• The Pitch staff is on summer break and will resume publishing in September
  • The first day of school is Monday, August 26
  • Have a great summer!
The official student newspaper of Walter Johnson High School

The Pitch
Dr. Thomas Taylor, the Board of Educations pick for the next superintendent, stands with members of the Board at the announcement on Monday. Taylor is a graduate of MCPS but has never worked for the district. (Courtesy MCPS News)
Dr. Thomas Taylor to be appointed MCPS superintendent
Incoming SGA plans for successful school year
Incoming SGA plans for successful school year
From left: Junior Honorary officer Skylar Zheng, junior Secretary Alexis Batac, junior President Sareen Papangelou. The officers of the Southeast Asian Union pose in front of a mural in the school. The club will join the school roster for the 2024-2025 school year, and all are welcome.
Southeast Asian Union to bring region’s culture, food to WJ
Film Club members gather around a table at Cabin John Park before the Oscars begin. Months of meetings and film discussions culminate in this special occasion, where students can finally showcase their movie-making abilities. (Courtesy Delina Palma)
Making Scorsese proud: Film Club Oscars strike again
MCPS Board of Education members raise their hands in favor of delaying construction at Woodward and Crown High Schools. The plan specifically calls for delaying auditoriums at both schools until funds are appropriated for their construction.
Live updates: MCPS Board meeting 6/11
Chronicling GW’s pro-Palestine encampment
Chronicling GW’s pro-Palestine encampment
Columbia University is one of many schools across the United States where large groups of students have been protesting at.
Columbia protests escalate
Item bought online from Demons Basement.
What’s wrong with these new online clothing brands?
The human mind is complex and may be a daunting concept for students. (Courtesy Rawpixel)
Why everyone should take AP Psychology
Travis Hunter is one of the most valuable college football players in the country. He moved from Jackson State University to the University of Colorado to join his former coach Dion Sanders. Hunter has an NIL evaluation of $2.7M according to On3.
College sports are ruined
ASL 2 students on the Gallaudet field trip watch their tour guide explain the life of the university’s founder, Laurent Clerc, pictured in the statue to the guide’s left. The tour guide signed in ASL throughout the tour and an interpreter translated his signs into English.
High school field trips benefit students and learning alike
Students sit in rows for very extensive hours as they take exams. This is a common scene all across the US, however in MCPS this sight cannot be found. (Courtesy Pexels)
Point counterpoint: Should there be final exams?
The new movie poster for the upcoming film Inside Out 2. The poster features existing emotions from its past film, as well as new emotions such as Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, Nostalgia and Ennui.
Inside Out 2: Preview into the realm of new emotions
Zendaya scowls into the lenses of paparazzi on the Met Gala carpet. 2024 was Zendaya’s first year co-chairing the Met as she hadn’t attended the red carpet spectacle in five years. (Courtesy Getty Images)
The Met Gala: rating 2024’s best and worst dressed
Twenty One Pilots Clancy review
Twenty One Pilots “Clancy” review
Billie Eilish released her third studio album Hit Me Hard and Soft, on May 17. All 10 songs on her brand new album were able to make their way up into the Billboard Hot 100. (Courtesy Glenn Francis via Wikimedia Commons)
Billie Eilish: “Hit Me Hard and Soft” most viral tracks
Drake performs on his Summer Sixteen tour in 2016. Along with many other rappers, he was accused of being an industry plant at the beginning of his career. (Courtesy The Come Up Show)
Are industry plants real?
Coming soon: movies coming out in 2024
Coming soon: movies coming out in 2024
Students hard at work during class. Many students struggle with balancing work with play. Students share how they overcome distractions and prioritize their work.
Balance between school life and extracurriculars and athletics
The Oreos have been a classic cookie for generations but which one is the best one? Out of all the different fillings, is there one that stands alone? (Courtesy nicoleleec via Wikimedia Commons)
How much stuf is too much stuff?
