We often debate which sport reigns supreme in terms of difficulty, while sports like hockey and football where kids are bashing each other, or golf where you try to hit a small ball into a hole from distance.

   Many people argue that soccer quietly surpasses them all as the most demanding sport on the entire face of the planet.

   At first glance, soccer might seem less taxing than other sports with quite obvious physical impacts.

   However, beneath the surface lies a unique combination of endurance, skill and mental toughness that sets it apart.

   For example, in soccer there is constant running and physical demand, most people can not match the endurance needed to play the sport. 

      Senior Noah Gaddis said,” I believe that soccer is the hardest sport as well, there's so many factors that contribute the main being the endurance needed.”

   Secondly, the actual skill, it’s not very easy to do everything with your feet kicking a ball across the field trying to get past defenders and make it in a small net.

   Lastly, the mind games, You have to have instant reflexes and make decisions quickly on the go which is very challenging for lots of people.

   With all this being said however, it's just an opinion anyone else could have a completely different one.

   For example, Senior Vito Battaglia said, “ I disagree, I believe that golf is the hardest sport, it takes skill to hit a golf ball into a tiny hole.”

   As you can see, in this world, there's always going to be a person that thinks something different from you.

   In conclusion, while other sports have their unique challenges, soccer stands out as the test of athleticism, technical skills, and mental strengthness.

   On Saturday, Nov. 8, the Lakeview football team played at Grosse Pointe South for the second week of the playoffs. After unprecedentedly beating South 25-22 during their homecoming game earlier the season, the question was up in the air whether they could do it again. They did with ease 24-7.

  “The first time we played them this season, we had no clue what we were doing, but the second time we were more prepared, and we had formations Grosse Pointe South hadn’t seen yet, so it was easier, and our mindset was better,” said junior running back, Jaylen Lewis.

   Lakeview’s success this season is a complete 180 from last year when they went 3-6. “My last two years have been negative; we were 3-6 last year, so it feels good finally being 9-2,” Lewis stated. 

   “The message has been the same. A lot of the guys saw the way it went last year and they changed their attitude,” said coach Patrick Threet

   This season has been historic for Lakeview because they have never before made it to the third round of playoffs.

   “This school has never won a district championship so thats what was in mind. Just trying to make history,” said Travis Kelley, ‘27. 

   Despite this district championship being a new huge achievement for Lakeview, they are not stopping here. 

   “We’re focusing on winning, week by week, trying to get to Ford Field,” said Lewis, “That doesn’t start by thinking about what we did a couple weeks ago; it's about what we do at practice today and tomorrow.”

   “We’re not done yet. We're always looking forward to another week,” announced Threet.  “When you work as hard as these guys, when you care, you're gonna give it your all.”

    “We talk about not letting the highs get too high, don’t let the success get to them. And  if you’re having a hard day or you lose, don't let that get to you. That’s something we preach to them since the time they’re freshmen,” said Threet.    

   Lakeview’s next matchup is a home game on Friday Nov. 14 against Birmingham Groves High School. There is much anticipation to see the team carry on their domination.

   “I’m proud of everyone on the team and it's been a really fun experience hopefully we can make it all the way,” Lewis stated. 

  On Friday, Oct. 10, the Lakeview Football Team took a 25-22 win over Grosse Pointe South. With the game tied and :02 seconds left, Junior Alan Koles scored a 38 yard field goal. Many had been anticipating that Grosse Pointe South was going to be one of the hardest games this season, considering they were 6-0 and ranked highly in the state. 

   The players knew it was going to be a difficult game going into it so they knew how to prepare themselves. 

   Senior RB/OLB Brennen Johnson said, “ It’s almost like any other game; we believe that we can win if we execute our game plans correctly and have a good mindset”.

   The Huskies were trailing 15-0 in the second quarter, then got a touchdown and a 2 point conversion to go to 15-8 at the end of the half. Grosse Pointe South came back with another touchdown to advance to 22-8. With 2 touchdowns from Junior WR/CORNER Dallas Harris the Huskies were now tied 22-22. 

   Harris shared when he knew they were going to win the game.

   He said,” I knew before school even ended we were going to win the game, I have always said that our team was going to beat them.”

   With only :02 seconds left on the clock many would be extremely nervous to take the kick to put their team ahead, Koles wasn’t scared though he was ready to take the kick. 

   Koles claimed,” I was very calm. I knew I was going to make the kick. We go over things  like that in practice so I was prepared”. 

   With Grosse Pointe South being so good and the Huskies winning, they proved to themselves and everyone else how good they are and that other teams should be scared to play them. 

   Johnson claimed,” I hope this game changes how other teams view us. I feel like they don't see us as a dangerous team when we are and I feel like we can go pretty far into the playoffs”. 

   You can watch the Lakeview Huskies play against Port Huron Northern in the first round of playoffs on Friday October 31st at Port Huron Northern. 

   On October 26, the Lakeview Varsity football team continued their 11-year-long tradition, “I play for you”,  where each player chooses a staff member who they feel has had an impact on their life to dedicate the Homecoming game to.

   Head Coach Patrick Threet began this tradition at Fraser High School before bringing it to Lakeview, where it has been in place for 11 years. He believes the tradition helps convert what they learn on the field to real life by showing gratitude to Lakeview High School’s staff.

   Threet said, “I want to let my guys have an opportunity to practice the same thing that we practice in football, to be grateful and be able to say thank you to somebody who has impacted their life.”

   As the Huskies entered their annual homecoming game, each player felt the excitement of being able to choose their role model.

   Threet said, “I see the guys smile, it’s one thing they look forward to.”

   Players feel that playing for a teacher makes them play harder to show teachers that they matter to students and that their effort doesn’t go unnoticed.

