1. Have I taught
you? Match the
teacher with the
baby picture and
win $25 Visa gift
card.
December 2006
www.katherinefugate.com
Issue 2
Life & Stlye
PT Focus
Signals
Smoke
Volume 38
Stressing over
gift giving this
holiday season?
Stress-less,
See page 10.
Girls’ tennis swings in PIAA gold
Kaitlin Houser
Editor-In-Chief
Peters Township Girls Tennis Team
captured the PIAA title on Saturday,
October 28, 2006, at the Hershey Racquet
Club.
Freshman Julie Stroyne upset
undefeated Junior Kristen Roth of Lower
Marion, with a score of 6-4 to 7-5. The
team defeated the six-year champions of
Lower Marion to move on to their final
match against Shady Side Academy. The
team conquered the Class AAA WPIAL
champion of Shady Side Academy with
a score 3-2. Sophomore Allison Riske
defeated Shady Side’s Lauren Greco with
a score of 6-2 to 6-1. The first matches
were against Upper Dublin and Lower
Merion who were previous state rivals.
Doubles teams Greta Shepardson and
Kaitlin Mininger and Haylee Gardner and
Kaitlyn Stroyne were defeated. Although
the two doubles teams were defeated,
junior Emily Palko was victorious in her
last singles match. Previously unknown
in the tennis world, Peters defeated Lower
Merion to take home the gold. The team’s
impressive season ended with 19 wins
and one loss. Junior Emily Palko said,
“As much as it is an individual sport, it is
definitely a team sport when pulling out a
win.”
This was the first year that the team ever
made it to states. The team was pumped
for the rematch against the only team
they had lost to, Shady Side Academy.
Photo by Judy Eltschlager
Peters who? Girls’ varsity tennis team posed for a celebratory photo on the
court at Hershey Racquet Club after winning the PIAA State Championship.
They had a strong lineup and were determined to win the gold when
they made it to states. The team held “depth” with a strong team and
season. The team prepared themselves for the game by listening to
their iPods. During the tennis matches, Peters Township displayed the
most support for their players by being the loudest to cheer. Senior
Captain Danica Sheth said, “This is the first year that we all really got
along. Our personalities really meshed and we always had a blast!
I’m really glad that I had the opportunity to be a part of such a great
team.” On the bus ride home, the team celebrated the win by listening
to music and dancing in the aisles. Julie Stroyne said, “It was fun
playing with such a good team and I’m looking forward to next year.”
The team held a get together sleepover to celebrate their gold win in
states. The PIAA champs were proud to display their gold metals as
the first girls’ tennis team from Peters ever to make it to states.
Boys’ soccer advances to PIAA playoffs
Emily Bigley
Index
Feature
Are you being awarded
for your academic success?
Full list on pages 4 & 5
Opinion
Does your family have
a strange holiday tradition? Read how the rest
of the world celebrates.
Full story on page 3
Voices
What’s Santa’s best
feature?
Voices, page 12
Sports Writer
The boys battled
their way through WPIAL –
Sections 5 (AAA), compiled
a (10-1-1) record, and
were
crowned
section
champions. As the boys
breezed through WPIAL
playoffs by defeating Shaler
(3-0), Pine-Richland (1-0),
and Butler (4-3), one thing
remained on their minds:
“Nothing Else Matters.”
“When we’re on the field,
nothing else truly matters
except
winning,”
said
senior defender Garrett
McLean. Although the boys
suffered a difficult loss to
Bethel Park(1-2)
in the
WPIAL final game, winning
remained on their minds
as they entered the PIAA
State playoff tournament.
During the first round
of the PIAA Class AAA
State Playoffs, the boys
beat State College High
School (2-0). The season
came to a close in the
quarterfinal game when
the boys succumbed to
Manheim Township
(01). Although Manheim
Township
defeated PT,
there was no reason for
the boys to hang their
heads; they accomplished
a lot this season. Seniors
Garrett McLean, Kevin
Schaeffer, Chris Koenig,
sophomores Ryan Koepka,
Greg Weimer, Christian
Brandstetter,
Cody
Partyka, Tim Hutchins,
Nick Wilcox, and freshman
Nate Troscinski.
The Peters Township
“When we’re on the
field, nothing else truly
matters except winning.”
Senior Garrett McLean
Noone, Ryan Gaudy, Phil
Troscinski, and junior Pat
Russo led this year’s squad.
Other members of the
team include seniors Ryan
Hartz, Kevin Danchisko,
Mike Hnat, Alex Pitts,
juniors Jason Chiappino,
Mark
Majoras,
Shane
Pruitt, Mark Lacy, Zach
High School Boys’ soccer
team had a very unique
routine that tied in with the
book Gates of Fire (dealing
with the Trojan War). How
does the Trojan War relate
to soccer? It’s quite simple.
Each member of the team
wore two bracelets on their
wrists, much like members
of the Trojan army wore
two bands on their wrists.
Both bracelets that the
boys wore were inscribed
with the words, “Nothing
Else
Matters.”
Before
the start of each game,
the boys removed one
bracelet from their wrist
symbolizing that “Nothing
Else
Matters”
except
winning the game at hand.
During the war, men in the
Trojan army would remove
the band that represented
everything else in their
lives (i.e. family, friends,
etc.) and continue to wear
the band that symbolized
winning
and
fighting.
After the battle, the men
received
their
second
band back and were able
to return to their families.
Just like the Trojans, the
boys collected their second
bracelet back at the close
of each game and returned
to reality.

2. News
J. Berardino
A. Czajkowski
A. Nepa
R. Wunderlich
Domestic Violence and Abuse:
Stats, Types, and Signs
Outside
Ashley Czajkowski
Staff Writer
Michael J. Fox stirred up controversy during
the recent Senatorial elections by appearing as
spokesperson for Claire McCaskill, a Democratic
candidate for the U.S. Senate. Fox, a longtime
sufferer of Parkinson’s disease, appeared in a
commercial in support of her stance concerning
stem cell research. Rush Limbaugh, a notoriously
conservative talk show host, stated that in Fox’s
commercial, in which he trembles and his speech
is slurred, Fox was, “exaggerating the effects of the
disease... He’s moving all around and shaking, and
it’s purely an act.”
Attacks carried out by Iraqi insurgents against U.S.
troops in Iraq reached an all time high in late 2006.
In October, CNN was “under fire” when it aired video
clips showing militant Iraqi shooting at American
soldiers. The U.S. government claimed that CNN
aided the undergroud propaganda movement in Iraq
because the footage showed a capable enemy while
the U.S. soldiers appeared to be sitting ducks.
PsychologyToday.com recently released a statement
saying that a diet lacking in Omega-3 fatty acids
could be cause for depression. Apparently, Omega3’s, a polysaturated fat, can help maintain the fatty
membranes that relay signals from cell to cell.
