• 12/16: Pajama + stuffed animal day
  • 12/17: Jersey day
  • 12/17: Girls basketball vs. Wahlert Catholic
  • 12/17: Boys basketball @ Wahlert Catholic
  • 12/17: Boys swimming @ Linn-Mar
  • 12/17: Band concert in Arganbright Auditorium
  • 12/18: Pink out day
  • 12/19: Throwback Thursday
  • 12/19: Boys wrestling @ Linn-Mar
  • 12/19: Girls wrestling @ Solon
  • 12/20: 2 HOUR EARLY RELEASE
  • 12/20: Ugly sweater day
  • 12/20: Boys and girls double-header vs City
The student news source of Iowa City West High

West Side Story
The student news source of Iowa City West High

West Side Story
The student news source of Iowa City West High

West Side Story
Kara Wagenknecht

Kara Wagenknecht, Online Editor-in-Chief, Co-Sports Editor

Kara is a senior at West and this will be her third year on staff. She is the Online Editor-in-Chief and Co-Sports Editor this year. When Kara isn’t covering a sporting event, she can be found playing with her dogs, editing photos, hanging out with her friends and dancing FTK.

All content by Kara Wagenknecht
Students raise their hands in the air to grab a West High towel on Friday, Sept. 21.

[Photo] West High holds assembly FTK

September 21, 2018
Principal Gregg Shoultz introduces WHSDM during the assembly on Friday, Sept. 21.

Grace Schneider '21 talks about Dance Marathon during the assembly on Friday, Sept. 21.

Jaymeson Harms '21 plays the trumpet during the assembly on Friday, Sept. 21.

Marissa Goodale '22 cheers at the beginning of the assembly on Friday, Sept. 21.

All classrooms went dark in the school when the power went out on Sept. 18, 2018.

[Photo] Power outage interrupts class

September 18, 2018
Kerri Barnhouse smiles for a photo on Friday, Sept. 14.

[Photo] A new experience

Lily Meng, Online Co-Copy Editor
September 17, 2018
Luke Krchak ’21 describes why he thinks students should take Intro to Agricultural.

[Photo] Luke Krchak

September 16, 2018
Alyssa Skala '21 discuses her experiences with anxiety and panic attacks.

[Photo] Alyssa Skala

September 16, 2018
The special teams gather around Josh Jasek '19 before kickoff at the beginning of the game on Friday, Sept. 14.

West crushes Dubuque Senior

Kara Wagenknecht, Online Editor-in-Chief, Co-Sports Editor
September 15, 2018
Ryan Gudenkauf '19 runs the ball in for a touchdown during the fourth quarter on Friday, Sept. 14.

Head Coach Garret Hartwig paces up and down the sidelines during the second half on Friday, Sept. 14.

Josh Jasek '19 kicks the ball into the field goal after Owen McAreavy '19 scored a touchdown making it 41-7 West during the third quarter on Friday, Sept. 14.

Jalen Gaudet '19 scores a touchdown during the second quarter on Friday, Sept. 14.

Grant Henderson '20 runs the ball into the end zone after he recovered a fumble during the second half on Friday, Sept. 14.

Alex Boxwell '19 celebrates with Landon Green '19 after Green scored a touchdown during the second quarter on Friday, Sept. 14.

Will Hoeft '20 takes down Dubuque Senior's Noah Gerken '19 on Friday, Sept. 14.

Noah Breitbach '19 and Landon Green '19 push Owen McAreavy '19 in for a touchdown during the third quarter on Friday, Sept. 14.

Tate Crane '20 carries the ball down the field during the first quarter on Friday, Sept. 14.

[Photo] Silent tradition

November 20, 2018
The special teams gather around Josh Jasek '19 before kickoff at the beginning of the game on Friday, Sept. 14.

[Photo] Top 10 places to play

Owen Aanestad, Online Editor-In-Chief
December 19, 2020
A Pep Club signup sheet sits on Brianna Dusterhoft's desk on Wednesday, Sept. 12.

[Photo] Club Connection: Pep Club

Alex Carlon, Online Editor-in-Chief
September 13, 2018
Athletic Secretary Brianna Dusterhoft poses outside West High on Wednesday, Sept. 12.

Jason Strunk '19 celebrates after scoring a touchdown making it 28-10 West on Friday, Sept. 7.

Trojans win against Southeast Polk

Kara Wagenknecht, Online Editor-in-Chief, Co-Sports Editor
September 8, 2018
Justin Thomas '19 carries the ball in for a touchdown during the first quarter on Friday, Sept. 7.

