state b boys basketball

this weekend the white river tigers went to state b boys basketball tournament in Aberdeen. they left Wednesday for a practice on the court so the boys could get adapted to the lard arena around them. then on Thursday we went to an exiting game against the warriors who were ranked as #8 in the state while we were ranked #1 we came out on top by about 11 points. on Friday the boys competed with one of our biggest rivalries the chargers. this game was not to exiting we won by about 30. then Saturday we were in the championship game for the 5th year in a row (new state record) we won the champion game 52 to 43 our boys were overjoyed the look on there faces was priceless our one guard jumped over 2 rows of chairs into the bleachers to find his mom another ran over to our senor and jumped onto him. they were thrilled. after the game we all rushed onto the court were we hugged the boys took pictures and just enjoyed the moment.

State "B" Boys Basketball Champions

Something like winning a state basketball game is a pretty big deal in a small town like WR. Everyone is talking about it, the players are the hot topic any door you walk through. It's just a big deal. I mean almost the whole community travels to all of their games and if they don't they listen on the radio. Same thing for state the everyone goes and if you don't you'll most likely be found watching it at home. Saying WR has school spirit is a bit of an understatement. I mean it's not just the kids at school, not just the parents, its the town. It's almost like a holiday, it just brings people who usually wouldn't be together, well... together. For 3 days we all pack into the gym, cheer as loud as we can, in return the boys work as hard as they can. It seems to be working I mean we won, and not to mention almost 7 years in a row we have returned to state. We may not have won every year. But how many schools can say that for almost 7 years in a row they have gone to the class "B" state tournament. I say almost 7 because i'm not sure it it is 7, its just what I hear everyone else says... So i'm pretty sure im right on that one. But anyway, it's just something we're used to. I mean to have a hotel room for it you have to book it months in advance. Some people book it right when they check out almost a year ahead. But you see, we are used to it, we just expect to go every year. There isn't really a question about it. I mean our boys have talent, they're ranked #1 seed in almost their entire season. It's not hard to guess if we'll go to state or not.

I guess it all leads up to how they play the night of the game. And the Boys Basketball team is something WR is proud of, I go out of town for things, doctors, family, etc. and One lady asked "Your from that town where all those good athletes come from, right?" I mean with questions like that it's hard not to be proud.

All in all it's just all around fun to support the team. I mean traveling to see them play, cheering as loud as you can, and getting bragging rights because you go to school with them. It's nice being able to have something to be proud of as a town. It's kind of nice to see, I mean having one team, a bunch of high school boys, bring an entire town together for a season. I guess that's just another perk to appreciate. I think even if they didn't go to state we'd still be proud of them. Even if they weren't #1 seed. It's the fact that any sport can bring the best(and sometimes the worst) out of a town. But I am proud to come from WR to. The kids are kids, yeah we have our smart mouths and rude attitudes. But when it comes down to it, you'd be suprised at how some kids conduct themselves when visiting other town for events. We always get comments on how good the kids act, weather it be BB, VB, FB, track, etc. And it's always an easy crowd. It's one of the little things people like about WR. You see, as great as all this is. I wouldn't trade it for the entire world. Because for a split second, you can actually see an entire school, town, community be happy together.

So, for what it's worth it was a pretty fun weekend. And an even better season, now we're off to run track and start all over.

Winning State (Boys Basketball)

We'll I didn't go but congratulations to our boys on a job well done. The crowd I heard was as energetic as the boys were. First LNI then all those games won. This whole season I think we lost only one game.... I think. I'm glad our boys put themselves out there and got it done. And that's all I really have to say.

Where I'm From

In the middle of a sea of grass
Right next to nothing and nowhere
Sits my home, the little town of White River
To the buildings, to the roads, to most of the people
It's quite plain and somewhat sleepy
But at least its not full of bitter smog
Or crowds of people as far as the eye can see.

Here is the little town of White River
There's not much to do, right next to none.
But for the fun stuff to do around here
It seems to be even more enjoyable
No matter how minor it is.

This area is the only home I've known
And no matter where I move
When I'm older and on my own
This place will always be my home
Here in the sea of grass and next to nothing and nowhere.

J.B, 15

Where I'm From

Our class had a small poetry slam this week and the the prompt was to tell about where they are from.  These are my favorites:

I'm from somewhere besides poverty and the rez
I'm from a place of STRONG people and STRONG land.
I'm not dumb!  I am smart!

Yes, I realize the place I'm from is not famous.
Nor rich.
Nor envied.
Nor sunny at times.
But the place I'm from is Strong
And it always will be.

No, I realize people don't get a chance here.
We don't have theatre schools.
Nor dance schools.
Nor basketball clubs.
We work extra hard for the things we want
And sometimes we don't get them.

