INSIDE
CAL TIMES california university of Pennsylvania
Vulcan Village hosts halloween party November 1, 2013
CALTIMES.ORG
Page 7 vol. 35, No. 10
IN THE
NEWS Cal U talks dating
A diverse panel of Cal U students were called upon to talk about dating and relationships in college.
Page 3
Cal U Assistant Chief of Police Mike Miles escorts Khari Hicks from the campus police station after Hicks was apprehended for an alleged robbery attempt on Cal U’s campus Oct. 30.
Cal U student charged with residence hall robbery
OPINION
___________________________
Response to porn
contributing editor ___________________________
A Cal U professor offers his own perspectives in response to last week’s editorial on pornography addiction.
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ENTERTAINMENT Kappa alpha psi’s rise
Kappa Alpha Psi started from the bottom, now they’re here.
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SPORTS Women’s soccer keeps rolling The California University of Pennsylvania women’s soccer team extended their winning streak with two key PSAC wins.
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photo: Jeff Helsel
by
Casey Flores
An alleged armed robbery took place on California University of Pennsylvania’s campus in Residence Hall B on Wednesday, Oct. 30. 18-year-old freshman Khari Hicks of Pittsburgh is the suspect charged in the robbery. At 11:43 a.m., a Cal U Alert was sent out reading, “Armed robbery in Building B. Lock your door and stay inside.” Twenty six minutes later, an alert that read, “campus police have the suspect in custody,” was sent out. Hicks was apprehended on Third Street, near the Natali Student Center. No injuries were reported in connection with the incident. William Walker, freshman, lives on the third floor of Residence Hall B. He is the roommate of Andrew, sophomore, the man who was allegedly robbed. Andrew asked that we withhold his last name. Walker says he let Hicks into his dorm room after Hicks asked if he could look for his phone charger. “I didn’t know him at all. I figured he was one of my roommate’s fraternity brothers,” Walker said. “I looked away for a second and when I looked back he had a gun pointed to my roommate’s head.” Walker says he stood against the wall while his roommate was robbed. He said that Hicks
took between $200-300 then casually walked out. The roommates then went to their community assistant and called the police. Walker said he thinks the suspect randomly targeted them. Standard procedure for admittance into residence halls states that non-residents must sign in at the front desk and be accompanied by a resident of that hall. No names appeared on Residence Hall B’s sign-in sheet around the time of the robbery. Walker kept a cool head throughout the ordeal. “I didn’t feel as if he was really going to do anything,” he said. “I don’t even think [the gun] was real.”
Walker was correct. According to a press release by the university, after searching the room with Hicks’ consent, police located a small, black plastic toy gun, which they believe was used to commit the robbery. Still, the incident disturbed Walker. He said that he feels less safe on campus now than he used to. Walker and Andrew live with two other roommates, who were gone at the time. Matt Turner, senior, sports management, is Hicks’ roommate. “[It’s] concerning, especially when it’s your roommate,” Turner said. “It’s not someone I picked so it worries you a little bit about the system they have.”
The alleged robbery took place in Residence Hall B on the third floor.
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Turner said he had been living with Hicks for the entire semester and had never personally had any problems with him. University Police have charged Hicks with robbery, two counts of reckless endangerment, two counts of simple assault, theft, possession of instruments of crime, two counts of terroristic threats, and drug offenses. The charges were filed in the office of District Justice Joshua Kanalis. A separate university disciplinary process is also under way. Hicks was transported to the Washington County Jail where he is being held without bond.
photo: Jeff Helsel
Cal times
page 2
november 1, 2013
Students have issues scheduling online _______________________ by Stetson Provance for the CalTimes
Campus Police Files
Lost and Found
Fire Alarm
Oct. 23 At 10:28 a.m. someone reported losing their University Keys on the Cal Comuter Bus two weeks earlier.
Oct. 23 A fire alarm was activated in Building B at 10:58 p.m. as a result of a student burning candles in their room.
Theft
Suspicious Activity
Oct. 23 A student reported having a textbook stolen out of their backpack in Keystone room 211 at 3:29 p.m.
Oct. 23 Police were called at 2:25 p.m. after it was reported that a student was in possession of heroin in Frich Hall’s Bio room.
Man hides behind car
Bar fight - Assist
Oct. 23 A female on Ridge Avenue called police at 9:05 p.m. after an upset man was hiding behind her car.
Oct. 24 Police were called at 12:52 a.m. after a fight between three males broke out at J. Coles Inn.
Security Conference Examines Disaster Support The director of Homeland Defense and Security Issues for the Center for Strategic Leadership at the U.S. Army War College will be the keynote speaker during the seventh annual Conference on Homeland and International Security at California University of Pennsylvania. This year’s conference, Defense Support of Civil Authorities in Disaster Management, is scheduled from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Nov. 5 in the Performance Center, inside the Natali Student
Center. Professor Bert Tussing of the U.S. Army War College will be presenting on The Military’s Domestic Imperative: Homeland Defense and Defense Support of Civil Authorities. The conference is open to professionals in the security and disaster management fields, as well as the general public. Cost is $20; fee includes refreshments and a certificate of completion.
Times Staff CALTIMES.org
_______________________ As students attempted to register for classes for the Spring 2014 semester at California University of Pennsylvania, they had to worry about more than classes they needed closing. Students across campus ran into problems with Cal U’s Vulcan Information Portal (VIP) during registration, an issue they said they want fixed. “Vulcan Information Portal seriously needs to upgrade their login server,” Cody Jennette, junior, communications said. “There were times the VIP login screen wouldn’t even show up,” Kaitlyn O’Toole, junior, communications said. “They need to fix this mess.” This isn’t the first time students have had these complaints either. The VIP service, which was implemented in 2010, has been used during five registration periods. All five times, the service has crashed for a period of time. Bill Staffen, the man in charge of running the VIP server, said he is always looking for ways to improve the service. “We pay close attention to VIP,” Staffen said. “It is the most important service provided to the university.” However, Staffen doesn’t think upgrading VIP’s server is an effective way to solve the problem of crashing. “It doesn’t make much sense to upgrade the hardware for spikes in activity that aren’t happening over 90 percent of the time,” he said.
Gene Axton...........................................................Editor in chief Casey Flores........................................................Opinion Editor Jose Negron..........................................................Sports Editor Jamie Rider...............................................ENtertainment Editor Taylor Brown..........................................................Staff writer Laura zeno................................................Website coordinator jeff Helsel..........................................director of publications
Students using the university’s online VIP system reported problems registering for Spring 2014 semester classes.
