News:

The Sagamore won first place for Excellence in News Writing and received a third place honorable mention for Excellence in Editorial Writing at Suffolk University’s 42nd annual Greater Boston High School Newspaper Competition Banquet and Awards Ceremony on Thursday, March 29. There were 34 competing newspapers from the state of Massachusetts, including Newton North High School’s The Newtonite and Newton South High School’s The Lion’s Roar, both of which were runners up for the prestigious Excellence in News Writing award.

Arts:

On April 4 and 5, the Jazz band, led by Carolyn Castellano, will perform in the Roberts-Dubbs Auditorium.  The set list includes a variety of songs the band worked on throughout the year, including

“Cannibal Resource” by The Dirty Projectors, “Pyramid” by Duke Ellington, and “Over the Rainbow” made famous in The Wizard of Oz.  Tickets cost $5, and refreshments will be served.

A Capella Fest, the annual concert that showcases the school’s four a cappella groups, was held this weekend, on Friday, March 30 and Saturday, March 31 in the Tappan Gymnasium’s dance studio. Under conductor Mike Driscoll’s direction, A Capella Choir, and student run groups

Note-a-fy, Perfect Pitch and Testostatones performed a cappella classics and popular hits, including songs by Lionel Richie and The Jackson 5. The groups also incorporated a variety of new songs into the performance including “Your Love is My Drug” by Ke$ha and “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison. Note-a-fy collaborated with senior Ben Sherak for a cover of Kanye West’s “Dark Fantasy.”  The improv troupe Needs Improvment also performed, infusing dramatic energy into a fun-filled show.

Sports:

On March 19, math teacher Mark Fiedor stepped down as head coach of the varsity basketball team after 11 seasons as head coach, but stressed that this is not a retirement.

“I am still coaching during the summer, and I run a camp down at Thayer Academy,” said Fiedor. “I am not leaving the building, I am just changing my focus.”

Fiedor explained that the when he started coaching, it was not about the basketball, but about the opportunity to influence teenagers. Over time his priorities started to shift and that has made it hard for him to coach.

“The reason that basketball had worked for me was because everything else was in order. What I realized was that everything over time had flipped around, and my faith and my family and my marriage were all getting leftovers, they were sort of at the bottom. Basketball, and pursuing the next win had become dominant and that is not why I got into this. When your priorities are flipped-flopped it makes it hard for you to have a clear conscience, and actually go and do your job and do it the way I believe it should be done, and that’s the bottom line,” Fiedor said.

As head coach of the varsity basketball team Fiedor had a record of 150-94, including winning three Bay State Titles and two Eastern Massachusetts Championships. Nineteen of Fiedor’s former athletes went on to play college basketball, and two players, Jeff Adrien and Adoyah Evans-Miller, play professionally.