents’ needs.
Developed by Circuit, The Link is a microtransit service and has been transporting residents of the four towns using a fleet of electric vehicles since August 31. Funded by a $1 million grant from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, the program aims to reduce emissions, reduce reliance on personal vehicles, and create jobs in the community.
The new service is intended to help residents get around without using personal vehicles. Riders can request pickup at their location through the Ride Circuit app or by phone, unlike a traditional bus or public transit system that has a fixed route. However, organizers and riders are still working out service details as the pilot progresses.
Burlington is no stranger to public transit experiments. However, past attempts struggled to balance ridership and costs. Over the past decade, the town has tried to tackle the challenge of local transit with a fixed-route, paid bus called the B-Line. But in June 2020, the town ended the service because of low ridership and rising operating costs.
“At least five years ago, Burlington had its own circulator bus called the B-Line Circulator Bus. And it wasn’t really utilized. It cost money, and it wasn’t getting the job done. People weren’t using it, so they transitioned over to a system where you can order an Uber or a Lyft, and you get a discount on the first ten dollars,” Liz Bonventre, Burlington Planning Director, said.
After the B-Line shut down, the town created a $10 discount for residents using rideshare apps. According to Bonventre, the discounts cost the town a lot of money, and the town proposed The Link as an alternative. Unlike the B-Line, The Link is free and operates on-demand rather than following a fixed route.
Circuit Northeast Project Manager Thandi Nyambose said The Link completed 1,439 rides with 363 unique riders and earned a 4.93-out-of-5-star rating in its first month. “The primary operational challenge stems directly from high popularity, which is a great challenge to have!” Nyambose said. These figures offer an early indication of usage and customer feedback, but do not indicate how widely the service has reached the town residents.
The service’s minimum age of 16 excludes younger students who may lack other transportation options, including rides to after-school activities.
“The minimum age threshold was set at 16 by Circuit. To comply with digital privacy regulations and account terms of service during app sign-up, passengers must be at least 16 years old to independently provide legal consent. Younger riders are welcome to use The Link as long as they are accompanied by a user of 16 or older,” said Circuit’s Northeast Project Manager, Thandi Nyambose.
Although Circuit set the minimum age, the town of Burlington is considering lowering it so younger residents can travel to extracurricular activities.
Liz Bonventre said that “If you’re not 16, you’re at the high school, and you need to get places, [the age restriction] prevents you from doing after-school activities … I don’t know if we’re willing to really push them to lower that limit, but it is definitely something to look into in the future.”
Circuit initially cited digital privacy laws as the reason for the limits that they imposed. When asked which specific law they were following, Nyambose declined to name one, instead calling it a “standard operational guideline designed to ensure compliance with a mix of federal and state frameworks.”
Furthermore, Circuit’s official stance contradicts how its phone dispatch operates. Thandi Nyambose said the call center asks for age to prevent under-16s from riding. However, three separate phone booking agents for The Link said that there was no age restriction and that anyone can use the service. Phoning in a ride requires no app download or digital account creation.
While officials figure out the details, students at BHS have pointed out how the restriction will affect them.
The restriction impacts some players on the high school’s varsity football team: “I mean, some kids after school during football have zero rides, so they gotta try to ask people for a ride,” Alex Lajoie, a freshman, said. “If I had a ride, that would be dope right, cause then I wouldn’t have to walk home.”
Anish Shingavi, a freshman, shared similar concerns: “I have soccer right after school, and I also partake in clubs. This would be great for me as sometimes my parents have to stay late at work. This service being restricted will really affect me as I am under 16.”
Another student pointed out that restricting the service to people 16 or older excludes a group that might need it the most. “By the time I’m sixteen I’d be basically driving myself already,” Aaron Gans, a freshman, said. “I just feel like if you’re a freshman like us who might not have figured out a way to get to any afterschool activities (the bus might take too long or parents might not be able to drive them), but like by the time you’re sixteen … you’ll have probably figured it out.”
