Centennial Eagles Boys Basketball: Newman's News

As one door closes, another one opens;and the door of Centennial Boy’s Varsity 2011-2012 season is about to swingopen with a bang. This bang begins on Wednesday, December 7^th, 2011when the Atholton Raiders will test their skills against a potent CentennialEagles convocation. This year’s squad, with five returning seniors, will try torepeat the unprecedented success of last years’ regional championship andappearance in the state finals. Centennial’s Head Varsity Coach Chad Hollwedelexpounds that “the plan last year was to win one game at a time and try to dothe best we could do in preparation of each individual opponent, and that’s notgoing to change.” Hollwedel added that the key to success this year will bewhether or not the team can achieve “consistency on the offensive end… tryingto get as many players [as possible] in those double digits.” 

On December 7, 2011, the boy’s varsity basketball team of Atholton High School (AHS) paid a visit to the Eagle’s Nest of Centennial High School in the opening game of the 2011-2012 season. The home court advantage was fully utilized by a sea of red donned in Centennial apparel, pumping the gym with an endless stream of decibels that undoubtedly contributed to the unyielding defensive effort of the Eagles.  This defense sparked an eight point run in the middle of the first quarter, and the CHS lead achieved by the eight unanswered points was never relinquished. The passing of the Eagles escaped outstretched Raider fingertips too many times to count; thus fueling an effective Centennial offensive that gashed Atholton for 62 points within a mere three quarters.  The quick hands of the defense forced a multitude of turnovers that was converted to CHS points the majority of the time. The Atholton floodgates were cracked at the end of the first half, and then swung open in the middle of the third quarter by Keonte Potts and Omari Ringgold, who scored 29 and 23 points respectively. As the game drew to an end the closest the Raiders came to retaking the lead was a nine point deficit with 59 ticks remaining, but it was all for naught as Centennial was victorious, 80-70. Head Centennial Coach Chad Hollwedel was extremely pleased with his team’s performance, explaining that “to be able to get that win against Atholton, who is always a tough team in Howard County, and who I think will be up there in Howard County at the end of the season… I’ll take that.” The end of the Atholton game marks the beginning of a four game “road trip,” that will start with a December 9^th matchup against Reservoir High School. 

Eagles 2-0, Gators Muzzled

On December 9, 2011, the Centennial High School (CHS) Eagles began the first stop of their four game road trip with a win against the Reservoir High School (RHS) Gators. While playing an away game may be seen as a disadvantage for most teams in the county, the Centennial faithful, known as “The Sixth Man,” were out in full force in support of their school. 
The game began as a defensive battle, as both teams locked down the paint and limited one another’s second chances by rebounding well on the defensive side of the ball. Both teams quickly realized this, and began to set up shop at the edge of the arc, meticulously passing the ball in hopes of finding the open shot. The CHS coaching staff hastily repaired any chinks in the armor and the Eagles took advantage of opportunities at the charity stripe to pull ahead by nine as the first quarter ended, 24-15.

CHS began to slowly work their way into a rhythm, slowly increasing their lead. The long, stretching arms of the Eagles seemed to reach even the catacombs of the court, providing an extra deterrent for RHS shots and passes. Needless to say, being able to have open looks at the basket is a necessity, and that was just not possible against this swarming Centennial defense. Junior Joe Eads could not say enough about how well the team works together on defense, explaining that the keys to the defense are “teamwork and trust in each other… we just never give up, and we never let up.” 

The swift hands of the CHS squad that proved to be valuable assets in the opening game of the season proved to be a powerful weapon in the offensive arsenal of the Eagles as they were able to force a plethora of turnovers, which converted into points on the other end of the court.  CHS began to pile up the points onto RHS, extending their lead to 23 at the completion of the half, 49-26.

The rout continued well into the second half, with the score at the end of the third quarter 66-39. 

The epitome of the game occurred in the middle of the final quarter, with a thunderous two-handed slam courtesy of Eads that hushed the home crowd and effectively killed any remaining Reservoir momentum.

Centennial Varsity Head Coach Chad Hollwedel, with his first win as a varsity coach in the RHS gymnasium, elucidated that  “I thought we played more consistent [than last game and] and grew better as a team tonight.”

