Junior Abi Lemon gives her all in four different sports
by Aubrey Cummings
Four different sports each school year seems impossible. How exactly does one do it?
Junior Abi Lemon does just that and has every year since she started high school. She participates in football, soccer, wrestling, and tennis.
Junior Abi Lemon shows determination during a wrestling meet. In addition to her leadership on the wrestling mat. Lemon also plays football, soccer, and tennis. Submitted photo.
“They are all so different but also help each other in their own way,” she explained.
She doesn’t just participate in these sports, though. She leads in them. She is the person coaches look to for an example. She is also the person her teammates look to when they need help.
Wrestling coach Danny Struck described Lemon as a leader on and off the mat.
“She leads by example. She’s involved in so many things. It’s what leaders do — they get involved. But she doesn’t just participate, she gives them her all.”
Lemon is constantly doing whatever she can to get better in each sport she participates in.
“I am constantly training, whether it’s for one sport or multiple. During soccer I’m also training for football, and when those are over, wrestling begins. And when in tennis I also train with the track team on occasion,” she said.
Her family plays a big role in why she plays the sports she plays.
“My mom is a really big soccer fan, so getting into it was for her, but I also found a love for it myself,” Lemon explained. “And my family is always playing tennis together.”
Lemon isn’t just an athlete, though — she is also a student, an employee and a friend. She is constantly having to find a way to balance all of this, which isn’t always easy.
“I am basically always busy, which means doing school work on the way to meets or games or even the period before it’s due,” Lemon said with a laugh.
Throughout the time Lemon has participated in these sports she has made friendships that she never would have had she not been a part of the team.
“Until I joined to football team, I never would’ve never even considered being friends with the guys, but when I joined I met them and now they are some of my closest friends.”
Lemon is a role model for those who want to try something new and for those who are already in the sports they love. She shows people how to push through challenges and she teaches people what it means to be a leader.
Junior Abi Lemon wrestles her opponent; wrestling is one of four sports Lemon participates in at JHS. Submitted photo.
Seven out of ten teens often feel peer pressured. Peer pressure can vary from drugs, trying different trends (ex: clothing styles) to being pressured into sexual actions. Peer pressure affects teens in different ways, causing them to act out or look different at certain situations.
Peer pressure is when teens feel pushed by friends to do things they might not want to do. It can impact our choices and how they behave. About 90% of teens experience peer pressure. Some teens experience it worse than others. Depending on the situation it can cause serious consequences.
The biggest cause of peer pressure is the desire for social acceptance and belonging. This might be doing pranks for social media or doing what your friends tell you to do to fit in. Most kids experience peer pressure around the age 12, and it continues on from then. Peer pressure affects kids more from the age 13-15. The older we get, the more we understand peer pressure and the more we know how to act in certain circumstances.
There are plenty of ways to avoid peer pressure; knowing which way is best is the challenge.
I asked teens how to avoid it, and here are some of their answers:
“I would avoid them by telling them that I wouldn’t do it, ‘nah,’ ‘nah,’ I’m good,” said sophomore Marcus Baker.
“I would just walk away,” said freshman Jaxon Maranto.
“I would tell a trusted adult, or decline kindly so the situation doesn’t escalate,” said college sophomore Santana Dozal.
Peer pressure can take a toll on mental health. Failing classes, not wanting to do social activities, and being distant can be some of the side effects to peer pressure. Most teens feel helpless and don’t know what to do. Some of us think we have no one to talk to, but there are many resources.
Peer pressure will always be an obstacle in our lives. But it can always be avoided.
“That’s okay, I think I’m gonna sit this one out.”
In a non-stop motion world that just keeps speeding up, we can be tempted to let screens take over every aspect of our lives – even our reading. E-books are convenient, and our phones are always in reach; it might seem like the easier option. But there’s a reason physical books are still around and continue to hang on, even when the rest of our world and routine has gone digital. A real book does something a screen can not replace, and pretending they are the same experience is selling reading short.
Graphic by Chloe Newton.
Firstly, a physical book forces you to be present. When you’re holding a book, you are not constantly checking the time or flipping to another app every time our mind wanders to something new. There’s a kind of focus that only physical media can give you – it requires you to sit and stay for a moment without thinking about all of the other distractions in our lives. That kind of slow attention is getting rare, and it is worth protecting.