Scientists also estimate that two-thirds of the brain
is made up of fatty acids that come from foods
people eat.
The U.S. has created their own version of the
popular encyclopedia known as “Wikipedia,”
asserting that an open website like Wikipedia is the
future of American espionage. Called “Intellipedia”,
the site allows government officials and intelligence
officers to maintain an easily searched database
with varying degrees of classified information.
According to U.S. official John Negroponte, the site
now has 3,600 registered users.
Smoke Signals
Smoke Signals is produced seven times during
a school year by the students of Media II,III, IV
Journalism and extracurricular staff at Peters Township High School, 264 E. McMurray Road, McMurray PA 15317. Telephone: 724-941-6250 x.5379.
E-mail: sitlern@pt-sd.org.
Commentaries, reviews, and opinion columns
are the expressed opinion of the author and not of
Smoke Signals, its adviser or the Peters Township
School District. Member of the Pennsylvania School
Press Association.
Co-Editors in Chief
Kaitlin Houser
Rachel Horensky
Kara Krawiec
Layout Editor
Catherine McCarron
News Editor
Angelina Nepa
Life & Style Editor
Colleen Counihan
Opinion Editor
Brittany Beyer
Sports Editor
Sean-Paul Mauro
Marketing Editiors
Emily Bigley
Nick Sikora
Staff Writers
Jessica Berardino, Bill
Berry, Emily Bigley, Ashley Czajkowski, Garrett
Dennis, Drew Karpen,
Sean Naccarelli, Chris
Portz, Derek Redding,
Brendan Sikora, Nick
Sikora, Renee Wunderlich
Layout Team
Megan Enscoe, Katie
Gavlick, Stephanie Gillece, Lisa Lerario,
Adviser
Nicole Sitler
Family Violence Statistics concluded
that there were approximately 3.5 million
violent crimes committed against family
members each year from 1998 to 2002.
However, only about three in five incidents were
reported to police. Although these numbers
were men and women combined, the statistics
toward violence against women alone was
even steeper. Each year, roughly three million
women are assaulted by their partner. One in
four women have been abused at some point
in her life.
Research by the (National Society for
the Prevention of Cruelty to Children) NSPCC
indicated that “most violence occurred at home,
(78%) and 40- 60% of men who abuse women
also abuse their children”. An estimated 100
million children per year may witness or be
victims of violence. This exposure could lead to
an enormous public health problem. Childhood
exposure to violence (CEV) has an desvastating
impact on children’s development. It’s known
for affecting emotional growth, physical health,
and school performance. “CEV has been
significantly linked with increased depression,
anxiety, anger, alcohol and drug abuse, and
with decreased academic achievement,” stated
the National Center for Children Exposed to
Violence.
Domestic violence consists of abuse
including physical abuse, verbal and nonverbal
abuse, sexual abuse, stalking, economic
abuse or financial abuse, and spiritual abuse.
The types of abuse may be more obvious than
the signs and symptoms. Signs to look out for
are fear of a partner or family member a large
percentage of the time; feeling that there is
nowhere to turn for help; feeling a loss of love
or respect toward a partner or family member,
etc.
Presently, more data on abuse has been
collected from low-income than middle and
upper income families. This does not necessarily
affirm that domestic violence is more common
among poor families than wealthier ones, only
that the population most available for study is
primarily low-income. Domestic violence occurs
in all cultures. People of all races, ethnicities,
and religions can be perpetrators of domestic
violence. Domestic violence is commited by,
and on, both men and women, and occurs in
any type of relationship.
Fortunately, family violence declined
by about half from 1996 to 2006, mirroring
the overall drop in all violent crime during
the same time period. Still, family violence
as a proportion of all violent crime remained
constant during the decade.
Deceitful Dictator’s Downfall
Garrett Dennis
Staff Writer
“Remember, remember the 5th of
November,” which not only is a quote from V
for Vendetta, but also marked the day that
Saddam Hussein was sentenced to death by
hanging for the execution of 148 Shiites. The
trial was held in Iraq, and the case is currently
under review for appeal.
Saddam, the former dictator of Iraq for
two decades was the cause of many executions
and hostile attacks. His own citizens feared
him, but none of them dared to oppose him. A
former Iraqi diplomat, living in exile described
Hussein’s rule, “Saddam is a dictator, who
is ready to sacrifice his country, just so long
as he can remain on his throne in Baghdad,”
(http://news.bbc.co.uk/).
Not only was Hussein aggressive toward
his own country, but also towards others such
as Kuwait. In 1990, Hussein invaded Kuwait
because Iraq owed debts to them. He saw
Kuwait as an easy target to hit because of
its size, and also the best way to get out of
debt. His hostility toward people and nations
he believe to be “inferior” than him was not
tolerated in the United States.
Most Iraqis feel confident that Hussein
shall be executed by the end of the year, but
others are protesting against the verdict.
President Bush believes that his death will
be a large step in eliminating the tyrant rule
in Iraq. Change might occur with the recent
“resignation” of Donald Rumsfeld and the
Democratic control of Congress. The day
Hussein was sentenced was, and still is, “a 5th
of November that will never be forgot.”
Sandwich versus saxophone
Renée Wunderlich
Staff Writer
Dr. Hajzus enacted a lunch procedure,
stating all students who formerly had a lunch
period scheduled the same time as band,
choir, or any related class must now eat in the
cafeteria. One hundred eleven students were
affected by this procedure with the majority
being participants in music department
programs such as band and choir.
“I think it’s a waste of time to stay so
long in the cafeteria. I would rather not eat
than not practice. Music means too much,”
said student musician Dave Sheppard.
Contrarily,
Hajzus
stated,
“This
procedure restores order, putting the school’s
best interests in mind. Students paroling
hallways is unacceptable. Besides, having
nine full class periods everyday (which most
of these students do) is tragic- it can lead to
stress, anxiety, and mental health problems,”
said Hajzus.
Music students have expressed that
they felt that they were being targeted in efforts
to have them reschedule their daily routines to
replace their former music class(es). They also
articulated a sense of insecurity with the fact
that their future in the programs offered by
the Music Department has yet to be officially
determined.
Brian Medvid, senior saxophone player,
said, “Maybe I don’t want to be a professional
(musician), but band has played a significant
part in making me who I am.”
“Music isn’t a class getting in the way
of lunch,” said sophomore Drew Calliguri, “It’s
a way of life and free expression. I think I
speak for the whole Music Department when
I say that we feel we are being punished for
expressing ourselves.”
Mrs. Fox and Dr. Dell met with Dr. Hajzus
to discuss possibilities to resolve this issue.
