• 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
All content by Photo by Sanir Byanjankar
Senior SGA president Ethan Mendes hypes up the crowd and gets them ready for the pep rally. There is nothing quite like jumping on the field for the pep rally under the scrutiny of 3000 + students. The crowd has an great vibe that reciprocates my energy I give to hype the people up, Mendes said.

Leadership hosts spring pep rally

Noel Haptemariam, Staff Writer
March 27, 2023
Senior captain Ethan Birndorf lines up for a faceoff against Marriotts Ridge. The Icecats went on to win the game in style, 12-1.

Icecats blaze trail towards state championship

Luke Liden, Print EIC
February 24, 2023
Senior Christion Wright waits to defend his man as Seneca brings the ball up. The Wildcats record is now 6-9.

Wildcats fall to Seneca Valley

Audrey Ring, Online Sports Editor
February 16, 2023
Pitch staff writer Andrew Plotnick dives into the week with a sports recap of last week.

Inside the Den: Weekly Sports Recap Feb 6th-10th

Andrew Plotnick and Sanir Byanjankar
February 14, 2023
From left: seniors Adam Greene, Ethan Birndorf, Utkarsh Srivastava and sophomore Liam Mannle celebrate team Captain Birndorfs second period goal against Whitman.

Icecats enter county playoffs as the team to beat

Luke Liden, Print EIC
February 7, 2023
Senior Christion Wright shoots two at the line. Wright went on to make 4 back-to-back three-pointers in the third quarter.

Boys’ basketball loses last-second heartbreaker at BCC

Audrey Ring, Online Sports Editor
January 31, 2023
Senior Andre Gaskins goes up for a catch in footballs 7 on 7 summer league. The Wildcats use 7 on 7 games over the summer to prepare and build team chemistry for the regular season in the fall.

WJ sport’s biggest secret: The story behind the Wildcat offseason teams

Andrew Plotnick, Joshua Singer and Blake Bailey
January 25, 2023
Sophomore Jordan Silverstein races down the court on a fast break. The Rockville game was the first victory the Wildcats had in six games.

WJ boys’ basketball falls to RM and Gaithersburg, defeats Rockville

Audrey Ring, Online Sports Editor
January 17, 2023
Senior Niko Natsvlishvili walks across the stage after graduating. June saw the graduation of the Class of 2022

WJ: A year in review

Joshua Singer, Liann Keren and Seyun Park
December 21, 2022
Junior Ben Kim looks for an open opportunity on the court. Kim was the leading scorer with a game-high 18 points this season.

WJ improves to 3-1, victory over Blair

Audrey Ring, Online Sports Editor
December 19, 2022
Senior captain Christion Wright lines up as Blake Baily shoots free throws. The Wildcats are now 2-1 entering the game Friday night against Blair.

Boys’ basketball bests Northwood

Audrey Ring, Online Sports Editor
December 16, 2022
Christion Wright shoots at the line two free throws after getting fouled during a layup. Wright went on to score nine points in the game against Wootton.

Boys varsity basketball falls to Wootton

Audrey Ring, Online Sports Editor
December 14, 2022
Freshman RB Dylan Byrd powers forward against Wootton. The roaring crowd fueled the players in the win.

Raising MCPS GPA thresholds serves athletes off the field

Blake Bailey, Online Opinion Editor
December 11, 2022
Icecats swarm Alex Chang to celebrate in front of a full crowd decked out in black. Even though they were in the process of killing off a penalty, Chang was able to put one past BCCs goalie.

Early goals propel Icecats to victory over Barons

Luke Liden, Print EIC
December 10, 2022
Senior and captain Ethan Birndorf picks up his stick after laying the boom on a Churchill player. The crowds energy was off the charts and contributed to a more physical affair.

Icecats eruptive offense brings hope for states

Luke Liden, Print EIC
November 30, 2022
Freshman running back Dylan Byrd breaks a tackle. Byrd had success running the ball multiple times against Seneca Valley and will make an effort to perform similarly in the regular season finale against Wootton.

