![Kicking off dress rehearsal, Mr. Longhorn contestant and senior Carson Hughes goes over the group routine alongside other competitors. With just two days of practice, all participants learned the entirety of their introductory dance, chose an occupation to embody and crafted skits for the show. “The best part of this [whole thing] was learning the dance and just practicing with the guys. We [have to] try not to laugh the whole time, but we're having a lot of fun,” Hughes said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/IMG_5112-1-e1732164157549-1200x812.jpg)
![Blending together a concoction for a science experiment, science teacher Joel Anderson scares his students by bringing excitement and thrill into his classroom for his annual Halloween show. It took about six weeks for Anderson to set up his classroom for the show. “It’s pure terror. I came up with this idea a couple decades ago to do something fun for Halloween. So I pretend to be this mad scientist [that creates] a Frankenstein-like creature [with the class], learning a little bit of science along the way and [then ending] with a laser show. It’s just for fun; entertainment value,” Anderson said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/DSC_0021.JPG_-1200x800.jpg)
![Standing with girls cross country team mascot Pump the pumpkin, senior Sydney Etchason laughs with her teammates. Before the team’s senior night, Etchason undertook an odyssey to recover the pumpkin, which had been stolen by boys cross country. “We went through practice, and then a little birdie told me that it was in [senior] Emmett [Vernon's] car. I [offered Vernon] $50 to give us our pumpkin back, and we got Pump back,” Etchason said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/DSC_0002-1-1200x800.jpg)
![Latin students pose for a group photo in front of historical ruins in Italy. From March 13 to March 23, the Latin department traversed cities in Italy to immerse students in an educational experience of a lifetime. “I enjoyed being able to learn about the different cultures. [The trip] encouraged me to see other people's lifestyle and learn more about different histories,” senior Suraiya Saroar said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/PXL_20240318_092633493.jpg)
![From Jan. 22 through Feb. 1, Parkway West High is displaying a wide array of art pieces made by students ranging from elementary to high school. All classes were represented on the displays in both the art wing and the main foyer of the school. “[Art] benefits me because in the middle of a busy day. I can just relax and have some fun doing art and it makes me happy. I think it's important that you show art in the art show so that people can get inspired by it and be inspired to create their own pieces; it’s really impactful,” sophomore Dhiya Prasanna said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/image1-1200x800.jpg)
![Voter registration is open for November’s presidential election through Oct. 9. On Oct. 2, students at West High were able to receive assistance with online registration in the library. “When I went into the library to [register to] vote, [librarian] Lauren Reusch made completing my registration very easy and clear. It’s important to learn about voting and it’s important that schools help with voter registration, because it can be confusing for first-time voters,” senior Gianna Lionelli said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Screenshot-2024-10-03-at-1.53.06 PM-1200x795.png)
![Junior TJ Polack plays his saxophone solo at halftime for the 2024 marching band show, ‘Coloring Book.’ This year, Polack was one of two soloists in the marching band. “[Polack] is very hard on himself. [His saxophone solo] sounds amazing [and] everyone [cheers] for him; [still], somehow, he thinks it’s a bad performance and he's down. What he does is not easy. It takes a lot of confidence as a person [and] a lot of musical skill to be expressive, and he's doing an amazing job,” drum major and senior Dominic Perez said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/462488499_2973926416100522_5057718068659607183_n-1200x925.jpg)
![Sophomore Isaiah Meese smiles after his Eagle Scout Ceremony. Meese has participated in the scouting program since first grade, learning new aspects of life and growing a community of a second family. “I almost didn’t do [boy scouting], but I'm glad I eventually did start doing it. I regret that I wasn't [working towards Eagle Scout during COVID]. It might not always seem like the most rewarding thing, but if you put your time into it, there's a good chance you'll get quite a lot out of it: friends, new activities and hobbies, or just more experience,” Meese said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/IMG_1004-1200x800.jpg)
![Junior Justin Lutz arranges his collection of basketball sports cards. Lutz started his first hand at entrepreneurship with an online store on eBay, dealing and trading in the sports card market. “I was already collecting sports cards [before], so I knew a lot of these players and I understood the market. I ventured into other sports, but I really stayed with the ones that I knew the most, [like] basketball. It’s really important to focus on what you know because it's so much easier than starting completely from scratch in a market that you don't understand. Find something that you're interested in," Lutz said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Untitled-design-2.png)
