2023 December – The Mirror

NFL: Week 13 Recap

December 13, 2023 by Gus Garvey

Before we get into this week and the corresponding festivities, we must step back and tell a tale about my team, the Buffalo Bills. This is the best week of the year for the Bills since it’s their bye week, but it may be the most embarrassing. Von Miller has not been the same player since his ACL tear on Thanksgiving last year. He’s only played a few snaps, and he’s looked much worse in the snaps he’s played. The hope was that a well-timed bye week would help him get back on track. Boy, were we wrong. During the bye, our friend Von flew to Dallas to be with his pregnant girlfriend. As day broke on a sunny Wednesday morning, an argument between Miller and his partner got physical. Despite his girlfriend repeatedly pleading with him that she was pregnant, Miller got into some pushing and shoving, leading to a formal assault charge and an arrest warrant being issued. Miller would turn himself in to the police a day later. At this point, what’s done is done. All I’m hoping for is that the girlfriend is okay, and that the Bills can use this as a dog whistle to undo Miller’s god-awful contract situation. Even on their bye week, Buffalo still finds ways to take the L. Fitting for how this season has gone.

Seahawks 35, Cowboys 41

Congratulations, Dallas, you folks finally beat a team over .500! I’m not convinced. Seattle came into this game with serious question marks. They hadn’t scored an offensive touchdown since the first quarter against the Rams. Yet the Cowboys’ “vaunted defense” couldn’t force a single punt the entire game. Sure, they got some turnovers thanks to ballhawks like Darron Bland, but Bland was also cooked for most of the game by DK Metcalf. Sure, Dallas managed to escape in the end thanks to Geno Smith falling back to earth, but this says nothing about them to me. Seattle, though, is in panic mode. It’s okay since they’re still tied with the Vikings, but that’s 3 straight losses. Get it together, guys.

Colts 31, Titans 28

Indianapolis is a strange team to me. They can’t close out inferior opponents like other teams in their position, but at the same time- they’re 7-5 when they should have been nowhere near that mark. Case in point, their skirmish against the Titans, where they won on a combination of luck and clutch plays by their offense and special teams. Then again, it’s in Tennessee tradition to walk into bear traps any time they get something going. Hey, the offense is moving, they’ve had multiple leads! Well, too bad, since Derrick Henry is now injured and the offense falls flat. You think your special teams are going to be competent? How about you allow 2 blocked punts to set up the Colts in prime field position? Oh, look here, an extra point to take the lead! Too bad, since their punter got injured on one of the blocks, and Ryan Tannehill now has to hold for the try. He forgets the #1 rule of holding: Laces out. Game remains tied. Despite Tennessee taking the lead in overtime, their battered and fatigued defense couldn’t stop the might of the Indy’s mustachioed savant as he guided the offense down the field for the game-winning touchdown. Indy continues to defy the odds and push for a playoff spot. What a time.

Falcons 13, Jets 8

It’s a game involving an NFC South team facing off against a team with no quarterback. TANK BOWL!

The Jets, are the Jets, are the Jets. Despite their defense destroying worlds once again and reminding us for the 10th time this year that Desmond Ridder sucks, the offense was nowhere near par for this game, once again. The Tanks roll on for the Jets, as Tim Boyle continues to suck, as the Falcons somehow fail upwards into a .500 record. And sole possession of the division lead. Can we just revoke this team’s playoff spot and give it to the Bills? We don’t want to watch the Cowboys get another free win in the Wild Card round. Oh yeah- the Jets. You may notice that there’s no intoxication meter this week. That’s because it crashed after last week’s debacle. The mistake in MetLife is a Megabus and Nathaniel Hackett is driving it straight off the GW Bridge.

