The student news site of Southern Lehigh High School

The Spotlight
The student news site of Southern Lehigh High School

The Spotlight
The student news site of Southern Lehigh High School

The Spotlight

The SLHS Rifle Team Aims for a sixth win at State Championships

Nicole Zweifel, Staff Reporter
January 26, 2024
Raegen Besido
The Rifle Team is ready to take their best shot to win State Championships.

Rifle is one of Southern Lehigh’s oldest and most successful sports. Rifle team coach Mr. Robert Gaugler, a high school tech ed teacher, is confident that his team will continue their state championship winning streak of five years.

Students compete in teams of around eight under four team captains. During Spartan Periods, the captains help Mr. Gaugler plan schedules for the upcoming competitions.

The rifle team practices at the Hellertown Sportsman’s Association. At matches, ten students compete at the start of each match, and the top five students with the highest scores combine their scores for the overall total of that match. 

The rifle team has risen in popularity over the years. After half a decade of success and the loss of ten senior team members, Coach Gaugler is looking to fill his team with motivated and driven members. 

“Right now, we’re just dealing with inexperience,” Coach Gaugler said. “We have limited time to practice, so we just have to do the best we can within each practice.” 

Although the rifle team is unlike other sports teams, it is still a place for students to form close-knit friendships and bonds. 

“I really like being on the team because it has given me a chance to be able to talk to people I wouldn’t normally talk to,” senior Raegen Besido said.

Rifle is one of a select few co-ed teams at Southern Lehigh and is very mentally challenging. In this sport, precision and accuracy are crucial for success. 

“I think we all just need to know what our mistakes are, and work on them which will help us win the state championship again this year,” sophomore Sophie Harte said. 

The team is hopeful for another successful season this year and aims to maintain its half-decade-old state championship winning streak.

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About the Contributor
Nicole Zweifel
Nicole Zweifel, Staff Reporter
Throughout her last four years at Southern Lehigh, senior Nicole Zweifel has played a vital role in Southern Lehigh’s three publications. She served for two years as co-president of the Art and Literary Club which produces the annual Art and Literary Magazine, collaborated as a member of the Solehian yearbook staff, and reported for the Spotlight student newspaper during her senior year. “In our publications, we’re always working toward an end goal, and it was cool being able to see the end product of all the work we put into writing, reporting, editing, and making pages,” Zweifel said.  In fact, of all the teachers that Nicole has had in high school, there was one in particular that left the strongest impression: Mrs. Sheryl Ciotti, who served as the advisor for the Art and Lit Magazine. “Mrs. Ciotti has been a teacher in all aspects of my life,” Zweifel said. “She has always been very encouraging to me, and I made great memories with her through Art and Lit.” Naturally, Nicole’s favorite article to write for the Spotlight this year was “Farewell to Mrs. Ciotti, hello to Mrs. Fox,” which commemorated Mrs. Sheryl Ciotti’s time at Southern Lehigh High School before transferring to the district’s middle school, and introduced Mrs. Ella Fox as the high school’s newest English teacher.  Additionally, Nicole’s step-sister, who works as an environmental lawyer, has served as an irreplaceable role model in Nicole’s life by being supportive and influencing Nicole to have a strong work ethic.  As she reflects on the last four years, Zweifel notes that some of her favorite high school memories include attending pep rallies and Art and Literary Club Coffee Houses. “These were really fun experiences where we got to rally around each other as a community and see people’s talents shine in a supportive environment,” Zweifel said. After graduating, Zweifel plans to attend Northampton Community College and then continue her education at a university to study psychology with a focus on rehabilitation and human services. She found that after taking psychology in her junior year with social studies teacher Mr. Troy Ruch, she enjoyed learning about the brain and the complexities of human interactions.  “I think a career in which I am able to help other people would be very fulfilling,” Zweifel said.  Nicole dreams of going on a missionary experience with her church while traveling the world. She has also expressed interest in writing a book. “I just want to help others and serve my community,” she said. To underclassmen, Nicole leaves one last piece of advice. “Keep trying and never give up, because giving up will get you nowhere in life, and trying will at least get you somewhere.”