Instead, Staffen hopes to see the university continue to try and spread out the times students register for classes. “This year, the Provost’s Office broke scheduling down into six or seven parts per day,” he said. “That was a vast improvement over last semester where thousands of students were logging on at 7 a.m. and trying to register.” Because of this decision, Staffen said he was able to identify where crashes occurred, allowing him to pinpoint what parts of the VIP server do need improved. Cal U’s Interim PresidentGeraldine Jones said that although she agrees with Staffen that spreading out registration times has helped the problem a little bit, but the university knows more needs to be done. “Issues with VIP have been talked about at many of my cabinet meetings,” Jones said. “Although we have made some changes to the service to help prevent outages, we aren’t at the point where we, or as we saw
this week the student body, are satisfied.” And, according to Jones, the university is willing to spend money to upgrade the service. “If we have to use additional funds to fix the problems with VIP, we will do so,” she said. In fact, Jones said students could begin to see improvements by the end of the academic year. “The university has recently acquired the improved version of VIP, a program called Luminis, and we could be able to roll that software out by the middle of the Spring 2014 semester.” Both Jones and Staffen said issues with VIP will soon be a thing of the past. “Problems with VIP affect our students directly,” Jones said. “We must fix the issues with VIP quickly.” “The number of people having trouble with VIP is rapidly shrinking,” Staffen said. “Soon enough, the time of troubles with the system will be a bad memory.”
CALTIMES CONTRIBUTORS: Matt Kaminski Josh Hanna Stetson Provance Deven L. Bourquin Michelle Cooper Matt Hagy
Caltimes@cALU.edu 724-938-4321 POLICY: The California TIMES is published in the Monongahela Valley area most Fridays of the academic year, with the exception of holiday breaks • Any member of the university community may submit articles, editorials, cartoons, photographs or drawings for consideration • Deadlines are as follows: All written copy, announcements, e-mail (caltimes@calu.edu), and advertising submissions are due at noon on the Monday before publication. Exceptions to these deadlines must be arranged with the editor. All submissions are the opinions of their creator(s). •The California TIMES reserves the right to edit or refuse submissions as it sees fit, without offering justification for content or advertising sections.
NEWS
november 1, 2013
page 3
Confused, curious, or just straight crushin’? Cal U students discuss dating in relationship forum ___________________________
by
Casey Flores
contributing editor ___________________________ When someone thinks of the words “deal-breaker,” “cheating” and “goals,” he or she may be inclined to associate them with gambling. Last Thursday, however, these words were applied to dating. Sponsored by the END Violence Center, the relationship forum featured a diverse panel of students with various relationship statuses. California
University of Pennsylvania students who were “confused, curious, or just straight crushin’” were encouraged to attend the discussion. Lauren Griffith, sophomore, journalism said the event showed her different peoples’ perspectives. “I thought it was pretty neat,” Griffith said. She appreciated the panel’s diversity in relationship lengths, statuses and geographic distances. One of questions asked the panelists how the expectations and pressures of society and
the media affect their views on relationships. “I think at a young age we’re taught relationships were supposed to be like one kind of way… you’ll watch Disney movies and Disney shows and there’s always a happy ending… birds are chirping,” Brandon Hall, senior, business said. “It’s not like that and I think a lot of people in general might… expect their relationship to be like that but then when you’re in one, it’s not.” Daelynn Roach, senior, history, was there representing
lesbian relationships. “It does get really difficult sometimes,” Roach said. “My girlfriend just recently came out. I’ve been out since I was twelve… The way people stare at me and what they expect from me. It’s just so much different.” Another topic covered was how technology affects relationships. “It messes up communication,” Bruce Grover, junior, political science said. He regrets that people now prefer texting to talking face-to-face. Grover was the only single
person on the panel. “I’ve only had two girlfriends my whole life… I feel like if you can make somebody your girlfriend or boyfriend… that’s somebody you can spend the rest of your life with,” he said. “I would have liked to see a little bit different topics,” Griffith said. “It wasn’t exactly what I was expecting,” Kay Dorrance, coordinator of the END Violence Center, moderated the forum. “I was very pleased with the event,” Dorrance said. “The turnout was much greater than I expected.”
Student Activities Board (SABUG) samples upcoming entertainment ___________________________ by José
Negron
contributing editor ___________________________ Groups like California University of Pennsylvania’s Student Activities Board are common on college campuses and are in charge of bringing events to their respective universities. The group on Cal U’s campus, which combines with the Underground Café to form the group known to students as “SABUG,” traveled to the National Association of Campus Activities (NACA) conference in Buffalo, N.Y. from Oct. 16 to
Oct. 20 to look at acts that could potentially perform on campus. The purpose of the conference, which is split into different regions based on the location of the school, is to bring in college activity committees to attend performances and showcases that various entertainers set up. At this year’s conference, over 60 showcase acts were included and after the showcases, over 100 booths were set up for members to interact with artists and agents in what is referred to as a Marketplace. Marketplaces also allow groups to view many different novelties that could be brought to campuses such as
photo booths and stuff-a-buddy. Though this was a big part of the conference, students on committees also learn things that are vital to handling their business. “NACA allows you to not only decide who we want to bring to our university, but it also allows us to network,” said Suzy Hart, junior and vice president of the Student Activities Board. “Networking is a big part of what we do and making those connections with different agents and agencies cannot just happen over the phone. Attending NACA is a great experience that gives us amazing connections to help us bring what our
student body wants.” The conference also included educational sessions with professional development speakers, which provided students with the opportunity to learn from other schools and agents about things such as leadership, marketing, putting on concerts, budgeting and much more. “There were [educational] sessions that made me really motivated to work on bringing bigger things to campus,” Dan Carmichael, junior, the weekend and trips chair for the Student Activities Board said. “We as a group are more motivated and learned a lot more.”
The conference occurs every semester and gives members of each school’s respective group the chance to book various performers, build relationships and connections and bring acts that students would find entertaining and be interested in seeing. “NACA is a great experience and is extremely beneficial to our Student Activities Board and Underground Café,” Hart said. “This is how we bring what the student body wants to see to Cal U.”
Cal Times
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november 1, 2013
Jump in: five comics you should be reading _______________________ by Gene Axton contributing editor
_______________________ I purchased my first comic book in May of this year. I kept the urge at bay for a while – I am a fan of literature and I was under the impression that comics weren’t a medium capable of telling an engrossing story. I was humbled by the first few books I picked up and I’ve made regular trips to comic book stores ever since. Leave all preconceived notions at the door – comics are a viable art form and the shelves at the local shop are full of books worthy of your attention. The following five runs represent some of the most enjoyable superhero exploits that have recently been put to ink and paper.
Hawkeye Publisher: Marvel Monthly – $2.99 Jeremy Renner’s portrayal of Clint Barton brought Hawkeye out of the weird purple costume and into the public consciousness. Matt Fraction’s writing has ensured that he stays there. The fact that the book isn’t called Clint Barton is misleading – Hawkeye is less about the exploits of a superhero than the relationships Barton has (or doesn’t have) with those in his personal life. This approach could’ve proved disastrous, but Fraction lends personality to each supporting character who’s lucky (unlucky) enough to come in contact with the master archer. From the tenants of Barton’s New York City apartment building to Young Avengers’ Kate Bishop (who also goes by the name Hawkeye), Barton is surrounded by a colorful cast of characters who provide just
as much incentive to pick up next month’s issue as the titular character himself. The book’s generic henchmen antagonists are even given their own personalities through the use of a few hilarious idiosyncrasies. If you’re looking for non-stop action, Matt Fraction’s Hawkeye is not for you. If you’re looking for proof that comic books are worth paying attention to, go grab Hawkeye Vol. 1: My Life As A Weapon, which collects the first six hard-to-find issues in one trade paperback. After you finish reading this newspaper, of course.
