President Jimmy Epting poses with Leah Ann Gravely, senior interdisciplinary studies, after she was crowned Miss North Greenville University 2010. (Photo by Jenny Farnham)

The stage set, popcorn popped, judges seated, contestants nervous, crown polished and all is ready for an eventful night. The “Let’s Go To The Movies” themed Miss North Greenville University Pageant took place in Turner Chapel Saturday evening. Family, friends and fans created an exciting atmosphere as they waited anxiously for their contestant’s chance to shine.

Leah Ann Gravely, senior interdisciplinary studies, was named Miss NGU with a platform to increase awareness of foreign languages.

“I want to dive into the elementary schools and just try to push a foreign language program,” Gravely said.

As she gathered on stage with her fellow finalists and family for photographs, Gravely was grateful and excited about her new reign.

“It feels surreal. I’ve done pageants before and I haven’t done one in three years, so I wasn’t expecting to win,” Gravely said.

The finalists were awarded a scholarship, plaque, roses and a hug from NGU President Dr. Jimmy Epting and Autumn McAbee, Miss NGU 2009. Meredith Limbaugh, senior mass communication, won fourth runner-up. Third runner-up was awarded to Lindsey Chambers, senior secondary education in English language arts..

“Meeting the girls I otherwise wouldn’t have come in contact with was my favorite part. We had a positive attitude toward each other, we lifted each other up and prayed for each other,” Chambers said after the pageant.

Second runner-up was earned by Christina Grace Bryson, freshman intercultural studies.

“The pageant has been one of the best experiences of my life so far. And I can’t wait to continue taking part in it,” Gravely said.

Lauren Dorrity, senior business administration, won first runner-up.

Chambers was voted Miss Photogenic and was also awarded for being best in the interview process held before the pageant, worth 25 percent. The Community Support Award was earned by Gravely for her sponsorships. Bryson was awarded the Artistic Expression Award and Miss Congeniality. Dorrity was awarded the Lifestyle and Fitness award, which was judged before the pageant.

Other contestants were Amy Skaggs, freshman print media, Andi Evans, junior broadcast, Lauren Beddingfield, freshman youth ministries, Sarah Judge, junior marketing, Amanda Styles, freshman elementary/early childhood education and Lauren Jones, freshman print media.

As her goodbye to the crown and title of Miss NGU, Autumn McAbee sang “Anyway” and shared pictures of experience a queen.

“It’s a bittersweet emotion because it’s been such a blessed year, but I know that the Lord is going to continue to use Miss NGU as a witness,” McAbee said.

The opening number “Let’s Go To The Movies” was performed by the NGU Vocal Ensemble, McAbee, Palmetto Princesses Ashley Farmer and Sarah Kate Walker, Palmetto Prince Austin Walker, and the highlight of the night Miss NGU 2010 Contestants. Halie Johnson, senior elementary education, choreographed this number. During the performance each contestant introduced themselves to the cheering audience and curious judges.

Sharon Johnson, this year’s emcee, was then introduced to the audience. Johnson is an adjunct professor at NGU and was very enthusiastic about the pageant.

“My job is the easy one. I’m glad I’m not the one having to judge all these lovely ladies,” Johnson said as the pageant proceeded.

The first competition for the 11 contestants was the Artistic Expression in Talent. This was worth 35 percent of the total score. Each lady had 90 seconds to showcase the talent of her choice. Vocal performances, lyrical dances, piano playing and a Comical Monologue kept the audience entertained.

(Photo by Jenny Farnham)

Presence and Poise in Evening Wear and the On-Stage Question followed. The questions varied from “What is the most difficult thing you have gone through in your life,” to “How would you promote healthy eating?” The question was weighted 5 percent in the total score. Evening Wear was 20 percent.

While the scores were being tallied McAbee and her Palmetto Prince and Princesses performed “Can’t Wait To Be Queen” taken from Lion King in honor of the participants that waited nervously backstage for the final results.

Pageant coordinator Pam Farmer encourages NGU females to participate in this pageant.

“It’s a great opportunity to earn a scholarship and a great opportunity to share your witness to others,” Farmer said.

