Carolina Railhawks owner and 13 other FIFA officials indicted for bribery

Michael Lyday
Features Editor 

Nine FIFA officials and five corporate executives, including Carolina Railhawks owner Aaron Davidson, were indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice in a case battling the rampant corruption in the organization early this morning. 

Instances of bribery totaling over $100 million by officials in FIFA aroused the suspicion of the Department of Justice and the government of Switzerland, both of which are probing the organization in search of further offenses. Other sources of controversy and claims of corruption include the awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, a nation who has implemented forced labor by migrant workers in its preparations, and the rampant mismanagement of funds.

The 2018 and 2022 World Cups will not have their locations changed. The charges come just two weeks before FIFA’s presidential election. Current FIFA president Sepp Blatter was not indicted in this scandal, but will have to face those calling for a clean-up of the organization, a possible source of opposition in the upcoming election. 

NFL punishes Brady, Patriots for Deflategate

Cameron Goz
Staff Writer

Super Bowl winning quarterback Tom Brady has been suspended four games without pay and the Patriots have been fined $1 million and will lose a first-round pick in 2016 and a fourth-round pick in 2017 in relation to the “Deflategate” case. Attorney Ted Wells was hired by the NFL to investigate the case, and the suspension comes just a week after Well’s report was released. The report found that "it is more probable than not" that Brady was "at least generally aware of the inappropriate activities" of locker room attendant Jim McNally and equipment assistant John Jastremski. Both attendants have been suspended without pay by the Patriots, and if they were to be reinstated, the two would be prohibited from managing the locker room or overseeing preparation of the game footballs. The 243-page report also stated that Brady, who answered questions over the course of a single day, refused to turn over his phone for printouts to be made of his e-mails and texts. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell felt the punishment matched the crime in this case, stating, "We relied on the critical importance of protecting the integrity of the game and the thoroughness and independence of the Wells report." 

Apex wins Wake County’s first stunt title

Jo Gatlin
Staff Writer

The Apex High School stunt team brought home the plaque after their victory over Millbrook High School. Apex made it to the finals by defeating Sanderson High School 15-11 in the semifinals. Millbrook defeated Panther Creek High School 17-10, qualifying them for the final game against Apex.

In the final game, Apex started with a small lead over Millbrook, but then quickly fell behind in the second and third quarter. On the final play of fourth quarter, Apex scored three points bringing them to victory. With a final score of 13-12, Apex won the very first Wake County Stunt title.

Joe Kilby resigns as Apex head football coach

Matt Sholtis
Sports Editor

After three years as the head football coach at Apex High School, Coach Joe Kilby announced his resignation on Friday. “There was no one reason why I resigned from this position, a lot went into the decision and after everything was weighed this was the best decision for my family and me.” Kilby took over as head football coach in 2012 when he replaced long time coach Bob Wolfe. Although Kilby’s record with the Cougars was 9-23, he took the team to their first playoff appearance since 2008 this past season.

2015 NFL Draft

Matt Sholtis
Sports Editor

In America’s most popular sport, the NFL Draft is the biggest event that happens in the sports offseason. The draft concluded this past weekend in Chicago. The event has taken place in New York City for the past 51 years.

There was very little drama in the first round of this year’s draft, especially at the top. Many had projected Florida State QB Jameis Winston to go #1 overall, and he did to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The most uncertainty was with the #2 overall pick. Tennessee held the pick, but they were not completely sold on drafting Oregon QB Marcus Mariota so they considered trading the pick. Many teams tried to trade up for the rights to draft the Heisman trophy winner, including Chip Kelly and the Eagles. Many believed that if Chip Kelly was reunited with Mariota that their offense would be unstoppable. The Browns were also trying to trade up, as the Browns always seem like they need a quarterback. In the end, the Titans decided to keep the pick and drafted Marcus Mariota at #2 overall. DE Dante Fowler Jr. of Florida went next to the Jaguars, WR Amari Cooper from Alabama went to Oakland, and rounding out the top 5 was OT Brandon Scherff from Iowa going to the Redskins. 

Fight of the century: Mayweather vs. Pacquiao

Adam Mancini
Staff Writer

On Saturday, boxing fans will finally get the fight they have all been waiting for. Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao, easily the two best boxers in the world, will go head to head at 9 p.m. in what many are calling “the fight of the century.” Mayweather is favored to win, but only by a tiny margin. 

For their careers, the American-born Mayweather is 47-0 with 22 knockouts and has won five world titles. Philippines-born Pacquiao is 57-5 with 37 knockouts and has won six world titles. The fight is expected to be the most watched ever, even with viewers needing to pay $100 to watch it on pay-per-view. Mayweather will make about $140-$150 million from the fight, while Pacquiao will receive around $90-$100 million.

The Apex High School Stunt team makes it to playoffs

Johunna Gatlin
Staff Writer

The Apex High School stunt team has had an undefeated season so far with a record of 5-0 beating Panther Creek, Cary, Green Hope, Athens Drive, and Garner. The team will be competing in this year’s playoff games hoping to win the first state title for high school stunt.