   Senior Brennan Johnson, who chose teacher Nicole Rakozy, said, “It means a lot, you are showing that teacher a lot of appreciation for what they do and they are getting the respect they deserve.”

   Teachers enjoy this tradition because being chosen means that they are making a positive impact on their students' lives.

   Rakozy said, “It’s one of my favorite things that Coach Threet has brought because I really think it makes a community.”

   Rakozy said it makes her feel like a mom and that the sole reason she attends the football games is to celebrate with her kids.

   This tradition continues to bring students and teachers together and put a purpose to the game of football. 

  In the second week of the 2025-2026 football season, the Lakeview Huskies took on  Chippewa Valley in a MAC-blue, MAC-red face off at the Huskies home field. The football game ended 28-7, this win will be the first against a MAC-red school in program History.

   The Huskies were coming off of a big win against Lapeer the previous week and were determined to get another.

   Head Coach Patrick Threet stated, “Practice consists of watching the film of our previous game so we can learn from what we did well and mistakes we made.” 

   The players on the field use pregame habits to prepare for big games like this.

   Vincent Tringali, offensive tackle and defensive end,  says “We get a pregame meal like pasta for some carbs and get taped up so we are prepared to play.” 

   Playing against a MAC-red team knowing the outcome has never been successful puts a little pressure on the players. 

    Gavin Mckee, starting quarterback, says “Being quarterback puts a lot more pressure on me because It's important that I play well for my team.”  

   Mckee had 2 rushing touchdowns and a throw to the end zone, even while playing on a separated shoulder.

   Mckee said, “I play smarter. I try not to get hit and get out of bounds.” 

   Being the first team in program history to beat a MAC-red school is a huge accomplishment for the team and the school. MAC-red schools have the advantage by having almost double the amount of kids. 

  Winning this game showed everyone in the MAC conference that they believe they are  one of the top teams in the state. 

   Threet said, “beating one of those teams puts you into the top 8 teams in the MAC conference.”

   With the beginning of the boys soccer season the Lakeview team has had a strong start with a 6-2 record. They show how their teamwork led them to beat strong teams such as Dakota High School. 

   Coming off a district championship last year, as well as many key players graduating, the team had to have great resilience coming into this season. 

   Senior midfielder Blake Moseley believes that chemistry is a huge factor in the team's success so far.

   Moseley said, “Being so close really helps build our connection on the field, we're always on the same wavelength.” 

   Senior goalkeeper Nathan Ampola stated, “ We all know each other's strengths and weaknesses and that helps us perform better.”

   You might think coming off such a great season last year the players would be scared or nervous to compete this year and do as well. Though this is not the case they continue to do great and beat challenging teams. They all know how to work together to bounce back from tough losses and that is shown through their record. 

   Coach Simon Miners said,  “I try to remind the boys that if they play as a team to their full potential, they can certainly beat anyone in the conference. I also ask them to look at their own game and be honest asking themselves. Did they do all they could have? Is there more they could've done? But for the most part after a game we've lost after we've settled down a bit is when we talk about what we should've done, etc.”

   Knowing how to come back from a loss and having a good coach to help them improve and fix whatever mistakes you made in the game is so helpful for all of the players. 

   Ampola backs this up by stating “When we lose we usually just figure out what we did wrong and go to practice and learn from our mistakes and try to move on from the loss and focus on the next game.”

  Two years ago, Emma Bellow ‘25, began dealing with chronic fatigue syndrome. Chronic fatigue resulted in her getting extremely exhausted or out of breath after doing simple tasks like walking to class or going up and down the stairs. 

   “I would feel my heart flutter and skip beats sometimes but I chose to ignore it since it would go away after a little while,” explained Bellow.

Bellow also struggles with a chronic kidney condition that causes her to be on blood pressure medications as well as immunosuppressants for about nine years.

   “Before my symptoms got really bad, I thought it was just side effects from the medication or just the illness in general,” exclaimed Bellow.

   The symptoms though were not a result of the medication or illness. Bellow began to get dizzy, throw up, or lose her vision when doing intense workouts. 

   Bellow finally told her mother, resulting in Bellow going to a doctor’s appointment on October 17. She had some tests done as well as an EKG and ultrasound on her heart.

   “We don’t exactly know what’s wrong with my heart; however, we found two defects during my ultrasound that I was most likely born with,” explained Bellow, “they aren’t threatening as of right now, but they will need to be monitored as I get older to make sure no complications occur.”

   Due to the conditions, Bellow has to change her daily life, such as her exercise and food and water intake, to keep herself healthy.

   “My diet and exercise levels are changing so much because of this. I used to be on a low salt diet for my kidneys; however, my cardiologist has me increasing my sodium intake to stabilize my blood pressure,” started Bellow, “she also has been increasing my water intake from sixty ounces to eighty ounces. I’ve stopped all physical activity for the most part, but I am allowed to do low-intensity exercise like walking my dog.”

   Because of Bellow’s conditions, she had to stop playing and practicing volleyball with her team, losing the chance to experience her senior season and last game like every player dreams and imagines.

   “I feel really bad for Emma since she’s not able to participate in the practices,” expressed Peyton Miskelly ’25, “it’s hard to see her sitting out on the stage while we practice. I’ve played with her for three years and I’m so used to having her on the court with me, so seeing her sit and watch was difficult because I could really tell she wanted to continue playing.”

   “My conditions have really affected my volleyball season. My doctors have advised me not to continue doing any sort of physical activity until we understand what is wrong,” shared Bellow, “being a senior, this will be my last volleyball season, and knowing that has been very hard mentally. My life has revolved around volleyball for 9 years, so it’s weird to think about how I might’ve already played my last game without knowing it.”

