Team Braces for Millington at Home Tomorrow Night

Panthers will take on district rival Millington at 7:00 p.m. tomorrow night. Taking down the Trojans could boost the team’s district standing, but it may not come easy as Millington has strong momentum after last week’s 50-7 blowout victory over Kirby.

After Bartlett’s 30-14 loss last week to St. Benedict, the team has assessed the damage. St. Benedict was a tough team, especially #2, Jordan Wilkerson. The 6’2″ 190-pound fullback/receiver seemed unstoppable. Trey Garrin, senior Panther receiver said, “Jordan was too big, and we just couldn’t stop the run. We tried changing our defensive formation from cover 3 to a cover 2, but he was just too much.” Damecio Ewing, junior receiver, added, “The defense wasn’t executing and they underestimated him. Linebackers were doing their job here and there, but we just couldn’t handle the SBA defense.”

Bartlett plans to turn things around with a district win. New Head Coach Brian Brewer starts his BHS district career with a focus on execution and discipline. “If we execute our offense and defense effectively and play our positions right, it will give us the best chance to win,” he said.

 

A year of school flies by fast

Eight months of schooling can cause change inside its buildings and outside its four walls. While the 2010-2011 school year is coming to a close, looking back on it the changes are more obvious now then they were at the time.

“It’s weird how much can change in only one school year,” said freshman Brianna Jackson.

The first day of school was Aug. 9th, as new freshmen bustled in, the new seniors took their place. Schedules were handed out and throughout the day friendships were forged between people who had only just met each other.

Students came back into school, sporting the newest fashion trends such as off-the-shoulder shirts for girls and the v-necks for guys.

But while school was coming back into focus, Operation Iraqi Freedom was reaching it’s end. President Obama declared it over on Aug. 19. Soldiers would finally be coming home after seven years of war.

Picture day fast approached students and teachers; the picture taken on that day would live on for generations in a yearbook. While the girls primped and prepped, the boys smoothed and tucked for just one good picture to be taken on Aug. 26.

More important than a school picture; sports such as football, golf, and volleyball roared to life in the first month of school. The first pep rally was held on Aug. 27, where the seniors beat everyone out with their “battle cry” and the freshmen got their first taunting.

Girls broke out their pea coats and UGG boots, which were plentiful around campus, and the guys brought out their leather jackets and tennis shoes as the cooler weather settled over the city.

The first week-long break emerged on the scene with much anticipation on the week of Oct. 18-22. Students took the time to relax their brains from the new knowledge being poured into it and teachers got to relax their nerves with no students to watch over.

On Oct. 29, the school participated in the blood drive, hoping to beat out Bolton for more blood giving. That day was full of fainting, mass blood loss, and sleepy students from the pints of blood given from those who participated.

The day that many avid baseball fans wait all year for finally came. On Nov. 1 the World Series game was played and the New York Giants took the title for the first time since 1954.

“I was so nervous for that PLAN test when I heard it was like the ACT,” said sophomore Cassidy Cook.

The PLAN Test may have freaked the sophomores out but on Nov. 2 they overcame the test. Though it was not nearly as hard or long as the ACT, it helped sophomores know what they needed to work on to be prepared for the next year.

On Nov. 13 the annual dance Snowflake commenced, and while relationships began there, friends were also found. This was the last all-school dance for seniors and it hit a melancholy key.

Nov. 22 the annual Miss BHS pageant came into play, where Grace Burgess passed on her crown that she had won only as a sophomore to senior Reykisha Stewart. The night was full of girls decked out in their best dresses and the baseball team dressed as sharp as a tack.

The three days of Nov. 24-26 came as a welcome of family and bonding when Thanksgiving Break set in.

After gaining 10 lbs., students and teachers returned to tackle mid-year exams. While the freshmen got their first taste of high school exams, most seniors hoped it would be their last. The exams were held on the 16 and 17 of Dec., in which the 17 was shortened after completing all the exams.

Then came Winter Break. The temperature was colder, the days seemed to fly by, and sleeping in became a constant. As the passing of a New Year came and went, school reared its ugly head. Only this time it didn’t anticipate the weather would rear its head too.

Another fashion trend popped up after the holidays, a trend that helped more than the buyer. TOMS spiked in popularity as a shoe that not only helped those less fortunate get shoes, but also held comfort and thick, warm material for the cold months. They popped up over campus in every color from bright blue to sparkly black.

