NON PROFIT ORG. NON PROFIT WALPOLE, MA 02081 MA WALPOLE, U.S. POSTAGE PERMIT NO.8 PERMIT THE REBELLION PAID December 2013 Walpole High School 275 Common Street Walpole, MA 02081 Volume 16, Number 2 whstherebellion.com facebook.com/therebellion twitter.com/whstherebellion State Champions!Photos/ Mike Greulich By Matt Brownsword Class of 2014 Something just had to give. With the incredible success of Wal- pole Fall Athletics, there was just one missing element. Football, which had been a preseason pick of some to win the Division 3 State Championship, lost in the first round to North Attleborough. Vol- leyball lasted a round longer before suffering a defeat to a nationally ranked Barnstable team. Girls Soc- cer made it to the South Sectional semifinals before being defeated in double overtime, while their male counterparts made it all the way to the Division 2 State Championship, where they lost to Masconomet, 4-2. But on the last day of tourna- ment action, the Porkers capped off the most successful fall sports season with cathartic emphasis: Senior Captain Lina Feeley retains possession on her way to the goal. Senior Captains Lina Feeley, Brooke Matherson, and Ashley Waldron celebrate with their trophy. a State Championship victory. Field Hockey topped Longmeadow senior goalie Erin Leblanc and a wall of said Feeley. “This is what we competition, other than the odd close by a score of 1-0 to give the Porkers Porker defenders, but Waldron cleared worked for all season and we all game against Wellesley or Norwood. their first state championship win since the ball off the line at the last second. did a great job to win this game.” However, coach Marianne Murphy 2006. Senior Captain Lina Feeley “I don’t really remember what hap- Senior Captain and Boston College added some new, non-league games scored the lone goal of the game off of pened,” said Waldron. “All I know is commit Brooke Matherson — the lead- to the schedule — including Andover, a penalty corner that came out to the that I got knocked down for a second and ing scorer for the Porkers on their run Beverley, and Franklin — in order left side of the apron, where Feeley then I think [senior goalie Erin Leblanc] — was kept quiet for most of the game, to prepare the Porkers for the chal- gathered the ball and, diving off bal- got a touch on it. It was a crazy play.” as Longmeadow double and tripled lenges they faced in the tournament. ance, snuck the ball into the near post, Leblanc came up big a few times, kick- team the star forward. Freshman Mela- These changes worked: against peren- past the sprawling Longmeadow goalie. ing away some threatening chances for nie Weber provided the most spark for nial Div. I powers, the Porkers proved “It was a corner that we kind of messed Longmeadow. Longmeadow’s Mary the Porkers up front, as her speed gave their talent and mental toughness in the up,” said Feeley. “But we just impro- O’Reilly was the most dangerous play- Longmeadow problems defensively. Dennis Yarmouth, Duxbury and Acton vised and I was lucky enough to put it in.” er throughout the game and unleashed “[Melanie’s] been awesome Boxborough games. It took a late goal For those who can see past the mod- a hard shot from about 20 yards away all year,” said Matherson. “As a by Matherson to beat DY, a 2-goal come- esty, there was really nothing lucky that Leblanc had to push to the side. freshman, she’s been so impor- back to beat the Dragons in overtime about the goal: it was as impressive Juniors Lauren Hirshom and Ania tant and will have a bright future.” for the South Sectional Final, and two as her play throughout the game, as Egan, and senior Lena Ford led the Even with the undefeated regu- goals — including one as time expired she lead the Porkers the whole game. Porkers’ defense to their third shut- lar season, this Porkers team was — again from Matherson to knock off Coming up with key defensive stops out of the postseason and their first not supposed to match up against the Colonials, who had eliminated the in the midfield and directing the shutout in the last three games. the state championship teams of old. Porkers three out of the last six years. Walpole possession, Feeley was ar- Other than those close calls, the play “I think we proved a lot of people But in their longest State Champion- guably the best player on the field. was pretty even: Walpole and Long- wrong,” said Feeley. “Of all the past ship drought in recent memory, some- However, another senior Captain — meadow traded spurts of possession, teams, this wasn’t the strongest one.” thing just had to give for the Pork- Brown commit Ashley Waldron — with Walpole having a majority of A huge difference with this year’s