Lions 33, Saints 28

Despite Detroit looking suspect once again against an opponent they should crush, they managed to pull out in the end thanks to a comedy of errors for New Orleans in the first quarter. It’s not a statement, but it’s something. This Saints offense is awful. Their quarterback can’t throw, the receivers can’t catch, any sort of clutch breaking down before they get out of the lot, the typical sort. However, the Saints then had a revelation. Derek Carr was knocked out of the game. The man, the myth, the legend. The quarterback the meme world has been dying for since 2019. FAMOUS JAMEIS IS BACK IN THE SADDLE, BABY! He does famous Jameis things and gets the Saints back into the game, but they falter late. Detroit, run as fast as you can out of the superdome, but a win is a win. They’re 9-3. That’s nothing to scoff at.

Broncos 17, Texans 22

If you told me at the start of the year that the Broncos and Texans would both be over .500 at this point in the year, I would have had your head examined. Then again, this NFL season has been so crazy pretty much everyone feels like they’re living out an alternate timeline. This game was everything it was advertised to be. CJ Stroud skying the ball all game, stout defenses, Chef Russ baking turnovers interspersed with aiding his team, and even some refball on a fumble return for a touchdown that was ruled dead due to forward progress. Houston may have the lead, but the Broncos have the ball and drive to the 5 yard line. What does Russ do? He throws an interception. That 5 game win streak is now history, but the Broncos looked pretty good in this one. You know which game the Texans are getting revenge for. With how much the media flamed them for it, they were absolutely out for blood today.

Chargers 6, Patriots 0

If both teams are terrible, yet are still trying to foolishly win games, do we call this a tank bowl? Let me take a closer look. Oh yeah, it’s a tank bowl.

This was one of the worst excuses for football I have ever seen. The Chargers kicked two field goals and no one else did anything of note for the entire game. Bailey Zappe looked bad, Mac Jones looked even worse, the Chargers did Charger things against an inferior opponent, only to somehow luck into an undeserved win to keep their slim playoff hopes alive. New England, it might be time to blow it up.

Cardinals 24, Steelers 10

When the best part of a game for the home team is the weather delay saving the fans from having to watch, you know something is wrong. Matt Canada may have been an issue, but the Steelers didn’t do him any favors either. A week after cresting 400 yards for the first time since the feudal age, the Steelers took the field against a vastly inferior defense and got stuffed like a turducken. Even worse, Kenny Pickett was knocked out with an injury. This put the worst 2nd overall pick in NFL history back in the saddle for Pittsburgh. Predictable things happened. The Steelers fell to 7-5 after losing big once again. Fitting.

Dolphins 45, Commanders 15

Miami, congratulations! You are today’s recipient of A FREE WIN! That’s right, A FREE WIN!!! You get the reward of facing a complete tire fire in the Washington Commies. Dan Snyder may be long gone, but this organization still finds new and impressive ways to take the L nearly every week. After firing Jack Del Rio last week, the defense proved he wasn’t the main issue by getting torched by Tyreek Hill and imitating parking cones for most of the game. Miami barely needed to maintain a pulse and they would have won this game, just chuck it downfield and Tyreek would be wide open by 15 yards. Miami continues to ride their incredibly easy schedule to 9-3. You only have a couple more games of this before you have to face real teams, guys. Don’t get complacent.

Panthers 18, Buccaneers 21

Two NFC South teams doing battle. You know what this means. TANK BOWL!

Carolina, one week after firing half their coaching staff, now must go to Tampa Bay and face a Bucs team with far better aspirations than theirs. Throughout the game, the Buccaneers would prove themselves superior. Tampa wins the game easily, and also delivers Carolina another reward. They are the first team eliminated!

Eliminated: Carolina Panthers

An all-in move for the first overall pick backfires significantly. Not only are they the worst team in the league by a country mile, they also don’t have their first round pick. The bears lick their chops and thank the Panthers for gifting them the tank bowl championship.

49ers 42, Eagles 19

Philadelphia has been dancing through the raindrops against inferior opponents for most of their strong start to the year. I knew at some point it would catch up with them, and it did at the Linc today. Wouldn’t you know it, it happened against the team that had the most to gain by beating them. San Fran came in to make a statement, and by God, they made it. They completely embarrassed Philly, at home, to a captivating crowd of mostly Niner fans. San Fran flies through the night, as they get their statement win they’ve been looking for. Good work, Niners.