The service’s two-zone structure creates another limitation. The Link is split into two zones: Burlington-Woburn and Reading-Wakefield. This means that someone in Reading or Wakefield cannot travel to Burlington or Woburn unless it is to go to Lahey Hospital, and someone in Burlington or Woburn can only go outside of their zone to access Winchester Hospital. This wasn’t the original plan, but MassDOT’s grant size forced it so the program could operate efficiently.
“We went in looking for like $3 [million]. They said, ‘We can’t accommodate three for you. Here’s a million. What can you do with it?’” Burlington Planning Director Liz Bonventre explained. “Initially, we wanted to be able to go into all four towns so that we would have a fully connected region. Unfortunately, they said that given the financial constraints, it makes the most sense to split into two zones.”
Ridership data shows that demand differs between the 2 zones. According to Thandi Nyambose, 55.5% of rides are in the Burlington-Woburn zone, 37.7% are in the Reading-Wakefield zone, and 6.8% of trips cross boundaries for medical reasons. “Woburn and Burlington function primarily as high-volume regional employment, healthcare, and regional transit connectors, whereas Reading and Wakefield generate steady local trips focused around residential developments, municipal connections, and neighborhood grocery centers,” said Nyambose.
The grant’s duration raises questions about the program’s long-term funding. The towns will need to consider ways to continue funding the program once the funding is used up.
“The MassDOT grant is only for one year … the more data we have, the higher the likelihood that we will receive additional funding. I am hopeful that we will receive additional funding,” said Liz Bonventre. “[Funding] is an important thing- something that we will look into in the future, whether it’s going to the Town Meeting for funding, or transitioning away from our existing Uber and Lyft subsidy program. ”
Bonventre stated that the MassDOT grant was only for one year. However, Reading Town Manager Jayne Wellman said at the ribbon cutting that funding had been extended to two years by MassDOT.
Wait times were another issue the pilot faced during its first month. With three cars per zone, wait times sometimes exceeded expectations.
“There has been a bumpy start … they promised us an average or a maximum wait time of 15 minutes,” Liz Bonventre commented. “There have been some hiccups, but they’re working them out.”
Circuit reported that wait times have started to decrease after the pilot’s first month.
“Riders experience an average wait time of just 13 minutes from requesting a ride to pickup. If additional funding and expanded fleet capacity become available in the future, a larger fleet can help reduce wait times during peak demand periods,” said Thandi Nyambose.
Firsthand testing of the service showed potential issues. During a test of the service, ride requests failed multiple times in the Burlington-Woburn zone because of limited driver availability, resulting in a wait of over 45 minutes. The field test took place around 4:00 PM on a Friday. One experience does not necessarily reflect how the service usually operates or how often these challenges occur.
According to Joey, a Link driver with one month on the job, technology often creates the most challenges. “The biggest operational challenge for me that I’ve noticed is the app,” Joey said. “It likes to assign me rides in Wakefield when I’m out of Woburn.”
Circuit has collected operational data on The Link, offering an early look at its community impact. According to Circuit’s operational data, the program has reached its initial targets of replacing 322 single-occupancy vehicle miles and eliminating 1.43 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, 25.02% of all rides have involved multiple unrelated parties.
Nyambose also said that locations including the Anderson-Woburn Transportation Center, the Burlington Mall, Lahey Hospital, and Wegmans have been popular among users. According to her, “One rewarding outcome is the service’s profound impact on senior independence, with adults aged 55 and older accounting for over 30% of total ridership to access essential medical care, grocery shopping, and community programs.”
Despite growing pains, drivers and town officials note its value to the community.
“Before this, I worked seven and a half years in retail management. So, coming to this job, this is easy compared to that job. It still has the part of the job that I loved the most, which is customer service,” said Joey, a driver for The Link. “I appreciate that they're offering a free ride. To a lot of the people in these areas, because these areas are really suburban, so without a car, it's hard to get around. And you know, not everybody can have a car … it's for everybody, but there are a lot of elderly people that use it. There are a lot of people who don't have money to afford a car that use it. And it's, it's nice to see that they can still get around without having a car.”
