by Leila Dunfee -Editor- February 21, 2023

The University of Minnesota’s very own dance team has left thousands in shock. The Universal Dance Association’s nationals took place in early January where top collegiate dance teams from across the country competed. University of Minnesota’s jazz routine has since gone viral on TikTok for the skills and talent they displayed. They danced to “Dream On” as a tribute to their 2004 routine when they first became national champions, which caught the attention of Aerosmith who acknowledged their success on Instagram. Their jazz dance did however receive second place to The Ohio State’s “My Way” routine which has also earned significant recognition. Minnesota won first in the pom division, which also displayed incredibly difficult skills. 

          I had the privilege of taking class from two of the team’s dancers and they taught a section from their winning pom routine, and I can confirm that this dance is incredibly difficult, however very exciting and full of energy. It is undeniable that each of the dancers on that team are so talented and hard working. Because of this hard work, competitive dance is getting closer to being considered a NCAA sport, and dancers would be able to receive athletic scholarships. These changes would benefit dancers across the country and finally give them the recognition they deserve.

by Evie Swenson -Writer- February 21, 2023

Minnesota citizens have been shocked by the lack of snow this winter – and even more so in Apple Valley: every snow storm has conveniently skipped over the south suburbs. Some may be happy with having to shovel their driveways and scrape off their cars less – but a significant population of students at Eastview and District 196 are having to throw off their schedules just to have their normal winter athletic seasons.

Skiers at Eastview are working double time to practice and compete at the normal rate this season. With the rare lack of snow, the season has proved extremely difficult for the nordic ski team. With their usual natural snow trails being unavailable, they are forced to drive to Hyland Lake Park Reserve in Bloomington almost every night, which ends up being close to an hour and a half round trip. Struggling to fit these long practice nights into their schedules, they also have to wax their skis before race days which can add over an hour to the already long evenings. Seeing the bright side of the odd winter, Noelle Wanken, a student at Rosemount High School and a key member of the Eastview-Rosemount varsity ski team, said that “although practice takes up a lot more time this year, we are able to get more familiar with the course (Hyland) that we race at frequently, which is improving our overall results.” Although skiers are missing their home trails at Valleywood Golf Course, many of them have noted that the extra time skiing and riding buses have not only brought the team closer together, but it has also strengthened the team and made them more resilient.

Despite the inconvenient ski season, the oddly snowless winter has provided some overall benefits. Without heavy snow storms and difficult winter driving, the number of car accidents seen in 2024 is already at a much lower start than 2023. Students at Eastview have said that they are able to get home quicker, and parking lots have been much more efficient with the lack of snow. However, the majority of these students are also hoping for a snow storm. Wanken says that it “doesn’t feel like winter without snow” and that she is “hopeful but not expecting a storm any time soon” since the temperatures are on the rise again. These temperatures are some of the warmest we have seen yet in January, and the Nordic ski team is wishing for a very snowy miracle to come soon. 

by Evie Swenson -Writer- November 13th, 2023

Eastview students are starting to anticipate the winter athletic season which officially begins on November 13! This start date includes alpine skiing, Nordic skiing, boys hockey, boys swimming, basketball, gymnastics, wrestling, and adapted floor hockey, both PI and CI. The Lightning Dance Team began their season on October 23. The girls hockey team began their season on October 30th. Also starting to compete this winter are the District 196 figure skating team, and the competitive cheerleading team.

The winter athletic season is exciting, as Eastview represents many strong teams! Last year, over the 2022-23 school year, multiple of Eastview’s teams made it all the way to the state tournament. This includes the boys basketball team, both the high kick and jazz dance teams, boys and girls Nordic ski teams, as well as many individuals from countless other sports. The high kick dance team went on to win a state title. These teams, as well as the rest of our successful winter athletic squads, are hopeful that they will have an excellent season and perhaps qualify for their respective state tournaments. 

Wrapping up their fall season in these past few weeks were the football, soccer, girls tennis, girls swimming, cross country, adapted soccer, both PI and CI, and girls volleyball teams. The girls cross country team took second place at their section championship and ran at the state tournament meet on November 4th. Many athletes made it to state in swimming, their state tournament takes place on November 16-18th. The adapted soccer teams, both PI and CI also made it to state and will compete November 17th-18th. 

