Vol45Issue22

‘BATTLESHIP’ MISSES PAGE 4 Clackamas Community College, Oregon City, Ore.

Volume 45, Issue 22

The Clackamas Print

ince 1966

www.TheClackamasPrint.com

An independent, student-run newspaper since 1966

Literature live at Clackamas

By Joshua Dillen News Editor Poetry, prose and songwriting along with Oregon’s own Poet Laureate, Paulann Petersen were the highlights of the third annual COMPOSE Writer’s Conference at Clackamas Community College last Saturday. A lunch with vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options was provided for attendees in Gregory Forum to fuel the minds of published authors and knowledge hungry writers. The workshops were held in several classrooms on the second floor of McLoughlin.

Paulann Petersen, Oregon’s Poet Laureate and COMPOSE special guest, provided a great description of the word “com-

pose” that epitomized the event in a speech at the lunch which sounded like she was reading a poem.

“Compose, compose, that’s a good word, isn’t it? Compose — it means to create, and then I think of the admonition, you know, to somebody ‘compose yourself.’

Right? As in ‘get a grip’, ‘get some composure,’” said Petersen, “But then, I also think to myself: ‘compose yourself, yes, absolutely!’

Because, we do indeed write to create ourselves. We write to discover moment to moment; to explore moment to moment who we are, who we are becoming.

That is part of the magic of this wonderful process of writing.”

Softball to play for NWAACC title

Please see COMPOSE, Page 3

The Clackamas softball team rejoices after Katie Aden slid into home base to break a 4-4 tie in the bottom of the seventh inning. Clackamas will play Lower Columbia College today for the NWAACC championship.

Campus to be used in case of emergency

By Felicia Skriver The Clackamas Print

they determine whether a person has the physical and psychological qualifications to join the military; however while they’re on campus they will not be conducting any kind of recruitment actions.

“The Beaux’ Strategem”

Please see DOD, Page 2

May 24 - June 3

An aerial photograph taken of the Clackamas Community College campus and its surrounding areas, as displayed in Lewelling.

Thursdays - Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., Sundays at 2:30 p.m.

Brad Heineke The Clackamas Print

Uncle Sam takes a step onto the campus with a back-up agreement with Clackamas Community College. The arrangement between the two makes it possible for the Department of Defense’s Military Entrance Processing Station to establish an off-site Emergency Operations Center in the case that a catastrophe hits and takes out their original office located in Portland. For students this means that no military officials from this agreement will be located on campus unless an earthquake or other calamity happens.

“They’re not going to have an office here on an on-going basis,” said Courtney Wilton, vice president of college services. “But if there is a catastrophe they may come and use the campus.”

The college already has simi-

lar standing agreements with Providence and the American Red Cross according to Wilton.

The Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) is a joint-service organization of the Department of Defense and it’s through this organization that

John WIlliam Howard The Clackamas Print

Joshua Dillen The Clackamas Print

Musician Amanda Spring plays the baritone ukelele during a conference on songwriting. Attendees write couplets and sing along with her strumming.

Page 8

2The Clackamas Print

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

newsed@clackamas.edu

News

15 seasoned staff exit stage left to retirement

By Joshua Dillen News Editor

him and his amusing speech later.

“While I’m going to miss the teaching, I need to slow down. Am I going to miss it? Probably,” said True, “but I’m an artist, so it’s not like I’ve stopped working. I just continue making art and being an artist.”

Cathy Hanson, who is retiring as the department chair of Skills Development, began volunteering at the college in 1976. She worked in the evening GED program. Her passion lies in her students and their success. An interesting fact about Hanson is that she no longer has defined fingerprints because of peeling onions. She worked on an onion and watermelon farm on Maui. Her retirement comes after 29 years of service committed to her students and their education.

She made this clear as she spoke of her years at the college.

“I’m certainly more comfortable standing in front of my classroom,” said Hanson. “That’s where I really feel like myself.”

Before she finished that comment, her granddaughter ran up to her and embraced her for the remainder of her speech as the crowed “awwwwed” at the adorable scene. Hanson expressed her thanks and appreciation to the many people on campus who helped her to improve the lives of her students.

At the end of the function, it was clear that these retirees had all made an impact on the CCC community throughout their years of employment. Tears, hugs,

and most of all, laughter were the features of a celebration that honored a retiring cast of loved and respected people. It was obvious their impact on the college would not be forgotten by those whose life they have touched in their years of service.

