Author Archives: The Advocate Online

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Ms. Kelly About Her New Role As Eagle Eye News Advisor

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(Photo courtesy Ms. Kelly)

By Harrison Fisher – Sports Editor 

Eagle Eye News, Law’s daily morning news show, returned to the air for its first show of the year on Tuesday, September 19. This year, Ms. Kelly is the new advisor for Eagle Eye News. She takes over for Mr. Kulenych, who was the Eagle Eye News advisor for the past 17 years. Kelly is excited and eager to keep the Law community up to date on the news of the day and she is entertaining some creative ideas to keep Law captivated. Kelly is an English teacher, the advisor for the Keyettes and the Black Student Union, and the freshman class advisor. In her role as the new advisor of Eagle Eye News, she will work with the members of the news team to keep Law’s students and faculty informed. Advocate Sports Editor Harrison Fisher interviewed Kelly about her plans for the new season of Eagle Eye News.

Harrison Fisher: How do you feel about your new role as the advisor of Eagle Eye News?

Ms. Kelly: I’m really excited about my new role as the advisor of Eagle Eye News. I was a little nervous at
 the beginning because the class is so new to me, but Mr. Kulenych really helped me.

HF: What aspect of Eagle Eye News are you most excited about?“

MK: I love to edit and film videos and content, so I’m really excited to support their filming and editing of their videos.

HF: What are your future plans for the news?

MK: Our future plans for the news is to rebrand. The name will be new, including the logo, and all of the marketing for the news. We also hope to make new types of videos and revamp the Senior Video.

HF: What advice do you have for the news crew this year?

My advice for the news crew is to have fun with it. The world is your oyster – you can create
 any videos you want highlighting our JLHS community.

HF What type of stories will you and the news crew be reporting on?

MK: Our crew will be interviewing teachers, administration, and more. Also, they will be filming and highlighting different sports teams by creating hype videos for them. Another fun type of video you will see will be skits and comedy videos.

SPORTS: Law Cross Country Teams Starting Their Seasons Off Strong

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(Photo Courtesy Mr. Beler)

By Kayla Markowitz and Harshitha Kothapalli – News Editors

The girls’ and boys’ cross-country teams at Jonathan Law are three weeks into the season and are off to a great start.

The teams have already participated in three meets and are working every day to get better.

“The season’s going pretty well,” senior Claire Moulton said. “The frst meet was very good but there’s definitely room for improvement.”

This year, the teams are being led by Coach Beler and Coach Schulte. Head Coach Beler is ready to lead the team this year and he is excited for the season.

“The team has demonstrated a strong work ethic and we have shown constant growth every meet,” Beler said. “We are excited as we enter the competition portion of our season with meets at Winding Trails and Wickham Park as well as SCC Divisions and the Milford championships.”

This year’s captains on the girl’s team are Claire Moulton, Alana Pires, and Skye Hamilton. The boys’ captains are Tanner Matchett, Matthew Barrett, Aidan Hope, and Chris Rickard.

Matchett is ready to be a leader for the team and has lofty goals for the team and individually.

“My goals for the season is to improve my times each race and continue to lead by example as a senior and captain for the next athletes and upcoming runners,“ Matchett said. “My personal goal for the season is to hopefully break 20 minutes or even 19 as the season progresses and place well in SCCs and states.”

This year, the season started off a little rocky with back-to-back meets and constant schedule changes due to excessive heat and rain. However, the teams took it as an opportunity instead of a challenge.

“It definitely has been stressful but we have been starting dynamic workouts and jump rope at the beginning of practice to warm up our bodies in different ways,” sophomore Dulce Paz-Gomez said. “I can already tell it’s helping and bonding the team making us stronger going into our races.”

The team has been preparing for the upcoming season over the summer to be in the best shape possible.

“As a team, we prepared by having captains practice five times a week during the summer starting in late June,” Matchett said. “This gave us time to get into good condition when the season comes around.”

Both teams are excited to watch the growth of each of their teammates and are ready to encourage all members.

“My favorite part of being on the team is seeing my friends and teammates improve,” sophomore David Lickteig said.

Moulton and other captains are making sure all of their teammates are prepared and ready.

“We lead the team during runs but also make sure we always create a safe space for the team to talk if they ever need anything and we let them know we are here for them whether it’s running-wise or not,” Moulton said.

NEWS: Law Says Bonjour To New French Teacher Dr. Evans

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(Photo courtesy Kayla Markowitz)

By Kayla Markowitz – News Editor 

Dr. Evans joins the Jonathan Law community this year as a new French teacher.

Dr. Evans teaches five classes this year, French 1, 2, 3, 4, and AP French Language and Culture. She is excited to be a part of Law and already feels very welcomed.

“I love everything about it here at Law – the great students, the wonderful and supportive administration, my warm and friendly colleagues, the helpful staff,” Evans said. “I already feel very much at home here.”

Evans attended the University of New York at Albany where she got her bachelor’s degree in French and received her Master’s degree in French at the University of Colorado Boulder. She also earned her Ph.D. in Foreign Language Education from the University of Iowa.

Before coming to Jonathan Law, she taught French classes at Foran for one year.  Before working at Foran last year, she was a Professor of Teacher Education and French at Southern Connecticut State University and directed an American school in France. Prior to that, she was a Professor of Teacher Education and French at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC.

Law principal Mr. Darcy said that Evans stands out because of her positive attitude and enthusiasm about the French language and culture. 

“I believe she will be a great addition to the Law community,” Darcy said. “She’s a master of her content and wants to educate students about the language and fully immerse them into the French culture.”

This year, Evans hopes to share her love for French cultures with her students and is excited to educate young minds.

“I love sharing my passion for the French language and Francophone cultures around the world,” Evans said. “I love the creativity of being in the classroom and I love helping Law’s community of French learners to reach new linguistic heights and to embrace new and different perspectives on the world around us”

Students are excited to learn from her and participate in her class.

“She’s always really enthusiastic and interactive with the students,” sophomore Harshitha Kothapalli said. “So far her class and teaching style is really enjoyable.” 

So far, Evans is adjusting well to life at Law and is excited to see where the year takes her.

“I couldn’t be happier with the way the year has started,” Evans said. “I would like to thank my students and colleagues for welcoming me into the Law family.”

During her free time, Evans likes to bike, cook, and watch movies with her family.

NEWS: Jorge Excited To Be New Physics Teacher At Law

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(Photo courtesy Will Smith)

By Will Smith – Entertainment Editor

Mrs. Jorge is Law’s new Physics teacher.

Jorge is from Trumbull and graduated from Fairfield University. She was studying Physics there until she decided that she wanted to pursue teaching.

She then transferred to Southern Connecticut State University where she graduated with a Physics degree and a certification in Physics 7-12.

Jorge said she’s excited to be a member of Law’s faculty.

“I like that all our staff members are really kind, the students are really nice, and it’s like a family,” Jorge said

Outside of school, Jorge is a soccer coach. She runs 2 and 3-year-old classes with the recreational program in Trumbull. Jorge coaches an 8-and-under girls team with Trumbull United and is currently the Bunnell girls varsity soccer coach. 

When she isn’t working, Jorge and her husband like to hang out with their friends and go out to dinner.

NEWS: Schacht Joins Law Staff To Teach Behavioral Support Program

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(Photo courtesy Bobby Black)

By Bobby Black – Sports Editor

Mr. Schacht is a new Special Education teacher this year at Jonathan Law.

Schacht came to Law after previously teaching at Naugatuck High School. 

“The staff and students at JLHS have been super friendly and helpful,” Schacht said. ”During the first week there was excited energy and good vibes in the building with everyone excited for a new year.”

Schacht is excited to teach the Behavioral Support Program at Law. 

“The most promising trait that we see is that Mr. Schacht will never give up on any student, no matter the circumstances,” Law Principal Mr. Darcy said. ”He’s willing to work closely with students to ensure their individual success.”

Schacht chose to apply for the job after talking to a friend in the building who recommended the Milford Public Schools, and Law specifically.

“I met Mr. Schacht through our Special Education Supervisor, Mr. Paradis,” Darcy said. “He recommended him for the position due to his prior experiences.”

Darcy and others believe that Schacht fits in perfectly with the community at Law. 

“Mr. Schacht fits in perfectly with our Law community because he has the same views we share,” Darcy said. “We believe that all students can learn and we treat each other like a large family.”

SPORTS: Jonathan Law Boys Soccer Team Confident About Upcoming Season

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(Photo courtesy Eric Relucio)

By Ella Franzman – Editor-In-Chief

The Jonathan Law Boys soccer team kicked off their season earlier this week and are super pumped for the 2023 season.   

The Lawmen are led by captains; Cooper Fitzgerald, Elliot Melgar and Declan Wywoda. Their next game is Tuesday, September 19 against Sheehan at Lawmen Stadium. 

“I am looking to see how we compete against the top teams in the state,” head coach Mike Gruber said. “Our schedule doesn’t have any easy games so each game will be a battle and will be very competitive.”

The team unfortunately fell short when they opened up against Daniel Hand, they also played Hamden on September 14 and ended the game in a tie 2-2.

“I’m expecting a big improvement from last year, I’ve been working with all the younger guys since last season ended,” Fitzgerald said. “We’ve developed a lot as a group both physically and tactically and I’m excited to see what we can produce this year as a team.”

The team’s expectations are always to make it to the SCC Tournament and the State Tournament and go as far as possible.

“I plan on making practice as difficult and challenging as possible so that when we play in-game, it comes easy,” Wywoda said. “Practice needs to be at 100 percent at all times so that the speed of the game doesn’t surprise us.”

The team has a lot of talented players, and a lot of leaders, that are not just the captains. 

“The transition to the high school game is tough but they are acclimating very well and I see them getting better each and every day,” Gruber said. “They are a big part of the future and I am excited to see growth from them in the next four years.”

The team lost eight seniors last year, leaving spots for new players or freshmen to fill. This year the team got 7 freshmen. 

“I plan to lead by example and work as hard as possible, so that our team will be able to make the postseason tournaments,” junior Alex Rodriguez said. 