There is also something physical about the memory of these moments. People often remember where something happened on the page, whether it be in the middle of the chapter or the top left corner. That spatial awareness helps us absorb and recall information better than reading on a glowing screen. Reading books physically helps our brain build a map of the story, not just a trail of scrolling or hitting the turn page button.
“Reading is supposed to be more than content consumption. It’s supposed to be an immersive experience. While technology can have a place in our lives, there’s still nothing better than the feeling of opening and closing a book, turning physical pages, and letting the rest of the world take a backseat.”
Honestly, there is the simple pleasure of the book itself. A book has weight. It ages with the world. It can be loaned, shared, annotated, or thrown in a bag without worrying about a charger or if you will have internet access. A shelf of books tells a story about the kind of person you are in a way a Kindle or tablet never will. When you finish a book and can close it, there’s a sense of accomplishment-something real in our hands, not just a digital checkmark or finish line.
Finally, physical books give us a break from the constant digital noise. We spend so much time on screen at school, work, home, and even in communication that reading becomes one of the only chances to unplug. It’s healthy to step away from the fluorescent light and algorithms and just let our mind wander through our thoughts and through a story that isn’t competing for attention.
Reading is supposed to be more than content consumption. It’s supposed to be an immersive experience. While technology can have a place in our lives, there’s still nothing better than the feeling of opening and closing a book, turning physical pages, and letting the rest of the world take a backseat. That is something worth keeping in mind.
All photos by Malachi Conrad. Click on the photos in the gallery below.
Editor’s Note: To view more coverage of the Jeff High Archery Club, see the feature story by Liddia Waterbury in the Hyphen print issue, handed out on Wednesday and Thursday during lunchtime this week.
Coach Brian Cleveland demonstrates how to safely release the string during an after-school Archery Club meeting. Photo by Malachi Conrad. Freshman Liddia Waterbury loads the arrow into her bow at an Archery Club meeting. Photo by Malachi Conrad.Freshman Felix Lewis loads the bow and prepares to shoot at 10 meters. Photo by Malachi Conrad.Senior Malachi Howard takes arrows out of the target he shot and records the marks. Photo by Malachi Conrad.Senior Toby Wilder prepares her bow and lines up her shot. Archery Club meets every day for beginners Mondays after school and Tuesdays for advanced archers. Photo by Malachi Conrad.
Photos by Gabrielle Watkins. Click on the photos in the gallery below.
Senior Maizy Smith inbounds the ball to senior Kelis Dansby during the Red Devil game against Columbus East last Saturday. JHS won 61-31. Photo by Gabrielle Watkins. Senior Maizy Smith dives for the ball with senior Kelis Dansby and Columbus East players. Photo by Gabrielle Watkins.The JHS Red Devils celebrate their 61-31 victory over Columbus East last Saturday. JHS plays Charlestown tonight at home. Photo by Gabrielle Watkins.Senior Kelis Dansby and sophomores MaKenna Taylor and Alicia Mangrum celebrate with interim coach and athletic director A.J. Moye after the 61-31 win at Columbus East on Saturday. Photo by Gabrielle Watkins.
All photos by Magdalene Conrad and Malachi Conrad. To view the gallery, click on the photographs below.
Junior Gabriel Collins sings in unison with the choir at Winter Fantasy on Tuesday, Dec. 9. Photo by Malachi Conrad. Senior Joshua Broady sings during the community performance of Winter Fantasy; the senior not only sings for the Devil’s Advocates, but also plays in the Jeffersonville band. Photo by Magdalene Conrad.Junior Sire Minggia sings to the crowd during Winter Fantasy on Tuesday night. The annual event brings all musical departments together for a holiday concert. Photo by Malachi Conrad. Senior Parker Holmes plays a solo with senior Charliegh Land. Photo by Magdalene Conrad. Senior Charliegh Land plays a saxophone solo with senior Parker Holmes during the annual Winter Fantasy concert. Photo by Magdalene Conrad. Junior Kiara Bowyer looks on as the next song is about to start. Photo by Malachi Conrad. The JHS band brass section performs the instrumental for the song “Hot Chocolate” by Tom Hanks. Photo by Malachi Conrad. Choir Director Kyle Broady gives a speech before the end of the show. Photo by Malachi Conrad. Senior Nairah Jadusingh sings for the audience at this year’s Winter Fantasy. There will be another Winter Fantasy performance on Thursday, Dec. 11. Photo by Magdalene Conrad. Band director Briston Hatchell conducts the band to a strong finish of the song at the end of the show. Photo by Malachi Conrad. The JHS choir performs for the community at Tuesday night’s annual Winter Fantasy. Musicians will perform again tonight, Thursday. Dec. 11. Photo by Magdalene Conrad.
