The Corsair Issue 6

Freedom

CONTENT

News: pg. 3-4 Culture: pg. 5

Photo Story: pg. 6-7

Arts & Entertainment: pg. 8 Opinion: pg. 9 Sports: pg. 10

EDITORIAL STAFF

Katheryne Menendez | Editor-in-Chief

Jackson Tammariello | Managing Editor

Marlene Herrera | News Editor

Michael Zavala | Culture Editor

Sosana Shelah | Opinion Editor

Anna Sophia Moltke | Photo Editor

Sasha Funes | Sports Editor

Aaliyah Sosa | Arts & Entertainment Editor

Ee Lin Tsen | Multimedia Editor

Anna Moricz | Multimedia Editor

Neil O'Loughlin | Design Editor

Cecil Alsanussi | Design Editor

Madison Piker | Social Media Editor

Brittney Ornelas | Social Media Editor

Timothy Lewis | Copy Editor

Anthony Clingerman | Copy Editor

Conor Heeley | Copy Editor

Andrea Marcy | Digital Editor

CORSAIR STAFF

| Caylo Seals | Tyler Simms | Nick McCall | Jamie Addison | Ethan Swope | Reis Novakovic | Dani lo Perez | Otis Vega | Corey Fishwick | Guadalupe Perez | Rebecca Hogan | Lucian Polk | Kerrington

Dillon | Jakob Walther | Emma Krul | Eva-Love

Jopanda | Deshawn Pouper | Khadija Bellaftouh

| Saige Washington | Brian Saurin | MyDari Baker

| Richard Mendez | Drew Andersen | Kandy Bar ba-Downs | Josh Hogan |

FACULTY ADVISORS

Sharyn Obsatz | Journalism Adviser

Gerard Burkhart | Photo Adviser

Samantha Nuñez | Social Media Adviser

CONTACT

Editor-in-Chief | corsair.editorinchief@gmail.com

SOCIAL

FRONT PAGE

Freedom for Iran rally goer chanting and singing during the march in Hollywood, Calif. on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022. This rally is part of a global move ment that has taken place since the death of Mahsa Amini. (Caylo Seals | The Corsair)

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

The feeling of the chilly autumn breeze that is so prevalent this time of year has a very strong ability to bring me back to all too familiar moments. As soon as temperatures start to drop, I know it's time to dig out my sweater from the back of my closet, start to brace myself for the unstoppable wave of Christmas music, and get ready for the holidays. As Thanksgiving gets closer, I find myself reflecting on what I’m thankful for and how far I’ve come.

I enrolled in Santa Monica College in Fall 2022 and became a part of The Corsair that very same semester. My very first Corsair assignment was a beach clean-up article in the fall of last year. Since then, the assignments continued, each bringing new memories and friends along the way. The Corsair did not just allow me to learn new things and share my thoughts and perspectives with others, but it also allowed my life to be intertwined with the lives of strangers whom I otherwise would have completely overlooked. And for that, I am very thankful.

Since my time as Editor-in-Chief, I have been able to learn about journalism in ways I had never been able to before. Our staff members are intelligent, compas sionate people who are aware of how journalism can be used for good, and want to be a part of that. After see ing every PDF produced, every article written and photo taken, I am filled with indescribable pride. Journalism is a team effort, and all the amazing work done by The Corsair could not be completed by the hard work of so many staff members.

Katheryne Menendez Editor-in-Chief

Illustration by Katheryne Menendez

While most were protesting the un fair labor practic es, some were con cerned about other University issues on Monday, No vember 14 at University of California Los An geles (UCLA)

Thousands On Strike Across UC Campuses

Tyler Simms | Staff Writer

Students, workers and faculty have organized a strike across University of California (UC) campuses throughout the state with the aim of fighting for better wages for graduate students who work at the university, increasing child care subsidies for students with children and eliminating the additional tuition that interna tional students have to pay.

Hundreds of people attended the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) rally, with the mantra of the protestors being "seven percent don't pay the rent" in reference to the University's offer to raise current wages by seven percent. The strikers believe this increase to be insufficient and have gone as far to allege that the negotiations are in bad faith and unlawful. One of the leading organizers Desmond Fonseca, a student researcher at UCLA, said that the catalyst for the strike was months of unproductive and unsuccessful bargaining with the college.