Eastview students are looking forward to a successful and exciting winter athletic season. Good luck to all those who are participating in a sport!

Nick Zylstra- Staff Writer - October 10, 2023

Not again.

If that’s what you were thinking after a batted ball dropped into the hands of a Los Angeles Chargers defender late in the Vikings game, you’re not alone. The missed catch by Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson seemed to be a representation of all that went wrong for the Vikings that Sunday afternoon, even the entire first 3 games of the season. After all, the Vikings were the 9th best team in the NFL, according to football analytics site Pro Football Focus. Star quarterback Kirk Cousins was setting the league alight. Yet after that interception, the Vikings fell to a lowly 0-3, in the company of Chicago, Carolina, and Denver as one of the only winless teams in the NFL. How could this possibly happen? Classic Minnesota sports bad luck? Untimely turnovers? The home crowd being too loud? Ultimately, a combination of all 3 has spelled doom for the Vikings. “I think we’re going to need to find a way to do a little bit more every week, and find a way to complete four quarters of football in a way that’s going to help us win games.”, said head coach Kevin O’Connell in his postgame press conference following the loss.  O’Connell furthered: “But I believe in this team. I believe in our leadership, I believe in our coaches, and I believe that we are going to continue to work.” 

Ultimately, belief is what Vikings fans should have, even after a rough start. While the Vikings may not be on their way to a 13-4 record like last year, or even a division championship (The Lions are good this year?), they are still a good football team. Kirk Cousins still leads the league in passing yards and passing touchdowns, and has shown the leadership necessary to captain the ship. Justin Jefferson is still the best wide receiver in the league. New defensive coordinator Brian Flores has taken a star-studded defense and infused it with savvy playcalling. And if not for a few untimely turnovers, the Vikings would be on the opposite end of 3-0. 

Maybe the Vikings and their fanbase just need to listen to the words of Coach O’Connell and 

start believing. The Super Bowl drought won’t end with pessimism. 

 by Norah Brusco- Editor - October 10, 2023

For many students at Eastview, football season represents a time to get together with friends, wear fun outfits, and show their school spirit. With themes like beach out and black out, football games are the perfect time for the school to come together and socialize. The past few years, though, the Eastview Football team has been at the bottom of the pack; finishing last season with a record of 1-8. Will that be the case this year? 

The Lightning started out their season with several wins, and are currently standing with a record of 4-2. Guaranteed a better record than last year, junior Bredeson Cooke says, “the team has improved a lot during the time I’ve been here [and] you can see the change in energy.” This change in energy owes much to the team's new coach, Wade Buckley. Coach Buckley took over the position from Kelly Sherwin. Coach Sherwin, a beloved math teacher, had led the team for 26 years and to 7 post season playoffs. Coach Buckley has been teaching social studies and physical education for eight years, joining Eastview’s faculty two years ago. Being a middle linebacker for the Victoria Rebels of the Canadian Junior Football League, Coach Buckley is well prepared for his new position. Cooke says that “Coach Buckley is not only a great coach, but an enjoyable person to be around”. He adds that “the team likely has an even better chance next year as players continue to improve”. 

The Lightning will take on Lakeville South on Friday, October 13th at South. Be there and wear NEON. Go Lightning!

Emily Percival  - Editor - January 5, 2023

Nordic skiing is a challenging, fun, and lifelong winter sport. There are two common types of skiing: Alpine (downhill) and Nordic (cross-country). Nordic Skiing takes place on courses that consist of tactical downhills, challenging corners, and steep uphills. The courses vary in difficulty and length. 

         District 196 is one team that practices together and races as separate co-ops. The Eastview girls co-op with Rosemount. The Eastview boys co-op with Apple Valley and Rosemount. The team practices each day at Valleywood Golf Course in Apple Valley. The racing format is complex, starting the season off with SSC races. There are distance races in each discipline, individual sprints, and team sprints. At sections, five people are on the distance team. The skiers start with an interval start classic 5K race in the morning and after a short break ski another 5K race in the afternoon. But, skate discipline and pursuit. Pursuit means that you go out the distance you are behind the leader. So, if you finished 53 seconds after them in the morning, you would start with 53 seconds on the clock. There is a sprint team consisting of two skiers. They each ski 2 short sprints and trade-offs. 