Apex senior Madi Yarish shares her excitement about playoffs. “It feels great to make it to playoffs. This was Wake County’s first season having stunt and I’m so proud of how well our team did. We really made a name for Apex stunt and I can’t wait to see how playoffs turn out for us.”

Apex Track dominates at conference meet

Matt Sholtis
Sports Editor

The Apex Men’s track team won the SWAC Conference title in dominating fashion on Wednesday scoring 194.5 points. The closest team to the Cougars was Green Hope who scored 111 points. This was Apex’s second consecutive conference championship.  

Events were split between the two day meet. The first event of the meet was the 4x800 meter relay. It was a highly anticipated race on the boys’ side as four teams (Panther Creek, Apex, Green Hope, and Cary) were all within a few seconds of each other. Apex pushed the pace the first three legs and had a pretty good lead, but Panther Creek’s fourth leg battled back and passed Apex down the home stretch to win the race by less than a second. In the 100 meter dash Apex owns the top sprinter in the conference on both the guys and girls side; seniors Tyler Cook and Sydnei Murphy. Both had the fastest time in prelims and both took home the conference title. Murphy was the only girl to break 12 seconds while Cook was the only guy to break 11 seconds. Apex continued its dominance in the sprints with a 4x200 meter relay victory, edging out Green Hope. The Cougars had another strong showing in the 1600 meter run. Sophomore Ben Savino and junior Derek Duin stayed in the front pack for the majority of the race and Duin even held the lead for 400 meters or so. Senior Wyatt Miller also was in the race and had a big kick on the final lap to catapult him all the way up to sixth place, while Duin and Savino finished third and fourth respectively. Apex was the only team to have three runners score (top 8) in that event. Apex also dominated in the field events on day one. The Cougars went 1-2 in the pole vault with senior Michael Utecht winning and junior Zach Taft finishing second, and senior Jon Stephens won the long jump.

Stanley Cup playoffs to start tonight

Sarah Kebea
Editor-in-Chief

The first round of the NHL playoffs starts tonight at seven with two games of the Eastern Conference.   The Montreal Canadiens will play the Ottawa Senators while the Washington Capitals play the New York Islanders.  In the Western Conference, the Nashville Predators will play the Chicago Blackhawks at 8:30 p.m. and the Vancouver Canucks will play the Calgary Flames at 10:00 tonight.  Tomorrow the games continue, starting with the Eastern Conference, the New York Rangers will play the Pittsburgh Penguins at 7:00 p.m. and the Tampa Bay Lightning will play the Detroit Red Wings at 7:30 p.m.  In the Western Conference, the St. Louis Blues will play the Minnesota Wild at 9:30 p.m. and the Anaheim Ducks will play the Winnipeg Jets at 10:30 p.m.  The winners of both first round series will advance to the second round of the playoffs.  

21 year old Jordan Spieth wins the Masters

Matt Sholtis
Sports Editor

In a great week of golf, Jordan Spieth pulled off one of the greatest performances we have ever seen at the Masters. Not only did he win the Masters at such a young age, but he did it in a way that we haven’t seen in 39 years. The greatness of this performance will be looked upon in awe for years to come, and as young as he is, Jordan Spieth is just getting started. 

It was a record-breaking performance for Spieth, who got things started on Thursday by shooting a 64 (-8) which is one shot from the all-time low round in Masters history. That gave him a three shot lead over the likes of Jason Day, Justin Rose, and Ernie Els. Spieth stayed red hot in the second round separating himself from the field shooting a 66 (-6) putting him at -14 for the tournament and setting the record for the lowest 36-hole score. That gave him a six shot lead going into the weekend. 

NFL's first female ref

Cameron Goz
Staff Writer

The NFL named Sarah Thomas as its first full-time female referee on Wednesday April 8. "I know I've got a job to do, and I've got to be great at it," Thomas, 41, told NBC's Today show on Thursday. Thomas was said to have been speechless when she got the call. She’s been through pee wee games, all the way up to NCAA Bowl games. In 2009 Thomas was one of five female refs in college football, and was even assigned to the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl. "I'm just out doing a job," she says, "It's meaningful to a lot of people, and I'm honored for that. But that's not why I set out to do this, to break a gender barrier of any sort. I just did it because I loved officiating."
 

Final Four tips off Saturday

Michael Lyday and Adam Mancini
Features Editor and Staff Writer

(7) Michigan State vs. (1) Duke, Saturday, April 4, 6:09 p.m., TBS

Michigan State’s improbable run through the NCAA Tournament will face its toughest test so far with a matchup against the Duke Blue Devils, the fourth highest scoring team in the nation. The Blue Devils boast a star-laden lineup, led by Jahlil Okafor, Justise Winslow, and Tyus Jones, that has had its way thus far in the tournament. Michigan State, on the other hand, lost 11 games during the regular season and has one of the worst free throw percentages in the nation, shooting a cringe-worthy 63%. But they still have their miracle-working coach Tom Izzo, who has somehow led an underachieving team to seven Final Fours over 17 years, and their newfound underdog mentality. But they have yet to face a team as technically-sound and talented as Duke, and Michigan State lacks the size and defensive ability to stop Duke’s high powered offensive attack, which will give the Blue Devils yet another appearance in the NCAA Championship game.