![Standing in front of the American Sign Language program’s mural, junior Brooke Hoenecke signs with freshman Darren Young. Hoenecke began cadet teaching for ASL this year alongside working towards earning her seal of biliteracy. “I was in ASL class when I received the email [that I qualified for the seal]. I was jumping up and down with my teacher and the rest of the class. One of the reasons why I took cadet teaching this year was so that I could prepare for the Seal of Biliteracy and be immersed in ASL,” Hoenecke said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/hoenecke.jpeg)
![Business and personal finance teacher Evan Stern stands in front of his classroom. After facing hardships growing up, Stern learned how to deal with them with the help of role models like his dad. “We dealt with some trauma when I was in middle school, and my dad had to be responsible for all three of us while he was working full-time. I know he had to sacrifice a lot. I'm sure it was really hard for him, but looking back on it, he did a really good job . I didn't appreciate everything that he did at the time because I was so young. Now, I'm engaged and probably going to have kids of my own in the next couple of years so I [am starting] to look at things differently,” Stern said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Untitled-7-1200x900.jpg)
![Holding his two smiling daughters in his arms, Principal John McCabe celebrates earning his doctorate degree. He attended Maryville University for two years and reached his goal of achieving a Doctor of Education: Educational Leadership degree after months upon months of hard work and long nights. “I'm not going to lie, I'm glad I have another night of my life back when I'm not at school till very late,” McCabe said. “I can spend more time with my family and with my friends [who] are here at [West]. I'm really happy about that.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/mccabefeature.png)
![Art teacher Katy Mangrich sits in her classroom, smiling for a picture. During her time in high school, Mangrich learned several lessons that she now passes on to her son. “The biggest life lesson that I learned is honesty. I wouldn't say I was the best teenager, but I learned very quickly in high school to always be forthcoming and honest with my parents because it always ended up serving me better in the long run. [My parents] might have been upset with me [and the mistake I made], but I wasn't going down the rabbit hole of a lie because that was just going to get me into more trouble,” Mangrich said. “I passed [that lesson] along to my nephew. Honesty is always your best approach; just don’t lie. I say that to my son all the time. There's no advantage to lying, [and] that's a huge takeaway [from] how my parents raised me.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Screenshot-2024-01-26-10.10.12-AM.png)
![Social studies teacher Aaron Bashirian smiles in front of his classroom. Bashirian didn’t know he wanted to be a teacher from early on, but he found the choice to be a good one. “I started [teaching] because there was an opportunity for me to experiment with it. Fortunately, [teaching] was a good choice. In 2012, I became a teacher at Parkway at the Alternative Discipline Center, which is where they send suspended kids to keep being educated if they choose. I spent six years there and then I got drafted to West, [where] I've been for about six years,” Bashirian said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Untitled-35-1200x800.jpg)
![English teacher Angela Frye stands behind her desk in her classroom. Frye went through a lot of personal struggles to get to where she is today, and with each step in her life, she carries her gratitude for those obstacles. “Everything happens for a reason. I believe in [the concept of] good energy, good karma, [from] being a good person. Those are things I don't take lightly. [Struggles] build character. You really appreciate everything you have when you have to work for everything you have,” Frye said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Untitled-8-1200x800.jpg)
![Despite the numerous health and ethical concerns of energy drinks, popular influencers still flood their social media platforms with numerous posts, and drinks sell out as energy drink companies continue dropping new flavors. The energy drink industry, worth an estimated $99 billion, has maintained a large growth rate, yet is no stranger to controversy. “[The] curiosity of teens needs to be considered. Showing them other alternatives that are safer — like a small cup of coffee — or having them research and discover on their own [would be safer,]" health teacher Jessica Wheeler said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/DSC0038-2-1200x800.jpg)
![Senior Sally Peters stands in the history hallway, contemplating her choices in the 2024 United States and Missouri elections on Nov. 5. As a member of Diplomacy Club, Peters has discussed key candidates and issues in contemporary American politics. “[As students], we're starting to become adults. We're realizing how much the policies that are enforced and the laws that make it through the House and Senate are starting to affect us. [Opportunities such as] AP [U.S.Government] and Diplomacy Club [make elections feel] a lot more real,” Diplomacy Club vice president and senior Nidhisha Pejathaya said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Flag-1-1.png)
