The Dryden Red and Black

Team Reynolds (in black) Merrick Maris (2022), John DelCampo (2018), Nate Schenkel (2021), Sam Peyerk (2018), Dave Reynolds (1997), Geary Priehs (1996), Josh Schornak (2021), Noah Slagle (2023), Dorian Lewis (2023), Dylan Ledford (2023).

Team Leija (in red) Coulter Waite (2020), Jaylen Rodriguez (2019), Chris Kent (2001), Marcus Leija (2022), Ronny Hudson (2020), Hunter Gall (2018), Justin Knox (2017), Brendan Montague (2019), Craig Kreger (1996), Jack Kaplan (2021), Bailey Knuth (2016).

If it does end up being the final alumni game, the tradition ended on a thrilling note. Jack Kaplan (Dryden High School Class of 2021) hit a three pointer with 9 seconds remaining to tie the game and Justin Knox (2017)’s layup at the buzzer after a steal by Hunter Gall (2018) gave Team Leija a 56-54 victory over Team Reynolds.

“Both teams battled all game,” said Knox. “Fortunately, our team executed well at the end to pull off the win.” Although his team came out on the wrong end, Dave Reynolds (1997) enjoyed the competition and camaraderie. “Every game seems to be intense and close at the end. This game was no exception. Love it!”

There were a couple of surprises at the event. Brianna Marsh, 2015 graduate and member of Dryden’s 1000 Point Club, and Kim D’Angelo Jones, 1993 graduate who went on to play college basketball at Toledo, both came in from out of town. “So many memories being back in this gym,” said Marsh. “Thank you Coach DelCampo and Dryden Community Schools for ensuring players are recognized for their accomplishments. Maybe next time I’ll lace up and play again in my home gym.”

“We had a great turn out and everyone seemed to enjoy the evening,” said varsity coach John DelCampo. The night began with the junior high parents versus the junior high team game. The parents jumped out to a big early lead but tired toward the end. The junior high team won 38-36. "That was a great way to start off the evening. We got to see the future of Dryden Basketball," said DelCampo.

The current Dryden varsity and JV teams had jobs throughout the night. They ranged from running contests to concessions to refereeing. “Refereeing the alumni game was a great and fun experience,” said senior Jacob Burgess. “It also really opened my eyes to how difficult it is to ref a game.”

For the alumni game, there was a draft held last week between Dave Reynolds (1997) and Marcus Leija (2002) (current girls basketball coaches). "The draft was a lot of fun. It was tough trying to figure out which guys would fit best on the team," said Leija.

The evening was capped off with a reception after the game at Pine House Kitchen and Bar. "I cannot say enough about how supportive Pine House is for our program. It is a beautiful facility, and the food was great. They go up and beyond to help us” said DelCampo. At the Pine House, there was a special moment. A former school board member (who wishes to remain anonymous) saw all of the Dryden people enter with their Dryden attire and asked an alumni player about it. After finding out about the game, he paid $150 of the groups’ tab. “That is so Dryden. It is just such a special place. You really don’t understand unless you are a part of it,” said DelCampo Although final figures were not available, the evening raised approximately $2000 for the Dryden Basketball program. "We are very grateful to everyone that played a part in the evening," said DelCampo.

This may be the final alumni game for the near future. “We have played the game 9 of the past 10 years (not played during Covid),” said DelCampo. “Some of the players have said it’s time to take a- break.” Coach Leija is not one of them. “We can’t give up the alumni game coach. It needs to keep going, too many people enjoy it, it’s a big thing for the alumni, school, and fans."

by Claire Wright

Madison Maday is a senior who has been going to Dryden since 5th grade. Madison is in Varsity Softball, Band/Drumline/Pep Band, Yearbook, and High School Student Council. She is very passionate about art and likes skiing and traveling. Her favorite thing about Dryden is ¨the opportunity to take college courses while still in high school. Not only has it saved me time and money, but I also know what to expect when I go to college next year.¨ After high school, Madison is going to Oakland University to earn her Bachelor of Arts Degree to pursue her dream career in the arts.

Stay updated on our progress with funds from the bond passed in May 2023 by using this checklist! We appreciate your continued support of our students, our schools, and our community.

