By John FischerStaff Writer

“I think Mitt Romney should be our next president because Obama will waste billions each year on Obam-acare.” Brandon Quinn ‘12

“I believe Romney should be the next President because he has a bet-ter understanding on critical issues in this country and he’s actually some-what competent.” Noah Columbro ‘10

“I believe Romney is the best can-

didate to be the next President because he is Pro-Life and against Euthanasia.” Matthew Ulrich ‘12

“I believe Obama is the best fit to win the election because he has a bet-ter long-term vision for the country.” Vikas Munjal ‘11

“I would like to see President Obama win the election. His economic policies haven’t had time to unfold yet and when they do, the tough times will cease.” Andrew Rush ‘12

“I personally don’t like either of them.” Dom Fortino ‘12

By James ZiembaStaff Writer

I really believe that nothing defines being grown up more than being able to vote. It is something many of us did with our parents when we were younger. I remember my mom wran-gling my sister and me into our double stroller on Election Day. She would tell us which buttons to press on the voting machine, leaving us in awe when the lights would illuminate as we selected a certain candidate.

I feel that when I walk into the Hillsborough Municipal Building on November 6, I will still be that same mesmerized child when I select the buttons to choose each candidate, except this time I’ll know why I’m pressing them.

The race between President Obama and Governor Romney has been intriguing up to this point. Gov. Romney impressed many politi-cal analysts with his performance in the first of three debates in the beginning of October, but President

Obama was able to quickly counter a few days later when the quarterly job report showed that unemployment had dipped below 8% for the first time in almost four years.

The platforms of both candidates offer American citizens viable options through which the country can over-come its current financial situation: President Obama will strive to assist the unemployed and financially unsta-ble through his healthcare initiative and tax cuts, while Gov. Romney will champion small business and focus on lowering our national debt. Prelimi-nary polls show that the incumbent, though by a small margin, is favored over his Massachusetts counterpart.

The real message that I want to get across here, however, is this: get out and vote! I don’t care if you’re avowed liberal Jimmy Gorman, self-declared conservative John Fischer, or some-body who thinks that this year is Ralph Nader’s. Rebels in the Middle East are literally dying for the opportunity to chose who will lead them; don’t pass up this opportunity.

Poll: Who will win the 2012 Presidential Election?

The FalconPAGE 4

Falcons Ride 4-0 Run

Vol. LV Number 2 The Student Newspaper of St. Joseph High School November 2012

PAGE 2

Freshman Cup

No, I’m Not Telling You Who I’m Voting For

By Jonathan TetersStaff Writer

The College Bowl team has quite the reputation, and this year’s team seems ready to live up to it. Last year was an impressive year for the team, which earned 13th place at NAQT nationals, top 25 at PACE nationals, fifth place in the National History Bowl, first place in NHBB States and second place in NAQT States.

These shoes may seem too big to fill, especially with the loss of some of College Bowl’s best and bright-est members, but this year’s team is already off to an incredibly hopeful start.

Moderated by Mr. Powers, Col-lege Bowl meets two times a week on Tuesdays and Fridays. They prac-tice by reviewing questions in various fields such as science, math, music, art, entertainment, theology, philosophy, cosmology and literature that serve as models for questions in upcoming

tournaments. In their first tournament at Seton

Hall Prep, the College Bowl students swept the competition with an 11 to 0 victory, and have qualified for NAQT

and PACE champion-ships. If this is any indi-cation, this year could be one of the College Bowl’s best yet.

“The team looks very strong; we played incredibly well at our f i rs t tournament ,” commented returning College Bowl member

Michael Ploch.“Our ‘A’ Team looks like it will be strong this year with Jack Mehr as our captain, despite the loss of Alex Frey, Jason Hill, and Nicholas Palmieri; we hope to improve from last year and keep moving upward.”

With such an inspiring and encour-aging start, the College Bowl team will undoubtedly be more than ready for their upcoming tournaments and competitions. The St. Joseph’s Col-lege Bowl team will almost certainly be adding even more accolades to its already astounding record.

By Carter CoudrietEditor-in-Chief

Being a Falcon is a unique experience that has linked thou-sands of scholars since 1961. However, a look at the autumn edition of the 2002 Falcon shows that more than just a uniform links generations of St. Joe’s students.

• Then-Principal Lawrence Walsh ‘68, along with Mr. Wayne Fischer and Sr. Anne Toner, ran the Fall Honors Convocation, celebrating scholars analogously to the program held this year on September 20. The “Pops” Ryan Scholarship for improvement in freshman English, this year earned by Anthony Petrick, was awarded to Edward Tessalone.

• Though History Bee World Champion Alex Frey ‘12 was per-haps the greatest College Bowler in school history, the team’s illus-trious history stretches far beyond current Falcons’ careers. At the 2002 Westchester Academic Coaches Knowledge Organiza-tion Tournament, the College Bowl team, moderated by Mr. Edward Powers, defeated Horace Greely, the then-second-ranked

school in the nation.• Fall of ‘02 brought the St.

Joe’s community In the Begin-ning, the theater company’s fall show starring Colin Drucker as God, Joe Zanko III as Homer, and Shaun Malleck as Avi. Still led by Mr. Craig Martin and Br. Ron Travers, the theater company will perform Ordinary People, opening November 29.