A few players from the team commented on the fact that they always look forward to Law Vs Foran rivalry games. 

“I am also looking forward to seeing these student athletes gel both on the field and off the field and make long lasting friendships that they will have throughout their life,” Gruber said. “We are a tight knit group and everyone looks out for each other which is nice to see.”

Last year the Lawmen ended their season with a record of 3-10-3. Playing top teams in the state made it hard for the Lawmen to have a promising record. 

“We played and competed with high-level teams in the state in order to get in shape to prepare for the season,” Wywoda said. “We got our conditioning up and played more as a team so we could start the regular season strong and make the state tournament.”

SPORTS: Beler Era Begins For Jonathan Law Cross Country Teams

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(Photo courtesy yearbookavenue.com)

By Harry Fisher – Sports Editor

The 2023 Jonathan Law cross country season is in full swing under the direction of new head coach Mr. Beler.

Beler replaces Charlie Phillips who retired from coaching the boys cross country team at Law for the past 55 years. He is excited to see the Lawmen compete in their first meet of the season.

“I am excited for all of the meets,” Beler said. “Every chance we have to get better gets me excited as a coach.”

Beler is highly motivated to take over and help each individual on the team achieve their personal best. He has reached out to some notable coaches in the area and researched some intense workouts to ensure each practice is designed to push the Law runners toward success. 

“We are mixing up workouts with distance, threshold, anaerobic and aerobic workouts to increase our wind and speed,” Beler said.

The weather has delayed some of the opening meets, but the Law runners are ready to attack the course in the rescheduled events this week.

With a full season on the horizon, Beler is planning new ways to help get all of the cross country runners in shape for the upcoming season.

“I am looking for constant decrease in times so by the time we get to the SCC and Milford Championships we will be running our best times,” Beler said.

He hopes that all of the cross country runners are ready to run there best times at every meet. The main goal for the cross country team is to win everyday by working and training everyday.

“The main goal is to win every day,” Beler said. “As a team we will continue to work hard to get PRs.”

NEWS: Evans Joins Jonathan Law Faculty As New English Teacher

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(Photo courtesy Quinn Willett)

By Quinn Willett – Social Media Editor 

New English teacher Mrs. Evans made the move to Jonathan Law High this year. 

Evans worked at two other high schools – Masuk High School in Monroe and Oxford High School – is loving the change to Jonathan Law. She is enjoying her time with her freshman classes and is also excited to teach Creative Writing. 

“I like it a lot,” Evans said. “The kids are fun and engaged in school, easy to work with, and the teachers are nice and supportive.”

Evans said she also loves the supportive administration at Law. 

“Here at Law the administration is in it with us,” Evans said. “Teachers and administrators are in it together and they all work together as one.”

Evans’ students said that she is a super-understanding teacher who goes out of her way to help students. 

“Mrs. Evans is a great teacher,” freshman Cole Alogna said. “She’s kind and understanding and always offers to help us.”

Besides teaching English, Evans has 13-year-old twins and a dog named Milo. She enjoys exercising and spending time with her children and husband. 

NEWS: Jonathan Law Class Of 2027 Adapts To High School Lifestyle

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(Photo courtesy Harshitha Kothapalli)

By Harshitha Kothapalli – News Editor

As the new school year begins, Law’s freshmen are becoming well-adjusted to their new classes and environment.

After a great start to the year, freshmen at Jonathan Law are now familiar with the school and faculty members.

“High school’s been great,” freshman Nik Misra said. “I know where all my classes are now.”

The Freshmen Academy teachers are always trying to get freshmen well-adapted to the new school and year. 

“We are a group of teachers (The Freshmen Academy) who meet with freshman students throughout the year to check on their progress,” science teacher Mr. Morazzini said. “We also design experiences with the help of the upperclassmen (such as Freshman Welcome Day) to introduce our students into the law community.”

This year’s freshmen seem to have had a smooth transition from middle school to high school with the help of their teachers.

“It was pretty seamless because we were taught everything we needed to know and the orientation definitely helped,” freshman Carson Ferguson said.

Assistant Principal Mrs. Sulzycki stressed the need for freshmen to join Law’s extracurricular activities. 

“I think it is so important for freshmen to get involved,” Sulzycki said. “It’s the best way to meet people and feel comfortable in their environment.”

Freshmen have also learned the importance of high school and the differences between middle school and high school.

“You have a lot more freedom,” Misra said. “Teachers let you do your own thing but also make sure you’re on the right path.”

Teachers are excited to work with the new freshmen to make sure they are ready to take on the year.

“The freshman class seems great this year, and as part of the Freshman Team we look forward to developing different experiences for the freshmen to get them acclimated to the law family,” Morazzini said.

Upperclassmen are also always willing to help freshmen out and make sure they know where they are going.

“Everyone’s really nice,” freshman Matt Whitteman said. “Going to my classes has been very easy. I just ask people and they show me the way.”

NEWS: An Interview With Law Principal Mr. Darcy On The New School Year, New Teachers, And More

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(Photo courtesy Zack Sulkis)

By Zachary Sulkis – Social Media Editor-in-Chief

Jonathan Law principal Mr. Darcy is looking forward to his second year leading the Lawmen. Social Media Editor-In-Chief Zack Sulkis interviewed Darcy about the 2023-2024 school year

Zack Sulkis: What are you looking forward to most about this school year?

Mr. Darcy: I’m looking forward to seeing students grow academically while working with our great staff members. I’m also looking forward to getting to know more students and understanding how I can support their needs. 

ZS: What are some events at law this school year you are looking forward to?

MD: All of the special events like Prom, but also seeing our talented students in musical acts, art and athletics. 

ZS: What is one important thing that the staff and students should know about your third year as principal?

MD: In year three we are really working to organize and structure our supports we have in place for students when they are struggling. I want students and staff to know that we will do our best to make sure every student is supported to be successful. 

ZS: How do you feel your first two years went as principal at Law?

MD: I feel my first two years went well, but for completely different reasons. In year one, I came in October so I had to learn as much as possible about the school, staff and students. I didn’t get to really dig into details, but only really learned traditions and organizational items. In year two, we were able to adjust some supports we had in place for students and provide more activities for students than in prior years. I was finally really able to get to know more students and staff on a personal level. 

ZS: What are your thoughts on the new vice principals?

MD: Mrs. Sulzycki and Mrs. Farotti have already started to build positive relationships with staff. I know they are the right choices to help lead us based on what I learned about them in the interview process and I’m excited to work with them for many years to come. 

ZS: What are your thoughts on our new athletic director? 

MD: Mr. Drew was definitely the right person to become our new AD. He was the football coach at Foran, but his teaching and coaching roots started here at Law. He’s a Lawman and this is sort of a homecoming for him. I have no doubt he will lead us to the next level with our already successful athletic program. 

ZS: What are your thoughts on all of the new teachers this school year?

MD: Our new teachers have one very common trait. They all love having an impact on students and I’m excited to see what they are able to do this year. 

ZS: Any advice for the incoming freshmen this year?

MD: My advice is to get involved with something. Play an instrument, play a sport, join a club or even start a new club. The more involved you are, the better your high school experience will be. 

ZS: Any advice for this year’s seniors?

MD: This year is going to fly by. Take the time to recognize special moments throughout the year because once you have them, they are gone. 

ZS: What does it mean to you to be a Lawman?  

MD: Being a Lawman comes down to treating everyone as a family member. We aren’t always going to agree with our family members, but we support them and respect them. Law is a special place because of the family we’ve created together.

NEWS: Law Welcomes Sulzycki As New Assistant Principal

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(Photo courtesy milforded.org)

By Gemard Guery – Editor-In-Chief and Editorial Editor

This past summer, two new assistant principals joined Jonathan Law’s faculty.  

Mrs. Sulzycki is one of those assistant principals for the freshman and junior classes. While she only recently started her new job, she is already loving her time at Law.

“I am having a great year so far – enjoying getting to know students and staff here,” Sulzycki said. “My favorite part of working here is the true sense of community that I feel. All the adults in the building seem like they truly want what is best for students. Staff and students seem like they genuinely enjoy being here every day.”

Sulzycki graduated with a degree in Psychology from the University of Connecticut and has a Masters in school psychology from Southern Connecticut State University.  Prior to Jonathan Law, Sulzycki worked as the Director of Pupil Services in Plymouth and an assistant principal at Ox Ridge in Darien. 

“Through the interview process, I could tell she would be good for the school and knew she would be good for students as well,” Law Principal Mr. Darcy said. “She also has a background in psychology and special education which is a great addition for our students and school environment.”

The Law community convinced Sulzycki to apply.

“I applied for a job at Law because I love the Milford community,” Sulzycki said. “I have strong ties to the town (my husband is a Lawman, Class of ’99) and I know that Milford is a progressive school district that has the best interest of students at heart.”

At her past school, Sulzycki developed bullying prevention plans and used restorative practice to implement new discipline procedures.  She was actively involved in professional development that prioritized SEL (Social Emotional Learning)

This school year, Sulzycki is looking forward to getting to know the students better.

“I plan to go to club meetings as they get up and running and attend sporting events so I can see students outside the classroom,” Sulzycki said.

Outside of school, Mrs. Sulzycki loves to read and spend time with her husband and 11-month-old son, Alex.

SPORTS: New Athletic Director Drew Ready To Lead Law’s Sports Teams

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(Photo courtesy Cesar Mendez)

By Cesar Mendez – Sports Editor

Mr. Drew is Law’s new Athletic Director.

Drew takes over for Mr. Ragaini, who was the interim Athletic Director last year after Law’s previous Athletic Director, Mr. Sarullo, left for Staples High School.

Drew said he has had a great time here at Law so far. 

“My experience so far has been great,” Drew said. “We have wonderful coaches here at Law who care about their student athletes.”

Drew has big plans for the future of Law athletics. 

“My goal is to continue to encourage our student athletes (if they are not already) to become multi-sport athletes who are well rounded in the classroom, community, and in competition,” Drew said

Before coming to Law. Drew was a Special Education teacher at Foran and also taught Special Education at Law. He was also Foran’s head coach for football and girls lacrosse and he hopes to grow more at Law.