"What the unlawful bargaining is doing is delaying the process of getting a fair contract and that's why we're out here, as an es calation, to show the University that what it's doing isn't right," he said.

Fonseca, while not surprised by the turnout for the strike, was impressed by what it actually looked like.

"When I saw the legion of people walking down Westwood Boulevard, that's when it really hit me what our power was.”

"48,000 academic student workers/employees across 4 differ ent bargaining units and 3 different unions are struggling for fair pay and for fair compensation, living compensation for the work

that we do. The work that we do is making the University of Cali fornia allegedly the number one public university in the world and we just believe that our work should be treated as such."

According to Fonseca, the strikers are seeking the elimination of non-residential supplemental tuition, increased child-care sub sidies and wage increase from a current base pay of $24,000 to $54,000 for student employees.

“This isn't about financial impasse, it's about an impasse of will, it's about impasse of intentions, University of California's in tentions are poor, they can afford it, it's not about whether or not they can afford it, it's about the actions they are willing to take," he said.

Fonseca believes that this strike will force the University to ne gotiate and stated that there is no intention to stop until the de mands of the workers are met.

"The next step is staying out here until we get what we deserve and more specifically until the University of California ceases its unfair labor practices and bargains in good faith, because once they start bargaining in good faith we believe we can come to an agreement on a contract, Fonseca said."

Over a week into the strike, the protests and negotiations with the University of California are still ongoing, with some classes be ing canceled and normal academic routine being actively disrupt ed. It remains to be seen whether or not the strikers' goals will be achieved with the University seemingly entrenched in its stance.

Students, workers and faculty organized a strike on Monday, November 14 at University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). They are striking with the aim of fighting for better wages, increasing child care subsi dies and eliminating the additional tuition that international students have to pay.

Signs were available to all who wished to participate in the strike on Monday, November 14 at University of California Los Angeles (UCLA).

Photos by Tyler Simms | The Corsair

Giving, Giving, Giving!

The Santa Monica Col lege Foundation host ed the day-long “Giving Thanks(giving)” event on Tuesday as part of its Basic Needs program and provided fresh groceries to 1,100 students experiencing food insecurity. Students were able to either walk up to collect their groceries by Pico Boulevard or by drive-thru by Prairie Street down to Lot 1. The only requirement for re serving a meal for either Tues day's groceries hand off or Wednesday's warm food pick up

was to be a current enrolled stu dent. Once students sign in, they are handed either a turkey, ko sher turkey, or a vegan loaf along with a tote provided by the Bo dega filled with groceries.

After being informed by a counselor to sign up for the “Giv ing Thanks(giving)” grocery give away early October, second-year Ray Herrera, who plays defensive quarterback for the SMC Foot ball team, collected his turkey and grocery bag Tuesday morn ing. Herrera said, “inside the tote bag I got a pie, bread, apple cider, fruits, carrots, potatoes, onions, turkey, cold butter, everything I

would use.”

Herrera is one of the many stu dents who used the free one-way ride provided by Lyft ride vouch ers to students for this particular event commuting back to Ingle wood near the Forum with his Thanksgiving groceries.

In a press release, SMC Su perintendent and President Dr. Kathryn E. Jeffery said that more than 50 percent of students at SMC are challenged to fulfill their academic ambitions due to experiencing food and housing insecurities.

“We at least, through this event, want to give people a

chance to know that they are not alone, that we are standing with them, to help them at the holiday time to have a brighter moment and to take the issues of where that particular meal is coming from off of their literal plates to give them all of the things that are traditional for a Thanksgiving meal,” she said in an interview with the Corsair.

Donations can be made online at the SMC Foundation website, and those interested can contact Tessa Cavenah, the Development Director of the SMC Foundation.

Donation food for the "Giving Thanks(giving)" on Tuesday, No vember 22, 2022, in Santa Monica, Calif.

Dean of Institutional Advancement and SMC Foundation President Dr. Lizzy Moore directs volunteers.

Volunteers restock pumpkin pies at the "Giving Thanks(giv ing)" drive.

Volunteers carrying donations at the drive thru at the "Giving Thanks(giving)" drive.