Other retirees honored were Dick Ashbaugh from the criminal justice department, with 22 years; John Bohach from the automotive department, eight years; Pam Brown from automotive, 18 years; Paula Hamm from education and human ser-

vices, 21 years; Judy Kreinheder from admissions, registration and records, 21 years; Karen Martini from the CCC Foundation, 13 years; Tanya Patrick from business and computer science, 18 years; Donna Pottratz from business and computer science, 17 years; Tim Shea from the Small Business Development Center, 20 years; Diana Shepherd from Criminal justice, 32 years; George Simms from environmental health and safety, 23 years; and Patty White from admissions, registration and records with 21 years of service.

Patrick Emerson The Clackamas

With almost 300 years of combined service, 15 retirees were honored during a celebration last Thursday in Gregory Forum at Clackamas Community College.

The room was occupied by past retirees and current CCC employees as well as those being honored and their families. Dessert was served to attendees in the form of various chocolate bars and fresh berry cups. Excitement and anticipation were in the air as Gregory Forum filled with well-wishers.

“Life is a Cabaret” was the title of the event.

Joanne Truesdell, CCC president, opened the ceremony with a light hearted and humorous introduction that was followed by a performance of “Cabaret” sung

by Erin Parra. Paul Paresa played the piano. Both are members of CCC’s premier vocal jazz group, Mainstream. Parra’s rendition of the song was lively, animated and well received by the audience. Each retiree was then featured in an audio/video slide show that highlighted his or her career and was narrated by co-workers. The commentaries were poignant and often humorous, while all drew applause from the crowd. They included stories of candor that painted a picture of the retirees time at the college as well as their impact on those around them.

David Smith-English, with

17 years of service at the college, expressed his feelings about his career at the college. He is retiring as a communications/theatre arts instructor. Before the celebration began he spoke with candor about his position at the college.

“It’s been a journey that I would not trade for anything in the world,” said Smith-English. “It’s a fabulous gig, man, and that’s the truth.”

As Truesdell introduced SmithEnglish, and as the huge applause subsided, she asked him “A sonnet or two?” He chuckled in reply, “You bet,” as he addressed the crowd of his peers. He told how amazing and special the friends he had made over the years were to him.

His speech, as did most, included funny and memorable accounts of college life as an instructor at CCC. Smith-English will still be involved with the college as artistic director for the Clackamas Repertory Theatre.

Another retiring instructor with 17 years instructing in the art department is Rick True, whose speech drew huge amounts of laughter from the audience. He told of the antics that happened in the art department in his early years as an instructor at CCC. The slide show that featured him included his words of wisdom: Don’t sweat the petty things, and don’t pet the sweaty things. A few moments before Truesdell opened the celebration, True spoke seriously of his retirement, in contrast to the comical commentary about

David Smith-English (left) and fellow staff member Rick True (right) talk about plans after retirement.

DOD: Defense officers to use site on campus in case of emergency Continued from Page 1

Like many organizations, the MEPS maintains an active emergency management plan which primarily focuses on the safety and security of their staff and military applicants. Once this is secured, the emergency plan explains the steps that will take place to redirect the MEPS. This is where Clackamas comes in to play, so that they may have

Staff

The Clackamas Print aims to report the news in an honest, unbiased and professional manner. Content published in The Print is not screened or subject to censorship.

19600 Molalla Ave. Oregon City, OR 97045

an office space to stay in contact with local authorities and higher command’s headquarters in North Chicago, Ill. The memorandum agreement states that the Department of Defense is allowed to stay on campus for a two-week period.

During this time, depending on the situation, Clackamas students can expect as few as two to three, or as many as six to eight uniformed officers around

campus during regular college safety hours. After the two weeks is up, the college has the decision of whether they want to keep the MEPS on campus or not. In the case that the MEPS must move on, they would shift towards another Military Entrance Processing Station in the area.

dedication to the communities and organizations therein that it serves,” stated Maj. David Godfrey, commander of the Portland MEPS in an email.

“I believe the benefit for CCC is simply acting on its philosophy of assisting and being there for the community.”

At the moment Clackamas is the only establishment with this kind of agreement with the MEPS; however, they are

currently trying to expand in to Washington with the same kind of agreement with the Armed Forces Reserve Center.

Godfrey also stated in the email that the MEPS “thanks Clackamas Community College for this agreement, and as both parties have stated, it is something that we would rather not use as it means that our facility is unusable.”