Editor's Note: Senior Seminar students concluded their semester course by listing what they wish parents knew about graduating seniors and their final year of high school. We'll feature their ideas here.

by Sophia Peter

1. How scared your student is to leave. Whether we are going to a college in state or out of state, it can be a lot to think about. Moving away from the comfort of their own home, and moving away from people they love the most. Some of us may seem ready, but it is a lot scarier than how we portray it.

2. We don’t always want to talk about college. While yes, college is approaching fast and there are several things to consider, it can be stressful to talk about it all the time. We already get asked enough by friends, teachers, people in public, etc, so sometimes it's nice to just focus on something else instead of college this, college that.

3. Don’t stress all the time. Yes, it is a stressful time and there is a lot to think about and do, but the more you stress, the more we stress. In the end, everything will fall into place, but the more you stress about it, the more we stress about it.

4. Sometimes all we want to do is sleep or relax. While we may not be super busy, some of us are extremely busy so it’s nice to just be lazy all Saturday and not have to worry about anything.

5. Don’t compare our challenges during senior year to yours. The school systems and college process has changed a lot since you were in high school. Saying, “I had it much worse,” invalidates what we are feeling. Try to empathize with your child.

6. Mistakes will be made. Like every person in the world, we are going to make mistakes and forget about a deadline or an event. Instead of getting mad, have a discussion with us and see why we may have forgotten or made this mistake.

7. Don’t make us feel bad/regret the college we chose. Choosing a college is not easy, and with several deciding factors we want to make sure it is the place for us, but please don’t question what we want in a college or force us to pick a college we don’t want to go to.

8. Not every conversation has to be a lesson. If we're telling you a story or something that happened, please don’t always make it a lesson. If we're telling you, we have the confidence to tell you in hopes that you will give us advice and lead us in the right direction instead of giving us a lecture.

9. Time management isn’t always the problem. Having a messy room is not a result or laziness or poor time management, it is the result of prioritizing school, friends, and family above picking up laundry.

10. Senior year is tough. It’s so hard trying to navigate senior year and the college application at the same time. There is so much pressure. Pressure to do well in school. Pressure to do well in sports. Pressure to participate in family obligations. Pressure to complete and submit college applications. Pressure to be accepted.

by Lily Finnigan

On Wednesday, January 31, the Varsity Bowling team had their last conference match of the season against Capac at Hideway Lanes.

The boys would start off in a tough spot losing both baker games, putting them down 10-0. In the five on five games, every boy got their individual point with a 789 game. Going into the next five on five, Connor Wolff led the boys with a 203. Matthew Hickmott and Ian Weier also had big games. They finished the match with a 19-11 win, earning them the Eastern Michigan Bowling Conference Title! Best efforts include the team win and conference title, Connor Wolff with a 203 game, and contributions by Matthew Hickmott and Ian Weier.

The girls would scrimmage themselves. Lily Finnigan had a 432 series (216 average) with games of 199 and a personal best of 233. Raeshell Richardson had a good night as well, with games of 167 and 163. The girls earned a shared conference title!

by Ava DeVlaminck

On Thursday, February first, the Varsity Girls Basketball Team played against Akron Fairgrove. Dryden played an awesome game and crushed the competitor 52-1. Even though Dryden won, Akron played well and hard. Some highlights that made the game a success include Keira Miller, putting up 17 points. Also, Isabella Weier played a great game, scoring five baskets. A shout out to both Sophia Peter and Olivia Reynolds for adding six to Dryden's total. Also contibuting to Dryden's total was Keirstyn Stankevich, with five points, Jalynn Delmotte, scoring two baskets, and both Monica Kucharski and Asako Hama with two points. Great job ladies!

by Audrey Napolitano

On Monday, January 29th, the Dryden Varsity Boys Basketball team played at Peck High School. Dryden pulled out an impressive win against Peck, 62-34. Jacob Burgess secured 17 points. Sonny Coscione landed 16 points. Luke Taylor obtained 10 points. Gianni Coscione garnered nine points, and Jaylin Taylor logged six. Hayden Blair and Santi Perales gained two points each. “It was a good win. We played really well defensively, especially in the second half. It is tough to win at Peck. They are a good, well coached team,” stated Coach John DelCampo.