Photos Daniel De Anda | The

Marlene Herrera | News Editor

Transgender Visibility at SMC

Sosana Shelah | Opinion Editor

On Tuesday, Nov 15, Santa Monica Col lege’s Pride Center kicked off Transgen der Visibility Week with guest speaker, Jacob Tobia: American LGBTQ+ rights activist, writer, producer, television host, and actor. Tobia was invited to SMC to read excerpts from their pub lished memoir, “Sissy: A Com ing-of-Gender Story” that talks about their personal experiences growing up as gender-queer.

Tobia moved many SMC stu dents and faculty with their out spoken words, witty jokes, and light-hearted ways of conversing about the hardships that they have experienced being a mem ber of the LGBTQ+ community.

Tobia said, “I need everyone to think about gender with a thirdgrade mind… Our adult minds are not useful when thinking about gender because our adult minds have already been made

up … I don't think the way we come at gender and identity as adults serves us very well.”

Inviting the audience to radi cally shed their adult skin, Tobia reads three different fragments from “Sissy: A Coming-of-Gen der Story”, discussing experienc es from their childhood all the way up to their current adult life. Tobia reads the opening of their memoir that discusses their ex perience being so comfortable with their naked body: As a child they would urinate outside be cause they did not see any issue with a normal bodily function and reflected on how discomfort with their body was learned.

Tobia also read their book proposal that spoke about how identifying as non-binary and being transgender was extreme ly hard for them. The amount of people who did not view gen der-queer individuals as part of the transgender community added to these difficulties.

Lastly, Tobia shared parts of their experience hiking in the Appalachian Mountains for two weeks with a group of their fellow students in college. There was no judgment, no thoughts on gen der, no worries about looking too masculine or seeming too feminine, they had found gender freedom.

SMC Librarian Bren Antrim is also apart of the non-bina ry community. Antrim shared their thoughts on having a gen der-queer guest speaker at SMC.

“It means hope because I’m

almost sixty and most of my life there was not anyone speaking that I could relate to on this is sue,” Antrim said.

Gender Sex Alliance Club Vice President, AJ Sohrabi shared his thoughts on Tobia coming to SMC to speak on behalf of the LGBTQ+ community.

“Honestly I am really glad that we can have an opportunity like this at SMC because I am sure there are countless colleges in this country that would never recognize something like this.” Sohrabi said.

Jacob Tobia, at their panel “Beyond the Binary, Behind the Trauma: Musings on Trans Storytell ing”, reading an expert of their book “Sissy, A Comming of Gender Story”.

More Than A Podcast

Cecil Alsanussi | Design Editor Eva-Love Jopanda | Staff Writer

Santa Monica College (SMC) hosted Artist in Residence Matika Wilbur for a live showing of the fourth season of the “All My Re lations" podcast and accompa nying film festival on Friday, Nov. 18, and Saturday, Nov. 19.

The podcast recording was held at the SMC Center of Media and Design from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., while the first-time film festival was held at the John Ad ams Middle School Performing Arts Center from 5 to 9:30 p.m. Wilbur, who is of the Swin omish and Tulalip tribes, host ed two different episodes of the podcast with various Indigenous creatives alongside co-host Dr. Adrienne Keene, a Cherokee Na tion academic researcher.

The first recorded episode, “The Borders Crossed Us - Part

2,” guest-starred Jon Ayon, from the Comáac and Pipil tribes. They spoke about the struggles many Mexican and Indigenous immi grants face due to displacement and government restrictions, despite it being their native land. The episode concluded with a brief introduction to Ayon’s short film, “No Soy Óscar.”

The film follows the story of a Salvadoran-American father vis iting the U.S.-Mexico border to find where a Salvadoran immi grant and his daughter drowned.

The Saturday podcast pre miere began with an introduc tion of the hosts. The first sec tion centered on the short film "Daughter of a Lost Bird," a film based on the real story of Kendra Mylnechuck's first reunion with her Native birth mother April. The story was told by director Brooke Pepion Swaney, along side Mylnechuck herself.

The emotional recording— while humorous—brought at tention to the Indian Adoption Project's ongoing effects on the Indigenous community.

As the night was wrapping up, the applause was roaring as the show concluded with a Q&A with Reservation Dogs showrunner Sterlin Harjo together with writ er and director Ryan Redcorn announcing the show's renewal for its third season.