Zach Albright '19 cheers as the drum line plays during halftime on Friday, Sept. 7.

James Mons '19 plays the trumpet during the halftime show on Friday, Sept. 7.

X Lubuelo '19 runs the ball towards the end zone as he tries to pass Southeast Polk's Jacob Robillard '19 on Friday, Sept. 7.

Marcus Morgan '21 passes the ball up the field during the first half on Friday, Sept. 7. This was Morgan's first career start as quarterback.

Tate Crane '20 runs around Southeast Polk's Tyler LeClair '19 on Friday, Sept. 7.

Lexi Goodale '19 cheers during the second half on Friday, Sept. 7.

Josh Jasek '19 prepares to kick a field goal during the second half on Friday, Sept. 7.

Noah Meints '19 leads the student section roller coaster during halftime on Friday, Sept. 7.

Haley Gallagher '19 hugs Morgan Hawkins '19 after their 1-3 loss against Liberty on Tuesday, Aug. 28.

Bolts upset The Women of Troy

Kara Wagenknecht, Online Editor-in-Chief, Co-Sports Editor
August 29, 2018
Emily Cray '19 reaches up to stop the ball from coming to the West side of the court on Tuesday, Aug. 28.

Grace Fleckenstein '19 and Haley Gallagher '19 cheer together when West led during the first set on Tuesday, Aug. 28.

Cailyn Morgan '19 hits the ball to Liberty's side on Tuesday, Aug. 28.

Haley Gallagher '19 serves the ball during the first set on Tuesday, Aug. 28.

The student section cheers as West makes the score 22-20 during the final set on Tuesday, Aug. 28.

Ellie Kouba '19 jumps as she hits the ball during the third set on Tuesday, Aug. 28.

Keshawn Shaw '19 and Alex Geasland '19 lead cheers for the student section in between sets on Tuesday, Aug. 28.

Grace Fleckenstein '19 bumps the ball to a fellow West player on Tuesday, Aug. 28.

The teams celebrates after they defeated Liberty 28-26 in the first set on Tuesday, Aug. 28.

[Photo] Behind the perfect serve

October 10, 2018
The student sections cheer for the drum line during halftime on Friday, Aug. 24.

Trojans win in season opener

Kara Wagenknecht, Online Editor-in-Chief, Co-Sports Editor
August 25, 2018
Josh Jasek '19 kicks a field goal after quarterback Joey Kuehn '19 scored a touchdown on Friday, Aug. 24.

Jalen Gaudet '19 dives into the end zone to score a touchdown on Friday, Aug. 24.

Jason Strunk '19 takes down North Scott's Carson Rollinger '19 during the second half of the game on Friday, Aug. 24.

Jalen Gaudet '19 runs the ball to the end zone for a touchdown, making the score 14-7 West on Friday, Aug. 24.

Lauren Doyle '21 performs during the POMs routine during halftime on Friday, Aug. 24.

Lizzy Slade '21 performs with the marching band during halftime on Friday, Aug. 24.

X Lubuelo '19 carries the ball during the first half of the game on Friday, Aug. 24.

Joey Kuehn '19 throws a long touchdown pass to Jalen Gaudet '19 during the first half of the game on Friday, Aug. 24.

Landon Green '19 celebrates after he tackled an offensive player from North Scott during the first half of the game on Friday, Aug. 24.

Sarah Hamed '20 runs out during the start of the JV race on Thursday, Aug. 23. Hamed placed 4th with a time of 23:08.

Girls cross country hosts first meet of the season

Kara Wagenknecht, Online Editor-in-Chief, Co-Sports Editor
August 24, 2018
Kiara Malloy-Salgado '21 sprints towards the finish line as teammate Erica Buettner '21 trails behind her on Thursday, Aug. 23. Malloy-Salgado placed 8th in 20:34 and Buettner finished in 9th in a time of 20:36.

The varsity team lines up at the start line before the race on Thursday, Aug. 23.

Katie Hoefer '21 runs to the finish line on Thursday, Aug. 23. She placed 7th with a time of 20:24.

Deniz Ince '19 runs past the second mile marker on Thursday, Aug. 23.

Natalie Katz '20 runs by the first mile marker during the varsity race on Thursday, Aug. 23. She placed 32nd in 22:27.

Coach Mike Parker prepares sophomores Maddy Negley, Anna Moore, Lucy Westemeyer and Kiara Malloy-Salgado before the varsity race on Thursday, Aug. 23.

Mia Dillingham '20 runs the final 50 meters of the JV race on Thursday, Aug. 23.

Annabel Hendrickson ’21 paces herself during the first mile of the JV race on Thursday, Aug. 23. She placed 7th in 23:34.