Batman/Superman Publisher: DC Monthly - $3.99
Marvel’s sequel to the Avengers movie, “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” takes the name of a story arc that spanned multiple titles over the course of months. Avengers A.I., a team composed entirely of artificial life forms and led by scientist Hank Pym, was given their own monthly in the aftermath of the Age of Ultron event. Each member of Avengers A.I. is a fully realized character who is written with wit and drawn beautifully. Making a technically sound book is an achievement in itself, but making one that stars a cast of semi-obscure characters isn’t a sure-fire way to get noticed. Luckily, the writing team has done a great job defining each member of the
team and giving the robots and cyborgs a realistic stake in the overall story arc. Avengers A.I. is only five issues in, so it shouldn’t be tough to track down the whole series in one day.
Injustice: Gods Among Us Publisher: DC Weekly as a $0.99 digital – Monthly print edition released for $3.99 each month Injustice: Gods Among Us is based on the video game of the same name, but don’t write it off because it’s a product tie-in.
Warner Bros. and DC’s 2015 sequel to “Man of Steel” will see two of the publisher’s most popular characters, Batman (Ben Affleck) and Superman (Henry Cavill reprising his role), meet on the silver screen for the first time. The Batman/Superman movie will most likely be nothing like the current run of the Batman/Superman comic book. The New 52 version of the super-duo is weird. Greg Pak’s first arc, a four-issue battle that sees our Batman and Superman take on younger versions of themselves from another dimension, just saw its last issue hit stores. Jae Lee’s art style adds just the right amount of creepiness and does a lot to instill the confusing feeling of meeting yourself (then getting into a super-powered skirmish with yourself) in the reader. Although issue five of Batman/Superman will feature a new artist and a new story arc, it will still be undoubtedly Greg Pak – reason enough to follow the two iconic character further into uncharted territory.
Avengers A.I. Publisher: Marvel Monthly - $2.99
Injustice tells an engaging story that features a large cast filled with DC heavy hitters. The book, which serves as a prequel for the game, tells the story of Superman’s transformation from humanity’s champion to Earth’s dictator. Though it’s built on a foundation that could easily become cliché, the series’ amazingly simple strength – all of its main characters are established DC icons – gives it the space it needs to build compelling stories without spending pages on backstory to emotionally involve readers. Injustice just saw the release of its 10th issue and writer Tom Taylor shows no signs of stopping. The first six issues will be released in hardcover and paperback on Nov. 19.
Quantum and Woody Publisher: Valiant Monthly - $3.99 A reimaging of a ‘90s comic of the same name, Quantum and Woody’s titular superhero team are not very good at being superheroes and not very good at being a team. Thankfully, they are very good at providing a wildly entertaining and expertly drawn ride through the pages of each month’s issue. James Asmus’ writing takes the classic superhero story and consistently presents it in a fresh way – think BBC’s “Sherlock.” When the words are put to the page, each of which is drawn by Tom Fowler, the whole package comes together quite nicely. Quantum and Woody is published by Valiant, a smaller house than those the Justice League or the Avengers built, but it can be found at the same comic book shops as Captain America and Superman. Its most recent release is issue four, which wraps up the brother’s first story arch.
courtesy: dccomics
Entertainment
november 1, 2013
page 5
Undergroud Cafe’s Fall Fest _______________________ by Kate Sheldon for the CalTimes
_______________________ Each Thursday night California University of Pennsylvania’s Student Activities Board and Underground committee has an Underground Café open mic night from 9 p.m. to midnight, but the mic night on Oct. 24 was a little different. SABUG decided to collaborate with the Greek Life on campus and turn this regular Underground Café into a “Fall Fest.” Face painting, cider pong, corn hole, candied apples and free food were just a few of the things available to attendees of this event, all while they enjoyed the performances by their peers. At least once a month the Underground brings in a featured artist. Adelee, 20, and Gentry, 18, two sisters from Dayton, Ohio, were this month’s featured artists. Even though Gentry is still a home-schooled senior in high
school, the sisters are touring and performing all around the country. Though they have a lot going on, both still have a positive outlook about traveling and performing. “I love the flexibility of being an artist,” Adelee said. “It’s random and not the same every day type of thing. Some days you hang out at home, some days you’re doing shows and others you’re in the studio.” The sisters have always performed together and started learning guitar around the age of 10. They have recently started performing at colleges around the country, but have played at many different coffee shops and at bigger venues for larger crowds. Cal U also had a few studentbased bands and artists that are regular performers at the Underground Café on Oct. 24. Chris Novak, junior, public relations and a member of the Alpha Chi Rho fraternity is in a band called Solomon Crow & the Bourbon Boys, which con-
sists of seven Cal U students. The band opened for Adelee and Gentry. “Nights like tonight are a great way to network and getting involved with other organizations is the best way to meet people,” Novak said. “I love playing for my peers and playing music is honestly a great way to waste time.” Taylor Overly, junior, political science is the secretary of the Underground portion of SABUG’s executive board and consistently stays involved with the Underground. He believes collaborating with Greek life has positively impacted the organizations on Cal U’s campus. “Tonight was really able to bring people from many different clubs and organizations together,” Overly said. “We had our biggest crowd of people so far this year, around 357 people, and hopefully we can continue to keep the attendance of different groups growing.” courtesy: kate sheldon
Studio 224 hosts Halloween themed art show Design After Dark
_______________________ by Lauren Griffith for the CalTimes
_______________________ Studio 224, California University of Pennsylvania’s graphic design club, held a Halloweenthemed design show Thursday, Oct. 24. Vice President of Studio 224
Eric Robinson and other members of the club started planning the show in September by pinning down the regulations for submissions. Submissions were due two weeks before the show, with the chosen pieces and decorations hung just before the 6 p.m. opening. Any current student or alumni were welcome to submit their
design work as long as it was two-dimensional, Halloween themed and able to be hung. The show featured 19 different artists and 65 pieces of work. With an estimated 80 people in attendance, Robinson said that this was the biggest Studio 224 gathering he has ever seen. “As a Studio 224 officer, it’s about putting our image back
Netflix Movie of the Week L
out there,” Robinson said. “SAI [Student Association, Inc.] cut our budget by 60%, so we can’t do a lot of shows.” Beau Yauch (INFO) created pieces of minions from the popular film Despicable Me, while Michelle Rodcamp (INFO) chose to do a Day of the Deadthemed portrait of a young girl. Eric Robinson recreated classics
by artists like Johannes Vermeer, Vincent Van Gogh and Roy Lichtenstein and put an eerie twist on them. Studio 224 meets in Coover Hall, room 213, every Tuesday, and is always accepting new members.