Browns 19, Rams 36

With Dirtbag and now Dorian Thompson-Robinson now out with injury, there’s a new man in the saddle at QB for the Browns. None other than the checkdown sensei Joe Flacco. JOE FLACCO! You could just feel the fan apathy through the tv screen. He performed as terribly as everyone expected. Cleveland’s defense could only do so much as the Rams waltzed past them on nearly every drive. LA dominated on both fronts yet again, pulling away at the end of the game for a win that puts them back in the playoff conversation with a 6-6 record. They’re finally starting to hit the stride that made them champions 2 years ago.

Chiefs 19, Packers 27

Another team on the up-and-up right now are the Green Bay Packers. As heavy underdogs at home against Kansas City, they not only pulled off an upset, but also caused the meltdown of an entire fanbase over alleged unfair reffing. Chiefs fans, listen. Just because you normally get all the calls doesn’t mean that every odd call that goes against you is some vile conspiracy. If you saw them on social media after the game, you’d think they got screwed by the refs as consistently as teams like the Lions and Saints. They were insufferable. Unbelievably insufferable. All this allows many to overlook the fact that the Packers are now 6-6 and looking like playoff contenders again. Thank you, Green Bay. Thank you for causing a five-alarm blaze amongst Chiefs Kingdom. Not even Taylor Swift being at Lambeau could save the Chiefs from the might of the Packerena.

Bengals 34, Jaguars 31

Nobody was giving the Bengals a chance in this game. They were starting Jake Browning, coming off a pathetic offensive performance against the Steelers, and running into a Jags team that was taking no prisoners. However, the Jags didn’t dominate as they were expected to. Their offense, while scoring touchdowns, faltered at many points throughout the game thanks to a stout Bengals D, while the defense bent, despite getting an interception on the funniest trick play I’ve seen since the Indy punt fake. However, the Jags have the ball, tied at 28 with 5 minutes left. Everyone thought the Jags would march down the field and take the lead for good. Instead, Trevor Lawrence’s ankle was stepped on causing an injury that took him out of the game. And McManus missed a long field goal. The Bengals take the lead on a field goal drive from Jake Browning. Enter T-Law’s backup. The incredible, the immortal… C.J. Beathard. He actually did a decent enough job, getting the Jags into field goal range to tie the game. They even won the overtime coin toss with a chance to win with a touchdown. Then you remember which quarterback this is. The Jags go 3-and-out. Cincinnati gets the ball, pushes into Jags territory, and boots the winning field goal, allowing Doug Pederson to experience the first-world problems of the home crowd being too loud for his defense to do anything. When the crowd’s job when the defense is on the field is to cause communication issues for the opposing offense. You can’t use noise as an excuse when teams like the Chargers and Commies have to deal with every week. Toughen up, Doug.

Laughingstock of the Week

For this week’s Laughingstock of the Week, we travel north to Lambeau, for the final minute of the Chiefs’ scrum against the Green Bay Packers. The Laughingstock is Isaiah Pacheco, who doesn’t just bruise defenders with strong runs, he bruises them on fumble returns as well. With no timeouts, a Chiefs receiver coughs up the ball and Packers corner Kayshawn Nixon returns it for the game-winning touchdown. Or so it seemed. The play would be called back, since the Chiefs receiver was down by contact, but wait, there’s a flag! And even better, it’s a personal foul, so the fumble being overturned doesn’t negate it. Turns out Pacheco thought he was in UFC and threw a right hook at a Packers defender trying to block him. The 15 yard penalty not only pushed the Chiefs back from the 35 to midfield with 30 seconds left, it also forced Mahomes and company to go for broke with hail Marys on every single play. To add insult to this mess, Pacheco was also ejected from the game, taking away a key checkdown option for Mahomes against a prevent defense, which could have pushed the Chiefs into the red zone had he been on the field. Green Bay would go on to win on, yes, an incomplete hail Mary. I’m surprised this isn’t getting more attention.