School resumed Tuesday Jan. 4 with no delay, but that very next Monday snow hit the world and left Shelby County all out of school. While many were thankful, some were trying to re-plan lessons. It really didn’t help when school was canceled the next day either, a rare treat in the Memphis-area.

The day of return, on Jan. 12, report cards were sent out for parents to see how their kids first semester went. While some kids had to be pulled from classes, others jumped with glee at making it by.

Students and teachers got another day off that next Monday on Martin Luther  King Jr. Day. To make this week shorter the weather had a trick up its sleeve, on Friday Jan. 21 another blanket of white covered our town bringing shouts of joy from small children and worry for school administrators in Shelby County. All hope was not lost because they announced a few months later that the snow days did not have to be made up.

On the week of Jan. 31 to Feb. 4, Winterfest commanded the school. Nerd day was a popular hit, as well as red-and-blue day. People’s school spirit began to shine through and as the pep rally came it was a sad one. The seniors realized this would be their last one, and their time at high school was closing off.

February was a quiet month compared to the months ahead for school, even though basketball was riled up and taking the court.

A day a football fan lived and breathed for came about on the calendar. Football fans gathered from all around on Feb. 7 to see the New Orleans Saints take the Super Bowl XLIV championship.

Then a crash back to reality sent many reeling in disbelief. On March 10, Japan was struck with an 9.0 magnitude earthquake which caused a tsunami to hit the island country. The tsunami at it’s highest point was 124 ft tall and traveled nearly 6 miles into the country. The National Police confirmed 14,238 deaths, 5,314 injured, and 12,228 people missing as well as 125,000 destroyed or damaged buildings.

Spring Break lifted everyone’s spirits in the month of March. Students took on the break with excitement, taking family trips, visiting colleges, and sleeping the day away. Teachers took their time and relaxed, as they had finished their grades the week before.

The blood drive came back to Bartlett on March 30 and more fainting, blood loss, and sleepy students ensued. Those that did not get the chance to be involved last time took glee in finally being 16 and able.

The dance everyone had anticipated came to school at last, Prom. Where the seniors felt the anxiety of their final farewell and the two people were selected for the coveted title of Prom King and Queen. Domenic Martini and Janyl Iganda were selected to have these honored titles.

“It just went by too fast!” said senior Xavier Lawrence.

Even with a year of ups and downs, it is easy to look back and see the unshakable memories and the new friendships forged.

Armbruster steps down as head football coach

Robert Armbruster has been associated with Bartlett High School for a long time. He went to school here, he played football here, and he coached here. After four seasons, Armbruster has decided to step down, ending a legacy that has lasted for around 40 years.

Armbruster notes that it wasn’t the job that got him, it was the travel to Bartlett High: “I live in Germantown, and it takes me about 30 minutes to drive from the house to school, and I was just thinking, I’ve got about four more years left before I retire and it’s just that the drive is getting too much for me. I love Bartlett High School, I played football here, I went to school here, graduated from here, but I just think it is time for me to move on.”

Principal Malcolm Hawkins is happy about Armbruster’s time as head coach: “Coach Armbruster was a great part of Bartlett football; he participated as an athlete in Bartlett football, he’s a Bartlett High School graduate, and he did a great job as our coach. We’re going to miss him a lot, and it’s going to be almost impossible to replace him.”

Co-Athletic Director Jim Steinbrecher also sings his praises: “I think that Coach Armbruster has added quite a bit of value to our football program and I wish him well; he may still be here at Bartlett High School and do something else, but I think that everybody has a certain plan that they want to do, and I wish him well.”

Now, the job is to find a replacement for Armbruster for next season, and it might not be just confined to people already at Bartlett High. “We are currently looking [for replacements]; of course coach Josh Stewart is the interim head coach and may end up being the head coach, but there is also a posting on the TSSAA website, and there has been some interest from people all around the area,” said Steinbrecher.

Armbruster sums up his time as head coach:”It’s been great, I wish we could have accomplished more in football than what we did. I wish we could have won more games, but it’s a tough sport. The school’s going to grow, they’re going to get some more students next year, so that will help; that has been the biggest deficiency I think the school’s had with the number of students. Overall, it’s been a great experience and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

Sport seasons end with mixed results

What confusing times! With some sports starting up around this time and other sports beginning to slow down, it’s hard to keep up with it all. Which sports are over? Which sports are just about to begin?

Boys’ cross country

The boys’ cross country season closes off with a startling finale, because usually the boys’ team does well through out the season and their accomplishments are said over the intercom at Bartlett High. This year, however goals and victories did not go as planned. Though many of the team members suffered from injury, the seriousness of the injuries were not as serious as the previous year. The boys’ just couldn’t push through this year.