Keep a look out for Leah Ann Gravely and her new ministry as our queen. Pray for her as she represents North Greenville University, Where Christ Makes The Difference, in the Miss South Carolina pageant.

In 2008, North Carolina hardcore band Advent released its debut album Remove The Earth on Solid State Records. This debut album shook the hardcore scene and brought new life to hardcore.

Hardcore had started to become mundane and many bands just sounded like every other hardcore band, but not Advent. They broke the mold and invented a unique sound that is a bit reminiscent of bands like All Out War and Turmoil but still has a sound of their own. After Remove The Earth, Advent started doing short tours in support of the album. Their live show and overall tightness as a band earned a pretty big following and fan base in the southeast.

A year after the release of Remove The Earth, the band started writing and recording rough demos for the sophomore release, Naked And Cold. After a few release date delays, the album was finally released on Sept. 8. For a lot of people, including myself, this was one of the most anticipated hardcore albums of 2009 and it has definitely lived up to those anticipations.

Naked And Cold is 13 tracks of raw emotion, crushing melodies and brutal breakdowns. The lyrics of this album are also amazing. Vocalist Joe Mustin is not only a phenomenal vocalist, but is also an incredible lyricist. A great example of this is found on the track “Revival.” This is by far my favorite track on the album mainly because of the lyrics. On this track Austin talks about how we need a revival in our lives and in this world. My favorite line in this song is “There is a cry from deep within our broken hearts for You to meet us here. And as we gather in this place, Lord send Your Spirit to ignite the flames of revival.”

Not only are the lyrics of this album incredible, but the music itself is some of the heaviest songs I have heard in a very long time. The track “Overcome” on this album has everything I want from a hardcore song: blazing fast guitar riffs, energetic two-step parts, gang vocals and of course, foot stomping breakdowns.

Also, if you ever have the chance to see Advent live, do not miss out! Their live show is top notch. The band is always extremely energetic and if you love to hardcore dance, then Advent has everything you want in a live show. They will actually be playing at The Channel in Greenville towards the end of November, so be on the look out for that.

Overall, this album is one of the best hardcore releases I have heard in the last year. If you love extremely heavy music with raw and passionate vocals, then Naked And Cold by Advent is definitely an album you should check out.

The many clubs on the campus of North Greenville offer diversity and a chance for students to gain experience in the fields that they are diligently studying.

The Club de Español is no different. The club offers students a chance to practice their Spanish conversation skills and have fun learning more of the language with other students.

But students do not have to be Spanish majors to join the club. Students studying anything from business to mass communication are welcome to join.

This semester, Christina Bradford, senior history, is the president and Joanna Searcy, junior interdisciplinary studies, is the vice-president.

The Club de Español, which started in 2006, typically meets in the Averyt-Wood building in room 103. The club members plan to meet on the third Tuesday of each month from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Their first meeting was on Sept. 21 with meetings on Oct. 20 and Nov. 17 to follow.

At the Oct. 20 meeting, the club will be laying out plans for a Hispanic meal that will be served at the following meeting in November.

There are many ministry opportunities available to students who can speak Spanish. Taylors First Baptist Church in nearby Taylors holds a free clinic and needs assistance from Spanish speakers to help interpret for local Hispanic people when they come for medical attention.

Cherrydale Baptist Church in Greenville is also requesting the help of those who can converse in Spanish to help with its food ministry. The church holds its food ministry on Wednesday evenings.

Club members also have an additional opportunity to practice their Spanish by participating in the Tertulia at Einstein’s Bros. Bagels on Thursdays at 7 p.m. At the Tertulia, students have the chance to converse in Spanish at length.

In past semesters, international students and students whose families are missionaries in Spanish-speaking countries have participated in the club through panels. Club members were able to ask the panelists questions about growing up in various Hispanic cultures.

The club has also had the opportunity in the past to volunteer by tutoring Hispanic children in the community.

As of now, the club is small, but with more publicity, the members hope that the club will grow and be able to gain more participation from the student body.

Professors Diaz and Deal are the primary faculty advisors for the club. Professors Prieto, Walker and Warren have also attended and assisted in the past.

