![At the bottom of the third inning, the Lions are still scoreless. Rowe stands at home plate, preparing to bat, while Vandenbrink stands off to the side as the next batter up. Despite having the bases loaded, the team was unable to score any runs. “It’s just the beginning of the season. We’re just going to be playing out best by June, [and] that’s where champions are,” Rowe said.](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/IMG_3077-1200x900.jpg)
![All smiles. The group poses for a photo with last year’s book, “This is Our House,” along with their award for third Best in Show. Meikle, who was an Editor-in-Chief for the yearbook last year as well, holds both and stands at the center of the group. “That was an amazing feeling, going and grabbing the third place award,” Meikle said. “All of it paid off. I cried so much over that book, being able to receive [the award] was one of the highlights of my high school career, it was like the coolest thing ever.”](https://wlhsnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/8bookpose_philly-1200x800.jpg)
This year is the 53rd year of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball tournament, also known as March Madness. With over 60 teams in the tournament, people have many different opinions on who they think will win or who they want to win. Here’s what some Lions said:
“I think Kentucky will win,” Colin Clarke, freshman.
“I’m going to go with Kentucky,” Benjamin Baldwin, freshman.
“I always have to go for my alma mater, so I have to say Tennessee,” Amy Schauer, ISEF Coordinator.
“I say Michigan State. Go Spartans!” Brandt Henri, sophomore.
“Not Syracuse. I would want Stanford if they were in the tournament,” Karter Ferrin, sophomore.
“I think Kentucky will win, since they’re favored,” Ashley Johnson, sophomore.
“The only team I know is Gonzaga, so I’ll go with that,” Tony Benedetti, substitute teacher.
“I have Baylor and Kansas – I don’t think that’s going to work out that well,” Samuel Hays, junior.
“I want Syracuse to win,” Alec Gans, junior.
“I wanted Wichita, but they’re out now,” Mersen Howes, senior.