Early data about The Link show that it is meeting some of its original goals, but age restrictions, wait times, and funding remain unresolved. Whether or not The Link becomes a lasting transportation option may depend on how the communities and Circuit handle these challenges.
MassDOT did not respond to multiple requests for comment by the time of publication.
Lets Link Up: Burlington's New Transportation Service
Lets Link Up: Burlington's New Transportation Service
By Vanessa Morris - October 22nd
Here at Burlington High, transportation is one of the top concerns for students. Whether it's something as simple as making it out of the school parking lot or traveling to the mall, it's at the forefront of student minds. The question in transportation is usually, “How can this be made easier?” To make travel easier, a new mode has been created between Burlington and several other towns: The Link.
The Link is a new shared ride; it is an 100% electric mode of transportation that aims to improve access to key local destinations like Lahey Clinic and Winchester Hospital while promoting an inter-town unity. It aims to address “first-and last-mile connectivity”—, helping people get from where they are to traditional transportation, or from traditional transportation to their final destination” as Caleb Zimmerman informed me.
When I spoke with Caleb Zimmerman, Assistant Director of Planning of Burlington, he informed me of the Ride Circuit app which people can download through the App Store or Google Play.
“It works similarly to other ridesharing apps like Uber or Lyft,” he said. “You enter your pickup location and destination. Indicate how many people are riding (up to five), and let us know if you need a wheelchair-accessible vehicle. Once you request a ride, the app will show you how far away your vehicle is.”
When asked if there were any qualifications for students to ride, he said “Riders must be 16 years old (and) riders under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.”
Zimmerman sees long term viability in The Link,
“We see The Link as another option that can complement the transportation services that already exist,” he said. “It gives residents another way to get around and can be particularly helpful for people who have traditionally relied on public transportation, especially as the cost of other transportation options has increased.”
Burlington residents may see parallels between other modes of transportation and The Link, such as the MBTA bus system, a network of public buses throughout Massachusetts. Although inspiration was taken from it, The Link is different from an MBTA bus in that it isn’t a fixed-route service. Instead of following a predetermined route and stopping at specific bus stops, The Link provides direct transportation between your pickup location and destination.
Zimmerman explained how there was much thought given to each aspect of The Link, even to its cosmetic features, as he said, “each vehicle has also been outfitted with the seals of the four communities served by The Link.”
The Link will be servicing Burlington, Woburn, Reading, and Wakefield. The Link certainly seems like an inventive new mode of transport that could help many in the future.
The Link operates Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM and Saturdays from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The service is not available on Sundays, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, or New Year’s Day.
FEATURES
FEATURES
The use of Ai students and teachers use daily in school
The use of Ai students and teachers use daily in school
by Georgia Caldwell
ESPORTS
ESPORTS
By Charles Broome
ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
Cinema in 2026: what does bhs think of this year's releases so far?
Cinema in 2026: what does bhs think of this year's releases so far?
By Felipe Ribeiro - October 16th
2026 has brought us dozens of movies in many different genres, whether you’re in for some blockbuster action, sci-fi adventures, or breathtaking thrillers. This year’s movie roster was packed with amazing releases, and the year’s far from over. With so many new stories in theaters, what were BHS’s favorites? What are the most anticipated winter releases?
“I really enjoyed The Odyssey,” Liam Poland, BHS junior, said, “but Spider-Man [Brand New Day] is a close second place”. In fact, Liam’s choice seems to be justified: The Odyssey has a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and the website claims a 96% audience rating for the movie.
The reason, Liam said, is that “The Odyssey is a great representation to, well, the Odyssey,” defending the movie’s accuracy and feeling. He also reasoned it featured “really immersive acting and effects” as well.
He also said his least favorite “has to be Obsession, I couldn’t make it to the end.” According to him, it “wasn’t even scary, just […] a very disturbing movie.” The thriller has a 94% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, although the genre is, inevitably, not as friendly as action-packed blockbusters due to its dark ambience and topics.