“I started off my teaching career in Milford at Law,” Drew said. “I love the culture, the community, and the school pride that exists. Law truly is a special place.”

A group of administrators, coaches, and captains were involved in the interview process to hire Drew. 

“I think he is a very good Athletic Director,” senior football captain JT Nelly said. “He handled the high temperatures very well and I believe his background in coaching brings in certain skills that other possible athletic directors may not have. His long term plans for the school are something to look forward to seeing develop after I graduate.”

NEWS: Spose Joins Jonathan Law Faculty As New Math Teacher

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(Photo courtesy Haley Stroffolino)

By Haley Stroffolino – Social Media Editor

Mrs. Spose is a new math teacher who recently made the move from Joseph A. Foran High School to Jonathan Law High School.

“I am absolutely loving the new and exciting environment at Law,” Spose said. “The students, people, and administration at Law makes me feel right at home. The family-like atmosphere and the strong sense of teamwork and collaboration are what really stands out.”

Although Law is a smaller school than what Spose is used to, it just adds to the super calming atmosphere, sweetness, and helpfulness of everyone here. 

Spose is most excited to teach Pre-Calculus and make math exciting for her students.

“Mrs. Spose is incredibly helpful and nice,” junior Jack Distassio said. “Whether it’s explaining a tough concept or accepting corrections to get a better grade, she is always there to help.”

Outside of school, Spose is a dedicated coach for Foran’s volleyball and outdoor track and field teams. She also has a set of four-year-old twins (a boy and a girl) to keep her on her toes.

NEWS: Farotti Joins Law Community As New Assistant Principal

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(Photo courtesy milforded.org)

By Maya Markowitz – Social Media Editor

Over the summer, Jonathan Law welcomed two new assistant principals into the school community. 

One of the new administrators, Mrs. Farrotti, is assigned to the sophomore and the senior classes. Although school only started on August 30, she already feels welcomed into the Law community. 

“It has been a very smooth transition here,” Farotti said. “I feel very welcomed by students and staff as they are genuinely interested in getting to know me.”

Farotti completed her undergraduate degree at Sacred Heart University and earned her Masters in Education from the University of New Haven. 

Before joining Law, Farotti worked as an assistant principal in East Haven. She also previously worked in Milford as a science teacher at Foran High School where she was involved in many student activities, including the Key Club.

“I believe that through her relatability to students and other staff members, she has really made a great adjustment to the school,” Law Principal Mr. Darcy said. 

As the year continues, Farotti hopes to become more involved with the student body and to get to know students and families.

“Developing strong relationships is very important to me so that when someone needs something they know that they can come to me,” Farotti said.

Outside of school, Farotti enjoys reading and hanging out with her husband and two children. 

SPORTS: Law Football Team Fired Up For Start Of 2023 Season

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(Photo courtesy Eric Relucio)

By Ella Franzman – Editor-In-Chief

The Jonathan Law football team is hoping to pick it right back up where it left off last year.

Last season, Law made it all the way to the Class M semifinals for the first time in program history before losing to Notre Dame-West Haven 28-14. 

“I feel spectacular about our returning players,” junior Cam Upchurch said. “I think we are gonna be even better than last year and we have new players that will definitely help us out too.”

The team has been preparing for the season for a couple weeks now being led by their two captains: JT Nelly and Chase Sisto. 

“I feel like we have a strong set of returning players that will play big roles this season,” sophomore Nick Cosmas said.

They have had a handful of scrimmages against Platt, Lyman Hall, Woodland, Seymour and Brookfield. 

“This year saw a talented and capable incoming freshman class,” head coach Chris Haley said. “A number were already physically committed to being ready for football when they arrived and came in beyond some returners.”

Last year, the Lawmen graduated 13 player, including Gatorade State Player of the Year John Neider (QB), Matt Hagerty (WR), Jack Sellman (LB) and Devin Calvin (OL). The team is excited to see new players step up and fill these roles. 

“This year saw a talented and capable incoming freshman class,” Haley said. “A number were already physically committed to being ready for football when they arrived and came in beyond some returners.”

The team starts their season off on September 8, at Lawmen Stadium against defending Class SS state champions Joel Barlow. 

“I feel pretty comfortable with the fellas because they already know what to do,” junior Charlie Becker said. “I’m excited for this season and can’t wait to see what happens.” 

Becker is at quarterback this year for the Lawmen. Last season he saw some time at wide receiver and is now eager to lead his team. 

“I’m excited about the move to Tier 2; it gives us a new slate of opponents mixed with some familiar ones,” Haley said. “We’ve been working towards this as our destination over the past couple of years.”

The Lawmen are anxious for the season to start and are hoping to kick off the season with a win. 

ENTERTAINMENT: “The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom” One Of The Best Games Of 2023

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(Photo courtesy wired.com)

By William Smith – Entertainment Editor

“The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom” came out on May 13. The game is an action-adventure game for the Nintendo Switch. The game won the most anticipated game of the year last year. It is also the first Nintendo game to be priced at $70. 

Tears of the Kingdom takes place a couple of years after the event of the previous game Breath of the Wild. When starting the game Link (you) and Princess Zelda go below the depths of Hyrule castle to investigate the source of the gloom that is plaguing Hyrule. While investigating the gloom the place the source is coming from is filled with Zonai ruins. The Zonai are an ancient race of people who lived during the creation of the kingdom. When they finally find the source of the gloom it’s an old and rotten corpse with a glowing magic hand on his chest, and when they try to investigate further the hand disappears and the corpse wakes up. The corpse wakes up and attacks you causing you to lose all of your abilities and the master sword while also causing Zelda to fall off a ledge Link goes to catcher but fails and she falls but before she falls she glows and is transported somewhere while Link is caught by the glowing hand that was sealing the corpse. It cuts to black then Link is transported to the great sky island where he gains new abilities and recovers his strength. After he completes his recovery he is free to leave the sky island and find Zelda.

Some positives about the game are that there are so many things to do it’s easy to get distracted from discovering a new cave, doing the lucky clover gazette quest line and just exploring the old but changed Hyrule. There is so much to do. The game also fixed everything that was bad from the last game, so now every mainline dungeon and every shrine are way harder than they were in Breath of the Wild, they made it so side quests would give relevant rewards like armor or food instead of just currency, they also made the story slightly more linear unlike that last game but you can still go straight to the final game boss just it’s less hinted at in this game on where it is and what to do but you still can go do it just like Breath of the Wild.

There really isn’t anything negative to say about the game besides that the game was priced at $70 when normally all other mainline Nintendo games are priced at $60. Another negative is the game can get very laggy when the game is in a dense area.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Sprinter JT Nelly About The Boys Outdoor Track Season

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(Photo courtesy @JLHSTrack)

By Caden Simpson – Social Media Editor

The Jonathan Law track team continues to break records and qualify for Nationals as the 2023 school year comes to an end. The boys 4X100 ran a qualifying national time at the Amity Invitational, while simultaneously making SCCs and States. The 4X100 team has been drastically improving all year, and placed 7th at the CIAC States Meet. Advocate Social Media Editor Caden Simpson interview junior JT Nelly, the first leg of the 4X100 relay, about his season and where the team will be next year.

Caden Simpson: What was done differently in order to make the national qualifying time for the relay?

JT Nelly: Nothing really was done different, it was the consistency we had that led us to qualifying. Showing up everyday to practice, constantly critiquing our handoffs, and increasing the workout intensity.

CS: What did a normal practice look like for you specifically?

JN: For me, a normal practice was getting handoffs in, doing the sprinter workout, and then training for the decathlon. I would either go to long jump, high jump, shot, or javelin.

CS: Did you find it difficult adjusting when the anchor of the relay got injured?

JN: Losing our anchor was definitely challenging and changed certain aspects of the relay, although I wouldn’t say it was difficult to adjust. Our alternate Derek was prepared and there was a smooth transition between runners.

CS: How do you suspect the 4×100 will do next year, now that the two fastest seniors will be leaving?

JN: It will definitely be an adjustment, but I am confident that our 4X100 will be solid, and qualify for states again next year without a doubt. We have a lot of sophomores and juniors right now with a lot of potential, and once we get them to where they need to be, the team will be successful.

CS: What would you like to see done differently with the team next year?

JN: Next year, I would like for there to be more efficiency during practice. Getting down to the field and getting to work right away is how I want to conduct practices next year.

ENTERTAINMENT: Holland, Wahlberg Star In Suspenseful Movie “Uncharted”

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(Photo courtesy imdb.com)

By Kruthi Nandam – Staff Reporter

The movie “Uncharted” was released on February 18, 2022 and features Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg. 

Tom Holland stars as Nathan Drake and Mark Wahlberg as Victor Sullivan. Both of these actors did a great job portraying these characters. This movie is supposed to be a prequel to the events in the 2007 video game.

Nathan and Sam were at the orphanage and only had each other. They both got caught trying to steal the map for the treasure which later led to Sam being evicted. Before he could get evicted, he left and promised to return but hasn’t. 

Nathan is determined to go on a journey to find the ancient treasure later on Victor “Sully” Sullivan joins him in his quest. Sully claims that he knew Sam and helped him through the process. Both of them want to find this treasure because it can change their lives and Nathan can try to find his brother who disappeared a while back. 

On their journey, they encounter many other people who are hungry for the treasure and try to steal the map or clues Nathan and Sully have to get one step closer to finding the treasure. Turns out that there were a lot of people aware of the treasure and came after it. 

As the movie goes on there are a lot of twists and turns and people betraying each other. When Nathan and Sully are in a hidden cave they find an old ship that was wrecked very badly. They decide to check it out and all of the gold was inside the ship this whole time. 

Many more people come across the ship at the same time and they start arguing over who the gold “belongs’ ‘ to. Sully gets hold of a helicopter and tries to take the ship out but there was more fighting and in the end the ship sank to the bottom of the ocean floor. Later, Sam comes back and explains what happened with him trying to find the gold. 