• During the same year that construction on our current gym-

nasium began, the fall athletic teams performed well, with a soccer squad led by keeper Nick Krolak going 11-6-1. A heated rivalry between the Falcons and the J.P. Stevens Hawks had to be pacified through meetings between school representatives. Da Bears defeated D-12 in the third Joe’s Bowl for flag football.

For more past issues, check out The Falcon’s site on stjoes.org.

10 Years: Falcons Then and Now

Photo from Edwin GanoThe College Bowlers prepare for another successful year.

Photo by Brother John SpaldingThe construction of our the Vincent Maglio Gymnasium was underway a decade ago.

Photos by Edwin GanoThe aftermath of Hurricane Sandy plagues most of New Jersey.

Hurricane Sandy

COLLEGE BOWL

Freshmen

Sophomore

Juniors

Seniors

By Stephan Kozub and Carter Coudriet

Associate Editor and Editor-in-Chief

In late October, the most destructive natural disasters in state history left New Jersey in shambles: Hurricane Sandy.

Once the impending Category One storm was determined to hit New Jersey head-on, Governor Chris Christie declared a state of emergency and ordered a manda-tory evacuation of coastal cities. Residents of more inland com-munities flocked to their local supermarkets, where shelves were wiped clean of commodities such as bread, bottled water, eggs, and canned foods. Hardware stores sold gas tanks by the dozen, and the sparse supply of generators were purchased instantly.

Hurricane Sandy made land-fall in Southern New Jersey on Monday, October 29 and con-tinued through Tuesday. As tor-rential rain and 90 mph winds swept through the state, water levels in coastal cities rose dra-matically. Homes were flooded and, in some cases, carried off their foundations in the powerful currents of the floods. The Jer-

sey Shore, whose coastline was completely altered by the storm, was hit hardest as boardwalks and beach houses became completely consumed by the rising Atlantic Ocean.

Upon its exit, Hurricane San-dy left hundreds of thousands of households without power and billions of dollars of damage throughout the United States. New Jersey, which experienced record-low turnouts by voters on Election Day, struggled to recuperate throughout the next week, with schools and busi-nesses slowly regaining power, purifying water, and reopening. For some, this ordeal lasted lon-ger than for others.

“It was pretty bad without electricity or heat. My house was extremely cold,” said soph-omore Stephen Meisenbacher, whose power was not restored until November 7.

For some, the loss of power presented. a different perspective of their everyday lives. Senior Thomas Florczak commented, “You begin to value everyday things like heat, light, and instant information like the internet and much more.”

Days later, nor’easter Winter

Storm Athena struck New Jersey bringing snow and heavy winds. Most schools cancelled again as more homes lost power.

“It’s crazy; my power didn’t come back on until Friday because of Sandy, and then it was gone again,” said junior Joseph Farley, whose house lost power when the snowstorm knocked out a local transformer.

The storms have had major effects on the St. Joseph Com-munity including a week without power, damage to the Brothers’ Residence, the postponement of several events, and the loss of several days of school, including the originally scheduled end of the first marking period.

Though considerable dam-age has been done, the St. Joe’s community will overcome the setbacks caused by Hurricane Sandy and Winter Storm Athena, two storms that will surely go unforgotten by the people of the Northeastern United States. Student Council Vice President Edwin Gano stated, “I hope stu-dents realize that everyone lost something [during the storms] and that they really reach out to those people in this time of need.”

New Jersey Struggles through Autumn Storms

2 THE FALCON November 2012

By Daniel Kozub Managing Editor

No matter what clubs or sports they find themselves a part of, St. Joe’s students will always remember one event of their first weeks of high school- Freshman Cup. As Frisbees fly and kickballs soar, records are made and dynasties crumble. When these highly competitive freshmen compete in such a wide variety of events, anything can happen. This year had its fair share of surprises, as the Terrific Triangles of Mr. Imper-ato’s 1st period Geometry class ended a dynasty almost as famous as the event itself. For over four years, the boys of Mr. Trojanowski’s 1st period Biology were almost as certain to clinch the Sportsmanship award as was the sun to rise the next morning. This year was different as the purple-shirters of the math department showed the rest of the competition just how to play the St. Joe’s Way.

As the science department fal-tered, the history department once again asserted their dominance, as Mr. Miniscalco’s Minutemen followed up last year’s victory of Hayman’s Howitzers. Just like their namesakes, the minutemen quickly rose to the occasion and defended the dynasty of their department.

Like prior Freshmen Cups, the day was filled with fun and festivi-

ties. As any member of the cham-pionship team can attest to, having that trophy in the hands of you and your teammates makes the day that much sweeter. No one could have said it better, as Minuteman Jake Torrisi exclaimed, “Great time play-ing the games! Winning made it so much better!”

Following the competition, the

Freshman Student Council Elec-tion was held. Congratulations to President Deladem Adadevah, Vice President Bryce Layne, and Rep-resentatives Ryan Hultberg, Taras Holovko, Connor Klementowicz, Carson Coudriet, Micheal Drabi-ch, George Ibuna, Kevin Stephen, Mohit Varma, Roderick Perez, and Leandro Wong.