On the other hand, Caleb Grace, BHS sophomore, pointed out Spider-Man: Brand New Day as his personal favorite. “It’s different from all the other Spider-Mans”, he said, “because it’s more about his personal growth”, referring to Peter Parker’s struggle to put everything back in its place after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Brand New Day has a 90% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and a whopping 97% audience rating as well. The movie broke several box office records, becoming the highest-grossing film in North America (~$950 million dollars as of October 1st) and the third highest-grossing film worldwide, right behind Avatar and Avengers: Endgame.
Caleb didn’t mention any specific “least favorites” this year so far, but said “any [movie] that used A.I.” would be negative for him. He also commented on his most anticipated movies of this year, Avengers: Doomsday and The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.
The new Avengers movie releases in theaters on December 18th, the same day as Dune: Part III, and Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping comes out on November 20th.
“My favorite was Backrooms”, Haleigh Cassidy, BHS junior, said, “because I really liked the psychological horror aspect”. Haleigh complimented the film’s set design, acting, and soundtracks, highlighting how these aspects contribute to its ambience. “I was unsettled because it was a creepy movie, but I really liked it.”
With a budget of under 10 million dollars, a relatively low budget for a long feature film, Backrooms has an 87% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and grossed over 400 million dollars, a massive success for director Kane Parsons’ debut in theaters. “I’d definitely rewatch it. It did a good job at being a horror film”, Haleigh said.
“I read the Hunger Games books, and I really liked them”, she said. “I’m excited to see the new movie”, she finished, referring to Sunrise on the Reaping. The story will work as a prequel to the main trilogy, set 24 years before the original Hunger Games.
lanterns, and how it saved the Dcu
lanterns, and how it saved the Dcu
By Nathan Tagliamonte - October 16
James Gunn brings DC to a new high with the TV show Lanterns and the new DCU.
After the success of James Gunn’s Superman, he started branching out and making more projects, recently he made Supergirl(2026), He also has more films and shows in the works, like Superman: Man of Tomorrow, and Gorilla Grodd. The most recent show James Gunn has made was Lanterns, as of writing this it's currently at a 7.8 on IMDb but that may change due to how recent the show came out.
Lanterns is a show based off the DC character Green Lantern, but is nothing like the 2011 movie Green Lantern. Throughout the whole show, Jon Stuart is trying to be Green Lantern, and the current Green lantern Hal Jordan is teaching him to be a Lantern. Since Jon Stuart is just a backup, there’s a dynamic with one of them not wanting to be replaced, and the other willing to do anything to be a Lantern.
In many ways Lanterns was a breath of fresh air from fans, it felt grounded and had great character dynamics, and in many ways changed a lot from James Gunn’s usual show or movie.
“I really enjoyed the format of the show, and in particular, In differently with all the other superhero stuff it felt grounded,” Mr. Saxon, BHS history teacher, said. “It focused on people’s relationships. Yes the characters had powers but that didn’t seem to be the main focus of the show.”
DC has been at a low point for the past eight years, until HBO brought James Gunn in. Which brought minor success but for the most part every other movies based on a single character wasn’t received well but fans. Before that all movies that were made by DC were most likely stand alone Batman films like The Batman (2020).
Surprisingly The Batman was lucky because most DCU films were cancelled or just a really not well received; for example, The Flash (2023), Wonder Woman 1984(2020), and “Green Lantern (2011)” currently rated as a 5.5, on IMDb.
James Gunn was a writer at Marvel, his most-known movie is Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) rated at an 8.0 on IMDb. The movie was very well received with an 8.0 on IMDb, However, eventually after Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3(2023) was made, James Gunn was kicked out of marvel for old tweets.
He moved to the DC universe, and started his reboot with Superman (2025). This movie did quite well at a good 7.0 on IMDb. James Gunn had made other lesser known shows set in the reboot that he made, like creature commandos, and peacemaker. But Superman was the first movie that had shown some success.
“[James Gunn is doing better live-action than Zach Snyder], especially with the way i think he’s gonna have more projects coming out and he’s gonna start introducing more characters,” Anish shingavi, BHS freshmen, said.
“And really all i hope is that he goes more into the comic books because he’s very well verse in them, and makes them pop.”