Filed Under: Sports Tagged With: GusOnNFL

Catching up with Northwood Alum Turner Jackson

December 13, 2023 by Mitchell Baker

Turner Jackson ’23 (left) with friends at Northwestern. Photo provided.

Recently, I was able to catch up with Northwood Alum Turner Jackson ‘23. Turner is a first-year student at Northwestern University near Chicago. Northwestern is one of the most prestigious universities in America as it isn’t only an academic powerhouse, it is also a sporting powerhouse. Northwestern competes at the Division 1 level in the Big Ten Conference, which is one of the most competitive sports conferences in the country. Northwestern placed fourth in the Big 10 for soccer this season. Turner was a role model for me at Northwood. He constantly gave me advice and helped me improve as an individual. Catching up with Turner and talking about the Division 1 level was beneficial for an aspiring Division 1 player like me.

Turner is from America but lived in Hong Kong before attending Northwood. He joined as a sophomore to enhance his soccer and academic abilities. He always aspired to play Division 1 soccer and is extremely grateful for what he has achieved. Turner and I discussed how he is finding college and how Northwood prepared him.

“My college experience so far has been great. I have had an enjoyable time and made a lot of friends,” Jackson said. “Being in Chicago has allowed me to do some cool things. Northwood did an excellent job preparing me for this adjustment. Having the experience of living independently at Northwood has helped me adjust easily,” he added.

Turner and I also discussed what he missed most about Northwood. “I miss all the little things like cereal check-in and late-night conversations with my friends,” he said. “Northwood gave me so many memories that I will remember for the rest of my life. The people make the place in my opinion, and I certainly miss the people at Northwood. I do not miss the terribly freezing weather though,” Jackson laughed.

I was eager to talk to Turner about college soccer and how it is different from the standard at Northwood. Turner has played for the u17s and u19s at Northwood, so his gauge of the standard is accurate. He said, “The Division 1 standard is unreal; everyone is a great player who rarely makes a mistake. I can see the better and more physically developed players succeeding in the college game. I think the program at Northwood can develop anyone to be successful in college if they are willing to put in the work.”

Turner concluded our conversation with a traditional Turner piece of advice: “The one piece of advice I would give to Northwood students is to keep going and keep grinding; in the moment it might seem difficult but, in the end, it is all worth it. There is a bigger world out there and not working hard with not prepare you for what is to come.”

It was great catching up with Turner; he helped me and many others during his time at Northwood. His great character and work ethic made him a key leader in the school and has helped him achieve his goals. I am confident Turner will be successful in whatever field he chooses, and it was overall a wonderful experience to catch up with him again.

Filed Under: People, Real World

Humans of Northwood: Victor Cutting ’24

December 13, 2023 by Gavin Kruger

I started playing hockey from watching my two cousins. I grew up on a pond, so naturally, when it freezes in the winter, I ended up skating on the ice and whatnot. But what really inspired me was watching my cousins play in High School and go on to win state finals. My own hockey journey started in elementary school, then I made the jump to AAA with CP Dynamo, the local team. Then, I just worked my way up and played for the varsity team in high school, where I was fortunate enough to be the captain.

During the summer, I work on a farm. I live in a horse racing town with a horse racing track; it’s around 250 years old. It’s the oldest horse racing track in the world. So, we host races; people come and gamble at the racetrack. And yeah, it’s something that’s interesting. I’m helping with anything from hopping on the tractors and doing maintenance, to training and helping with the racehorses. It’s cool to just be around the process and be a part of the work that’s put in.

A cool player I’ve met is Jimmy Vesey. People don’t really know about him; he’s bounced around a bit between the Rangers and the Devils. When I was in fifth grade, I came to Lake Placid at the ECAC championships; he was playing then. I had broken my foot, so I was in a cast. It’s negative 10 degrees, freezing cold, and I’m there outside, as a little kid with my crutches, watching all the Harvard guys come out. Vesey comes out. He’s the last guy, and everybody is asking for his autograph. I’m the one kid, just sitting there. Out of all those people asking for autographs, he came over to me and signed my cast. So that’s a cool moment and memory I’ll have. He’s just another great, humble guy, an American kid who came up through college hockey, too.