The Falcon welcomes articles from students, parents and faculty members for consideration for publication. All articles are subject to editing. The opinions expressed in The Falcon do not necessarily represent the opinions of faculty or administration. Opinions expressed in any column except those of the editors are not necessarily those of the editors.

Graphics and Printing by Media Trends, Metuchen, NJ

(732) 548-7088

Published by the students of St. Joseph High School

145 Plainfield Ave., Metuchen, NJ 08840

732-549-7600 ext 261 www.stjoes.org

Volume LV, No. 2 October 2012

Editor-in-Chief: Carter Coudriet

Managing Editors: Daniel Kozub Alex Schiffer

Sports Editor: Christian Goldy

Associate Editors: Brandon Goldy Stephan Kozub Michael Morse Kyle Terraciano

Staff Writers: James Bogdanowicz

Charlie Butrico Anthony Colucci Carson Coudriet

Sijo Devasia Michael Drabich Travis D’Souza

Sean Finan John Fisher

Liam Formisano Jimmy Gorman Sean Holand

Taras Holovko Karanveer Johal

Nick Lawrie Brendan Moreau

Dylan Oelkers Luke O’Keefe

Lucas Pick Kyle Rivera

Kyle Stenberg Christian Tabedzki Jonathon Teters Zachary Willis James Ziemba

Photography Edwin Gano

Faculty Moderator: Dr. Robert Longhi, ‘81

Principal: Mr. John Anderson, ‘70

President: Mr. Lawrence Walsh, ‘68

By Zachary WillisStaff Writer

Droves of citizens gazed upon the future Queen of Bavaria, Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen, who walked down the aisle to her groom, embrac-ing him in the majestic fields out-side Munich. Her betrothed, Crown Prince Ludwig, had invited the entire urban population to join him in cel-ebrating his October wedding and decreed that the subsequent festi-val would honor the magnificent Bavarian Kingdom. Culminating in a commemorative horse race, the revelry was hailed as delightful and the gallop became an annual event. In later years, carousels , swings, beer tasting, and con-certs were incorporated into the festivities and became the central aspects of the celebra-tion as the horse races were abandoned. Thus, Oktoberfest had been conceived.

This year, the St. Joe’s Fathers Club has adopted this glorification of German culture into its tradition. Reflecting its matri-monial origins, the Father’s Club assured that the Oktoberfest will be a German marriage of cultural insight and enjoyment.

Spearheaded by President Mr. Chris Kozub ‘80, the Oktoberfest was a new event being hosted by the Father’s Club in conjunction with the German Club. “Our hope is that this is just the first of many events the Father’s Club offers, in the years to come, that allows us to collaborate with a specific club or program, providing some i n s i g h t i n t o the d ivers i ty and depth of t h e s c h o o l , ” r e s p o n d e d K o z u b w h e n asked about the Father ’s Club decision to work alongside the German Club. Burst-ing with creative ideas and sugges-tions for the Oktoberfest, German

Club President Thomas Florczak was incredibly enthusiastic about this opportunity to demonstrate the passion that club members hold for the German culture. Florczak com-mented, “The Father’s Club has helped create a great event, and I am thrilled to experience what I hope to be an annual occurrence.” Club moderator and German teacher Frau Elke Rhomberg sought to make this experience as academically enrich-ing as possible, encouraging her students to devise an authentic menu and research the roots of this famed tradition. Florczak continued, “It allows the German Club to offer cultural education in a fun, festive

way.” Stuffed with Wieβwurst, Sauer-

kraut, and Apple Strudel, attendees were treated to a night that celebrat-ed the German culture, even learning a few foreign words along the way. Ultimately, Florczak found it a great success, responding, “I think that everyone left the event filled with German food and knowing more than they did when they walked in.” Likewise, Kozub believed, “It gave us a chance to try something new in the way of a fundraising event

that attracted a fair number of people, provid-ed a fun night out, and raised money for the school.”

This initial O k t o b e r f e s t roared with the same merriment as the wedding festival at its roots. A mar-riage of culture

and fun, the Oktoberfest was on its way to becoming an equally integral part of the community.

By Stephan KozubAssociate Editor

For most Falcons, community service and academics are constant parts of their lives. They strive to do well in their classes and also preform the required amount of service hours for each year. Edison Rotary Senior of the Month Awards are awarded to seniors both in the St. Joe’s commu-nity and from other high schools that excel in academics and perform tre-mendous amounts of community ser-vice. This award is bestowed upon two senior s tu-dents from each high school in the area, each care-f u l l y s e l e c t e d from hundreds of applications. For the months of September and Octo-ber, the Falcons presented with the award were Brian Bueno, Nicolas Siluwaka, Benjamin Ghiano, and James Ziemba, respectively.

One of the most crucial parts of being selected for the Edison Rotary Senior of the Month Award is having an outstanding record of community

service. For seniors James Ziemba and Brian Bueno, this was a given.

“For the past three summers, I have participated in a program called Justiceworx,” said Ziemba regard-ing his service to the community in recent years. “Through it, I’m able to help the less fortunate in the Trenton area through helping at soup kitchens and also through assisting at homes for the mentally disabled.”