O C A L S courtesy: our family portrait
courtesy: ficg.mx of flickr.com
“Let The Right One In” While this movie is Swedish and viewers will have to bear with subtites, it’s a vampire movie that is refreshing and unique. A small boy by the name odf Oskar is constantly bullied at school and had trouble making friends. When a new girl moves next door, Eli, he finds an ally. Eventually he finds out Eli is a vampire and her father is murdering people and draining their blood so Eli doesn’t have to kill. Many sites consider it one of the best horror films on Netflix to date and was originally a novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist. Genre: Horror Originally Released: October 24, 2013
O N L Y
by Josh
Hanna
Our Family Portrait is a pop punk/alternative band from the South Hills of Pittsburgh. Coming from a scene that showcased different genres of bands, Our Family Portrait is showing that they can keep up with the best of them. With their upcoming Ep Valleys, this band is one to keep your eye on. This past September they released their first single from their upcoming EP, “I Won’t Forgive You.” Vocalist Zac Bianco portrays his feelings well in this bipolar attempt to forget the person who hurt him. The song changes mood multiple times in the song giving the listener a good balance of in your face but also a relaxed feeling. In the song the listener feel influences or even just similarities to bands such as Turnover and New Found Glory. Catch Our Family Portrait with Such Gold at the Smiling Moose on Oct. 25. Also download their single “I Won’t Forgive You” on their bandcamp (ourfamilyportrait.bandcamp.com) for free.
cal times
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november 1, 2013
Kappa Alpha Psi is on the rise _______________________ by Jamie Rider contributing editor
_______________________ ‘Achievement in every field of human endeavor’ is the motto of the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity. The current brothers here at California University of Pennsylvania are striving to hold true to those words. Kappa Alpha Psi has been present on campus since March 13, 1971, with membership fluctuating over the years. Their presence has been stronger since 2005, but up until 2011 there was only one member keeping the group afloat. Shawn McCoy came to Cal U in fall of 2009, but it took him two years to finally realize he belonged with the fraternity that represented so much of what he believed. “I became a member because of the way they carried themselves,” McCoy said. “There were Kappa’s around me my entire life, I just didn’t realize the significance of that until I came to Cal U and I learned about Greek life. The male Kappa figures were at the top of their field. They were amazing and I wanted that for myself.” McCoy was raised in Philadelphia and attended a program called Temple Youth Voices. The program was created to encourage high school students to further their education. It was here he encountered professors who saw in him a future Kappa Alpha Psi bother. “They used to say to me, Shawn you’re going to be a Kappa, and you’re going to know the significance of that statement,” said McCoy. Rodney Edwards also grew up being told he was eventually going to find his way into the Kappa family. Friends of the family who knew of the organi-
zation felt that he was the type. “When I told them I was interested they weren’t surprised and I was like, ‘well okay,’” Edwards said. “It was the only choice for me after I did my research because of the motto of achievement. I felt like at that time in my life that was all I was trying to do… achieve. Greek life was the only thing I wasn’t a part of.” McCoy and Edwards are both very proud of the recent achievements their fraternity has made on Cal U’s campus. At the President’s Reception Ceremony they won all four awards in the NPHC (National Pan-Hellenic Council) category. They won Scholarship, Leadership, Greek Activity and the highly coveted President’s Award for most outstanding Greek organization within that category. NPHC is a minority here on campus so the awards were something they can’t help but be excited about. The fraternity has six members, which is a number much smaller than most Greek organizations here on campus. This makes the achievements they’ve made so far that much more important to them. “The awe on everyone’s face was recognition enough,” McCoy said. Edwards shares this sentiment. “The reason it felt so good was because we really worked for this,” Edwards said. “When the chapter was expanding we said we wanted these awards. We wanted it and we worked and I don’t feel bad walking around with my head held high.” They have the utmost respect for the other fraternities on campus, but are unapologetic for sweeping the competition like they did. It also noteworthy that McCoy is this year’s Homecoming
L to R: Keon Thompson, Rashee Ferguson, Shawn McCoy, Rodney Edwards, JaQuan Cornish, and Ira Johnson.
King. Edwards ran last year, and while he didn’t go home with the crown he did make court and encouraged McCoy to run this year. “When Shawn won no one knew how happy I was,” Edwards said. “I don’t have the crown but I have it in my chapter, and that’s enough. It was a proud moment for me.” McCoy says he is more proud of the recognition for the chapter than for himself. He is the first black Homecoming King since 2008, so the crown holds a lot of meaning for the brothers. On Oct. 19, the Cal U chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi won first place at West Virginia University’s PartyWalk competition, which was held during WVU’s homecoming weekend. The PartyWalk competition is a choreographed “stroll” where the brothers dance to a mix of their choice and aim to have the best routine. According to Edwards, many Cal U students attended the event and he was pleasantly surprised. McCoy, who was unable to attend, got the call from Edwards about their chapter securing first place and opened Instagram to find multiple pictures of his brothers with comments of support. The brothers of Alpha Kappa Psi genuinely love the campus and they say that their dedication is not a show. “We balance business, pleasure and social,” McCoy said. Explaining that for every social event the hold they also try to host an education program or a fundraiser. Recently they raised $250 in one week for the St. Jude foundation, and $100 in two days for the Susan G. Komen foundation. They also love the people they’ve encountered on campus as well. “We all have these personalities in the chapter where we’re people people,” Edwards said. “I love just sitting in the union talking to people, that’s how I’ve
courtesy: rodney edwards Shawn McCoy and Rodney Edwards after McCoy won homecoming king.
gained a lot of friends.” Their personalities lend to collaborations with other organizations as well. “We’re really big on coordinating with other organizations,” McCoy said. “We make sure we’re at every event for other organizations if they need us.” The two young men don’t see the organization disappearing and are adamant about Kappa Alpha Psi being a name that the Cal U campus won’t easily forget in the future. “I can only see us going up,”
Edwards said. “Because of the location of this chapter there may be a time where we go absent again, but I always see us coming back strong. I don’t see us going away or neglecting the chapter.” McCoy adds to the confidence of that statement. “The presence of Kappa Alpha Psi is going to be immortalized on this campus because of the service we’ve done and the service we will continue to do,” McCoy said. “The connections we make, the bonds we build… they’re not going anywhere.”
Kappa Alpha Psi brothers after winning the Party Walk Competition at West Virgina University.
november 1, 2013
entertainment
Cal U’s Vulcan Village hosts “Children’s Halloween Party”
The Vulcan Village Leadership Living-Learning Community (LLC) hosted a Halloween party for California area children ages 12 and under, along with their parents, on Oct. 28. The event featured Halloween crafts, food and games in the village club house while student volunteers led walks around the apartment building grounds for Halloween “trickor-treats”. Organizers say more than 110 people attended the event. ( Photos: Jeff Helsel ) (To the left) Shawna Fallon, Vulcan Village LLC student, leads children on a trick-or-treat tour. (Below) Amanda Kahwajy, LLC student, escorts a group of children in search of Halloween candy treats. (Above and to the right) Area youngsters gather in the Vulcan Village club house to enjoy Halloween crafts and foods.
