Plugged In Issue One • the official school newspaper of Speedway Senior High School • September 9, 2011 The Pride of the Plugs Speedway faces nemesis Saturday in Lucas Oil Stadium Last month, the Indianapolis Star ranked the top five Central Indiana football teams in the 2A division. At the top of that list was the Speedway Sparkplugs, who will face their biggest test of the year against their arch rival, the Cardinal Ritter Raiders. The annual showdown, dubbed the “West Side Super Bowl,” will be played tomorrow night at 5:00 in Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Indianapolis Colts. c a s e y m i l l e r --- Plugged In Co-Editor Last year, when the two squads faced off in the Super Bowl XLVI venue, the Raiders embarrassed Speedway, 28-6. An opportunity for redemption presented itself to the Plugs in the second round of the sectional, and Cardinal Ritter fell 24-21 to Speedway. The Sparkplugs would go on to win the The Speedway student section awaits the point after on White Out night. They are just as much of the team as the starting D. Photo courtesy Taylor Jones and the Champion staff. sectional championship the following week in a dramatic fashion. This year, the Sparkplugs are flying high after opening the season 3-0, registering wins over the Lapel Bulldogs, Scecina Crusaders, and Beech Grove Hornets. Speedway has been an offensive juggernaut throughout the first three games, averaging over 50 points per game. The Plugs’ aerial attack has traversed 901 yards on 35 completions already this season. At the helm of the offense is quarterback Austin Anglea. In his second year as the starting QB, the junior has displayed a strong arm and good awareness in the pocket. He is well on his way to passing his mark of more than 2,300 yards last season. On the outside edges, Anglea has an elite wide receiver corps to throw to. Sophomore Justin Brent, the only player from Indiana to be listed on the MaxPrep’s Top 100 Watch List for the class of 2014. On the far side from See PLUGS on page eight k a t i e m e h r l i c h --- Plugged In Features Writer 2 Opinion It’s such a beautiful night, isn’t it? Sara Bareilles’ closing remark exiting the stage foreshadows horror minutes later Picture it. Smell the fragrant, thick The next five minutes erupted Jenner, Bret Michaels, Ryan Seacrest, air that exudes from the tremendous with chaos. People sprinted to safety, and Sugarland and Sara Bareilles amount of fried food. The lights of the children were crying, and the screams themselves, tweeted about the tragedy. Ferris wheel are twinkling in the sky of the victims trapped underneath the “We are all right. We are praying for that’s getting darker by the minute. The rigging were terrifyingly audible. The our fans, and the people of Indianapolis. excitement is bursting in the air; people grandstands cleared in a matter of two We hope you’ll join us. They need your are waiting for the most popular country minutes, and people crammed into the strength,” Sugarland stated that night. duo in America to take the stage. Some Pepsi Coliseum, horse barns, and cattle As of this deadline, seven lives have been waiting years for this chance, barns, awaiting word about the tragedy have been lost since that night, and to save up for their front row spot to this that had occurred. While walking many others are still injured. Christina phenomenal show. around these facilities, I saw people who Santiago, Nathan Byrd, Tammy Vandam, Sara Bareilles just opened up the THE EXCITEMENT BEGINS were bawling and clinging to family Alina Bigjohny, Glen Goodrich, Meagan stage, causing the crowd to buzz with Concert goers prepare for an exciting members in terror. People had been Toothman, and Jennifer Haskell will excitement. You see lightning in the night before the terrifying collapse. Photo separated from loved ones and were always be remembered for their courage courtesy of Georgia Green distance but shake it off because there running around frantically. Names were and their suffering. At their Albuquerque is absolutely NO way you’re skipping piercing scream, and you turn to see New Mexico concert, Sugarland held a out on this concert just for a little rain. the stage wobbling and then violently moment of silence for the victims and It’s not like it’s going to hurt me, right? collapsing on top of the entire standing broadcast it worldwide. When Train and Thunder booms, the temperature drops, area. Maroon 5 (the first band to play at the and finally an announcer comes onto This was the horrifying