Eagles beat Wildcats in fight for playoff home field advantage

Elizabeth Finn, Print Sports Editor
October 28, 2022
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Football remains undefeated at home

Elizabeth Finn, Print Sports Editor
October 25, 2022
Senior captain and linebacker/running back CJ Newman prepares himself for the start of the game. To get ready, he listened to music including the song, Forever by Drake. Sometimes before a game Ill give a little pep talk to the team, pretty much telling everyone to have confidence, Newman said.

CJ Newman: Leading the way to the next level

Elizabeth Finn, Print Sports Editor
October 22, 2022
The student section cheers on the football team as they face BCC. Only students from the participating schools are allowed to attend athletic events unless they have a chaperone with them.

Do students feel safe at athletic events?

Dylan Schmidt, Print Sports Editor
October 19, 2022
Senior captain and linebacker CJ Newman and junior wide receiver/defensive back Nick Zampardi line up to try and stop the Barons triple option offense. Zampardi was able to record an interception during the game.

Cats come back to defeat BCC in final minute

Joshua Singer, Print Sports Editor
October 13, 2022
Senior quarterback Andrew Plotnick hands the ball to freshman running back Dylan Byrd. Northwest trailed the entire game while trying to stop the WJ offense from continuing their successful.

Wildcats beat Northwest for first time in 12 years

Elizabeth Finn, Print Sports Editor
October 6, 2022
The mighty madcows were loud as the Wildcats came out of a timeout and went back into formation during a 42-0 route of Wheaton. Even with the new athletic policies being passed, the WJ student section remained loud and supported the team during a crucial away game.

New MCPS athletic policies receive mixed reactions

Jack Stashower, Multimedia Marketing Manager
October 6, 2022
The girls soccer team celebrates junior midfielder/forward Irene Sánchez Burgueños game-winning goal in overtime. The Cats defeated the Wootton Patriots 2-1 to improve their record to 7-0.

Week in review: Cats beat RM, get revenge in OT thriller vs. Wootton

Joshua Singer, Print Sports Editor
October 3, 2022
Senior quarterback Andrew Plotnick hands off the ball to senior running back Kiran Sen. Both players hope to find similar connection against Northwest. “I am confident in our team’s ability to come back after a loss last year, and we have the talent to perform well,” Sen said.

Football bounces back against Wheaton

Elizabeth Finn, Print Sports Editor
September 29, 2022
Junior Aranda Hurge tries to make a juke against senior Trinity Hill. While , she does this her teammates Yness Seidnaly, Isabella Mondelli, and Rita Bousadi run with her as they all try to advance down the field.

Seniors compete against juniors in powder puff flag football game

Noel Haptemariam, Staff Writer
June 17, 2022
Senior Niko Natsvlishvili walks across the stage after graduating from Walter Johnson.

Different preferences cause different colleges

Nick Opipari, Staff Writer
June 14, 2022
Senior captain Julia Beato performs a front handspring during the vault event. While the Wildcats finished in 3rd place, the whole team gave it their all and had a fantastic last meet.

Gymnastics team takes 3rd place in counties

Luke Liden, Print Sports Editor
May 24, 2022
Seniors Will Dash and J.P Rakis strategize their next attack in a game against Walt Whitman. WJ went on to win this game in overtime with the game-winner coming from Rakis.

Boys lacrosse gains momentum as the end of the regular season approaches

Jackson Buss, Online Editor-in-Chief
May 8, 2022
The team celebrates a point during their April 4 game against Wootton HS. The team lost one set against Wootton, one of only four sets theyve lost all season.

Boys’ Volleyball clinch division, finish regular season undefeated

Seyun Park, Staff Writer
May 2, 2022
Junior and team captain Sebastiano Sani spikes the ball during the teams home game against Wootton HS, April 4th. The team ended up beating Wootton 3-1 to continue its winning streak.

Boys’ volleyball remains undefeated more than halfway through season

Seyun Park, Staff Writer
April 6, 2022
On Feb. 2, Amir Frye officially commits to Shepherd University. Frye is ready to take his skill to the next level and compete like never before.

A new journey begins for football commits

Marco Albertini, Staff Writer
March 28, 2022
Screenshot 2022-03-07 9.47.02 AM

WJ vs Richard Montgomery Round 1 of MPSSA Playoffs

Sanir Byanjankar
March 7, 2022
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