The music department has currently settled on
a resolution to allow students without lunches
to leave the last 10-15 minutes of class to go
the cafeteria to eat their lunches.

3. Opinion
B. Beyer
Christmas: foreign translations
Sean Naccerelli
Opinion Writer
Well it’s that special holiday time of year
again: preheat the oven, stuff the turkey, and
dust off the good ol’ voice box for Christmas
carols. I know Christmas dinner doesn’t
compare to Thanksgiving (sorry Mom), but
I’m still looking forward to it. I’m sure we all
have our favorite Christmas dinner entrées.
Just to let you know, Mama Naccarelli’s cheesy
potatoes are to die for. But, many people don’t
know what other countries to do celebrate
Christmas.
Christmas dinner is often a barbecue in
Kenya. Wow, the United States’ standards are
definitely rubbing off on the rest of the world.
I can see it now: George Foreman whippin’ me
up a gourmet Kenyan dinner on his Foreman
grill. Let’s book those plane tickets to Kenya.
At Christmas dinner in Britain, plum
pudding is served with little treasures hidden
inside that bring their finders good luck. I’d be
the one whose little treasure was a hammer
that would be clogged somewhere between
my esophagus and my heart. No thank-you.
But on the bright side, Britain was the first
country to hang up mistletoe. On the down
side, I usually find myself under the mistletoe
while my mom is right near me. I love you
Mom.
“
G. Dennis
In Italy, it is tradition to make lentil
soup. This peasant soup reminds Italians of
their humble beginnings. I mean I definitely
like eating soup that reminds me of the days
I was a bum on the street, but I’ll stick to
Campbell’s Chunky.
In Austria, the Christ Child brings
presents and the Christmas tree for the
children. As long as the Christ Child doesn’t
“forget” to bring my new video game, Austria
is fine by me.
In Lebanon, a month before
Christmas, families plant seeds of grain in
pots. When Christmas arrives they have little
pots of green to place around the tree, which
is centered in the Christmas-decorated cave.
Now that’s very cute, a family planting seeds
for Christmas. And people say getting a new
car for Christmas is great; plant a seed!
In Ireland, kids leave pie and a bottle
of Guinness as a snack for Santa. Luckily,
Santa is of legal age. And, at least he’s got
a great-designated driver for the sleigh ride
home; thanks Rudolph.
In Czech Republic, people believe that
Christmas Eve has a certain magic that can let
you see your future. I can predict my future
for writing this article: a lump of coal?
(Traditions taken from northpole.net)
S. Naccarelli
N. Sikora
Your Opinion on
Christmas
Traditions
My family comes over to my
house on Christmas and we
all go down to the barn and
either ride or clean the horses,
while most of the women cook
dinner.
Kayla Johnson ‘08
I celebrate my birthday on Christmas
day!
Laura Moore ‘09
My Aunt and I take a road trip
every year to Philadelphia to visit
family.
Katie Fife ‘10
I’m going to Disney World this
year! I hope it will become a
tradition.
Faults of facebook
Rachel Horensky
Co-Editor-in-Chief
Facebook is a social networking service
for high school, college , university, corporate,
non-profit communities. As of December 2005,
it had the largest number of registered users
with over 7.5 million college student accounts
created. An additional 20,000 new accounts
are being created daily. It is the number one
site for photos with 2.3 million photos uploaded
daily, and is the seventh most trafficked site in
the United States (Wikipedia). Facebook has
become a popular site where people can chat,
send messages and view pictures of each
other, but at what costs?
Lately, there has been controversy
surrounding Facebook. For fear that Facebook
may attract stalkers like MySpace, high
schools around the country have begun to
block the site from student users. Colleges
and universities view their students’ Facebook
profiles to investigate underage drinking and
violations of dry campus policies. Students do
not realize that Facebook is a diary of their
activities and the activities are illustrated when
pictures are posted on the site. They also do
not realize that these pictures can implicate
them. “College administrators are known to
troll the profiles on Facebook for evidence of
illegal behavior by students,” said Christine
Rosen who works at the Ethics and Public
Policy Center in Washington (Wikipedia).
Students
have
lost
privileges,
scholarships and leadership positions because
colleges have found proof through their
pictures that they were drinking. For example,
students at Northern Kentucky University were
charged with code violations when a keg was
seen in a dorm-room picture. Students need
to realize that everyone can see what they put
on the Internet, and that they should keep
their pictures off because people, including
their own peers, will turn them in.
Facebook controversy is now going
one step further. Before hiring employees,
employers have begun to explore Facebook in
order to get an idea of the person they are
hiring. People have not gotten jobs because
Mrs. Kowalczyk, nurse
their profiles show them drinking at parties or
using vulgar language toward others.
When the consequences are weighed,
uploading pictures for people to look at does
not outweigh the penalties of being found guilty
of violating rules. Though Facebook is fun to be
on, it can really affect people’s futures. People
need to be aware of who views their profiles
and censure what they put on the Internet.
Nick Sikora
We open our Christmas
presents on Christmas Eve
instead of Christmas Day.
Carly Reschick ‘07
He Said vs. She Said
Brittany Beyer
What is the best gift you’ve ever given?
A squeaky dog toy. I gave it to my brother when he
was five. I didn’t know that people made toys for dogs at
the time. I was embarrassed.
I adopted a penguin at the Pittsburgh Zoo for my boyfriend. You can adopt any animal at the zoo for different
lengths of time and amounts of money. Depending on
how much you spend you receive different benefits.
Seriously, no on will expect it!
What is the best give you’ve ever received?
$50 in $2 bills. It wasn’t useful at all, but that’s not
the point.
The best gift I ever received was a record player.
It’s probably twenty some years old but it still
plays amazing and it was what I wanted more
than anything.
What is the best gift to get for a guy/girl?
Tickets to a BCS Bowl. The only thing that could
be better than watching the Orange Bowl over
Christmas break would be being in Florida and
watching the game from the stands.
Girls are all different so it’s difficult to pinpoint one
specific item. But if you really want to surprise her
listen closely months before Christmas. She will drop
subtle hints about something she would want. If you
can pick up on the hints then you will win her over.
What is the best way to present a gift?
EBAY.
Wrapped! Neatly! I would like to receive a gift from a
guy that doesn’t look like a mangled ball of tape and
ribbon.