![Eyes tracing his book, freshman Auggie Prsha works to translate a passage in Latin teacher Tom Herpel's classroom. Prsha decided to take Latin after hearing about the fun classroom activities, but he quickly began to see the effects of learning a foreign language in the world around him too. “Sometimes in English class, I can [recognize] some Latin words, and I notice Latin in other places [as well]. I enjoy the people [and] learning from Herpel,” Prsha said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/prsha.jpg)
![Mounting school pressure can leave many students overworked and overstressed. Schools must give students the necessary resources to help assuage student mental health issues and prevent the development of serious crises. “The biggest thing [schools] can do [to protect student mental health] is offer more time [to do work], like a study hall, or offer more support from teachers so that students don't feel stressed out and can get help in areas that they need,” senior Bhavya Gupta said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/unnamed-4.jpg)
![Like many students, sophomore Medina Nanic experiences pressure to do well in school. Through continuous success and achievements, West has developed a high academic standard for students. “Because we’re seen as one [of] the better schools, we have higher standards than the [schools] who aren’t ranked as high. There’s a lot of pressure on students to do [well] and live up to those standards,” Nanic said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC_0029-2-1200x800.jpg)
![In the 1950s, the first recorded spikes in global temperatures were recorded, and ever since, Earth has been in the midst of a disastrous climate crisis, as rising temperatures wreak havoc on susceptible regions and destroy animal habitats worldwide. Junior Nidhi Pejathaya helped found West’s Sustainability Council to create a space where students can educate themselves about climate change and do their part to preserve the environment. “When you're going out of your way to recycle [or] reuse your clothes to save water, you're saving people. You're saving adults, you're saving families, you're saving children. You're saving a whole generation. Just because we don't see it doesn't mean it's not happening,” Pejathaya said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/new-editorial-feature-1200x800.jpg)
![In perfect shooting form and with eyes on the rim, junior Tyler Kuehl is about to shoot his next basket in the last game of the season against Marquette High School. Kuehl has been playing basketball since he was 5. “Even though I played basketball all my life, the game-winning shots can be pressure, it's confidence. If you're going into that shot and not thinking that you're gonna make it, it's obviously not going in. And if you believe, [it will]. That's the only way you can succeed,” Kuehl said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/unnamed-32-1-1200x1200.png)
![“Winning [the Scholastic Gold Key Regional Award for Writing] feels incredibly rewarding. I dedicated a lot of time to putting my feelings into my work, especially ‘Melanin’, which was about my experience with racism and feeling like an outcast because of my skin color [and] primarily due to living in a white/homogenous area. My memoir reflects upon a time in which I lived in a small town that had close to zero people who looked like me and how that affected my mental health, especially how I felt about how I looked. But then I moved to a larger, more diverse city where there were more people similar to me and I had this moment where I realized that my features are unique and beautiful. I feel like a lot of people of color can relate to the feeling of overcoming internalized racism. It's truly validating to see my efforts recognized by the Scholastic Writing Contest especially because it gives me a platform to share my voice. ” - Farrin Rahman, 10](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/KadamO_RahmanF3-Opal-Kadam-1-1200x800.jpg)
![“Hitting that ball hard is just pure satisfaction. I’m on the varsity tennis team, and it’s funny because I actually got pressured into joining, but we actually [had] a really good season. I’ve been playing for three years now. My favorite part is definitely going to other schools and meeting other girls. Tennis is really fun and it's a good stress reliever, but something that [stresses me out] is definitely tests [at school]. When things [start to] stress me out, I just tell myself that [I] can get there because everyone will move on and [will] get there [too].” Alisha Yin, 10](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/alishayin-copy-1200x800.jpg)
!["Becoming a teacher evolved over time. I wanted to be a writer or in theater, [so] I got degrees in English and theater and wrote plays. Every important job involved working with kids. After college, I [worked on] shows with kids, and [everything] I loved came together. That's when I thought [becoming a teacher]. I went back to school [for] a master’s in education. [Being] 5-foot-2, I was a little scared to teach high school, thinking students [might] think I was younger than them, [so] I got a job at the middle [school] and loved [it]. I always wanted to teach high school, and [now I’ve finally done it]. I see [my students’] great writing, and it inspires me. I've written so much myself but haven't sent much out [yet]. I think I'll [focus on that] after I retire. This is my second year at Parkway West and my first [time] teaching high school, and it’s something I've always wanted to do. I love being [here].” – Marcy Rademeyer, English](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/KhanY_RademeyerM3-Yusra-Khan.png)