Zack Snyder, was the director, for may DC films like “Man of Steel”, Batman V Superman. Zack Snyder was eventually forced to pause filmmaking and working for DC after his daughter tragically committed suicide in 2017.
SPORTS
SPORTS
Girls Volleyball
Girls Volleyball
By Ava Kelly Published on October 16th
The girls volleyball team is working together to help boost their team chemistry and morale.
The volleyball season is currently about halfway through and the girls Burlington team is doing well.
“…I think communication just helps other people… with confidence on the court,” Emerson, senior and captain on the team, said.
Emerson Matta is a senior on the girls varsity volleyball team, and she is a captain and plays middle. She is currently leading the team in blocks.
The team's current overall record is 9-4 (6-3 in the Middlesex league) and they still have 6 games left in their season.
“…We just had to bond and come together. And then I think that’s how we kind of got on our role with winning,” Emerson said.
There are multiple new players on the team, so the older players have to work with them to create bonds and relationships on the team.
“The big thing has been team bonding, and like having the chemistry on and off the court,” Eesha Vishnumalakala, junior and position setter, said.
The players agree that the team will play better when they have chemistry with each other so they have been bonding a lot. The team has been bonding in various ways to improve their chemistry.
”We do pasta parties, and, like, we go out after practices and stuff,” Eesha said,“And I feel like that really contributes to a lot of our success 'cause if you don't like each other, then you can't really play with each other.”
Overall the team believes that to play at their best they have to have chemistry. They work on their chemistry by team bonding and spending more time with each other.
Soccer Seniors and what they hope to leave behind
Soccer Seniors and what they hope to leave behind
By Karlee McLean
Published on October 16th
The BHS soccer program has been developing, and soccer captains are excited for the rest of this season.
Boys soccer Captain Jake Delaney has been on the team for the past four years inspiring youth players and was named captain for his senior year. Jake has been a crucial part in games as a midfielder creating opportunities on goal.
“As a captain I hope to lead our team to the playoffs for the first time in ten years” Delaney said on hoping to have a playoff run for the first time in a decade.
Boys soccer senior Liam Rayne has been playing for the team for four years as a defender. Liam has helped with the stop of hundreds of goals.
“As a defender for this team I hope to keep as many clean sheets as possible” Rayne on hoping to continue to keep helping the team on a winning path.
Right now the boys team is 7-5-1; they have the most wins in a season since 2020. The team is on track to make the playoffs for the first time in a decade.
Girls soccer Captain Ellie Basile has paved the way for young girls in the youth soccer program. She is a crucial part in defending their defensive zone.
“This year we hope to win the first ever banner for girls soccer” Basile said on her hopes to lead the team to win the first ever banner for the girls soccer team.
Right now the girls team is 7-5-1.
new faces, new hopes: Celtics fans react to offseason shakeup
new faces, new hopes: Celtics fans react to offseason shakeup
By Abhay Sharma - October 16th
With the NBA season nearing its tip-off, fans of the Boston Celtics are interested to see how the team will look without Jaylen Brown for the first time in 10 years.
The biggest move that the Celtics made this offseason was trading Jaylen Brown to the 76ers. In return, the Celtics received Paul George, two first-round picks, and two second-round picks. These draft picks that the Celtics received in compensation will be used in the annual NBA draft, which will next take place in June 2027. There are two rounds to this draft, with 30 picks in each round. The first round is where the players with elite physical tools, polished skills, or advanced basketball IQ are taken. Players selected in the second round are usually labeled as either “projects” or older prospects with higher floors but lower potential. These players may have more potential than the first round selections, but they need years of development and training, or their age and/or injury histories can be deterrent factors. Back in Boston, many fans don’t like this trade so far.
“I don't really like the trade because I think Jaylen Brown was a huge part of the Celtics and is hard to replace,” said Ryan Morrison, a student at Burlington High School. “I understand why they wanted Paul George and the extra [cap space] flexibility, but I don't have a lot of faith that George will give us what Brown did.”
