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The Student News Site of Millard West High School

The Catalyst

The Student News Site of Millard West High School

The Catalyst

The Student News Site of Millard West High School

The Catalyst

Joseph Ebmeier

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter

Joe is a senior at Millard West and is back for his third year on the staff of the CATalyst and MWHS Wildcat News. This year he looks forward to covering all the sports throughout Millard West. Outside of journalism, Joe enjoys playing baseball, running cross country, and hanging out with his friends.

All content by Joseph Ebmeier
Senior Sadie Millard celebrates after becoming the state champion of the 400 meter dash. Millard finished with a time of 56.80 seconds, and added to a strong showing from the girls team all around. “I couldnt be more proud of my teammates,” Millard said. “Each one of them came out and gave their all in each of their races. We have gotten super close this season and I will always be super proud no matter how they run or what place they get.”

State season

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
May 23, 2022
The Wildcats celebrate a big win earlier in the season against Millard North. This year the Cats finished with a regular season record of 24-5, and they will be a number one seed in their District tournament bracket, however there is always room for improvement. “I think we need to score more runs in the middle innings,” senior Sam Novotny said. “We usually put up runs in the first and last couple innings but I think it would really help if we could put a few more runs on the scoreboard for the middle innings and put more pressure on the other team.”

Postseason bound

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
May 5, 2022
Freshman Brady Ferguson delivers a pitch in a game earlier this season against Millard North. On Tuesday, Ferguson tossed four innings, only allowing one hit and one earned run en route to the win. “I definitely could have done a better job with holding the runners on,” Ferguson said. “It [the win] gives me more motivation to keep earning starts and keep doing my thing now that Im finally getting settled in.”

The best of the West’s

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
April 28, 2022
Senior second baseman Drew Borner tosses the ball to the pitchers mound at the end of an inning against the Millard South Patriots. The Patriots won 9-5.

Millard West Baseball

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
April 13, 2022
Senior goalkeeper Cody Fuller kicks a ball downfield in a game earlier this season. Millard West is now preparing to take on Gretna and have been working on new formations to take down the Dragons. We really focused on formation tactics and making sure everyone knew their role,” Fuller said. “The game against Gretna will be a good challenge of what we’ve been testing out.”

Wildcats hold Monarchs scoreless

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
March 28, 2022
Senior Johnson Lu works the ball up the field in a game last year against South Sioux City. This offseason Lu played on a club team to continue to stay sharp and improve his skills. “I play club so I don’t really have an off-season,” Lu said. “We won state in the fall and we’ve been traveling to places like Phoenix, St. Louis, and South Carolina to play better teams and get more exposure.”

New season, same goal

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
March 16, 2022
Senior Sam Novotny battles against Gretna in the Metro tournament last season. This off season Novotny worked on blocking out the noise and focusing while on the mound. “One of my biggest focuses this off season has been blocking out everything on the mound and really being able to zone in and focus for the whole time I’m on the mound.”

A fresh start

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
March 9, 2022
Sophomore Noah Blair comes out of the tunnel to compete in the State meet. Blair wrestled through four different matches en route to capturing the 182 pound weight class state title. “Yes, absolutely I was confident,” Blair said. “As a freshman I got third at the state tournament and won districts. Im always excited to compete and its a blessing to have the opportunity to even walk or breathe right.”

Wildcats wrestle in State

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
March 3, 2022
Junior Elizabeth Hoffman looks to find her open teammate. She helped the Wildcats capture their second straight win by notching eight points, four assists, and three rebounds. The Wildcats will look to continue their strong run tonight against Millard North. “We just need to continue to improve both our defense and offense,” Hoffman said. “Weve been doing a good job of knowing who we need to focus on defensively on other teams, and we also need to continue to figure out what kinds of offense will work against other teams defenses.”

Wildcats face off with Dragons

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
February 10, 2022
Freshman Norah Gessert shoots a free throw late in the third quarter. Gessert totaled 10 points as well as a rebound and assist. The big win gives them confidence as they get ready for a big rivalry game against Millard South. “The girls know we can compete with anyone in the state,” head coach Marc Kruger said. “We just havent been able to break through and finish off a really good opponent. Hopefully this game can serve as a lesson that we cant take possessions off and need to be ready to play our brand of basketball for all four quarters.”

