Coach Anderson has high expectations for basketball season

By Liz F.

Mr. Anderson, coach of the sixth and seventh grade boys basketball team, said that the team has great potential this year. According to Mr. Anderson, they are talented and have the chance to do quite well in their conference.

The team holds practices, Monday through Friday, 3:00-5:00 P.M. There are thirteen players and they plan to play ten games. Mr. Anderson explained that "a basketball practice is a lot of running, fitness, skill, working, and executing plays." A typical game is a high energy experince, packed with drama. According to Mr. Anderson, Peacock plays in a challenging and competive conference.

Mr. Anderson played basketball in both middle school and high school, as well as in intramural leagues in college. He said that basketball was the most enjoyable sport to coach, because of the team work and discipline towards making goals it needed. Finally, Mr. Anderson commented that he was looking forward to working with each player to make the player the best athelete.

Cross Country team runs well this season

By Jason V.

The Peacock cross country team ended this season with a solid record of success. In three meets, they finished in the middle of the pack at second place. Several outstanding runners include eighth grader Raymond H. who finished first at Churchville, Janelle B. who had several top ten finishes, and Brad C. who had a second place finish at Springwood. During the WoodDale meet, Brad finished in fifth while Raymond placed third and received a medal. Janelle also received a medal when she placed fourteenth at WoodDale. Coach Anderson was pleased with the efforts of all the runners and said that he hoped that some of them would continue their training and become great runners.

A good year for the eighth grade girls basketball team

By Courtney G.

This year, the eighth grade girls basketball team got a new coach, Mrs. Krisik. When interviewed recently, she said that the team did very well this year with an average of 2-4 in the conference that offered stiff competition. Mrs. Krisik named Jenny L., Samara M. and Elizabeth P. as some of her hardest working players. She thought that Victoria C. and Kristin K. were the most improved players. This was Mrs. Krisik's first time as coach, and she said that she enjoyed it. She is all ready for next year now.

Name Points Scored

Amy A. 0

Kathleen A. 38

Victoria C. 2

Heather D. 4

Elaine K. 4

Kristin K. 0

Jenny L. 0

Melissa M. 8

Samara M. 20

Elizabeth P. 16

Julie R. 102

US qualifies for World Cup

By Stefan I.

The 1998 World Cup will be held in France. Qualifying this year is the US. It is their second appearance, but their first time qualifying. This is due to the fact that when you lose a Cup, like the US did in 1991, you automatically get a spot.

The US got to the Cup by playing five matches in the North American division. There first game was a close one against Costa Rica on September 7. On October 3, the US tied Jamaica, who finished second in their division. On November 2, the US and Mexico tied at 0-0. A week later, the US beat Canada during a 3-0 shutout. In the end, Canada finished in last place. Canada should stick to hockey. The US finished with a 4-2 win over El Salvador.

The US should at least get to the semi-finals next year. However, France, with a home field advantage, and an excellent team, should be unstoppable.

World Cup 98’ Is Fast Approaching

By Blake H.

World Cup 98’ which this year is to be held in France, is fast approaching with just about six months until the first games of the WC that are to be held on June 14, 1998. To get to the World Cup, teams had to go through a series of qualifying games in their specific zone or region. Those different regions are as follows: The CONCACAF region, the OCEANIC ZONE, the UEFA region, the ASIAQUAL region, and the SAMERQAL region. Here are the teams that have made the WC in their appropriate preliminary play groups, along with their world rankings.(1-50)

Group A: Brazil*1-----Norway*14-----Morocco*16-----Scotland*36

Group B: Italy*10-----Chile*17-----Austria*26-----Cameroon*NR

Group C: France*7-----Denmark*8-----Saudi Arabia*34-----South Africa*35

Group D: Spain*3-----Bulgaria*24-----Paraguay*30-----Nigeria*NR

Group E: Mexico*11-----Holland*12-----South Korea*31-----Belgium*41

Group F: Germany*2-----Yugoslavia*22-----United States*29-----Iran*50

Group G: Romania*5-----England*6-----Coloumbia*9-----Tunasia*23

Group H: Japan*18-----Argentina*19-----Croatia*21-----Jamica*39

Each of these teams play three games within their group to see who moves on to the WC playoffs. Only twenty-four teams out of the thirty-two that made the WC move on.

In my opinion the hardest group for a team to qualify out of is group G. I pick group G because the fifth, sixth, and the ninth ranked teams are in that particular group. Although Tunisia, ranked twenty-third, seemingly poses no problem for the other teams, it has in the past been noted for some big upsets.

How about the US! They qualified for the WC and are ranked twenty-ninth in the world. What a dramatic change for them compared to five to ten years ago. They will have a hard time qualifying for the round of twenty-four with a strong German team, and a young uprising Yugoslavian team trying also to advance. Lets see if the US has what it takes to make it to the second round again as they did in WC 94’.

Here are my picks for the World Cup.

1.England 2.Brazil 3.Germany 4.Yugoslavia 5.Mexico 6.Italy 7.France 8.Romania 9.Spain 10.United States

NFC is the stronger conference again this year

By Joey C.

Another great year in football is coming to an end. It looks like the NFC is stronger than the AFC again this year. The NFC has the two of the three most dangerous teams in the NFL, San Francisco and Green Bay. These two teams will meet in the NFC championship game. Even though I would rather see the Forty-Niners win, the advantage will probably go to Green Bay.

In the AFC, the best spot will probably go to Pittsburgh. I predict that Pittsburgh will beat Kansas City and Denver because their defense and running game are much better than any other team's. Pittsburgh's biggest liability is its mediocre passing game. Stewart is a good running quarterback but he cannot pass consistently.

Finally then, the Super Bowl will be Green Bay against Pittsburgh. This will be a low scoring game, and Green Bay will win, 24 - 17. It will, I hope, be the most competitive and interesting Super Bowl game in years.

Blackhawks struggle at mid-season

By Eric T. and Joe C.

As we approach the middle of the 1997-98 NHL regular season, it is time to rate the Chicago Blackhawks. They are awful. O.K., perhaps that is a little harsh. Presently, they are fifth in their division, barely clinging to the final playoff spot.

Zhamnov is doing great this season. On the down side, the Hawks lost their enforcer, Bob Probert, who is out with a torn rotator cuff That was a big BIG loss. And now to the grades:

*Goaltending: B \Terarri couldn't "clear the crease" while Hackett was hurt.

*Scoring: B+ \ The Hawks need someone else to step up and score. Zhamnov and Amonte cannot carry the entire offensive burden.

*Defense: A \ Chelios, 'nuff said.

*Checking: A- Where is Proby when you need him?

If they could train Hackett to get his act together and they could overpower Detroit, we are looking at Stanley Cup material.