Editors

Writers & Photographers

Production Assistants

Contact Information

Editor-in-Chief: Brian Baldwin Copy Editor: Katherine Suydam News Editor: Joshua Dillen Arts&Culture: Isaac Soper Sports Editor: John William Howard Associate Sports Editor: Emily Rask

“In dealing with Mr. Wilton at CCC, it became apparent very early on that the college has a strong sense of

David Beasley Breanna Craine Joey Fisher Craig Hartrampf

Patrick Quinn Felicia Skriver Chris Taylor Steven Weldon

Photo Editor: Brad Heineke Web Editor: Anna Axelson Design Editor: James Duncan Ad Manager: Patrick Emerson

Adviser: Melissa Jones 503-594-6266

Christian Adams Mollie Berry Jaronte Goldsby Martin Gonzalez Harley Jackson

Hicham Kerkour Joey Nardin Ellen Niles Trent Noon Evon Trembly

chiefed@clackamas.edu copyed@clackamas.edu newsed@clackamas.edu aced@clackamas.edu sportsed@clackamas.edu photoed@clackamas.edu admgr@clackamas.edu webeditor@clackamas.edu

News

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

newsed@clackamas.edu

The Clackamas Print

3

(Left) Lidia Yuknavitch, author of “The God People” and “Films of War,” teaches how to write about real life in her workshop called “Memoir and Truthiness: Breaking Down Life.” (Right) Amber Spring, singer/songwriter, strums a ukelele as she teaches writers how to turn their words into song. Her workshop was titled “Anyone can write a song.”

COMPOSE: Writers rock McLoughlin Hall Continued from Page 1

All Photos by Joshua Dillen The Clackamas Print

Trevor Dodge (left) and Jeff McAlpine, English instructors, talk shop at the COMPOSE luncheon.

Writer’s conferences usually include a fee, but COMPOSE and all of its workshops were free to attend. The writer’s club created this conference two years ago. The English department has taken it over this year and worked to make the conference larger. According to Trista Cornelius, the department has decided to spend all the money allocated for writers’ workshops throughout the year and provide one large event.

“We decided rather than paying an author to come to an event now and then, we just put all the money into this event,” said Cornelius. “We are basically saving all of our pennies for this to really reach out to people.”

As the featured special guest, Petersen taught a workshop titled “With Words from the Mouth of a Stranger.” She spoke at lunch and was introduced by Kate Gray, English instructor who had nothing but words of respect for her.

“It gets a little bit brighter when she walks into a room,” said Gray. “Opening her books is like opening 70 layers of chocolate.”

The applause was thunderous as Petersen took the podium. Her presence was stately and her voice rang throughout Gregory Forum with calm power and impact as she presented her thoughts to the eager audience. Petersen began her speech by thanking those who organized the event and then spoke to the advantages of COMPOSE. “I think all of you who are here realize how unusual such a gathering/workshop is,” said Petersen. “Refreshments, a lunch, a lovely lunch; and everything is no charge. What a generous event to offer to the community.”

Don Weston is an author who has written manuscripts and is hoping to get published.

He attended Monica Drake’s session titled “Breaking and Entering: Getting an Answer When the Answer is No.” He is particularly impressed that no money is coming out of his pocket to attend the seminars.

“I guess I came today to see if there was something that I could learn,” said Weston, “and it was free, which is always a good price. I try to go to a couple of conferences a year.”

Tae Gordon, part time English instructor and CCC Writer’s Club adviser, talked about how proud she is of the event. She was particularly impressed with how well the event was attended. There were roughly 90 participants at the conference. Building writing skills and networking with other authors were important aspects of the conference to her.

“I’m shocked at how quickly registration was filled and then I’m also shocked at how widespread the news seemed to get out there,” said Gordon. “I think that writing is an isolated act; to be able to meet other people who practice, it is important. There is something about the energy of having so many writers together.”

Cornelius and Gordon along student helpers were available in the hallways of McLoughlin to answer questions and direct attendees to workshops throughout the day.

A workshop was presented by musicians and songwriters, Amber Spring and Julie Vitells of Portland. The session taught participants the fundamentals of songwriting. A song was created by teachers who used lyrics written by the students and melded together for a unique musical art piece. It gave writers a chance to learn how to

turn their words into music.

“I think writers always kind of want to be musicians and musicians always want to be writers,” said Vittels, “so we’re just trying to talk about how to marry those two.”