Ziemba has also achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, for which he conducted a project that included the installation of a new patio at Immaculate Conception School in Somerville, where he attended gram-mar school.

Senior Brian B u e n o h a s f a r e x c e e d e d t h e amount of commu-nity service expect-ed for most people his age. By helping out at the Newark D e p a r t m e n t o f Child and Family Wellbeing, a clinic for less-fortunate families, he has assisted countless people through tough times. Also an EMT, Bueno continues to assist the community, responding to and

helping those who are in need of immediate medical attention.

Like Ziemba, Bueno is an Eagle Scout; his proj-ect was installing a flag pole and benches at the Woodbridge Ani-mal Shelter.

For receiving the award, the seniors attended a ceremony where a short biography was given about each recipient. E a c h s t u d e n t spoke about the history of his ser-vice to the com-munity.

After speaking, students were presented certificates from the Edison Rotary, recognizing their contribution to the community. “I was really excited,” said Ziemba regarding the award, which was given to him and Benjamin Ghiano on October 17.

“I know there are a lot of other guys that are deserving of it. I’m just happy I’ll be able to be one of the many Falcons to receive it.”

All photos by Edwin Gano

Photo by Edwin GanoMr. Miniscalco’s Minutemen fight their way to a Freshman Cup Victory.

Oktoberfest: Tale of German Marriage

Photo by Edwin GanoModerator Ms. Backlund conducts the opening ceremonies.

Photo by Ms. Tracey CoudrietThe Father’s Club First Oktoberfest was sehr gut.

Photo by Ms. Tracey CoudrietThe German Club dressed up for the Oktoberfest.

By Kyle RiveraStaff Writer

Q. What is your favorite movie?A. Field of DreamsQ. What is your favorite sports team?A. MetsQ. What is your most outra-geous classroom moment?A. When Shane Tonery ran into my classroom dressed in a gorilla costume, and started flipping all the desks.Q. Who is your role model?A. My father and Jesus are my two role models.

Q. What are your dream vacation destinations?A. Ireland and ItalyQ. Why did you come to teach at St. Joe’s?A. I went to Seton Hall Prep as a kid. One day at a track meet at St.

Joe’s I realized how much I liked the campus. Years later I moved into the area to live and a teaching position opened up at the high school. I got the job.Q. Who is your favorite superhero and why?A. Superman because he has a cool uniform.

TEACHER OF THE MONTH Mr. Cunningham

Photo by Edwin GanoMr. Cunningham

Fall Theatre Production

‘Ordinary People’By Luke O’Keefe

Staff Writer

The St. Joseph Theatre Com-pany is currently preparing for its production of Ordinary Peo-ple by Judith Guest and adapted by Nancy Gilsenan. Fifteen St. Joseph students, joined by girls from nearby schools, hope to give an exciting performance that will leave a lasting impres-sion on its attendees.

Ordinary People is the story of the seemingly normal Jar-rett family which is struggling to cope with a series of trau-matic events resulting from the deaths of their two sons. Relationships within the family become strained as problems in school, sports, and at home arise as a result of the stress and depression caused by their loss.

The Fall Production is scheduled for performances on November 29 and 30 as well as December 1 and 2. The St. Joseph’s community is encour-aged to support the Theatre Company on these dates and experience the dramatic and emotional story of Ordinary People.

Nicolas Siluwaka

Brian Bueno

Benjamin Ghiano

James Ziemba

Congratulations to our newest staff writers: Charlie Butrico, Anthony Colucci, Carson Coudriet, Sijo Devasia, Michael Drabich,

Liam Formisano, Sean Holand, Taras Holovko, Karanveer Johal, Nick Lawrie, Brendan Moreau, Dylan Oelkers, Lucas Pick, and Kyle Stenberg.

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER SENIORS OF THE MONTH

Freshman Cup: Magnificent Militia and Impeccable Geometry

November 2012 THE FALCON 3

By Sijo DevasiaStaff Writer

On October 4, 2012, Facebook reached over 1 billion total users, equivalent to 1 in every 7 people on Earth. This feat seems impossible to achieve, yet the Facebook phe-nomenon began back in 2004, when Facebook was still in its infancy. Facebook took four years to reach 100 million users, and in 2010 it reached half a billion users. Face-book is still growing, and it appears is a part of nearly every system that

affects humanity. With the constant expansion of technology and crucial role that it plays in everyday life, communication is unsurprisingly vital for clear and concise collabora-tion. Whether it be on the phone or the computer, the need for interaction grows stronger every day. No matter how far one feels from society, con-nection is just a click away.

The top 5 countries that use Face-book are the United States (with 166 million users), Brazil (58 million users), India (55 million), Indonesia (47 million) and Mexico (38 mil-

lion). Even with such high numbers, these countries still only account for about 1/3 of the billion Facebookers.

The likes and status updates are but a few components of Facebook that teens across the globe log into everyday to view. CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, has announced a new addition to Facebook called the “promote” feature. For seven dollars, a promoted post will reach the top of everyone’s new feed. Essentially, whatever you would want advertised would be highlighted and noticed

by all. This was first tested in New Zealand and is now available for everyone to use.