4. Congratulations
Certificate
Kohne, Jody
Alescio, Carlie
Cotugno, Stephanie Kradel, Sarah
Come, Nina
Egan, Alexandra
Barbati, Alexa
John Counihan, Brendan Kriston, Brian
Barrett, Mary Cronin, Elisabeth
Kronket, Caitlyn
Czajkowski, Ashley Kuzy, Autumn
Laubach, Kerriann
Eltschlager, Heidi
Locher, Geoff
Lovell, Curry
Machin, James
Forbrich, Alison
MacKay, Kimberly
Blank, Elizabeth
Gardner, Alexis
Boccardi, Emily
Garry, Megan Andrew
Madalena,
Malanos, Zachary
Bowler, William
Glovier, Megan
Malencia, Michael
B r a n d s t e t t e r , Grech, Sarah Marlett, Melanie
Mathews, Ryan
Christian
Brickner, Kellie
Gregory, Sean
Mauer, Lindsay
o f
Broglie, Julia Grisnik, Emily Maydak, Laura
Brown, Kathleen
McCracken, Julie
Hall, Annemarie
Bryan, Bernadette Halo, Kathrine
McGraw, Carrie
McLean, Michael
Hancherick, Mitchell c N a m a r a ,
M
Margaret
Bryan, Stephanie
Burg, Kevin
Hanlon, Andrew
Caliguiri, Drew
Hareza, Jack
Medvid, Carl
Metz, Anthony
Campbell, William
Hartbauer, Kory
Milavec, Megan
C a r b o n a r a , Hayes, Brian Miller, Erin
Adrianna
Miller, Madeline
Carone, Nick Heaps, Rebecca
Miller, Steven
Higgins, Samantha
Miller, Taylor
Casaday, Ryan
Castillo, Danielle
Houser, Michael
Ceccarelli, Nicholas Ignatius, Jamison Moran, Melinda
Joyce, Morgan
Murphy, Brendan
Chiste, Samantha Kaushik, Charanya Nerone, Katherine
Rothhaar, Jessica
Trier, Emily
Letter
Aaron, Dana
Anderson, Robert
Banas,
Stephen
Barna, Sara
Beggs, Chelsea
Bergmann, Calvin
Bittner, Michele
Blackman, Brooke
Boehme, Benjamin
Bonneau, Pamela
Broglie
, Justin
Brouwer, Derek
Burkhardt, Grant
Buzard, Kaitlyn
Carbonara, Melissa
Carey, Janel
Carone, Megan
Caso, Taylor
Cassano, Larissa
Cicero, Adrienne
Creehan, MacKenzie
Debowski, Michael
Nicholson, Jared
Ciancarelli, Aimee Kennedy, Mackenzie
Oliver, Trevor
Cody, William Kerner, Alexandra
Conley, Justin
Matthis, Erin
Rotunda, Alyson
Bianco, Benjamin Fink, Reina
Bigley, Jenna Flanigan, Kelly
Koerner, William
Meadows, Tyler
Benbourenane,E s t e r h u i z e n ,
Kristelle
2008
LoCastro, Nicole
Hunter, Christina
of
2 0 0 9
Economou, Joseph Lewis, Kara
Beel, Christopher
Gove, Brittany
Hoyt, Daniel
Beck, Christopher DiGnazio, John
Bozic, Stephanie
Goozdich,
Class
Devine, Danielle
Amine
Galiano, Brittany
Gabrielle
Batanian, Kiel
Bell, Hilary
Fletcher, Edan
Freyder, Kelly
Christian
C l a s s
Allen, Michael
Berry, William
Aprahamian, Kevin Correal, Emily
Bardzil,
Certificate
Koepka, Ryan OMalley, Timothy
P a h o u n t i s ,
Deiley, Jacqueline
Deluca, Alexa
Diamond, Elias
DiVella, Michael
Dodds, Lindsay

5. Academic
Awards Recipients
Greenawald, Lee
Pfeifer, Rebecca
Phelan, Emilia
Beazley, Christine Heuer, Jacqueline
Bellan,
Katrina Hollot, Olivia
Horensky, Rachel
Beyer,
Brittany Houser
Pitts, Alexander
Plachecki, Gregory
, Kaitlin
Popovich, John
Bianco, Michael
Hull, Abigail
Bossong, Katie
Michael
Portz, Christopher
Bowes, Stephanie James, Gregory
Bozic, Jennifer
Jasek, Christine
Radke, Alexander
Brace, Channing
Kean, Victoria
Rafferty, Brianna
2007
Ferrara, Phillip
Fletcher, Hadas
Gallagher, Kelsey
Ganick, Katherine
Gardner, Haylee
Getto, Christine
Getz, Abby
Giovannitti,
Annelyse
Greer, Daniel
Hammell, Lauren
Hanson, Nathaniel
Hartenbach,
Kathryn
Heaps, Katie
Heilmann, Justin
Heldman, Renee
Hess, Anne
Hilzendeger, John
Hough, Robert
Huber, Kayla
Hughes, Christian
Irwin, Mary Tristan
Jacobs, Meghan
Jankowski, Delanie
Jarrett, Michael
Jewison,
Christopher
Johnson, Bethany
Kaecher, Heather
Kartik,
Noelle
Kipling, Allison
Klaja, Jordan
Knoll, Brighid
Kocher, Alexander Sam, Alex
Koenig, Christopher Scarberry,
Jacquelyn
Schaefer, Zachary
Kolan, Daniel
Schneider,
Krak, Jonathan
Brandon
Lacey, Maura
Seguiti, Gina
Lacy, Mark
Sestrich, Kristen
Lang, Valerie
Latinovich, Lauren Shultz, Stephanie
Smith,
Machel, Sasha
Magreni, Angelina Matthew
Smore, Stephanie
Majoras, Mark
Stanik, Megan
Manning, Bridget
Marks,
Kristin Steeber, Charles
Plaques
Adams, Cassandra Grech, Andrew
Brandstetter, Emily Kennedy, Patrick
Knell, Jeffery
Rawlings, Alan
Reis, Jennifer
Browell, Robyn
Kohne, Brandi
Bucey, Matthew
Komoroski, Adam
Reschick, Carly
Burke, Dylan
Kostak, Brent
Rike, Michelle
Burzotta, Jessica
Krak, Justin
Ritter, Rebecca
Camus, Kelly
Kruljac
Letter
, Jaclyn
Carey, Ryan
Leech, Emily
Cichowicz, Rachel Lindberg, Savannah
Clark, Kaitlyn
Clements,
MacCumbee, Allison
Christopher
Colletti
, Anna Maher, Patrick
Marie
Maize, Aaron
Counihan, Colleen Makowski, Kerstin
of
Matthews, Joshua
McAllister, Clayton
McNeal
,
Kathryn
Milanese,
Matthew
Mitchell, Carl
Moore, Allison
Nepa, Angelina
Neville, David
Nicholson,
Rebecca
Nitschmann,
Natalie
Olawski, Zachary
Oleynik,
Alexandra
O’Rourke, Chelsie
Palamides,
Natalie
Palko, Emily
Paterra, Julianna
Paul, Rebekah
Peranteau,
Stephen
Percival, Robert
Ponte, Elena
Porco, Tyler
Quinlan, Kevin
Radolec,
Mackenzy
Rauch, Thomas
Rider, James
Roberson, Caitlyn
Rodgers-Melnick,
Samuel
Rosky, Rebecca
Ross, Peter
Rothaar, Peter
Fornear, Ryan
Jarosh, Bryan
Kuzy, Nicholas
Morosco, Danielle
Paul, Daniel
Renne, Alexis
Rothhaar, Bruce
Venanzi, Paige
Williams, Evan
Makrinos, Stephen
Certificate
Malencia, Veronica
Cover, Chelsea
Ali, Lauren
D’Abarno, Anthony
Danchisko, Kevin
Arnoni, Kiersten
DiPaolo, Andrew
Mauro, Sean-Paul
Chen, Jing
Dolcich, Matthew
McCarron,
Fortna, Benjamin
Donolo
Catherine
Helba, Julianna
McMenamin, Paige
Hyman, Lea
,
Nathan
Class
Doran, Jennifer
Eisengart, Paige
Elderkin, Christina
Ellis, Carolyn
Eskew, Ryan
Fazio, Nicholas
Earley, Sarah
Easoz, Samuel
Jackson, Paul
McNamara, Harold
Ehland, Erica
Faber, Jessica
Krivacek, Leigha
Miller, Merrill
Fletcher, Marianne Mininger, Kaitlin B.