The program included workshops that taught the fundamentals of creating prose and poetry for authors of all styles. Unusual sessions that brought out of the box thinking to the art were available.

Trevor Dodge, CCC English instructor, hosted a workshop that used Craigslist as a way to develop characters and create fiction from real life ads on the website. Matthew Schumacher’s lesson titled “How to Write the Weird: The Whys, How and Ways of Valuable Estrangements” that taught ways to develop unusual writing styles to enhance the odder side of writing.

“

There is something about the energy of having so many writers together Tae Gordon Part-time English Instructor

There were several workshops that concentrated on lessons for authors who wanted to learn how to market themselves and their work. Writing about veterans was another workshop that focused on a specific style of writing. The variety of lessons to be learned were received well and attended at full capacity by writers of many abilities and genres.

& B-4 movie, Battleship game was a “hit”

4The Clackamas Print

By Steven Weldon The Clackamas Print The tension is high. You smell the fear in your opposition as you call out “D-3,” and impatiently wait for the response. If the response is hit, elation fills your heart as you are one step closer to eliminating

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

your opponent’s piece. With a small grin, your enemy exclaims “miss,” and you begrudgingly place a white plug into your board. The mind-game continues as the adversary attempts to exact revenge on their previously hit game pieces.

“Battleship” is the classic game of guessing, strategy and war. Originally a

aced@clackamas.edu

pencil-and-paper game created before World War I, the Milton Bradley Company published the game in 1943, and in 1967 it was developed into the board game we know and love. Originally known as “Broadsides, the Game of Naval Strategy,” gameplay has not changed much over the last century. Four grids are used to

Milton-Bradley

This vintage Battleship cover speaks to the games longevity and popularity. Originally published as a pencil and paper game in 1943 by Milton-Bradley, it is still played today.

Abandon ship; Battle

By James Duncan Design Editor

Movies based on games have, for the most part, followed a pattern of being pretty terrible.

We’ve had everything from “Super Mario Bros.” to “Mortal Kombat,” “Clue” to “Tomb Raider” and the list goes on. With a game franchise, it’s usually not that difficult to stick with the subject matter, but how do you do that when your subject matter is a board game? Well ... you don’t. You waste millions of dollars and worse than that, more than two full hours of my time!

While “Real Steel” may as well have called itself “Rock’em Sock’em Robots: The Movie,” the title for Peter Berg’s film ‘adaption’ of the classic Milton Bradley game

seems entirely forced. It’s like he planned out a big budget sci-fi action film and, through whatever circumstances, had to sell it to the highest bidder in order to keep it afloat. Pun most certainly intended. In this case, the highest bidder was Hasbro who, apparently also bought the rights to “Battleship.”

The movie takes its time getting out to sea, but before it does you must endure a barrage of facepalm-worthy clichés. Alexander Skarsgård plays the highachieving hard ass, Stone Hopper, while Taylor Kitsch plays his younger brother, Alex Hopper, a character straight out of every bad movie since the ‘70s and someone who clearly exhibits the worst decision making skills possible. Just the kind of person you’d

Universal Pictures

“Battleship,” the board game, makes for a boring movie viewing experience when translated to the big screen. The movie opened May 18.

place ship pieces and keep track of shots fired and the first player to successfully ‘sink’ each of their opponents’ ships wins the game.

There are a few ways to play “Battleship,” and a little known way is called ‘SALVO.’ In the dictionary, the term is defined as ‘a simultaneous discharge of firearms.’ This is exactly the object of the Battleship edition of the game. During a players’ turn, the number of spaces called out corresponds to how many ships the attacker has.

Five ships allow five shots, and so on.

While the game play itself has not changed since paper grids became plastic board grids, there have been some variants. In 1977, electronic “Battleship” hit shelves and in 1989, talking “Battleship” made its debut. In 2012, electronic “Battleship” was reinvented for the release of the feature-film now in theaters, and there are added special weapons for gameplay.

Different brands have been placed on the “Battleship name,” with “Star Wars” and “Pirates of the Caribbean” as

Arts Culture

tie-ins. Other variations include mobile editions, video game editions and the newest version includes islands in which captured man pieces are involved and the board uses non-traditional hexagonal tiles. Off of the board game realm, a game related to beer pong was developed as a spinoff. Battleshots involves the same “Battleship” gameplay, except an opponent fires their ping-pong ball over the dividing piece to attempt to sink the ball into a cup.