Ideally, this new feature will help increase the exposure of a business and events such as gatherings or parties. With this new addition to the plethora of features already on Facebook, what could be the next money-making idea that Zuckerburg has in his head? The business tycoon has already engineered a billion dol-lar industry that affects every country on the globe. What other inventions does he have up his sleeve?

By Kyle TerraccianoAssociate Editor

For most Falcons, October means readjusting to the daily routine of school, preparing for Halloween, and simply “getting back into the swing of things.” On the other hand, I find myself up late doing homework, coughing my lungs out at indoor pools, volunteer-ing, and doing whatever I can to relax during my free time to avoid pulling my hair out. Although my school year has been hectic thus far, I still find myself amazed and jubilated by my peers here at St. Joe’s. The time that I spend with the St. Joe’s community and with other communities teaches me life-long lessons that each of us should reflect upon.

First, examine the bright hearts that St. Joe’s has to offer. Every obstacle that is overcome and every achievement is worthy of praise in the eyes of the Falcons. For instance, a small 9-6 victory over Bishop Ahr was transformed into an incredible triumph. After all, who else can turn a victory into a celebration better than the Falcon Flock? Back in June, when Coach Robert Yunker became a deacon, all of us were so proud that this integral member of our community had reached his goal. Of course, not one, but two standing ovations from the St. Joe’s students and fac-ulty were in order. Do not remain quiet! Rejoice and celebrate the accomplishments of this spectacular high school!

In addition to trying to resume the routine of my classes, I am busy trying to raise $3,000 for a divi-sion of the Somerset Hills YMCA’s Strong Kids Campaign. The pro-gram is called Saturdays in Motion and is a recreational program for children with autism and their families. My time spent with the program over the past two years has proven to be extremely rewarding. One day at the program, I became friends with an autism-free 12-year-old named Austin, who was there to play with his brother. Although he did not have autism, he played with and treated all of the other kids as his equals. I will likely remember this boy for the rest of my life, for he taught me to not judge anyone, no matter how different they may seem. Although this boy may not come from our community, he cer-tainly emulated St. Joe’s qualities.

All in all, cherish and remember the creativity and compassion of the people in your life. Twenty years from now, you’ll be happy that you can share tales of the brilliant and fun personalities from St. Joe’s. I’m sure I’ll have several more stories of inventiveness and humor to share with my peers with Halloween rap-idly approaching.

By Kevin StephenStaff Writer

Throughout the years of academic success here at school, one club has tested and refined students’ writing, design, and leadership skills in a unique way: The Evergreen yearbook. The yearbook serves to visualize and recreate memories from the vary-ing walks of life at our school. The pages of this panoramic collection of school activities include chronicles of our sports teams’ accomplishments, descriptions of clubs and activities, and pictures of all the students in the school. Additionally, the yearbook offers tributes to graduating students, including pictures from past years and notes from parents.

Moderated by Mr. Milligan, Ms.

Dawn Allison, Mr. Scarano and led by Editors Pritesh Shah and May-nard Guzman, the yearbook seeks to move in new directions this year. Aside from their goals of perfecting formatting and accuracy, the club is also working diligently to fully establish a Quick Response (QR) code system for their publication. This technology, which is available on several magazines and advertise-ments, will enable students to scan a page with their smartphone and access it online. Additionally, the club is working towards designing a video on which students will be able to “watch” the yearbook in future years.

Published in May of each year, the creation of The Evergreen entails strenuous work from each of

the club’s members. As a whole, the yearbook club decides on a theme for the year and allots jobs to each of its members, based on their spe-cialties. Among the skills used in the publication of the yearbook by individual members are profes-sional design and layout, editing and proofreading, photo editing and mastering, and writing.

Aside from these functions, the club’s members also interview faculty members and students and organize a poll of interests for seniors to participate in. One of the admirable qualities of the yearbook club is that anyone can participate in a unique way, from capturing memorable moments in the year, to designing a layout, to interviewing and writing articles.

Facebook Surpasses One Billion Users

By Michael MorseAssociate Editor

Last year’s Student Council Annual Food Drive was such a tre-mendous success that Mr. Anderson ‘70 and Mr. Cabrita ‘91 temporarily dyed their hair green to show their appreciation. Exceeding its goal by several thousand dollars, last year’s food drive collected over $20,000 to supply Central Jersey families in need with a Thanksgiving meal. This year, the student council looks to even surpass last year’s record breaking success.

The Student Coun-cil is compelled to pro-vide as much as they possibly can this year. With the current state of the economy, more and more families are finding it harder to make ends meet. Everyone deserves to have a traditional Thanksgiving meal with family gathered around the table, and the St. Joe’s student

council is looking to keep that tra-dition alive for as many families as they can.

“The support we get from the whole St. Joe’s community is astounding. It’s really great how we can count on donations from not only students and faculty, but also from alumni and their families. The food drive really depicts what St. Joe’s is all about,” Student Council Treasurer James Ziemba said.