![“I’m the vice president of the Muslim Student Association (MSA), the co-president of the Women in Healthcare club, and [am also in] of ABC club, NHS first aid, the diplomacy club, and other volunteering activities [in my community.] My main goal in these clubs is to be actively engaged in the school and give back to the community. [Through these opportunities,] I’ve learned to be a better organizer and planner, especially with my roles in MSA and Women in Healthcare. I think these skills will be valuable towards the career path I choose. I’m particularly interested in the medical field, which is why I co-founded Women in Healthcare. As a freshman, I was the chief financial officer of the Muslim Student Association. This year, I’m the vice president. We’ve worked hard to improve the organization and make the club more fun and interactive for everyone. It’s been great to see the club grow, with a lot of new freshmen joining. Balancing all of these activities with my schoolwork can be challenging at times, but the whole team helps with the workload. A misconception others have about the MSA is that [there is minimum involvement.] One time I went to stamp the MSA flyers to get approved down at the office, and the woman was hesitant about it. She asked how many people actually come to our meetings, so I explained that we usually have 35 to 40 people. Parkway West includes lots of diversity and it [helps strengthen] our community.” – Yusra Khan, 10](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/1f5dbf90-8b69-452a-a610-22726c8a6ed9-1200x800.jpg)
![“Sports [can] teach you a lot of things, and playing on the team can teach you leadership. When you're working with a bunch of guys, you’ve got to know what's best for the team, and you've got to do whatever is best for the team. Commitment is a big part of sports. Some days, you don't want to show up to practice, [but] you have to do it because it's what's best for the team. You just [have] to be committed. You [gain] better relationships and you make a lot of friends when you play sports. You're spending at least two hours a day with those people, so you build really strong relationships with your teammates. If you put in the work, you're bound to get better.” - Henry Wild, 12](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/4edc5735-3dad-4150-ac6f-3ee8ba65d2b5-1200x803.jpg)
Girls Volleyball
(Tori Neeser)
Despite the fear of losing their season, varsity girls volleyball placed second at state with a 12-5 record. Alongside this success, head varsity girls volleyball coach Susan Anderson was named Conference Coach of the Year.
“There was a day where Sam Page made an announcement and all the players thought he said all fall sports were shut down without any hope. They showed up to practice crying and had been crying for hours over the loss of the season. When I asked what was going on, they emotionally shared that he said it was over and [that] they wouldn’t even get a chance,” Anderson said. “For me this was the turning point in our attitudes and determination. That emotion seemed to pull out even more drive and fight just for the small chance that we get to play. From that point on, the girls practiced and then played with the attitude that they were thankful to get to play.”
Behind a successful team record were several other accolades: senior Maddy Truka made second-team all-conference and seniors Anna Pavlisin and Carly Kuehl made first-team all-conference. Sophomore Cece Watts, junior Mia Catlett and senior Irene Yannakakis were given an all-conference honorable mention and junior Claire Folkins received the Conference Sportsmanship Award. Catlett and senior Isabella Allgeyer made second-team all-district and Pavlisin, Keuhl and Yannakakis were named first-team all-district. Senior Annie Bunton received all-district honorable mention.
“[They] knew that gratitude was a part of the mental game, but to continue winning there was so much more. Getting to second place in state was both physically and mentally demanding in ways many of our girls had not experienced before and I am beyond proud of the way they handled themselves,” Anderson said. “Our players were composed, aggressive and each stepped up and were the players they have trained so hard to be and the team supported each other in every way possible during all the ups and downs of the game. You would never have known we missed those important team bonding days or skill refining opportunities. I am proud of what they achieved in the state tournament and championship game, but more proud of how they overcame adversity and one challenge after another to get to that point.”
Girls Softball
Despite a season filled with uncertainty, the varsity girls softball team finished with a record of 7-8.
“Our biggest setback was starting the year without knowing what the future held. We practiced for the first five weeks without knowing if we would ever play a game,” head varsity girls softball coach Andrew Jett said. “We overcame this obstacle by making sure our mindset was to continue working hard for whatever came next. We focused on one day at a time without knowing what came next.”
The team brought in several awards. Junior Allie Judd and sophomore Addison Turken made second-team all-district. Seniors Dorothy Wunderlich, Megan Leahy and freshman Rachel Livak were named first-team all-district, as well as second-team all-region.
