Team Effort and Passion Makes the Difference!

Alicia Smith

From playing basketball with other teams to coloring pages in a book with younger children, the PHS basketball team came back from their mission trip with some life changing experiences. They fought hard and raised money to make the difference for children in Costa Rica.

To make this opportunity a reality, the team had to work together to make it possible. With a lot of commitment and the drive to make a change, the team goal was set.

Senior Garrett Tharp said, “As we got closer to actually signing up and making the commitment to go on the trip, I knew that we had to raise a lot of money as individuals and as a team. We held a fundraiser at Pizza Hut and we worked together as a team to help fundraise the trip and it was very successful.”

Not only did they raise enough money for the trip as a team, they came back home with experiences and memories that gave them a renewed sense of purpose.

Junior Brayson Leazenby said, “What I brought back most from this trip is being grateful. I'm not saying this because of what it was like down in Costa Rica, but more so because the people there help me understand what being grateful really means. The boys that lived in orphanages never complained or begged for anything and all they really had was a soccer ball to play with.”

With limited means and one soccer ball among those children in Costa Rica, the presence of these players also created an impact on them and their life views.

Leazenby said, “Being able to work with the young kids and seeing their smiles when we colored with them or played little games such as Duck, Duck, Goose" was one of his favorite memories because of the energy and joy from these children.

Basketball Coach, Mr, Ryan Bales, also shared his experience and the impact the team made in Costa Rica, and not only by playing the sport with other teams in the country.

Mr. Bales said, “I think we brought a great attitude and effort on and off the court to witness to the people of Costa Rica. I believe we set an example of bringing a servant's heart to others. In most cases, the purpose of helping others was to simply brighten their day or to provide assistance to them that was needed.”

Not only did the team find thanks in sharing experiences with other children and finding the joy in being helpful and giving, they also want to persuade other teams to work together to fund a trip.

“If you are a coach looking to do this, find someone or a few people who are willing to go above and beyond in terms of helping behind the scenes. We truly felt that every single person who was able to attend this trip was there for a reason. I think there is always some doubt as to whether or not we can raise money, especially for the cost to do something like this, but our families and community were very generous in helping to make this possible. We appreciate the fact that our school corporation supports us doing trips like this which are used as providing an experience to all of us to help make us better people, " said Mr. Bales.

Fall Sports Night

Alexander Baca

It’s that time of the year again: Fall Sports Night! This fun and exciting night is all about recognizing all of the seniors for each sport in the auditorium, and then going to the gym to take individual and team photos. All of the teams' seasons are about to start, so I was curious as to how everyone was feeling.

The boys soccer team won sectionals last season, so I wanted to find out what they were thinking about the coming year. A senior this year, Javier Baca had a few thoughts to share about the team. He has a huge role this year being a captain in the midfield.

Javier said, “We are going to do very well this season, and for sure are winning state.”

Besides the games, the season is usually fun for him as he loves team dinners and getting closer with his friends.

The next sport I checked into was the girls volleyball team. I approached senior Leah Smith, a veteran in the sport here at PHS. She’s been playing volleyball since the fifth grade, so playing for the team her last year here at PHS just felt right. She has enjoyed the times when the team took a trip up to Michigan on the lake and when they had team dinners during their season. As a senior leader, she’s hoping to have a winning season this year with lots of energy.

Sophomore Cameron Riddle wanted to represent his Cross Country team. Every year is a good year for the team, so Cameron was very confident.

The team only lost one senior this year and, without a doubt, Riddle said his goal is, “Definitely making it to semi-state.”

Cross Country is fun for him: over the summer he went to summer camp and took a trip to the Dunes with the team. He is looking forward to a winning season, fun, and entertainment.

TenNIS

Taylor Medeiros

Losing a big chunk of the lineup from last year, it is time for the young players to step up and lead this Plymouth team. These young players do not lack confidence in themselves.

Sophomore Dylan Voreis said, “Even though we are young and underrated, we are going to try our best."

Preparation is key to excelling in anything you do.

Sophomore Bo Meadors has a simple yet effective routine, “I eat Subway and listen to music on the bus to get mentally prepared."

Leader of the team, senior Tommy Holloway, has some high expectations coming into this season. Spending time last year in Florida, he worked with the best.

He said, “Everybody came from something."

Working five or six hours a day on your sport just shows dedication and the desire to be great. Someone who works like that makes you wonder what type of goals they set out for themselves?

Tommy said, “[My goal is] to go as far as possible with my team and push myself to become the best I can in any way shape or form, including my team."

Coaches do so much more than just “coach." They deal with everything every day. They inspire, teach, and look out for their players. It does not matter if it is offseason or regular season, a good coach will always be working and looking at ways to improve the team, and Plymouth High School has one on the tennis team.

Players look up to coaches, and Holloway put in a few words about the coach he looks up to when he said, “Coach Delp for sure. He has impacted my life not only as a player but as a student and a leader. He is there on and off the courts for me."

Spiking out Cancer

Alexa Orozco

Acing, blocking, and diving could only mean one thing; volleyball. On Thursday, September 29, the Pilgrim volleyball team took on the Goshen Red Hawks not only to compete but to bring attention to pediatric cancer. Both Plymouth and Goshen teamed up with the “Believe in the Shine” organization to sponsor this game in awareness for pediatric cancer on September 29 during Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. The team asked for unopened bandages decorated with children characters as donations to the Pediatric Hematology/ Oncology Department in Beacon Children’s Hospital in South Bend. Before the start of the Varsity game, the invited guests of honor were called to the court to receive gifts from the volleyball girls, including a signed volleyball.