Students are encouraged to give any amount they can, as every dol-lar counts. The key is to remember

how many people can benefit from the dona-tions of a single stu-dent. Collections are held every Monday, Wednesday, and Fri-day in homeroom, so make sure you donate! Sacrifice your cookie at lunch a few times a week and instead contribute to a seri-ous cause! After all, putting others before yourself is the St. Joe’s Way.

The Evergreen Resumes its Work

By Liam FormisanoStaff Writer

With the flight of the disc down-field, a new year for the Ultimate Frisbee Club has begun. Earlier this month, the Ultimate Frisbee Club initiated the school year with a set of pick-up games when a group of sixteen students gathered to play the obscure sport.

Club Co-Presidents Michael Donato and Austin Sour acted as cap-tains and swiftly brought the assembly of “friz” fanatics to order, organizing teams and briefing newcomers on the rules. The games ran nearly an hour and wrapped up around 3:30, at which time the gathering adjourned. Those in attendance declared the event a success and were thoroughly excited for the next opportunity to play.

Ultimate Frisbee originated around American colleges in the 1960s. Developed first as a low impact, non-contact alternative to major team sports, the game soon surged in popu-larity and is now considered a sport worldwide. The LA Times refers to the game as one that “…combines

grace, athleticism, and precision…” The sport of Ultimate Frisbee is governed by the World Flying Disc Federation.

The rules of Ultimate are very similar to American football in that the object of the game is to score points by passing the disc to a team-mate standing in the end zone. Com-petitors move the Frisbee down the field by passing it to teammates. Once the flying disc is caught, however, the player cannot move their feet and must pass it to a teammate with-out it being intercepted by the other team. The sport encourages honor and sportsmanship because it is self-officiated and requires the competitors to call their own penalties.

The Ultimate Frisbee club is antic-ipating an enjoyable year and invites any interested students to join in on the fun. The club meets twice a week, Mondays and Fridays, for pick-up games that finish by 3:30. For more information, prospective members can bring their questions to juniors Michael Donato and Austin Sour, or the club’s faculty moderator Br. Paul Joseph S.C.

Frisbee Club has ‘Ultimate’ Fun

By Sean FinanStaff Writer

Hundreds of prospective St. Joe’s students flocked to the Vincent Maglio Gymnasium on October 21 to get a first-hand look at St. Joe’s, finding that St. Joe’s is the school for them. One parent stated that she and her husband “had never consid-ered St. Joseph High School, but [her] son came home after St. Joe’s visited his school and couldn’t stop talking about the place. We decid-ed to check out the Open House and were extremely impressed. We are looking forward to sending our 3 boys to St. Joe’s if they are fortunate enough to be accepted.”

There is something about the atmosphere of St. Joe’s Open House that brings 7th and 8th grade students into the Falcons’ pres-tigious place of learning. When they arrive in the back parking lot and walk towards the gym, they see the National Honor Society seniors waiting to greet them with smiling faces and a look of mature excellence. Then, upon entering the gymnasium their attention is drawn to over 50 different clubs’ tables that were set up, being monitored by friendly representatives of each respective activity. There is truly something for everyone, no matter what their interest may be.

Tours led by welcoming teachers and students came next. The already excited middle-schoolers then got the opportunity to explore the far reaches of the beautiful 72 acre, three-building campus. The genuine feel of a high school with a college-type setting attracted students visit-ing St. Joe’s for the first time.

St. Joe’s has a formula for suc-cess for the Open House. The orga-nization of the entire setup; the well-dressed, well-spoken, knowl-edgeable student body and the ami-ably helpful teachers brought St. Joe’s to a whole new level of high school admissions. This can all be summed up in one statement by a parent from Holy Trinity: “Out of all the Open Houses we attended, the St. Joe’s Open House is in a league of its own. The students at St. Joe’s have a maturity level beyond their years. The boys were so helpful as they greeted us and led us in to the building, talking with us the entire way. Before my husband and I even stepped through the doors we knew this would be the right fit.”

Open House 2012

EDITORIALBack in the St. Joe’s Groove

Photo by Edwin Gano

A student enthusiasti-

cally supports the Spanish

Club.

By Christian TabedzkiStaff Writer

When people think of St. Joe’s teams that deal with water, they tend to forget the St. Joe’s Crew team. Though the team is a rela-tively recent addition to the school, it has already begun to follow the St. Joe’s way of winning. Headed by Senior Captain Andy Buchanan and Coach Tom Langowski ‘03, the team has won a total of 72 medals during their past twelve regattas, or boating races.

Though the team has rivalries with Don Bosco Preparatory and Westfield, the team does not fear them. Leading the team through these courses in terms of performance are varsity seniors Daniel Kozub, Brent

Walker and Kyle Rivera. Though these three have helped the team secure nine positions in the top three of various races and competitions, they are not the only powerhouses on the team. Some promising rising stars looking to help lead the team include sophomores Jimmy Gallagher, and Christian Ambrico. Buchanan has bright hopes for the new fresh-man.

After the final races of the fall season, the team will focus and train for the spring. The spring season includes sprints, whereas the fall season is focused upon distance races.

Though the season is practically over for the fall, the team is ready to end with a bang and move on to the next one with the same intensity.

