![Junior Diya Arun stares out a window. For Arun, the winter season brings out the holiday blues. “ I think [the winter] has a negative effect on my mental health because I feel like the cold weather and people around me are also sadder [and] that affects me,” Arun said.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/IMG_8047-1200x800.jpg)
![French teacher Marieme Toure serves a plate of the Senegalese food she prepared for her AP French Language and Culture class, to senior Faiza Syed. “I never had Senegalese food before,” Syed said. “I thought it was so cool that she was able to bring a part of her culture [and] background to us.”](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/IMG_0798-1200x906.jpeg)
![The Phoenix varsity volleyball team lines up for the national anthem. “We were more communicative [with each other] during this game, and I feel like we kept our energy up, especially after the first set,” senior Jessica Valdov said.](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/DSC_0202-1200x800.jpg)
Loudoun County Captains Capture Phoenix Pink Out Game 45-6
The Phoenix took on the Loudoun Valley Captains on Oct. 15 for the pink out game in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
The Phoenix and Captains ready themselves for the next play after stoppage from the referee. “I got my first touchdown on friday and it was pretty nice; it was the first one of the season, you know, and I’m still looking to get more,” junior Da’sean Mack said.
November 16, 2021
On Oct. 15, the Phoenix played the Captains at their pink-out football game for breast cancer awareness and lost 45-6.
After the introduction for both teams, the chorus made their way to the track wrapping around the field. Joined by Stone Hill Middle School chorus, the Rock Ridge chorus, led by director Jordan Markwood, opened the game with the national anthem and the school’s alma mater. Stone Hill Middle School’s band and chorus joined Rock Ridge as a part of Future Phoenix Night.
Throughout the game, the Stone Hill band performed alongside the marching band, but was not a part of their halftime performance, “Desert Winds.”
As the game progressed, the Captains took a steady lead and won the game 45-6, with the Phoenix only scoring one touchdown by junior Da’sean Mack with a failed attempt for a two point conversion. Mack believes the team can bounce back from a loss like this. “We have to minimize our mistakes, keep our heads up when things go down, and push our teammates to be the best they can be. Our motto is stay positive and keep working in practice; because what you do at practice shows on the field,” Mack said.
![On Friday, Dec. 20, the varsity Phoenix wrestling team embarked on a two-day tournament against 32 other high schools spanning from Loudoun County to other states. This year, Rock Ridge High School hosted the highly anticipated tournament and decked out the main gym for the occasion, donning six full-sized wrestling mats with the Phoenix logo and clearing out space for coaches, managers, and administrators alike. Every open seat in the stands was filled with family and friends of the players, making a lively environment for the players.
King of the Rock started at 4:00 p.m. and lasted until 9:00 p.m on Friday. Every player on every team had the opportunity to go up against another player for three rounds, with each of them lasting two minutes. The preparation for this has gone on since the beginning of the season in their practices, and their previous meets have been leading up to this specific tournament. “During practices, I’ve been doing a lot of conditioning [and] making sure my body is [as] healthy as it can be,” junior Julian Serna said. “I’ve been doing [all] the moves and techniques our coaches are telling us to do, [too].”
The second day of King of the Rock started at 9:00 a.m on Dec. 21, and ended at 3:00 p.m. South Carroll High School in Sykesville, Md. took the win for the entire tournament. Juniors Nathan Martinez and Elijah Whitfield both placed sixth in their individual weight classes, bringing in a win for the Phoenix.
✏️ and 📷 by Maya Coleman, Bella Gerardi, and Sophie King](https://theblazerrhs.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)