We've worked so hard and it doesn't come.
We're angry.
We grieve.
We're upset.
But we have to remember all that we sacrificed
We can be proud we took the time and worked for something.

So yes, my people may not get a chance to famous
Or known
But my people know how to work
In the end, that's all the counts.

R.A., 15

Columbine School Shooting

The video was about these two boys who couldn't take anymore high school. Most people can't and thats understandable. I honestly think its the parents job to understand their own child and give them guidance. Its in the right mind of a parent not to be the best friend of their child but to be a person they will listen to. Cause sometimes they won't listen to their friends. I think most of the parents actually put things into their child heads and thats not the kids fault. They teach them to dislike certain ways, sometimes they even tech them to dislike races. It's sad I've seen this done and I've heard about this. It's horrible to keep a human from knowing right from wrong.

These boys didn't have to end their story, as well as the other students, like this. I think it was the lack of understanding from the shooters parents. And the misconception the parents of the children, that bullied the shooters, gave them. I say this to point out what we all pretty much lost our knowledge of whats right and wrong, our understanding that everyone is also human, that everyone has feelings no matter how much they hide it. And every child looks up to their parents and tries to act out the illusion of how the real world is suppose to be.

I feel bad for all the lost ones but if your going to be ugly towards a person you mine as well think of every possible outcome there is. Try to love instead of hate, I think thats the biggest issue in this world.

School Shooting Response.

You know, the fact we even have school shootings is a bit scary. It could happen anywhere, any time, at any given moment. You could be walking down the hall, eating lunch with your friends, studying for a math quiz. That's whats so scary about it. You never see it coming, but it can be avoided. In every story, someone was bullied and treated badly. It builds up and one day they decide enough is enough. The torture that is high school can take it's toll on some people, it's not just high school, it's school in general. Besides that fact it's crazy to see stories about kids being killed, because one person decided that violence was the answer.

People always blame the shooters parents, If they knew how easy a teenager could hide things, live two whole different lives at home and at school. I'm not saying the parents wouldn't have seen signs or possible details leading up to try and stop it. But if it was your child, would you expect to find guns in their bedroom? No, it's a parents blind eye, you love your child with everything you've got. You wouldn't want to believe that he/she has a gun and may or may not be planning to commit cold blooded murder. So you don't. You push aside the fact and hope it never happens.

The saddest part of it all, the usually the shooter commits suicide after it all. They take innocent peoples lives, then their own. People always say "If they are going to take their own life then why have to make others suffer?" I understand where many people are going with that statement. But the fact we have to make a statement like that makes me a bit sick. I understand the shooter is guilty and had no right to come in and take peoples lives. That is crystal clear, but the question that is getting me is, Why were they mad enough to actually kill someone? Were they bullied? Treated so horribly they would walk into their school and open fire? See, not only is the the shooter guilty, but a bit misunderstood. I get they had no right to take your child's life. They had a lot of nerve to take the lives of innocent people. But how did they get that angry? To pull the trigger on a life, and then their own?

I guess what i'm trying to say is, School shootings shouldn't be a problem. A kid should feel safe when they are at school. No worries about if they are going to live through the day. But that brings me back to feeling safe at school. Bullying. It's a problem, a big one at that. It can do a lot to someone's mind set. Make them go crazy, or just simply break them. Think about it.

ohio school shooting

This particular shooting bothered me because they seemed oh so ordinary and no one knows why they did it doesn’t seem like they had a legitimate reason it just goes to show you an ordinary day could be instantly turned around by to kids with guns and incentive 12 people were killed that day buy 25 more were injured and 10 students had to watch there science teacher bleed out right in front of them and die this is one thing that I hate because for some student school is the safest place for them because at home there parents may not fees them or beat them so when you come to school you are supposed to be safe a school about 20 miles away had a shooting and now they have metal detectors and no one gets in without first going through the detectors will our school ever come to that I pray it never happens in white river schools or in any school because people die the ones who don’t which there friends die right in front of them

Ohio school shooting

Well i think that it is a really scary thing, that could happen anywhere at anytime. It mostly happens because the kid gets bullied a lot by many different people. So i guess that is there way to get revenge. Its crazy if you think about it because a person can only take so much until they finally snap.

I dont think what the kid did was right because it defiantly wasn't right at all, all Im saying is just think about how the kid was feeling getting bullied on a daily basis. It probably felt like the only way to make it all stop.

I always try to stick up for people that are getting bullied because no one else does so i might as well. But i think that if people stuck up for themselves and what they believe it that it would take them along way in life. No one should let people walk all over them. Stand your ground, then people will leave you alone.