Monthly Archives: October 2022
World Series Matchup Preview: Astros Vs. Phillies
Jude Magnotti ‘26
Isaac Gramse ‘26
EE Staff Writers
October is here, and with that the beginning of the fall classic returns to the MLB. This year’s matchup will feature the Philadelphia Phillies from the National League, and the recurring Houston Astros from the American League. Both teams have multiple star players, but who will come out on top? Will it be the Phillies, who haven’t been to a World Series since 2009, and haven’t had a winning year since 2008? Or will it be the Astros, looking to cover up their stained championship title from 2017 and finally beating a team from the NL East? Both teams have their strengths and weaknesses, but only one can come out on top. Who will it be? This is how we believe it will turn out.
Houston Astros
It seems like every year the Astros are back in this position, and it seems like every year it is the same old story. As I am sure you know the Houston Astros have been, along with the Dodgers, the powerhouse of baseball. They have bulldozed through the regular season once again and have completely dismantled elite teams like it was nothing. However, despite their success they have never been able to recapture the same level of success they achieved in 2017.
They were defeated in the World Series twice in 2019, and 2021. Now they find themselves back in this position with a third chance at redemption, once again against a team they can very conceivably beat. However, whether they will find it in themselves to win I cannot say.
Nevertheless, I do believe that on paper the Houston Astros have the best roster out of any team in the league. The most under-appreciated aspect of the Astros postseason success has been the amazing performances from their starters. It seems like whenever it comes to the playoffs, different pitchers who you have probably never even heard of come out and throw outstanding games.
Pitchers like Frambler Valdez, Lance McCullers, and even Luis Garcia have all risen to post-season stardom. And of course we cannot forget the elite Justin Verlander, who while has not been quite himself this year, is still capable of pitching great all around games. This combination of pitchers along with significant depth in the bullpen as well as closer Ryan Pressly allow the Astros to shut down the best hitters in the league with ease.
Girls Varsity Volleyball Team on a Roll
Melvin Cabreja ’23
EE Staff Writer
The Girls Varsity Volleyball team defeated Brien McMahon on Monday, October 24th, 3-0, in a game that saw the team hold their first annual thank-a-teacher night.
This was a lovely tribute to honor the dedication and time teachers put in day in and day out. This game was also a pink-out game to support breast cancer awareness.
The final scores of the three sets were 25-19, 25-21, and 25-7.
The Eagles had strong performances by Senior Maggie Carley who had 6 kills to go along with 25 assists. Maggie was also recognized that evening for reaching 1,000 Career assists in a game vs New Canaan on Friday, October 21st.
Senior Sammi Agostin finished the game with 10 kills and 3 aces.
With a 12-6 record, the Eagles returned home on Wednesday, October 26th for Senior Night vs Fairfield Warde where the team distinguished 9 of their senior players.
The Eagles beat Warde 3-0. The scores were 25-23, 25-16 and 25-12. Junior, Ariana Gjonbalaj, had 9 kills and 6 blocks and senior Alisa Zeltina had 9 kills, 6 digs and 3 aces. The Eagles are now on a 4 game winning streak as well as winning 8 of the last 9. The Eagles will now head on over to Norwalk with a 13-6 record for their last game of the regular season tonight.
Sleepwalking Through a Near Perfect Season
Lola Karimi ’25
EE Staff Writer
The Boys Varsity Soccer Team participates in Spirit Week by dressing up for Sponsor-A-Senior Day.
The Trumbull High School varsity boys soccer team is having an incredible year. The team, composed of 29 players, is currently 15-1 for the 2022-2023 season.
The three captains, Bruno Brasil (senior); Franco Miloanov (senior); and Jack Digiovanni (junior), “pushed the players to their limits, kept the team motivated, and helped them to focus on their drills and games”, Connor Hughes [10], said.
The boys work hard every day to honor their late Coach “Sebe”. Coach Sebastian Gangemi was the High School Boys Varsity Soccer Coach for twenty years at THS who led the team to four FCIAC titles. He passed away in 2019.
The team was undefeated until October 24, when they suffered their first loss. “This loss was a huge wake up call, it made us realize we’re not perfect”, said captain Bruno Brasil [12]. “Now we must work toward improving, not perfecting ourselves and to do this we must focus on our weaknesses”.
For many teams, this moment determines whether it is make or break, and this team is ready to keep fighting for the win.
Being united as a team is crucial for the boys, so “pasta parties are a must”, Kyle Helminger [11] said. “We all attend other Trumbull High events together (sports, games, spirit week, etc.)”.
Recreating the Elusive Seasoned Potato Wedge
Raphael Sullivan ’23
EE Staff Writer
Can’t get enough seasoned potato wedges from the cafeteria? Try making them yourself at home.