page 7
Opinion
page 8
november 1, 2013
The defunding debacle
The Republican push to defund Obamacare defied the strategic wisdom of the ages “Avoid what is strong,” Sun Tzu advised, “to strike what is weak.” According to Machiavelli, “Prudence consists in knowing how to recognize the nature of the different dangers and in accepting the least bad as good.” In contravention of all these axioms, the defunders stormed the barricades at their strongest point. They exhibited no willingness to distinguish among bad options or appreciation for what was really achievable. At best, their approach was a highrisk, low-reward strategy. As it turns out, there wasn’t even any reward. The shutdown fight has been interesting in its particulars but dull in its overall trajectory, which was so predictable that
the news stories on the endgame almost could have been filed in advance. Even bomb-throwers hesitated to light this fuse. Sen. Rand Paul never thought the shutdown was a good strategy. When the allegedly wholly impractical libertarian doubts your tactical judgment, it should be taken as a warning. Sen. Ted Cruz, the very able point man for the defunders, kept the strategy afloat longer than most people would have expected, but he could never explain persuasively the path from a shutdown to a signing ceremony in the White House defunding the president’s signature piece of legislation. A key part of the theory was that, in the heat of a shutdown,
red-state Democrats would buckle and join the anti-Obamacare bandwagon. Given the near-certainty that Republicans would be blamed for the shutdown, this was always fanciful. Republicans did the best they could during the shutdown. They passed rifle-shot bills out of the House funding specific functions of government that put Democrats in a tight spot. They highlighted the idiotic excesses of the National Park Service. They hit Democrats for their unwillingness to negotiate. But all of this amounted to damage control. In the end, although polls showed the gap relatively narrow, more people blamed Republicans than Democrats. As the anti-government party that
was forcing the issue, the Republicans were always going to have trouble escaping blame. Gallup and Wall Street Journal/ NBC polls showed the party’s favorability scraping bottom. On top of all this, the party went into the fight divided, with the House Republicans most enthusiastic about the strategy foisting it on their leadership. They proved again that, in the right circumstances, they can control the House Republican Conference, which gives them control of ... the House Republican Conference. An initial plan promoted by House Majority Leader Eric Cantor simply to force a vote on defunding in the Senate and then move to a clean continuing resolution was blasted by
defunders as empty symbolism. After a few weeks of political pain, Republicans ended up in the same place: The House voted on a defunding provision that was quickly pushed aside by the Senate, and it was forced to accept an essentially clean continuing resolution. Now, the same defunders who argued that Obamacare would be unrepealable beginning Oct. 1 with the opening of the exchanges are vowing to fight on against the health-care law -- as they should. It will be a long fight, requiring not just passion and principle but also a little strategic wisdom.
Rich Lowry is editor of the National Review.
Letter to the editor: A professor’s response to last week’s porn piece Dear Editor, I am writing this letter in response to the article titled Pornography Addiction: A major issue in today’s society. The article seemed to be about pornography addiction according to its title and the thesis first presented. However much of the facts reported in the article were about pornography in general. It should be made clear that there is a difference between the viewing of pornography (even those who view regularly) and pornography addiction. Since pornography addiction has only begun to have a clinical definition, extrapolating trends of addiction based on statistics of people accessing pornography does not say much. There is no question that when we view humans as objects only we do them a disservice to say the least. However,
to state that pornography leads to objectification of humans would be incorrect. First of all, can’t people be educated that pornography is only fantasy and doesn’t represent real life? It seems fairly obvious that trips to the bank don’t normally erupt into sex with the teller. If someone doesn’t realize that this is the case are there not additional failures elsewhere in their life that has led to a misunderstanding of what normal human interaction entails? Additionally, pornography alone is not the only source of entertainment that objectifies women. The most popular sports generally involve big athletic men being tough, aggressive and strategic, while the role of women is to wave pompoms and dress in short skirts on the sidelines. Many a music video has scantily clad
women shaking their booty in a harem like call for sex around male performers. Women are still objectified in television and movies. There are still less female artists compared to male artists displayed at even contemporary art museums. We still have only had one woman win a best director Academy Award. Scientific fields still have a higher amount of men than women. And women still make less than men when it comes to salary. Even the bible paints the very first woman as a sexual object; a temptress leading to the fall of man. It is clear that society does not put women on an equal playing field when it comes to creativity or intelligence. Your article makes pornography sound like a cause of a problem, rather than a symptom of a greater problem in society.
Women today have many more rights and freedoms than they did 100 or even 50 years ago. Arguably women were more objectified before internet pornography was even available. Your statement about pornography planting the idea of objectification of women in men’s heads seems heavily exaggerated compared to all the other stimuli that objectify women in our society. The connection you draw regarding objectification would imply that increased access to porn might decrease gender equality and increase cases of sexual violence. However, studies that show that increased access to pornography has not increased incidences of rape, and in some places saw a reduction in rape. Furthermore it is important to note that some feminists see sexually explicit material as expanding the social
and sexual options for women; offering them choices of fantasies, behaviors and artistic expression. While on the other hand finding the stereotypes expressed in “women’s” magazines or television shows to be more damaging. Addiction is dangerous no matter what. So it is not surprising that pornography addiction is as well. Alcoholism is also a serious problem so should we use statistics of alcohol access in order to warn people about those risks? I think it is great that you wanted to reach out to people with addiction, I just feel like you oversimplified the problem to a great degree.
Swarndeep Gill is a professor of earth science at California University of Pennsylvania.
Do you have a strong opinion on current events, happenings around campus, or something in your field? Would you like to write a letter to the editor? Write us at: caltimes@calu.edu
*Letters may be edited for grammar, punctuation and space.
november 1, 2013
CORNER
Organizations
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Michelle Cooper
BSU by
Happy November! We are getting closer and closer to the end of the semester, which means that finals are approaching and it’s time to make sure you use the resources on campus wisely. We are still planning our unity weekend events. Nov. 15 will be our trip to the Waterfront in Homestead for our night on the town event. There are places to shop, restaurants to eat at and there’s a movie theatre. Transportation fee is $5 and can be paid with your shop dollars at the information desk in the union. Please support the lovely ladies of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority in their efforts to collect art supplies for children affected by human trafficking and domestic violence. The Young & Gifted Gospel choir will be putting on their play, “Transformed,” Nov. 24 in the Blaney theatre in Steele Hall. The show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $3 in advance and $5 at the door. Please show support! As a reminder, BSU meetings are held every Thursday at 5:15 p.m. in Carter Hall’s Multipurpose room. We will be having a resource of the week at the meetings. If you would like us to get in contact with a certain group, department, or organization on campus please let us know.
The Internship Corner How to Perform at an Interview By Deven L. Bourquin Frank T. Brogan Chancellor, Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education
PASSHE Chancellor to visit Cal U Open Forum with PASSHE Chancellor Frank T. Brogan, Steele Hall Mainstage Theatre, Nov. 6, 11 a.m.