     The boys varsity soccer team played Grosse Pointe South on Thursday Oct. 17 at Grosse Pointe South. The boys won with a score of 2-0. This meant that they had won this year's district championship. 

   This year's team has really proven themselves to be exceptional. Lakeview hasn't won a district championship for boys soccer since 2008. All of the boys are very happy and proud with what they have accomplished. 

   Junior goalkeeper Nathan Ampola shared, ¨It feels really good to have been able to win the district championship, and I am very fortunate that I was able to be there. I'm sure there were a lot of players throughout the years that were never given that opportunity, so I'm very thankful that I was able to be a part of it.¨

   Junior striker Hunter Edwards stated, ¨It's really nice because not only did you prove something to your team but you also proved something to your entire school because the trophy is going to be there for everyone to see.¨ 

   After sixteen years of Lakeview not winning districts, these boys did it, but they couldn't have without each other's support and their team's bond.

   Noah Gaddis junior striker stated, ¨Our teams spirit and passion made this year’s team so special.¨

   The boys then made it to the first game of regionals on Tuesday Oct. 22. It was awfully hard for them because two of their star players Briggs Wilkie, senior defender, and Blake Moseley, junior striker, were not able to play. Two other players were also playing while injured; Evan Tripp, senior defender and Nicholas Kolbicz, junior midfielder, So in the end, they dropped the game to Romeo with a score of 0-2. 

   ¨I had a concussion so I couldn't play the last game, and it was really sad to have to watch them all play,¨ stated Moseley.

   In the end, the boys had a remarkable season and it will definitely be remembered.

   Junior striker Hunter Edwards explained, ¨By winning districts, not only did we prove something to our team  but we also proved something to our entire school because the trophy is going to be there for everyone to see.¨ 

   On Nov. 3, the girls volleyball team lost in their district finals game against Fraser high school. 

   They had a first round bye and played their first game in the playoffs the Wednesday before. In the district semifinals, they played Roseville and beat them in three sets. 

   During their regular season, they had a record of 30-7. They got second place in their division. 

   They had worked hard all season for this game and to finally win their first district title, but they came up short. 

  Senior Makenna Burgett stated, “It is sad to think we worked hard all season to get a good record, and then lose in district finals.” 

  All week, they had been preparing for this game. They used the BYE to practice and prepare for the future playoff games. 

 Senior Naomi Solomon says, “We felt very motivated and confident going into the game.”

  They all knew that playing Fraser was going to be hard, but they were ready for the challenge. Playing Roseville for their first game felt like a warm up and helped them stay motivated to play Fraser. 

 This year the team had six seniors on the team, so next year it is going to be hard to replace all of those girls. Most of the seniors have been on varsity since they were sophomores, so they had more experience than some of the other sophomores and juniors coming up. 

  Junior Vanessa Miller said, “Next year will be a building year since we are losing so many seniors that have been a big part of our program.” 

  The underclassmen in the volleyball program are worried that the program will not be as successful as it has been. They also said that they are prepared to take on the challenge. 

  The team felt this year they were closer than they have ever been and worked well together. During the game, however, they had some mistakes which prevented them from being victorious over Fraser. 

  The girls playing next year are motivated and ready to finally win a district title.

  On Oct. 10, Lakeview seniors played their 11th annual powderpuff game against Lakeshore. 

  The game was played at Lakeview on the football field. During the game, it was very cold and rainy, but that didn’t bring down the energy. 

  Lakeview beat Lakeshore 23-0. This helped advance their record to 9-2 against Lakeshore in powderpuff. Lakeview has beat Lakeshore the past seven years in a row. 

   All the Lakeview players had blue and silver ribbons tied on their shoes as a remembrance for the late Paul Goike who was the defensive coach the past ten years. He passed away the Saturday before and loved coaching and going to the game every year. 

   This year, Lakeview made an MVP plaque in honor of Mr. Goike. Autumn Wirick got MVP for defense and Jordyn Yezback-Hadley got it for offense. 

   In the past years, the girls only had four days to prepare for the game, but this year they were able to have five days. Coach Tony Savalle stated, “I felt more prepared this year with the extra day of practice because in the past we were so rushed to get everything in.” 

  This was also the first year the girls were playing for something bigger than the game. They were also playing in memory of Mr. Goike. 

   Savalle said, “I feel every year there’s a lot of pressure to win, especially against a rival school and not to let down the girls, but this year we also played for Mr. Goike. It was a very special night, and it felt even better to win.” 

   Senior Autumn Wirick stated, “It felt special to win MVP because it was in Mr.Goike’s honor and he was the defensive coach.”

  The defense had an exciting night. They prevented Lakeshore from scoring and even getting into field goal range. Wirick said, “Our defense was 100% prepared to play Lakeshore and it wasn't hard at all to keep them from scoring.” 

  The offense also had a huge night. They scored a total of 23 points and only missed one extra point the entire night. They scored on every possession besides one. 

   Senior quarterback Jordyn Yezback stated, “I am grateful for the team I had and I don’t want to take credit for when we scored, but instead it was a whole offensive team effort.” 

On Friday September 29, the Lakeview varsity football team won their homecoming game against L’anse Creuse in overtime.

    During the first quarter, Lakeview got a 33-yard touchdown pass. Shortly after, L’anse Creuse scored a point. Lakeview marched down the field but had to stall, setting for a field goal, leaving them in the lead.

   By the 2nd and 3rd quarters, L’anse Creuse was up, anytime Lakeview would score, they would score soon after, making it difficult for the team to get in the lead.

   Towards the end of the game, Lakeview had decided to attempt to tie up the game before the quarter ended. They sent out their players, Jimmy Szymanski and Gavin Mckee. Szymanski set up the ball for Mckee, getting ready for him to punt. 

