The winter season is in full swing as each and every athlete focuses in on his/ her craft.

EMILY PERRY / EQUINOX STAFF

However, for seniors, it will be their last time practicing, last time competing and last time representing the Keene State College Owls. As each game goes by, the reality of their season coming to a close becomes more apparent and the importance of ending their career on a good note is evident.

Margaret Dean, a senior on the women’s swim and dive team, said that it hasn’t really hit her yet that this is her last year at KSC.

Dean said so far, it feels very stressful and that there is a ton of pressure to be on her A-game, as well as setting a good example once she steps in and out of the pool.

“I feel like I have a little extra pride in everything I do,” Dean said.

She said that over the years she has gotten stronger and faster, and that among setbacks she found that looking at the small series of accomplishments always revived her faith in the sport she loves.

“Balancing the fear and joy of this being my last year of college is one of the bigger struggles I face,” Dean said.

However, these four years have taught Dean a valuable lesson. “Freshman year I would say my success was defined by my times, but now I would say my success is in knowing I gave one hundred percent effort in all aspects of personal well being,” Dean said.

Senior Rachel MacKinnon, also a member of the women’s swim and dive team, said that the feeling is bittersweet. “I can’t believe it sometimes. I feel like I just started here,” MacKinnon said. MacKinnon said being a senior is a perk because she can help lead the team.

As a captain of the swim team, MacKinnon said seeing the growth in the team that she leads is something she always cherishes.

“I get to the lead the team and the fact that it’s my last go-around is hard. After this season is over, my swim career, which I’ve had since eight, will be ending. It’s a thing that I love and it’s soon time to let it go,” MacKinnon said.

Although coming to the end of something can be challenging, MacKinnon said that when it gets tough and you think about quitting, don’t. “These are your last years so enjoy them and just push through whatever obstacle you have, it will be worth it in the end.”

Dominique Pascoal, a senior on the women’s track and field, described the feeling of being a senior the same way Mackinnon did.

“It’s bittersweet. Definitely ready to graduate, but there is something in the air that is distasteful. I feel like it’s the beginning of the end… or the end of the beginning,” Pascoal said.

Coping with the chaos can be difficult, but Pascoal said you have to ask yourself how bad you want this, because it’s not only a commitment to yourself, it’s a commitment to your entire team, your coach, your fans, everyone. Pascoal added, “Most importantly, be able to find the fun in whatever you do. Because if you can’t, you shouldn’t be doing it.”

Hope Walsh, senior on the women’s swim and dive team,described facing senior year as difficult and often having two sides.

“Honestly, it doesn’t feel real. I am either in denial, or it just hasn’t hit me yet. Maybe I will realize it’s actually happening when the summer is ending and I figure out I am not coming back to Keene. But I am one of those seniors [who] isn’t ready for it to end. I have found you either want it to end and are ready for it, or are sad and not ready. It’s nerve wracking, really. Exciting but intimidating,” Walsh said.

She said that the hardest part is that she is just not ready for it to end. Walsh added that swimming has been her identity for so long and she doesn’t know what she will do without it.

“When I meet new people that know my family, I say yes, I am the swimmer. But now, what will I say? I won’t be ‘the swimmer’ in the family for much longer. And I know it doesn’t sound that important or meaningful, but after you have heard and been asked the same question for years, it means something. I know I will miss it. It’s like part of my identity is just not gonna be there anymore, and I will struggle with that,” Walsh said. Alexandra McCafferty said that being a senior is scary and that it is a host of emotions because she doesn’t know exactly what the future holds after KSC.

Juggling academics and sports is a never-ending cycle that takes focus the desire to succeed, McCafferty said, but everything is manageable if you truly want it.

Caroline Perry can be contacted at cperry@kscequinox.com 

With yet another week having gone by, four new Owls received LEC weekly awards for their outstanding performances in their sport.

Senior Hope Walsh (women’s swim and dive), first-year Jessica Masotta (women’s swim and dive), first-year Brandon Castor (men’s track and field) and junior Ty Nichols (men’s basketball) all received LEC weekly awards this week, showing the remarkability of KSC athletes.