A strong point in this movie is that the characters showed a lot of determination to find the gold. They worked together and put their very best effort to find what they wanted. Near the end Sully has a character development of learning how to value the right things and not be greedy. 

A weak point in this movie is that sometimes there was too much going on and it was hard to keep up. Newer characters came up which kind of messed up the understanding of the movie. 

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Advisor Ms. Healy About Jonathan Law’s SAVE Promise Club

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(Photo courtesy @JLHSsave)

By Zachary Santarcangelo – Staff Reporter

The SAVE Promise Club was a new club this year at Jonathan Law. Advocate staff reporter Zachary Santarcangelo interviewed Club advisor Ms. Healy about what the club did this year and the club’s plans for the future

Zachary Santarcangelo: What did the SAVE Promise Club do to wrap up the year?

Ms. Healy: The SAVE Promise Club appointed new officers to run the club next year and they ran the last two meetings of the year. In one meeting they ran a fun team building activity where teams of members build cup towers with strings attached to a rubber band. It was really fun and a great way to all work together at the end of the year. We also started planning for next year! We don’t have a lot of time for club meetings before our Start with Hello week so we wanted to get some plans started early.

ZS: How do you feel the club helped the JLHS community throughout the year?

MH: Our club has been really great at engaging in the school community this year given we are such a new presence. We held different events throughout the year meant to help create a more welcoming and safe school environment. Our Start with Hello week at the beginning of the year really helped set the tone for the year and helped start to create that culture of welcoming community for those who were new and returning to Law. The school participates in the Say Something training every year and helps educate students on warning signs and how to identify a trusted adult in the building in order to create a more aware and safe school environment. We got a lot of engagement in our violence prevention week and our t-shirt fundraiser which was awesome to see. 

ZS: What changes are being made in the club for next year?

MH: For next year, we have our new officers who are full of great ideas on how to continue to expand the club. Be sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram @jlhssave to keep up with what we’ve got going on!

ZS: What more is the club going to do next year?

MH: I know some members have been talking about working with other schools in the district to try and get more SAVE Promise Clubs in Milford. That would be awesome to be able to accomplish. 

ZS: What direction do you want to take the club?

MH: The direction the club goes in is up to the students! It is a student-led club so our members are the ones who are working to put together these activities and events for the school community. We have an amazing group of student leaders in this club so I am really looking forward to what they do next year.

COLUMNS: Law Laughs: Junior Sara Moshirzadeh Hosts A Unique Birthday Party

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(Photo courtesy Gemard Guery)

“Law Laughs” is a new column by Advocate Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Editor Gemard Guery which will detail fun “news stories” from around the Law community.

By Gemard Guery – Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Editor

One Jonathan Law student recently promoted self-love in a very unique way.

On May 20, Jonathan Law junior Sara Moshirzadeh threw her 17th birthday party along with some of her closest friends.  However, the theme truly set the party apart from any other birthday party.  The party was entirely Sara-themed.

“Initially, I wanted to have a bouncy house in my backyard for my birthday party, but for the past few years there’s always been rain on the day of my birthday party and I didn’t want to take any chances. Also, it was pretty hard to find the right size bouncy house for 20 high schoolers. I had to think about what I wanted the party to be centered around,” Moshirzadeh said.  After a while I realized that this whole year I’ve had a running joke about how amazing I am, and I decided to take those jokes a step further and make it a me-themed party and the ‘I Love Sara’ shirts to get other people to take part in the joke.”

Sara’s party consisted of ribbon with pictures of herself on it, a paper doll chain of Sara’s, a bunch of pictures of herself on a cork-board above her fireplace, and a five foot cut out of herself. The party also consisted of Sara-themed games such as trivia and a dress like Sara competition.Her party also consisted of a cake that said “Happy Birthday Queen” and a stick figure drawing of herself.

Sara’s friends were incredibly excited about the theme and party.

“It was great and definitely a representation of self-love,” senior Chris Lambiase said. “I really love the positivity she has for herself.”

At the party, some of Sara’s friends were given a shirt that said “I Love Sara” on it as a prize for winning the dress as Sara competition.

“I was so excited to spend time with friends especially Sara and appreciate all the laughs that she’s given me.  It was actually an amazing time,” junior Helen Chizmazia said.

After the party, the “I Love Sara” shirts were in high demand. Sara ended up deciding to make more and a friend suggested wearing them all to school that following Tuesday.  So many friends wanted the shirt that not everyone was able to get it.

“I wanted a shirt to match with all my fellow Sara fans.  Not getting it made me feel disappointed because I thought Sara would treat her fans better,” junior Toni Cepalia said.

Though some friends (such as myself) didn’t get a shirt, overall, the experience was just really fun for all involved and created lots of laughs between friends.

“I feel like throwing a birthday party is kind of like having a ‘you’-themed party,'” Moshirzadeh said. “I just decided to embrace that fact and have some fun with it. My friends know me well enough to know that this was on brand.”

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Jaden Archuleta About The Golf Season

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(Photo courtesy @JLHSAthletics)

By Bobby Black – Sports Editor

Junior Jaden Archuleta is a member of the Jonathan Law golf team. He recently shot a 79 in the State Tournament – the first Law golfer to break 80 in school history. Advocate Sports Editor Bobby Black interviewed Archuleta about the season.

Bobby Black: What was your favorite moment of the golf season?

Jaden Archuleta: My favorite moment of the golf season was the day of states and waking up early knowing that I would play golf all day. 

BB: What goals did you accomplish this season?

JA: Goals I accomplished this year was averaging a 40 or lower and being able to be more consistent on the golf course this season.

BB: What goals are you going to set for next season?

JA: The goals I am setting for next year is going All-SCC and All-State and breaking the school record for lowest score in nine holes.

BB: How has the team been able to build chemistry this season?

JA: The team has been able to build chemistry by understanding one another’s play style  and being able to help one another out. 

BB: How have you improved your game this season?

JA: I have improved a lot on my long game and my iron play and overall consistency. 

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Law Drama Club President Sofia Mazzella On Her Senior Internship

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(Photo courtesy dtcab.com)

By Reilly Hungerford – Entertainment Editor

Many Jonathan Law seniors recently completed their internships and Drama Club President Sofia Mazzella is no exception. Entertainment Editor Reilly Hungerford interviewed Mazzella about her internship at the Bridgeport Cabaret.

Reilly Hungerford: What was the subject of your intership?

Sofia Mazzella: My lovely internship is at the Downtown Cabaret Theater in Bridgeport Connecticut. The downtown cabaret, theater horse, Broadway, musicals, as well as children’s musicals, and other fun events that are theater related. It’s truly is a great place to go with your family to watch a professional show and hang out.

RH: What did you do on a daily basis on your internship?

SM: At my internship, I mainly observe the interactions that the actors have with the directors during rehearsal. I also get to work hands-on with the director to help give the actors notes at the end of their run-through rehearsals! I also discuss the plan for the day with the stage manager, Director, and choreographer.

RH: Did you enjoy your internship?

SM: I adored my internship. After working in a high school theater setting for the past four years, being able to observe in a more professional setting is absolutely fascinating to me. I love being able to see a professional show come together, and see how the actors adapt into their character. it truly makes me so excited for my future theater career. 

RH: What were some of the favorite things about your internship?

SM: One of my favorite things about my internship is the fact that I get to see how a show comes together from the outside. My whole life, I’ve been on the inside, helping the show come together, and being part of the show. But, being able to sit back and watch all the pieces get put together is something that has been very fun for me! I also love the fact that everybody there is kind and respectful to me. I’ve also loved getting to know the actors and their true personalities. Not to mention that the location of the internship is in the city. The city of Bridgeport is beautiful at night time, so I love seeing that.

RH: Would you recommend other seniors interning there?

SM: For anyone who is interested in a theater related career, I would 100% recommend interning here. I definitely feel it is one of the many great theaters in Connecticut that hosts fun and exciting shows that are affordable to go and watch. Being able to go behind the scenes and see how everything comes together is definitely a skill that any theater professional would be lucky to have, and get exposed to at a young age. 

5 QUESTIONS WITH…President Gemard Guery About The BSU’s Donation Drive

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(Photo courtesy bethelmilford.org)

By Kruthi Nandam – Staff Reporter

This year, the Black Student Union started a donation drive for the Beth-El Center in Milford. They are accepted personal hygiene products, sponges, rubber gloves, dish detergent, and more. Advocate Staff Reporter Kruthi Nandam interviewed BSU President Germard Guery about the drive. 

Kruthi Nandam: Has the Black Student Union done something like this before?

Germard Guery: No, we haven’t done something like this before.  This is the first year of the Black Student Union, but we knew we wanted to do some sort of service project.

KN:  Do you have any long-term goals for this donation drive? 

GG: Our long-term goal is to continue to support them over the course of the coming school year.

KN: Has BSU done something for this center before? If so what?

GG: We haven’t really done anything to support the center prior to this drive.

KN: Why do you want to support this center?

GG: We wanted to support a local shelter that helps the community and felt the Beth-El shelter was just a great option.  We realized our school does a lot of food and toy drives to support the center, but not nearly as much in terms of hygiene and cleaning products so that was our thought process behind the drive.

KN: Is BSU going to support the center in the future? 

GG: BSU does plan on supporting this center in the future. We plan on continuing the drive early next year as well.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Senior Shane Pritchard About The Outdoor Track Season

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(Photo courtesy yearbookavenue.com)

By Asim Medina – Staff Reporter

Senior Shane Pritchard is a captain of the Law outdoor track team. Advocate Staff Reporter Asim Medina interviewed Pritchard about the spring season.

Asim Medina: How do you feel about this season?

Shane Pritchard: Everyone accomplished something and everyone had goals for themselves and they achieved them by working hard.

AM: What do you do before a meet to get ready?

SP: I listen to music to get me ready, but when we arrive I take my headphones off to listen to my mind and body. Most importantly, I stretch with the team and get my body warm.

AM: What is your role as a captain?

SP: As a captain, I make sure that if my teammates need help with something, whether it’s practice or school-related, I help out. After every meet or even sometimes practice some of us will go out to eat and chat.