   Just before Mckee tried for the punt, L’anse Creuse called a timeout, trying to screw the players up. Students in the Dog Pound grew anxious, nervous that their Homecoming game would end badly. “I was nervous because there were a lot of people and a lot of pressure,” said Sophomore and starting Quarterback Gavin Mckee.

   Once L’anse Creuse came back, Mckee kicked the ball, tying the game at the last second, 23-23. “I was very relieved after tying it because they scored right after we scored, so yes, I was very relieved,” Senior and Quarterback, Jimmy Szymanski said.

   Once in overtime, the Huskies were able to block L’anse Creuse’s punt, gaining the ball. 

   The Huskies won the game, making a touchdown. The final score being 29-23.

   The Dog Pound was going crazy. Everyone was screaming and jumping. Confetti was going off. The students were even able to rush the field once the game was over, congratulating their fellow classmates.

   “I believe in 100% my guys,” said Lakeview football Coach, Tony Lovett. Lovett was not nervous about the team possibly losing, but he knew that his team would be able to work hard and win their game.

    On Friday, Oct. 28, The LHS varsity football team will be in the playoffs for the fifth year in a row. The Huskies will be playing the Port Huron Northern Huskies at Memorial stadium. 

A big part of why our varsity team has been able to continue going to playoffs is the drive the players have on and off the field. In the very beginning of the season, the coaches take 10 days with the players going over the ‘Winners Manual’. This manual teaches the boys both how to treat others and themselves going over respect, responsibility, etc. 

“Their attitudes affect themselves, parents and coaches, and that’s a big part of why we continue to use it,”  said Coach Patrick Threet.

Over the years, the coaches and players continue to give full effort in both practices and games. They show up to practice for three or so hours everyday and work on their own time to improve themselves and help improve each other. 

“We as coaches don’t take half-hearted work. If you don’t show up, if you don’t practice then you’re not going on the field,” said Threet. 

The parents are also a huge part of why the team has been so successful these last five years. Every Thursday, they make and put together dinners for the team and coaches, drive their sons to practice, show up to the games, and continually cheer on the team. They are also, along with the coaches teach the boys how to be good, respectable people and to have good sportsmanship. 

“Our coaches work hard, our players work hard, and our parents are amazing. They make dinner for us every Thursday and support us by making sure they and their sons show up,” Threet said. 

The buildup of confidence over the season greatly helps the team succeed. As they continue to win and grow closer and improve together it spikes. They’re able to learn from the losses and work on the skills they need to in order to get to the point that they’re at. Both the coaches and players have pushed each other to grow, learn, improve, etc. making them that much stronger and more able to win. 

   The girls basketball offseason is a great time to train and prepare for the next upcoming season. The off season allows you to dedicate time to move properly, build muscle, and work on mobility and power training. 

   Training is very important to succeed, and the offseason is the perfect time for teams to put in work. 

   “We practice three times a week and workout,” said Emma Huddlestone, ‘24.

   Some people even enjoy the offseason more than the regular season. 

   “I think the offseason is a lot more fun than the actual season because you’re working with all the teams rather than just one team,” said Madison Geib ,’25.

   While this is an important time to work hard for the next season, it's also important to recover from the previous season. Players need at least one to two full weeks off after their last game to rest their minds and their bodies. It's also good to reflect, whether it was a successful season or not.

   With many returning players, everyone is looking forward to the new season. Sam Gucardio, one of the girls Varsity basketball captains said, “I’m most excited to see how we work together as a team through adversity, and see the development of everyone from last year to this year!”

   The girls are very confident in their success and are ready for the season to start. 

   “I think we are going to have a lot of success this season, we’ve been working so hard all summer!” said Gucardio, ‘23.

   Last year, they were a very successful team, went undefeated in their league, and made it to regional semifinals. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to make it there. 

   “We have a tough schedule and we will have some good games. I definitely think we are going to have a successful year as a team and myself personally,” said Mackenzie Stein, ‘23.

   Tryouts begin Monday, November 14 and go till November 16. Varsity and JVA tryout times are from 5:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. JVB is from 3:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m.

   The Lakeview cheer team is now preparing for their competitive season while their sideline season comes to an end. Both of the seasons are different in certain ways and have different preparations. 

   There are two separate tryouts for each season since not all girls do competitive through the school. Both tryouts focus on the same skills. 

   Molly Taylor, ’23 said, “The tryouts for sideline and competition have the same skills.”

   Some girls compete with all-star cheerleading which is strictly just competition. This cheer is done outside of school and they compete multiple times a year with their own team. 

   The cheerleaders have different feelings towards both seasons. They like both, but they have different priorities and goals for the separate seasons. 

  Amari Kendricks,’23 said, “I love sideline and competition the same because when I do sideline I get to have fun, laugh with my team and try new things, but I love competition because I get to learn to be professional, stick to a routine, and try to win.”

   Sideline is during football season, while competitive is during the rest of the school year. Competitions can be during the weekdays and the weekends, so once competition season picks up their schedules get very busy. 

The atmosphere is different for both seasons. It’s a different feeling cheering for judges than cheering for fans. 

   Taylor said, “I prefer sideline cheer. I think it’s a much better atmosphere, and I like that all the students come to watch.”

   They put a lot of effort into both seasons, but competition does take more preparation compared to sideline. For competition, they need to learn their routines and get all their skills down. In addition, they need to do conditioning to have enough stamina to make it through their routine. 

Olivia Malik, ’25 said, “We have to prepare more for competition. We have constant practices and competitions during the week and weekends.” 