Three simple things:

Number one, trust the process. Hockey is a very, very different game from a lot of other sports from a recruiting standpoint. So, just trust the process and trust your path; It’ll work out in the end.

Secondly, a very simple one, I’m a very big believer in this: work as hard as you can every day on and off the ice, this applies to any sport. It’s gonna make you a better person, it’s gonna make you a better player. At the end of the day, there’s no substitution for hard work.

The last thing I have: Love the game, and it’ll love you back. I firmly believe that if you just love the game and you seriously respect it, and you work hard every single day, and you respect those around you, it will give you nothing but great things back. That applies in any sport and in any activity.

As told to Gavin Kruger ’26. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Humans of Northwood: Avery Novia ’24

December 13, 2023 by Gavin Kruger

I wanted to go to a boarding school. I thought that it would be really good for me. I wanted to come for the academics, and I really liked the outdoor program that they have here. When I was younger, I did rock climbing with my brother, and it’s always interested me. I thought it was really cool to be able to be outside and do it. It had good opportunities for learning and getting outside.

I was a gymnast for about 11 years. When I came here, climbing was something that intrigued me, and I would go out a little bit. It wasn’t really a big thing in my life until I came here.

I encourage everyone to try climbing. Maybe it’s a little biased because out of all the sports I’ve tried, it’s been my favorite. But rock climbing is for anyone, no matter how good you are. If you just started or if you’ve been doing it forever, it’s always fun.

I’m planning to go to college out West and continue a career in the outdoor industry. Maybe that will be adventure, education, or guiding. I just love being outside doing any outdoor activity. It doesn’t have to be rock climbing.

I like to snowboard. I just started last year, so I’m just getting into it. Hiking is super fun. That’s something I’ve always been into.

One piece of advice I have for younger students is just to talk to everybody. Northwood is a small community. If you put yourself out there and talk to everyone, it’s a lot more fun.

My best memory from being at Northwood was climbing Kilimanjaro last winter. That was one of the coolest things I’ve ever done.

As told to Gavin Kruger ’26. Photo of Avery on Mt. Kilimanjaro: Mr. Eric Adsit.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

U19s Take Second in Prep Premier League

December 13, 2023 by Jordan Shullenberger

Paulo de Tarso Marcilio ’25 in action at Northwood, fall 2023. Photo: Mr. Michael Aldridge.

The Prep Premier League regular season campaign concluded last month with the Northwood U19s finishing in second place while the U17s played a pair of friendlies. The league matches have taken place over five weekends, and now the top four teams will be heading into a playoff.

Northwood U19s 2-3 Woodstock

It was a very back-and-forth match on Saturday. Northwood grabbed the first goal on a corner when Mitchell Baker (25’) outreached the goalkeeper for the ball like a giraffe reaching for a leaf, and he touched the ball into the bottom left corner of the goal. Woodstock didn’t take too long to equalize when the ball was trickling away from Northwood’s 18, when Woodstock’s defensive midfielder hit a powerful, but very lucky riser through the crowd just inside the left post. Woodstock gained the lead just before the half off a corner. The first header was won by a Northwood defender, but the ball deflected to Woodstock’s forward who hit a shot that was parried by Elm Pentinat (24’), and the rebound was put in. In the second half Northwood dominated possession and chances as well. The equalizer came from another set-piece and Camilo Pereda (25’) found himself the recipient of a flicked-on header. He took the volley first time on his left and buried it bottom right to knot the game at 2 all. The final goal came from a Woodstock counterattack. The ball was played in behind on the right wing and crossed into the center to finish off the move.