CREW UPDATE

Student Council Looks to Set New Benchmark in Annual Food Drive

Photo by Edwin GanoSenior Mike Thomas passing to a teammate.

4 THE FALCON November 2012

By Jimmy GormanStaff Writer

The varsity football team, enter-ing its second season and first in the Greater Middlesex Conference White Division, has enjoyed some great success thus far. Despite fall-ing to three GMC teams (Colonia, Carteret and South Plainfield), the squad rebounded and defeated John F. Kennedy High School, Perth Amboy, Howell, and, most notably, Bishop Ahr.

“In our first two games, we lacked a competitive attitude,” quoted senior lineman Ankit Roy, “We have since successfully learned how to bring our best performances to games, and it has shown in vic-tories.”

In the first rendition of the “Holy War” against newfound football rival Bishop Ahr, competition between both the student sections and opposing rosters made the contest a game for the ages. A group of around 100 Falcon football fans marched up Plain-field Avenue to cheer for the team and was met by fellow students at Bishop Ahr.

“When we heard those fans walking into the stadium, I felt chills running down my spine. It was hard to ignore such a vocal fan base,” quoted Roy. During the game, the squad’s offense was able to march down the field on its first drive, but struggled the remainder of the game. Instead, the defense and special teams played hard and earned points, including a safety which was set up in part by punter Bryan Rafano. The Falcons forced five turnovers and stopped the Tro-jans on 4th and goal to win the game 9-6.

The balance of the football ros-ter will certainly be conducive to further success. The offense is led by three-year starting quarterback Chris Blades, who had previously been nominated for Player of the Week in Middlesex County for his week two performance against Colonia, and junior running back Matt Olivo, who has lead the team in rushing. Combined with stellar kicking by Brian Rafano, and a stingy defense, the sky is the limit for the team. “We seriously believe we can win the rest of our games,” stated Blades.

By Brandon GoldyAssociate Editor

At St. Joe’s, cheering is taken very seriously. According to James Ziemba, “The Flock epitomizes St. Joe’s.” No matter what sport it attends, the Falcon Flock’s presence is always felt and always impacts the game. Often loud crowds are considered to be a 6th man or a 12th man on the court or field.

Not only does the overwhelming noise quite often distract the oppos-ing team, but also the Falcons feed off of the energy. Every player enjoys the presence of fellow classmates cheering their name. As senior Ziem-ba stated, “There is no doubt that the flock’s presence is felt; there’s a

reason the basketball team has only lost 3 home games in my career. I know, for me, the flock pushes me to do everything I can to succeed. There’s nothing better than hearing the fans chant my name after a big play. ” This statement truly describes the fan section at St. Joe’s and the passion behind every cheer because, as a family, the Flock expresses the pride that every student has in his school. The constant cheering often sets a stage that many players enjoy to perform on, reminding them of pro sports games which provide an

atmosphere unlike any other. When Falcon teams are losing, big plays quite often illicit bigger cheers from the Flock, which helps to shift the momentum of each game.

The Falcon student section never loses hope. If one were to give a “Game Changing Performance” award, most times it should go to the Falcon Flock, Ziemba noted, “The ‘Flock’ is appreciated wherever it goes. A bunch of football parents came up to me after the game and thanked the Flock for being there to support them.”

Photo by Edwin GanoCaptain Brian Bueno led the defense to victory over Bishop Ahr.

Varsity Football Powering ThroughFalcons continue to fight through season

St. JoSeph high School

Falcon Sports

By Travis D’SouzaFlag Football Update

The 13th season of the Flag Football League is off to an exciting start as the freshman-sophomore and junior-senior divisions are showing tremendous competitiveness. Being that Flag Football is such a popular and established school organization, participation is huge. A plethora of teams – new and old – are already showing that they have what it takes to win.

There are sixteen total teams in the Flag Football League: eight fresh-man-sophomore and eight junior-senior. As of October 3, The Scarlet Knights sat atop the freshman-soph-omore conference at an undefeated 3-0. At the top of the junior-senior conference were Dirty Mike & The Boys and Cheng Dynasty at 3-1. Both conferences are currently play-ing for a championship, with the

junior-senior division competing for a chance to contend for Joe’s Bowl XIII and hoist the Joe’s Bowl Trophy.

Although Flag Football isn’t a varsity sport, it is still played with the same intensity and competitive fire. Each team is willing to do what it takes to succeed. William Cheng of Cheng Dynasty certainly sees his team being the frontrunner to win Joe’s Bowl XIII. He said, “Our team has more than enough to win the Joe’s Bowl and I think I can speak for the whole team by saying if we don’t win the bowl our season will be a disappointment.” Saying that this season will be exciting is an understatement to say the least.