Once all drink cups are gone, gameplay is over and the loser is probably a little buzzed.

Playing “Battleship” takes under 30 minutes to complete usually, with an even faster setup like SALVO it can be even faster. Battles are enjoyable, and can even entice friendly rivalry and tense situations. Cheating is very easy, however, as one quick look could blow the cover of your opponent’s entire fleet. All the while, “Battleship” stands as a game that transcends time as its premise is relevant in every time period.

p i h s movie sinks in theaters

want commanding a fleet of ships.

After getting tased by the cops for trying to break into a closed convenience store in order to fetch the chicken burrito needed to win the heart of Samantha, played by Brooklyn Decker, he finds himself in the Navy where, lo and behold, her father is a decorated admiral played by Liam Neeson. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Long story short, things happen and three ships find themselves face to face with the least interesting of all known alien races and moments later the battle robs Alex of his brother and idol and he is thrust into command, leaving me thinking “Oh no ... a useless character I had no attachment to is dead.

I think I feel something ... nope, never mind. It was just heartburn.”

The battle scenes are just about the only redeeming part of the movie, but sadly they are pockmarked by the appearance of many other forgettable and utterly useless characters. Not the least of which is a Jeff Goldbloomesque scientist, played by Hamish Linklater, circa “Independence Day” complete with nonsensical science banter. Pop singer Rhianna is also cast in this movie as a gunner named Cora Raikes, and to my surprise her performance was actually the most enjoyable.

Looking deeply at this movie, the only thing I managed to really enjoy were the special effects.

While not many of the effects led to anything that made sense, they did it well. The detail of the alien ships, beautiful explosions and reasonable renderings of naval

ships were pleasing to the eye, but through all of the special effects the story keeps interfering and taking away from the whole thing.

I mean the movie was like a shard of colored glass, interesting to look at and even kind of pretty, but you wouldn’t want to jab it into your eyes for two hours. It seems like

having my spleen run through a cheese grater would still be preferable to sitting through this movie again.

&

Arts Culture

aced@clackamas.edu

Wildman says ‘the power is yours’

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

The Clackamas Print 5

Pioneer Family Festival full of fantastic fun

All photos by Brad Heineke The Clackamas Print

By Isaac Soper Arts & Culture Editor We all should give ourselves a nice big pat on the back, because we have made great steps in the direction of utterly destroying our planet. We’ve given Mother Nature the finger and thrown our smoldering cigarette butts in her face.

The Gulf of Mexico deadzone, the Gulf of Mexico oil spill (do we hate the Gulf or what?); the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (an island litter-ally made out of trash that is estimated to be the size of the United States that floats in the North Pacific Gyre), the list goes on. We are good at what we do.

Portland has been named time and again as “America’s Greenest City,” but what does that really mean? Sure we have composting; we’re bicycle friendly; we have a light rail system. Think of all of the steps that we’ve made to thank and protect the natural world. What if I told you that what Earth needs is for us to leave her the hell alone, not to build more solar panels and eat more soybased products? The best thing we can do for the world is to stop messing with her.

We live too large, and our lives are too big for our own good. If we all worked and went to school within a few miles of where we lived, it would be great, no need for cars or airlines, but that’s not the case, and due to companies like GM and BP and all of the other slimeballs with an acronym, we are going to continue raping the Earth until she is dead. Maybe we’ll get lucky and she’ll kill us first with a huge natural disaster. I’m hoping for fire-whirls (tornadoes made out of fire).

It doesn’t matter what side of the fence you are on, whether it’s the side of chaining yourself to a tree to save a forest or the side where you are burning down the rainforest with a flamethrower, the man with the flamethrower will almost always win. Sure you may not give up, but you won’t look much different from braised lamb when he’s done with you.

This article continues online at www.TheClackamasPrint. com.

The Pioneer Park Family Festival in Clackamette Park took place from May 18 - 20. Many attractions, including a skateboarding competition, live music and carnival rides were available for families to enjoy during the sunny weekend.

Above: Sierra Burk and Breanna Borchard enjoy one of the many rides available during the festival.

Above Garrett Colwell catches major air while pulling an“Indy” at the skateboarding competition.

Right: Travis Williams (left) and Dustin Lawrence (right), along with the rest of the local Clackamas band Mosby, perform at the festival.

Below: Mark Maxwell and his son Donnie check out the inflatable toy stand at the festival.