    Cheerleaders work hard all year around to make sure they are ready for both seasons. Even though different training and preparation goes into both training they are still equally as  important to them.

   Lakeview every year has an open gym and preseason conditioning before basketball season so upcoming players can come condition and play as well as get used to playing together as a team.

   The open gyms are more like a pick-up game of basketball. They make teams each time and just play a scrimmage.

   “The open gyms for me are like practice, so I take shots I would take in games to not be rusty when the season starts,” said Justin Holt, ‘25.

   They condition as well to get ready for the season. They work on keeping their stamina up so it's easy during the game.

  “There’s a lot of sprinting in basketball. The conditioning helps players get ready for the upcoming season,” stated Holt.

   Former player Noah Fakhoury, ‘22 also agreed to go to the preconditioning for the season.

  “It helps because you are conditioned before tryouts and coaches like it if you attend them. It is worth going to because it gives you a better chance to make the team,” 

    Also have to build chemistry among the players in order to have a healthy and trained team. Team bonding also goes with this.

  “I think if you're getting ready for the new season you should be there because it helps you get ready, it’s fun and you build chemistry playing with people you're not familiar with,” Holt said.

  The preconditioning and open gyms are open for any Lakeview student. They are kids of all different ages and skill levels which could benefit newer players who want to play.

Holt said,  “I feel pretty comfortable playing with different grades and skill levels. I play on the varsity side to challenge myself and get a feel of what to expect in the future.”

With the season coming close and tryouts around the corner, most players say to work hard and come to the pre conditionings.

   “If you try out, always hustle because that makes you look good to the coaches,” said Fakhoury.

  Holt also said, “My advice would be to play your best and remember to have fun. If you make it congrats but if not just be ready next year.”

   Every Lakeview football player needs to be in the right mindset before playing.

   No matter the grade or amount of years the players have played, they usually have certain pre-game rituals they do to prepare themselves. Most of the time, the players are in the locker room or in the bus, hyping themselves and their teammates up.

   Most of the players have been playing for years prior, but some are new to football this year. One of the first time players Tyler Marracco, ‘25, prepares himself by listening to music “We are all in the locker room and we are listening to hype music,” said Marracco ‘25.

   The new players may have even learned some methods for getting in the correct mindset by watching the former players. One of these methods is all listening to hype music together in the locker room.   

     Some of our players have played for many years and have been doing the same things for a while. “I usually just listen to music. I've been doing that since like 6th grade,” said Hayden Grainger ‘24. 

   Some players even bring in religion before playing. “Before each game I pray,” said Grainger. 

   Doing the same pre-game ritual consistently helps lower pressure put on the players. Most players just keep to themselves and listen to their favorite music. “I put in my airpods and play some sort of music that will get me hyped up for the game,” said Brenden Coffin ‘26.

   Each player can also help each other by encouraging others on the team and giving them the confidence to try their hardest.

   The coaches also help to put the players in the right mindset. The coaches give words of encouragement and motivation. 

   The cheerleaders also help encourage the players by cheering them on on the sidelines and while they are running onto the field.

      On Monday Sept. 19, the Lakeview girls volleyball team took on their rivals, the Lakeshore Shorians, for the annual War In The Shores volleyball game.

   This game is played every year between the two teams and every other year it is played here at Lakeview. The girls have been preparing for this game since the season started.

   “We’ve kind of been playing really bad the past two games, so I'm hoping we pick it up and can beat Lakeshore because no one wants to lose to their rivals,” said Autumn Wirick, ’24.

   This week is a very important week for the girls. Not only is it one of the biggest games to win, but there is also a small distraction to them, and that is homecoming.

   “I don’t think it will impact us from that standpoint. I think the biggest distraction that we’ll have to overcome is we’re coming off of two losses,” said Varsity Head Coach Tom Pfeifer.

   Some people have mixed emotions about this game.

   “I’m kind of nervous that our team is going to flunk because we know we’re better than Lakeshore but sometimes we play down to other teams’ levels because we think we’re going to beat them. So I'm just kinda nervous that everyone is going to do that,” Madison Rimkus, ‘23.

   The team had three days off and out of the gym to clear their minds of the two previous games and on Monday it was time to take the court.

   “We haven’t lost to Lakeshore in War In The Shores in 6 or 7 years,” said Pfeifer.

   The Huskies took the first set very quickly winning 25-11. The Second set was a little bit more of a battle with the Huskies winning 25-21.

   The girls were very confident and laid off a little in the third set. The Huskies led 12-8 and 16-8 in the third set but began getting sloppy. During this set Junior Autumn Wirick went down with an ankle injury.

   The Huskies went on to lose the third set 23-25. Going into the fourth the both sides of the crowd were very loud. Regaining their confidence they had in the first two sets, the Huskies went on to win it 25-15 and won the game three sets to one.

   Lakeview’s varsity boys are starting their 2022 season off with a new member. Eric Thomas, ‘25, from Stavanger, Norway, has been playing soccer since he was 11 years old.

   With seven wins, one tie, and no losses, the boys soccer team has been having a great season so far. Thomas scored 12 goals in for the boys’ victories.

   European and American soccer has a big difference when it comes to technicality.

    Thomas stated, “It is way more technical in Europe, having to focus on passing the ball and the small details of everything.”

   Endres, ‘24, also said, “The range of experience is very cool to see playing with foreign exchange players and to watch what skills they bring to the team.”

    In Europe, they do not have high school sports. Instead, they only have a club which is almost like travel soccer to us.

   Playing attacking midfield and striker forward, Thomas is also an amazing team player out on the field.

  Endres said, “ Eric has taught me how to stay calmer in matches, Also how to understand and respect other players instead of looking at it as a physical competition.”