Anna Heindl / Equinox Staff

Hope Walsh received LEC Swimmer of the Week in women’s swim and dive for the third time this season after performing at a top-level at the Owls’ Senior Day meet.

Walsh was able to win three events, which led Keene State College to a victory over Bridgewater State University (150-870) and Brandeis University (178-47).

In Walsh’s last home meet of the season, she touched the wall first in the 1,000 free with a time of 11:03.55.

She also touched the wall first in the 200 back with a time of 2:15.59 and the 500 back 5:25.36. Walsh has 12 more meets before the end of her senior season as an Keene State Owl.

Fellow teammate of Walsh, Jessica Masotta, earned the LEC Rookie of the Week in women’s swim and dive for the second time this season in two consecutive weeks.

Masotta pulled away both of her wins on the boards while competing against Bridgewater State University and Brandeis University.

She was able to finish first on the one meter board, with a score of 170. Masotta also finished first on the three meter board, with a score of 168.55.

Brandon Castor was named the LEC Rookie of the Week in men’s track in field after performing extremely well at the Bates Invitational. Castor won the 400 meter dash with a time of 53.36 seconds.

He also placed fifth in the 200 meter dash, his finishing time being 23.76 seconds.

The final KSC athlete to receive an LEC weekly award was Ty Nichols. Nichols earned his second straight LEC Player of the Week honor after averaging 23 points per game with a 42.4 shooting percentage from the field.

Nichols also averaged ten rebounds, three assists and two steals per game in a 1-1 week for men’s basketball. While competing against Eastern Connecticut State University, Nichols scored 16 points, had 12 rebounds, five assists and five steals. He also led the Owls to an 82-76 victory over UMass Boston, scoring 30 individual points.

Caroline Perry can be contacted at cperry@kscequinox.com

The Keene State College men’s basketball went up against their rivals, Plymouth State University, on Wednesday Jan. 24. The Owls took a 95-81 victory over the Panthers, as well as had five players in double-figures. With a record of 13-5, the men’s basketball record for the Little East Conference (LEC) moves up to 7-1. Junior Ty Nichols made 7 out of 15 shots from the field and led the team with 25 points for KSC. He added nine rebounds, five assists and a steal.

Priya Gautamchhetri / Equinox Staff

First-year DeVon Beasley scored a career-high of 21 points on 8 out of 10 shooting. First-year James Anozie had 14 points and a career-best of 16 rebounds total for his fourth double-double in the last five games. First-year Miguel Prieto had 12 points, three rebounds, two assists and a steal off the bench. Senior Dizel Wright added to the list, rounding out the double-figure scorers with 10 points. He added eight rebounds, three assists and two steals. With the score tied at five in the early minutes of the game, the Owls scored 13 consecutive points to build a double-digit lead.

A layup from Wright and a three from Nichols made it 13-5 at the 15:39 mark. Nichols continued to lead, as he drained another three moments later and then made two free throws to make it 18-5 with 13:20 to go in the first half. The Owls continued to extend their advantage after a short surge from the Panthers, getting a layup and a trey from Beasley to lead 38-15 with 6:56 left until halftime. Another Beasley bucket made it a 44-22 game and, later, a layup from Prieto gave Keene State their largest lead of the half with 4:10 to go.

The Panthers trailed at half and ultimately could not close up the gap. KSC men’s basketball closed out the game with a 95-81 lead.

The Owls will play Rhode Island College this Saturday, Feb. 3, at 3 p.m.

Caroline Perry can be contacted at cperry@kscequinox.com

The 2018 Super Bowl will be played at the U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018. The Big Game will feature the AFC Champions and the NFC Champions, the New England Patriots versus the Philadelphia Eagles. The Patriots are headed to the Super Bowl for the second year in a row, the third time in the last four years, the eighth time in the Brady-Belichick era and the tenth time overall.

Patriots fans are more than excited for their 2017 Super Bowl champions to be returning in the 2018 season, and expect nothing less than greatness. But what can we really expect for the upcoming Super Bowl?