This Club de Español is an excellent way for students that can speak any level of Spanish to come and practice with fellow students and faculty. Even though the club has already starting meeting this semester, anyone is still welcome to come and join.

The North Greenville football team had the players, the defense and the effort. The one thing missing from that equation was the offense. The offense finally silenced the naysayers this weekend as the Crusaders defeated Edward Waters 28-0 on Saturday in Jacksonville, Fla.

Both the Crusaders and the Tigers came into the game with records of 0-5 looking for their first win of the season. The Tigers had high hopes that they would beat the Crusaders for the first time in their history and pick up their first win of the season. Unfortunately for the Edward Waters Tigers, history has a tendency to repeat itself.

The Crusaders came out of the gate sputtering on offense again, and it looked like the Crusaders were going to have another sub par game on offense. North Greenville coach Jamey Chadwell gave Aaron Seigler, sophomore business, the reigns on offense on the next drive, and from there the Crusaders scored a season-high 21 points.

All three touchdowns come by way of Siegler, two rushing and one passing. The Crusaders finished the game with 296 yards of total offense, with 263 of those yards coming on the ground. Both were season highs, but they also finished the game with a season-high eight fumbles, but only lost three.

Running back Montez Hatten, sophomore business, finished the game with a season-high 130 yards on 18 carries. Even though the offense played well, you cannot have a shut out without the defense playing great as well.

The Crusader defense held the Tigers to 239 yards of total offense, forcing five turnovers while pitching their first shutout of the year. The defense was put into some tough spots throughout the game, but always found a way to turn away the Tiger offense.

The play of the game on defense had to be when cornerback Jamarius Robinson, sophomore business, snagged the Crusaders’ second interception of the game and returned it 64 yards for a touchdown, giving the Crusaders a 21-0 lead going into halftime.

Damian Wright, graduate student, led the team with five tackles. Nick Rosomanda, sophomore sport management, and Andre Bernardi, senior sport management, each finished with 4.5 tackles. The Crusader football team felt like this was the break they had been looking for all season.

“It was good to see the offense put it together and finally win one. Hopefully, we can keep it going and finish the season strong,” wide receiver Mychal Cannon, sophomore sport management, said.

The Crusaders have their toughest game to date this Thursday against the third-ranked North Alabama Lions at 8 p.m. The Lions are coached by Terry Bowden, the younger brother of former Clemson coach Tommy Bowden and the son of Florida State coach Bobby Bowden, and are heavily favored in this game.

“This will be our toughest game of the season, but it is college football so anything can happen. But I’m looking forward to playing them,” cornerback Antwan Glenn, junior print media, said.

The Crusader Outdoor Adventure and Recreation club is not new to North Greenville. Formerly called the Adventure Club, this organization is centered on getting students to go outdoors and get involved with activities with the school that are quite different from the regular classroom lectures.

This year, the club is trying to turn over a new leaf. In the past, it had problems with membership numbers and student interest. Now the club is under new leadership and seems to be off to a great start. On Sept. 28, COAR hosted a kick-off party to raise awareness of the club, and they seem to have succeeded. Thirty students showed up to Climb @Blue Ridge to participate in free rock climbing,
live music and free food.

COAR’s meetings are not exactly what you would expect from a student-led organization. They do not meet in empty classrooms or in the courtyards. In fact, they don’t even have a set time for when they are going to meet. Students get word of the once-a-month meetings through events and groups on Facebook, along with word of mouth. These meetings are opportunities for hands-on activities. The gatherings take place in the outdoors, either by a river or out in the woods. They are hoping to have at least one major weekend activity a month, with day trips scattered throughout to keep the more time-consumed members active and able to participate.

A rock climbing trip is already being planned for an upcoming adventure. They will be traveling to Linville Gorge where they will camp and rock climb at some of the best locations in the Southeast. This will be an advantageous trip for rock climbing beginners. Participants will be able to learn basic skills such as master point anchor systems and belaying, along with much more.

Enjoy the beautiful scenery of the fall season? COAR is also planning a canoeing trip across Lake Jocassee. Using only what they can pack into their boats, they will paddle up to an island and camp there. This will give the members opportunities to learn about the basics of canoeing along with backcountry cooking.