The destructive duo of Senior Keonte Potts and Junior Omari Ringgold wrecked havoc upon the RHS defense, with 22 and 21 points respectively. Potts exclaimed that “I told Omari [Ringgold] that we have to keep the intensity up, and keep beating teams by 30, 20 points, win games, and try to make it to states.” Ringgold expounded that his goal is to “come out every game, no mercy, bury our opponent[s]… play hard, and let the chips fall where they may.”

Eagles Soar Above the Storm 

On December 16, 2011 the varsity boys basketball team representing the Centennial High School (CHS) Eagles stopped by the gym of the Long Reach High School (LRHS) Lightning. Coming off of a three-game win streak, including a recent victory over a sharp shooting Marriotts Ridge High School, the Eagles looked anything but fallible. After Senior Steven Klima got the ball rolling with a deep trey, Centennial went right to work. In the first quarter, they did what they have been doing best all season, utilizing their elite passing, quick hands, and swarming defense. This formidable defense applied more than enough pressure to force the Long Reach offensive to become futile. The Lightning were finally able to put the sphere in the basket with 2:05 remaining in the first stanza. The quarter ended with LRHS only able to add an additional deuce to their side of the scoreboard and CHS well ahead, 18-4.

Long Reach began to slightly slow the torrential downpour of CHS points to a drizzle as the second quarter continued.  This was due to the early foul trouble that many of the Eagles found themselves in, and the tentative way in which they rebounded. These second and third shots within point-blank range allowed LRHS to stage a bit of a comeback. However, the Centennial defense stayed true and went up by eleven points going into halftime, 32-21.

The Eagles and the Lightning began the third quarter determined, and a hard fought battle ensued. Instilled by controversial refereeing (or lack thereof), and the constant opportunities at the free throw line that ensued, Long Reach chipped away at the Centennial lead only to be suppressed yet again by the end of the third act, 41-33. 

The ceaseless intensity of LRHS allowed them to break the lead down to a mere nine points, but it was to no avail. Centennial’s own tireless efforts proved stronger, and they clinched the win with a 62-49 finish. Centennial’s head coach, Chad Hollwedel, was immensely pleased with various members of his team, such as Ben Goldsmith (among others), who had stepped up to the plate and performed when the team needed it most. Hollwedel expounded that “if we have one player that is not [performing] as well as he normally does, we have many other players waiting to pick that up.”

(Post filed by Steve Doff on behalf of Zack Newman) 

Hoping for lots of holiday cheer against River Hill

Only the second home game of the season, and after a lengthy 4-game road trip, the Eagles returned home to the nest Wednesday night.  Undefeated thus far in the young season, Coach Hollwedel’s troops were certainly glad to feel the home hardwood under their feet and the home fans roaring in the stands. Getting the Eagles off to a good start were Timi Tinuoye, Omari Ringgold and Keonte Potts with a combined 14 points in the first quarter.  The Hawks countered with an impressive opening-stanza performance from 6’1” Senior Forward Evan Richardson, with 8 points. 

Things began heading south for the Hawks moving toward the half.  Heading to the locker rooms the Eagles had a 10-point lead on Matt Graves’ Hawks.

Coming out of the dressing rooms, the Eagles stepped up the intensity and dropped in 22 points in the 3^rd quarter, firmly anchoring their lead at 25 by the end of 3.  It was clear that with only 7 points in the 3^rd, River Hill had its work cut out.  With a late full-team substitution in the 4^th, River Hill knew that the Eagles’ lead was insurmountable, only scoring another 10 points in the final stanza, ultimately, not enough against the Eagles’ impressive 19-point 4^th quarter. 

With good defensive support from everyone, as well as a more fine-tuned transitional game, the Eagles left a huge lump of coal in the Hawks’ holiday stocking with an impressive final of 75-41. 

When asked what went right, a very pleased Coach Chad Hollwedel said, “We closed it out in the second half.  We had much better shot selection in the second half.” 

At 6-0, Hollwedel and the Eagles are on their way to having a very happy 2012.

The Eagles will play at Northwestern High School at 1 PM on December 27 and 5:30 PM on December 28.

The next home game for the Eagles will be Friday, January 6, 2012.  Game time for JV is at 5:30 and for the Varsity boys 7:00 PM.  We hope to see you out at the gym in the New Year. 