After a slow start, the Patriots figured it out, finding their momentum. The Patriots are now sitting at an outstanding 2/1 odds, going into the Super Bowl with a 13-3 record, and no one seems to want to bet against them. With good reason, though. Few teams have been in the favorite position as consistently as the Patriots have. With the AFC East all but locked up, the Patriots seem poised to make a deep playoff run.

The last time the Philadelphia Eagles were in the Super Bowl was in 2005 and they lost a heartbreaker to the New England Patriots. In two week’s time, the franchise – if not the same players – will get its chance for revenge, but Pats Nation is more than confident that the same results will play out. The Patriots opened at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook as 5.5 point favorites over the Eagles, and the game’s over/under was listed at 47.5 points. With so much confidence in the Patriots already, it’s hard to think they could ever be torn down.

The Patriots earned their way into the Super Bowl after an amazing 24-20 comeback against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Tom Brady played remarkably, throwing 290 yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions against the best pass defense in the NFL. Rob Gronkowski faced an early injury when colliding helmet to helmet with Barry Church, gaining a concussion. Due to this setback the Patriots are optimistic that Gronk will be cleared from the concussion protocol before the Super Bowl this Sunday. However, with constant comebacks and successful performances from the Patriots, Pats fans seem just as confident of winning.

The Patriots also have the experience over the Eagles, who are very much the underdogs going into the Super Bowl. Not to mention the Patriots biggest weapon, Tom Brady. Brady can advance the game for the Patriots easily and has more than enough experience in high stress and high performance situations.

The Patriots opened up as six-point favorites over the Eagles when the Super Bowl matchup was set on Sunday night. It was the biggest opening spread since the 2009 game, when a 9-7 Cardinals team took on a 12-4 Steelers team. However in order to take the victory away from the Eagles, the Patriots need to watch out for Philadelphia’s offensive line and the fact that the Eagles defense is focusing on shutting Tom Brady down. Brady is the heart of the offense, so making sure he can do his job is vital for the Patriots.

Although some people may think the Patriots will finally fall this year, I can assure you they will fight before giving up the 2018 Super Bowl LII title.

Caroline Perry can be contacted at cperry@kscequinox.com

I won’t lie, I’m pretty new to the whole skiing scene and am, by far, no professional; but I have picked up some great tips along the way from some pretty great skiers. Just like some of you (especially first time skiers), I knew nothing about trails, clothing options or skis for that matter. But finally I took the plunge my senior year of high school and took on the adventure of learning how to ski. As a born and raised Vermonter, I always dreamed of learning how to ski, and finally that senior year, I learn how to in a more inexpensive way. But before getting into skiing, there are some things you need to know before embarking on this adventure, and that is this:

Laura Romaniello / Art Director

1. Raid your closet before you buy a whole new wardrobe. Most of the time you’ll find clothing that can keep you perfectly warm. As long as you have a fleece, turtleneck, or sweater, solid winter jacket, insulated ski pants, warm socks, and mittens you should be fine. However, I will say this, invest in warm winter mittens that are insulated, gloves WILL NOT keep your hands warm. Also, get high and thick socks because if your sock falls down or your feet are cold, you’ll be trying to fix it ALL DAY. Always wear a helmet and goggles, they both are vital to safety. On the colder days you’ll need a face mask, so always be aware of the weather.

2. Get a lift pass. You’re going to need one to get on the lifts no matter what, so this is something you’re going to have to invest in. Many ski resorts offer discounted lift tickets for children, teens, and senior skiers, as well as early or late season tickets.

3. Rent skis and boots. These are a necessity, however I have always found ways to save money. I get that renting skis and boots can be expensive, not to mention you’ll need poles. So if you aren’t exactly looking to rent everything, see if your friends possibly have some skis and boots you can borrow. There are also ski sales that always happen in the ski shops where you can find things for half the price they once were, and sometimes even less. Purchasing skis and boots will save you money in the long run and give you the possibility to go skiing even more. Always make sure your boots are your size and if borrowing, never go more than a half size up from your natural size.