One of the day trips that is in the works for November is a trip to the Green River Narrows Race to watch the kayakers battle the rapids and race to the finish.

President of COAR and senior outdoor leadership major Jae Ellison says the club has a passion for sharing the love of the wilderness to other students.

“One of our goals is to not only provide outdoor adventures, but to also empower students with the knowledge necessary to pursue their own adventures,” Ellison said.

For updates on activities and to get involved with COAR, join their Facebook group (listed as Crusader Outdoor Adventure & Recreation), follow them on Twitter (twitter.com/NGUCOAR), or email them at NorthGreenvilleCOAR@gmail.com.

The women’s soccer team dispatched Truett McConnell 2-1 on the road in Cleveland, Ga., Friday night to improve its record to 6-3-0. Leah Ward, junior sport management, and Rebecca Stidham, junior health and wellness, each netted goals for the Lady Crusaders.

“It is always nice to win on the road, and it gives us momentum going into our next match,” North Greenville coach Jesse McCormick said.

The North Greenville defense has only allowed eight goals in nine games this season. Emily Pittman, junior sport management, assisted Stidham’s goal.

North Greenville will travel to Due West, S.C., tomorrow at 6 p.m. to face Erskine, a team ranked fifth in Conference Carolinas. The Lady Crusaders are 2-1 against Conference Carolinas opponents this season and will have a chance to improve their record when they face St. Andrews, also a Conference Carolinas school, next Tuesday at 4 p.m. in Tigerville.

The men’s soccer team took Anderson into double overtime but conceded a golden goal and fell 3-2 Friday night in Anderson. Jonathan Restrepo, junior international business, and Seth Snyder, senior business, each netted a goal, while Chandler Patterson, sophomore media ministry, and Benjamin Bosco, freshman mathematics, assisted on the goals.

“I’m disappointed that we didn’t get at least a tie out of it, but honestly I don’t think our guys could have played any better,” North Greenville coach Chad Gfeller said. “They were all over the place. This team has only lost once all year, so to be in position to win at the end of the game says a lot about how far our program has come.”

Anderson (8-1-1), a team whose 11 starters hail from seven different countries, increased its home unbeaten streak to 16 games. Max Duarte, senior marketing, missed a shot off the crossbar in the fourth minute, but the Trojans had most of the chances in the first half. Crusaders goalkeeper Justen Braddock, freshman sport management, made four saves in the half to keep the score tied 0-0 at halftime.

Anderson’s Ben Jones scored in the 52nd minute, but three minutes later a Trojan player received his second yellow card of the match. North Greenville took advantage of playing with an extra man, and Snyder found the back of the net just minutes after the red card was shown by the referee.

With 9:10 remaining in the match, Restrepo headed in a cross from Bosco and celebrated in front of a vocal band of traveling Crusader fans. The Trojans’ Ryan Messick scored with five minutes left to tie the game, and Lasse Sohrweide scored the winner in the second overtime.

“This is probably the toughest team we will face the rest of the season, so if we play with the intensity we did tonight, we have a chance to finish the season really well,” Gfeller said.

North Greenville will face Mars Hill Friday at 7 p.m. at Pepsi Stadium. The Crusaders will play five of their remaining six games at home.

What do you get when you mix a paramedic with crazy speed and strength, an indestructible college freshman, a 20-something Asian man that can travel through time and a middle aged man that wears horn-rimmed glasses? Heroes. NBC’s phenomenon returned last Monday with a two-hour premiere that left fans speechless and wanting more, though that feeling isn’t uncommon when watching any episode.

Now in its fourth season, Heroes has garnered a loyal fan base that continues to grow with each season. For the newcomers, there are a few things one must know to keep from getting completely lost. The show is about ordinary people who discover that they have extraordinary powers: regeneration, super speed and strength, time traveling, mind reading and more.

There are many characters in the show, including Peter Petrelli, who is the paramedic; Claire Bennett, now a college freshman who is still known as “the cheerleader;” Matt Parkman, a cop who can get inside people’s minds; and Hiro, the Asian who can travel and stop time. Ando is Hiro’s friend who can shoot red lightning; Nathan Petrelli is Peter’s older brother who has multiple powers; Angela Petrelli is their mom, who dreams into the future; Tracy Strauss freezes anything she touches; and Noah Bennett is Claire’s dad, who is just a normal man without any powers.