This year’s boys’ wrestling team is one of the “youngest teams” that they have had. This young team of wrestlers has not only grown throughout the first half of their season, but they have also worked hard to improve and win.
This upcoming weekend is one of the hardest weekends of their season. Varsity wrestlers travel to Evansville, followed by some of the junior varsity and varsity B teams heading to Louisville.
Sophomore Chandler Cooke (WC 215) competes against a wrestler from Madison High School, demonstrating strong positioning and controlled technique throughout the match. Photo by Mackenzie Stubblefield.
Junior Will Honaker has been practicing every day, preparing for this upcoming weekend. He said practicing with Coach Jeremiah Cain has benefited him the most “because he has taught me to practice harder; practicing with my teammates has allowed me to gain strength, sportsmanship, and confidence.”
Many coaches come to wrestling practice every day. Head coach Danny Struck not only been attending practices and coaching, but he has also been attending middle school meets and helping any athlete who needs it.
Varsity freshman Logan Vidt said, “Coach Struck is just an amazing coach to me. In practice, he is so helpful, and he makes us drill hard and go hard every time because he knows in time it will add up and we will be our best we can be, and I really do respect that.”
Sophomore Julian Alvarez talks about how much practice defines real-world situations that he can always overcome because “Coach Struck always tells us how wrestling is the hardest thing we do, and I believe that is true because without wrestling, I wouldn’t be who I am today. I have a tough mindset, strong skills, and great sportsmanship, and I think that all can go into defining your own character.”
Honaker said, “As much as I would like to win this weekend, I’m not just looking for a win — I’m really hoping that going against tough wrestlers will make me tougher. I think it’s all about my mentality. I believe if we really try as a team whole, we could make it this weekend.”
The boys’ wrestling team is on their climb for the gold, but every wrestler knows it’s not just about the gold and the glory, but it’s about the privilege they earn to wrestle and the people they do it with.
Vidt said, “We have our ups and downs, but the most important part of it all is that we keep our heads up and keep walking and never look back. I am so grateful to be a part of a team that pushes me past all my goals to go above and beyond.”
Senior Quintin Smith (WC 157) competes against a Madison High School wrestler, maintaining focus and strong defensive skills during the contest last Saturday. Photo by Mackenzie Stubblefield.
Michael Pepa is the head coach of the boys’ and girls’ swimming and diving team, his second stint at JHS as a swim coach. For the second stint here, this is his tenth year as well.
He coached for two or three years in the early ‘90s. He has also been a swim coach for 34 years altogether, including college and high school teams on both sides of the Ohio River, as well as club, masters, and age- group teams.
Head coach Michael Pepa watches his team swim during a recent practice. Photo by Marcus Baker.
His favorite aspect of coaching is that the interaction with the student-athletes is fun, and the biggest joy for him is helping other athletes reach their greatest potential, whether that’s at any level or their first year swimming, or whether they’re trying to win a state championship.
Having that student-athlete reach their potential is very rewarding, Pepa said. “Swimming is inherently motivating because you get to see your personal time drop. You see that empirical objective improvement that comes from self-motivation.”
He also said that he thinks it’s one of the joys of swimming. Regardless of what level an athlete is at, everyone’s goals are the same — trying to get a faster time.
He hopes by the end of the season that his Red Devil team is going to certainly improve. He said that his girls’ team is in a bit of a rebuild this season, while his boys’ side has a little more depth than he had in the past.