BHS fans are unable to feel confident in the currently constructed roster. While the roster may seem weaker than it has in recent years, it feels impossible that the Celtics will still not be a competitive team with Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, and Payton Pritchard.
“I'm pretty nervous about it because outside of Tatum and Pritchard and White, I don't have a ton of confidence in the roster right now,” Morrison said. “I think we could surprise people, but losing [Brown] makes me feel like we're a much less complete team.”
Another area of concern for fans and analysts alike is Jayson Tatum’s Achilles rupture. When asked what Jayson Tatum’s first season without Jaylen Brown would look like, some BHS fans were skeptical.
“ I don’t know; coming back from a torn Achilles is tough without some help like Jaylen Brown,” Aiden Collins said. “He will still be very good, maybe great, but I don’t believe that he will be an MVP type of guy.
Besides the swing for Paul George, the Celtics revamped their roster by signing Center Mitchell Robinson and Guard Mike Conley. Robinson is currently competing with Neemias Queta for the starting role, while Conley is expected to mentor the younger players and be a locker room leader.
“[I expect Robinson to] remain an elite rim protector and rebounder. He should just be an overall upgrade from Queta all around,” Joshua Titus, a sophomore from BHS, said.
Fans are still coping with the fact that Jaylen Brown is no longer a Celtic, but rather a 76er.
“Honestly, I’m just disappointed that it was Philly of all places. I knew tensions were high in Boston and Brown had to go, but why would we give him to a division rival who beat [us in the] playoffs? I’m sure Brown will thrive as a go-to scorer with LeBron and Maxey running the offense, Embiid in the post, and [Edgecombe] as a catch-and-shoot 2-guard,” Titus said.
However, BHS fans continue to remain optimistic about the upcoming season.
“We still have strong players,” Collins continued. “Out of the 30 teams in the NBA, I’d give [the Celtics] a top-10 roster.”
We will see how the Celtics do in the upcoming 2026-2027 season, as their preseason begins on October 8 at 7 pm. The Celtics will also tip off on the first game of the NBA regular season, on October 20, at 3 pm.
The MLB playoffs are underway and here are the best teams for every category. The best team in the American League is Junior Caminero and the Tampa Bay Rays while over in the National league its Jacob Misiorowski and the Milwaukee Brewers. The Wild Card round started on September 29 and proceeded to October 1. The World Series will start on October 3.
The Wildcard round home field advantage played a huge role in who moved on to the next round.
“[The home field advantage will be a big factor in the Wild Card series] because there are a lot of rivals in the wildcard round that will be playing each other,” Jake Boossarangsi, Freshman at BHS said.
The biggest rivalry in all of baseball, the Red Sox against the Yankees, in New York is the biggest wild card matchup. This is a huge rivalry that was affected by the huge home field advantage. The Yankees crazy home field advantage helped them move on to the ALDS.
“The Red Sox have a good rotation because their starting pitchers can get them through weeks of the playoffs,” Jake said.
A team’s record can be decided by their starting pitchers. The teams with the best rotations will often go the farthest. Teams like the Red Sox, and Brewers that have good rotations have good odds to win the World Series.
Starting Pitchers are important for teams but even more important is the bullpen.
“The Padres have a reliable bullpen; they have Mason Miller, Adrian Moreion and Joe Musgrove coming back from injury,” Niko Cybulski, freshman at BHS, said. “These pitchers are usually good at run prevention and Joe Musgrove coming back is very good if he can return to his normal self.”
The Padres are led by their all-star closer Mason Miller with a 1.67 ERA, the third in the MLB and fourth in the MLB with 32 saves. Other than him, their bullpen consists of other reliable pitchers.
Pitching is important but teams can't win games if they don’t have a strong offense.
“The Milwaukee Brewers had the most wins in the regular season and their offense is very diverse” Niko said.
The Brewers had 788 RBI’s (Runs Batted In) in the regular season, second in the MLB. They also had the league’s highest batting average at .258, on base percentage at .341, and the third highest OPS (on base plus slugging) at .744. They rank in the top five for most of the batting stats and most of it is their small-ball. Although they rank in the bottom three for home runs, their offense is still better than most because of their ability to hit for average and drive runners in when it matters.