Foglia, Emily Monaco, Jessica
Galatic
Joyce, Mary Kate
Moore, Garrison
, Kayla Norton, Emily
Olivo, Alexandra
Gaudy, Ryan
Ondeck, Matthew
Giesey, Lauren
O’Neil, Matthew
Glicksman,
Paul, Rachel
Benjamin
Perhach, Sarah
Matthis,
Christopher
Matthis, John
Matthis, Russell
Nee, Sarah
Nettles, Charles
Petrozza, Luke
Piedmonte, Taylor
Stevans, Hollyann
Sweeney, Megan
Tenison, Sarah

6. From Christmas pa
Match the teacher with his/her baby
picture and turn in completed form to
Mrs. Sitler in Room A114 by December
11th for your chance to win a $25.00
Visa gif t card.
8.
5.
2.
3.
9.
6.
4.
10.
7.

7. ast. . .
Na m e :
1.
G ra d e :
H o m e Ro o m :
Ma t c h t h e t ea c h e r
wi t h t h ei r n u m b e r :
11.
14.
M r. Ba st o s
M r s . B e c kj o rd
M r s . B o ni
M r s . De li e re
M s . Do n a ti
12.
M r s . Fri c k
15.
M r. H o u s e r
M s . Ko b e d a
M r. Ku h n
M s . M cI n t o s h
M s . M c Ke n n a
M r s . M o r ri st o n
M s . O’C o n n o r
16.
M r s . Pi n t o
M r s . Si t l e r
13.
M r. S u s s m a n
R e t u r n t o M r s . Si t l e r i n
Ro o m A1 by
14
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8. ro
Sp
extra p int
Connor Tarwater & Sean-Paul Mauro
Em
ily
Bigley
rts
z
au
Sean-Paul M
Chris Port
Hard work produces high hopes
Sports Editors
Derek Redding
What’s the Greatest Rivalry in
Sports?
CT:
Without question, the
greatest rivalry in sports
is between the New York
Yankees and the Boston Red
Sox. Though over the years
the Yankees have dominated
the Red Sox for the most part,
it is still the most passionate
rivalry in all of sports.
SM: Not even close. The Yankees
and Red Sox have the most overrated rivalry
in sports, but not the best. That title belongs
to the Michigan – Ohio State rivalry. Every
year, so much is on the line for this game.
Take this past year; number one Ohio State
verses number two Michigan was arguably
the biggest game in college football history.
No matter what the records are between the
two teams (which are usually very good), this
game is for all the marbles, each and every
single year.
CT:
Though the Yankees have an
advantage as far as all time wins in the
series and World Series championships,
that’s what makes the rivalry intense. It is
a combination of the Yankees success and
the frustration of the Red Sox. USA Today
and Sports Illustrated both described the
rivalry as the “fiercest rivalry in sports.”
SM: ESPN ranks the Michigan – Ohio State
rivalry as the best in all of sports. Almost
every single year, “The Game,” as it is referred
to usually means a trip to Pasadena, CA, for
the most storied Bowl Game in all of College
Football – The Rose Bowl. The winged helmet
of Michigan, the O-H-I-O made by the Ohio
State band – so much tradition. Also, what
makes this rivalry better than the Yanks – Sox
rivalry is the fact that it’s played only once a
year. The Yankees and Red Sox play games
that are meaningless throughout the season.
The Michigan – Ohio State happens once, and
is always meaningful for the entire college
football nation.
CT: Meaningless games throughout the
season? This shows you have no idea
what you are talking about. Anyone with
common sense knows that every single
Yankees-Red Sox game is treated like a
game 7 of the World Series to both teams
and their fans. And if you want tradition,
just look at the players, past and present,
in this rivalry. Babe Ruth, Joe DiMaggio,
Roger Marris, Roger
Clemens,
Pedro
Martinez, David Ortiz,
just to name a few.
Also, this rivalry gets
so heated that not only
have players attacked
fans,
then
players
attack
players
and
even managers. This
is the most intense
rivalry in sports.
SM: Every year, Michigan
and Ohio State play once
in the most anticipated
match in college football
for a likely trip to the Rose Bowl. The Yankees
Staff Writer
The Peter Township High School boys’
basketball team is not thinking of the past but
seeking revenge this upcoming season. With last
year’s starters Alex Radke, Spencer Smith, Pat
Russo, Kevin Noone, and John Matthis, the team is
ready for battle. “I am ready to play this year,” said
John Matthis. Coach Gerry Goga started training the
basketball team in early summer with open gyms
every Monday and Wednesday, and weight lifting
every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. The Varsity
team is looking very promising. Peter’s last season
record of 7 – 16 may discourage many teams and
their fans but the fans say they are going to come
back for more this year. “I can’t wait for the season to
start, I will try to make it to all the games this year,”
said sophomore Nicole Hauck.
The team is pushing themselves on and off
the court. Coach Goga is making grades a primary
objective to all players on the team. If players have
an “F” in one of their classes for two consecutive
weeks, he will be placed in SHARP and will not
participate in upcoming games or practices until the
grade is brought up. “ I think SHARP is a good way to
keep grades up and players playing,” said sophomore
Mitch Hancherik.
Most importantly, all the juniors who played
last year will return for their senior year to help the
Indians have a winning season. Peters Township has
also received a very experienced freshman coach, Mr.