4. Take a lesson. Don’t down play skiing. It’s hard to learn and dangerous, so be cautious and safe in your learning process. Don’t try to act like you know how to ski if you don’t. I learned through my friend who had been skiing all his life and who would soon go on and become a ski instructor. If you’re serious about learning, go with people who are willing to take the time to teach you and are experienced, or just get lessons. Also, don’t push yourself on the first day. You’re learning, so who cares if you go down the bunny hill 20 times, the important thing are that you’re learning, you’re not putting yourself in danger and you’re not putting anyone else in danger.

5. Stay hydrated and get a snack. Speaking from experience, you DO NOT want to be dehydrated or hungry while trying to ski down a mountain. First of all you’ll be miserable, and second of all you can get hurt due to fatigue or loss of energy. Skiing is an extremely physically demanding sport. First-time skiers will get tired and that’s perfectly fine. You don’t need to go down the mountain 20 times on your first day. Take it slow and drink a lot of water. Eat a good breakfast and take breaks when you need to. Skiing is supposed to be fun, so don’t stress yourself out.

Caroline Perry can be contacted at cperry@kscequinox.com

The Keene State men’s basketball team went up against the University of Boston-Massachusetts (UMass), taking away a 82-76 victory over the Beacons.

Junior Ty Nichols was once again on fire, making nine of 16 shots from the outside, 10 out of 13 shots from the free throw line, as well as adding to the list eight rebounds, two assists, and one block. Nichols totaled up 30 points, just two shy from his 32 point record.

First-year James Anozie also proved to be a threat, recording his third double-double in the last four games, as well as scoring 17 points, grabbing 11 rebounds, stealing the ball once, and blocking once.

First-year DeVon Beasley was able to put up ten points, four rebounds, two assists and two steal for the Owls. Overall the Owls shot at 49.1 percent, had 46 rebounds, 14 assists, 15 points on turnovers, 48 points in the paint, and 13 second chance points, tallying up the scoreboard for their victory.

The Owls were able to sweep that season series from UMass Boston, winning five straight series overall against the Beacons. The team was also able to hold UMass at a 38 percent for shooting, the Beacons only shooting 26 for 69. The Owls had some trouble with their long distance shots, but succeeded in their shots just behind the free throw line, shooting 22 of 30, which is about 73 percent. The Owls outscored the Beacons, dominating the glass 46-29, outscoring UMass 48-20 in the paint. With the team win also came some personal success with Nichols reaching his 1,315 career point.

In the first few minutes, the Owls gained a 7-0 advantage after first-year Sidi Diallo received a foul shot and Anozie made to layups after receiving the ball twice. The Beacons closed that gap quickly, scoring five out of the next seven points. Nichols quickly picked up the pace, scoring five quick points. Anozie also put up another layup for the Owls. The Owls continued to get leads, but the Beacons continued to catch back up. As the game progressed the Owls fought to obtain their lead, ultimately having a 77-71 lead over the Beacons in the last two minutes of the game.

Nichols’ two free throws with 44 seconds left in the game made it a three-possession game, but UMass fired back with a quick three to keep the Beacons in it. Diallo made one of two from the line and Beasley then sank two free throws as the Owls held on for the win.

The men’s basketball team will play home against Plymouth State on Wednesday, at 7:30 p.m.

Caroline Perry can be contacted at cperry@kscequinox.com

With basketball approaching playoffs, the team continues to shine, winning the past three games and keeping their record at 11-4. The team also continues to achieve even more, as junior and guard Ty Nichols was named to D3Hoops.com Team of the Week. Nichols was presented this by Scoutware, Inc. for his performance in a 2-0 week for the KSC Owls. The Team of the Week serves as a weekly honor roll for basketball players, recognizing the top five weekly performances at each position.

Emily Perry / Equinox Staff

As a junior, Nichols has already achieved great things. Stacking up 1000 points earlier in the season, being the teams leading scorer/leader, and now being recognized as one of the best in D3 collegiate basketball.