The main villain is Sylar; he steals other’s powers by killing them, which in turn can give him any power he wants. In each season his death is attempted, but he always finds a way to escape it. Other than Sylar, a new potential villain named Samuel came onto the scene Monday in the form of one who travels with a carnival. His power was unclear.

The characters are the most difficult aspect of the show to keep up with since each episode can’t focus on every character at the same time. Despite having super-human abilities, they aren’t immortal, so the viewer must remember who gets killed off and which new characters are added in to avoid confusion.

The plot of each season differs from the last, making it easy for new viewers to get absorbed in the show. In season one, the heroes had to save the world. In season two, they had to keep a deadly virus from being released. Last season a formula was being developed that would give normal people “abilities,” and those who already had these “abilities” were seen as a threat, so the government was hunting them down.

Of course, Heroes is never exactly to the point, but that’s where its attraction lies: it is one of those shows that begs to be figured out, but just when the viewer thinks he knows what is going to happen, the unexpected occurs. So do not plan anything for Monday nights at 8 p.m.—you are going to be too busy trying to figure out the next theory behind one of the most riveting shows on network television.

Dr. Deborah DeCiantis talks with students as they look over poplular literature duing The Mountain Laurel's writing and art conference. (Photo by Elizabeth Wood)

Every evening from Sept. 28 to Oct. 1, student authors, poets, artists and literary enthusiasts were invited to attend a writer’s conference hosted by North Greenville University’s literary magazine, The Mountain Laurel.

Each session of the four-day conference featured an author from a different genre of literature. The final night of the conference also included a workshop for visual artists taught by NGU art professor Elena Sonbok Lee.

All four evenings began with a brief time to allow students to meet the featured authors and help themselves to coffee and refreshments provided by The Mountain Laurel. For the main part of the evening, the authors gave students instruction and advice on the various parts of their craft. Each evening ended with a workshop allowing students to present, discuss and critique their writing.

The writer’s conference began on Monday night with a session on nonfiction writing taught by Dr. Richard Blackaby, coauthor of Experiencing God and author of Unlimiting God, Putting a Face on Grace and many other Christian nonfiction works.

Blackaby emphasized the importance of finding a message and developing a unique and effective way of conveying that message. Blackaby also encouraged students to observe and write about everyday life with a fresh perspective.

“Life’s not always about just the really spectacular things that happen now and then. It’s…about how wonderful ordinary things in life are, we just don’t see it,” Blackaby said.

On Tuesday night Dr. Gregory Bruce, professor of English and poetry, led the conference session on poetry. Bruce used Psalm 49:3b-4 to inspire students to find their voices and to develop as Christian poets. He focused on the roles of music and praise in poetry and emphasized poetry as a means of giving understanding and expressing the poet’s heart.

Wednesday night’s workshop on fiction writing was led by Mandy Goff, author of two-soon-to-be-published inspirational romances. Goff gave students tips on writing successfully and on navigating the publishing world. She explained the aspects of a well-written novel and encouraged students to be persistent and disciplined in their writing.

The conference wrapped up on Thursday night with sessions on children’s fiction and visual art. Children’s author Samantha Bell gave students advice on how to polish and publish children’s literature. She encouraged aspiring authors to attend conferences and classes, to join critique groups and, most importantly, to write what they love and to never give up.

Lee shared her work and artistic expertise with students in the art session. She brought paint supplies to give students a hands-on experience during the workshop. Lee encouraged students to discuss the elements of art and pointed out that art was all around them, in fashion, in design and in everyday objects.

According to Mountain Laurel editor Christopher “Gia” Gianakas, senior interdisciplinary studies, the purpose of the conference was twofold.

“It’s first of all to improve your work, to be able to come here and talk to professionals, to get tips, to get ideas, or to be motivated,” he said. “Our second big objective though is for you to… take what these people have told you and submit….We’re out there to teach something, but we also want to pull something away for our magazine as well.”