Four local child diagnosed with cancer were honored that night. Miguel of age 16 diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor called anaplastic glioma/glioblastoma, Hadley of age three diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and Tatumn of age four diagnosed also with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Jaxon was the fourth child, but couldn’t attend the event.

Varsity player, Snyder said “When I was playing the game I kept saying ‘I should win for them’. I want to tell them to stay strong and that we are all rooting for you.”

Kenzie Snyder, sophomore, Alaina Clady, sophomore, and Leah Smith, senior, shared their thoughts of the nights and words towards those children fighting cancer.

Clady, said “I’ve had family in the past have cancer so I played for them and all the children that were affected. The energy was different, we were motivated not by competition, but rather the need to play for the children. I want to tell them to keep fighting and that they’re loved.”

Smith also has been impacted by cancer in her life. Smith said “I have family friends who lost their daughter...to neuroblastoma when she was ten...having the Go Gold Night last night was an awesome way to honor the strength that she and all other pediatric cancer patients have.”

The night concluded with the the volleyball team coming out with a win for both Junior Varsity and Varsity. Both the Pilgrims and the Redhawks dedicated the game to both the survivors and the fallen of Pediatric Cancer and encourage others to take action just like them and help the fighters.

Smith said to the cancer fighters, “Always stay positive and remember that you are loved! So many people are supporting you in your fight - never forget that.”

Fall Sports Flashback

Alexa Orozco

On Saturday, October 21, the Pilgrim boys cross country team, along with Ella Hissong, on behalf of the girls team, qualified for the Cross Country Semi-State, which was hosted at New Prairie High School. For both the boys and girls race, there were 180 runners from four distinct regionals who participated.

In the boys race, senior Jeffery Oliver finished in 56th place with his second fastest time of the year and finished his last race representing the Plymouth Pilgrims.

In 74th place junior Enrique Salazar finished the race with his best time of the season. Fellow junior, Devin Rogers finished in 113th, followed closely behind by sophomore Brady Hissong who placed 115th. Finishing the race were sophomores Konnor Ray, who came in 121st, sophomore Cameron Riddle who finished 124th, and junior Luke Walters who finished 175th.

Representing the girls, freshman Ella Hissong finished 126th, with her 3rd fastest time of the season. Altogether the team accumulated 479 points and finished the event 19th out of 20 teams for the last race of the season.

Walters said, “Over the season I learned that I can do a lot more than I realized as long as I put my mind to it.”

He also said, “I was close to quitting cross country coming into high school...the closeness of the team and the coaches of the team drew me in… I wasn't making a decision on whether to quit or not, I was making the decision on whether or not I was going to run six miles that day or seven.”

Oliver shares the impact that his last season of Cross Country had on him.

He said, “I learned that it’s a role for a senior to bring in the underclassmen and include them in cross country activities and out of cross country activities. You have to think about the class ahead of you, and how they accepted you when you were the underclassman. “

As Cross Country season comes to a close, all of the runners from freshman to seniors felt the loss at the end of the season.

Walters said “The cross country team is a family, and I won't get to experience the closeness of each and every one of the runners until next year.”

Oliver said, “I am going to miss the team because they are more than a team, they are family,”

New PHS coach in Town

Mackenzie Edstrom

Mrs.Hollabaugh is an 8th grade health teacher that fell in love with the sport of soccer. She has been playing soccer since she was a child. She has been the soccer coach before but, for a different team and a different place. She is currently the JV coach for the Plymouth Rockies.

When Mrs.Hollabaugh heard of the high school needing a new Girls JV Soccer Coach”, she immediately jumped at the opportunity. She is happy that she is able to get the opportunity to coach the JV’s team. She is happy that she can see the players’ grow into young athletes.

She said, “I applied right away, hoping that I'd get an interview”. Luckily, I did get an interview and from there things worked out really great for me!”

Now, Mrs.Hollabaugh is the new JV’s soccer coach and she is proud that she can work with these young and athletic ladies.

Coach Hollabaugh said,“I started playing soccer in pre-school and continued to play through my high school years. After high school I did a lot of coaching. Over the last 10 years I have coached anywhere from U8-U14 girls soccer and I am now with the Plymouth High School JV team.”

Mrs.Hollabaugh has had some soccer background and that’s why she wanted to coach because she is so used to teaching soccer that she wanted to do it again. Mrs.Hollabaugh is very passionate about this sport and is excited that she got the job and so are the players.

Before Mrs. Hollabaugh started teaching in Plymouth, she had coached the JV basketball team and had taken some time off from coaching soccer. She really enjoyed coaching at the high school level, it was something that she was starting to miss. When the opportunity arose to coach JV Girls Soccer, she decided it was a great opportunity to not only get back into coaching soccer, but, also have an opportunity to get involved with high school athletics here at Plymouth Indiana.

She details the team’s performance so far when she said, “In our first game we played at Argos, which just happens to be the school that I played for when I was in high school, and going into it we knew it was going to be a great battle. We ended up on the winning side, with a 1-0 victory. I am very proud to see all of these girls grow and I hope they keep on growing and to never give up.” All of these young ladies should listen to Martin Luther king Jr. for when he had stated “I have a dream.” He fought for what he believed in and it’s like the ladies are fighting for their dream and for what they love which would be soccer.