   Living in a country that you have never been to can be very hard on a person, especially when trying to make friends. Luckily, Eric has a great team that tries to be as inclusive as they can be to make him feel more comfortable.

   Senior James Linsdeau said, “We try to bring him along to meet new people and to make him feel more a part of our team.”

   On Friday, Sept. 16, the Lakeview High School volleyball program held a tailgate in the courtyard. The event took place before the football game against Utica High School.

   Parents and players joined together to interact as a family after a hard and anxious week of losses.

   Tom Pfiefer, varsity coach, came up with the idea for the tailgate last year. 

   “I started doing this last year. I wanted to get the players and parents together, outside of the gym,” said Pfiefer.

   The tailgate included fun activities and food for the group to enjoy together.

   Pfiefer cooked hot dogs and burgers for guests. Other parents brought in different dishes and treats too.

   Corn hole, drawing chalk, volleyball, and football are just a few of the activities that were at the event.

   “We all played games together or talked with each other before food was ready. It really helped us get to know each other,” said varsity captain, Drew Lackey ‘23.

   Amber Rimkus, mother of Maddie Rimkus, ‘23, has been to both of the tailgates and enjoys them.

   “I really enjoy going. It’s a great way for parents and players to get to know each other off the court. I think having a close group of parents makes the season better for everyone,” said Rimkus. 

   The tailgates help bring support to the volleyball and the football program.

   The volleyball players will go to the football games after to support the boys, and in return the football players will support the girls at their games.

   There will be more tailgates in the future. Any students and parents can participate, even if they are not on the team.

   “I definitely plan on having more. There is only one this year because of our schedule, but next year I’d like to have more,” said Pfiefer.

   On Friday and Saturday, Nov 5 and 6, the girls swim and dive team competed at the MAC Blue Division meet at Marysville highschool. Placing 2nd overall, the team worked hard to get where they are today. With individual and group wins, some swimmers made some very big accomplishments. 

   Sophomore Emma Dell won one of her events last Saturday. 

   “I swam the 500-meter freestyle last weekend and won first place. I was really nervous but very determined and motivated because I knew I had a good chance of getting first and I wanted to win. When I saw the girl behind me catching up, I put all I could into the race and did it. I got a medal after and was super proud of myself,” Dell exclaimed. 

   Elly Belmore, ‘22, competed and made some huge achievements. 

   “I swam the 200 free and got first in that with a time of 1:55 . I broke Lakeview's record and Marysville’s pool record. Then I swam the 100 back and won with a time of 1:00.29 and broke another Lakeview record,” said Belmore. Belmore broke Gannon’s record in the 200 freestyle race all the way from 1979, and Dugay’s record in the 100 backstroke from 1981. 

   Junior Amelie Neely also made quite the accomplishment last weekend. 

“ I placed 2nd in the 500 freestyle race. I got through it because I wanted to get it over with and that made me go faster. I got a medal and was glad it was done,” said Neely. 

   The girls swim team had worked hard practicing morning and afternoons to win and do the best they could do. This shows through putting in effort and working hard these goals can be reached. 

   The county swim meet is a very serious meet for many members of the Lakeview girls swim team. In order to go to this meet, swimmers must make a certain time, called a county cut, in different events. This meet can require a lot of work from the swimmers and the coach.

   “I have county times in the 200 freestyle and the 500 freestyle and I’m, hopefully, trying to make the county cut in the 100 freestyle,” said Amalie Neely, ‘23. 

   Considering this is a big meet for many of the girls, there can be some pressure on them. 

   Neely stated, “I’ve made county cuts in the past and getting those times gave me an example of how difficult the county meet can be, so there is definitely pressure.”

   Lakeview girls swim coach Danni Kudla stated, “I know this is a very important meet for many of these swimmers so I try my best to keep them working hard to help them achieve their goals.” She has also been working hard to keep her swimmers in shape.

   Kudla has been holding practices Monday, Tuesday, and Friday from 5:30-7:00 a.m. and practices everyday from 3:00-5:30 p.m. 

   She said, “This can be hard for many of the girls but they all have an end goal in mind that they are looking forward to.”

   The team has to experience a lot of swimming each day as well, “We are swimming around 19 plus hours per week so there can be a lot of pressure,” Neely said.

   Kudla said, “It’s a meet we are all looking forward to and hopefully all the girls can get their county times soon.”  This can be a difficult meet, but the team has been putting in a lot of hard work and effort.

   This current volleyball season has been a roller coaster for the athletes on the JV team. Players are continuously having to play different positions and make major adjustments due to girls being injured, ill, or moving up to varsity. This may sound like a very minor problem to somebody who doesn’t know how volleyball works, but it makes a huge difference out on the court. 

   The team’s right side hitter Naomi Solomon ‘24 said, “I’ve been playing all the way around the court, so I’m playing right side hitter, and right back now too.” 

   “I’m really tall, and tall people don’t usually play in the back row. I’ve been learning how to adjust to the position, and which balls I’m responsible for getting and what balls the other girls in the back are responsible for.”

   It is a huge change for a player to go from only playing front row to playing back row as well. In the front row, you don’t do much passing, it’s mostly blocking and hitting the ball, so normally front row players aren’t as good at controlling where their passes go compared to back row players. Also, a front row player usually can’t tell if the opposing team is going to hit, tip, or roll the ball like a back row player can, which all require different types of defense. 

   The team’s libero Makenna Burgette 24’ said, “It’s been hard to adapt to the new situations, but we make it work. There’s been a lot of shifting around in the back row, including me. We’ve even had to pull some girls up from the freshman team.”