“I could not be more proud of their work ethic, even though they had no idea if we would ever play a game,” Jett said. “In the future, I think these girls will take fewer things for granted. Nothing is for sure, and this pandemic is going to make us appreciate things much more.”
Boys Soccer
For the varsity boys soccer team and head coach Tom Herpel, uncertainty was this season’s greatest setback.
“It was incredibly difficult to stay motivated to reach our full potential as a program when there was a chance we wouldn’t be playing any regular-season games against other schools,” Herpel said. “Once we were able to have full-contact practice sessions with individual teams, we focused on the little things: staying positive and growing each day.”
The team advanced to the district semifinal and finished with a season record of 2-9. Additionally, senior goalie Jack Meert made 77 saves with one shutout.
“In the face of many unknowns, the boys showed true grit, determination and gratitude,” Herpel said. “I think that last concept, the ability to appreciate what they had when they had it will stay with them for seasons to come. It easily transfers to the mentality that every player should play every minute like it is their last.
Boys Football
With a record of 3-4, the varsity boys football team placed second in Class Five District Four. Senior and team captain Isaac Kittrell acknowledges that the uncertainty of the season kept the team focused on the present.
“We never knew if we would be able to play our games. We always had to play each and every game like it was our last because our season could have ended even without a loss,” Kittrell said.
Junior Ja’Marion Wayne was named Offensive Player of the year, Senior Connor Combs made the first-team offensive line, Kitrell was named first-team quarterback, senior LeDaniel Jackson was a first-team wide receiver and senior Josh Gansen was named first-team tight end.
“Hopefully I set a good example on staying positive,” Duncan said. “They have worked so hard in the off-season and deserve a chance to play.”
Girls Tennis
Starting the season off with no returning varsity players, varsity girls tennis relied on a young team to make it through the season,ending with a 3-9 record.
“The varsity team this year stepped up and worked hard to play at the varsity level,” head coach Katelyn Arenos said. “Our practices and drills changed slightly to accommodate the needs of the players we had this year.”
Arenos boasts the team’s flexibility throughout this year’s unpredictability.
“I believe they learned how important it is to have an open mind and be flexible. They all did a great job ‘going with the flow’ and never giving in to the difficulties the 2020 season threw at us,” Arenos said.
Girls Field Hockey
After a month of practicing and with their season hanging in the balance, varsity girls field hockey worked to master the fundamentals of the game while waiting for the time they could finally compete.
“We basically had a month of practices not knowing if we would get to play any games,” head coach Diane Chung said. “We focused on basic skills and introduced some new defensive offensive tactics.”
Finishing with a 5-6 record, the team is looking forward to future seasons with lots of young talent currently in the program.
“We had a yonng team after graduating ten seniors last season as well as some new players to our program,” Chung said. “Focusing on the basic skills will give us a stronger foundation heading into next season.”
Boys Cross Country
Since the last track season in the spring, many opportunities and practices for the varsity boys cross country team were cancelled, hindering the team’s training.
“One setback we faced this season was having last track season, many of our summer practices and the first two weeks of the season canceled. As a result, some of our runners were less prepared for the beginning of the season than they would have been otherwise,” head coach Kevin John said.
The team ended with a second place finish out of six teams at the Oct. 10 Giddy Giddy Invite and third out of 10 teams at the Webster Groves Invite Oct. 27.
“We overcame this by working as hard as we could during the time that we were able to practice and trying to get a little bit better every day,” John said. “My runners have realized the importance of offseason training in order to have a successful season in the future and will take the initiative to train this winter and next summer whether they are able to meet with me or not.”
Girls Cross Country
For girls cross country, the thought of not competing was a motivation for the team to improve. They wrapped up the precarious season placing first in their district and second in state.
“We started practice in the heat with masks on not knowing if we were going to ever be able to compete this season,” head varsity cross country coach Charles Cutelli said. “At about the two week mark, we had a discussion as a team that we needed to jump in. At that point, all of us had been dipping our toes in the water, even the coaches. Even with all that was going on, we needed to treat the season like we had all of them: work hard, prepare to race [and] stay focused. From that point on, I felt like we were all in as a team.”
The team won the Cowboy Classic, Webster Groves Invite and districts. In addition to the team-wide successes, three seniors placed at state: Emily Sipp placed 10th, Leah Selm placed 17th and Kate Yates placed 19th. Sipp also won the 2 Mile, Cowboy Classic, Giddy Giddy Invite and Webster Groves Invite.