Special clubs at WJ to check out
Special clubs at WJ to check out
Sophomore Ahrin Letourneau looks through the College Board website attempting to get information about the SAT and ACT. “I’m feeling scared, petrified to be honest, to be a junior. Summer’s gonna be stressful … and I need to be really thinking about colleges and programs,” Letourneau said.
Previewing the summer by grade
A student reviews the rejection wall. The rejection wall was created to encourage students to know that even if theyre rejected, theyre not alone. Im scared Ill be rejected from the schools I will apply to, so its comforting to know I wouldnt be the only one, junior Cristina Simpson said.
What summer looks like for rising seniors
From left: Junior Honorary officer Skylar Zheng, junior Secretary Alexis Batac, junior President Sareen Papangelou. The officers of the Southeast Asian Union pose in front of a mural in the school. The club will join the school roster for the 2024-2025 school year, and all are welcome.
Southeast Asian Union to bring region’s culture, food to WJ
The WJ Crew team poses for a picture following the Metropolitan Championships. The team had many good races at the tournament, such as the Girls winning the Varsity 4. (Courtesy WJ Crew)
Crew in review: team paddles their way to success
ALL IN THE FOOTWORK: Participants practice their blocking footwork and learn flag football blocking techniques. During the drill, a coach held and moved the ball to one side which participants would have to shuffle over to.
Girls’ flag clinic brings excitement to MCPS
Jonny Venters is one of the only pitchers to ever receive Tommy Johns surgery three times. He had the operation performed in 2005, 2013 and lastly in 2014.
Pitchers look to surgery for success
After taking a hard foul, sophomore Norah Youssef takes her first free throw attempt. Youssef sank the shot and added a point to the scoreboard. Youssef had a stunning performance, helping the Wildcats secure the win against Sherwood.
Photo gallery: Summer league basketball
(Courtesy Seattle Parks and Recreation)
Pickleball volleys into WJ this fall
The 2024 EURO trophy in FC Koln’s stadium in Cologne, one of the 10 host stadiums at the tournament. (Courtesy Raimond Spekking)
Looking ahead at the 2024 Euros
Public Transportation Safety Podcast
Public Transportation Safety Podcast
Up at bat: Duolingo streaks
Up at bat: Duolingo streaks
What is your special talent?
After taking a hard foul, sophomore Norah Youssef takes her first free throw attempt. Youssef sank the shot and added a point to the scoreboard. Youssef had a stunning performance, helping the Wildcats secure the win against Sherwood.
Photo gallery: Summer league basketball
Physics classes visit Six Flags
Siblings Podcast
Siblings Podcast
The official student newspaper of Walter Johnson High School

The Pitch
The official student newspaper of Walter Johnson High School

The Pitch
WJ Sports
Recent Results
Football
Senior linebacker Dylan Minnick tackles junior Blair wide receiver Jay Mendoza in the second round of the MPSSAA playoffs. With the Wildcats win over the Blazers, the Cats advanced to the schools first-ever state quarterfinal.
Wildcats down Blazers, look to biggest football game in school history
Mateus Bouquet, Print Sports Editor • November 17, 2023
Boys' Soccer
Senior Sven Meacham commits to play soccer at Yale University. Meacham thanked his family, coaches and team for supporting him in his athletic career.
Sven Meacham dribbles into the Ivy League
Audrey Ring, Online Editor-in-Chief • November 14, 2023
Girls' Soccer
Alec Latifov (middle) watches WJ girls varsity soccer battle Whitman in their 2022 regular season conference match. He stood alongside former head coach Joshua Kinnetz (left) and current assistant coach Fumie Takahashi (right) in his 27th season with WJ girls soccer.
Police officer by night, soccer coach by day: girls soccer assistant serves WJ community for 30 years
Maya Panicker, Print News Editor • March 8, 2024
Listen to The Pitch Radio Network
Cross Country
Girls cross country gets ready to launch towards their first place trophy at counties.