Erica Buettner '21 shakes hands with West High Athletic Director, Craig Huegel as she receives an award for 9th place.

The team huddles around the spike after their 3-1 victory over City on Tuesday, Aug. 21.

Women of Troy defend the Spike

Kara Wagenknecht, Online Editor-in-Chief, Co-Sports Editor
August 22, 2018
Haley Gallagher '19 celebrates after she spiked the ball during the first set on Tuesday, Aug. 21.

Rylee Fay '20 serves the ball during the fourth and final set of the match on Tuesday, Aug. 21.

Katherine Kouba '22 gets ready to serve the ball during the second set on Tuesday, Aug. 21.

Rylee Fay '20 and Claire Overton '19 block the ball during the third set of the game on Tuesday, Aug. 21.

Grace Fleckenstein '19 focuses on serving the ball to City on Tuesday, Aug. 21.

Cailyn Morgan '19 blocks the ball from entering West's side on Tuesday, Aug. 21.

The team celebrates after winning the first set of the match on Tuesday, Aug. 21.

Ellie Kouba '19 bumps the ball over the net during the fourth set on Tuesday, Aug. 21.

Cailyn Morgan '19 attempts to block the ball as City High's Lindsey Bolton '20 tips it over the net on Tuesday, Aug. 21.

Seniors Nick Pryor, Alyson Kuennen and Ethan Goers stand together on a trail at Lake McBride on Saturday, May 12.

Staff Fashion Friday 2018

Kara Wagenknecht, Olivia Dachtler, and Sean Brown
May 25, 2018
Seniors Ethan Goers, Alyson Kuennen and Nick Pryor pose together as they rest on a bench in Lake McBride on Saturday, May 12.

Alyson Kuennen ’18, Nick Pryor ’18 and Ethan Goers ’18

Kara Wagenknecht, Online Editor-in-Chief, Co-Sports Editor
May 25, 2018
Rachael Saunders '18 goes up for a jump shot during the state championship game on Friday, March 2.

[Photo] After

Fatima Kammona, News Editor
May 25, 2018
Rachael Saunders '18 goes up for a jump shot during the state championship game on Friday, March 2.

Alyson Kuennen '18 and Nick Pryor '18 stand together at Lake McBride on Saturday, May 12.

"[My style is] influenced a lot [by] the music I am listening to right now. I dress ... differently every couple of days."

Ethan Goers ‘18 models streetwear on a trail at Lake McBride on Saturday, May 12. When asked how he would describe his style, Goers said, "I have ... quite a few mixes of styles. I sometimes wear some more modern and ... dressy [clothes] and other times I wear more like grunge street style [clothing]—I like to mix it up and keep it interesting."

"[I use] Pinterest all the time [to find fashion inspiration]. That's the one social media I use."

Nick Pryor '18 and Ethan Goers '18 model on a log together on Saturday, May 12.

"My style was bad early [in] high school. It was pretty much whatever shirt I could find with a hoodie over it and some sweatpants or jeans. I didn’t really have any sense of fashion. I just wore what I had in my closet and was ready immediately. I would get ready for school and out the door in ten minutes ... I don’t really know what prompted that, I guess I became more interested in ... high end clothing when I met Ryan Braverman ’18 and Nick Pryor '18 and we started talking about clothes."

"My favorite season to style for is fall because ... I really like to wear big pants and it's always to hot in the summer to wear them and I really like layers."

"Since a lot [of my fashion inspiration] almost exclusively comes from musicians ... the things they wear up on stage [influences how I dress] which is like probably more than you can get away with wearing on an everyday basis, but I try to do that anyway."

Brody Schilling '20 attempts to score again during the second half of the game on Tuesday, May 15.

Boys soccer overcomes Cedar Rapids Washington

Kara Wagenknecht, Online Editor-in-Chief, Co-Sports Editor
May 16, 2018
Kaiya Luethje '18 battles for the ball against Cedar Rapids Washington's Bennett Cooper '19 on Tuesday, May 15.

Harry Zielinski '18 passes the ball to a fellow Trojan during the second half of the game on Tuesday, May 15.

Micah Frisbie '20 kicks the ball up the field during the first half of the game on Tuesday, May 15.

Marko Migambi '21 calls for the ball as fellow Trojan Gada Ambo '19 struggles to get it around a defender from Cedar Rapids Washington on Tuesday, May 15.

Load More Stories
Donate to West Side Story
$50
$2000
Contributed
Our Goal

Menu
Activate Search
The student news source of Iowa City West High
Kara Wagenknecht