The Mountain Laurel will be accepting student literature and art submissions until Nov. 20.

The Crusader golf team traveled to Greenville, Tenn.,  on Sept. 8 in hopes of continuing its strong play at the Tusculum Fall Classic. North Greenville had a tough first day in the two-day tournament but played well on day two to finish seventh overall.

Brad Caldwell, senior sport management, continued his strong play in the 2009 season, finishing 19th overall in the individual standings.

“It wasn’t our best tournament and we know that,” Pittillo said, “but I am proud of the guys for coming out and improving on the second day.”

On day one of the tournament, the Crusaders battled windy conditions, which led to a tough day on the course and a ninth- place finish at the end of the day.

Caldwell and Brandon Coggins, senior elementary education, led North Greenville on the first day, each shooting a 75.

Danny Dippel, freshman sport management, shot a 77 while Andrew Beck, junior business administration, and Richard Smith, junior marketing, shot 78 and 80, respectively.

“The weather kind of messed with us on day one” head coach Jeff Pittillo said “We took what we learned on the first day and tried to improve on day two.”

The weather conditions improved on the tournament’s second day, and so did the Crusader’s scores. North Greenville improved five strokes from the first day and finished the tournament with a team total of 605.

Caldwell shot a 73 on day two to finish 19th overall with a tournament total of 148. Other individual scores from the final day were Beck and Smith who each shot 75, Dippel who shot a 77 and Coggins who finished with a disappointing 81.

North Greenville has a two-week layoff before traveling down to Panama Beach, Fla., for the NCCAA National Championships, which will be played on Oct. 12 and 13.

Brand New Eyes could have a multitude of meanings, but in this case it is the name of Paramore’s newest album. The fiery quintet hailing from Franklin, Tenn., released their newest eleven-track album on Sept. 29.

Brand New Eyes is a follow-up to 2007’s RIOT!, which sold more than two million copies worldwide and gave fans the explosive singles “Crushcrushcrush” and “That’s What You Get.” After such an impressive sophomore release, one can imagine the difficulty in giving fans yet another album worthy of such praise.

Brand New Eyes is very different from RIOT!, both lyrically and musically.

“I hope that every record is a progression for us, but this one is definitely a huge leap from RIOT!,” Paramore’s front woman Hayley Williams said on the band’s Web site.

Instead of the usual rock anthems that fans have become accustomed to, this album’s songs are more thought-provoking lyrically speaking. Musically, Brand New Eyes is more diverse than either of the band’s two previous albums. A few tracks are reminiscent of the rock numbers of RIOT!, while others are sure to be hits on pop radio, and still others borrow influences from indie bands like Death Cab for Cutie.

Fans seem to have mixed reactions concerning the newest addition to the Paramore discography.

“So far I like it, but it’s not what I expected,” Kady Culbertson, a loyal Paramore fan and Southern Weselyn University student, said.

“I think that the new album is a great addition to Paramore’s already amazing music. I really appreciate the intensity that they brought to this album,” Patrick Bailey, sophomore christian studies, said.

So, the diversity of Brand New Eyes is not bad, it is just different and unexpected. This makes listening to the album all the way through exciting since listeners never know what they will hear next.

The album’s first single, “Ignorance,” is the one track that sounds the most like RIOT!. “The Only Exception” is a love song written in indie fashion, while “Misguided Ghosts” also sounds very indie, but is a really raw, heartfelt track. “Playing God” is about judging others and in the chorus says, “Next time you point a finger/I’ll point you to the mirror.” “Careful,” “Feeling Sorry,” and “All I Wanted” are all break-up songs that anyone can relate to. “Brick by Boring Brick” is probably the best song on the album, with the most abstract lyrics.

Although Brand New Eyes is a definite change from their previous works, it is one that shows how the band is not afraid to try new elements that will diversify themselves. Such a different approach makes it apparent that the band members do not let their widespread popularity go to their heads, but rather take it as an opportunity to grow both musically and lyrically.

Two theatre majors, Lindsay Ross and Karla Neves, are bringing the production of Undone to North Greenville.

Ross decided to write the play for her senior project.