Cross Country takes off for regionals with county championship title
Sophie Linkie, Online Opinion Editor • November 3, 2023
Field Hockey
Lauren Zucconi is the new 2024 girls’ varsity feild hockey head coach. She has been coaching for 20 years and is excited to be part of the WJ athletic community.
Lauren Zucconi named new field hockey coach
Hillevi Schine, Staff Writer • February 29, 2024
Girls' Volleyball
Junior Stella Lichter spikes the ball against Gaithersburg. The team won the match 3-0, but went on to be defeated once again at the hands of Churchill.
Volleyball eliminated in heartbreaker vs Churchill
Jeremy Silberglied, Staff Writer • November 15, 2023
Golf
Freshman Elizabeth Martin lines up the shot. She went on to score a 61 in the first match as the Wildcats won by 8 strokes.
Golf team stays undefeated after recent match
Dylan Schmidt, Print Sports Editor • September 29, 2022
Athlete Profiles
Junior attacker Ginger Fishberg carries the ball during a match. With her scholarship to Butler University, she looks to continue her performance on a bigger stage. (Courtesy Ginger Fishberg)
Wildcat to Bulldog: Fishberg Butler bound
April 26, 2024
Senior JR Dubose sets his feet up for a shot. DuBose has developed over the years as a three-level scorer and looks to carry that into his collegiate career at Chatham University. (Courtesy JR DuBose)
Lacrosse standout JR DuBose commits to Chatham University
March 21, 2024
Vance Bonior sails over the high jump bar at the MPSSAA 4A West Region Championships. Bonior finished 2nd in the high jump, jumping five feet and 10 inches. Although I had a bit of a disappointing high jump, I was fortunate enough to qualify for states, Bonior said. (Courtesy Vance Bonior)
Vance Bonior reaches new heights in his dual dominance of high jump, shot put
March 21, 2024
Sophomore Dylan Cain competes with his partner at the 2024 Youth Olympics. The two have been skating together since 2015.
Fate to skate: WJ skater medals for US at Youth Olympics
March 8, 2024
Pro Sports
Jonny Venters is one of the only pitchers to ever receive Tommy Johns surgery three times. He had the operation performed in 2005, 2013 and lastly in 2014.
Pitchers look to surgery for success
Graeme Pearce, Print News Editor • June 12, 2024
The 2024 EURO trophy in FC Koln’s stadium in Cologne, one of the 10 host stadiums at the tournament. (Courtesy Raimond Spekking)
Looking ahead at the 2024 Euros
Finn McArdle, Staff Writer • June 11, 2024
The WJ Pitchs bracket league ends in a victory for Josh Hananel. According to the NCAA, over 31 million brackets were entered in the mens tournament.
The highs and lows of this year’s March Madness brackets
Josh Hananel, Online A&E Editor • May 6, 2024
Caitlin Clark guards Shay Ciezki as she drives to the rim. The Iowa Hawkeyes won in a 95-51 game against Penn State with Cailtin Clark leading in scoring with a triple-double. (Courtesy Tim Weight via Wikimedia Commons)
Caitlin Clark shines in the spotlight
Leo Holma, Film Editor • April 17, 2024
Washington Spirit and Portland Thorns set up a throw in for a chance to score. The Spirit welcomed a new coach and new management this season. (Courtesy Ivanka Weerasinghe)
Washington Spirit to start 2024 season
Emma Matalia, Staff Writer • March 22, 2024
Donta Scott jumps for the opening tip-off from Maryland vs. Minnesota in College Park, Maryland. Scott averaged 11 points for the Terps this year but that wasnt enough as the Terps fell to a 16-17 record. (Courtesy Patrick Rouin via Wikimedia Commons)
Maryland Basketball travels into a disappointing season
William Murphy, Photography Editor • March 21, 2024
Washington Results
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Washington Upcoming Games
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Winter Sports
Spring Sports

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