All students, faculty and staff are invited to attend an open forum with Frank T. Brogan, newly appointed as Chancellor of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. The chief executive officer of PASSHE, Brogan assumed his new role on Oct. 1, 2013. A lifelong educator, Mr. Brogan previously served as chancellor of the State University System of Florida, was president of Florida Atlantic University and was twice elected lieutenant governor of the state of Florida. As PASSHE’s chancellor, Mr. Brogan serves as the State System’s chief executive officer, which operates 14 comprehensive universities with a combined enrollment of nearly 115,000 students. The chancellor works with the Board of Governors to recommend and develop overall policies for the System. Mr. Brogan began his academic career as a teacher at Port Salerno Elementary School in Martin County, Fla. After working his way up through the Martin County School System—including serving six years as superintendent— he was elected Florida’s Commissioner of Education in 1995. As commissioner, he spearheaded passage of a law to strengthen criminal background checks for all educators and led the effort to establish the Bright Futures Scholarship Program.
Congratulations! You have managed to snag yourself an interview! Take a moment and celebrate; for some of you it feels like a small weight has been taken off of your shoulders…and now a heavier one is dropped on you. It is said that if one arrives on time then they are late; if one arrives early then they are on time. You should arrive to your interview about ten to fifteen minutes before your designated time. Also, when you check in with the receptionist, treat them like they are your favorite person in the world. There’s no need to be overly polite because that comes across as fake, but know your manners and be respectful. The receptionist deals with the boss day in and day out. They talk frequently. While you’re waiting for your interviewer to receive you, assume that you are being watched. That means your cell phone should never leave your pocket. As a rule of thumb, leave your cell phone off and in the car if that is how you traveled to the interview. It is unprofessional to be on your phone at work, and it is unprofessional to be on your phone while waiting for an interview. Think about it: your interviewer is likely a busy person that is taking time out of their day to interview you. If you’re sitting on your phone playing Temple Run 2 it shows
that you don’t respect that time. To you, it’s time for a game. Another thing, don’t bother the receptionist. Yes, they will help you, but don’t be overly needy. They are working too and don’t have time for chatter. Know the company that you are going to be interviewing for. This shows a desire on your end to go beyond what is required. This will also allow you to formulate questions if there is something you are curious about but is not answered through public information. Your handshake should fully grasp the other hand and be firm. Make sure that you are making eye contact during this custom. This shows that you know proper protocol and have confidence. I was once given advice by a professor of mine who said, “There will never be a problem with what you want to say, the problem will come with how you want to say it.” I have found this statement to prove itself time and time again. I offer these words to you as well. Take the time to read through standardized interview questions and practice your answers. Think about how you want to shape the perception you present to the interviewer. I cannot stress this importance enough because if you practice you will not be blindsided by the question, “Tell me a personal weakness
of yours.” Here’s a tip: your answer should never be “I don’t have a weakness” or “I can’t think of one at the moment.” It is appropriate during an interview to take a second to gather your thoughts. It shows that you are thinking, and interviewers want to see that. However, don’t take too long to think because then you look unprepared. Don’t not take the time to think because then you look like a robot that is too well rehearsed and it does not seem genuine. Also, avoid using hesitation words such as “Um,” “Uh” and “Like.” If you must use one, use “Well.” “Well” is an interjection that sounds more prepared and less like a fourteen year old ordering from a menu. There are numerous things to remember about an interview, and these are just a few. For further information about proper protocol in an interview, try jobsearch.about.com. They offer extensive articles about related topics. Also, a simple Google search will yield a plethora of results. The knowledge is out there for you to utilize. For more information: Please visit the Internship Center webpage at www.calu.edu/internships or stop by the Internship Center, Eberly 230. For questions or comments, please call 724-938-1578, or email Tracie Beck at beck_t@calu.edu.
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Men’s soccer team ends losing skid _______________________ by Jose Negron sports editor
____________________________ Coming into their previous three games this past week, the California University of Pennsylvania men’s soccer team had lost five of their last seven games. The Vulcans looked to rebound in three home matches against the West Chester Golden Rams, the East Stroudsburg Warriors and the Shippensburg Raiders. In their first game of the weekend, the Vulcans went up against a West Chester team who came into the game sporting a 9-3-2 record overall and 9-1-1 in conference play. The Golden Rams got on the board first at the 15th minute when senior Conor Malarney scored his tenth goal of the season on a pass up the right sideline from teammate Alex Caplan. Both teams played stellar defense throughout the rest of the first half and throughout the second half. At 79:48 in the second half, West Chester picked up an insurance goal as junior Tommy Ryan netted his third of the year
on a shot off a rebound from just outside the box. The Vulcans couldn’t figure out West Chester goalkeeper Ryan Shultz as he made three saves en route to the Golden Rams 2-0 victory. A day later, the Vulcans celebrated their senior players on Senior Night and looked to end their losing skid and get back on track against an East Stroudsburg team who had only won two games all season. The Vulcans opened up the scoring at the 27:56 mark on a goal by senior Christopher Karns who scored off of a cross from inside the box. The Vulcans wouldn’t stop there, as they would add on to their lead less than three minutes later on sophomore Anthony DiFrancesco’s first goal of the season. The Warriors attempted a comeback late in the second half as they got on the board at the 86:19 mark on a goal by Otavio Caproni, but they couldn’t get one more past Vulcan goalkeeper Alex Heston as Cal U would hold on to win 2-1. The victory would end the Vulcans four-game losing streak and would improve them to 6-91 on the season. In the Vulcans’ final home
CAL TIMES
November 1, 2013
photo: jeff helsel Senior midfielder Gaby Deller-Borgano looks to pass to a teammate in a 2-0 loss against the West Chester Golden Rams last Friday at the Phillipsburg Soccer complex
game of the regular season they faced a Shippensburg University team that was looking to extend their winning streak to six consecutive games. Early on in the game, we could see that the Vulcans were opposed to what the Raiders had planned. Cal U opened the scoring at the 25:28 mark on a goal by junior Jeffrey Kyei, his third of the season, off of a direct kick that went in
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Students!
“Campus Talk”
with Cal U President Geraldine Jones Convocation Center, South Wing Nov. 14, 11 a.m. Bring your questions/ concerns on any University topic!
Advertise in the Cal Times and Cal Times Online! Please contact our sales and advertising department Caltimes@calu.edu 724-938-4321 caltimes.org
top shelf on Raiders goalkeeper Clay Sale. After a scoreless rest of the first half, the Vulcans got an insurance goal at the 66th minute on a goal by freshman Elliot Taylor. For a second consecutive game, Cal U allowed a late goal to let Shippensburg on the board, but would hold on for a 2-1 victory. This win, their seventh of the season, brings their overall record to 7-9-1 and
improves their PSAC conference record to 4-5-1. The Vulcans look to continue their recent success as they travel to Millersville, Pa. to take on the Millersville University Marauders in their final regular season game at 5 p.m.
The Distinguished Service Award
The oldest award given to outstanding students at Cal U! Students with senior status and who are graduating in DECEMBER 2013 are nominated through Student Congress and then screened by a select committee of university administrators. This award recognizes outstanding contributions in university service! community service! and academic achievement!
To nominate a deserving December graduate (students may nominate themselves) Contact any Student Government member or email jeannerette@calu.edu with why you feel the outstanding student should be nominated. Deadline for submissions for nominations: Nov. 1, 2013.