AM: What is one thing you could change about this season?

SP: One thing I could change about this season is definitely when I got injured because it not only impacted me but also my teammates.

AM: Compare last season to this season.

SP: This season compared to last season was definitely different because of the seniors we lost last year but that didn’t stop anything. This season, everyone got closer and helped out each other and cheered for one another when running our events.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Senior Devin Calvin About His Internship As An Audio Engineer

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(Photo courtesy Devin Calvin)

By Will Smith – Entertainment Editor

Senior Devin Calvin is part of Law’s senior internship program. Advocate Entertainment Editor Will Smith interviewed him about his experience. 

William Smith: Where did you intern?

Devin Calvin: I interned with my dad for live sports broadcasting companies such as FOX Sports, SNY, and YES.

WS: What did you do there?

DC: I assisted my dad with tracking cuts of audio and controlling audio levels for live TV for sports games such as the Mets, Westminster Dog Show, and the Connecticut Suns.

WS: How has your internship experience been?

DC: It’s been very fun. I was finally able to experience what my dad does for a living and understand the pressure of working for live TV arhat thousands of people are watching.

WS: What was the best part about your internship?

DC: I think the best part of the internship was spending some time with my dad and his coworkers.

WS: Did anything surprise you during your internship?

DC: It was very funny hearing what producers and directors would say about the event behind the scenes.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Mr. Drew About His Role As Law’s New Athletic Director

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(Photo courtesy ctinsider.com)

By Aryan Sikhinam – Staff Reporter

Tom Drew was recently selected to become the next Athletic Director at Jonathan Law, replacing VJ Sarullo, who became the Athletic Director at Staples High School. Advocate Staff Reporter Aryan Sikhinam interviewed Drew on becoming the new AD.

Aryan Sikhinam: What did you do before becoming the new AD at Jonathan Law?

Mr. Drew: I have been coaching at the high school level for the past 15 years, and during that time I have coached lacrosse, football, track and field, wrestling, Unified Sports, and basketball to name a few. I have coached in a few different districts – Madison, Clinton, Guilford, and Milford both at Law and Foran. I have been a Special Education teacher during this time and have enjoyed working with all types of students and athletes both in competition and in the classroom.

AS: How did it feel to be named the new AD of Jonathan Law?

MD: I am thrilled to begin this next chapter of my life at Jonathan Law as the AD. Athletics has been such a major part of my life, in large part I am who I am today because of the values instilled in me by some of the great coaches I have had over the years. I am excited to have the same kind of impact with the Jonathan Law community.

AS: As the new AD, what are you most excited for?

MD: Creating connections with the student athletes at Law and helping them achieve both their short term and long term goals as a student athlete.

AS: What made you want to become the new AD?

MD: I have a strong passion for athletics. I am excited to have the opportunity to impact as many kids as I can in this new role. The path to success in sports like life is a bumpy one, filled with ups and downs, athletics is a great tool to teach us about how to deal with successes and failures.   am excited to work with all of the student athletes during their academic and athletic careers at Jonathan Law.

AS: What changes can students expect in athletics in the upcoming years?

MD: I want all of the student athletes at Jonathan Law to believe that they are the gold standard in athletics within the state of Connecticut. Athletes at Jonathan Law will possess GRIT where no matter what the result we will have resolve and carry ourselves with class and character.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Captain Jack Bretthauer About Outdoor Track Season

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(Photo courtesy yearbookavenue.com)

By Cesar Mendez – Staff Reporter

Jack Bretthauer is a junior captain of the boys outdoor track team. Advocate Staff Reporter Cesar Mendez interviewed Bretthauer about the spring season.

Cesar Mendez: How did the season go for you?

Jack Bretthauer: This season has gone very well so far. We have a lot of kids PR and some made States and Sectionals.

CM: How do you feel you improved from last season?

JB: I improved this season a lot on not only my racing, but my knowledge of the sport. Because of this I am able to help kids have better for,, better starts, and better race knowledge

CM: What were some goals you set for yourself and did you achieve them?

JB: A couple of goals I set this season was states in all my events (100M, 200M and 400M) which I did achieve. I also wanted to go to Nationals for 4×100 which I have also been able to achieve with the help of my teammates. My last goal I wanted was to medal at SCCs and I was able to medal in the 4×100 (5th) and the 400M (4th).

CM: What are your goals for next season?

JB: The goals for next season are to beat the 100M and 200M school record and take a shot at the 400M record. I also want to make Nationals in an individual event. Lastly, I want to be a Top 10 decathlon athlete.

CM: What were your best times this season for all your events?

JB: The times for all my events were 11.3 in the 100M, 23.04 for the 200M, and a 51.9 in the 400M.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Freshman Aryan Sikhinam About Winning Class Of 2026 Vice President Election

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(Photo courtesy Aryan Sikhinam)

By Jack Bretthauer – Staff Reporter

Aryan Sikhinam is a current freshman at Jonathan Law. He recently was voted to be the vice president of the Class of 2025. Advocate Staff Reporter Jack Bretthauer interviewed Sikhinam about the recent election.

Jack Bretthauer: Why did you want to run for vice president?

Aryan Sikhinam: I wanted to run for vice president because I saw that this year’s council didn’t do much for our class, and I wanted to change that, and create better and more successful fundraisers. I wanted to give our class the best sophomore year possible

JB: What was your campaign strategy?

AS: To put your name everywhere, create massive posters and billboards, and tell every single person you know that you’re running, as well as create eye-catching and funny posters

JB:What are your plans for the year?

AS: My plans are to create fundraisers for the Ring Dance, which can get us a lot of money.

Jb: Why did you decide to run again this year?

AS: I decided to run because I knew that I could win against my competitors. I lost my race for treasurer last year, so I learned from my mistakes that I made last year, to make sure that I’d win.

JB: What makes you a good vice president?

AS: I’m a responsible student, and have good grades, as well as good work ethic, so I feel these qualities make me a good candidate for the vice president role.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Talia Salanto About The State Softball Playoffs

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(Photo courtesy Talia Salanto)

By Lana Hanania – News Editor

Junior Talia Salanto is a member of the Jonathan Law softball team. The Lawmen play Bristol Central in the semifinals of the Class L State Tournament on June 5 at West Haven High School at 7:00. Advocate News Editor Lana Hanania interviewed Salanto about the team’s season.

Lana Hanania: What are you focusing on the most as the state tournament goes on?

Talia Salanto: I think I need to work on how I contribute to mentally preparing my team for postseason games because it’s easy to make mistakes in stressful games like these, we all know when we lose we’re done and that’s a big deal for our team. 

LH: What has been your proudest moment this season?

TS: My proudest moment this season has been how the team has overall become really close and have adjusted to everything that has been thrown at us. We started off a little quiet and we have become a team and not just a bunch of individuals playing on a team.

LH: How do you want to end the season? 

TS: I want to end the season being satisfied. Whether that is winning the state championship or coming up short but knowing we did everything we could to put ourselves in a position to succeed.

LH: What is your role as a team leader?

TS: I help my team by being a leader and pushing them all to never work at  anything less than 110%. I also do all of their eye black because they can’t do it themselves.

LH: Overall what does your team need to continue to work on? 

TS:  We are in the part of our season where we are no longer working on certain things and that we are now preparing for games. I don’t think there’s anything that needs to be worked on as a team.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Sophomore Dean O’Donnell About The Boys Tennis Season

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(Photo courtesy yearbookavenue.com)

By Aryan Sikhinam – Staff Reporter

The tennis team just wrapped up their spring season with a record of 7-13. Sophomore Dean O’Donnell was a key singles player for the team this year. Advocate Staff Reporter Aryan Sikhinam interviewed O’Donnell about his season. 

Aryan Sikhinam: What position do you play?

Dean O’Donnell: I played singles 2.

AS: How do you feel you did this season?

DO: I feel I did pretty good this season and was happy with my personal record and our record as a team.

AS: Was there anywhere you think you could improve?

DO: I think I could have been a better teammates and when they needed it helped them on their game.

AS: How have you improved since when you joined the team?

DO: I have improved a lot since I joined the team as a freshman last year.

AS: What was the best part of being on the team?

DO: The best part of being on the team was the away matches because it grew all of us closer as a team. 

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Senior Captain Rishabh Nair About The Boys Tennis Season

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(Photo courtesy yearbookavenue.com)

By Maddy Gaillard – Entertainment Editor 

Rishabh Nair is the senior captain of the Jonathan Law boys tennis team. Entertainment Editor Maddy Gaillard interviewed him about the past season. 

Maddy Gaillard: How do you think the tennis season went?

Rishabh Nair: Although we didn’t meet our preseason expectations at qualifying for states, it was one of the most memorable seasons I’ve had at Law and I’ve learned a lot as not only a captain but also a player.

MG: What was your favorite moment of the season? 

RN: There have many memorable parts of this season but if I had to pick one it would be our match against Abbott Tech. The match score was tied 3-3 and it came down to the last court where our Doubles 1 team fought and won, 9-7, and with that we won the entire match, 4-3. Supporting and cheering on my teammates in that final game is what made this match so special to me.

MG: What were you most looking forward to at the start of the season? 

RN: I was most looking forward to getting some wins and working with the new players on the team to help them improve.

MG: As a senior, what advice would you give to people who wish to start tennis? 

RN: I only started playing tennis during my sophomore year but I was able to improve significantly in 2 years. So my advice to new players is to consistently practice, stay patient, and most importantly enjoy the process of learning and improving.

MG: What do you think you will miss the most about your tennis career at Law? 

RN: I’ll definitely miss the memories I’ve made the past three years, the close relationships that I’ve had the pleasure of making, and my two amazing coaches that I’ve had during my career at Law. 

SPORTS: Law Boys Track Team Finishes Another Successful Spring Season

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(Photo courtesy @JLHSTrack)

By Hannah Engel – Staff Reporter 

The Jonathan Law boys outdoor track team season is coming to a successful end. 

This season, athletes from Law have been setting multiple personal records as well as qualifying for states in several events. 

