2026 Lilly Endowment Scholarship winner, senior Lizty Rubio, is a significant part of JHS and her community beyond Jeff. She is an active member of the swim team, the Anchor Club, the National Honor Society, and represents the school as a student ambassador.
“Litzy is a compassionate, strong, and dependable person. Because she’s in such high classes and she works for so much of what she has, and her leadership positions just show how dependable she can be, and for each of those, she has to be very compassionate,” stated junior Macyn Jackson.
Rubio is known as a leader in everything she does. In her junior year, she served as the co-president of the Student Council, along with representing the Senior Class as vice president this year.
“I feel like being involved in the school allows me to be better prepared for my future. I used to be shy and kept to myself, but my sports and clubs have allowed me to expand on everything,” explained Rubio.
Senior Litzy Rubio displays leadership and friendship in a number of JHS activities, including the swim team. Submitted photo.
Being a student-athlete can make or break a person. They have to have a strong will and determination to succeed, along with balancing the aspects of school, sports, and life in general. But it can also lead to so much more than just medals and trophies.
“Some of my best memories and friendships have come alongside the sports I have done,” said Rubio. “The people are like a second family to me; we wake up early in the morning for practice and leave late at night from meets. I am with them all the time, even during the holidays.”
These friendships could last a lifetime.
“Litzy truly is someone I look up to. She sets an example for everyone, showing that if you really want to do something, you can,” senior Mari Bush explained.
Rubio plans to potentially attend Purdue University to pursue her bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and possibly earn her master’s degree in architecture to become an architectural engineer.
Snow days are supposed to keep students safe, but late cancellations could do the opposite. When schools wait until the last minute to cancel classes, students are forced to wake up early and prepare to travel on icy, dangerous roads. This delay can create unnecessary stress and put safety at risk, especially for students who walk, bike, or ride buses to school.
According to the National Weather Service and local weather stations, winter storms and icy road conditions in southern Indiana are often predicted at least a day in advance. This raises questions about why school cancellations are sometimes delayed until early morning.
We’ve had snow days with asynchronous learning this school year. This is because the night before, there was snow. It was under 32 degrees, and that caused the snow to freeze and the roads to be icy. But Greater Clark County Schools didn’t call off school until the next morning.
This caused students to wake up early and could have caused stress for them, their parents, and people like bus drivers.
Graphic by Liddia Waterbury.
As well as stress, situations like this can also cause major safety concerns. According to Zipdo, there are an average of 10,800 winter weather-related crashes per month in the U.S.
Then the National Weather Service says that 24% of weather-related crashes occur on snowy/icy roads, and about 15% occur during active snowfall.
With this safety risk, driving in bad weather can cause fear and anxiety about accidents, especially for parents and teachers who commute. If the decision comes very late, students and teachers might not get enough rest. Sleep loss can make people more irritable, tired, and less focused.
If people feel the decision could have been made earlier, it may lead to frustration or the feeling that their well-being isn’t being considered. With the loss of sleep, people can also lose focus on homework, grading, or preparing lessons if they are unsure if school will be in session.
When people lose trust in an organization, like Greater Clark County Schools, it creates more frustration and uncertainty. Without trust, communication suffers, and problems worsen.
Late snow day decisions can increase safety risks, stress, and sleep loss for many students, staff, and families. Making earlier, well-communicated decisions can help protect well-being and maintain trust within the school community.
ICE, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, enforces immigration laws and conducts investigations into undocumented immigration and arrests and deports undocumented immigrants. Their mission is to protect America through criminal investigations and enforcing immigration laws to preserve national security and public safety, but recently, this doesn’t seem like the case.
In January, ICE agents shot and killed two American citizens in Minneapolis, Minnesota. One of them was a 37-year-old mother of three, Renee Nicole Good. She was shot when ICE ordered her out of her car and briefly reversed before moving forward. The second victim was 37-year-old intensive care nurse Alex Pretti on Jan. 24. He was shot while he was both protecting a woman who was pushed to the ground by an agent, during a protest, and filming law enforcement. The Department of Homeland Security claimed that he was in possession of a weapon and “violently resisted.” But video analysis and witnesses say otherwise, ICE agents removed his pistol from his holster while he was pinned to the ground, before shooting him in the back. These two people weren’t shot in self-defense; they were murdered.
Graphic by Kaylee Borelli.
ICE hasn’t just been responsible for murdering two American citizens, but they have also detained and deported people with legal documents and no criminal record, even though they claim they are targeting criminals.