She wanted to do a topic of a social problem for people to relate to. She decided on divorce.

“Almost everyone has been affected by divorce,” Ross said.

Ross researched and interviewed certain people and used different pieces of information in this play.

“The story line evolved through all the research and trial and error,” Ross said.

This is Ross’ first full-length play that she has written.

“I’ve always enjoyed writing but it’s been hard to share my writings with others,” Ross said. “I am not wanting to become a playwright full-time, but this will not be the last play I write.”

Ross explained that watching the rehearsals was exciting.

“You may write it one way and see it one way in your head but when you hand it off to an actor they could interpret it differently and in a way you had never thought of before,” Ross said.

Ross continued saying that this is what she loves most about theatre.

“Come with an open mind, know these characters are real and relatable, and come with an expectation to learn,” Ross concluded.

For Neves’ senior project, she decided to direct Ross’ play.

“After reading the play, I went into auditions thinking I knew who would be in the play’s cast,” Neves said. “I ended up finding a better cast than I ever would have imagined.”

Neves had a new challenge to deal with—a six-year-old actress, Kendall.

“I was freaked out when I read in the script that there had to be a six-year-old in the play,” Neves said. “I am not good with children and it was going to be very hard to find a six-year-old that could do it.”

In the end, they found Kendall, who“fit the part perfectly,” Neves said.

“The good thing was that Kendall came in knowing all her lines and fit in great with the rest of the cast; the bad thing was that I found out early as her director that kids do not do something if they do not want to,” Neves said.

Neves commented on being nervous at the first rehearsal with Kendall because “kids do whatever they want to on stage even when you’re telling them what to do, but it’s been an exciting process.”

“It is also so much fun to see the actors grow into their characters and see how the characters end up at the performances,” Neves explained. “Theatre is a discovery process.”

Neves said that she did not know if she would become a director, a teacher or a drama missionary but wherever God takes her, her love for theatre will never change.

“The play is powerful, it’s challenging, and it will leave you wondering: are your relationships Undone?” Neves said.

Not only are Neves and Ross doing their senior project together but they are also roommates.
When asked about how it is to work with your roommate of three years, they both had interesting answers.

“Working with the playwright has been a wonderful and challenging experience,” Neves said. “It took a while to find out whose responsibilities were whose but after working through minor difficulties it’s been a successful experience. The closeness and relationship between us has grown and I’ve enjoyed having her around at rehearsals to bounce ideas off of.”

“I learned to be flexible in the beginning to things that might need to change and respected her decisions,” Ross said. “Your friend is right there for you to talk to, we are able to resolve all conflicts maturely, and it’s fun not a problem, working with her.”

The performances of Undone are Oct.14 at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. as a part of BSU.

(Photo by Ashley Herndon)

On Friday, Oct. 2, the Lady Crusaders volleyball team was put to the test in a challenging match against the opposing Lady Lions.

Unfortunately for North Greenville, the Lady Crusaders were defeated by the Lady Lions of Mars Hill College in three consecutive sets (25-21, 25-18, 25-22).

The first set resulting in a score of 25-21. The next set finished in favor of Mars Hill 25-21, followed by another close game ending with a score of 25-22.

There were some victorious moments as well as some downfalls. Each set was close, but the Crusaders could not manage to be victorious against the Lions.

“Kaitlyn Harris played a good game,” North Greenville coach Lauren Axson said. Harris had 28 digs on the night and two aces from the service line.

“Gabriellle McKinley also played well,” Axson said.

McKinley had four blocks and 22 assists. Axson stated that her girls played a hard-fought game but could not emerge victorious this time around.

“There were plenty of times they managed to execute, but the Lions retaliated even harder,” Axson said. “The ladies have been working extra hard in practice everyday. This loss should motivate them to come out harder next game.”

The Lady Crusaders have been giving it their all since day one. A significant thing about the Lady Crusaders is that they are a team that never settles for less.

“Working hard is a virtue for them.” Axson said. “The girls need to improvise and execute a little more, and they need to be more comfortable in game situations, like against Mars Hill.”

North Greenville (7-15) will return to the court Oct. 6, against Toccoa Falls, a team they defeated in three straight sets Sept. 23.