   “I’m the libero, so I was in middle back, but I was switched to left back because I got sick and the coach got scared that my stamina may not be as high as it was before. This made passing hard because for defense you have to go to a different spot. When playing middle back, you go further back, but playing left back you have to get closer to the net. It’s confusing all together.”

   Libero’s have one of the hardest jobs on the court. They’re responsible for the entire back of the court, and they have to be able to read if the other side is going to hit, roll, or tip the ball over so they can call it and everyone gets to the right spot. They have to get the hard back line hits and all the deep balls, compared to a left back covering the other team's blocks, tips, and cross court hits. Libero’s are also playing the entire game unless a front middle is serving. 

   Front middle hitter Maddie Geib, ‘25 said, “I have been switching between all the front row positions all season because our other right side hitter Giana is out, one of our other middle hitters Keora is out, and our outside Alexis was pulled up to varsity.”

   Although all the positions she plays are in the front row, Maddie has had to make many adjustments to her hitting and blocking. When you are a middle, you block every ball the other team hits at you and you don’t have to back off the net, but if you’re an outside hitter you only block middle and right side hitters, and when you’re a right side hitter you only block outside hitters. 

   Middle hitters also don’t have to pass often, because they’re only in the back row when they serve. Right side hitters and outside hitters take turns having to play back row whenever the other team is serving, until the serve is received. 

   One more difference between the positions are the transitions. When transitioning off of the net from outside hitting and middle hitting, the player has to turn to the right so they face the setter. When playing right side hitter, they turn to the left when transitioning off of the net because they’re on the other side of the setter, so to face the setter they have to face the other way than the other positions. This may sound simple, but the footwork is very confusing when switching back and forth between positions.

   “I honestly think that I do better as a right side or outside hitter, compared to how I do as a middle, even though middle is my main position.” Geib said. 

   Overall, this season has been a big challenge for these girls and the rest of their team. Things would be much smoother and easier for the players if they had the whole team there with them, but they’re doing their best to work through the problems and dominate other teams even without the whole team there to help. 

 Lakeview football is in the semi- finals. They defeated Port Huron Northern the Oct 30. and played De La Salle Nov 7.

   Lakeview was on a 4-game win streak and are hoping to capitalize this Friday.    The last time Lakeview was matched up against De La Salle was in the 2010 playoffs. De La Salle came out with the victory, but Lakeview does not plan on letting them down easy this time. 

   Ken Soderberg, ‘21 stated,” I am excited to prove what Lakeview is about while winning and putting respect on the program.”

   Lakeview has started with a strong playoff push. They hope to input some practice plans and game tactics into this game. 

   Evan Kuhle, ’21 said,” The things I hope to contribute to this team are just to do my job the best I can and do the little things right.” 

Post Game

   Although it is sad to say, De La Salle took the win against Lakeview on Nov. 6. It is a tough way to end the season for Lakeview but they put in the work they needed to.

    De La Salle won 35-6 while scoring all their points in the 2nd and 3rd quarter. Lakeview was able to score the first touchdown in the second quarter with a 1-yard rushing touchdown by Will Bell. With numerous injuries throughout the game, De La Salle took advantage. 

   Despite the tough loss, some of the players were noticed for accomplishments. Lakeview was also faced by many challenges. 

   Patrick Threet, varsity football coach, stated,” We started short-handed with a key starter in Andrew Messina being out. He is a leader on our football team in our secondary and also was a weapon on offense. Anytime you lose a quality player that is a leader it hurts. Then we lost Jack Majewski, also a two way starter on offense line and defensive line during the first series of defense.” 

   Coach Threet also said, “Our team was led all year by Ken Soderberg. No matter the situation whether we were winning or losing his attitude never changed. Ken is a great example to our players and future players of a winner. He went out and did his best at all times, he never acted out or got emotional in even tough situations.”

   Many people look forward to the next season for lakeview football. Students are also excited to go cheer on their team next year and watch the game live. 

  On Saturday, Oct. 21, the varsity dance team at Lakeview High School hired a choreographer to come and compose their competitive, large group, pom and hip-hop routine that will be performed at future competitions.

  Choreographer Jess Mills is the MSU Elite D1 Competitive Coach and directs the Jem Elite mini team out of Studio J. She also owns her studio with her mom titled Studio J.

   In past years, coach Katlyn Zerillo and co-coach (Hannah Dell) have always hired a choreographer. This year they chose Jess because they admired the work that she had done in the past and admired the talent of the dancers at her studio. 

   The two dances Mills choreographed are intricate and well-choreographed. The coaches believe that once cleaned, these dances will be a ticket to an award at the competitions. 

   All of the girls on the team said they had a good experience with the guest choreographer this year. 

    Hailey Stone, 23’ stated, “The guest choreographer was super nice and friendly to me. She also was very patient with our understanding of the dances. She didn’t teach too fast or too slow and helped with any questions we had.”

  The guest choreographer was funded by the school. The competitions the team is attending this year are also being funded by the school, due to restrictions on fundraising. 

 Basketball is back in session. The Lakeview High school boys and girls teams are both back in the gym preparing for the season. There may be some ups and downs, but the players are happy to be back. 

   MHSAA (Michigan High School Athletics Association) has released that, “As per MDHHS requirements, face coverings must be worn by athletes practicing and competing in basketball.” 

   For some players, wearing masks while playing basketball will be tough. Different from other sports, basketball takes a lot of endurance. Not getting enough air while sprinting may mess with some players. 

    Chris Felcyn, ‘21 stated,  “Truthfully I believe that it’s going to be hard at first and very hard to breathe. We will get really hot, but I also think in the long run, it will be worth it because without the mask we won't be able to play.” 

   Even with the problem with the masks, many players look forward to their senior season. 

   Senior, Kayla Austin said, “What I am most excited about is seeing how us girls grow during the season, as teammates and friends.” 