Wildcats battle the Bulldogs

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
January 27, 2022
Junior Peyton Moore(12) battles inside the paint as he was the Wildcats leading scorer in the game. Millard West utilized a fast offensive start and a lot of energy to boost them to a win over Roncalli, with a tough game coming up against Bellevue West they will need all the momentum they can get. “We really came out with energy after not playing on Friday,” Moore said. “We are going to try and carry this little bit of momentum we have got right now and have a great week of practice and prepare for Bellevue West.”

Wildcats roll past Roncalli

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
January 20, 2022
Junior Peyton Moore looks for a path to the basket, he totaled 11 points on two of three shooting from the field, as well as sinking seven free throws. Although the Wildcats offense was able to put up a decent amount of points, a tough third quarter both offensively and defensively hindered the Wildcats chances to come away with a victory. “They came out in the second half with a lot of energy and they used that to their advantage,” Moore said. “We also had some empty offensive possessions in the third and they also took advantage of that.”

Wildcats get caught in the Storm

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
January 13, 2022
The Millard West Girls Wrestling team takes on a dual with Marian. With this being the first year of the team they hope to improve and better their skills throughout the season. “My goal for the whole team is to better themselves every day,” senior Macy Klein said. “Wrestling is demanding, physically and mentally,  and I believe that it will make all of us exceptionally better people and leaders. It will show, and has shown, that each of us are strong, capable and resilient no matter the circumstances.”

Girls on the mat

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
December 14, 2021
Senior Reese Kolar dribbles the ball out the court. Kolar totaled 12 points on four for four shooting behind the three point line, however, with many new faces on the Wildcats team the win means more than personal stats. “For almost all of us, this is our first time playing real varsity minutes,” Kolar said. “It was important to get the first-game nerves out of the way. It feels great to be growing closer together as a team and to get a win. Were learning each others skills and its beginning to translate into success.”

Bouncing back

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
December 10, 2021
The teams wait at the starting line for the gun to be fired. In such a big and competitive meet runners are dealing with a lot of emotions throughout the race. “It was a little nerve racking,” sophomore Jack Witte said. “It was a fun experience and I got to see competition from all over and got to see how I compared to lots of great runners. Overall it was a fun, different, and cool experience.”

Running in Regionals

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
November 18, 2021
The Millard West Varsity Volleyball team came up just short of capturing the state title. Although they came up just short their season was nothing short of spectacular and many memories were made throughout it. “I am so grateful to have the season we did as a senior, this year by far was my favorite year out of my four years being on varsity,” senior Ella Hazen said. “All 12 of us girls bonded like no other and we always had the best time with each other on and off the court. Sad to say that it is over but I am super proud of each and every girl on the team. We couldn’t have accomplished what we did without every player.”

Coming up just short

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
November 11, 2021
Senior Chase Hultman rushes the ball late in the game. Hultman had a very solid game, totaling three touchdowns and 196 rushing yards on 25 carries. “I would like to think we have had success running the ball all year,” assistant coach William Sadowski said. “Coach Pete has done a good job calling plays and the offensive line has put forth work.”

Going out on top

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
October 29, 2021
Senior Ava Rongisch had a clutch two run single to tie up the game in the third inning. Although the Wildcats ended up losing this game, it taught them plenty of lessons they can use during the last few games of the season. “These last few games we can work on playing through adversity and when things aren’t going well, and how we respond,” Rongisch said. “The game is all about failure, but it’s what you do after that’ll make you better.”

Wildcats can’t keep up with Monarchs

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
September 30, 2021
The Millard West boys varsity team poses for pictures after bringing home first place in the meet. Each runner competed very well and all seven of them finished inside of the top 35. “We were very very happy with the win,” Fey said. “We beat regionally ranked teams that we had no clue about how good they were until the gun went off. We also know that we’re looking good to win the state championship and maybe finish top two team wise at Nike Cross Regionals to be the first Nebraska team to ever make Nike Cross Nationals.”