         There are two different disciplines of Nordic skiing. First, skate or freestyle. The skis are in a V shape and the body is in an ice skating motion. These skis are shorter. There are different variations and tempos skiers might use based on the terrain. Typically, the steeper the hill the faster the tempo. Secondly, classic. This type of skiing is in parallel tracks. This requires extreme cardio and arm strength. Skiers might stride, which looks like a run, or double pole, which is a lot of arm strength. These skis are longer. 

         Nordic skiing is a very unique sport due to all of the specific strengths it requires. Balance, power, technique, strength, and speed, are all factors that go into skiing. It is a great way to do lower-impact cardio especially in the chilly Minnesota winters.

Jada Kemp - Staff Writer - October 5, 2022

The Eastview Varsity Boys Soccer 2022 fall season has been nothing short of excitement & hard work. The team displays great cohesiveness on the field and puts on a great show for fans. Their current standings are 10-2-1. 

One of the captains, center back Sam Mathews thinks the guys are doing great so far. Sam adds “I have high hopes of the team making it to state.” Junior forward Jestin Suarez-Kemp is just as optimistic for state and is happy with how the team has come together this season. He has seen great improvements from both himself & everyone collectively from last season. Senior striker Asher Ozuzu is having an outstanding final season of his high school career. He is consistent on the field and recently just beat the record for goal scoring. 

Mrs. Mathews, who is an avid attender of the boy’s games, had nothing but positive things to add: 

“The boys are doing fabulous and have really grown as a team.” she said. “You can really see the chemistry on the field. They enjoy playing together and I am excited to watch what comes next, especially state!” 

GO LIGHTNING!! 

Izzy Bui • Staff Writer • April 2nd 2021

     The E-sports team is new to Eastview this year. It is where high school students compete in different video games against other high school teams across the country. It’s actually becoming more and more popular, and you can even win scholarship money. 

     My name is Izzy Bui and I am a senior at Eastview high school. I am on the E-sports team and I play a video game called Rainbow Six Siege. It’s a first person shooter game that’s played in teams of five. It is a very popular game that is played by millions around the world. I never thought of myself as someone who would be interested in video games, but I guess I surprised myself. My team competed in the winter season for the HSEL (High School E-Sports League) and we actually ranked #13 in the whole nation! Now my team is competing in the spring season and we hope to make it to the finals. 

     Being the only girl on my team is definitely challenging. A lot of people expect me to be really bad at video games. I also receive a lot of criticism and sexist comments from opponents. Trust me, I’ve heard them all. It’s usually teenage boys telling me to “go back to the kitchen” or asking me for my Snapchat. I get a lot of people commenting in the game chat that they want to hear my voice, or asking me what my body looks like. It is sort of uncomfortable...but I just remind them that it’s a video game, not a dating site. 

     The reason I got into video games was actually my boyfriend. I wanted to do something with him that he enjoyed, and so I played with him on my brother’s gaming computer. I was really bad. It was almost sad how bad I was. I kept playing and practicing and now I think I’m pretty good. I'm not going to say that it’s as draining as a physical sport, but it’s a very complicated game that requires a lot of coordination.

     Being the only girl on my team can be frustrating. I find it difficult to keep my cool at times, because the competitiveness and testosterone is VERY overwhelming. It is a HUGE test of my patience, and it’s definitely challenged me to gracefully take criticism. I think I’m kind of the glue that holds the team together. I may not be the best on the team, but I’m there to be encouraging and rational. My boyfriend and I happen to be on the team together, and that definitely makes our relationship unique. I’m pretty proud that I’m on the team, because I wasn't just placed on it because we were dating. I actually had some skills to offer. My boyfriend and I have had a lot of arguments over the game (nothing serious of course). I laugh a lot and when he dies in the video game, I usually end up getting yelled at by my team members to shut up. It’s all fun and games though.

     There is a stigma around girls and video games. A ton of negative stereotypes exist too. A lot of people don’t think I know what I am doing, and a lot of people underestimate me because I’m a girl. My interest in video games doesn’t make me a “tomboy.” I’m interested in art, write in my journal, and like to go shopping. Not to say any of these are girly activities but they don’t fit the “gamer girl” stereotype either. Now that E-Sports is becoming more popular, I hope that some of those negative stereotypes about girls playing video games fade away and open up doors to let anyone join the competition. 

