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By Claire Reinthaler
For the Clemmons Courier

The last week of the first quarter brought about not only a new wave of exams, but a new wave of illnesses as well. And no, it wasn’t COVID. The flu has been running rampant this year, with Influenza Type A being the most prominent offender. The A type is more contagious and usually more severe, and this was certainly the case last week in the village. Multiple days of the week of Oct. 24 recorded more than 400 students absent, with about 80 percent of the absent students being reported as having the flu. Many students that have been coming to school have started to wear masks again to both protect themselves from the virus, and for those who have come back after being sick, to protect others from possibly getting infected as well.
If you’re a West student, now is a better time than ever to get your flu vaccine. Many local pharmacies offer walk-in appointments and it’s easy to protect yourself from this year’s flu season.
The end of the first quarter always marks the transition from fall to winter sports, and this year is no different. Basketball, swimming, wrestling and indoor track are all set to start their seasons soon in the wake of fall sports playoffs, including an all-new girls wrestling team for the 2022-23 school year.
Despite the boys soccer and football teams losing their last games of the season, soccer 6-1 to R.J. Reynolds on Oct. 26 and 1-0 East Forsyth on Oct. 28 and football 53-7 against East on Oct. 28, both teams made it to the playoffs. The soccer team traveled to Asheville to take on T.C. Roberson on Oct. 31 and the football team faces a rematch of their regular season finale against East Forsyth on Friday, taking on the undefeated Eagles for the second week in a row. The varsity field hockey team faced Grimsley in their first playoff game, falling 2-1.The boys and girls cross country teams both advanced to Saturday’s 4-A state championship meet at last week’s regional championships, and Samantha McEachran competed in the 4-A state tennis tournament last week in Raleigh to close her season with a 20-3 record.
The first week of both November and the second quarter is a shortened one, with students out of school on Halloween for a teacher workday, but there’s still much upcoming.
The Pre-ACT, which all sophomores are required to take on Nov. 2 and National Honors Society applications are due this week as well. It’s certainly turning out to be a productive and busy fall for the Titans.

Claire Reinthaler is this year’s Titan Tattler.