THE BURLINGTON RED DEVILS HAVE PLAYED FIVE FOOTBALL GAMES SO FAR; IT'S TIME TO CHECK IN
By Jackson Ames
After a dominant 48-0 win over Lexington High, Burlington has struggeled ever since, only winning one game after then. The team now sits at a abysmal 2-4
Burlington’s season opener against Lexington can be described by one word: dominance. Burlington won in a 48-0 blowout, and even scored a 60-yard touchdown thanks to freshman running back Tommy Wilson.
However, Burlington struggled in their next two games, suffering 2 blowout losses against Woburn and North Andover respectively.
The team played much better against Wilmington. However, they played a very close game that should have been done at the end of the 4th quarter. Burlington punted the ball back in their own end zone a few moments before the end of the game, but that punt was blocked and resulted in a safety that sent the game to overtime, and nearly cost them the game.
Burlington then played Melrose, and got blownout, losing 35-0. The team looked completely outclassed the entire game, and turned the ball over multiple times.
A slight improvement came over Stoneham, losing by 2 points.
When asked about what the team could improve on after the team’s first few games, Coach Sheridan said that “everything” needed improvement and pointed out “protecting the football” as a crucial piece on what needs to be worked on.
”It’s always great to win,” Mr. Hart, BHS athletic director, said when asked about how Burlington can go back to the level they played at during their dominant win. “But I think that what happened is the learning, and the technique, and the coaching that goes into those three games, we have gotten better each week. The score might not be indicative, but we have played three increasingly tougher opponents and to get ready for this Friday night's Wilmington game.”
Burlington, throughout their first six games, has relied heavily on the run to start the year. The team is far less likely to pass, and the run game has been by far the biggest focus of the offense to start the year.
The offense has varied in quality, as they dropped 48 points in the season opener, and then scored 22 points, which was not enough to beat Woburn in week two, and then put up only 14 points in the game against North Reading in week three.
However, the offense looked much better against Wilmington, dropping 22 points, which was enough for Burlington to win in week four, before putting up 0 and 14 points throughout their next 2 games.
The defense has also varied in quality to start the year, as they held Lexington to zero points, but gave up a combined 153 points throughout their last five games.
“I think we, as coaches, are always in a constant search for improvement…” Mr Hart said when asked about how the team can bounce back throughout the rest of the season, “All you care about is getting better from one day to the next and I think that these guys have done that, I think these kids have done that, and again when you lose a couple of games in a row, your confidence gets shaken…but I think there is nothing better than being able to go back out on a Friday night and go back out it again”
Burlington has been able to make three full rosters this year: Freshman, JV, and Varsity. These three full teams have given the team’s leadership a lot of hope for the future. Coach Sheridan described them as a hard working group, and Mr. Hart mentioned how rare it is to be able to roster three full teams.
The Junior Devils, the Middle School football team, went 8-0 last year in a large part due to this year’s freshman class.
“I haven’t really changed my mindset, I just try to make myself and the team everyday bit by bit” Tommy Wilson, a freshman Running Back, said. He punched in a 60-yard touchdown against Lexington, when asked if his mindset has changed between his time on the Junior Devils and the Red Devils.
Burlington football will have a difficult rest of the season, as all of the teams they played throughout the rest of their schedule won at least two of their first three games.
Burlington plays more five games through the rest of the year, including two league games, two TBD games and the traditional Thanksgiving-day game. Burlington still has time to turn their season around, but that turnaround needs to come sooner rather than later.
“What I want to be able to see is the mistake they made in week one, did you make it in week two? And if you did, did you make it in week three?” Mr. Hart said while pointing out the importance of not making the same mistake twice.
Burlington plays their next game this week at home against the 5-0 Watertown High School on Friday, which will be a big game for the team, and could potentially be a turning point, whether positive or negative, for the rest of the season
For now, the most important thing is for the team to improve, so they can make it back to the playoffs.