ers. And off of Matherson’s heroics in came up with the biggest defensive play the penalty corners but fewer shots, team and last year’s team was strength earlier games, Leblanc’s goalkeeping, of the game. On a Longmeadow penalty especially after they went up a goal. of schedule: the Porkers are not really Waldron’s defense, and Feeley’s game corner, Longmeadow got the ball behind “I’m so proud of this team,” challenged with their normal Bay State winning goal, something finally did. Sports spark Twitter Brawls NFL Play 60 comes to WalpolePhoto/ Bailey Tudor By Hannah McLaughlin High School students heav- Class of 2014 ily relied on Twitter for score updates during the many play- In recent years, Twitter has off games. However, as school become a resource for virtu- pride increased with every win, ally everything in society. so too did hostility between Apart from functioning as an students of opposing high efficient means of transmit- schools who exchanged hate- ting important information, the ful messages via social media. popular site is predominantly When squabbles between school student bodies escalate used to connect an individual Patriots owner Robert Kraft presents a $10,000 check to the Elm Street School. to everyone in his or her social as they had during playoffs, sphere. Since its official launch Walpole High Administration By Bailey Tudor dents piled inside the gym, in 2006 by web designer Jack is left with no choice but to which awarded 34 elemen- Class of 2014 others waited eagerly outside Dorsey, Twitter has garnered intervene in issues regarding tary or middle schools across to greet the NFL Play 60 bus notoriety as an innovative In- student behavior—not only in the nation for their dedication Four hundred students from as it pulled into the entrance. ternet invention with incredible the classroom, but also online. to healthy living in the class- kindergarten to fifth grade at potential for increased com- Acknowledging social media They were about to meet some room and in the community. munication. But what happens forums for their convenient the Elm Street School wore Patriots players in person. For the grand prize, the school when the allotted 140 charac- and beneficial components, their favorite Patriots apparel, Back in November, Elm received a $10,000 grant and ters per tweet create combative Vice Principal Mr. William carried their homemade post- Street Elementary School was a visit from some of the New comments fueled with fury? Hahn also recognized the po- ers, and anxiously awaited the selected as the grand prize England Patriot’s players. Toward the end of the 2013 tential for growing problems. arrival of the football stars on winner of the NFL Play 60: Continued on Page 9 fall sport season, Walpole continued on page 10 December 3. While many stu- the Super School Program Page 2 The Rebellion December 2013 EDITORIALS Slow rollouts exacerbate America’s issues with Obamacare By Mary Hinton seven million applicants by the end of March via the Additionally, some individuals who believe that they Class of 2015 recentlly fixed website, the President’s logic appears have successfully signed up for the healthcare sys- slightly flawed. Even if the lofty goal is attained, how tem may be in for a startling surprise. The site is now From the Country Music Awards to Rush Limbaugh useful is it when 48 million Americans are uninsured? sending insurance companies incomplete information to even The Daily Show, seemingly everyone from all And, even if the registration numbers do improve, of consumers who signed up for the Affordable Care political backgrounds is mocking Obamacare. Since the greater concern is the demographic that makes up Act — an oversight that will eventually leave these the program's launch, the healthcare website has those numbers: individuals who are sick. In order to people uninsured and the government again at fault. crashed on several occasions, and millions of Amer- survive, Obamacare will need a significant number of The system’s failure is an excellent example of icans are unable to register for Obamacare. At the healthy individuals to sign up, for it is their insurance why the federal government should not be over- CMA's, Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood opened payments that will offset the health care costs of the ly-involved in healthcare. There are 300 million the show singing an ode to the President’s project en- most sick. If those healthy people refrain from sign- people in the US; offering just one system for such titled "Obamacare by Morning." Though it was sang ing up and if insurance companies are solely dealing a large, diverse nation is simply a call for chaos.