(Post filed by Steve Doff on behalf of Zack Newman)  

Eagles lose a heartbreaker in OT

On a highly anticipated return home after the long winter break, the Eagles returned to the gym for the first time in 2012 looking to improve on their flawless 7-0 county record at the expense of the Hammond Bears.  With a well-rounded squad, Coach Chad Hollwedel’s mouth watered at the possibility of another win, and at home on a Friday night would make a win even sweeter.

By the end of the first stanza, the Bears found themselves down by 4.  Starters Keonte Potts and Omari Ringgold contributed 4 points each and the Eagles set the stage for what was hoping to be an even more exciting second quarter.  Hammond’s Brian Green poured in 8 and brought the Bears to within one at the half.

Ironically,the Eagles’ third quarter mirrored the performance of the first, again with the aforementioned P-R duo depositing 13 points, while the Bears’ James turner led their 3^rd with only 4 points. 

But behold Eagles fans.  It would ultimately be the handiwork of Duane Echols and a last-second three-point shot by Brian Green that would send the game into overtime. With less than 2 seconds to go, and with the luck from the large Hammond contingency, Green sent one up finding the square on the glass and the bottom of the net. 

Knotted at 50, and teams puzzling together their OT attack strategies, those in attendance knew this would come down to the very end.  Eagles’ senior guard Ethan Adams hit a key 3-point basket silencing the Hammond faithful and tying the game once again with about 2 minutes to go.  But ultimately, it would be the sharp-shooting efforts of the Bears’ Brian Green sealing the deal for Hammond, with a 63-60 win.

A game filled with ironies and opposites, fans were certainly treated to a well-played contest.  Ben Goldsmith, Joe Eads and Chris Peterson also made nice contributions to the Eagles’ effort.  Despite their first loss, there is no doubt that this Eagle squad has what it takes to be a substantial basketball force not only in Howard County but in the state as well.

Don’t forget Eagles fans, the boys’ next home game with be another big one, Wednesday, January 11 against the Vikings from Mt. Hebron.  Game time for JV is 4:00 PM and 5:30 for Varsity.  We hope to see you back out at the gym next Wednesday.  Thanks for supporting Eagles basketball!

On January 11, 2012, the Centennial High School Eagles boys’ varsity basketball team welcomed the Mount Hebron High School (MHHS) Vikings to the Eagles’ nest in the next chapter of the storied rivalry. The tough, physical, and aggressive defenses of both teams caused a scoring drought that was alleviated by a scarce lay-up or close range jumper. Every point was hard earned, and every shooter of both teams had to shoot around a flurry of hands in the face.  The score at the completion of the first quarter, was 10-9, advantage Vikings.

Neither team’s defense faltered as the half continued in a matchup that could not have been any closer. The largest lead was a single point, and it appeared as though the lead changed as many times as the ball was dribbled. While CHS maintained the single point lead as the first half winded down, a last second MHHS layup inched the Vikings ahead by a point, 24-23.

The defensive heavy weight bout continued well into the second half, until CHS began applying a full court press. The technique, instituted by the Centennial coaching staff at the perfect moment halfway through the third stanza, forced the the Vikings to succumb to the pressure. As the pressure increased, MHHS pressed the panic button earlier and earlier, oftentimes forcing dismal passes that gave CHS the chance to capitalize on uncontested short-range opportunities.

Before Mount Hebron could figure out how to cope with this newfound pressure, Centennial stacked up a seven point lead to end the quarter, 40-33.

Up until three minutes remained in the game, the Centennial lead stayed uncontested. However, with a few revolutions of the basketball in favor of Mount Hebron, the lead was chiseled down to one. 

The seesaw of baskets that could not stay risen in one team’s favor throughout the first half stopped by to say hello again up until 1:15 remained. At the moment, a stalemate had been achieved at 42.  

All of a sudden, Centennial sharpshooter and senior Keonte Potts dropped a trey that broke the tie with 38.9 ticks remaining, and left the bleachers shaking as the formidable CHS fan base (also known as “The Sixth Man”) bellowed their approval.

Nevertheless, a mid-range Viking jumper slashed the Centennial lead to 45-44 with 26.2 seconds left.

The late MHHS rally would not be enough to reach victory. The win was undoubtedly a team effort, but the work of Potts and Ringgold at the charity stripe was the difference.  The final score: Centennial, 50; Mount Hebron, 47. 