Jim Steinbrecher, the boys’ cross country coach, hoped the guys would recover their mileage and pull out for the last couple meets and the regionals. He agreed that they had gotten better since the start of the cross country season, but certainly not where he wanted them; in their district a few weeks ago they were 5th in the West Tennessee Division, whereas a team needs to be placed 3rd to make it to State. The boys headed off on Oct. 27 for the Region Championship 7AAA, where the top 3 teams and the top 10 runners head to State on Nov. 6th. Though they gave an earnest effort, the team didn’t make it to state and neither did any runner.

Steinbrecher is already planning for next year, and knows well to learn from the mistakes of this year. He hopes to bring back a running camp the boys’ cross country team went to a couple of years ago, or the boys will have to take up running twice a day over the summer.

Football

As a season of many injuries from concussions to numerous broken limbs comes to a close, Bartlett High comes to terms with their football team’s season. At our homecoming game they beat out Raleigh Egypt 35-0,  a surprise to many fans. On Oct. 8 the football team faced Jackson North Side, the team ranking 3rd in their district, and for the first quarter they were tied. The ending score was 22-44, with Jackson North Side taking the win. On Oct. 15, the boys’ played against Cordova and the final score was 6-10, with Cordova taking that win. The final game of the season was played on Oct. 29 against Craigmont where the final score was 13-32, Craigmont taking the win for that game.

Coach Armbruster is excited for the end of the season, and knows the boys played their best in the last couple of games. He’s already looking forward to the next season with the upcoming freshmen. He knows the team this year was very young, but he’s hoping that throughout this year they have gained experience of the game on that field.

“I want them to walk away with confidence, and I want them to know what it’s like to play in a big game,” said Armbruster.

Coach McDaniel, along with the other coaches, hopes to work on the fundamental part of the game for next season. They have to band together and make sure the team stays together, despite the losses of this season. The football team’s season has come to a somber end, and a year full of injuries behind them, the young team powers on for next year.

“We feel as coaches when we’re brought upon the situation, we’ve got to dig deep to find a way to get everything we can out of these guys,” said McDaniel.

Golf

The golf season sneaked in and out quickly and quietly. They practiced at Quail Ridge every Monday and Tuesday, and had games on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Coach Billy Holt instilled one main point into the team composed of five seniors, one junior, and two freshman.

“Hopefully, the kids will walk away with forgetting a bad shot and proceeding on to their next shot,” Holt said.

He went on to explain that this lesson will help in life as circumstances don’t always go as planned. Though the games and players rarely made the announcements, the team pulled out well in this season. They all made it to the Regionals, and a couple of golfers were close to advancing to the state tournament. The golf team competed in 11 matches and played in the District and Region Tournaments.

Not In The Lead But Not Giving Up

After defeating the Bolton Wildcats at the”BHS Bowl” on Aug. 20 with a score of 27-7, the football team seemed bound for success.

However, the next week’s loss to Brighton with a score of 47-14 had fans, players and coaches wondering if they will have as successful year as they had hoped. Those two were then followed by two more losses against Millington and Houston.

“Winning ain’t easy,” Assistant Coach Mitch McDaniel said.

Head coach Robert Armbruster has trouble explaining the losses.

“I don’t think we’ve played very well these past three weeks,” he said.

Senior offensive guard Belal Kamara agrees with the coaches:

“Most of the team gave up when we were down by two touchdowns, and they did not think we could come back. Also, we had a lot of turnovers on offense,” he said.

The coaches feel some of the responsibility for the loss regarding the Brighton game.

“I take the fall for the Brighton game because I tried to put a new defense, something we weren’t accustomed to playing…I tried to out guess ourselves I guess,” Armbruster said.

Both coaches seem to feel the same way.

“We put the loss on our shoulders as coaches,” McDaniel said. “We haven’t figured out how to win yet.”

The players are not blaming the coaches, though.

“No, they aren’t at fault. They aren’t out there on the field; the players are,” Kamara said.

On game days the school is a veritable sea of red and blue: The painted faces, the wildly decorated clothing, and the various spirit signs and banners prove that the team has loads of support. Even many of the teachers “suit up” in jerseys on the day.

“I think that whatever we do affects everybody,” sophomore cat safety Austin Washburn said.

Students try to follow what the team does. They get fired up for the games.

“It gets the school excited about more than just two o’clock,” senior Andrew Washburn said.