The Major League baseball regular season has come to an end and the official post-season will begin shortly. In the meantime, awards for the season will be given out to the players in the National League who have stood out above the crowd and proven that they belong at the major league level. The following awards have not been given officially, and it should be noted that these are only my predictions and my opinion as to why each person deserves to take home the hardware at the end of the season.

MVP: Albert Pujols, first baseman, St. Louis Cardinals

This is the easiest choice of all the awards. Pujols is on a totally different level than any other player out there, and his numbers show why: .386 batting average, 47 home runs, 135 RBI, 122 runs scored, and 16 stolen bases. There is no one else on the planet who is able to rival these numbers, giving Pujols the unofficial title of “greatest player on earth.”

Cy Young: Adam Wainwright, pitcher, St. Louis Cardinals

This decision may the toughest of all, coming down to a toss up between two teammates — Wainwright and Chris Carpenter. However, Wainwright does get the edge with a 19-8 record and 2.63 ERA while striking out 212 batters.

Rookie of the Year: Tommy Hanson, pitcher, Atlanta Braves

In another close race, the ROY award should go to Tommy Hanson. One of the most highly thought-of rookies in recent history, Hanson was called up just before the All-Star break and showed why all the experts were so high on him and his talents. Hanson posted a 11-4 record with a 2.89 ERA and 116 strikeouts in just 21 games.

Manager of the Year: Jim Tracy, Colorado Rockies

Tracy took over a struggling Colorado team in late May and began a quick rebuilding process. Tracy went back to the basics and stuck with a lineup he believed would produce and get results. The Rockies won 17 of 18 games after Tracy came on board and finished the season with a club record 91 wins leading them to the playoffs once again.

The North Greenville athletic program has been denied membership into the South Atlantic Conference.

Athletic director Jan McDonald learned Sept. 24 that North Greenville’s proposal was voted down by the nine-member NCAA Division II conference.

Conference membership would have been the next step up for North Greenville athletics. Instead, the Crusaders will remain independent for the time being.

“The President’s Council of the South Atlantic Conference just didn’t feel like it was a good fit for the league overall,” South Atlantic Conference commissioner Patrick Britz said. “I’m not at liberty to say any specific reasoning other than it was not a good fit for the conference.”

That was not the news that McDonald was hoping for, but she believes that it will not be a setback for the athletic program at North Greenville. North Greenville recently announced that women’s golf and men’s JV soccer will be added in 2010 in hopes of strengthening their bid to join a conference.

“There are some conferences out there that we are going to look at,”  McDonald said. “We are going to explore other options, possibly in the future even new conference formations, but we are definitely not going to let this set us back.”

Head football coach Jamey Chadwell said that joining a conference would be a huge step forward for the Crusaders and would also bring more opportunities that independent schools do not have.

“If you are in a conference, you have a chance to get an automatic playoff bid (by winning the conference),” Chadwell said. “(Being in a conference) also earns respect for your team.”

McDonald believes that the South Atlantic Conference turning down North Greenville was a sign that the SAC is not where God wants the Crusaders.

“For whatever reason the Lord did not want us there, and that’s the way we are approaching it,” McDonald said.

The South Atlantic Conference was high on North Greenville’s list because of the location of the conference and the teams that are members of the conference.

SAC members include Newberry, Brevard, Lenoir-Rhyne, Carson-Newman, Catawba, Lincoln Memorial, Mars Hill, Tusculum and  Wingate–teams that are familiar to North Greenville athletics.

“Obviously, the South Atlantic Conference would have been a good fit for us, especially football, geographically,” McDonald said.

Chadwell said he is disappointed in the South Atlantic Conference’s decision, but believes it is more of a loss for the SAC.

“We are obviously disappointed because a lot of people have put a lot of effort into joining a conference,” Chadwell said. “But we are looking at it as a loss for them because our institution would have brought a lot of important qualities that would help establish the SAC.”

Although the South Atlantic Conference was a top conference choice for the North Greenville athletic program, there are still other options that the Crusaders are hoping to explore.

“We’re not going to look at this as a setback,” McDonald said. “We are going to move forward and go in a different direction.”