Potts explained that while taking those vital shots, he realized he needed to “finish, and be a leader on the court.” Ringgold, a transfer this year from Mount Hebron, expounded that while taking the free throws down the home stretch, the thought crossed his mind that “I [have worked] so hard for this game, there wasn’t any way I was going to miss those shots.” When asked about if beating his former team made the victory that much sweeter, an ear-to-ear grin became plastered on his face saying that “it was a dream come true.”

(Post filed by Steve Doff on behalf of Zack Newman)   

Eagles roll on…and roll over the Gators 

Another Friday night game.  Another notch in the win column for the Eagles entertaining the Gators of Reservoir High School.

For such an exciting game, the contest’s first points ironically were not scored until 5:50 of the first quarter.  Soon thereafter, the Eagles found the magic and gave the home fans a fun way to spend their Friday evening.  A pretty 3-point field goal from Ben Goldsmith with 1:40 left in the 2^nd quarter injected even more energy into the gym, and gave the Eagles a 31-23 cushion at the half. 

Junior Guard Omari Ringgold had a stellar 25-point game while Junior Forward Timi Tinuoye and Senior Guard Keonte Potts provided nice support with 20 and 10 points respectively.

Foul trouble was not an issue this evening.  Excellent communication, a much improved transition game and effectively sharing the ball throughout the second half all contributed to what would be the difference and sent the Gators home to Fulton, having borne the brunt the Eagles’ balanced play.

Don’t forget fans, the Eagles return to the gym next Wednesday, February 1, when they play host to Marriots Ridge High School. Game time for the JV boys will be 4:00 PM and 5:30 for the Varsity boys.  

Thanks for being part of the exciting action of Eagles basketball.  Hope to see you Wednesday night at the gym.

Zack Newman

Eagles OverpowerLightning

On February 3, the Centennial High School (CHS) Eagles maintained an anaconda grip on the number one county playoff spot and regained momentum going into the home stretch of the regular season with a 59-46 victory over the Long Reach Lightning.

Long Reach got on the board first, but Centennial hastily responded with two quick conversions at a visit to the foul line. The Eagles’ 57% accuracy rate at the charity stripe proved to be a difference throughout the course of the game and assisted CHS in creating an early lead. Through the usual culprits of stingy defense, long-range marksmanship, and complete board control, Centennial continued to lay the foundations of a pyramid of a lead. The Eagles went on a 15-3 run asthe final seconds ticked off the clock in the first stanza, and ended it up 23-9.

Junior Timi Tinuoye and senior Ben Goldsmith in particular, showed remarkable hustle and heart that contributed to the surmounting lead as each team headed to the locker room. The first half ended with CHS up 35-22.

LRHS was no match for the well-oiled CHS machine as the rout continued well into the second half as Centennial ended the third quarter on top 49-28, and finally 59-46.

The Eagles distributed the ball extremely well, four players (Omari Ringgold, 16; Ben Goldsmith, 15; Timi Tinuoye, 12; Keonte Potts, 11) scored in double digits.  Having played one of his best games of the season, Goldsmith could not have been more humble expressing that “we did a good job coming together as a team and work[ed] well together offensively and defensively together.” In addition, recently promoted sophomore Walter Fletcher scored his first points of his varsity career. “[I am]…happy that I got it out of the way, [it will give me] more confidence.” 

Head coach Chad Hollwedel explained that the key to victory was the energy level of practice the day before. “Our practice energy yesterday was much better, we were very flat earlier in the week before [we played] Marriotts Ridge.  Today, we saw a better example of practice translating over in the game. The energy before the game and in warm-ups was [good] and ran right into the game."

(Posted by Steve Doff on behalf of Zack Newman)

Eagles overcome lethargy and a small home crowd and down Gladiators

With only one more regular home game to go, the Eagles once again came up on the winning end at the expense of the Gladiators from Glenelg High School, with bookend ironies on their roster:  a 5’7” freshman and a 6’7” senior.  With a final score of 72-64, the Eagles worked their way back from a 1-point deficit at halftime to overpower the Glads’ defense in the second half.

Keonte Potts shined once again in the second half, ending the game with 28 points. Omari Ringgold also had a nice finale with a 19-point effort.

The Eagles’ next game is this Thursday, February 9, as the team travels west on Route 108 to tip off against River Hill. 