He expects his group of swimmers to train really hard and expects each one of them to get much much better position in February than they are in December.
Head dive and assistant swim coach Holden Henderson has been coaching for 10 years and has known Pepa since 2015.
Assistant coach Holden Henderson demonstrates correct form for a dive for JHS swimmers as a practice. Photo by Marcus Baker.
Henderson said that coach Pepa always encourages the swimmers to practice like they want to compete. He tries to motivate his team so they can give it their all at practice, so it can be easier at the meets.
Henderson also helps his team out by helping them and supporting them, and wants to help out as much as he can.
Athletic director A.J. Moye met Pepa in the early summer of 2025, going to the Aquatic Center for swimming practice, and from then on, they have had a great relationship.
Moye attends swim practice three times a week to observe and help out. He said he would help the swimming team in any way he could throughout the season.
They have also been building a new place just for the swimming team, which will be an Olympic-level pool just for them.
Senior Litzy Rubio has been swimming since sixth grade and is now in her last year of swimming for JHS.
Rubio describes how she really likes his motivation, and she loves how he’s always supportive and makes her feel good. She said that his coaching style has a great blend of both strict and fun.
After she completes her final season she will miss her family on her team. Her teammates and her coach always supported her along and cheered whether she swam good or bad.
“Always cherish your team; they’re the ones who have seen you at your worst and your best, so don’t take your moments with them for granted,” said Rubio.
Freshman Christian Miller has been swimming since he was 11 years old. He made it to clubs, national states, and other more.
Miller said he likes how Pepa takes care of his swimmers and how much effort he puts into their training.
He said he helps him by breaking down his sets, which is what’s best for the swimmers. He also says his coaching style is unique and that he has a good way of coaching himself and his teammates.
Pepa encourages his student-athletes to become better swimmers and have fun during their season.
“Our goal is the same, to improve, get faster, and have fun.”
Junior Isaac Ramirez competes with Seymour swimmers to beat the competition. Photo by Malachi Conrad. Junior Stella Siewert swims using the butterfly technique in the 200IM. Photo by Malachi Conrad.
The Jeffersonville girls’ wrestling team etched its name into the history books Saturday, powering past the competition to win the first official Hoosier Hills Conference (HHC) Wrestling Tournament.
The Red Devils finished with 217 points, comfortably ahead of runner-up Floyd Central’s 192, a 25-point margin that underscored Jeffersonville’s depth and dominance across the brackets.
Champions Lead the Charge
JHS crowned two individual champions: Fatima Carrillo (120 lbs) and Scarlett McRae (145 lbs) Both wrestlers delivered commanding performances, setting the tone for the title run as they earned all-conference honors.
Depth Secures Victory
While the champions grabbed headlines, Jeffersonville’s strength came from across the lineup.
Five wrestlers earned runner-up finishes: Abi Lemon, Valeria Ramirez, Abril Andres, Envy Diaz, and Yarely Solis, each contributing critical points to the team tally. They earned all-conference honorable mention honors.
The Red Devils also picked up podium finishes from the following athletes:
3rd Place: Levi Evans, Justise Clubb-Leon
4th Place: A’lia Griffith, Daytona Tripp
5th Place: Chloe Fischer
Coaches React
Head girls’ coach Joe Somerville praised the team’s effort and resilience throughout the day.
“This was a total team win, from our champions to the wrestlers battling for third, fourth, and fifth, every single point mattered,” he said. “Due to illness, we were without our 100-lb #1 seed Kristin Brown, so the rest of the team was determined earn every point possible. That’s what makes this group special.”
“The Greatest Showman” is a musical about P.T. Barnum, a man who wants to build a life bigger than what he was born into. He creates a circus that gives people who feel left out, a place where they finally belong. The story focuses on following our dreams, even when others think we can’t. It also shows how success can be exciting, but it can create new problems, too.
The main character, Barnum, has a huge imagination and is always chasing something bigger. One character I really respect and admire is Barnum’s wife, Charity. She stands by her husband from the very beginning when he has nothing. She gives up her comfortable life to be right by him and support his dream. She believes in his dream from the very beginning, and that loyalty makes her stand out to me.