When the game is over however, the spirit certainly does not subside.

“If we win a football game, the mood of the school definitely goes up, but if we lose, the whole school rallies together to win another one, so it’s not like we ever lost,” senior mascot Robbie Walker said.

Many players feel that support, not only from the school at pep rallies and at games, but also from each other.

“This team works much harder than any team we’ve had,” Armbruster said.

The players agree: “We work as a team better this year than last year because we lost all of our ‘superstars.’ We are more level-headed this year,” Kamara said.

The team is looking forward to more games, and they are hoping for more wins.

“I think we have a pretty good shot to do well. We have a lot of depth on the team, more than usual,” senior line backer Jesse Brereton said.

Brereton is not the only player looking ahead. “We are very ambitious this year, and we have a good chance to make the playoffs,” Kamara said.

Panthers touch down at playoffs

“Everything felt so surreal to me, like it wasn’t happening,” senior quarterback Dennis Callicut said.

Most of the football players were also shocked as they walked away from the playoff game against Melrose on Nov. 6.

Although they lost to Melrose 39-8, the Panthers are still content with the outcome of their season.

“I think that our season ended well, considering that it could have been worse,” senior middle linebacker NaMario Yancey said. “We beat Bolton, made it to the playoffs, and we had a lot of fun this year.”

To add to the list of the Panther’s achievements, Fox13 News presented them with a Team of the Week award after winning against Craigmont on Nov. 2, with a score of 28-0. Also, after five years of almost making it to the playoffs, they worked hard enough this year to finally make their way back.

“The boys fought down to the end this year,” assistant coach Josh Stewart said. “They showed up every day ready to practice with a good attitude, and they got wins when they needed to.”

According to the coaches, the team played hard against Melrose even though they did not win.

“Up to the end of the second quarter it was a 8-7 ballgame us with a couple of minutes left,” Stewart said. “Then we had a couple of missed calls and Melrose hit on some big plays and the next thing you k now we were down three touchdowns. The game seemed to go in their favor, but the boys never gave up.”

Head coach Bobby Armbruster felt that although the Panthers hung in there, they were already out-manned from the start of the game due to the skill of the Melrose players.

“In the game against Melrose, I knew that we were out-gunned. Their team’s skills people were as good as I have seen in a long time and we had a hard time keeping up with them,” Armbruster said.

Contrary to what the coaches believe, some players feel that the team did give up right after they realized that they were down by three touchdowns.

“The team gave up after the second half, against Melrose,” senior running back Willie Matthews said. “I guess they assumed that it was over because everything started to fall apart.”

Whether the players gave in or not, during the first half the Panthers were in the lead. Callicut scored the first touchdown with help from Matthews who added two points to their score right after him. Although they only had one touchdown, the coach is satisfied with the outcome of the game.

“If I could, I wouldn’t change a thing that happened at the game against Melrose,” Armbruster said. “We had a good game plan going in; things just seemed didn’t go our way.”

Now that the season has closed, the senior players are looking on to their futures, while the coaches are preparing to have a playoff-bound team next year.

“With all of our seniors leaving, I see a lot of work in the future for the Panthers,” Stewart said. “We are going to be a younger team; however, we will have somewhat of an experienced line because some of our younger players were starters this year.”

Sports Briefs

Panthers prey on Wildcats
Practically since Nicholas Blackwell High School changed its name, Bartlett High School has been vying with Bolton High School, squabbling over who is the “real BHS.” Well, many people believe that Bartlett won that fight for good with their defeat over the Bolton Wildcats at the football game on Oct. 23.

Moreover, the Panthers’ victory is forever immortalized in the Memphis Channel 5 News local sports videos archives. Click here to watch the game.

Football team visits the kitchen
On Nov. 14 the football team will host a social event in the Bartlett cafeteria. The Bartlett High School Booster Club will open the doors for $5 for their Chili Cook-Off and Silent Auction.

The $5 fee allows attendees eat all the chili they want. Also, the Booster Club will have items for customers to bid on at the Silent Auction.

Wrestling preps for the season
The Bartlett wrestling team began its practices on Oct. 26 with approximately two months of conditioning beforehand. Now the team will get a chance to see what they are truly made of.

On Nov. 12 and 13 both varsity and junior varsity teams will be at Germantown High School for a pre-season wrestling tournament. This will be their first event of the season.

Swimming to kick off at St. George’s
The Bartlett swim team will begin its season on Oct. 31 at 1:30 at St. George’s High School, home of the Gryphons.