JT Nelly, Gabe Garnett, Jack Bretthauer, and Shane Pritchard qualified for New Balance Nationals in the 4×100  This will take place on June 15 in Philadelphia. 

Athletes have a large variety of events they can compete in such as sprints, long distance, long and high jump, pole vault and more. 

Head coach Beler had goals set for the whole team this season. 

“The goal of every track team is to win a division and state championship,” Beler said. “The goal for every athlete is to win every day, which means the goal is to get a personal record every meet.” 

The team has also set individual goals to achieve throughout the season. 

“One of my goals was to see my mile time get better,” senior Jake Ackley said. “But my overall goal throughout the season was to break five minutes on my mile.” 

Many captains have been able to see growth and improvement in younger athletes. 

“We have promising underclassmen getting better and better throughout the season,” Nelly said. “I am excited to see what the future of this team will look like.”

Garnett shared his favorite part of track. 

“My favorite part about track is definitely running and winning of course,” Garnett said. “But what leaves the biggest impact on me is the friends I have gained from the sport and the memories I have made with all of them.”

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Goalie Aiden Stassun About Breaking The School Saves Record

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(Photo courtesy Aiden Stassun)

By Zack Sulkis – Social Media Editor

Junior Aiden Stassun is the starting goalie for the Jonathan Law boys lacrosse team, and he recently broke the school record for most saves in a single game. Social Media Editor Zack Sulkis interviewed him about his successes this season.

Zack Sulkis: What is your biggest take away from the boys lacrosse season?

Aiden Stassun: My biggest takeaway from this season was teamwork. Our team worked best when we worked together.

ZS: What were the records you broke this year?

AS: I broke the record for most saves in a single game with 24.

ZS: How is the game different playing goalie instead of a position like attack or defense?

AS: The biggest differences between goalie and other positions like attack or defense is you need good reaction time. You also need to be good with the mental aspect of the game.

ZS: How did you get into Lacrosse?

AS: I got into lacrosse because of my friends. They convinced me to play.

ZS: What are your goals for next season?

AS: My goal is to break even more records and to have a save percentage higher than 55%.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Lexi Borecki About Breaking The School Pole Vault Record

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(Photo courtesy yearbookavenue.com)

By Kayla Markowitz – Staff Reporter  

Lexi Borecki is a junior member of the outdoor track team and recently broke a school record for pole vault. Advocate staff reporter Kayla Markowitz interviewed Borecki about the recent accomplishment and the outdoor track season.

Kayla Markowitz: How did you along with the rest of the team improve over the season? 

Lexi Borecki: The whole pole vaulting team improved so much this season! We have had so many PRs and we all have learned so much!

KM: How did you feel about breaking a school record? 

LB: When I broke the girls’ record I was so excited!. I worked all season getting better with the little details that I knew would help me reach my goal and It was so awesome to see all my hard work pay off.

KM: How have you grown since freshman year?

LB: Since freshman year I have learned that patience and confidence play a big role in this sport and that I am not going to just improve overnight. I also have a better understanding of how specific this sport is and I have learned how to adjust my workouts to help me reach my goals.

KM: How did SCCs go?

LB: SCCs went really well for me. I placed second and I made the All-SCC Second Team.

KM: What are you hoping to accomplish next season? 

LB: Next season I really hope to continue improving with the little things that I wasn’t able to fix this year. I also hope that by the indoor season next year, I will clear 10 feet and higher.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Math Teacher Mr. Walsh About Leaving Law, Moving To Georgia

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(Photo courtesy Quinn Willett)

By Quinn Willett – Staff Reporter

Mr. Walsh is a math teacher at Jonathan Law. He has worked at Jonathan Law for five years, but this is his last year at Law as he is moving to Georgia this summer. Advocate Staff Reporter Quinn Willett interviewed Walsh about his years at Law. 

Quinn Willett: What made you decide to become a math teacher?

Mr. Walsh: Before I was a teacher I worked an office job in market research. I did not like sitting at a desk all day and answering emails. I like being on my feet and discussing ideas with students much more.

QW: What do you like most about teaching math?

MW: Mathematics serves as the basis for so much of the world around us. Without mathematics you wouldn’t have GPS, ChatGPT, encryption, and many other features of life in the 21st century. Some students obviously don’t love math or don’t have a special gift for it. Math class can still serve as a place to learn perseverance and determination — it is not easy to learn those things if you are just taking easy classes that you enjoy. I also tell students that we need to offer it to everyone since we can’t know in advance who will love it and who won’t. It’s the only fair and equitable way to find people that might be interested in math related careers.

QW: What went into your decision to leave Jonathan Law?

MW: My wife got a job as a professor of Anthropology at Georgia College. She works in a very specialized field and if you can get a job as a professor with tenure you really can’t pass it up. Also her family lives down there so I will have my in-laws nearby.

QW: Where are you teaching next?

MW: I don’t know my classes for next year yet but it would be high school math of course.

QW: What will you miss most about teaching at Law?

MW: My colleagues! I will also miss the students but the thing about that is they all cycle out after 4 years anyways. Some of my fellow teachers have become close friends. 

NEWS: Law’s Natural Helpers Host 2023 De-Stress Fest

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(Photo courtesy @jlhshelpers)

By Zachary Santarcangelo – Staff Reporter 

The Natural Helpers Club will be holding a De-Stress Fest on June 1 at Jonathan Law to help students relax before final exams with a variety of activities.

The club will have many activities for students to participate in along with opportunities to relax. The activities will be available in Rooms 185, 187, and 193 in the freshmen wing. There is also basketball in the new gym along with the petting zoo in the student parking lot.

The festivities will start at 2:15 p.m. and will end at 3:30 p.m.

“There will be many different ‘rooms’ that students can check out,” advisor Ms. Smuniewski said. “Including the ‘cozy room’ with movies, games, and snacks, the “arts and crafts room” with friendship bracelet making and rock painting.”

This is just the start, though. There are even more activities for students to enjoy. These activities include an ice cream truck, a petting zoo, a karaoke room, and basketball in the gym. 

“There will be a ‘karaoke room’ where students can sing their favorite songs,” Smuniewski said. “There will also be basketball and other games in the new gym, and an ice cream truck and petting zoo in the student parking lot.”

The De-Stress Fest was started as a way to help students come together and make new friends. The De-Stress Fest also gives students the opportunity to calm down before final exams. 

“We thought that having a big event with a variety of fun activities would be something students would appreciate to help them ‘de-stress’ before final exams,” Smuniewski said.

The De-Stress Fest was also started to give students many different methods of relaxation that can fit their own personal preferences. The event will have an activity for everyone to do in order to relieve their stress.

“The variety of activities we have planned allows students to pick whichever method of relaxation best suits them,” Smuniewski said. “Whether it’s games, crafts, ice cream, animals, or all of the above, there’s something to help everyone unwind a bit as they begin to prepare for exams.” 

SPORTS: Girls Track Crosses Finish Line On Successful Spring Season

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(Photo courtesy @JLHSTrack)

By Aryan Sikhinam – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law’s girls track team wrapped up an amazing spring season on May 18, with 23 girls qualifying to compete in the SCC Championships.

Several members of the team set personal bests at the SCC meet.

“The girls track team did very well this year, both individually and collectively,” track coach Ms. Corriveau said. ”I’m especially impressed by the many underclassmen who continue to show incredible amounts of dedication and focus as we head off to states on June 1st.”

Team members are proud of their achievements this season. Junior girls track captain Claire Moulton was excited to make SCCs.

“I was very excited and happy that I was able to qualify,” Moulton said. “I was also very proud of the relay team that I qualified with.”

The girls faced many challenges this season, including the rainy weather to start the spring.

“In the beginning of the season the weather was very cold and rainy,” senior captain Elly van Waveren said. “It was hard to get good consistent workouts outside.”

Many freshmen joined the girls track team this year and had very successful seasons.

Freshman Charlotte Baldieri, freshman Molly Croce, junior Hailey Russo and freshman Andrea Crump, ran the 4×100 relay and broke their own personal record with a time of 51.7 seconds.

“I ran the 4×100 relay, and the 100 open,” Baldieri said. “I feel like I saw myself and everyone around me really improve and I think my freshman year set me up really good for my next three years in track.”

The team broke one school record this season – junior Lexi Borecki in the pole vault – and nearly every athlete earned a personal record in at least one event. 

“This track season I ran the 300M hurdles and the 4×400 relay,” freshman Layla Alogna said. “I was able to try out a bunch of different events and find the one that fits best for me”

The team feels they improved greatly, both boys and girls. They feel closer both as friends and as a team. 

“Our team has greatly improved throughout the season,” junior captain Caden Simpson said. “With our boys 4×100 going to Nationals, I would say my teammates have definitely learned to work with each other and support one another.”

SPORTS: Young Jonathan Law Boys Tennis Team Finishes Season Strong

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(Photo courtesy @JLHSBoysTennis)

By Chloe Konareski – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law boys tennis team recently finished the regular season with a 7-13 record. 

The team has gone through a rebuilding season loosing many seniors and getting a brand new coach. 

“We finished the season 7-13 and missed out on states by one win,” Wood said. “Our goal was to qualify for the state tournament and we fell short with a loss against Wilbur Cross 4-3. It came down to the wire. We put ourselves in a position to make it after playing a very challenging schedule.”

The team met their goals and persevered throughout all their matches.

“We met our goals because of the way we left it all on the court,” Wood said. “Junior Jon Uruchida was playing in the final match and was cramping up in that final set against Cross and gritted it out. It was a good first season and we hope to build upon what we did for next year.”

Senior captain Rishabh Nair said he enjoyed is final season on the tennis team. He is the team’s lone senior this season.

“As a captain, although I did help my teammates improve overall during practices, I do wish that I could have spent more time with individual players, especially the newer players, to help improve their game,” Nair said.

Nair was the team’s #1 singles player this season and sophomore Dean O’Donnell played #2 singles.

The team improved day by day after every match and practice learning more about each other’s playing styles.