“The girls will hopefully be better prepared mentally for the unknown,” Cutelli said. “Physically, the season was similar to many in the past. We had practices that were hard, we raced in meets that were comparable to last, but we had to jump through a lot of hoops to get there.”
Girls Golf
Adjusting to COVID-19 protocols that changed practices and shortened the season was difficult for the varsity girls golf team. Nonetheless, they came out with a 4-2 record and several individual accomplishments.
“I am most proud of how my team and I pulled together,” freshman Kylie Secrest said. “We became a tight-knit family in the six weeks that we were practicing every day together.”
Junior Caroline Bergh and sophomore Gabriella Badami made second-team all-conference and Secrest and junior Kayla Reuther made first-team all-conference. The team placed second overall at the conference tournament, with Secrest placing second, Reuther placing fourth and Badami placing 10th. At state, Secrest placed 27th.
“I am proud of myself that I overcame my nerves before the season started and I was happy that, even during matches, I could come out victorious or come out runner up,” Secrest said. “I am grateful for having amazing coaches and teammates to help me through because at the beginning of the season I was pretty much clueless. Now I can call myself a veteran player and I can help new freshmen next year acclimate to the golf team and the high school experience.”
Boys Swim and Dive
After concluding a record-breaking season, boys swim and dive capped off the year with a 6-3 record and a third place finish at state.
“When we started the season, it was doubtful that we would meet. We told the team, every time they were in the blocks or the diving board, they needed to compete like it was their last event,” varsity swim and dive coach Coleen Sumner said. “When it got to the championship part of our season, they canceled our conference meet and Kirkwood invited three teams to compete for one last time for state qualifying times. The state meet was reduced as well, but, again, we were happy to keep competing. [The team] came away more excited than any other year because of all they got to do when they thought initially they may not even have a season.”
At the state tournament, sophomore Tristan Caudill placed fifth in diving and freshman Jacob Gordon was close behind, placing eighth. Juniors Raymond Yoon and Will Bonnett, senior Carter Murawski and freshman Daniel Budiman took second in the 200 medley relay. In the 400 freestyle relay, Bonnet, Yoon, Murawski and senior McKay Morgan took fourth and set a new school record. Bonnet also took first in the 500 freestyle and first in the 200 IM, setting both school and state records in the 100 free. Murawski took third in freestyle and first in the 100 breaststroke, setting a new school record. Bonnett ended as the state champion in 200 IM and 500 freestyle and Murawski ended as the state champion in the 100 breaststroke.
“[The athletes] definitely appreciate their teammates, training and competing,” Sumner said. “They made a pact to stay super safe and make good decisions that would positively impact their team and the ability to complete their season safely.”
![Senior Josie Grunzinger watches the football game intently from the sidelines on Oct. 18. Grunzinger stood out to the crowd as the only girl on the football team, encouraging other girls who want to play football to take a chance and go for a sport outside of their comfort zone. “If you think you could [play football] and you want to do it, just try it, because all it takes is to actually try it out,” Grunzinger said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Untitled-design-1200x675.png)
![With her arms held high, junior Jenna Rickelman throws the ball across the pool during a girls water polo practice. With hours of practice after school and over the summer, Rickelman saw many improvements in her water polo skills. “When I look at [my] stats, I'm so much better than I was last year,” Rickelman said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Untitled-design-2-.png)
![Putting on his helmet, catcher and senior Tommy Eschbach prepares to get in his primary stance. Despite losing 6-1 against Eureka on April 16, Eschbach didn’t let the tough loss affect his playing or mental health. “It's [so] easy to get caught up in the sport and what you're doing that [after] one bad game or a stretch of games it is hard to remind yourself that your worth as a person isn't directly related to your performance on the field,” Eschbach said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/DSC_0415-1-1-1200x800.jpg)
![Sports organizations have changed lives on and off the field, improving athletes’ muscle strength, reducing their risk of diseases and building energetic work capacity worldwide. However, many student-athletes struggle to balance schoolwork and athletic commitments, hoping to seek more understanding and support from their teachers and coaches. “To lessen mental strain student-athletes [face] and create a healthier, more comfortable lifestyle, there shouldn’t be any homework. I'm already [at school] for eight hours and [homework] creates a bigger load for student-athletes in AP or honors classes,” track and field sprinter and sophomore Lucy Penton said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/DSC_0095-1-e1713883278514-1200x847.jpg)