Success in the Heartland

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
September 23, 2021
Seniors Seth Fey and Sam Kirchner finished within two seconds of each other and ran with each other throughout the race. They pushed each other throughout the race and were determined to stay up front. “Sam and I don’t like to lose to other teams,” senior Seth Fey said. “When we are next to each other in a race we stick to one another and try to break away from the other teams.We always help motivate and push each other to achieve limits we couldn’t do before.”

Wildcats race to the finish

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
September 10, 2021
As the Wildcats prepare for their tough close to the regular season there are many things they can work on. The team needs to learn from their mistakes in the seventh innings of this game and use them to improve. “We need to pitch well and play good defense,” Frey said. “Not give up free bases and make them earn their runs.  We need to produce runs when we have runners in scoring position.”

Wildcats take a devastating loss

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
April 23, 2021
Senior Corbin Hawkins had a big game against Skutt; he went 2-3 on the day with a stolen base and two runs scored. “I’ve just been trying to have competitive at bats,” Hawkins said. “Winning those 1-2, 2-2 and 3-2 counts, to apply pressure on the pitcher and defense.”

Soaring past the SkyHawks

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
April 2, 2021
Sophomore Piercze Marshall (lane one) awaits his leg of the 4x400 relay. There was fierce competition in this event and it took a lot of preparation. “I put in countless hours over the winter training for track, and during the spring, Ive been training even harder,” Marshall said. “Having goals and benchmarks set for each week leading up to this meet allowed me to place as well as I did.”

Off to a fast start

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
March 26, 2021
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most sports were forced to play games with empty stadiums to keep all players, coaches and staff safe. The atmosphere from the time we came out of the tunnel was unlike anything any of us have felt, said New England Patriots cornerback Jason McCourty. “You cant really envision what an NFL game is like without fans. This felt more like a high school scrimmage.”

A year to remember

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
March 19, 2021
Noah Blair for Millard West wrestled hard against his opponent Angel Mejia from Fremont. Blair was able to pin Mejia for the win, adding to the Wildcats success throughout the dual. “Overall I think our team performed great, we won our last dual of the year and I cant wait to see what districts hold for us this weekend followed by the state next week. Of course we were happy in the moment with our win, but we came back with that winners mentality the next day, there’s always room for improvement and we all know it.”

Wildcats take down the Tigers

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
February 19, 2021
Sophomore Libby Hoffman dribbles past a Lincoln east defender. Hoffman had six points, as well as one assist throughout the game. “Ive been successful scoring the ball this season because my teammates are always able to find me when Im open, which allows me to get more shots up to score,” Hoffman said. “Ive also spent a lot of time outside of practice trying to perfect my shot to make it more accurate.”

Spartans defeat the Wildcats

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
February 5, 2021
Alabama is pictured celebrating after a perfect season capped off with a National Championship victory. “I’m so happy for the team,” Saban said. “Their will, their spirit and their willingness to compete and do the things they needed to do to be the kind of team they could be.”

Alabama does it again

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
January 29, 2021
Kirk gets set for his next turn to bowl. He competed in game one and scored a 149, as well as helping the team to a combined score of 172 in the Baker game. In the Baker game the team was able to work well together giving them the final points they needed to secure the victory. “Our teams work really well together,” Smith said. “They cheer each other on when theyre bowling well, and they encourage each other if someone is struggling. Their attitudes are a big factor of their success.”

Dominating down the lane

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
December 17, 2020
The 2020 MLB MVP awards went to José Abreu(left) and Freddie Freeman(right). Both guys had incredible seasons and put up incredible numbers. They were well deserving of the award and their names will be cemented in history as the Most Valuable Player.

Elites of the year

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
November 19, 2020
The Millard West Unified Bowling team had a great start to the season last Saturday. They were able to wrap up a third and fifth place finish. They have big aspirations for the season and believe they can achieve a lot.