“By the end of the season we had gotten more practice and me and my doubles partner had learned to communicate better as well which makes a huge difference at the end of the day’, junior Arshaq Ahmed said.

SPORTS: Law Girls Lacrosse Team Finishes Off Spring Season

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(Photo courtesy yaerbookavenue.com)

By Harshitha Kothapalli – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law’s girls lacrosse team finished their season with a record of 3-13.

The girls started off the season with a new coach and many new players and tried to adjust to the changes. 

“It was difficult having a brand new coach two weeks before the season started and a lot of new girls to the sport but it was a learning experience for all of us,” sophomore Chloe Konareski said. 

However, the team tried to make the best of the situation and managed to accomplish many things still.

“Our team won 2 home games and 3 games overall,” Konareski said. “Our team also accomplished getting our coach, Kevin Wielk, his first win as a coach at Jonathan Law.”

The team made many memories over the season and made the season enjoyable for the seniors.

“My favorite memory of lacrosse has been this season’s game against North Haven,” senior Maya Rosado said. “It was our first win of the season and I scored 5 goals.”

The team continued to persevere grow throughout the season and they are excited for next year.

“We had some tough games this year, but our record doesn’t reflect the hard work these girls put forth in practice every day,” assistant coach Maci Mursko said. “At any level of sports, the concept of improvement is a continuous cycle.”

The returning members tried their best to help the new players transition smoothly.

“I really focused on supporting the girls who had just started lacrosse this year and just being there for teammates,” junior Helen Chizmazia. “I really enjoyed getting to build new friendships and making the best out of games or practices.”

This season also allowed players to personally grow and improve.

“I ended the season with 91 goals for my entirety of last year and this year’s season as a sophomore,” Konareski said. “My goals are to play at the next level which starts with high school and club season but I think that our new coach helped me improve and start to reach my future goals.”

Junior Zoe Johnson also hit a milestone this season and aims to continue to work hard.

“I think I personally improved significantly as I had gotten 100 goals this past season and was able to come back to the sport after I had an injury,” Johnson said.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Sophomore Addy Barber About Her New Role As Key Club Lieutenant Governor

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(Photo courtesy Caroline Doyle)

By Hannah Engel – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law sophomore Addy Barber is the new Key Club Lieutenant Governor for District 20. Advocate Staff Reporter Hannah Engel interviewed Barber about her new role.

Hannah Engel: What is your role as Lieutenant Governor?

Addy Barber: As LTG, I communicate between 10 different clubs in our division and I make sure they are doing everything they need to do and communicate with the district board. I also send out monthly newsletters, attend board training, and send in monthly reports on all the clubs.

HE: What are your goals as LTG?

AB: My two main goals are to open a new Kiwanis Family Club and to hold a Division-wide service project. 

HE: Where are the trainings? What do you do at the trainings? 

AB: This weekend I was at a board training in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, and the next ones are in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. We did board bonding activities and a lot of information on goal setting, service projects, and how a board meeting runs.

HE: How did you become LTG?

AB: To run for LTG I had to write a speech and give it over Google Meet with the Area Advisor, past LTG, and (Law senior) Caroline Doyle, who is Immediate Past District Governor. Then at DECON me and the other LTGs had a two hour training session on what we have to do.

HE: What service projects do you have planned so far?

AB: This weekend me and three other LTGs started working on a fundraiser for the Thirst Project, which is a non-profit organization that aims to bring safe drinking water to communities around the world where it is not immediately available. 

NEWS: Jonathan Law Honors Senior Athletes At Annual Sports Banquet

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(Photo courtesy @JLHSBoosterClub)

By Jack Bretthauer – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law hosted the annual Senior Sports Awards banquet on May 17 at Great River Country Club.

The ceremony, which was hosted by Interim Athletic Director Mr. Ragaini, featured many awards including: the Ironman Award (four years of all varsity sports), the Lawman Award (12-season athletes), Male Athlete of the Senior Class, Female Athlete of the Senior Class, the Sportsmanship Award, and the Jonathan Law Booster Club scholarships.

Senior Paige Jolley was the recipient of the Female Athlete of the Senior Class Award.

“I was surprised because I decided not to play basketball my senior year so winning that award didn’t even cross my mind,” Jolley said.

Senior John Neider won the Male Athlete of the Senior Class Award.

“I was very excited to win the award,” Neider said. “It was a big honor and I was very happy that I was selected to win it.”

The Sportsmanship Award went to senior Macie Rascoll.

“I was filled with overwhelming joy and excitement after hearing my name to win such an amazing award,” Rascoll said. “It was so awesome to hear such nice things being said about me. It really meant a lot.”

Some of the biggest awards of the night were the $750 Jonathan Law Booster Slub scholarships which were won by Rishabh Nair, Liam Fedigan, Rascoll, Nicolina Salanto, and Demi Carrapico.

“It was a true honor to receive one of the five JLHS Booster Club scholarships,” Nair said. “It was a surreal moment, and I’m incredibly grateful to Coach Maxwell for writing my recommendation, as well as to the Booster Club for taking the time to read my essay and selecting me.”

The five scholarships were the most ever handed out by the Booster Club.

“I want to extend my gratitude to the Booster Club and all that they do to make scholarships possible,” Fedigan said. “I was thrilled when I heard my name announced as a recipient of this wonderful award. I am so deeply honored and appreciative of the Booster Clubs support on my behalf.”

ENTERTAINMENT: “The Summer I Turned Pretty” A Perfect Book To Kick Off Summer.

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(Photo courtesy amazon.com)

By Alana Pires – Staff Reporter

“The Summer I Turned Pretty” is a book written by Jenny Han that is a part of a three-book series and is about a girl named Isabel Conklin, who is nicknamed Belly, and her summer in a town named Cousins.

The book starts off with Belly first arriving at Cousins, the town that she goes to every year to spend her summers with the Fischer family, and stay at their home. Belly loves summer, and only lives during the months of June, July, and August, where she gets to spend time with the people she loves.

Susannah Fischer is the woman in the Fischer family, and is a mom to two sons Jeremiah and Conrad, who is best friend’s with Belly’s mom Laurel, who is also a mom to Belly’s brother Steven. Susannah and Laurel have been best friends since forever, and Belly has visited the summer house ever since she was little. Both families have had a hard past few months, with Susannah previously battling cancer, and Laurel being recently divorced with Belly and Steven’s father. 

Belly is 15 in the summer, and is happy to be back at the place where she loves to spend her summers. She is mostly happy to see Conrad however, the oldest Fischer boy, who she has had a crush on for years. She had always tried to grab his attention ever since they were little but Conrad had always thought of her as no more than a little sister.

But this summer Belly has changed since the last time the boys have seen her, physically and personality wise. Conrad is one to notice anything, and this summer he’s noticing Belly. But Conrad isn’t the only boy who notices Belly, Jeremiah does too, which leaves Belly even more confused with her emotions.

But Conrad is different this summer, Belly notices, since he has quit football, broke up with his previous girlfriend, and even smokes now, she can’t seem to think why he is acting differently. This leaves Belly with trying to forget about Conrad, and focusing on other people, like Jeremiah. 

Confused about her new and old feelings for the brothers, Belly struggles with a major decision to make, whether she should pick Conrad or Jeremiah? To complicate things even more for Belly, a major family secret emerges that causes new emotions and explains what is so unusual about this summer, and would change the two families forever.

Some strong points in this book would definitely be character development, and plot twists throughout the story. Over the course of the book you can see how Belly grows into maturity, along with how she interacts with the rest of the characters and grows to be more confident in herself. Conrad’s character developed throughout the story emotionally and his character was opened up to readers more. Overall, this book was really good and is a perfect read for summer. 

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Law Art Teacher Mrs. Murphy About Ceramics & Pottery Class

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(Photo courtesy youtube.com)

By Kennedy Silvester – Staff Reporter

Mrs. Murphy is an art teacher at Jonathan Law and has taught Ceramics and Pottery for 30 years. Advocate Staff Reporter Kennedy Silvester interviewed Murphy about the class.

Kennedy Silvester: What are you currently teaching students in Ceramics and Pottery?

Mrs. Murphy: We are currently giving students the option to make a fairy house or a bird house in Ceramics and Pottery. 

KS: Why did you choose to teach Ceramics and Pottery?

MM: Ceramics and Pottery because it’s her favorite course to teach. I love seeing my students take a piece of clay from the Earth and create masterpieces.

KS: What is your favorite project that you have taught this year?

MM: My favorite project is probably the coil and design base because students roll coils and transform them into design elements to build functional vases.

KS: Describe your classroom management structure.

MM: My students work independently on their projects and are so focused every single day. They manage studio routines all on their own. 

KS: What’s your favorite part about the class? 

MM: I just love teaching any form of art to high school students. They amaze mw every single day with their creativity and work ethic. 

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Senior Samatha Burns On Her Internship At Prolete

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(Photo courtesy Samantha Burns)

By Harshitha Kothapalli – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law seniors have started to wind down their high school careers by transitioning into internships. Senior Samantha Burns has been interning at a Physical Therapy Clinic in Milford. Advocate Staff Reporter Harshitha Kothapalli interviewed Burns on her work there.

Harshitha Kothapalli: Where are you interning?

Samantha Burns: I am interning at Prolete Physical Therapy 

HK: How is your experience working there?

SB: My experience working there has been great so far. Everyone is very nice and welcoming. I am also able to observe and be hands-on with patients. I have learned a lot already in just my first few days. 

HK: What’s your everyday agenda normally look like?

SB: My everyday schedule is usually 7:30-12:30. I am in the gym with the physics therapist and I get to watch them all treat their patients. I was shown all the equipment and taught what it is all used for. I get to chat with patients and am there to help therapists when they need it. 

HK: What’s your favorite part of your internship?

SB: My favorite part of my internship is getting to learn how PTs treat certain injuries. 

HK: How will this internship help you in the future?

