Sophomore Shree Sikkal Kumar serves the ball across the court in a match against Lindbergh. Sikkal Kumar has been a varsity member of the varsity girls’ tennis team for two years, helping her earn the number two rank in Class 2 District 2.“When matches are close, it’s easy to get nervous, but I [ground] myself by[staying] confident and ready to play,” Sikkal Kumar said.
A recap of the 2025 girls tennis season through photos
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![Days out from annual Advanced Placement (AP) exams, a pencil lies snapped in half, surrounded by a variety of study materials, symbolic of the frustrations accompanying end-of-year exams. AP exams are scheduled to run May 4 - 15, 2026. “I am taking three AP exams this year, [and] I only took one last year. [Last year,] I made sure I got a good rest before my exams; [this week,] I’ve been taking notes on each chapter [from my textbooks],” sophomore Shree Sikkal Kumar said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC9826-1200x798.jpg)
ShowcaseThe testing system that is taking over -
![Senior Michael Collop stands in the sun at Vlasis Park in Ballwin, Mo. Collop has earned each of the 142 merit badges currently offered by Scouting America, joining the estimated 650 other Scouts who have done the same. Out of roughly 130 million youth who have participated in Scouting, only 0.00077% have achieved this distinction. “The whole point of merit badges is to learn something from them and get a glimpse into every single career or every aspect of [Scouting]. I think I took something from each one of those merit badges that's [going to] be with me for the rest of my life,” Collop said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC7392-1200x798.jpg)
ShowcaseAmong the few -
![West High’s girls’ and boys’ track and field school records are plastered next to the gymnasium entrance. In 2023, the girls’ varsity 4x200-meter relay team set a school record — the most recent track and field school record. “[My] freshman year, we almost made it to state. We made it to sectionals but came up short by 0.79 seconds from advancing,” Love said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/DSC_1232-1-1200x800.jpg)
ShowcasePassing the baton -
![Justice. Domestic Tranquility. General welfare. Blessings of liberty. These key phrases have been redacted from this copy of the U.S. Constitution, reflecting the values lacking in the United States' Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). ICE’s behavior suggests that the values instilled in our nation have been stripped. “When you're implementing [immigration enforcement] on a mass scale at the speed it's happening [now], you're bound to see unjust, horrible things. The only way to solve that is to make the crackdowns less severe,” junior Alisha Yin said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/feature-image-jan-2026-1200x710.png)
ShowcaseWhen policy becomes personal -
ShowcaseScoring for a cause -
ShowcaseKeeping it physical -
ShowcaseRethinking college admissions -
![Amid major global conflicts, anonymous social media critics hone in on celebrities, especially female celebrities, every move. Taylor Swift's latest album release and accompanying press tour displayed the uncontrollable growth of cancel culture and the comfort anonymity on social media has created. “[Cancel culture] can be very effective when [it’s used to] speak out against a [person] or a corporation where [you] use your voice or your dollar as a way to send a message about what we accept as a society. [However,] we've really blurred this line where we expect [everyone] to cater to have a belief about every issue. Not one person is going to believe every single thing that you believe as strongly as you believe it," English teacher Michelle Kerpash said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/DSC_7626-1-1200x800.jpg)
ShowcaseThe price of stardom -
ShowcaseRoad to glory -
![Dressed up as the varsity girls’ tennis coach Katelyn Arenos, senior Kate Johnson and junior Mireya David hand out candy at West High’s annual trunk or treat event. This year, the trunk or treat was moved inside as a result of adverse weather. “As a senior, I care less about Halloween now. Teachers will bring their kids and families [to West’s Trunk or Treat], but there were fewer [this year] because they just thought it was canceled [due to the] rain. [With] Halloween, I think you care less the older you get,” Johnson said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/DSC00892-1-1200x800.jpg)
ShowcasePorches, parking lots, pumpkins and parties -
![In game months apart, senior Brett Ottensmeyer and junior Noor Hacking stand as quarterbacks in their respective games. Ottensmeyer was a four-year quarterback for the Longhorns; Hacking served as quarterback in the 2025 powderpuff game. “There are many challenges [to being a woman in sports]. People underestimate you and you have to work extra hard to get recognition. Sports are a big part of my life because I have played sports my entire life and have grown up [seeing] women set a high standard,” Hacking said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Untitled-1.jpg)
SportsThrow like a girl: The expansion of girls flag football nationwide -
SportsCleats with a comeback -
![Stretching his arms and pushing through the water, captain of the varsity boys’ water polo team and senior Max Moore reaches for the ball during the game against Lafayette High School on April 14. The game also marked Senior Night, celebrating the seven seniors of the team. “It was a really close game the whole time, and we ended up winning six to five. I scored two goals. It's kind of sad [because this is my last season], but it's also a lot of fun,” Moore said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/MBS_7153-edited-1200x801.jpg)
SportsTurning the tide -
SportsTwo countries, two overtimes, two goals, two victories, two golds -
![Discarded to the side, Kansas City Chiefs and St. Louis Rams merchandise sits in a trash can after the two National Football League (NFL) teams left the state of Missouri. Both the National Hockey League’s (NHL) St.Louis Blues and Major League Baseball’s (MLB) St. Louis Cardinals, two other Missouri professional sports teams, have been in the city since their developments in 1967 and 1882, respectively. “St. Louis fans are incredibly loyal, judging by [the MLB’s] Cardinals and [the NHL’s] Blues. Team owners on the whole, not so much, judging by the [National Football League’s] Rams. This is more a function of ownership and profit than fan loyalty,” government teacher and football coach Melvin Trotier said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/DSC5875-2-1200x900.jpg)
SportsAnother one bites the dust: Missouri set to lose a second NFL team in 15 years -
![With every second on the mat counting, junior Jaeda McRaven struggles against her opponent in a wrestling match. On Dec. 9, McRaven competed at a girls' wrestling tournament at Rockwood Summit. “I have been doing pretty well this season, [especially] with being able to place on the podium at some matches, but overall, [I] have been trying very hard to [qualify] for state,” McRaven said.](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/DSC0206-1200x800.jpg)
SportsPinned by perseverance -
SportsMore than just a game -
SportsAnother season, another story in the middle of its creation -
![Senior Matthew Thomas holds up a stuffed soccer ball, a keepsake he brings to all his soccer games, including Vetta. In 2023, Thomas joined a coed team named S&R along with a group of his friends from school. “Vetta is one of the best parts of the winter season. Friday and Saturday nights playing my favorite sport with my friends is definitely a core memory,” Thomas said. “[We’ve] seen it grow more and more through our school since we started our team, and it’s good to see other friend groups making fun memories like we are.”](https://pwestpathfinder.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/IMG_8527-1200x800.jpeg)
SportsKick back -
SportsA new era
About the Contributors
Owen Ulmer, Staff Writer
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What is your favorite candy? Gummy bears.
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