Wildcats roll into first invite

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
November 12, 2020
When Novotny committed to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to play college baseball, he knew it would be one of the biggest decisions of his life. He wanted to go to a college where he would be able to grow as a baseball player as well as a student as well. “Picking my college was definitely a big decision,” pitcher Sam Novotny said. “I think that I like Nebraska so much because I like the big campus. I also like their business building and program.”

Not far from home

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
November 6, 2020
This year the Lincoln skies will not be filled with balloons after Nebraska scores its first touchdown of each home game. There will only be family members of the players allowed to attend the game but fans will still be supporting the Cornhuskers in any way they can.

Nebraska football takes the field

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
October 23, 2020
Senior Dekyan Behrens works up a hilly portion of the course enroute to a second place finish. He was proud of the way he competed and the race he had. “It was also a great day personally, finishing second place was amazing although it wasnt a P.R. (personal record) it was an overall great experience and a great memory made with the XC (cross country) team,” Behrens said.

Tournament Season begins

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
October 19, 2020
The Millard West boys varsity team starts the race out strong. The Wildcats’ were able to start this race strong which allowed them to stay up front the entire race. “The start is one of the most crucial parts of the race, and could be argued the most important part,” Marshall said. “A good start is needed in order to get a good placement because being out in the front of the pack allows for better pacing, and it is easier to pass people ahead of you when you arent in a large group.”

The strong run continues

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
September 21, 2020
The time has come and gone for Rob Manfred to be the MLB commissioner. For the good of the game, the teams need to get together and vote this man out of the league before he ruins the sport forever.

Manfraud

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
September 10, 2020
Junior Sam Kirchner(left) and sophomore Joey Hartnett(right) are coming up the final stretch of the course. They ran with each other throughout the race, pushing each other to go faster and stay up front. “I think we had a nice pack,” Kirchner said. “Our top 5 were within  7.99 seconds of each other, and our goal was 15 seconds. I am very happy with that.”

Covid conference meet

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
September 4, 2020
On Tuesday August 11, Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports broke the news that the Big 10 was to cancel the fall sports season and they would attempt to play the season in the spring.

Trouble without Big 10

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
August 28, 2020
The Wildcats hype up their teammates before they take the court. Conway (42) ran through his teammates tunnel onto the court before the game. The Wildcats have great team chemistry and work well as a group and that leads to a successful turnout on the court.

Wildcats pounce on Panthers

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
December 19, 2019
Bowen is pictured getting ready for her next turn to bowl in a meet. The team is behind her, cheering her on and hoping she does well.

Wildcats strike again

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
December 13, 2019
Nebraska is pictured running out after the tunnel walk.  Scott Frost leads them onto the field to take on their next opponent.  The team hasn’t been playing the greatest  but the tunnel walk always gets everyone pumped up.

A Frost-y topic

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
November 26, 2019
The Washington Nationals are pictured dog-pilling on the mound after winning their first World Series championship in team history. From now on, they will be called the best team of the 2019 MLB season.

Fall Classic

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
November 1, 2019
The varsity boys team gets a great start and runs together as a pack. “The team goal was definitely to get first overall,” Kirchner said. “We also all wanted to PR (personal record).” The Wildcats needed to get a great start to succeed in the meet. They also know the importance of running in a pack, because this allows them to push each other to run faster.

Wildcats Win

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
October 11, 2019
Netflix has chosen to cancel over ten of it’s most popular shows and this has fans cancelling subscriptions.

Cancelled

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
October 3, 2019
These are the looks of the Iphone 11(top) and the 11 Pro(bottom).  It’s easy to see why I’m hating the camera design, right?

Time to upgrade?

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
September 25, 2019
Overflowing trash cans is one of many problems that the current companies neglect to change. With the FCC’s new plan hopefully overflowing cans along with all the other issues will go away.

Trash talk

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
September 16, 2019
Sophomore Evan Vaslow flies by as he works through the race.  Vaslow is pictured here about half way through the race, right at about the five mile mark.  “The race was a challenge,” Vaslow said.  “But I was able to push through it and take it down.”

Summer runner

Joseph Ebmeier, Staff Reporter
September 5, 2019
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