      Since head coaches are not able to coach before the season, many assistant coaches have stepped in to help players prepare for the season. 

   Paul Shock, Varsity assistant boys basketball coach stated, ”The team looks great this year. We are a little guard heavy but we can make it work with our speed.”

   Since basketball players have to wear masks, coaches have included mask breaks along with water breaks. No one wants to see a player pass out on the court.

      Even with the pros and cons of the season, these players are ready to hit the court and show what they can do. 

 Covid-19 has affected everyone and everything this school year. This includes sports, specifically talking about the girls swim and dive team. But, regardless of new rules and regulations, the athletes are swimming through it.

   State-Champion Elly Belmore, ‘22 believes the pandemic is greatly affecting the way meets and practices function.

   “The meet was different than last year because we had to wear our masks up to the blocks and then right when we got out of the water we had to put them back on, along with decreasing the swimmers in the lane down to 4 a row,” said Belmore.

   Belmore also added that because social distancing is required, the team is unable to do their usual pep talk in the locker room before competing, which is what gets the team excited and ready to swim and dive. 

   Diver Mikayla Squier, ‘21, said that her practices are not much different since they were already separated from the swimmers practice, except for the fact that she cannot be as close to them at meets.

   “The first meet this season was very different from last year’s,” said Squier. “In between their events, swimmers who were not competing would wait in a classroom with the other team. (wearing masks of course) So when I went up to dive, it was eerily quiet! Silence is actually a more difficult setting to dive in than a noisy one, and that took me by surprise.” 

   The audience usually goes silent while the divers dive, so having almost half capacity, and not having the swimmers present in the room made it all the more silenced.

 Third- year highschool swimmer Emma Burman, ‘21, stated that wearing masks makes meets and practices a little more difficult than normal.

   “The masks make it harder to recover from your race because you have to put a mask on right after you get out of the pool,” explained Burman.

   Not having time to catch your breath after swimming, no matter the length, just takes more time now.

   “Wearing a mask on deck is not something I ever thought I would have to worry about, but it is not difficult in any sense,” said Squier.

   “Just more of an extra step, but we all do our part to stay safe!”

   Lakeview High School’s Varsity golf team won the 2020 MAC White Division 18-hole tournament at Oak Ridge Golf Course in New Haven on Oct. 2. It was such a cold morning low 50’s and windy, the course was covered in frost. The girls started warming up right away preparing for their match ahead. It started out numbingly cold and ended in an unexpected victory.   

   Coach Karen Mazzola said, “It was cold today. I had three layers of clothes on. I passed out hand warmers on the bus.”

   The girls involved were Captain Layne Kilroy with a score of 97, Captain Carmen Modestino with a 95, Ashley Lutomski with a 95, Isabella Micakovic with a 113, Carly DenBaas with a 112, and Lily Waszak with a 100.

   The girls ended up with a combined score of 381 from the top four golfers. This was the best round all year, shooting a 190 on the front 9 holes.

   “I had tears on my eyes as I was walking to the bus. I am just so proud of these girls,” said Mazzola.

   They then went on to play Regionals in Farmington Hills Golf Course on Thursday, Oct. 8. 

   Leading the pack was Junior Carmen Modestino with a 96, Sophomore Isabella Micakovic with a 100, Senior Layne Kilroy with a 105, Sophomore Carly DenBaas with a 106, and Sophomore Ashley Lutomski with a 120. 

   They finished the day off in 5th place out of 12 and with a total score of 407 on 18 holes. 

   All the girls were tracking their teammates' scores on the MHSAA Golf App, which is a scoring and ranking app they are currently using.

   There were also some mishaps along the way. The Farmington Hills Golf Course aerated their greens, which is when small holes are poked in the green and fill them with sand to keep the greens healthy, making them very difficult to putt on. Not to mention, one of Lakeview’s golfers broke their driver before the match even started. 

   Overall, the Lakeview Golf team finished the season strong and are set up for another amazing season next year!

   Mazzola said, “The girls have been working very hard for this all season, I'm very proud of them for pulling through, they did 22 better strokes than last year's regionals total score and one placement better. I can't wait to see what next year brings for us.”

 Covid-19 has made a huge impact on the world today, especially schools. The sports teams are affected in many ways, like Lakeview’s cheer team. Masks have to be worn at all times while cheering because of safety reasons. 

   Varsity cheerleader, Madison Whitmore, ‘22 stated, “It can get annoying because we sound muffled when we cheer, but for the safety of others and ourselves it’s fine.” 

   Life may not go back to normal dealing with this pandemic. 

   Whitmore also explained how her thoughts were about Covid getting better and life going back to normal.

   “Eventually it will be, but I don’t know if it will be time soon.”

   Practices play a big part in how the performance will turn out. Having to be so close to each other, but still staying distant has to be difficult. But, the cheerleaders seem to get through the practices even if it’s hard.

   Varsity cheerleader Mackenzie Grainger expressed, “It’s very weird, we have to wear masks and it does make it difficult when it comes to tumbling and stunting.”

   The games play a big part because that’s where the cheerleaders perform their cheers. Usually, the stands are crowded, filled with yelling Husky fans but due to Covid it’s limited. The cheerleaders voiced how it was cheering to the crowd. 

   “The stands are really empty because each player gets to have 2 people come for them,” Grainger stated. 

   Due to Covid, everyone has to stand 6 feet apart from each other. When the cheerleader cheers, she also has to stand six feet apart from her teammate. 

   “I understand why we need to, but it feels weird not being able to stand in groups and be all close up on each other,” Bella Elzeman ‘23 said. 

   Covid has changed a lot, but the Lakeview cheer team is making it work.