Houser who is also an English teacher here at the
high school. “I think this year will be fun especially
playing for Mr. Houser,” said freshman Phil Horensky.
The Indians’ start their season off with the
USC tournament which tips-off on December 1,
Girls’ basketball hopes to make
rebound
Chris Portz
Staff Writer
The Peters Township Girls’ Basketball
team has been working hard during this offseason. Hopefully, this will translate into a
better performance than last year, when the
girls’ basketball team finished at 8-16. “We
have the program going in the right direction,”
said senior guard Michelle Rike.
The girls have two main goals this
season. First, they want to improve their
record from last year, at least finishing with a
winning record. Second, they want to make
the play-offs.
These are ambitious goals
because neither of these goals have been
accomplished since the seniors on the team
have been enrolled in high school.
The girls’ basketball team has been
pushing themselves during this off-season, in
order to exceed their expectations. In July,
the basketball team traveled to California
Bill Berry
University for a four-day camp, where the
girls played rival Upper St. Clair. Our girls’
team showed that they could compete in their
competitive conference. In August, the girls’
basketball team had attended another camp
at Robert Morris University, where the girls
mastered the basics. Additionally, the girls
have been practicing and lifting throughout
the off-season.
Preparing early ensures
that they will be ready for what the season
throws at them. “We have much more of a
team now than previous years,” said Senior
Michelle Rike, “Girls from each grade level are
contributing to the team and getting our goals
accomplished.”
There are three senior leaders on this
squad: Jordan Settimio, Michelle Rike, and
Shannon Wagner. With their leadership the
team’s season looks promising against some
tough opponents in the Big Seven Conference,
which includes: Upper St. Clair, Mt. Lebanon,
Fulfilling the legacy
Staff Writer
The Peters Township Varsity Hockey team
looks to return to state championship under new
leadership this season following the graduation and
leave of numerous key players from last year’s run.
The Indians are coming off 15-9 season where they
reached the Penguin Cup semifinals losing to the
eventual champion, Pine Richland.
Indians Varsity hockey has been one of
the most successful programs in the history of
Peters Township athletics. The team captured state
championships in 2002, 2003 and 2005 while reaching
the ‘big game’ in 2004. “We’re really looking forward
to showing people that we are a championship
contender this year,” said junior defenseman Dave
McDonough.
Expect to see new faces this year with
only four players returning for their senior season.
However that won’t be a problem with players like
Robbie Hough, Dave Rigatti, Zach DeFelice, and
Greg Jackson. “I don’t think that our youth will be a
Photo by Shelby Miller
Dave Rigatti clears the puck out of the Indians’
defensive zone during the 2006 playoffs.
Coach Rick Tingle enters his second season as the
head coach of Indians and expects nothing less than
a fourth state championship. However, the Indians
will have to wait until March to make their move in
the playoffs, until then come support them at the

9. ek Redd
er
ing
D
Bill
Be
rry
C
on
no
r
r
Tarwate
ra
Siko
an
Brend
Penguins finally coming around
Sean-Paul Mauro
Sports Editor
With a fast start to 2006 – 2007 NHL
season, this seems to be the year that the
youth and talent of the Pittsburgh Penguins
is starting to kick in to gear. Over the past
two years, the Pens have been rebuilding a
team capable of taking them the distance in
the playoffs.
The process started with the addition
of the Canadian phenom, 19 year-old Sidney
Crosby. Coming into the league, Crosby was
already pressured as a rookie to be great
– being hailed by Wayne Gretzky as the next
great one before he took one stride in an NHL
game. Crosby did not disappoint last season
– with over 100 points – but the Penguins
did, finishing the season in last place in the
league.
This year, the Penguins continued to
load the line up with stars, like Russian goal
scorer Evgeni Malkin, and first round draft pick
Jordan Staal, and the Penguins are showing
signs of brilliance. Staal was originally slated
to play only the first part of the season in the
NHL, and the remainder of the season with his
junior team in Ontario. However, Staal has
been so instrumental in the Pens’ first place
start that the Penguin executives have decided
to keep him in the line up for the entire season
– starting his three year contract now, instead
of next year.
Crosby, unsurprisingly, has started the
season where he left off from last year. He is
in the top five in scoring once again. Malkin
has been, undoubtedly, the most impressive
rookie thus far, and maybe the most impressive
rookie thus far in NHL history. Through his
first six games, Malkin was the first player
Smoke Signals
December 2006
SPORTS
BRIEFS
HOCKEY
The hockey players have been
gearing up their performances
this season. Their current
record is 1-3. They are ready
to take on Greensburg Central
Catholic on 11/20.
BOYS’
sWIMMING
Photo courtesy of Andrew Vaughan / AP file
Penguin center, Sidney Crosby, sets up his teammate with a
quick pass. Crosby has emerged as one of the premier playmakers in the NHL.
ever to score goals in each of first six games. Staal has
been the biggest surprise for the Penguins. Staal was the
first player in over 50 years to score three short handed
goals as his first goals in his NHL career.
Wrestlers prepare for
a successful season
Brendan Sikora
Staff Writer
9
The Peters Township Indians wrestling team
has always been a force to be reckoned with. The
varsity team consists of 15-20 wrestlers yet they all
train in hard conditions. This year tough opponents will
be Colin Johnston and Matt Ryan both of Canon Mac.
Defeating these
opponents
takes
brutal
p r a c t i c e
conditions
and all around
toughness
on
the team. Big
matches
for
this year will be
Baldwin, Upper
Saint Clair, and
Junior
Bethel Park.
D a l e
Murdock currently coaches the varsity team. Murdock
is an experienced and knowledgeable coach. John
Antonelli assists him. Both of these coaches are
experts in wrestling and will make the difference in key
matches this season. They will put this team through
blood and paint to make them the best. The coaches
yell at the wrestlers to run more and work harder
and harder each time to build on their success.
This year the team is young, consisting of
mostly sophomores and juniors. The leadershipexperienced seniors will determine this year’s
s u c c e s s .
Sophomore
Nick Ceccarelli
says, “We have
been training
hard in the
off season to
make this year
a
success.”
Even though
this is a young
Joe Fortunato
team they are
working hard
to make this
season a good one. Junior wrestler Joe Fortunato
said, “We worked hard last year and we will
continue to work until we are a success.” The team
is ready to throw down on December 6th.
“We worked hard last
year and we will continue
to work until we are a
success.”
The boys swimming team has
been pushing themselves to
the limit with early morning
practices, in addition to the
conditioning
after
school.