6The Clackamas Print

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

sportsed@clackamas.edu

Sports

Sports

Budgets $596

$502

$502 W Cross Country

$701

M Cross Country

$889 Baseball

$1,085

Soccer

W Basketball

Volleyball

M Basketball

$1,637

W Track and Field

$1,987

M Track and Field

$2,496

Softball

$2,909

Wrestling

$3,029

Above is a representation of the game-day expenses of each sport per athlete. Costs include travel, uniforms and equipment.

With the athletic year winding down, we’ve decided to take a look at where the athletic department spends its money.

Numbers range widely from sport to sport, with men’s basketball as the big budget king.

Men’s basketball spent more overall than any other program, followed by wrestling and baseball.

On the women’s side, soccer and volleyball had the biggest money grab, each spending around $29,000 for their season.

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Source: ope.ed.gov/athletics

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Sports

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

sportsed@clackamas.edu

The Clackamas Print 7

Athletes sign with four-year universities

By Emily Rask Associate Sports Editor

The athletic year at Clackamas Community College is coming to an end, and athletes have started to sign with other schools to prog-

ress in their athletic careers.

CCC offers three seasons of sports which include men and women’s basketball, women’s soccer, volleyball, softball, baseball, track and field and cross country.

Men’s basketball players Brett Ball, Paul Walter and

All photos by John William Howard The Clackamas Print

Taylor Dunn have all signed at four-year universities.

However, they aren’t the only players making strides.

“Former CCC player Brad King earned his bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies from Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Mo. this term,” basketball head coach Clif Wegner stated. “King, a 7’1” center, helped his 2009 CCC team win the Southern Region and NWAACC championships. He is also in his third year in law enforcement as well, as an officer in the Jefferson City Police Department. Congratulations Brad!”

Wrestling coach Josh Rhoden said that Austin Morehead, the two time AllAmerican, two time National Runner-Up and two time conference champion, is signing to wrestle for the Pac 12 Champions for Oregon State University. Also signed is Martín Gonzalez, staff member of The Clackamas Print.

He wrestled in the 133 lb division and finished as a two time National All-American, two time Conference Champion and has signed to compete

for NCAA Division 2 Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Ariz.

Softball is a big sport at CCC and had the most athletes sign this year. Head coach Jessica Buel said that the athletes signing with Concordia University include McKenzie Marshall, Katie Aden and Caitlyn Frasier. Briana Brace and Noelle Wright have signed with Northwest Christian University in Eugene and Bailie Foxworthy has signed with Willamette University.

Baseball has had several athletes sign with four year schools as well. Head coach Robin Robinson said Cody Ching has signed for a 90 percent scholarship to Young Harris University and Derek Aktinson has signed for a 90 percent or more scholarship to the University of San Francisco.

Track and field’s Teresa Lawson, who ran cross country in the fall, has signed and already transferred to Oregon State. 2011 NWAACC discus and hammer throw champion Katie Higgins has signed with the University of

Wyoming, and distance runner Rachel Botsford has signed with Oregon Tech. According to track and field head coach Keoni McHone, Shaun Lemafa, Emma Buchholz and Trent Acree are still actively looking to be signed.

Women’s soccer assistant coach Miriam Coto said that they have had Yasmina Coto sign with Northwest Christian University and Jasmin Garcia signed with Warner Pacific University.

Head volleyball coach Kathie Woods said that Taylor Richardson, Kristin Best and Natalie Baumgartner have all signed to four year universities for volleyball. Richardson has signed with Northwest Christian University in Eugene, Best has signed to the University of Puget Sound in Washington and Baumgartner has signed to Grenville University in Virginia.

There are still many athletes that will either sign or walk on at four year universities.

For an updated list of the athletes, their sports and where they’ll be attending, visit www.

TheClackamasPrint.com.

Clackamas standout guard Taylor Dunn composes himself before shooting a free throw. Dunn is one of three men’s basketball players to move on to a four-year university..

A new possibility changes everything.

WARNERPACIFIC.EDU PORTLAND, OR

Kristin Best rises above the net at the alumni volleyball tournament last month. Best has signed on to play for University of Puget Sound next season to play volleyball.

8The Clackamas Print

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

sportsed@clackamas.edu

Sports

Softball punches ticket to championship

By John William Howard Sports Editor By the time the fifth inning rolled around, it wasn’t even a game anymore. Clackamas Community College pitcher Noelle Wright bobbled the softball in her hand, two outs remaining. The Mt. Hood Community College bench had stopped their chanting.