According to Brookings, since Donald Trump took office in January 2025, more than 540,000 people have been deported. Along with this, one-third of people who have been arrested by ICE have no criminal record. If they really cared about targeting criminals, they would actually target criminals and not allegedly bust out car windows just to justify arrests. On top of this, a total of 32 people have died while in ICE custody in 2025. This isn’t about making America a “safer place.” This is racism and a complete abuse of power by Trump.
Along with the over 540,000 that have been deported, according to WLRN, as of December 2025, 74% of around 70,000 immigrants in Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention have zero criminal convictions. And yet Trump is still saying he is only targeting criminals when ¾ of the people in detention centers aren’t even criminals.
On Jan. 20, according to CNN, 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos was detained along with his father in Minnesota while arriving home from his preschool. They were then flown more than 1,300 miles to a family detention facility in Texas. Liam and his family are originally from Ecuador, and in December 2024, they presented themselves to border officers and applied for asylum, but still, the DHS labels them as “illegal aliens.” Also, according to CNN, the Trump Administration has repeatedly said that they are targeting people who are “violent criminals” and the “worst of the worst.” So why are they arresting a 5-year-old boy and a father who were in the process of becoming American citizens? Luckily, on Jan. 30, Liam and his father were released and returned home to Minnesota, but they shouldn’t have ever been detained in the first place.
ICE isn’t just detaining people for no reason, but they are also violating the amendments of the United States.
The Fourth Amendment states that the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. This means that people are protected from unreasonable searches and seizures by the government. According to the National Immigration Justice Center, ICE officers will knock on people’s doors and claim they have a warrant to enter and search your house. These “warrants,” though, are not signed by judges; they are forms signed by ICE officers, so they do not allow agents to enter your home without consent. But still, agents are entering homes illegally and detaining people even if they have legal documents or are in the process of obtaining legal documents.
Not only is ICE violating the rights of people to detain them, but once they are detained, the facilities they send them to are disgusting and deadly.
The ICE detention centers are now notorious for both violating the rights of immigrants and for the harsh conditions. According to the ACLU, Fernando Vieira Reyes, who was held in one of these detention centers, faced many problems while there. He tried to get proper treatment for his prostate cancer, which he discovered he had while in the center. He had requested to see a urologist but was constantly ignored, and when he reported pain, they just prescribed him some Vitamin C and Tylenol. The conditions in the facility were also horrible. They were held in small concrete cells that were the size of a parking space, along with being without adequate food, water, and clothing for hours on end.
Even though it is repeatedly said that ICE only targets undocumented immigrants with criminal convictions, pending criminal charges, or those who are deemed as threats to public safety and national security, it has been very clear that this is not how it is. From arresting a 5-year-old who had done nothing wrong to the 74% of immigrants who have no criminal record, it is very clear that this is racism and an assessment of power.
Hopefully, soon this will change, because innocent immigrants and people who have done nothing wrong shouldn’t be getting arrested, being put in centers that neglect their basic needs, and even being murdered in the so-called “Land of the Free.”
High school is a place of education for teenagers. A place filled with opportunities. A place that provides time for self-discovery. And a place to become more marketable for college. However, there are mixed opinions if high school is slowly losing its purpose or not.
Students are focused more on passing classes than actually taking the time to learn. It’s absurd how normalized it is for students to cheat to escape failure instead of using failure as a chance to grow. The real question is “Why do students feel the need to cheat?”
According to story in edutopia, students feel the need to cheat because either they don’t find any value in certain assignments, they have the fear of losing social status, or just finding comfort with being rebellious.
So how can we fix this problem?
We are living in a society that tells us that how we perform in school can determine our whole future. But aren’t we forgetting that there are successful people living among us that didn’t do well in school academically?
Like Richard Branson, who dropped out of school at the age of 16 but is now a billionaire entrepreneur. Or one of the most famous scientists in human history, Albert Einstein. He dropped out of school at the age of 15 and trained himself for the following year.
Graphic by Sanae Ittu.
We would assume that this can be an easy fix. Like increasing strict punishments and surveillance, focus more on grades and testing, and assigning group works. These so-called solutions may sound promising but it will not work in the long run.
Harsh punishments and intense surveillance can make students feel mistrust, leading to secretive cheating.
Harvard University’s website explains,“Students assigned to high-suspension schools are more likely to be arrested and incarcerated later, and less likely to attend a four-year college.”