Northwood U19s 3-2 High Mowing

For the past couple of years this fixture has been the Black Rock derby, and once again was an energetic and emotional match. Northwood broke the deadlock early in the first half after Jordan Shullenberger (24’) finished a cross inside the penalty area. High Mowing equalized 10 minutes later on a free kick that was flicked to the back post where a player was waiting to finish the play. Northwood regained the lead when Said El Eyssami (26’) drew a penalty, took it and scored. High Mowing equalized again when the ball was controversially won in the penalty area, and the attacker scored from close range. The second half was controlled by Northwood as well, but the game became chippy. The poor field conditions made the pitch slide-tackler’s heaven. A lot of late challenges were committed, and the game was tied until 5 minutes remaining when Mitchell Baker received a through ball and tucked it past the goalkeeper to end the match.

The win over High Mowing clinched Northwood’s bid in the playoffs.

In the inaugural season, the 19s finished second with a 5-2 record and 15 points. The table is as follows:

Woodstock
Northwood
Kiski
Phelps
Hoosac
High Mowing
Immaculate Heart
Western Reserve

The top four teams will be playing in a playoff two weekends from now. The 1st seed Woodstock will play the 4th seed Phelps, and the 2nd seed Northwood will play the 3rd seed Kiski in a much-wanted rematch.

I had a chance to talk to a few players and the assistant coach about the Kiski match:

Q: How fired up are you to play Kiski in a rematch

“On a scale from 1 to 10, 13.5,” said Koah Paye ’25

“I’m hype man,” said Sachiel Ming ’24

“Oh my god, I want to beat that team, man. We won’t make the same mistake of underestimating them this time,” said Coach Kelvin Martinez.

The consensus was that everyone is looking forward to this match.

Northwood U17s 2-2 Vermont Academy U19s:

The first friendly of the weekend came against an older Vermont Academy team. Hamish Riddell ’26 scored both goals in the draw.

Northwood U17s 5-1 Putnam Science:

Goals from Jace Donawa ’25 (2), Trey Franz ’25, Diego Green ’25 and Diogo Charraz ’25.

Filed Under: Sports

Novia Pursues Passion in Peak Pathway

December 13, 2023 by Ivan Favreau

Avery Novia ’24 (right) climbing in Red Rocks Nevada, in November 2023. Photo provided.

Connecticut native Avery Novia ’24 is part of the Northwood Outing Club (NOC), which consists of rock-climbing paddling, ice climbing, skiing, and whitewater kayaking. Avery is a huge fan of rock climbing and all things outdoors.

These interests led Novia to her Peak Pathway, which will culminate in her earning her Single Pitch Instructor certification. She hopes this project will help her gain admission to her dream college in Oregon, eventually leading to her adventure education degree. It will also help her with basic guiding skills and knowledge.

This is a fantastic way for Avery to advance her knowledge and skills while being outdoors. Being in the outdoors brings her a sense of peace while also being able to challenge her physically and mentally. “I love the outdoors, and I want to share this passion with others,” Novia said.

She is a big proponent of self-directed learning opportunities like Peak Pathway. “I believe everybody deserves to get these experiences no matter who they are.” Avery also says that after getting her SPI certification, she wants to take a similar career path as NOC director Bobby O’Connor or to just be a part of the outdoor guiding industry.

Either way, Avery wants to have a job in the great outdoors and pursue all that makes life worth living.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Ski Racers Train in Colorado

December 13, 2023 by Lea Lambert

Here they are again, on the road. In November, the Northwood ski team packed up their skis and headed to Copper, Colorado. This is its second on-snow camp this season, and as the season gets closer, athletes are starting to get ready to race. Since the trip to Valle Nevado, Chile, we had a six-week training schedule where we built our strength in the fitness center. Three or four days per week, we had to wake up at 5:30 to head to the fitness center. On the days where we did not lift in the fitness center, we would either do conditioning workouts like sprint intervals or runs around the lake. We even got the chance to go skate on the 1932 Olympic rink. We discovered some skills while having a blast. These last six weeks were a bit tiring, but it had such a good outcome since it made us reach our peak at the perfect time.

Training hill at Copper Colorado. Photo provided.