Alli Hering• Editor • December 12 2020

As a dedicated Vikings fan I'm used to disappointing seasons. Losing records, devastating playoff losses, and injuries that come out of nowhere. Every season I know that my team is probably headed for disaster, but it's all part of the fun (sort of). Most of the time the Vikings are the team that the rest of the league likes to joke about while secretly hoping that their team will never face the trials and tribulations the Vikings do season after season. In the 2020 NFL season, however, the rest of the league is giving the Vikings a run for their money. Due to COVID-19, the league didn’t hold any pre-season games.Teams first time all together on the field was their opening game, leading to some upsets and failures the first few weeks of the season. Due to the lack of training for many players, injuries around the league were rampant. Of course playing in the time of COVID-19 has led to delayed games and missing players due to new COVID-19 protocols. All of this has contributed to a really strange year for the NFL and an even worse year for Fantasy Football teams. 

Fantasy Football, since it's a team chosen by the user that combines players from many different teams, are normally less prone to a bad season if one NFL team doesn’t do well. This year, however, due to the widespread injuries and COVID-19 protocol fantasy owners teams are falling apart. The top three running backs in the league were all injured by the fourth week of the season, wide receivers were facing a inconsistent amount of playing time and battling their own injuries, and Drew Brees and Dak Prescot, two of the best quarterbacks in the league both faced major injuries in the first half of the season. All of this has combined into a perfect storm where both fans of a specific team and Fantasy Football fanatics have been left with lackluster results and building frustration. 

However, there is some good that has come out of the season. Rookies have been doing especially well this year, with the mass amount of injuries giving them the opportunity to increase playing time. In addition, the NFL has fairly successfully had a season despite COVID-19, something that paves the way for other sports this upcoming spring season. And truly, the most important success is that fans were still able to escape reality for a little bit and watch their favorite teams play, a tradition that has kept many people going during the COVID-19 filled fall. 

Alli Hering • Editor •May 7th, 2020

For many Eastview students extra-curricular activities make up a large part of their high school experience. There is seemingly a club or team for everybody as long as students are willing to participate. These activities for many students become a source of happiness, friendship, and security. Unfortunately due to Covid-19 all spring activities have been cancelled. While this is disappointing for everyone involved in a cancelled activity, the eastview spring sports teams are potentially impacted the most. Unlike other clubs or teams, there is no way for spring sports teams to practice because sports depend on actual physical connection to be played. The disappointment students have is certainly expected and warranted. However, many spring athletes at Eastview have continued to do their best to enjoy their sports. 

Many of the spring sport teams such as Track and Lacrosse are still doing team workouts over zoom. Coaches are sending workouts to players so that they have a targeted workout everyday that they can complete. While it might not be the same as actually practicing in person the teams are at least still able to communicate and bond. Fortunately, many of these athletes are going to be able to return to their sport next year. Teams are building on that hope and continuing to create community so they don't have to start from scratch next year. 

For many of these athletes there’s still hope that they can play their sport before the summer ends. While the 2020 school season is officially cancelled, summer clubs or recreational games could still occur. Golf is a sport that has already been cleared for people to play, and courses all around Apple Valley have opened up. Softball summer leagues are looking at ways to separate players in the dugouts to create a safe environment to start playing. While it isn’t the same as an actual meet, members of the track team can still run with each other as long as they are distanced.

The cancellation of spring sports is yet another consequence of this pandemic, however Eastview athletes are continually working to improve and find a silver lining. Luckily, as the weather continues to improve and school winds down there will be plenty of opportunities to get out and exercise. 

Alli Hering • Editor • April 15th, 2020

Being able to turn on the TV and find a game on is something Americans always have taken for granted. Between football, hockey, basketball, baseball, and golf, it seems there’s some sort of sporting event going on everyday for us to watch. Covid-19 has taken it all away. Golf and baseball seasons have been postponed indefinitely, along with  the 2020 Olympic Games. The lost games are just another reason why our country is struggling to maintain any sort of normalcy.