SB: This internship will help me in the future because I am getting a lot of real-world experiences. I am more comfortable making small talk with patients and coworkers. Also, since I was to be a physical therapist this internship will allow me to experience what a private practice setting will be like. Now before starting college I already have a better understanding of the career I want to go into.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Pitcher Hunter Hoxie About Law Baseball, Pitching At Rutgers

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(Photo courtesy yearbookavenue.com)

By Tanner Matchett – Staff Reporter

Junior pitcher Hunter Hoxie had a successful spring baseball season, earning him All-SCC First Team honors. Hoxie will continue and finish his high school baseball career next year at Law, before pitching at Rutgers University where he has already committed. Advocate Staff Reporter Tanner Matchett interviewed Hoxie about his baseball career. 

Taner Matchett: How do you feel you performed this season?

Hunter Hoxie: This season definitely was a big step up from last season. I pitched about 30 innings with 45 strikeouts and a 1.30 ERA. I definitely have improved as a pitcher and a person in general. A few of the games I could have done a better job being focused and fully locked in. 

TM: What were some of your goals for this season and did you meet them?

HH: My goal for this season was to put my team in the best possible situations to win the games we had with our tough schedule. For the most part I believe I have met this goal, throwing a few games with less than 4 hits allowed. 

TM: How did you feel receiving First Team All-SCC? 

HH: I feel very honored to receive First Team All-SCC, and I definitely could not have done it without my teammates and the defense behind me to back me up.

TM: How excited are you for the next step in your career pitching at Rutgers?

HH: I am extremely excited to step on campus and play at the next level and see what it’s like. It will definitely be a huge step and a big challenge for me. 

TM: How will you prepare for next season?

HH: Going into this off season will mainly be building a lot of strength and putting on more weight and increasing velocity. I hope to come back way better than I was this season, and hopefully have another successful season for my last year as a Lawman. 

SPORTS: Law Golf Team Finishes Final Rounds Of Successful Spring Season

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(Photo courtesy yearbookavenue.com)

By Cesar Mendez – Staff Reporter

Jonathan Law’s golf team just finished its regular season with a record of 7-9.

The team now prepares for their States match on June 6.

“My favorite part of the season was being out there with our kids,” coach and health teacher Mr. Maurutis said. “We have a great group of kids and it was nice to work with them on improving their game.” 

There were a lot of improvements in all aspects of the team’s performance this year, from driving to chipping and putting.

“I improved on my mentality when something doesn’t go my way and being able to have a positive attitude,” junior Jaden Archuleta said. “I also worked on my iron game and it improved a lot to where I added 15 yards to each club in my bag, making it easier to play.”

There were many memorable matches for the golf team this season, including some wins by just a few strokes.

“This years season for me has gone very well, there has been a lot of improvement from last year, ” sophomore PJ Savoie said. “My best match was against Career Magnet where I shot a 40 which is just five over par.”

Even though the team had a solid regular season and are awaiting their States match, there are still things the players want to improve upon.

“I definitely need to improve on putting and getting better at reading the line to the cup, as well as hitting the ball of the tee,” sophomore PJ Pacelli said. “If I can improve on that my score will be significantly better and I can do more to help out the team.”

The team is excited knowing that all members will return next season and they are looking forward to the postseason as well.

“As we come to the end of our season, I will say that our team improved every day and has come a long way from the beginning of tryouts,”  junior Patrick Paules-Harrold said. “I am looking forwarded to seeing how our hard work will pay of in States.”

SPORTS: Young Jonathan Law Boys Lacrosse Team Finishes Season Strong

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(Photo courtesy yearbookavenue.com)

By Quinn Willett – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law boys lacrosse team just finished their season with a record of 3-13.

The Lawmen beat Norwich Tech twice and West Haven once while battling injuries all season. 

“I’m really proud that we finally found our culture,” head coach Mike Ayala said. “Our routines have become concrete, and our expectations of ourselves and each other are also clear. We focused on being tough mentally and physically, being disciplined, and we understand the sacrifices we’re going to need to make in order to be competitive.”

One of the key injuries for the team this season was senior Matt Haggerty. Haggerty suffered a knee injury and had surgery just weeks before the season started.

“My biggest accomplishment of this season so far has been being able to slowly come back from a knee injury without any problems playing on a varsity level,” Haggerty said.

As the season went on, the boys said they grew as a team and a family.

“The boys have such a great bond and are very motivating to each other,” assistant coach Mike Loschiavo said. “Therefore it makes the atmosphere of coaching quite fun.” 

The Lawmen were led all season by senior Connor Chirico, who went Second Team All-SCC and scored his 100th career goal.

“The boys lacrosse program at Law has been great for my four years here,” Chirico said. “My favorite memory was the bus rides with the team.” 

Sophomore Tyler Davis was impressed with the progress the younger members of the team made.

“Our team’s biggest accomplishment this year was overcoming the seniors that we lost this year,” Davis said. “We had some important seniors that helped us win last year and we needed to fill those positions.”

SPORTS: Law Softball Team Completes Dominant Regular Season, Sets Sights On States

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(Photo courtesy @jlawsoftball)

By Tanner Matchett – Staff Reporter

The Jonathan Law softball team finished the regular season with a record of 18-2, qualifying them for the SCC and State tournaments. 

“We had good freshmen come in and fit into the right spots,” senior centerfielder Paige Jolley said. “With our coaching and team bond I never really doubted us.” 

Jolley is one of many seniors, including Nicolina Salanto, Elizabeth Roos, Hailey Oliver, and Macie Rascoll, who have led the team in the right direction and to its success. 

“I just tried to do my part the best I could,” Jolley said. “I try to lead by example so I always kept a good attitude, cheered on my teammates, and always gave 100%.”

The team’s pitching has been one its biggest strengths this season, led by sophomore Mady Bull. Her success came from setting goals and working to accomplish them. 

“The major goal I set for myself this year is to make it to states and also have better control over all my pitches and I believe I’ve accomplished that,” Bull said. 

After losing seniors to graduation, several incoming freshmen stepped up and filled the shoes of the previous seniors. This was a major factor to the team’s accomplishments. 

“The freshmen stepped up and filled in the gaps from the graduating seniors last year,” Bull said. “We all work hard for each other and push each other to get better every game and every practice so at the end of the day we will come out ahead.”

The long-term goal for the team is to come out on top of State tournament. 

“The goals were to win every single game and if not then win the ones that matter the most and win the SCC and States championships,” Bull said.

5 QUESTIONS WITH…Junior Lacrosse Player Zoe Johnson About Scoring Her 100th Goal

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(Photo courtesy Zoe Johnson)

By Kaitlyn Goldberg – News Editor 

Zoe Johnson, a junior on the girls lacrosse team, recently scored her 100th career goal. News Editor Kaitlyn Goldberg interviewed her about her accomplishment. 

Kaitlyn Goldberg: How does it feel knowing you’ve scored 100 goals? 

Zoe Johnson: It feels amazing to have scored 100 goals. I am ecstatic to have achieved this goal of mine in my junior year.

KG: What were you thinking about when you scored your 100th goal? 

ZJ: In the moment, I had not yet realized it was my 100th goal until I heard it announced on the loudspeaker and everyone ran towards me celebrating. I was filled with so much joy and excitement. 

KG: What have you done to prepare for this? 

ZJ: I have been preparing for this by playing all year round and with the help of Coach Kevin and his motivational quote, “One shot at playing high school girls lacrosse.” 

KG: Are there any other goals you have for lacrosse? 

ZJ: Some other goals of mine are to score 250 points by the end of next year.

KG: What is your favorite part about lacrosse? 

ZJ: My favorite thing about being on the lacrosse team is my teammates. 

NEWS: Law Drama Club Thrills Audiences With Performances Of “High School Musical”

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(Photo courtesy @jlawdrama)

By Bobby Black – Sports Editor

The Jonathan Law Drama Club thrilled audiences with its performances of “High School Musical” on May 5-6.

The play was a musical and included many songs, characters, and scenes from the original movie.

“My favorite moments throughout the play were the scenes called ‘We’re All In This Together’ as well as ‘Get Your Head In The Game’ and ‘Status Quo,” sophomore Max Akuffo said.

Some key characters in the play were Troy Bolton, Chad Demforth, Zeke Bailor, and Gabrielle Montez.

“I played Jason Cross who was the best friend of the main character, Troy Bolton, which was a fun and good character to play,” Akuffo said.

There were some challenges in planning and rehearsing for the play but the Drama Club overcame these challenges and performed well.

Several Drama Club members were even for High School Halo Awards for their performances, including Hailey Russo for her role as Sharpay Evans, Faith Santiago as Ryan Evans, Sofia Mazzella as Ms. Darbus, Finn Sclafani as Troy Bolton, and Tim Girandola as Zeke Baylor.

Freshman Eliot Carter said the play’s choreography was the biggest obstacle.

“Some of the biggest challenges were remembering choreography and lines as well as getting to meet the new people in the play,” freshman Eliot Carter said.

Senior Sofia Mazzella said that despite the large crowds in attendance, she was not nervous on stage.

“I tell myself that rather than letting the crowd intimidate me, to let them excite me,” Mazella said. “I let myself feel all the emotions that may be in my mind at the time, including the nerves, because believe it or not, nerves motivate me to do my best. I also seek support from my cast and crew members in which they help calm me down, and basically hype me up, and share the same excitement that I obtain. I make sure I feel confident within my physical appearance to increase my overall confidence about my performance.”

Remembering lines can be the most difficult part of performing a musical, but the cast said they came up with different methods of memorization.

“I usually easily adapt to my lines, and they naturally get implanted into my mind, and when we rehearse every week, my mind is continuing to be trained to memorize them,” Mazzella said. “In my free time, I sometimes rehearse lines with friends, as well as read over them millions of times until I am comfortable. As for techniques, I sometimes focus on the few last words of the line that the other actor may say before my lines. I sorta use that as my cue to remember which line comes when. If it comes to memorizing a monologue, which I had to do multiple times, I really focused on dividing it into pieces, memorizing those pieces, and then allowing it to all flow together.”

Akuffo said the close-knit nature of Drama Club helped the play go smoothly.

“On both days that we performed there were a lot of people in the crowd and the play went smoothly because of our chemistry and we all got along and worked really hard,” Akuffo said. 

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