Focusing more on grades and testing can limit sutdent’s creativity and critical thinking and increase stress and anxiety, leading to more cheating.
According to Queens University, “When students are mainly motivated by getting good grades, they tend to focus on memorizing information instead of deeply understanding new concepts…”
Assigning group work does not address why students cheat or lack passion, students can use it to rely on others to do all the work.
High school senior Yun F. Zheng shared on the Education Week website, “Assigning only individual work outside the classroom removes the risk of group members being overly reliant on others.”
To avoid any of these consequences, administrators should focus more on restorative practice, formative assessment and mastery learning, and structured collaborative learning with individual accountability.
According to PowerSchool, formative assessment and mastery learning have benefits, including defined learning goals, increased rigor, and improved academic achievement.
So take this as a suggestion that education should focus more on genuine learning rather than just passing tests or chasing grades. Success can come in many forms. Creativity, emotional intelligence, and practical skills that matter just much as a test score.
On April 21st 2000, Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 or COPPA became effective, due to parents fearing the growing internet and lack of online safety. That law should have laid many parents’ fears to rest but today over 25 years later we still struggle with children’s guaranteed protection on the big wide web.
Photo illustration by Xavier Bridges.
If you were to scroll on TikTok or Instagram for more than a few minutes past the feel good quotes and useless commentary you would likely find someone talking about a personal experience of theirs; it’s not likely anyone dangerous is going see it, so who cares if someone opens up about their personal life?
Except a dangerous person might.
One third of missing children in 2024 were enticed or lured online. Maybe the creeps aren’t in white vans with “Free Candy” painted on the front, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t there. They are the ones liking and saving your videos. The ones complimenting you and asking to be online friends. The ones you trust, posing as innocent.
Other governments outside of America are taking a more headfirst approach to online safety. In Australia children under 16 can’t even access certain social media platforms like TikTok, X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat and Threads, but is this the right way to go? Young teens aren’t babies and are capable of finding work arounds, often by simply changing their age or not listing it at all on these websites.
So if we can’t take the internet from them, then should we just change it for them? However, even if you were to bubble wrap the entire internet, it would never be a totally safe place — it’s simply too big for that. The real major issue is that in the last few years people have stopped seeing it as what it is – full of strangers.
If I had a penny for the amount of times I’ve heard, “You guys are like my best friends” from an influencer, I’d be rich enough to pay someone to give them online safety lessons. They have fostered an environment where parasocial relationships are the norm. Anything outside of that is seen as strange or overtly paranoid.
This mindset didn’t always used to be the case. The world witnessed a great shift during COVID where anything and everything that could inherently be done online would be done online.
Even when the world did start to open up again, those third spaces that were there previously didn’t. So people both young and old were forced to turn to the only available and free one they had, the internet.
So, how should we ensure online safety for teens?
Well, throughout my life I have seen that the simplest ideas work the best. A simple conversation about the dangers of the internet and all the bad situations that can happen there. Check in on your kids and just who‘s following them if they happen to have public accounts and who is following you on yours as well. You never know. The world is full of creeps.
I find that there are very few problems with children that can’t be fixed with a simple sit down and present parenting.
Extracurricular activities offer students crucial lessons in teamwork, discipline, leadership, and resilience, helping develop skills outside of just academics.
High school is full of opportunities. Some of those opportunities are extracurricular activities. Most extracurricular activities are after-school activities, but in some cases they can go on during school.
“Confidence, it helped me through soccer and it made me a better player,” said freshman Jacqueline Escobar, who plays club soccer, not related to school. She added that playing a sport outside of school has helped her with time management with her school work by having to balance practices, games and school work simultaneously.
Senior Kendall Curry agreed that participating in extracurricular events has helped her find balance with not only clubs and school work, but also with working at her job. In all these areas, Curry said that she was around diverse groups of people. Because of this, she learned how to work among a variety of individuals from different backgrounds as hers.
By participating in extracurricular activities, students can also gain insight into fields of interest they may want to pursue in the future.
Curry learned from being a football manager that she will likely pursue a career working in sports.
Freshman Alayla Hickerson learned by being in band that she would like to continue it in college and maybe as a career.
Special life skills can be derived from participation in extra curricular activities as well.
Freshman Eva Harbeson appreciates the marksmanship skills she has learned in JROTC. She said that she likely won’t use those skills in a future career, but she is glad she can protect herself for knowing them now.
Curry, Hickerson, Escobar and Harbeson all described common lessons they learned from participating in extracurricular activities: they gained confidence, time management skills, and the willingness to try new things.