Even they knew that the game was over, as they trailed 20-6 and tiptoed the edge of elimination. As head coach Jessica Buel shouted to “finish this,” Wright threw the pitch. The batter connected, sending the ball directly into the glove of left fielder Caitlyn Frasier, ending the inning.

The Clackamas players didn’t scream and shout, but calmly made their way to home plate for post game pleasantries. Their dominant victory over Southern Region rival and three-time defending NWAACC champion Mt. Hood earned them something more important: a birth in the NWAACC title game for the first time since 2007.

However easy the win over Mt. Hood might have seemed, it was the last piece in a long road to the finals and the fifth elimination game in a row that Clackamas had to win.

The tournament began on Friday, May 18 at Delta Park in Portland, where Clackamas easily dispatched Shoreline Community College in a fiveinning, 8-0 victory. In the second round, just a few hours later, the Cougars struggled to get their bats working against Mt. Hood in their first meeting. They found themselves down 3-2 in the top of the seventh inning with two outs and runners on first and third.

McKenzie Marshall’s grounder was picked up by the Saint’s pitcher and thrown to first, handing Clackamas their first loss of the double elimination tournament and sending them to the loser’s bracket.

Clackamas came back the next day, knowing that losing any one of the three games they had scheduled would eliminate them from the competition.

Clackamas started the next day against Pierce College, and led 6-2 after five innings.

Marshall, who started the game as pitcher, struck out one batter for the first out of the fifth inning. On the next at bat with two runners on base, Ashley Bezdicek of Pierce knocked the first pitch out of the park for a three run homer, making a game of things yet again.

Marshall smiled and handed things off to Wright, who closed out the game and iced

Clackamas players cheer together after beating Bellevue 5-4 in the bottom of the seventh inning. Tasha Silvius hit a walk off single to drive Katie Aden home, ending the inning. the 6-5 victory for the Cougars.

Treasure Valley Community College was next up for Clackamas, who kept things rolling with a 9-0 rout of the Chukars to advance to the final game of the day, where they would face the Douglas College Royals. Marshall pitched three innings for the Cougars, giving up seven hits and three runs before being relieved by Wright. Clackamas gave up just one more run in the final four innings and scored three more of their own, getting the 6-4 victory.

It was the end of a long day for Wright, who started a

game of her own and closed out two others. Wright said she had a good day, and that she never lost confidence in her teammates even when the opposition made a rally.

“We knew we could hold ‘em,” Wright said.

Despite the next day’s cooler weather, a heated battle raged Sunday morning between Clackamas and Bellevue College. Bellevue, who swept the league’s Northern Region with ease, jumped out to an early lead with four runs in the top of the first inning.

Clackamas mounted their comeback in the third, scoring a three run homer from Tasha Silvius to make it 4-3. Megan Malvick scored on a double in the fifth inning to tie the game.

The score held, and both teams found themselves tied and facing elimination in the bottom of the seventh.

Clackamas hit trouble getting things going in the inning, and had just Katie Aden on

base with two outs. Then Silvius sent a single to center field and Aden took off, rounding second and third before sliding home and bringing her teammates shouting from the dugout.

The Cougars celebrated for a short time, but soon turned their attention to the slug fest taking place next door between Mt. Hood and Lower Columbia. LCC eventually won 21-16, coming from behind and exhausting each of Mt. Hood’s pitchers. That set up the game between Mt. Hood and Clackamas to be a one sided blowout and making the way clear for Clackamas’ appearance in the NWAACC championship.

Clackamas will face Lower Columbia for the NWAACC championship on Wednesday, May 23 at 2 p.m. Because Lower Columbia has not lost yet in the tournament, Clackamas must win two games to claim a title.

Above left: Sophomore McKenzie Marshall pitches during the game against Pierce College on Saturday, May 19. Marshall started two games for Clackamas on Saturday and two on Sunday.

Bottom right: Freshman Elise Breshears slides in to home plate during the game against Pierce on Saturday, May 19. Clackamas beat Pierce 6-5 in the first of five consecutive elimination games that the Cougars won.

Clackamas vs. Lower Columbia on Wednesday, May 23 at 2 p.m. at Delta Park, Portland.

All photos by John William Howard The Clackamas Print

Middle: Noelle Wright looks to close out the game against Mt. Hood. Clackamas won the game 20-6, knocking Mt. Hood from the tournament and advancing to the NWAACC championship game.