The boys’ swimming team is
in fit shape to glide past the
opposition in the water.
girls’
swimming
Currently the girls swim team
is a strong competitor in the
wpial. They hold practice every
week and work out in the weight
BOYS’
BASKETBALL
Last year the boys basketball
team was (7,17). With the acquisition of John Matthis, adding height as well as depth to
the team, they strive to make
playoffs this year. The team
also looks to improve their record over .500.
GIRLS’
BASKETBALL
The girls who were (8-16) last
year, hope to accomplish their
goals. The girls look to exceed
expectation by making playoffs
and improving their record by
winning at least 13 wins.
WRESTLING
The wrestling team is full of
talent this season. They have
been training in the off-season
and started practices Nov 13th.
They are practicing every day
of the week and are ready for
their first match on December
6th.

10. & Style
PT LIF E
Colleen Counihan
Christmas shopping sans the stress
Features Editor
Along with the joyous Christmas season
comes the not so joyous conversation over
gifts. All the gift-givers must endure it (even
the receivers, who then become the givers.)
The conversation begins with something like
this: “What do you want for Christmas?” The
gift-receiver comes back with “I don’t know, I
don’t care.” What seasoned gift-givers have
come to understand is that this is usually code
for “you better think hard, buddy, because
I want something good.” Luckily, there are
answers to this unforeseen reaction and
they don’t involve hundreds dollars or time
consuming trips.
Whether the gift is for a brother or
boyfriend, a shopper could stop by Best Buy
for a masculine-minded browse through the
electronic aisles. Best Buy has everything
from CDs and DVDs to combination iPod sound
“Money, because
you can’t screw it
up.”
soothers. Try dropping hints about newly
released music or movies and look for the best
reaction. If this fails, there is always the Best
Buy gift card or iTunes card for iPod carriers.
Girls are the tough ones. No matter
how many times she says she does not care
about the gift, she really does care…a lot. The
idea behind gifts for girls is to focus on the
thought and not the money. Think of a girl’s
favorite music to find a CD or her favorite color
to find some matching gloves and scarf. Most
girls will be perfectly happy with a bundle of
flowers from just about anyone.
Gifts do not always have to be about
material things and some of the best ones
never are. A surprise night out or a free meal
can be enjoyable for both guys and girls, but
most importantly, they will have a more lasting
effect than a new gadget. Sometimes, the
gift just comes down to time availability and
shopping ability.
If all this talk of shopping creates
anxieties of how one can possibly squeeze a
leisurely trip to the mall and track practice all in
one night, think about the Internet. Amazon.
com proudly offers a whole section devoted to
ideas for gifts, based on gender and personal
relationship. The site is overflowing with gifts
ranging from sugar-free Belgian chocolates and
“fairy” bath kits to the all-inclusive Johnny Cash
box set. More exclusively, almost every major
store in the area is accompanied by a website,
therefore time cannot be an excuse anymore.
Christmas and its gift-giving necessities should
not be sources of anxiety or frustration. They
should be chances for creativity or excuses to
demonstrate one’s charm.
“A nice wrappedup ham.”
“Flowers because
they are pretty.”
Justin Broglie ‘08
“A gift certificate because they can only
spend the money
where you want them
to.”
Nate Bachik ‘10
Chase Wickerham ‘09
Jon Makrinos ‘07
Eragon
By Christopher Paolini
The Sweet Escape
Katie Gavlick
Staff Writer
Gwen Stefani, the outrageous punkpop artist from ex-band, No Doubt, drops her
second solo album December 5th, creatively
titled, The Sweet Escape. After putting the
album on hold for her son Kingston’s birth,
Stefani is ready to get out what she calls,
“the hottest release of the year.”
The Sweet Escape follows up
Stefani’s last album, Love. Angel. Music.
Baby. However, this album wasn’t a bunch of
L.A.M.B. leftovers; it included tracks written
over the past 18 months, with collaborations
from Akon, No Doubt’s Tony Kanal, Nellee
Hooper, Sean Garrett, Swizz Beatz, Dave
Stewart, and Keane’s Tim Rice-Oxley.
Stefani’s first single, “Wind it Up,”
intercepts snippets from “The Sound of
Music” while combining her own melody. The
result? A fresh, modern dance beat, that’s
not retro or worn out. Songs like “Orange
County Girl” provides tunes everyone can
dance to, while “Candyland” has a unique
sound.
I give Gwen Stefani’s The Sweet
Escape five out of five stars. Its creative,
vivacious, and very hard to get out of your
head; what more could you ask for?
Amber Doerr
Staff Writer
“Eragon gripped the knife tighter
and held very still. Soon the creature
was all the way out of the stone. It
stayed in place for a moment, then
skittered into the moonlight. Eragon
recoiled in shock. Standing in front
of him, licking off the membrane that
encased it, was a dragon.”
Eragon is just a simple farm boy,
hunting deer in the woods for his family,
when a mysterious blue stone appears
out of nowhere. Soon, the stone hatches,
and Eragon discovers that the stone is
not a stone, but an egg; a dragon egg.
Eragon’s life is thrown into mystery when
he raises the last known free dragon, and
seeks refuge in an unknown place called
the Varden. All the while, Galbatorix, an
evil dictator, is after Eragon. He must flee
the one place he can call home, and fight
for his freedom. Along the way, he meets
a man with a similar grudge against the
empire, and an elf who has been taken
hostage by them. Eragon is a great
fantasy novel for anyone who enjoys
adventure, intrigue, or mystical creatures.
This book never slows down and will leave
your heart pounding. Eldest, book two in
the Inheritance trilogy, has already been
released, and Eragon the movie is coming
out December 15.
I give this book five out of give stars.
Lady in the Water
Taylor Piedmonte
Staff Writer
As an avid M Knight Shyamalan
fan, I wanted to like his latest
supernatural fable, Lady in the Water,
but I didn’t. I hoped that a shocking
ending would salvage the bad film, but
it didn’t.
Cleveland Heep, a stuttering
apartment superintendent, encounters
a girl named Story swimming in the
complex’s pool. He soon learns that
Story is a “narf” trying to get home to
the Blue World. However, vicious doglike creatures are determined to prevent
her from reaching home.
The Problem with Lady in the
Water is that it’s constantly explaining
itself. Shyamalan has a unique talent
to create vivid stories, and the story of
Story is indeed an interesting one, but
Lady in the Water proves that a good
story does not make a good movie.
The flaw lies within a bad script. The
characters act like they encounter
“narfs” everyday. There is no disbelief
in the dialogue. Yes, it’s a fairy tale, but
it takes place on planet earth in present
day.
In the past, Shyamalan films
have told great stories with aliens,
ghosts, and monsters while maintaining
plausibility and suspense. Lady in the
Water has the monsters and the story,
but not the plausibility or suspense.