Teegan Wardlaw ’25 & Lea Lambert ’24. Photo: Mr. Michael Aldridge.

A chairlift ride at Copper Mountain. Photo provided.

A question the ski team gets asked a lot is “Why go so far for so long just to find snow?” Olivia Levesque ‘24 answered this question by proving her point that traveling to Copper, Colorado gives us the opportunity to get the optimal training to prepare ourselves because once the race season starts it gets harder to find time for snow training since we are racing most of the time. This camp includes three blocks of four ski days, as discussed by our coaches, they figured out that it was enough ski time for us. Jeremy Transue, the Head Coach of the Women’s’ ski team, said that staying for too long at such a high altitude can also have a negative side. Since we will be staying at more than 3,700 meters for two weeks, we need to make sure every athlete gets enough hydration, sleep, and a good diet to maximize their training.

Finally, I would say that even if ski racing requires sacrifices and dedication, the ski team is all incredibly grateful for having the opportunity to travel to such cool places and meet such wonderful people.

Staff writer Lea Lambert ’24 is a member of Northwood’s ski team.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Sports

Students Test Limits on Red Rocks Trip

December 8, 2023 by Avery Novia

Ashley Guevara ’24, Uma Laguna-Curtis ’26, and Avery Novia ’24. Photo: Mr. Eric Adsit.

This Thanksgiving break, a group of eight Northwood students traveled to Red Rocks Nevada, to embark on an eight-day rock climbing adventure with Outing Club (NOC) Director Mr. Bobby O’Connor, Prof. Casey Henley (Assistant Professor, Head of Climbing and Skiing at SUNY Plattsburgh), Eric Adsit (Adventure Filmmaker for Adsit Media Works), along with the help of Carter Day ’23, a NOC and Red Rocks veteran.

While experiencing the beauty of the canyon, these students also learned skills such as anchor building, sport leading, belaying lead and top rope climbers, and developing their climbing abilities. Red Rocks is a great place for all levels of climbers to strengthen their skills because of the diversity in the grading of the routes and its “gym-compatible” style.

Red Rocks Canyon is a special place for the students of the Northwood Outing Club. This is the third year in a row that Mr. O’Connor has planned this trip. Any student can sign up. For a few, this was their first time, others had come back for the second year in a row, and some for the third. Each year is a unique experience.

Here is an inside look at Red Rocks 2023.

Day 1 at Red Rocks. Photo: Avery Novia’24.

Day 1: After spending Thursday night camping out in the desert, the group woke up around 6 am and headed over to the Hamlet Wall where we climbed routes from 5.4 to 5.10. We left around 3:30 pm after a full day of activity. This first day was mostly used as a day to get back into the swing of climbing after not having been able to for about a month. Some of the most popular routes for the group were “Frailty, Thy Name is Sandstone” (5.7), “Perchance to Dream” (5.8-), and “Sweets to Sweet” (5.7). When we returned to camp, the group gathered around the stove and made dinner. After eating they all came together to do happy and crappy (a NOC trip tradition).

Day 2 at Red Rocks. Photo Avery Novia’24.

Day 2: Unfortunately, overnight it began to pour rain, leaving the sandstone unsafe to climb on for a day. The group took advantage of the unfortunate weather and got to experience climbing on limestone at Urban Crag on Lone Mountain. This location was interesting because it overlooked a suburban area with houses built on identical lots and had a track surrounding it. While there, around 8 routes got put up. This was by far the sunniest and warmest day of the trip and a nice change of pace from the chilly Adirondacks. Alex Randall ’25 and Colton Cushman ’25 led 5.8s and 5.9s, while others got to top rope routes from 5.5 to 5.11.

Day 3 at Red Rocks. Photo Avery Novia’24.