OPINION
OPINION
JulieAnne’s Bakery and Cafe Review
JulieAnne’s Bakery and Cafe Review
By Emily Clark
JulieAnne’s Bakery and Cafe really sticks out. I can’t think of anything I’ve seen that is like it. To me, it is perfect on many levels.
As soon as I and my mom walked in, the smell of pastries and coffee and the warm lighting hit me and I immediately had a good feeling.
The building was nothing special on the outside or really the inside, but the small greenery and decor, plus the calm music playing inside left a mark and established a calm atmosphere. There were at least 2 or 3 people behind the counter, and a small line of people lined up on the wall across from it.
I put in my order, grilled cheese with water. Nothing special. My mother ordered [two items] as well. There were a lot of options on the menu, plus a whole assortment of pastries on the counter. There was even a sign that said to alert staff of any allergies, something I don’t see often.
On a later visit, I ordered a chocolate chip cookie. The cookie was a decent size, bigger than your usual store-bought cookies, but that just means more to enjoy. The cookie was soft and not too hard, but not too soft. The chocolate bits were nice and sweet, and it satisfied my sweet tooth. The cookie was great, and I wish I could have eaten more of it.
The staff greeted me politely with a smile, and after I ordered I sat down in a separate room, the dining room. The dining room had most of the decor, as well as a nice view from a large window. It wasn’t too busy, and was also pretty quiet and calm. In between the entrance and dining room were the utensils and napkins, placed conveniently. Right across from them were trash bins as well, also conveniently placed.
In a matter of minutes, my order was brought to me at the table I had sat at. The grilled cheese was perfectly crunchy, and my water was comfortably ice-cold, perfect for a warm day. From the first bite and sip I was hungry for more, regretting the fact that I didn’t order more.
Something that stuck out to me about the bakery were all of the eco-friendly labels on the utensils, plates, and cups. Eco-friendly supplies are never seen in restaurants or bakeries these days, so that was a pleasant surprise.
At the end of our meal, I also realized fully that we didn’t need to worry about prices either like some other food stores. Our whole meal, 4 items, was a mere $20. The quality of the food made me think they should have been more expensive, and I would gladly pay, but the low prices were convenient and perfect.
As soon as I left on the hot day, I immediately wished I had more of the water I ordered. I made immediate plans to return to JulieAnne’s.
Review for Mela Mirage
Review for Mela Mirage
By Emily Clark
For those of you who enjoy music and want to find more songs of your favorite fandoms, there is a channel on YouTube that you will love. The channel is Mela Mirage, and she makes songs of popular fandoms like Digital Circus, Murder Drones, Deltarune, and more! Mela streams at 6pm on Wednesdays and Fridays.
In the streams, Mela is often animating her songs and talks to her chat. The community is very nice, including some amazing regulars who will greet you excitedly. Mela always says hi to anybody who joins her streams, and there aren’t usually that many people, so it’s a small community to share tidbits with. If anything is wrong, there will always be people to talk to you and help you feel better. Mela also does gaming streams sometimes, or has at least been talking about it.
Some of her most popular songs are in her Abstraction/Pom:AI TADC album, with songs including Rend (Ragatha abstraction), Marionette (Gangle abstraction), Second Best (Caine villain), Forget (Pomni abstraction), RE.SET (Kinger abstraction), and Broken Strings (Rend x RE.SET). Some songs from Murder Drones include Awoken, Bark and Bite, and Angel of Death. Some songs from Deltarune include Legendary, Snowfall, and Unfamiliar Place. There are also songs from Helluva Boss, Cult of the Lamb, and Knights of Guinevere. Lyrics to most of these songs can be found on Genius, and all of the songs can be found on YouTube.
The style is mostly alternate, with some pop or rock sprinkled in. Each song is very good at setting a vibe with the style of music, like calm with songs like Let Them Dream or intense with songs like Evil League.
Overall, Mela Mirage’s music is relatable and catchy, and her streams are comforting and enjoyable. If you want songs with your favorite fandoms or a comfortable community with a clear stream schedule, check Mela Mirage’s YouTube channel!
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