When asked about his feelings towards being named to Team of the Week, Nichols said that it was nice to be recognized for all the hard work and that it only reflects on how hard the KSC basketball team works. With one more year left for the outstanding guard, Nichols said that it is a step in the right direction, but that his true goal is to reach the 2000 point mark. “This is just another achievement that leads to bigger and better things,”  Nichols said.

His fellow teammates also recognize the incredible work, effort and dedication that Nichols puts into every single practice and game. Forward and junior Charles McClain said, “Ty shows greatness on the court with his tenacity and his ability to play the game that he loves. He is truly a talented player, and I am grateful for the opportunity to play with him at the college level.” McClain went on to say that Nichols is more than deserving of this achievement. “He is the best player in the LEC. Ty is one of the hungriest players I have ever met, and I am sure that he will be soon recognized as one of the best players in the country,”  McClain said.

Guard and junior Kyle Santoro had a very similar opinion on Nichols’ achievement and said it does a lot for the team as well. “His achievement helps our team confidence, knowing we have that good of a player on our team always gives us a good chance to win no matter how good of a team we will play,” Santoro said. He added that having Nichols being named to a team that represents the best players in the country for D3 basketball also helps shed some light on Keene State College. “We’re sometimes overlooked so he kind of put us on the map,”  Santoro said.

With the season approaching playoffs, Nichols teammates said that it’s nice going into it knowing they have a strong player and leader on the court. Nichols hopes to keep up the hard work and help lead his team to greatness, knowing that the journey ahead entitles a lot of focus, hard work and, most importantly, dedication.

Caroline Perry can be contacted at cperry@kscequinox.com

The New England Patriots never fail to perform, making a comeback in the AFC Championship with the Jacksonville Jaguars. With an overall win of 24-20, the Patriots head off to the Superbowl for their eighth time in the Bill Belichick-Tom Brady era.

At the start of the game the Jaguars were quick to move, jumping ahead with a 14-3 lead over the Patriots in the second quarter. The Jaguars had a pair of lengthy, ball-control drives of 76 and 77 yards, which ultimately led to touchdowns in the second quarter. The Jaguars’ key to attacking the Patriots offense was of course running back Leonard Fournette, who was one of only three players on Jacksonville who averaged more than 20 rushing attempts per game. On top of that, quarterback Blake Bortles excelled early, opening up opportunities for the Jaguars. Bortles finished with 23 completions on 36 attempts for 293 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions. Bortles made one of the best throws of the game when he hit Keelan Cole with a back shoulder throw about 30 yards down the field. He also did particularly well off play action, including his four-yard touchdown pass to Marcedes Lewis.

The Jaguars were also able to get an early turnover. With the Patriots driving, New England dialed up a double pass trick play that appeared to work to perfection. But Jaguars linebacker Myles Jack made one of the plays of the game by ripping the ball from Dion Lewis and recovering the fumble.

The Patriots faced some setbacks, trying to close the gap and succeeding just before halftime with an 85yard touchdown drive. Brady was Brady, completing 26 of his 38 passes for 290 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Unlike the Tennessee Titans, the Jaguars brought much more of a pass rush, which Brady had to deal with. Disrupting Brady is key, and even though the Jaguars proved to be aggressive in the beginning, they were unable to hold off the Patriots offense.

In the fourth quarter the Patriots still faced a ten point deficit, to which Tom Brady did what he always does. Brady threw two touchdowns to Danny Amendola, giving the Patriots a 24-20 lead with less than three minutes to go in the game. Amendola’s final catch included some pretty impressive footwork in the end zone which led to an eruption of Patriots fans. Amendola finished the game with seven receptions for 84 yards against the Jaguars secondary and Brandin Cooks found success too with six receptions for 100 yards.

With a victory in hand the Patriots go on to face the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2018 Super Bowl.

Caroline Perry can be contacted at cperry@kscequinox.com

The women’s and men’s track and field team traveled to Lewiston Maine last Saturday, January 20th, to compete at the Bates Invitational at Bates College.