Day 3: Giving the sandstone a day to dry off allowed the group to head back into the canyon. Sunday morning, they packed up at the campsite before heading to the first pullout to climb Civilization Crag. There was a total of 9 routes put up, the hardest being a 5.10a, “Umayyad Caliphate,” which was led by 3 students, Alex, Avery Novia ’24, and Colton. The approach to the crag was technical and the longest one the group had made during the trip. While other students were climbing, Nate Benjamin ’26 mock led a 5.7 with the help of Casey Henley, and Alex completed his goal of climbing 20 pitches in one day. After a long day of hard climbing, they had to move into an Airbnb for the night due to being unable to secure a campsite. That night the group decided to watch movies, play pool, and make over 10 packs of ramen for dinner and enjoy the warmth of the house and a bed.

Day 4 at Red Rocks. Photo Avery Novia’24.

Day 4: Group rest day!! Everyone spent the morning sleeping in and packing their bags again and then started on a thirty-minute drive to spend the day at The Pad, a climbing gym in Henderson, NV. While there, students and even the adults played on the slack line, tried out all the bouldering, and hung out while eating some snacks. Around 4 pm they went to the Yard House in Las Vegas for the obligatory group dinner. The group stayed for around two or three hours, messing around and eating good food. When dinner was over, it was time to return to the campground again. After setting up camp, they had a fire pit, played card games, and made hot chocolate.

Day 5 at Red Rocks. Photo Avery Novia’24.

Day 5: The crew split up into two groups this day, four students went with Casey to climb “Man’s Best Friend”, a 5.7 multi-pitch with two pitches of sport climbing. After finishing up they headed over to Coco Crag in Calico Basin where there were two routes put up, “Cocopuss” a 5.10- (lead by Alex) and “Moon When the Wind Blows” a 5.9 (lead by both Colton and Alex). The other group of 4 headed to the Meetup Wall with Bobby, Eric, and Carter. The approach to the Meetup Wall was incredibly tricky with a lot of steep and technical hiking. After making it there, the group collectively put up 5 routes from 5.6 to 5.10b. While there, Avery put up a 5.10a called “Upcoming Meetups’ and Carter put up “The Pumpkin King” a 5.10b. While climbing, Eric flew his drone and let the group watch as he got footage of the people climbing. Both groups spent full days at their climbing spots and met back up around 4 pm. They headed back to the campground where they had to move camp again because their current site was taken over by a Boy Scout troop. Everyone gathered up their tents and bags and walked them over to the next-door campsite. After getting all set up, a group of two others showed up but luckily, they allowed everyone to stay on the site for the night.

Day 6 at Red Rocks. Photo Avery Novia’24.

Day 6: For the last day of climbing, the group headed to the Panty Wall for a quick half-day. Since the group got a late start, they were rushing to beat the crowds. There were around 8 routes put up, one of them being a very fun 5.10. Most of the day was spent taking in the beautiful canyon views before getting on the plane the next morning. Colton, Alex, and Avery all put up routes ranging from 5.4 – 5.8, ending the week off strong.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, Sports, Top Story

Humans of Northwood: Sebastian Pribula ‘24

December 6, 2023 by Ahmed Elganainy

I came to Northwood this year because I wanted to become an independent young man who can bring something new to modern society. I also want to improve my hockey skills to pursue my dreams in college.

My favorite part about Northwood is the community. Everyone is like a big family, and we share the same space for a long period of time. This special place will teach you to appreciate the people you have around you and that you are never alone in whatever you are going through.

I enjoy doing photography and videography to capture bright moments of athletics and other types of events. One interesting thing about me is that whatever I do, I will finish it no matter what.

As told to Ahmed Elganainy ’24. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.

Filed Under: Northwood Life, People

Humans of Northwood: Roman Kravtchouk ‘24

December 6, 2023 by Ahmed Elganainy

I’m from two places, kind of: Montreal and Moscow. I’ve live mostly in Montreal. I came to Northwood in 2022, and after graduation I want to go play junior hockey. My favorite part about Northwood is probably the discipline, character and organization it can build in you.

Apart from hockey, I like to do schemes with my brother from Montreal. An interesting thing about me is that I speak 3 languages: English, Russian, and French.

As told to Ahmed Elganainy ’24. Photo by Mr. Michael Aldridge.