All of these skills are useful in future goals outside of high school, proving how beneficial extracurricular activities can be.
America was built by immigrants. They have built it up from the ground, and then others decided that they had founded the land, even if Native Americans had been there years before them. They were colonizers who decided they could take what they wanted and have no repercussions.
“Nobody is illegal on stolen land.”
Graphic by Gabriella Kraft.
It’s becoming a common saying, sadly, to get people to understand that nobody is illegal here, and no one should be getting arrested and killed for their skin color or their accents.
“Nobody is illegal on stolen land.” It is a way of telling most people who are in support of the current administration that nobody is after their jobs. Nobody wants to harm them. Nobody wants to take away their position in life. Just as they are trying to get by in life, so is everybody else.
According to the Council on Foreign Relations, “Since returning to office in 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump has taken major steps to reshape immigration policy and enforcement in pursuit of his campaign promise to execute ‘the largest domestic deportation operation’ in U.S. history. As part of this effort, his administration has carried out deportation flights, sometimes to third countries where migrants have no existing ties; ramped up nationwide immigration raids; and granted expanded or new powers to various federal, state, and local officials to enforce domestic immigration laws.”
His whole point in doing this is to do what the rich politicians in the U.S. want right now. He is simply a poorly strung puppet who needs to be held accountable for the lives he has helped ruin and take.
More from Council of Foreign Relations: “In January 2026, the administration’s enforcement push reached a controversial new phase after federal agents fatally shot two U.S. citizens, Renee Good and Alex Pretti, in separate incidents in Minneapolis.”
There have been more unaccounted-for deaths and families this administration has ripped apart. Is it so hard to let people live in peace? Most, if not all, of these people just wanted to be here and live their lives when it was ripped from them.
It has turned into such a serious cause that whole schools are having walkouts in support of stopping them, including Hoosier schools.
According to WFYI in early February, “Hundreds of students across Indianapolis and in nearby suburbs walked out of class Monday, bundled in winter coats and carrying handmade signs to join a growing national movement of young people protesting federal immigration enforcement.”
Students have gone through the effort of skipping class, missing a test, and possibly getting arrested for a cause they believe in. Not only does this put pressure on the school system, but also on government officials.
Young adolescent teens understand what’s going on in the country better than most adults. We see what’s happening and want to help stop our country from turning into a warzone, simply because some people don’t like others’ ethnicities or accents.
The impact immigrants have had on America is incomparable; without them, our economy would plummet.
As stated by the Migration Policy Institute,“Immigrants were involved in the development of 30 percent of patents in strategic industries in recent years, and more than 40 percent of Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants.”
Immigrants are embedded in all types of American culture and food. For example, according to the Food Timeline, nearly all of today’s popular American foods originated in other countries.
This country is so much more than different skin colors and different views, but we can only grow and build on what we have if it has a good foundation. What’s happening in the country right now is destroying that foundation as we know it. So I encourage you to do what you can to help the cause and fight for what’s right.
All photos by Magdalene Conrad and Malachi Conrad. Click on each photo in the gallery below.
Senior Kyndal McCartin cheers on the Red Devils at sectionals this past Tuesday. The Red Devils defeated Floyd Central 72-54 and will play Seymour this Friday. Photo by Magdalene Conrad.Junior Jacob Wilkerson mentally prepares for the game as starters are announced at the beginning of last night’s sectional game against Floyd Central. JHS won 72-54. Photo by Malachi Conrad.Junior Jacob Wilkerson tips off for the Red Devils against Floyd Central on Tuesday. Photo by Magdalene Conrad.Senior Terrence Nord shoots a 3-pointer for the Red Devils. The Red Devil boys’ defeated Floyd Central 72-54. Photo by Magdalene Conrad.Junior Germaine Perry shoots a 3-point shot on Tuesday night. JHS (10–12) advanced to the sectional semifinals to play Seymour this Friday, while Floyd Central ended their season at 11–12. Photo by Magdalene Conrad.Senior Terrence Nord takes a contested shot against the Floyd Central defense. JHS led by 5 points at half-time, but scored 25 points in the third quarter to take control of Tuesday’s game. Photo by Magdalene Conrad.Senior Terrence Nord shoots over the Floyd Central defense in the third quarter of last night’s sectional game. The Red Devils took control of the game with a 25-point third quarter, leading to a 72-54 win. Photo by Malachi Conrad.Freshman Jayvone Roach pushes the ball up the court, looking to pass, during last night’s 72-54 victory over Floyd Central. Photo by Malachi Conrad.Sophomore Aiden Toler gets ready for the next possession. Toler had a 20-point night, 14 of those being in the third quarter. Photo by Malachi Conrad.Coach Sherron Wilkerson coaches his team in last night’s sectional game. Jeffersonville beat Floyd Central 72-54 Tuesday night and will face Seymour in the sectional semi-finals this Friday, March 6 in Seymour. Photo by Malachi Conrad.Junior Caleb Jones takes a wide-open layup in the fourth quarter. JHS advanced to play Friday night in the semi-final of sectionals against Seymour after last night’s 72-54 win over Floyd Central.. Photo by Malachi Conrad.