            (1) Kentucky vs. (1) Wisconsin, Saturday, April 4, 8:49 p.m., TBS

This battle of number one seeds features a Kentucky team who is undefeated up to this point, sitting at 38-0 on the season. Some had predicted that Kentucky’s momentum would slow during the tournament, citing their lack of tough opponents during the regular season. However, Kentucky has shown no signs of weakness, advancing to their fourth Final Four in five years. They will face their face their toughest contest yet against Wisconsin, a team known for playing clean defense without fouling. Wisconsin fouls the least out of any team in the country, with 12.4 team personal fouls per game. This could make a big impact on Kentucky’s chances to win, as they are 19^th in free throw attempts per game. The Wildcats will have to look for other ways to score on offense which could put pressure on the team to keep up with Wisconsin who shoot the ball well, ranking 21^st in field goal percentage. While it will be a difficult challenge for Kentucky, their raw talent and depth should be enough to advance to the championship.

Duke, Carolina, and State all make Sweet 16

Matt Sholtis
Sports Editor

For the first time in 10 years, N.C. State, UNC, and Duke have all advanced to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament. Not only has this area dominated the tournament this season, but the ACC as a whole has proven that it is the most talented conference in the country. The ACC has tied the record for most teams from one conference in the Sweet 16 with five (NCSU, UNC, Duke, Louisville, Notre Dame). Here is how State, Carolina, and Duke all made it to the Sweet 16.

Scholar Athlete: Anthony Gavazzi

Natalia Ghan
Staff Writer

Anthony Gavazzi

Sport: Cross Country and Track

GPA: 4.98

Best athletic moment: “I was an alternate for the state cross country team, and watching my teammates place third two years in a row at the NCHSAA Cross Country Championship was the best part of my cross country career. Breaking five minutes in the mile for the first time was my most memorable moment in track.”

Favorite athlete: “Erik Salgado. He embodies all the values of sportsmanship while excelling in athletics and academics. He is an excellent runner and has other priorities at the same time.”

Staff picks for March Madness

Michael Lyday, Adam Mancini, Zane Muzzillo, and Matt Sholtis
Features Editor, Staff Writers, and Sports Editor

March Madness is finally upon us. Here are our picks for who will dance on and who will go home empty-handed in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship. The tournament tips off tomorrow at 12:15 p.m. EST with Northeastern taking on Notre Dame. The game will be broadcasted on CBS.

Zane Muzzillo

Matt Sholtis

Adam Mancini

Michael Lyday

NFL free agency update

Cameron Goz
Staff Writer

Free agency began just a few days ago and it took no time for the circus that free agency is to commence. There was no shortage of blockbuster trades, as well as dozens of the NFL’s premium talent changing colors. Here is a rundown of some of the biggest names on the move in these few days:

2015 ACC Tournament

Matt Sholtis
Sports Editor


The 2015 ACC Tournament tips-off in Greensboro this week starting Tuesday afternoon and ending with the championship game Saturday night. This is the first time since 1981 that the tournament will end on a Saturday. The traditional format before expanding the conference was Thursday to Sunday.

UNC and Duke renew their rivalry

Adam Mancini 
Staff Writer

The Duke Blue Devils and UNC Tar Heels will write the next chapter in their storied history Saturday at 9 p.m at the Dean Smith Center. Duke is ranked third in the nation and second in the ACC, while UNC stands at nineteenth in the nation and fifth in the ACC. The two teams already squared off once this season, on February 18 on Duke’s home court. The Blue Devils defeated the Tar Heels 92-90 in overtime in an incredibly hard fought battle.

Wake County Schools add a new sport

Jo Gatlin
Staff Writer


Stunt is a new and growing sport that is very similar to cheerleading. Both cheerleading and stunt have the same athletic skills.  Its competition format and scoring systems are what makes stunt different from cheerleading. Although cheerleading is both a male and female sport, stunt only allows females to participate. Every year the USA Cheer Stunt Competition Committee develops routines and publishes them. Teams compete side by side and participants are awarded points by a panel of judges. The teams are judged on mastery of a set routine, not creativity. Stunt is being considered for NCAA Emerging Sport status and has been designed to meet Title IX's requirements for intercollegiate sports.

NASCAR season revs its engine

Michael Lyday
Features Editor

The NASCAR season kicked off recently with the Budweiser Duel and the Daytona 500 taking place last month. Joey Logano currently holds the lead in points in the Sprint Cup series after winning the Daytona 500 and finishing in the top five in Sunday’s QuikTrip 500. Logano is followed closely by Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, and Dale Earnhardt Jr., each trailing by less than five points.

Points in NASCAR are awarded by finishing position in each race, with first place receiving 47 points and second place receiving 42, and each position lower than second receiving one less point. One extra point is given to the driver who leads the most laps in a race.

The next race on NASCAR’s schedule is the Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway starting at 3:30 on FOX.