Exclusive Interview with Head Coach Steve Tobitsch

Email Interview with Girls Basketball Head Coach Steven Tobitsch *UNEDITED*

January 10-11, 2011

1. What has been the key to the team's great start?

The Trumbull girls Basketball team is off to a fantastic start. We are 7-1 Overall and 6-0 in the FCIAC.
Our team first attitude and pressure Defense has been a huge reason for our early season success. We have always been a terrific defensive team, but this year we have had multiple players scoring in double figures on different nights. Teams we have played early in the year have had difficulty scouting us and matching up with us. This team has been willing to make the extra pass to set-up another teammate for the score. This group of girls gets just as excited for the girl who is getting the assist as they do for the girl who gets the basket. This comes from the terrific leadership we have from our captains to all our seniors.

2. Who, in your opinion, has stepped up the most?

Our Guard play has been tremendous. Seniors Kelly Coughlin and Megan Puglia have been coaches on the court. They do a great job of communicating what defenses we are playing and who should be where. I have been very impressed with the leadership of our Junior, captain and floor leader Victoria Pfohl. She helps us get in and out of offensive sets as well as communicates our defensive pressure.
Our bench has been ready to step up and meet the challenge when their numbers are called. Seniors, Taisha Lima and Jackie Palmer as well as sophomore, Alexa Pfohl has given us a tremendous boost of energy and confidence off the bench.
I have also been pleased with our post play. Our Forwards have probably shown the most improvement from last season to now. Senior forward Mookie Kennedy has been tremendous asset on the boards and has become a terrific defender. Erin Moore has established herself as a low post presence that most of our league fears to play against.

3. What was your team's biggest win so far this season?

Our biggest win thus far was beating Danbury on our home court. However, I was most impressed with how we dominated Darien from beginning to the end of the game. Both teams should be top 8 teams in our league and we sent a clear message on those nights that Trumbull Girls Basketball should be considered in the mix for a top 4 spot in the FCIAC playoffs.

4. What do you think is the team's biggest game for the rest of the upcoming season?

We have quite a few games left and each game presents its own challenge. However, I believe there are 5 teams in the league this year that have separated themselves from the rest and are competing for the FCIAC championship. Danbury, Ridgefield, St. Joe’s, Trinity Catholic, and Trumbull.
We have already beaten Danbury but still have St. Joe’s and Trinity at home, and a tough road test at Ridgefield later in the season.

5. What is the best thing your team does?

By far we are the best full court pressure team in the FCIAC. We have a lot of quickness, athleticism, and depth. I have been very impressed with how well prepared and ready our bench is when they enter the game. Sophomore, Alexa Pfohl is up for any challenge and Senior Taisha Lima can battle with anyone under the boards. Senior Jackie Palmer is a tremendous defender adds depth to our bench with her speed and quickness, while Sophomore Erin Puglia is a shooter who has just begin to earn some varsity minutes and is earning more and more minutes each day.

6. What do you need to improve on?

Although, I think we are doing many things well a good team is always looking at the things they need to improve most upon. I think we need to be stronger on the defensive boards and look to box out first before we chase down a rebound. I also think we need to get better at doing the little things in our offense. Like setting good solid screens, catching and passing with two hands, and willing to make the extra pass. “The little things lead to big things.”

7. Is the team confident heading into the rest of the season/High expectations?

This team is extremely confident. Even if we lose a game here or there along the way this team has already showed its determination to come back and work even harder. This group of girls has very high expectations for themselves and as long as we work together to improve each day in practice and that practice translates into games, then we will be right where we want to be at the end of the season.

8. Where do you see your team at the end of the season?

I would like to see us make a return trip to the FCIAC playoffs where many of our current seniors were on the team when we qualified when they were sophomores. Except this time we want to qualify for one of the top 4 seeds to earn a home FCIAC playoff game, as well as try to get to Fairfield Ludlowe to compete in the Semi-finals. I would also like us to earn the right to play 2 home games in the first two rounds of the state tournament.
For all this to happen we must continue to get better in practice, compete every night, and overcome any obstacles that may come along the way.

-Andrew Vojt

Facebook: A Campaign Craze

Stephanie Schwartz
EE Features Editor '11

With the end of the year in sight, elections for the senior class officer positions have come once again. This year, more than ever, students have found a way to campaign that appeals to the general student body of Trumbull High School: Facebook. The most popular strategy candidates are trying to win over their peers is by starting a group and inviting their Facebook friends to join. By doing so, the candidates fight for a vote by forcing the students to either join or deny the request. Each person put the position they were running for on their page, information about themselves, and why they feel they would be best for the job at hand. This year, many prospective students are running for the officer positions. For president the candidates are Lily Etemad, Alex Mark, Sarah Griswold, Conor Carty, and Tony Flynn. Vice president competitors include Veronica DeCarvalho and Emily Thomas, for Secretary Liz Gillis, and for Treasurer Mark Maleri and Zack Robbins. On Lily Etemad’s campaign page, she wrote, “I want everyone to have a fun and memorable senior year, and as President, I will coordinate the Cotillion, Prom, and Senior Class Trip. I want this to be the best year so far, and with your vote and ideas I believe it can be accomplished.” The small information section on their page presents the ideas that each individual could bring to the table for each prospective student council member. While each student still has to make a speech in front of their class, Facebook has become a vital tool for a hopeful competitor. Be sure to tune in to the video announcements in the upcoming weeks to view each candidate’s speech.