This is the team’s fifth invitational of the season, to which they have 13 more before their season comes to a close.

Laura Romaniello / Art Director

Junior Jared Hannon and first-year Brandon Castor both pulled off wins at the invitational.

Both Hannon and Castor competing in sprints.

Hannon took his win away from the long jump, taking a leap of 6.52 meters.

This jump qualified Hannon for the New England Division III Championships. Castor took first in the 400 meter dash, completing the race in 53.36 seconds.

Castor also placed fifth in the 200 meter dash, completing it in 23.76 seconds.

Sophomore Brendan Cacciola placed third in the 400 meter dash with a time of 54.66 seconds and junior Alex Medina placed fourth in the 400 meter dash with a time of 55.51

Also for the men’s track and field team, junior Tyler DeChane placed third in the mile with a time of 4:48.22.

The men’s team also placed third in the 4×400 meter relay, performing this race with junior Tyler

DeChane, first-year Brandon Castor, junior Anthony Jennings, Hannon and Medina.

Their time was 3:36.38.

For the women’s track and field team, sophomore Nicole De Almeida placed second in the 400 meter dash with a time of 1:03.18.

Junior Brittany Gravalese placed second in the 800 meter dash with a time of 2:28.43.

De Almeida, Brittany Gravalese, junior Taylor Bisaillon, and sophomore Lynne Hebert made up the 4×400 meter relay team, placing third with a time of 4:22.14.

Bisaillon was also able to place third in the shot put, throwing 10.88 meters. Hebert placed fourth in the mile with a finishing time of 5:37.46.

Both teams will travel to Boston, Massachusetts on Friday, Jan. 26th, to compete at the Terrier Classic at Boston University.

Caroline Perry can be contacted at cperry@kscequinox.com

The recognition of hard working athletes on the Keene State College campus continues, as three athletes were awarded LEC weekly awards.

Junior Ty Nichols (men’s basketball), first-year James Anozie (men’s basketball) and first-year Jessica Massotta (women’s swim and dive) all received LEC weekly awards for their athletic performances representing KSC.

joey sullivan / equinox stafff

Nichols was named LEC player of the week for the second time this season after performing tremendously during conference week.

All season Nichols has been showing great success on the basketball court, and now recieving yet another LEC weekly award, Nichols proves that hard work is essential to success.

Nichols found the net, his shooting climbing to 61.3 percent, averaging 22 points, seven rebounds and five assists per game.

In a win over Western Connecticut State University, Nichols put up 14 points with four rebounds and four assists.

He then hit a season high of 30 points, matching a career high with 11 rebounds, seven assists and four steals against UMass Dartmouth.

Nichols said that it is nice to see all the hard work pay off and that he plans to continue the effort.

Fellow teammate James Anozie was awarded LEC rookie of the week for the third time this season and for the second consecutive week.

Like Nichols, Anozie had an outstanding week, stepping up for the KSC men’s basketball team.

Anozie averaged a double-double with 17 points per game, and a shooting percentage of 70.

On top of that Anozie averaged about 11 rebounds per game.

Against the Colonials, Anozie averaged a double-double with game highs of 20 points and 12 rebounds.

He went on to score 15 points, pulling down 10 rebounds in a win over the Corsairs.

Like Nichols, Anozie said it was nice to results after so much effort and hard work had gone into the season already.

The last KSC athlete, who was named LEC Rookie Diver of the Week, was first-year Jessica Massotta.

Massotta was named the LEC Rookie Diver of the Week for the first time this season after winning both dives against Roger Williams University.

She took the one-meter board with a score of 178.42 and the 3-meter board with a score of 138.97.

Massotta, as well as the KSC women’s swim and dive team took a 134-103 victory over Roger Williams.

As a first-year Massotta said that finding such success is an amazing thing and she is very glad that she had her team to support her in her accomplishments.

With the winter season gradually coming to an end, all three athletes hope to accomplish their true goals before the seasons end.

Caroline Perry can be contacted at cperry@kscequinox.com