Jeff is looking for a sectional win over Floyd Central tonight, a team they beat with a buzzer beater 49-48 in January.
“We are a better team than we were when we first faced Floyd; it’s not going to take any late game scores to get us the win this time,” said sophomore center Cornelius Weobong
Jeff isn’t the highest ranked team in the sectional, but head coach Sherron Wilkerson said anything can happen in the post-season.
“On paper, I think that we can win the sectional. I know that we were probably third right now, I would say, in the segments. But I would say if everything came together, I think that we can win the sectional for sure,” said he said.
Sophomore Mason Longest looks to pass the ball while being defended at Floyd Central in January. JHS won 49-48 in the closing seconds of the game. The Red Devils play FC in a rematch in sectional tonight in Seymour. Photo by Malachi Conrad.
The Red Devils know the stakes in playing against a rival in a win or go-home game and need to keep themselves in check.
“We have got to mature really fast. I think there are two things that we have to do — number one, we have to understand how much effort it takes to play at this level. And then I think the second thing that we have to realize is how much we have to control our emotions,” said Wilkerson
The roster has been cut down to just 12 players for sectionals and they are expected to play unselfishly for the team.
“I think it’s really just like the entire team’s going to step up. You know, we’re all going to come together as one and play for the name on the front. There may be some specific players, but I feel like we’re all just going to play for the name on the front, try to get the win,” said sophomore center Demauri Crosby.
Jeff comes in winning both of their last games by 24+ points and expects that momentum to carry into the playoffs.
“Those wins certainly have given us a boost that we can ride through this whole thing to make it back to state,” said Weobong.
For the team it’s business as usual they want to keep everything the same to keep the players in flow.
“Nothing out of the ordinary. Just our normal day-to-day preparation. Our preparation has been the same since the first day that I took the job up until now. We’re preparing to finish these last three games in the sectional, like we prepared to win the state championship,” said Wilkerson.
Head coach Sherron Wilkerson gives the Red Devils the game plan against SIlver Creek earlier in the season. Wilkerson said preparations for sectional and the state tournament remain the same as always. “Our preparation has been the same since the first day that I took the job up until now.” Photo by Malachi Conrad.
All photos by Malachi Conrad, Parker McCloskey, Mackenzie Stubblefield, and Charlie Perissi. Click on each photo below to view the gallery.
Sophomore Shyne Scruggs shoots a free throw against Castle on Friday during the third quarter of the JV game. Photo by Mackenzie Stubblefield. Sophomore Spencer Robinson plays during the junior varsity game against Castle on Friday night. Photo by Mackenzie Stubblefield. Sophomore Mason Longest scores the final two points of the junior varsity game against Castle last Friday. JHS won 50-40. Photo by Charlie Perissi. Senior Ja’Breeah Batey celebrates her Senior Night, being the only senior on the Step Team. Photo by Malachi Conrad.Junior Caleb Jones high fives his teammates before the game against Castle Friday night. The Red Devils defeated Castle 79-55 and will face off with Hoosier Hills rival Floyd Central in the first round of sectional tomorrow in Seymour. Photo by Parker McCloskey.Freshman Marquel Garner shoots a contested 3-pointer over Castle defense. Photo by Malachi Conrad.Sophomore Fred Stone dunks the ball during the Castle game. Stone led the Red Devils with 18 points. . Photo by Parker McCloskey.Junior Jacob Wilkerson takes a mid-range shot. Photo by Parker McCloskey.Freshman Jayvonne Roach takes a breather in the first quarter. Photo by Malachi Conrad.Senior Elijah Cheeks dribbles the ball during the Friday night home game against Castle. The Red Devils led from start to finish and won 79-55 on Senior Night. Photo by Parker McCloskey.Junior Jacob Wilkerson going in for a layup against the Castle defense. Photo by Parker McCloskey.Junior Jacob Wilkerson attempts a tough layup. Jeffersonville beat Castle 79-55 last Friday night. Photo by Malachi Conrad.Senior Elijah Cheeks catches an alley-oop deep into the 3rd quarter and attempts to dunk the ball. Photo by Malachi Conrad.The Red Devils break after their timeout. JHS will go on to play Floyd Central in Tuesday’s sectional match in Seymour. Photo by Malachi Conrad.