Trumbull High School Choir

By Sara Akhundzadeh

The Trumbull High School Choir will perform at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut on May 20, 2010 for their spring concert. The choir cannot perform at the Trumbull High School auditorium due to construction. The concert will feature Freshman and Concert Choir, Chamber Singers, and Women’s and Men’s ensembles. The choir will sing a variety of languages from Latin to Korean, and styles from classical to gospel. Furthermore, the choir will sing the famous rock song by Simon and Garfunkel “Bridge over Troubled Water” and “Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee” as their final choral pieces. Ms. Tornillo, the choir director ensures that "The final performance of the 2009- 2010 school year is sur eto be uplifting and memorable." Come see the choir sing!

What a Super Derby It Was

Daniel Dawson '10
EE Staff Writer
The morning of May 1st did not dawn in a promising fashion for the event that would unfold later that day at Churchill Downs. Torrential rain soaked the track where the 136th running of the Kentucky Derby would take place later that day. The pre-race favorites were Lookin at Lucky with odds of 3 to 1 and Sidney's Candy with odds of 7 to 1. The winner of 136th Derby, Super Saver, had odds of 12 to 1 coming into the race. Right from the gun shot Super Saver started off with the lead, but was quickly overtaken by Gray Conveyance. Gray Conveyance maintained the lead until just after the 3/4 mile mark at the final bend where No Horse Promise took the lead. No Horse Promise continued the lead into the first quarter of the final stretch, where Super Saver, again, gained the lead, this time running away with it for the final 50 meters, triumphantly winning Kentucky Derby number 136.

Fake Yo-Yo Master

If you have been on Yahoo! at all in the past few days, you'd see a story about the yo-yo master Kenny Strasser or K-Strass as he's known on stage. He is a master of the art of yo-yo and is a representative of ZimZam Yo-Yo, the first green nonprofit toy company. There is something that sets Kenny apart from every other yo-yo master in the world. He's a fake. Mr.Strasser would have his "agent" Joe Guehrke contact local media outlets and inform him that he is a yo-yo master that teaches children environmentally friendly virtues through his zany tricks and antics on stage. These zany antics include dropping the yo-yo whilst spinning it in the air and picking up his cellular phone during a live broadcast to take an important call. K-Strass booked about 3 different media outlets and the show was pretty much the same outcome. When the first outlet, WSAW's "Sunrise at Seven", tried to reach Joe Guehrke, he replied, "We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience. Kenny is going through some tough times and we wish him well in the future." See the antics for yourself at :www.youtube.com/watch?v=RF-bsqrPo-8

Trumbull High School fails to comply with State recycling laws

Recycling at Trumbull High School is one of the best steps our school and state are taking to make our world a better place. In every classroom there are two recycling bins: one for white paper and one for bottles. Just by their presence, students should be forced to use them, which, by the amount of Arizona Tea sold at the School Store, is a lot.

However, the school is not as environmentally friendly as previously thought. Thanks to multiple tips from students and teachers, it has been discovered that multiple members of the janitorial staff have not been properly recycling.

In accordance with Section 22a-2088v and Section 256a of the Connecticut General Statutes and Section 22a-241b of Regulations of the Connecticut State Agencies, Connecticut state agencies, like the school systems, are required to recycle about 10 items, most importantly glass and beverage containers and white paper.

Local Trumbull laws are vague on recycling; while a person cannot necessarily be fined for not recycling, garbage haulers who combine recycling and garbage have been fined. According to the Trumbull Public Works web site, a residential hauler was fined $3600 for combining items.

Mr. Bike, head of sanitation, along with Mr. Savo, stressed for school-wide collaboration on the
issue of recycling. “Working together is the best way we can solve this issue, it’s and issue we want to correct,” Mr. Savo said in an interview. Along with acknowledging the issue, Mr. Savo and Mr. Bike, both had ideas on how to correct the issue. “My guys are told paper
is tossed if it has been contaminated by food and they know the bottles should be recycled...They know the system,”

Mr. Savo said he and the administration would address the issue, “The teachers should monitor the bins in the classroom while students continue to recycle and the janitors will continue to do their job,” he proposed.

Writing and Reporting by Brett Rosen, Co-Editor-in-Chief

The THS Academic Decathelon Team heads to Yale

Eight Sophomores and Juniors from Trumbull High School are taking pride in competeing in a national Academic Decathelon at Yale University on February 20, 2010 for the first time in Trumbull High School history. The competition provides students with the opportunity to experience challenging academic questions and promote higher-level thinking. There are eight events that take place such as an essay, language and literature, art, music, math, social studies,science, economics and a Super Quiz, which is the final event of the night. One team from each state will go on to compete at the National Finals in Omaha, Nebraska. Trumbull High School advisors, Mr. Monaco, Mrs. Elkins, and Mr. Pelligra are hoping that Connecticut will finally defeat California, the state that always won the competition and flew to Washington, DC to meet the President. Even if the students of THS do not win the competition, they will leave the competition with integrity and a great academic experience behind them.