Coach Hollwedel’s squad returns home next Tuesday, February 14 for Senior Night, as the Eagles play the Lions of Howard High School.  Game time next Tuesday is 4 PM for J.V. and 5:30 for the Varsity boys.

As always, the Eagles thank you for your support and we look forward to seeing you next Tuesday evening at the gym. 

ZackNewman

3/1/12

Eagles Raid Raiders of Victory

On March 1, 2012, the Centennial High School Eagles hosted the Atholton Raiders in the 3A East Regional Semi-final. For the third time and final time this season,the two tipped off, and what would be a rematch of last season’s 3A Regional Final. 

Amid a Raider reach for the lead in the final minutes of the first quarter and a cornucopia of controversial calls, the Eagles kept remarkable composure to maintain a 12-8 lead at the conclusion of the first quarter. “We just have to control what we can control, and that’s what we did,” explained senior Ben Goldsmith. 

In the second stanza, a defensive slug match ensued, with one side unable to figure out a way to maintain a sizable lead. The half ended with Centennial ahead by a bucket, 24-22. 

The omnipresent senior leadership that has been key throughout the course of the season shone brightly in the starting minutes of the second half. All of the seniors, most notably Goldsmith and Keonte Potts, girdled the weight of the team and quickly added points to their surmounting lead and to the frustration of Atholton Head Coach Jim Albert.  Albert was forced to take a timeout in hopes of slowing the Eagles’ forward progress. 

It did not work. The Eagles hatched their first half shell and dropped a total of 11 points before the Raiders could respond with a bucket of their own. Seemingly everywhere at once, Junior Timi Tinuoye played like a man possessed; he snagged 12 rebounds and 15 points. Centennial continued to play solid, fundamental basketball throughout the third quarter and distanced themselves from Atholton, 41-32. 

Centennial combined their excellent team play with success at the foul line in the fourth quarter (they converted 18 shots in the fourth quarter alone) to put the Raiders away with the victory. The final score was heavily weighted in the Eagles’ favor, 63-51.  Junior Brad Benson excitedly exclaimed, “it’s a big win!” 

Centennial will welcome Annapolis High School on Saturday night,March 3, at 7 PM.  We hope to see you out at the gym.

(Posted by Steve Doff on behalf of Zack Newman)

Eagles earn trip back to College Park with a wild win over Annapolis

You just knew it.  Even before tip-off at 7 PM, you just knew this was going to be one of those games for the ages.  When every seat inside the gym at Centennial was filled more than half hour before game time, when the Annapolis radio play-by-play guy was equally as pumped for this contest, when people were being turned away at the doors, when Annapolis’ third-leading scorer Bobby Efthimiadis injured himself during practice, there was just something about the ensuing contest between Annapolis and Centennial that was going to make this game a special one.

Centennial had just come off its win against Altholton 48 hours earlier, and the team knew that with just one more win, another trip to Comcast would be theirs for the taking. The golden ticket would finally be granted to them about two hours later.

Up by 19 at the half, the Eagle offense had already taken advantage of the lack of cohesive Panther play. Keonte Potts already with 15 at the half and Ben Goldsmith playing an equally important role, put the Eagles up going into the locker room.  Annapolis had a mere 16 points at the half, going into their dressing room with a major challenge ahead of them in the last 16 minutes…or so one would think.

Maintaining a lead of 18 points after three stanzas, the Eagles felt that with consistent play, this game would be theirs.  Jourdan Stickler of Annapolis had other ideas.  Deep in a hole, Annapolis came out in the 4^th and used Stickler repeatedly to bridge the gap.  By the end of the quarter, the Annapolis shooter had found the bottom of the net for 6 three-pointers and a total of 21 points.  The Annapolis faithful knew this game was in reach. But they would have to go to a 4-minute overtime period before claiming their prize.

An almost 20-point lead reduced to a tie at the end of regulation…the gym was filled with disbelief and concern that the Eagles will not be traveling back down 95 this year.

Overtime was intense, even more so than regulation.  Junior guard Omari Ringgold knew his team was itching to go to College Park again.  He willingly took the ball and added 7 of his own points in the extra session.  When all was said and done, the Eagles had found what they were looking for…a win…a regional championship…another visit to Comcast Center.  It was at 8:53 PM that the reality of what had just happened set in to everyone in the gym. 