The Cardinals traveled to Akron-Fairgrove on Friday, February 2 and came home with a 75-21 win. "We played very well in all facets of the game, and most importantly, we kept our composure. I am extremely proud of our team,” Coach DelCampo reflected. Jacob Burgess led the Dryden scoring with 21 points, and Sonny Coscione added 17. Jaylin Taylor put up 9 with Hayden Blair following close behind with 8. David Insley scored 6. Gabe Haick got 4. Santi Perales, Gianni Coscione, and Owen Gall each had 3. Hunter Hughes finished out the scoring with 1 point.

Great wins, boys! Dryden takes a 12-3 overall record (5-0 league) into this week. The next Varsity Boys Basketball game will be on Tuesday, February 6th, at home at 7:30pm. Good luck!

by Lily Finnigan

The Dryden Junior Varsity Boys Basketball team beat Peck on January 29, 53-42. Owen Gall put up 21 points, and Rowan Handley added 9.

On February 2, Dryden won 51-21 away at Akron-Fairgrove. Owen Gall led the Cardinals with 13 points. Brendan Peter scored 11, and Nick Abromaitis had 6.

by Claire Wright

On January 22, 2024, the 7th and 8th grade boys basketball team won against Peck. Jeffrey Taylor scored 10 points, Ryan Peter scored 6 points, Kieran Schultz scored 4 points, and Jaxon Buffo had 2 points to make a total of 22 points. Peck scored only 17.

The 7th and 8th grade boys basketball team lost against Kingston. In the 7th grade game, Kieran Schultz scored 4 points, Ryan Peter scored 2 points, Jeffrey Taylor scored 2 points, and Jaxon Buffo scored 2 points. With a final score of 10, and Kingston 46.

In the 8th grade game, Jax Morley scored 7 points, Jakob Adams scored 4 points, Evan Weier scored 3 points, T.J. Mersino scored 3 points, and Kai Grabowski scored 1 point. To make a final of 22 points for Dryden and 24 points for Kingston.

6:00 PM-8:00 PM - 7th/8th grade Boys Basketball @ Mayville - bus departs @ 4:45 pm

6:00 PM-7:30 PM - Varsity only Girls Basketball vs Memphis

7:15 AM-7:30 AM - Weekly Encouragement Club Meeting

2:30 PM-4:00 PM - Homework Club - Room 133

11:30 AM-1:00 PM - Junior High Spelling Bee - MPR

2:30 PM-3:30 PM - Color Me Green - Room 153

6:00 PM-9:00 PM - JV/Varsity Boys Basketball

Wear it Wednesday - Neon Day

2:30 PM-3:30 PM - Staff Meeting - High School - Library

6:00 PM-8:00 PM - 7th/8th grade Boys Basketball vs North Huron

7:30 AM-7:45 AM - NJHS Meeting - Room 331

2:30 PM-4:00 PM - Homework Club - Room 133

6:00 PM-9:00 PM - JV/Varsity Girls Basketball @ Kingston - bus departs @ 4:30 pm

6:00 PM-9:00 PM - JV/Varsity Boys Basketball @ Kingston - bus departs @ 4:30 pm

Previous Riddle: What 5-letter word typed in all capital letters can be read the same upside down?

Answer: SWIMS

Winner: Nobody!

Current Riddle: What begins with an "e" and only contains one letter?

What kind of bagel can travel?
A plain bagel.

February 12

March 11

April 8

May 13

June 10

All meetings begin at 7:00 p.m., will be held in the Dryden High School Library, and are open to the public.

Check out the 2023-2024 Dryden Community Schools District Calendar here!

Editor:

Ava DeVlaminck

Reporters:

Lily Finnigan

Audrey Napolitano

Claire Wright

Faculty Advisor:

Ms. Sheryl Czerwinski

Email: Cardinal@drydenschools.org
Website: https://www.drydenschools.org/
Location: Dryden High School, Rochester Road, Dryden, MI, USA
Phone: (810) 796-2266
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drydencommunityschools

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