Lady in the Water: Good Actors,
Good Director, Good Story, Bad Movie
1.5 Stars out of 4

11. 11
Smoke Signals
December 2006
Top 10 Christmas Movies
Pittsburgh’s
Kara
Krawiec
Drew Karpen
Co-Editor-in-Chief
Staff Writer
With the holiday season right around
the corner, families are getting ready. Families
from around the world get into the holiday
spirit by putting up their decorations and
by watching marathons of classic Christmas
movies. There were many Christmas movies
dating back to the 1800’s but only 10 were
picked by the viewers to make the top ten list.
Starting off the list at number 10 is Miracle
on 34th Street. This movie was a hit as soon
as it came out in 1947. When a nice old man
who claims to be Santa Claus is characterized
as being insane, a young lawyer decides to
defend him as being the real Santa Claus.
The viewers gave this movie eight out of ten
stars. At number nine is National Lampoon’s
Christmas vacation. As usual the Griswald’s
plan for a big Christmas turns out to be a big
disaster. This series, which also has Vegas
Vacation, stars Chevy Chase and received
four and a half stars. At number eight is It’s a
Wonderful Life. This 1946 film is about an angel
helps a frustrated businessman by showing
him what life would be like if he never existed.
Number seven is Santa Claus is Coming to
Town. This cartoon stars a young boy named
Kris Kringle, who makes a factory where he
makes toys for little kids. At number six is
everyone’s favorite reindeer, Rudolph the RedNose Reindeer. This is about a reindeer that is
unwanted until one day Santa comes and asks
him to guide his sled. Half way through the
countdown at number five is Dr. Suess’ How
the Grinch Stole Christmas. The Grinch tries to
ruin Christmas for all the children in Whoville.
Lets set the scene, New Year’s Evealmost 2007, but there’s only one dilemma;
what’s there to do in Pittsburgh to celebrate?
Pittsburgh is having its 13th annual First Night,
Tickets can be purchased
at any Giant Eagle for a
$1.00 off discount.
Photo courtesy of www.amazon.com
At the end of this movie the Grinch realizes
what he is doing and gives everyone their gifts
back and celebrates Christmas with them. At
number four is A Christmas Carol. An old man
who never cared about anything learns his
compassion when three ghosts visit him on
Christmas Eve. At number three is one of the
favorites, A Christmas Story. In this movie all
Ralphie wants is a BB gun for Christmas but
his mom thinks it is too dangerous. Coming
in at number two is Home Alone. This is the
first of the three movie series and by far the
best. An eight year old who is accidentally left
behind by his family when they go on vacation
has to defend their house against burglars.
Finally coming in at number one on the top
ten Christmas movies of all time is… The Santa
Claus. When a man (Tim Allen) accidentally
kills Santa Claus, he is recruited to take his
place. With the release of new Christmas
movies to come, we will have to see if they can
make their way onto the list in the future.
(www.epinions.com)
a celebration dedicated to bringing in the New
Year surrounded by arts, music, and friends.
First Night is a party for everyone.
Whether a person is indulging in music or
experiencing magic and theater, this is one
festivity the whole family can participate in.
Events start at 6pm on New Year’s Eve and
go until the fireworks are done at midnight.
First Night is filled with performers, jazz
musicians, and other acts that can be enjoyed
with the lovely Pittsburgh Cultural District in
the background. Tickets are $8.00 for adults;
children under the age of 5 are admitted free.
Tickets can be purchased at any Giant Eagle
for a $1.00 off discount.
New Year’s Eve is about getting
together with family and friends to celebrate
a new beginning. What better way to kick
start 2007 in style than to spend it with other
Pittsburghers that know how to have fun!
Hough, bassist John Wawrose, and drummer
Taylor Maher, this alternative rock band has
been turning some heads. We interviewed
the boys of 65 Watts, to get to know a little
more about what’s behind their music. They’re
coming up on their 1-year mark as a band.
Bassist, John Wawrose, compliments his
techniques with influences from bands such as
Red Hot Chili Peppers. Sean Rothermel proudly
idolizes Scott Weiland, the past front man of
Stone Temple Pilots, and present
vocalist of Velvet Revolver. Their
music is pure alternative rock on
the exterior, but each member
has mastered his instrument
enough to create subtly-complex
melodies and they have mastered
enough stage confidence to keep
the crowd swaying to the sounds.
65 Watts has managed to pull in a
decent fan base, for such a short
time-span. Their fans showed a
noticeable amount of support
when they voted 65 Watts into
the 3rd place position at the high
school ‘Battle of the Bands’ event
in October.
A band with such a
spectrum of influences and such a
mature sound is not to be pushed aside. Take
advantage of a sound that revolves around
Red Hot Chili Peppers and Weezer and check
them out! If you’d like to hear music by 65
Band of the Month: 65 Watts
Colleen Counihan & Sean Naccarelli
Staff Writers
Freshmen are rarely noted for
undeniable wit or broad musical background
but a group of Peters Township High School boys
have taken this stereotype of inefficiency and
thrown it in the faces of most upperclassmen
bands residing in the school. These young
men call themselves 65 Watts. Consisting
of Vocalist, Sean Rothermel, guitarist Kevin
Photo by Sean Naccarelli
65 Watts poses for group photo at Community Day at Peterswood
Park.
Photo by Sam Higgins
Freshman Livia Bayer proudly sports a 65 Watts
shirt at Battle of the Bands on October 12th.

12. Voices in the Hall
Who/what do you want for the holidays?
“BORAT! I love that
man!”
“Alex Binder from
2-A-Days!”
Josh Keffer ‘07
“I don’t know dude.
I can’t think of anything funny.”
“Jessica Alba.”
Kaiya Quevido ‘07
Laura St. Clair ‘07
James Joyce ‘10
Where are you going for the holidays?
“To the Emerald
City to see the Wizard of Oz.”
“Moscow, the
moon, and Alaska.”
Adam Komoroski ‘07
Garrison Moore ‘07
“I’m bringing my
Pokemon to a top
secret battle in
Brock’s gym.”
Casey Dunleavy ‘09
“I’m going to play
in the snow with
Grandma!”
Laura Quinn ‘08
What is Santa Claus’ best physical
feature?
“The beard that’s long
and white!”
Sarah Rubis and Kate Staaf, ‘07
“His hot bod is the
best!”
Erin Bench ‘08
“His backside!”
“I love his big black
belt.”
Dara Lisanti ‘09
Brent Kostak ‘07
What do you leave for Santa to eat on
Christmas Eve?
“Biscotti and
pizelles.”
Phil Ferrara ‘08
“Fish taco and
milk.”
Nolan Majcher ‘09
“Chicken wings”
Dave Edmunds ‘09
“Motor oil, Castro
GT”
Kyle Falbo ‘10