 There is more at stake than just entertainment - the sports industry is enormous and depends on big prime time games to make their money. Without games, the major networks lose a serious stream of revenue, and without fans at games, the teams lose revenue from concessions and tickets. The sports industry will continue to spiral downward as long as the major sports are unable to hold games.

 Luckily, there are some sports related events that can occur. The completely virtual NFL draft is coming up next week, and is a new and exciting source of entertainment for football fans. Fantasy sports services continue to hold drafts in hope that the season can be salvaged. Players all over the country are continually training at home, and many of them are keeping fans updated through social media on their progress. While this can help to lessen the sports withdrawal, many fans miss seeing actual games, and TV networks have come up with a solution. Networks have started showing classic games. The local Fox News Sports station is airing ten of the most memorable Twins games over the next month. On last week’s Monday Night Football, the 2009 Vikings-Packers game showing the return of Brett Farve aired on primetime all over the country. These games have brought back a sense of nostalgia for many dedicated sports fans, as they get to rewatch some of their favorite teams’ best moments. In addition, many fans are now able to share these games with their families, showing off their extensive knowledge of old stars and wins. 

While it may not be the suspenseful live games everyone hopes for, fans are at least able to relax and enjoy some fantastic games. The sports industry will continue to find alternative ways to entertain their fans, and all we can do is hope that the live games will come back. When they do, we know now to not take them for granted. 

Julia Prewitt • Editor • April 8th, 2020

Coronavirus has put a halt to near all aspects of typical high school life. Some of the most impacted students are those with spring activities. Eastview’s softball team is one of these groups which face new challenges during these hard times. Jenna Kuhn, a junior, pitches and plays first base for the varsity softball team. She provided us with an inside look as to how her team is working through this crisis:

Q: In general what is the team doing at this time in response to the crisis?

Jenna: The week quarantine started, we started doing workouts through zoom on the weekdays. We would also have some intellectual components such as writing a letter for what we are grateful for, or answering questions from selected videos to make us better when we start playing. We have continued to do the workouts, but since we can’t use zoom anymore with our coaches, we FaceTime one other teammate and do the workout with them.

Q: What are you personally doing to prepare for the season?

Jenna: The first two weeks of quarantine, I threw once or twice along with our daily workouts. On the weekends when I didn’t have a scheduled workout, I would sometimes go for a run. In the past week I have started to do more softball. One of our activities was to make a schedule for things we could do at home to be ready when the season starts. As of right now I'm either throwing and doing arm care, hitting, or pitching everyday.

Q: Do you think there’s a chance this season will not occur? Could it be postponed?

Jenna: There is a real chance that the season gets canceled, but I know everyone on the team doesn’t want to think like that. Our coach has updated us on what our season could look like, depending on what day we would go back to school. If we aren’t back by a certain date, our season will most likely be canceled.

Q: How do you feel about the situation, and potentially missing your junior season?

Jenna: It sucks possibly not getting to play my junior season. I wish we were back in school so I would get the opportunity to play.

Q: How have your teammates been feeling?

Jenna: We have seven seniors on the team, and I know they really want to play their final year. I’m not a senior, so I can’t totally feel what they are feeling, but I know that they are devastated at the chance they don’t get to play this season. Most of our team has played together since we were 10, so we really just want one more season together. Our team has put in a lot of work over the past year and we want the opportunity to show how hard we practiced and trained.

Q: How much have your coaches and teammates been communicating with each other?

Jenna: Like I said before, we had the zoom meeting with our daily workouts. We all text each other and catch up on what has happened (usually it’s not a lot because we can’t go anywhere).

We send each other funny TikToks and stuff like that. TikTok has inspired a few of our “intellectual” activities. We have had a PowerPoint party and we have had to send a TikTok dance into our group chat.  Our coaches have done a good job being honest with what can happen with our season, but they also try and not bring it up and keep the conversation light around us. Things will probably change as we learn more about the virus and how it develops in our state

Softball is one of many activities that has suffered as a result of the pandemic we are facing. As uncertainty abounds, and with no clear end in sight, it is unclear whether or not teams like Jenna’s will be able to come together as they normally would. Despite the hardships coronavirus has placed on the sport, however, it is clear that our relationships with friends and teammates will help us get through this.