Lebron James, the face of NBA for over 15 years, is the all-time leading scorer with 42,947 points; 11,826 assists (which is fourth all time), and 11,930 rebounds (which is 24th all time), but his career is coming to an end because he is in Year 23 of his career.
Stephen Curry enters year 17 in the NBA known as the greatest shooter of all time – 4,233 points, which is ranked number one, as he has shot over 40% from three-point range in his career. Curry is also a four-time NBA champion and a one-time NBA finals MVP. In 2014-15 Curry was the first and only unanimous MVP.
Kevin Durant enters his 19th year in the NBA and is known as one of the greatest scorers to play the game. Durant is a two-time NBA champion and a two-time NBA finals MVP. He has scored 31,862 points, which ranks at sixth-place all-time in scoring.
Russell Westbrook is in his 18th year in the NBA. Known as the king of the triple-double, Westbrook was the NBA MVP in 2016-17.
Graphic by Kaiden Middleton.
With these players’ careers coming to an end, NBA viewership has decreased over 50% The game has changed — it used to have fewer 3-point attempts. Now teams are taking almost 40% of 3s and it is not as enjoyable for the because every game is a high scoring shootout.
The All Star game for the NBA is dying as well. The game used to feature some of the best players in the NBA all coming together on two teams. The players would leave it all on the line, but it does not have that same feeling anymore because the players don’t seem to care as much as they have in the past.
The NBA is still in good shape with many rising stars in the league, including Cooper Flagg, Victor Wembanyama, and Anthony Edwards. In addition, the incoming draft class is reported to be one of greatest draft classes since 2003 when Lebron James,D Wade, Chris Bosh, and Carmelo Anthony came into the league.
The JHS basketball team has their last home game of the season today, and players and coaches look forward to finishing the season right.
“I think a win tonight would really propel us into sectionals with the mindset of winning and really get us ready to go,” said sophomore Cornelius Weobong.
The players are confident in their ability to get a win against a struggling 7-15 Castle.
“I am very confident in what we can do; everyone’s going to be hating on us, but we’ll show them what we can do and just execute our game plan,” said senior Elijah Cheeks.
This season has been a difficult one for Jeff, standing at 8-12, and the coaches are looking for answers.
Coach Sherron Wilkerson gives his team advice and motivates them to win the game. Jeff beat Floyd Central 49-48 in the closing seconds of the game in January. They face the Highlanders in the first round of sectional next week. Photo by Malachi Conrad.
“It’s been really difficult to find our identity. I think that we’ve had certain games where we were comfortable with our personnel, but then I think that for the most part of the season, it’s been a huge hurdle for us,” said head coach Sherron Wilkerson.
The players also look for a connection with each other.
“I think a lot of our chemistry has just been playing together and getting everybody in early in the season against a lot of Indy teams, so we’re able to connect and grow playing those tougher opponents,” said Cheeks.
While the season hasn’t been up to Wilkerson’s expectations, he still sees a good run down the stretch. `
“It’s been a little bit difficult because it seems like every time we take a step forward we take two steps back. Whether it’s an injury, somebody gets sick, whatever the case, it just seems like we haven’t been able to catch a break this year, like we’ve had in the previous years. But moving forward, the last game is moving into the sectional. We kind of feel like we have an opportunity. We have an opportunity to right the ship after all that we’ve learned through this year,” said Wilkerson.
With sectionals coming next Tuesday March 3, just four days away, this would be a great opportunity to prepare.
“This could be the final test before we open up for the tournament. And I think that people must keep in mind that we’re still going to finish as champions,” said Wilkerson.
The players also have to prepare before kicking off sectionals.
“The main thing is just getting your mind right. People usually think about your body but it’s all in your mind. Putting in enough work (that) I know I can trust myself when the time comes,” said Cheeks.
The Red Devils open sectional play against Floyd Central next Tuesday night. JHS defeated the Highlanders 49-48 in January.
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