Amazingly, Annapolis’ hero of the 4^th, Jourdan Stickler wound up with 39 points on the evening, more than half the total scoring for the Panthers, clearly playing and integral role in the Panthers’ comeback and driving the game into OT.

So there it was, another win for the Eagles, this one, maybe even sweeter than the others this year. It would be the OT-defeat of the Annapolis Panthers on a Saturday night in March that sealed the deal for Chad Hollwedel and the boys.

The Eagles will tip off against Thomas Stone High School (Calvert County) on Thursday, March 8, at 3 PM, at Comcast Center.   We hope to see all Eagle fans out there wearing red and being loud.  

Eagles End Thrilling Season in Comcast

 “Are you going to the game?” This question was asked by students and teachers alike throughout the seemingly endless hours prior to the Maryland Public School System Athletic Association state semifinal matchup on March 8, 2012; between the Centennial High School (CHS) Eagles and the Thomas Stone High School (TSHS) Cougars at Comcast Center at the University of Maryland. This was 21-5 Centennial’s second consecutive state semifinal appearance, a school record, and 24-1 Thomas Stone’s first appearance since 2010.

The answer to that question, for the majority of both schools any way, was yes. Complete with a brilliant Eagle Pep Band, mascot, dance team, and horde of the Centennial faithful decked out in red that seemed to be as numerous as the red chairs of Comcast Center (upon finding his way to his seat, a reporter uttered an expression of surprise when he witnessed the sheer size of the Centennial crowd). The Cougars were not far behind, with a large following of their own and a talented cheerleading squad (the audience was treated to series of flips that stretched along the length of Gary Williams Court).

The thunderous claps and chants of both throngs of supporters, even prior to tip-off, registered in the upper echelons of the decimal scale. As the first quarter ticked away, both teams whipped out their boxing gloves and traded proverbial punches in the form of baskets. However, one team could not land more than a few punches without its counterpart returning the favor. The largest lead in the first stanza belonged to CHS, but Stone bounced back by the conclusion of it to knot the score up at 12.

The slug match continued in the second quarter, as the largest lead of the first half extended to a CHS six. This was courtesy of the commanding rebound work of junior Timi Tinuoye and the jumpers of both junior Omari Ringgold and senior Keonte Potts. A buzzer-beating Michael Briscoe trey edged the Cougars ahead of the Eagles by a mere point at the end of the half, 23-22.

Despite the relentless Eagle fight and want-to that reared its head throughout the entirety of the second half, the Cougars never relinquished the lead for the duration of the game. 

The entire Centennial squad was seen constantly diving after loose balls and swarming the glass in attempts to spark a comeback, but the most notable offender was Tinuoye. He scored the final 15 Centennial points, of his 19 total, and reeled in an astonishing 16 rebounds. “There was enough time to come back. If we made a few defensive stops, we could have still been in the game. We just had to keep going, keep pushing,” Tinuoye illustrated. Centennial Head Coach Chad Hollwedel expounded that “I have never once seen these guys quit...ever. So, there was no way they were going to quit today.” The third and fourth quarters ended 45-33, and 69-61, respectively. 

Potts, who contributed 22 points of his own, gave credit to where credit was due. “They were a pretty good team, they rebounded well, they had a pretty good defense, they executed their offense, and they just got the win,” he said.  

Ringgold, who had 14 points, was understandably disheartened, but grateful for the opportunity following his transfer from Mount Hebron High School. “It is just great to be a part of the program, and to come this far, but I can’t believe it ended like this. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. We just have to go back next year and keep working hard,” he explained. 

Going into next season, Hollwedel’s expectation is “to be 1-0 at the end of every game we play, and in the offseason dedication to the kids is part of what helps us get there. We have five kids graduating, and brought fourteen kids down here. So the feeling is, from this group and I’m sure of the returners, they’re still one goal shy of what we wanted. Three of four is outstanding, but we are missing the one that we wanted, [but] all but one team is going to be missing the one that they wanted.” 

Hollwedel explained that “the bottom line is that these seniors have done something that has never been done before in the history of the school, and they have done it in back to back years. So there is no mistake here, there is no reason to be ashamed. [I am] just incredibly proud with what these kids have done, both with the dedication to this program, both in the offseason and within season itself. They are an incredible bunch of kids, and as a result we see something that is  very special to our school and our community.”