About me
Before I took journalism I used to look at the pretteer and see the sports stories and see how great they were and wanted to do one so when we were doing high school class registrations I made sure I put it as a requirement because I wanted to make sure that the player deserves to get the stories they deserve. My name is Desean Neal I am a freshman at Englewood High School I play sports like football, basketball, baseball, wrestling, and track and I love doing journalism and sports. going to Englewood High School is fun with all the spirit days and going to the dances and playing in the senior night and homecoming game is fun.
right now at the end of my freshman year, I've done many sories and a podcast and it's paying off by us getting 3ed place in spots series also 3de place in Sports Itchier and Spread com[uter Effects I'm really happy about it even tho it's not all just me I still did a lot on them exactly the football homecoming game because I was playing in it and I was trying not to say I and me in it and try ad not to talk about myself but I love doing journalism and doing the stories.
The brotherhood that comes from sports
The 2023 Englewood High School boys varsity soccer team is proud of its amazing teamwork and brotherhood on and off the field. The team ended its season 6-8-1.
Left-back Hector Ramirez was a hard-working player who athletes say is quick and has great communication, “I think that my soccer season is going good and bad, Due to me always being out for injuries and the losses and the wins that we’ve had earned.”
Ramirez says this season it’s different from last year since he got injured in the middle of the season, ”I missed last year, you know, it was very hard to bounce back and knowing that I wasn’t going to be on JV anymore.”
#3 Nathan Elizondo Ortiz passes the ball during a recent game at Penn Stadium (Brandy Bartholomew)
Ramirez says he prepared and bounced back from his injury and started on varsity. “It made my heart drop to my stomach because it was something new that I’d never experienced before having to adapt to the intensity and the physicality of other soccer teams and any varsity sport in general. It was a roller coaster but slowly I’ve been adapting to the level of physicality.”
Ramirez says he and his teammates have a bond outside of soccer, “especially Josue Lopez. He’s a senior. I usually go to the Rec Center with him either on Saturdays or Sundays and we go play basketball, and with other friends, we go out and eat or we go to parks or we go to the mall which is pretty fun, you know, having that bond with upperclassmen knowing that I’m their friend and that they took me under their wing is always a good feeling.”
Josue Lopez was a striker this season, “It’s when you play the most on top. And you help by working with your midfielders trying to score a goal and passing it.”
His favorite part of the season? “Just going to different schools all around the state and it seemed like different places for us that we had never seen before.”
He believes he played his hardest but the journey to state didn’t work out, “I mean, it’s kind of sad, but like, sometimes you won’t get to do what you want. Because sometimes you have to put more effort in.”
Senior Marco Lopez Ajcuc was the goalkeeper this season. He has played all four years of high school, I just like the the good saves I’d make and experiencing things with my team.” He feels the team is united off the field, ” Most of us talk to each other.”
#3 Nathan Elizondo Ortiz passes the ball during a recent game at Penn Stadium (Brandy Bartholomew)
He was upset they didn’t make it to state, “For me, it was kind of sad because we couldn’t make it because it was my last year but we gave it our all. It’s just the results aren’t gonna show how we actually played.”
Josue Lopez-Diego played left back, “I was just playing defense but kind of on like the sides.” He really liked this team, “It’s specific because I think we have good chemistry kind off and on the field and we’re all friends off the field too.”
EHS VS Lincoln: No One Crashes Our Party
Homecoming football for 2023 pits Englewood against Lincoln. The Pirates have been preparing for the matchup by watching film and scouting the Lincoln defense. Players know the game will feel tense because so many eyes with be on the players, especially seniors because it is their last Homecoming game and the crowds turn out in force.
Eyes will also be on junior quarterback Carson Campbell, “this year has gotten off to a really good start. I’m really hoping to keep that momentum. You know, hopefully, God stays with me and he just keeps us healthy keeps us strong, and keeps us winning.”
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This year has gotten off to a really good start. I’m really hoping to keep that momentum. You know, hopefully, God stays with me and he just keeps us healthy keeps us strong, and keeps us winning.
— Quarterback Carson Campbell
Homecoming 2023 football is on September 22, 2023. Campbell is stoked for the matchup, “You know, I feel pretty good about the Homecoming game. You know, obviously, there’s gonna be a lot of people there, it’s gonna be really exciting for us, but you know, we’ve got to stay locked in, got to stay focused on the objective that night and just winning.”
Campbell says football athletes from every class have special players, but he believes one class has really put in the work, “it’s kind of been the 2025 class. You know, that’s where we’ve had the most commitment and the highest number of players, the most kids really working, coming into the weight room during summer workouts, waking up. Really when no one else wants to just put in that work, in that commitment, even when it’s not convenient for them.”
EHS head football coach Mike Campbell knows Homecoming is exciting but he loves everything about the football season, “Well, I think you’re always excited anytime it’s a new season, right? It’s like kind of like that whole cycle of school. When you start the school year with a brand new season, you’re always excited but I really like our kids in general. They’re just good boys and a lot of fun to work with.”
We asked Coach Campbell to talk about the Pirates quarterback and things that are positive about his work habits. We also asked (even though it’s his own son) what the young Campbell should work on, “Well, I think I think for him, the only negative he’s got is probably his father messing them up. You know, that’s what you got to watch out for. But I do think he’s a coach’s son. So he has a really, really high football IQ and always has really worked hard in the offseason, got a lot stronger, his arms a lot stronger, and he’s getting faster but the thing he needs to continue to work on is his foot speed and getting faster.”
Coach says he looks forward to seeing the crowd on Homecoming football night and loves seeing the community supporting Englewood High School, “Well, it’s always fun to play on Homecoming night here at Englewood. Our crowds really show up and show out. We get a lot of the community that will come to it. It’s fun to see a bigger crowd but also people who have gone to school here and lived in the community forever showing up and it makes it a little more special.”
No one is letting their guard down as they head into this Homecoming game. Lincoln will give it their all, but so will Englewood on their home field, “At the end of the day, whenever we get to play on the road for Homecoming, it’s always on your mind to try to wreck it. You know, that’s what we always joke about and call ourselves party crashers whenever we’re playing somewhere for Homecoming because we want to wreck their dance and make them remember they lost their Homecoming. So I’m sure Lincoln will be no different. They’ll be thinking about trying to crash our party a little bit.”
In this day and age, Journalism is seen by the public as biased and ugly. Presidents and members of Congress as well as business leaders use "the media" as a bad word. My goal is, to tell the truth, and not spread false information. As a member of the next generation of journalists, I think it is critical that we use all the tools at our disposal to speak truth to power, give voice to students, find the good and the bad within the walls of our schools, and create an environment of open communication.
A couple of things I got out of being in this class were how to write a story and make people interested in being inside our schools are community. Finding those who keep to themselves is important because they may have much to add to the conversation or something insightful to share.
At the end of the day, I'm very happy to be in this class, and taking these challenging classes in high school has better prepared me for the real world. I am continuing to learn from everyone I talk to, to better understand the community around me and every skill I learn to choose the best path for myself and my classmates.
Contact Me
desean_smi@engschools.net