case State Fair since the accident) performed the stage to give instructions. “If there for everybody, myself included, who on August 18, they announced that were a weather complication, we would attended the State Fair on August 13. all ticket and concession sales were calmly evacuate to the Pepsi Coliseum Freshman Sheldon Robinett arrived going to be donated to the Indiana State and to the cattle barn, but we are hoping extremely excited for the concert. “It Fair Remembrance Fund. Audience that the show will go on.” was going to be my very first concert,” A FRANTIC ENDING members were informed they could do states Robinett. “I play the piano, and Fans run from the arena, horrified by what their part to text ‘FAIR’ to 27722. We, I was really excited to see [Sugarland] they just saw. Photo courtesy of Georgia as Hoosiers, have banded together and perform.” Who would have thought that Green. remembered the lost. what was supposed to be Sheldon’s first Could the collapse have been concert turned into her worst nightmare being announced constantly to try and prevented? Having witnessed it that in mere seconds? “We were standing guide lost ones back to their friends and night, I would firmly say no. It was a at about ten feet from the ‘Sugar Pit’”, family. People were in pure panic, and freak accident of nature. Some people she says. “I was with my mom, and many didn’t leave the fairgrounds until think it’s the State Fair’s fault for not when she wanted to leave because of two or three hours after the collapse. evacuating sooner, and some think it the incoming storms, I told her I wanted The story of the country concert was the ‘lousy’ build of the stage itself to stay. We finally left when the wind gone epicly wrong opened the nation’s that caused this to occur. Things like this started blowing the dust in our faces, eyes, and left a mark on Indiana history. happen, and we just need to be prepared and we ran to the exit. We turned around Many celebrities, including Kris for them when they do. k a c e y r o s s just in time to see the stage collapse on --- top of everybody.” Plugged In Opinion Editor This is the cue for some to leave, A system that works Representation not wanting to take the risk, but almost Taking part is quite exciting everybody stays. The stands roar with Did she or didn’t she? worry and excitement. How awesome One of the biggest events of the summer was the trial of Casey Every year there is a new Homecoming Queen and would it be to hear a concert in the Anthony. So many ideas and opinions were slung around that it is King and three new Homecoming princesses! A girl is pounding rain? Not even a minute later, hard to decipher what’s valid and what’s not. voted by her classmates to represent her class on the the sky is completely dark, and more I personally believe that the jury made the right decision, but Homecoming court. fans make the decision to leave the I also believe that she killed her daughter. To most of you, these Every girl has a fair chance of getting voted to arena. Suddenly, dust is circling in the appear to be contradicting ideas, but when you think about it, they become a princess, and whoever gets the most votes gets air, increasing by the second. The wind really aren’t. to dress up all pretty and choose an escort to stand with is so powerful that you are forced to turn That jury could not have legally convicted her. The smell of a her. I’ve had that experience and so has my mom. the opposite direction for a while, yet decomposing body and a heart shaped sticker isn’t enough proof “It’s quite an exciting experience,” says Missy you look towards the Ferris wheel and for a first degree murder conviction. If there had been Casey’s Hendricks (Siefers), 1984 sophomore Homecoming notice that it’s not even wavering. Your DNA on the sticker, or someone had seen her take a large trash bag princess. “Back in the 80’s the Homecoming princesses trance is broken when you hear the first to her car, that would have been another story. had to dress a lot more conservative, I wore a grey But how can I still think she killed her daughter? It’s simple. pinstripe dress suite with a purple blouse. The Queens on Plugged In She had guilt written all over her face. the other hand were allowed to wear beautiful gowns.” She never seemed to want to find her The dress code has Adviser: Derek K. Doehrmann daughter; if she did, she would have changed quite a lot over Co-Editors: Casey Miller, Holly Scott Opinion Editor: Kacey Ross never told all those lies.