The cast of this movie really stands out, especially the people who bring performances to life. Out of all actors, Hugh Jackman as Barnum stood out the most to me. He brings so much emotion into his character that it’s easy to believe his character wants to make a difference. He also handles the singing and dancing so effortlessly.
Zendaya and Zac Efron also add to the movie, especially the chemistry in the scenes they share as Anne Wheeler and Phillip Carlyle, but Jackman definitely carries the whole story.
The music is a huge part of why this movie stands out. Every song has emotion behind it and helps tell the story. “Rewrite The Stars” is my personal favorite because the lyrics and harmony goes together, and every part of the song feels smooth. The soundtrack adds excitement and heart to every scene. The circus itself looks colorful and full of energy, making us wish we could see that in real life.
Even though some people say musicals can feel cheesy, I think the songs in this movie make the message even stronger. And while I didn’t like one specific choice a character makes, it reminds us that nobody is perfect, even the people that seem like they have everything. That honestly makes the movie more real.
What I like most is how everyone in the circus sticks together and lifts each other up when the world tries to bring them down. It shows how family can be people who accept us and support us no matter what. The message of confidence and belonging hits hard.
I would definitely recommend “The Greatest Showman” because it has powerful music, stunning visuals, and a story that makes us think about chasing our dreams. It leaves us feeling emotional and inspired. It reminds us to never forget where we come from and to keep going after our dreams. The message stays with us after the movie ends.
Movie Review Chart
Title: The Greatest Showman
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Zendaya, Michelle Williams
One Direction hits the charts again with their fifth & final studio album, Made in the A.M, with the album only being released for one week. The number one hit was “Drag Me Down,” a lead number one single before the album was released. Fans all around the world are excited for another album by One Direction. Made in the A.M was an album that was similar to their other albums, but also had a goodbye sort of tone to the album and the lyrics being said.
In 2010, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, and Liam Payne all tried out for the X Factor. They didn’t know who anyone was. They were all strangers to each other. At the end of auditions, the judges paired up the boys together, and they sort of just went off from there with their success. They named themselves “One Direction.”
After the X-Factor auditions and they formed their boyband, they wrote and published their first single, “What Makes You Beautiful,” on September 11, 2011, getting over 1.7 billion streams as of November 2024. From there, the success just sort of took off. They released their first album, ‘Up All Night,’ in November 2011. From that point forward, they released an album every single year, following a tour.
One Direction never really got a break. They would either be writing music, or be on the road touring, or even sometimes both. This led to mental health declines in some of the members, specifically Zayn Malik. In March of 2015, Malik released a statement saying he was no longer a part of the band. It wasn’t anything with the band; he was just struggling mentally with the fact that he never really had a break. He was always doing something. Malik also had really bad anxiety at the time. He had been producing music with the boys since 2011 at the age of roughly 18. He was mentally tired. This led to a hiatus after the rest of the band finished the ‘On the Road Again’ Tour and released Made in the A.M.
Made in the A.M was One Direction’s final album, with the remaining four members, Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Louis Tomlinson, and Liam Payne. They open with a beautiful song labeled “Hey Angel.” This song has the most beautiful chorus in it, and really pushes their vocals to the limit, creating a masterpiece of a song.
The final song on the album is “History.” To me, this song is really like a goodbye piece, not only to Zayn, who left the band, but to the fans. All the songs in between “Hey Angel” and “History” are sort of like goodbye songs in a way. They aren’t saying goodbye to the fans themselves; they are also saying goodbye to the memories they made along the way and the last time they will be all together as a band. Every song in the album is like a goodbye song to me. They are saying goodbye to the only part of life they ever knew together. There would be no more tours together, and no more songwriting together ever again.
One of my personal favorites on the album is a song called “Infinity.’’ The lyrics just go together so perfectly. My favorite lyric in the entire part is, “How many nights does it take you to count the stars, that’s the time it would take to fix my heart.” To me, those lyrics are saying something so deep and personal, almost as if they are trying to fix a void in their hearts they are missing. They’re trying to fix a broken piece that is no longer there through song lyrics. At the time, I don’t think One Direction knew it was officially the end of the band and an amazing chapter in their lives, but I think they were ready for their solo careers, which they followed a couple of years after the band had gone on hiatus. One Direction never officially announced a “breakup,” they called it more of an “18-month hiatus.” I guess it is safe to say, One Direction hasn’t come back, and if they still did, it would break the internet worldwide extremely fast.