SPORTS
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Junior Erin Hogan breaks away from a West Chester defender in a 1-0 shutout victory against the Golden Rams last friday at Phillipsburg Soccer complex. The Lady Vulcans won their 12th game in a row against West Chester, posting their tenth shutout win of the season in the process.
photo: sports information
Lady Vulcans Soccer winning streak moves to 13 games _______________________ by Matt Hagy staff writer
____________________________ Facing their toughest stretch of games to date this season, the 6th ranked Cal U Vulcans women’s soccer team conquered
West Chester 1-0 last Friday afternoon at Phillipsburg Soccer Facility and followed up with a dominant 3-0 victory over East Stroudsburg the next day in frigid conditions to extend their winning streak to 13 games. The Vulcan women have shut out their opponent in 11 of those
Volleyball team continues winning ways with pair of nail biting victories
_______________________ cans by posting an astonishing by Matt Hagy career high 42 digs in the win. staff writer
____________________________ Two Erie Universities came to the Convocation Center this past weekend and both left town with a loss. The Cal U women’s volleyball team scored a pair of thrilling five set victories over the defending PSAC champion Gannon Golden Knights and Mercyhurst Lakers last weekend to improve their perfect conference record to 15-0 this season in the PSAC and extend their match win streak to 11 games, the longest so far this season. Last Friday night, the Vulcans defeated the defending champs in a back and forth five set contest that saw the Vulcans win one game then Gannon taking the next game in the first four sets. After nearly pulling a stunning comeback against Gannon in the fourth set, the Vulcans finally put away the pesky Golden Knights 15-11 in thrilling fashion. Sophomore Samantha Rudy was the easily the first star of the night for the Vul-
Rudy became the first Vulcan in a decade to post over 40 digs in a single game. Senior Molly Delaney once again paced the Vulcans in kills posting 18 while having three other teammates post double digit kills with the duo of junior Julia Muzy and sophomore Mary Lavery each adding 13 kills along with sophomore Miranda Fouzie tallying 10 kills. Freshman Kristen Scurpa had an outstanding game directing the Vulcan offense by posting a career high 55 assists along with 17 digs which is also a career high. Sophomore Taylor Melidona also set a career high in digs against the Golden Knights with also 17 digs. On Saturday afternoon, the Vulcans again needed five sets to post a win by defeating the Mercyhurst Lakers (25-21, 28-30, 20-25, 25-22, 15-5). The Vulcans fell behind the upset-minded Lakers 2-1 after three sets and found themselves behind 7-6 in the fourth set before taking 13 of the next 19 points en route to eventually taking the fourth
13 wins as they continue their ascent to the top of not just the PSAC standings but the national rankings as well. The Friday matchup against the West Chester Golden Rams was one of the most hyped games of the season. The two teams have a recent history of set 25-22. In the fifth set it was all Vulcans as they shredded the Lakers 15-5 in the fifth and final set. It was Delaney dominating the match this time on both sides by posting 16 kills and 21 digs which were game highs for the Vulcans. Lavery matched Delaney with 16 kills and also added six kills capping off a strong weekend for the sophomore. Three other Vulcans posted double-digit digs versus the Lakers. Rudy and Muzy each added 18 digs along with Kristen Scurpa posting 17 digs while again finishing with over 50 assists for the game, this time with 51. Freshman Danielle Hayes had her best game of the season for the Vulcans by tallying a team-high five blocks and also grabbing six kills which matched her season best. The Vulcans hit the road this weekend as they head north to face their arch-rival IUP Crimson Hawks tonight in a prime-time 7pm matchup and then face their toughest PSAC game this season as they take on the Clarion Golden Eagles in a battle for first place in the PSAC. The Golden Eagles have just one conference loss this season and that was to Cal U on Oct. 4 in Hamer Hall. UPCOMING GAMES 11/1 - @ IUP - 7 P.M. 11/2 - @ Clarion - 1 P.M. 11/5 - V.S Seton Hill - 7 P.M. 11/8 - V.S Slippery Rock - 7 P.M. 11/9 - V.S Edinboro - 2 P.M. 11/15 - @ Mercyhurst - 7 P.M. 11/16 - @ Gannon - TBA
November 1, 2013 playing exciting games which dates back to the 2010 season when the Vulcans were defeated twice by the Golden Rams in the playoffs on penalty kicks. The Vulcans started quick in this edition of the rivalry scoring in the seventh minute of the game when junior Haley Henderson scored her team-leading seventh goal of the season when she ripped a shot that landed in the top left corner of the net to give the Vulcans the early 1-0 advantage. The Vulcans controlled the game early by taking seven of the eight shots to open the game and chased the Golden Rams all over the field. Things got heated when the Vulcans were issued a pair of yellow cards near the box at the end of the first half but held the Golden Rams off the scoreboard going into the break. The Vulcans nearly doubled their lead in the 62nd minute when sophomore Marissa Neifert fired a shot off the crossbar and the rebound sailed wide right. The Golden Rams turned up the heat in the last half hour of the game in a last desperation push that had the Vulcans on their heels. With four minutes to go, Golden Ram forward Rachel Jackson nearly sent the game possibly into overtime when she had an open chance at a game tying header. However, sophomore Lauren Pezzica redirected the header to preserve the Vulcans first regular season win
over the Golden Rams in over six years. Freshman goalkeeper Meghan Jayes continued her breakout first season as a Vulcan net minder by recording a pair of saves to record her fourth complete game shutout of the season. The next day, the Vulcans honored their seniors before the game and went on to easily dominate the Warriors of East Stroudsburg and record their fourth straight game without allowing a goal. It was a trio of Vulcans that scored in the game starting with sophomore Janelle McCann slamming the ball in the back of the net off of a great pass from Henderson to give the Vulcans a 1-0 lead in the 27th minute. Sophomore Kara Novotny extended the Vulcan lead to 2-0 just before halftime and later junior Chelsea Crockett added an insurance goal in the second half to cap off another dominating weekend of play. The Vulcan women now travel to Lancaster County tomorrow to face the Millersvile Maurauders in the regular season finale as they look to go into the PSAC playoffs on a high note.
Swimming team earns split in seasonopening meets
_______________________ by Matt Kifer sports information
____________________________ The California University of Pennsylvania swimming team opened its season on Friday evening at Hamer Hall by splitting a pair of dual meets with Notre Dame (Ohio) and Wheeling Jesuit. The Vulcans earned a 127-72.5 victory over the Falcons and suffered a narrow 102-101 loss to the Cardinals. Cal U won a combined five events (four individual, one relay) at its season-opening meet, including three individual victories by freshmen. Freshman Braelyn Tracy (Belle Vernon, Pa./Elizabeth-Forward) earned a pair of individual wins at Hamer Hall while making her college debut. She cruised to victory in the 1000 freestyle after touching the wall with a time of 10 minutes, 53.10 seconds and posted a time of 5:22.27 to win the 500 freestyle by over four seconds. Fellow newcomer Jade Arganbright (York, Pa./Central York) also registered a victory in her college debut with a time of
2:02.16 in the 200 freestyle. The freshman duo was part of the 400 freestyle relay with seniors Kelsey Nuhfer (Warren, Pa./Warren) and Brianna Sieck (Reading, Pa./Muhlenberg) and won the event by nearly three seconds with a time of 3:44.29. The 400 medley relay of freshman Krystal Wriglesworth (Clearfield, Pa/Clearfield), junior Brittany Reamer (West Mifflin, Pa./West Mifflin), Nuhfer and Arganbright finished in second place by just one-tenth of a second with a time of 4:08.16. Nuhfer captured an individual win in the 50 freestyle on Friday, touching the wall in 25.01 seconds. Classmate Rachel Nauman (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield) finished second behind Tracy in the 500 freestyle after registering a time of 5:26.53. The Vulcans featured back-to-back finishes in the 200 breaststroke with junior Sarah Beck (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield) in second place at 2:31.58 and Reamer at 2:40.05. Cal U returns to action on Friday, Nov. 1, when it travels to Shippensburg, Pa., for a tri-meet against Fairmont State and the host Raiders.