By Alex SchifferManaging Editor

The numbers: Matt Olivo is cur-rently one of the top three running backs in the GMC, exploding for two rushing touchdowns against both JFK and Howell. He currently leads the Falcons with eight touch-downs this season. Olivo has rushed for over 600 yards so far this season and is averaging over 100 yards rushing per game. As of October 14th, Olivo was ranked third in the county in carries. Olivo on the Falcons season so far: “We were always a good team but we weren’t playing to our full potential. But now we have turned the corner and been playing great as a team. Every game we are get-ting better.”On the Falcons huge win over Bishop Ahr: “It was the most intense game I have ever partici-pated in. We came out strong and did everything our coaches told us to. We got the first win of a very long rivalry.”Pre-game ritual: “My pre-game ritual is just getting really pumped up. I have my headphones in until the game starts. I just cut out every-

thing else going on and get focused for the game.”Touchdown celebration: “I don’t have a consistent celebration. I just point up to the sky and thank God for letting me play this game that I love and hand the ball to the referee.”What’s on your iPod right now: “Right now I listen to a little bit of everything but before a game I tend to listen to rap before the game. It helps get me pumped.”Role Model: “Mohammed Sanu”Sport he thinks he is better at: “I think I’m better at football [than lacrosse] because I’ve played it for such a long time.”College Recruiting: For football, Olivo has received looks from mainly division II schools but has also generated interested from some division I-AA schools. On the lacrosse field, Olivo has gener-ated interest from St. John’s among other schools.

SOCCER UPDATEBy James Bogdanowicz

Staff Writer

As the fall sports season moves forward, the St. Joe’s soccer squad continues to make up for its loss of thirteen seniors from last year. The team, however, cannot dwell on the past and reminisce on i ts glorif ied days with its soc-cer greats, includ-ing Brandon Allen ‘12.

The season thus far has been rough for the Falcons. As predicted before the season, the soccer team’s youth and inexperi-ence has been an obstacle. Despite the leadership of the seniors Dario Camporeale, Nick Silowka, Greg Vajtay, the Bell brothers, and cap-tain Alex Riviere, the team is pri-marily made up of underclassmen new to the high demands and com-petition involved in playing varsity soccer in the GMC red division.

The seniors have been given the difficult task to lead the underclass-men, forming their talents with increased experience.

The Falcons hope to close out the season as best as possible. With

wins against Pis-c a t a w a y, J . P. Stevens, and Old Bridge, the team looks to build upon their pre-vious wins this season and finish with a respect-able record for what they’ve had to deal with, and possibly make a run for the GMC tournament and

beyond.Captain Alex Riviere comment-

ed, “I think we are still a young team and are continuing to mature. I have no doubt that we can make a serious run in the GMC tournament and also the state tournament. We can definitely upset some teams. We are working really hard and hopefully it will start showing.”

Photo by Edwin GanoThe Falcon Flock abiding by the St. Joe’s Way.

Photo by Edwin GanoSenior Andrew Nesbitt launches a pass.

Race for Joe’s Bowl XIII

Athlete of the Month

Matt Olivo, Jr. RB/S

Photo by Edwin GanoMatt Olivo is the Falcon Athlete of the Month.

By Christian GoldySports Editor

Winning can be measured by wins, losses, and championships. However, success does not just mean winning, but sustaining vic-tory over a period of time. The St. Joe’s Cross Country Team is trying to do just that through their strength and depth. The Falcons are looking to have one of the most successful seasons in the school’s history by winning a County Title and quali-fying for the Meet of Champions.

Senior Jimmy Gorman notes, “Depth is definitely one of our strengths that we haven’t enjoyed in the past, so this year we are going to utilize it as much as we can.” At the first meet of the year, a tri-meet against Sayreville and Piscataway, the Falcons sat their top two run-ners, seniors Jimmy Gorman and Tommy Hogarty, in order to save them for the rest of the season. Sans Gorman and Hogarty, the Falcons still turned in a great performance as they took the first 6 spots and 8 of the top 10 spots, with junior

Brandon D’Souza and senior Mike Morse coming in 1-2 respectively. In a tough tri-meet against North Brunswick and Old Bridge, the Falcons beat North Brunswick, but lost to the defending county cham-pions in Old Bridge by 7 points in a tough fought dual meet with Jimmy Gorman in 1st place. “We have the ability to sit out different guys throughout the year so they can get rest and get ready to go at the end of the season in the state meet and county meet,” Gorman commented, “with this depth we do have to figure out the remainder of our varsity roster.”

At the Bernie Magee Class Meet held at Warinanco Park, the senior team of Jimmy Gorman, Tommy Hogarty and Mike Morse won their class. At the prestigious Shore Coaches Invitational, held at the always-challenging Holmdel Park, the Falcons came in 3rd to a state power in Ridge and Gorman came in 5th matching his personal record at Holmdel Park. “We are happy that we won the class meet. We have to keep it in perspective, however,

these wins and performances here in the beginning of the year are nice but we have to keep our focus on the end of the year where it really matters,” Gorman said.

The St. Joe’s Cross Country Team is off to a quick start to the season at 6-2 through October 16, 2012. However, in Cross Country, it is not about how you start but it is about how you finish. This is why the Falcons are trying to put the finishing touches on a team that will lead them into the final part of the season.

Falcon Flock: The Essence of School Spirit

Photo by Edwin GanoSeniors Tommy Hogarty and Jimmy Gorman leading the Falcon runners.

CROSS COUNTRY UPDATE

Photo by Edwin Gano)Captain Alex Riviere boots a corner kick.

Photo by Edwin GanoSenior Matt Valdez brought pressure against Colonia’s prolific offense.