Phoebe Bridgers opens her debut album, Stranger In The Alps, with this lyric from “Smoke Signals.” The album, released Sept. 22, 2017, explores themes such as nostalgia and childhood relationships, combining them with a wistful and melancholic sound.
Bridgers herself was born on August 17, 1994, in Pasadena, California. She wrote her first song at the age of 11, and she was in multiple bands, including Sloppy Jane, throughout her years in high school. Prior to releasing Stranger In The Alps, affectionately known to fans by the acronym SITA, Bridgers released an EP titled The Killer EP, featuring songs like “Georgia” and “Steamroller.”
Graphic by Abigail Hall.
Bridgers and her fanbase, known commonly as “Pharbs,” excitedly listened to Stranger In The Alps on its release day eight years ago.
It opens with a song called “Smoke Signals.” The song starts with an instrumental opening, a mixture of bass and violin. Bridgers writes about meeting someone, a partner or significant other, and learning of their past, as well as finding out they have struggled through some of the same things, which made it seem like they were looking for each other subconsciously.
In the last verse of the track, she includes the lyric, “I buried a hatchet; it’s coming up lavender.” This symbolizes a past resentment for her situation that has grown into calm and a sense of peace, presumably with the help of the aforementioned partner. “Smoke Signals”fades out with an instrumental closing, focused on bass and bells.
An immediate bass guitar strum introduces the next song, “Motion Sickness.” Her theme of past resentment and nostalgia continues with the first lyric: “I hate you for what you did, and I miss you like a little kid.” Bridgers mentions having “emotional motion sickness” and sings about her experiences with an older person, implying her experience with being groomed.
Bridgers uses vague lyrics that could relate to many people, yet they still hold personal meaning to her. For example, one of the most iconic lyrics in the song: “You were in a band when I was born.” Reading between the lines, listeners can infer that the person she was involved with was old enough, likely an adult, to have a band while Bridgers was a baby. The words hold weight, drawing in many listeners who share similar experiences. The entire song builds up to the bridge, where her tone takes on something more angry when she sings, “You said when you met me you were bored.” The chords on the guitar gradually fade out into something more wistful.
A seemingly string ensemble transitions into the next song, “Funeral.” A heavier theme belongs to this song, as Bridgers sings about her guilt: “Wishing I was someone else, feeling sorry for myself, when I remember someone’s kid is dead.” Again, she draws in listeners with her relatable emotions, allowing people to feel less alone when they tune in. Though it seems to be about a funeral, this track is more about Bridgers and her awareness of being self-absorbed in depression, making it hard to think much about how others are feeling. She ends the song with a heavy lyric, summing up the whole song and implementing the feeling of guilt and dread all in one. “And it’s 4 a.m. again; And I’m doing nothing again.”
Skipping ahead to arguably the most notable song on the album and perhaps in Bridgers’ entire discography, “Scott Street.”
“Scott Street” begins with a soft guitar solo that completely encapsulates the feeling of nostalgia, which is the aching theme throughout the lyrics. Bridgers puts the feeling of going back to your childhood home in words, her powerful words making your heart sink with memories. A well-renowned lyric, one of the most well-known on the record, is “Do you feel ashamed when you hear my name?” Paired with the heartbreaking guitar, bicycle bells from her childhood, and train whistles in the background, Bridgers has your chest aching. Before you have time to recover, whether from her lyricism or from the memories she’d dug up, she hits you with one of the most heart-wrenching and nostalgia-ridden lyrics ever written: “Anyway, don’t be a stranger.”
While Bridgers has since released another solo album, Punisher, and multiple solo projects with bands like boygenius, Stranger In The Alps remains in the heart of many fans. Her lyricism, experiences, haunting instrumentals, and her somber voice invoke a sense of longing and sentiment in her listeners. Regardless of whether you consider yourself a “pharb” or not, this album will stick sweetly with you.
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