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The Official Student News Site of Parkway West High

Pathfinder

The Official Student News Site of Parkway West High

Pathfinder

The Official Student News Site of Parkway West High

Pathfinder

Now presenting, Athletes of West, a podcast featuring Longhorn athletes each session.​​ We bring you stories from the players, both on the ground and behind the scenes, covering individual accomplishments, records they set and break, endurance and fitness, sports leadership and many more. Stay tuned!!

Athletes of West: Episode 4

Raj Jaladi, Newsletter Editor/Data Analyst January 26, 2023

  In this episode, meet freshman Cameron Spangler and Hugo Ortbals who are playing on the varsity soccer team as freshmen. Listen on to learn about the secret behind their success.   Raj...

Freshman Brenden Porter relaxes after competing in the Stan Nelson Invitational Saturday, Sept. 11. “I was proud of myself for doing a good job. Also, [I have] respect for all the other [runners], because it’s definitely not an easy thing to do,” Porter said.

Freshman finishes first at first-ever cross country meet

Tiffany Ung, Staff Writer October 8, 2021

High schoolers from all over the state stepped foot on Northwest High School’s 5k course to compete in the Stan Nelson Invitational. Freshman Brenden Porter finished first amongst the 73 freshmen boys...


Following a first place finish at the state tournament, the girls racquetball team celebrates their win by raising their trophy. The team participated in the JV1 bracket and hoped to move up to the varsity level next season. “It felt good to know that we were the best team on JV1, only making us more positive we are ready for varsity next year, at least with a lot of hard work,” junior Graci Badami said. “I think about all the varsity players from last year, and some of my teammates from this year, and I strive to do what they do so effortlessly. I also enjoy practicing and working to get better because it’s such a fun sport.”

Girls racquetball team makes a racquet at state

Elise Frost, Staff Writer April 12, 2021

State champions. This title, only won by very few high school athletes over the course of their careers, is one that many members of the girls racquetball team never believed they could achieve. Despite...

Senior Katie Ferbet signs her national letter of intent to commit to Saint Mary’s College of California Nov. 13. Ferbet had narrowed down her decision to about three schools before she made her final choice. “Once I decided, I told the coach ‘I want to accept your offer’ and that's where I am now. I definitely felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders,” Ferbet said.

College sports recruiting during COVID-19

Ellie West, Staff Writer January 25, 2021

The process to play college sports is a difficult one, with strict rules and limited windows of opportunity for interested students. With new cases topping 300,000 Jan. 8, the COVID-19 pandemic is the...

Holding their third place medals from districts, senior Robert McKnight stands alongside his teammate Matt Boyd and tennis coach Katelyn Arenos after a practice during their junior year. They spent most of their season playing doubles matches with each other. “Playing tennis has taught me a lot. Staying committed to my training has taught me discipline. Struggling through back injuries has taught me how to always find the silver lining. Most importantly, my tennis career has taught me a lot about humility and respect,” McKnight said. “Respect is earned in many ways. It’s about correcting your mistakes and putting others first, and improving the lives of those around you, because you [can] personally have an impact.”

A time to remember: Inside senior Robert McKnight’s tennis career

Jacob Stanton, Staff Writer May 12, 2020

After placing third in the district doubles tournament his junior year, team captain and senior Robert McKnight is poised to become a tennis star. Even though his final season has been postponed due to...

Sprinting toward the finish line, senior Ryan Caton races at the Missouri Sectionals meet at Parkway Central High School Nov. 2, which was one of the last cross country races of his career. He finished the race in 14th place and qualified for state the following week. “My teammates [were] everything. Nobody was motivated for themselves; everyone was motivated for the whole team, and that is something I can’t thank them enough for,” Caton said. “I felt very happy that I was able to end my season at state. Not very many people were able to do that.”

Senior Ryan Caton reflects on his running career after his final season is postponed

Jacob Stanton, Staff Writer April 29, 2020

After three months of preparation and running more than 500 miles during the off-season, senior Ryan Caton is one of many spring athletes seeing their final season slip away due to the COVID-19 pandemic....

Getting ready for the state championship, seniors James Griffin and Brayden Eddy finish their practice as they stand with their friends, holding a poster of the competition bracket. On Feb. 15, they practiced at St. Charles High School. “As soon as I found out that I was going to state, I instantly knew that all my hard work had paid off to this moment,” Griffin said. “It felt awesome to be able to represent our school at the state-level competition.”

Seniors place top 10 in state wrestling championship

Jacob Stanton, Staff Writer February 25, 2020

As loud cheering echoes throughout the stadium and cameras flash to capture the perfect image, seniors Brayden Eddy and James Griffin celebrate their victories at the state wrestling championship, completing...

Aside from learning rowing techniques and mindset skills, junior Emma Wistuba also spends time bonding with friends during her month-long stay. The girls resided in dorm rooms and spent breaks getting to know one another. “There are always going to be people that you don't get along [with] and ODP helped me overcome that. I knew I wasn't going to [immediately] get along with everybody, so I went out of my way to be nice and do things,” Wistuba said. “One night, the whole floor came into my room, and we started making friendship bracelets. That's what we did, and we just had fun. That's important for my future because I'm going to have to do that around people who I really don't like, and it's important that you can take those people and turn them into people that you can be friends with.”

Olympic Rowing Development Camp trains junior Emma Wistuba for success

Brinda Ambal, Conceptual Editor-in-Chief September 6, 2019

An email pops in junior Emma Wistuba’s inbox from the US Rowing Olympic Development Camp (ODP). “Congratulations,” it reads, “You’re accepted!” Submitting an application led to Wistuba’s...

Reviewing statistics, freshman Connor Gusky prepares for the next meeting of Sports Analytics Club. Gusky used his love for math and athletics to create a club that predicts the outcome of sporting events. "As a club, we come up with what we want to know and predict which team will win which game because of X, Y and Z," Gusky said. "I try to make it fun and not over complicated."

Freshman Connor Gusky merges sports and math to create Sports Analytics Club

Lydia Roseman, News and Sports Editor May 20, 2019

Whether it’s making brackets, dressing in team jerseys, placing bets or attending games and matches, sports fans support their teams in a variety of ways. For some, the love of the sport goes beyond...