The cafeteria’s seasoned potato wedges have long been a fan favorite among students of Trumbull High, however, their availability has dramatically diminished over time. As students, it has been difficult to mourn this loss of potatoey goodness. Luckily, there’s a way for you to create your own spicy wedges on your own, at home.
According to Dia Ruskay, THS Food Service Manager, the spiced potato wedges are actually bought premade and not prepared in-house. She cited McCain Foods as the company that supplies the wedges. McCain is a worldwide organization, specializing in potato products that serves up everything from french fries to potato wedges. McCain Foods is Canadian-based and is the largest seller of frozen potato products in the world according to their website, mccainpotatoes.com.
But if the spiced wedges are bought as-is, why are they never available? Well, Ruskay has this to say on the matter: “With the supply chain issues, we never know which type of potato we’ll get”.
Lake Compounce’s Phantom Fall Fest Haunts
Lillian Von Kohorn ‘24
EE Staff Writer
Fog machines and dimmed yellow lighting help create a perfect Halloween atmosphere.
The spooky season is upon us, and Lake Compounce has just introduced a brand new way to enjoy it!
As teenagers transition from treat to trick, the 2022 Phantom Fall Fest brings the best of both worlds into their park. From opening time until 6 p.m., all are welcome to enjoy the park’s classic entertainments, great themed food, and flashy Halloween decor. When the clock strikes 6, though, the horrors of the night come out and the park transforms into a full-blown haunted realm. The Phantom Fall Fest features four haunted labyrinths, and three themed “scare-zones”.
The first of the labyrinths, MediEvil, brings you face to face with an inquisitor’s torture chamber. The second, Root of All Evil, takes place in the manor of a mad scientist, and Spirits of the Swamp has you trek through a haunted bayou. Finally, mAlice in Wonderland, the largest of the haunted paths, takes you through the looking glass or down the rabbit hole with a choose your own adventure experience.
Not a huge fan of horror? No problem. There are plenty of other fun Halloween activities, such as the Kid’s Costume Party and the Apple Fritter Eating Contest, for the whole family to enjoy. In fact, according to the General Manager, Jeff Davis, “Even if you’re not into haunted houses, I think you can come here and get just the right level of scare that’s appropriate”.
“It’s a chill yet thrilling experience perfect from a fun night out,” according to one 11th grade Trumbull High School student. “It literally feels like I’m walking through a classic horror movie–but not in the ‘Oh no I’m gonna die type of way,’ you know?”
This aesthetic is due to the constant fog machines and dimmed yellow lighting, creating that perfect Halloween atmosphere even on the clearest of nights.
The Phantom Fall Fest, which will run from September 30th through October 30th, is opened from 6 to 10 p.m. on Fridays, and from noon till 10 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Aside from mAlice in Wonderland, all attractions are free with admission.
Trumbull Agriscience Prepares for the Fall Farm Fair
Abby Poplawski ‘23
EE Staff Writer
The leaves are starting to change colors, and the air is becoming colder which means it’s finally time for the annual Fall Farm Fair at the Trumbull Agriscience & Biotechnology Center. Stop by on Saturday, October 23rd from 10 am to 3 pm to visit the animals, play games, join raffles, enjoy the food trucks, and shop from our local and student vendors!
Each year, the students in agriscience take part in an SAE or a supervised agricultural experience. From volunteering at local businesses, to getting paid jobs, or becoming entrepreneurs and selling their own products, these students can do it all. Products made by the students include homemade jams and jellies, jewelry, wine glasses, maple syrup, crochet crafts, room decor, soaps, and so much more! These products will be sold during the farm fair and are the perfect gifts for family members.
This is also the perfect event for children, who are welcome to arrive in their Halloween costumes. The volunteers have put together many different games and activities such as decorating pumpkins, bowling, planting seeds, ring toss, and more. Children can also choose a prize after completion of each activity. Each game requires 1-2 tickets which can be purchased at the front table by the entrance, otherwise admission is free.
One of the most popular things to do at the farm fair is to visit the animals which are very friendly. Currently, there are two horses, one cow, one alpaca, fifteen sheep, and two recently added miniature donkeys. They will be outside on the fields and you may even be able to see some of the large animal science students training or feeding them.
“Besides offering families the opportunity to visit our farm and interact with our large animals, it provides a venue for our Agriscience students to assist our parent organization, the Friends of the Farm, in this fundraising event”, said Dr. Linda Paslov, Agriscience Director. Dr. Paslov is very excited to help host the Farm Fair.
The Friends of the Farm is an organization made of dedicated parents that helps enrich the Trumbull Agriscience program through social events, fundraising, and community awareness.
The weather is supposed to be great on Saturday, so feel free to stop by. The Farm Fair is a great place to enjoy on a weekend with your family. From sweet treats, to games, animals, and pumpkins, this event will set the perfect mood for a cozy autumn day. But don’t fret if you can’t make it, the Spring Farm Fair will be here before you know it.