SPORTS
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Junior running back Jeff Knox Jr. runs in between the tackles, attempting to score a touchdown in Saturday’s 35-7 victory over the Gannon Golden Knights at Adamson Stadium. Knox Jr. ran for 102 yards on 19 carries and two rushing touchdowns on the day.
photo: sports information
Vulcans dominate Gannon en route to third straight victory
_______________________ by Matt Hagy staff writer
____________________________ The running game of the California Vulcans football team is picking a great time to heat up as the temperature drops. Last Saturday afternoon, the Vulcans ran at will over an overmatched Gannon defense for a seasonhigh 252 yards on the ground en route to a dominant 35-7 victory over the Golden Knights to extend their winning streak to three games and stay tied at the top of the PSAC west standings with Slippery Rock. “By getting ahead by multiple scores we were able to force Gannon to play differently and not with their standard game plan,” Head Coach Mike Kellar said. “They had to throw the ball more than they wanted to and it ended up playing into our hands. Our guys came out strong and took care of business like we hoped that they would.” The three-headed monster of the Vulcan rushing attack Saturday was once again led by junior Jeff Knox who finished
over 100 yards for the first time all season at 102 yards on 19 attempts and added two touchdowns to continue his scoring rampage over the past three games. Sophomore Derrick Fiore finished the day by adding 56 yards to the rushing attack with no touchdowns but performed his best running the ball in any game this season so far against the Gannon defense. Freshman phenom Nick Grissom finished the day with a career best 81 yards on the ground along with one highlight reel touchdown to cap off the dominant effort on the ground by the Vulcans. Both offenses came out flat to start the game in the cold but beautiful conditions that set over Adamson Stadium on Saturday with both teams trading field position in the first quarter of play with no scores. The Vulcans ended up breaking the scoreless tie on the first play of the second quarter when sophomore quarterback James Harris hit freshman fullback Ryan McCauley on a great five yard screen pass on 3rd and goal to give the Vulcans their first lead of the game at 7-0. The score capped off an impres-
sive 14 play, 70 yard drive that included a fourth and short conversion and the beginning of the trio of Vulcan running backs dominating the front seven of the Gannon defense. The Golden Knights countered the Vulcans first score of the game with a touchdown drive of their own when Gannon sophomore quarterback Liam Nadler dove into the end zone from one yard out to tie the score at seven with a little over ten minutes in the second quarter. The key play of the drive was when Nadler delivered a strike to receiver Jestin Hamm for 29 yards to put the Golden Knights at the goal line to set up the quarterback sneak from Nadler. The Vulcans had their first of two chances to reclaim the lead just before halftime when the powerful trio of Knox, Fiore, and Grissom ran the ball forcefully down the field to as far as the Gannon three yard line. The potential scoring drive came to an abrupt halt however when Harris was picked off at the one yard line by Gannon defender Mike Zanders with 2:07 left in the half. After forcing Gannon into a three and out, the Vulcans
november 1, 2013 had little time to attempt a scoring drive of some sorts as they moved into field goal range with just seconds to go. This time the Vulcans capitalized on a great chance to take the lead back not with a field goal, but with a crisp 31-yard touchdown pass from Harris to senior receiver Nadir Brown with just eight seconds left to stun the Gannon defense and give Brown his second touchdown in two weeks. “I felt one of the turning points in the football game was that touchdown pass to Nadir just before the half,” Kellar said. “That gave us a 14-7 lead going into the locker rooms and all the momentum in the world going into the half and really set the stage for the great second half we had.” The Vulcans started the second half with the ball and quickly stormed down the field in just four plays with Grissom dazzling the Vulcan fans with a 26-yard touchdown run that saw him evade over five defenders on his way to the end zone to put the Vulcans up 21-7. Knox also had an impressive 31-yard scamper as he used his strength to trample over the lifeless Golden Knight defenders to the Gannon 27-yard line to set Grissom up from there. On third down of the next Gannon offensive drive, the Vulcans got a huge team-leading fourth interception from freshman cornerback Aaron Terry who continues to stand out as the Vulcans best cornerback in just his first collegiate season. “Aaron is a kid we were recruiting heavily at this time last year and we encouraged him come play for our team originally as a wide receiver,” Kellar added. “With the way our secondary was shaping up over the summer we asked him if he could switch to corner like he also played in high school which he happily agreed to do being the great kid he is. He’s been tremendous for us as a corner this season and that interception he made on Saturday really showed his receiver skills that he has built over the years and continues to make an impact as a true freshman which makes me excited to see the player he becomes in the future.” Following the interception the
Vulcans pounded the ball five times to the Gannon goal line where Knox would power in from a yard out to begin to put the game out of reach at 28-7 with ten minutes left in the third quarter. Gannon attempted to counter the Vulcans score with one of their own taking the ball to the Vulcans 9-yard line before they were stuffed on 4th down by a stout rush defense of the Vulcans that held Gannon starting tailback, Jansen Jones, over 100 yards under his average on Saturday. Both teams traded field position into the fourth quarter after Harris was picked off for the second time of the game at midfield after the turnover on downs. Gannon made one last serious attempt at cutting the Vulcan deficit down to two scores in the fourth, when they drove the ball to the Vulcan 23yard line with Jones having his best series of the day running the ball for Gannon. Senior C.J Townes then both ended the Gannon drive and any last chance Gannon had at making it a game again when he picked Nadler off in the end zone and accelerated his way 70 yards to set up the Vulcans for one last score which was Jeff Knox grabbing his second touchdown of the game this time from two yards out to make it 35-7, the eventual final score of the contest. The Vulcans now play for a spot in the PSAC championship game tomorrow on the road against Slippery Rock, a team that has defeated the Vulcans two straight seasons, at 1 p.m. from Mihalik-Thompson Stadium. “Slippery Rock is very tough to play on the road and Coach Mihalik has a very outstanding football team up there,” Kellar said. “We have to stop dualthreat QB Nigel Barksdale along with that very powerful offense The Rock has and our defense has to step up and stop some very skilled receivers. Obviously it is a huge game for our team but we treat it as another normal week of preparation and analyze what Slippery Rock’s strengths and weaknesses are hopefully using their weaknesses we find to our advantage and have fun up there Saturday in a great atmosphere.”