Spark

En Garde!

East sophomore Ayah Khan reflects on the start of her journey to become a competitive fencer and the skills she has learned along the way.

Eliana Rau, Staff Writer • May 6, 2025

She takes a deep breath, preparing herself for her next attack. She springs forward in a flurry of movement, unleashing a series of feints and lunges at her opponent. With a final graceful flourish of...

The Ultimate Pursuit

East freshman Isadore McCune plays Ultimate Frisbee at William Mason High School due to the absence of a team at East.

Gwen Gilbert, Sports Editor • April 29, 2025

The “whoosh” of a frisbee soaring through the air. The perfect catch. Then, the perfect score. Teammates flood onto the field to congratulate each other on winning the Ohio Ultimate Frisbee State competition,...

Reaching New Lights

East invests in a four-part projector setup in the gymnasium to light up the court and the atmosphere.

Elizabeth Vernon, Staff Writer • March 25, 2025

Lakota East and West High Schools are undergoing modern changes in their respective gyms. As of early 2025, both schools have partnered with Luxedo Projectors to bring brand-new projection equipment to...

Bring on the Madness

Everybody wants to be the one who picks the correct champion in their bracket. These ten teams are the ones who have the best shot at cutting down the nets in March.

Ethan Keller, Staff Writer • March 7, 2025

With the men's college basketball season heating up, it is time to start looking ahead to March. There has not really been one dominant team thus far as three teams have been ranked at number one as...

From Field to Sideline

A look into the four East football coaches’ National Football League backgrounds and how they use their skills to help the Thunderhawks succeed.

Macie Manzardo, Sports Editor • March 4, 2025

When the 2024-25 East football season ended, the Thunderhawks closed the season with a record of 8-4, losing in the second round of playoffs to Archbishop Moeller High School. To prepare for the season,...

Best in the Nests: Johaeyah Edwards & Shaun Dickerson

Each issue Spark will feature athletes from East and West who showcase exemplary talent.

February 11, 2025

Capped by Salary

Money is power, especially in the world of baseball and the MLB. Fans cannot expect smaller teams to grow and foster a winning culture without big payouts.

Ethan Keller, Staff Writer • February 11, 2025

With the Fall Classic coming to an end, another Major League Baseball (MLB) World Series champion has been crowned. The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees in only five games to win their...

Best in the Nests: Shaun Dickerson

Shaun Dickerson is a senior captain for the Lakota East Boys Varsity Soccer team and three-year letterman. Dickerson is ranked in the top 384 nationally, top 56 in Ohio, top two in Division I and first in the Greater Miami leaderboard for assists with 15. Dickerson has also broken two school records for most assists in a single season (15) and most career assists (25).

Sophie Schaller, Feature Editor • January 28, 2025

Q: What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve learned from playing soccer? A: My favorite piece of advice I’ve been told is that the best players are the ones who can move on from mistakes...

Writing His Own Book

Landyn Bomar, the two time seated shotput state champion, is a leader and beacon of inspiration for the East community.

Macie Manzardo, Sports Editor • December 17, 2024

A deep breath. The perfect throw. The shot sits under his jaw, at the base of his fingers in his dominant hand, his other parallel to the ground, ready to swing him into momentum. The crowd’s eyes are...

Best in the Nests: Sam Wiles & Sofia Wise

Each issue Spark will feature athletes from East and West who showcase exemplary talent.

December 3, 2024

New Year, New Team

East Varsity Football opens the 2024-25 season with a fresh start. As a result of the hard work put in over the off-season, an exciting year is anticipated.

Max Earl, Sports Associate Editor • October 22, 2024

At the beginning of the 2023-24 high school football season, the Lakota East Football team was at the top of all the local headlines due to the hire of Jon Kitna, the head coach for East Varsity Football....

Overhand to Underhand

East sophomore right fielder Krystalin Wagner has been playing baseball as a pitcher all of her life. Now, she brings her talents to the softball field.

Macie Manzardo, Sports Editor • June 1, 2023

STORY MACIE MANZARDO | PHOTOGRAPHY USED WITH PERMISSION | INFOGRAPHIC CARA RAIFORD At 14, Krystalin Wagner steps up to bat. Now she hears the familiar snarky comments made by the parents around her. She...