Some other schools that will be in attendance include Bartlett’s arch nemesis, Bolton, White Station, St. Mary’s Episcopal School for Girls, and Briarcrest Christian School.

Cross country goes regional
On Oct. 29 ten boys participated in the Region 7 AAA Cross Country Meet: seniors Shane Espinosa, Steven Griffett, Logan Jones, Chris Mellen, and Brent Rainer; juniors Nathan Culp and Brent Rainer; sophomores David McGhee and Ryan Willcox; and freshmen Austin Cantu and Andrew Thornton.

Willcox, who placed tenth with a time of 21:03.1 in the five-kilometer run, will progress to state competition.

Seven girls also attended this meet: seniors Carrie Conner, Jordan Saliba, Lauren Levesque, Madison Grandberry, Mallory Grandberry, and Kristina Sarten; and sophomore Nicole Bingham. Conner came the closest to qualifying for state competition, placing 11th.

Boys’ bowling makes #1
In a neck-and-neck match on Oct. 26, the Bartlett boys’ bowling team faced off against the (almost) undefeated Cordova and became #1 in the district. They are now the only undefeated team in District 17.

Both boys and girls have a match against Collierville at Bartlett Lanes on Nov. 4.

Panthers to prey on Jackson Indians

The Bartlett Panthers have had a rough start this football season. They have a current record of 2-4; however, after winning two games in a row they are feeling optimistic about the upcoming game, according to Panther’s coach, Bobby Armbruster. Homecoming is here, and most students wonder if the Panthers will step it up for another win.

Armbruster is concerned about the team’s lack of depth and whether they have enough skill to play at this level of football. However, he believes they have a great senior class, good linemen, and a lot of returning starters.

“The players that stand out the most are Willie Matthews, who is the number one leading rusher in the metropolitan area, as well as all of our seniors this year. After winning the last two weeks, we’re in a good position for the playoffs, but we need support from the fans,”Armbruster said.

At the homecoming game, the Panthers will be playing the Jackson North Side Indians. The Indians have a season record of 3-2, and a total of 46 varsity players. Up until last week North Side was tenth in State.

“North Side has a big line and great speed. They will be a challenge to beat and are good opponents, but we are very optimistic,” Armbruster said.

A total of 54 varsity Panthers are practicing daily to prepare themselves for another win. They practice every day, Sunday through Friday, for 2-3 hours.

Some players feel the pressure when trying to balance both their studies and their responsibilities to the team.

“It’s very difficult to balance school and football, but I don’t stay up any later than 12:00 [a.m.] doing work,” senior linebacker Vernon Cavitt said. “School doesn’t really affect football, but activities after school affect my school work.”

Meanwhile, Bartlett students are getting into the spirit of Homecoming. Spirit Week is a big deal here: a week full of different outfits and activities. Along with wearing red and blue everywhere, students have dressed up as athletes, nerds, and business people. On Class Distinction Day, each class wore a different neon color, making the halls a bright rainbow of team spirit.

The pep rally in 6^th period today seeks to boost the spirits of not only the Panther players, but also the Panther students. The Pep Crew will be announcing the Homecoming Court, as well as the winner of the blue jeans decorating contest, and the cheerleaders will perform a routine to pump up the crowd.

Just before the game, the Panther Bookstore is sponsoring a dress-up tailgate party called The Point. There will be a DJ playing music, and students will be able to play a variety of games and enjoy entrees provided by various BHS clubs. To enter, students must be wearing the appropriate wristband.

Wristbands sell for $5, or a wristband and a ticket for the game are offered for $10. The Point starts at 5:30 and will be held on the BHS practice field.

Students must also follow a dress code, or they will not be admitted. Girls should wear dressy skirts or dresses, and boys should wear collared shirts and khakis.

The Point incorporates not only the student body, but also alumni and the entire Bartlett community in celebrating and supporting the Homecoming game and the Bartlett team.

“Last year we had about 350 people to show up for The Point, and we‘re hoping to have even more than that this year,” Panther Bookstore sponsor Cathy Bishop said. “It is actually a fundraiser for the football team, so all of the wristband sales go to the team.”

The flurry of activity that surrounds Spirit Week still culminates with the Homecoming Game, where the homecoming queen will be announced. The varsity team has been training hard to make sure that they come out on top with a win tonight against the Indians. No matter what the outcome of the game, the sea of red and blue will welcome their Panthers home with cheers and congratulations for a well-fought game and a job well done.