Trumbull Football Eagles Defeat Stamford 42-14
Melvin Cabreja ‘23
EE Staff Writer
A pumped-up Eagles team charges the field against Stamford on Friday October 14th.
The Trumbull Eagles Football Team bounced back in a spectacular way from a tough loss against FCIAC rival Staples a couple of weeks ago by beating Stamford 42-14 Friday, October 14th at home.
In a game that saw them already up 28-0 going into the second half due to a great effort from the defense, the Eagle’s offense was equally explosive. Trumbull scored a touchdown 2 minutes into the first drive of the game, led by Senior quarterback Hunter Agosti who threw for 185 yards and 3 touchdowns with huge help from his receivers.
Senior Luca Antonio, Senior Jack Durland, and Senior Ben Carley each contributed with one receiving touchdown apiece.
The running game is crucial for this Eagles team, averaging about 209 rushing yards per game with solid performances by Junior running back Rowan Johnston. In this game, he accumulated 175 yards rushing with 3 touchdowns. It felt like every time he ran it was for positive yardage.
Stamford made some noise coming out of the half but Trumbull was able to maintain the pressure to help secure the victory. The Eagles improved to 4-1 with this win and prepare to face off against the Greenwich Cardinals who are also 4-1 on Thursday night this upcoming October 20th on the road.
Thorne’s Hating Game Not Loved…or Hated
Alexis Kokosa ’26
EE Staff Writer
The Hating Game: A Novel by Sally Thorne
Lucy Hutton works in an office with her so-called ‘enemy’ Joshua Templeman. Everything that transpires there becomes an excuse to show him just how much she hates him–but she isn’t doing too well with that. Lucy doesn’t exactly understand why Joshua hates her so much, but she happily returns the favor. But when an opportunity to gain a promotion comes onto the table, their relationship completely changes. Lucy eventually realizes that maybe she doesn’t hate Joshua after all, and Joshua doesn’t hate her. Or is that just another one of their games?
The book’s best character is Helene Pascal, Lucy’s boss. Although her role is small, she’s a funny character who is genuinely likeable from the start all the way through to the finish. The scenes come to life throughout this book, and, overall, it was a pretty good read. One particularly great quote from the text is: “I was always covering for you”. It gave the book just a touch of romance that made it just that much better
Thorne’s writing is not exceptional. The reader can often predict what’s coming, and it got pretty repetitive. Also, the nickname that Joshua gave Lucy made me visibly cringe every time I read it on the paper. Lastly, the amount of times Lucy explained how short she was in different ways just within the first 18 pages was absurd.
Overall, this book would be good for someone who wants a quick read, or is interested in an enemies-to-lovers trope. It would also be good for somebody who is just getting into this style of writing. As someone who has been reading these types of books for quite a while, it definitely wasn’t my favorite, but it was okay.
Trumbull High School Girls Swim Team Tops St. Joe’s
Alexis Abellard ’26
EE Staff Writer
Trumbull’s Lady Eagles Swim Team
On September 10th, Trumbull’s Lady Eagles Swim Team defeated St. Joseph at their first home meet of the season. With many 1st place finishes and event sweeps, Trumbull earned their first victory of the season with a winning score of 95-64.
In the 100 butterfly, Kristen Racicot (junior), Sumanvi Annavajjhala (junior), and Jessica Nagel (freshman) took 1st, 2nd, and 3rd respectively, racking up the points for Trumbull. In the following event, Alexis Abellard (freshman), Audrey Kehley (junior) and Keira Citarella (sophomore) snagged 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the 100 freestyle. The Lady Eagles then went on to sweep the 100 backstroke with strong races by Kehley, Lauren Clark (senior), and Ashley O’Connor (senior).
There were many other fast swims and wins from our Eagles. In the 50 freestyle, Abellard and Clark took 1st and 3rd and in the 200 free Abigail Adams (senior) and Hannah Natlo (junior) took 1st and 2nd place. In the 200 freestyle relay, the team of Citeralla, Clark, Adams, and Abellard had a come from behind victory taking 1st place. Later on in the 400 freestyle relay with Samara McGlynn (sophomore), Adams, Clark, and Natlo, our Eagles had another come from behind victory and took another 1st place win.
The duo of Adams and Natlo raced together again in the 500 freestyle and earned themselves a 2nd and 3rd place finish. In the 200 IM, swimmers Nagel and Annavajjhala also took 2nd and 3rd. The 200 medley relay consisting of Kehley, Racicot, Annavajjhala, and Abellard took 2nd place. The 100 breaststroke saw Racicot and McGlynn swim into 2nd and 3rd.
Overall it was a good meet for Trumbull with top finishes in every event. The Eagles will go on to face Westhill for another home meet at the Wheeler Rec Center at UB.