A group of SMC students worked on the campaign for the Matika Wilbur gallery showing over the spring and summer.

Karen Willert, an SMC Art His tory major looking to transfer to UCLA, reflected on her involve ment with the film festival.

"I can bring this experience with me in my upper divisions," she said.

Willert attributes her expe rience working with Wilbur to

making her feel more at ease be ing one of the older students.

"As an older student my job is not to be invisible, and watch ing Matika—she is unapologetic about who she is,” she said. “As a human, she's just bigger than life."

Matika Wilbur speaking during the Q&A after her short Documentary “One Small Thing” at the All My Relations Film Festival at the JAMS Theatre, Santa Monica, Calif. Saturday Nov. 19

Jorge Devotto The Corsair

Reis Novakovic | The Corsair

Freedom for Iran Comes to LA

Thousands of supporters came together Satur day, Nov. 19 in Holly wood during the latest demonstration to demand inter national support for the people of Iran. Since the death of Mahsa Amini, an Iranian woman who died under suspicious circum stances after allegedly wearing her hijab improperly, millions of Iranians around the globe have continued to rally and march in support of the protests in Iran.

The protestors have called the dissolution of the current regime, recognition of human rights and democracy.

The rally marked the eighth week of Freedom for Iran in Los Angeles. The first rally marched from Pershing Square to Los Angeles City Hall on Oct. 1. Later demonstrations took place in Santa Monica, the University of California Los Angeles campus, Glendale, Orange County and Beverly Hills.

Hamed Sepehri is one of the many volunteer organizers who contribute personal funds and dedicate time to plan these rallies.

“The world should know that this current brutal regime is kill ing and murdering lots of people, especially kids, and that’s very, very disturbing,” he said.

Sepehri and other protestors do not believe the international community should collaborate with Iranian officials, and they continue to work for what they believe is a brighter future for the Iranian people.

“A democratic government voted by the people is estab lished. That’s all we want to see,” Sepehri said. “We would like to see freedom, democracy, and human rights for everyone.”

The Hollywood rally dedicat ed itself to the remembrance of the Silent Massacre of Novem ber 2019, when Iranian officials raised the prices of gas sparking widespread protests. Iranian security officials tried to silence

the various protests and in the process killed 1,500 people, while concealing news of the violence.

Kevin Robinson is an Ameri can who has shown his support for Iran in many of these rallies.

“These people didn’t choose to be born in [an] authoritarian, dictatorship, terrorist regime. The world needs to support these people,” Robinson said.

“The only difference between any of us, between me and the Iranian people is my birthplace.”

Caylo Seals | Staff Photographer

(Right)

(Left) Freedom for Iran rally-goers chanting, singing, and lis tening to speakers before the march begins on Hollywood Blvd, in Hollywood, Calif. on Saturday, Nov. 19. This rally is part of a global movement that has taken place since the death of Mah sa Amini by Iran's morality police.

(Above) Shima Safarnezhad with fake blood on her face, performing a die-in in honor of those murdered and imprisoned in Iran. This perfor mance was during the Freedom for Iran human chain in Glendale, Calif., on Sat., Oct. 29.

(Left) Solmaz Atash chants “zan, zendegi, azadi,” which means “woman, life, freedom,” at the March for Iran, at Third Street Prome nade in Santa Monica, Calif., on Sat., Oct. 8.

(Left) The mayor of Beverly Hills Lili Bosse marching in the Freedom for Iran rally in Holly wood, Calif. in sup port of the global movement that has taken place since the death of Mahsa Amini on Sat., Nov. 19.

A noose tied around the neck of rally goer at the Freedom for Iran rally in Hollywood, Calif, on Sat., Nov. 19. He is wearing a sign which reads, "guilty of wanting human rights."

(Below) Azadeh Afsahi holds locks of hair at Los Angeles City Hall on Sat., Oct. 1. This is a prominent symbol behind the risings of protests following the death of Mahsa Amini by Iran's morality police. Women are cutting their hair, burning chadors and demanding freedom.

(Left) Bahar Khosropour performing a die-in in honor of those who have been murdered and imprisoned in Iran. This performance was during the Free dom for Iran human chain in Glendale, Calif., on Sat., Oct. 29,

Caylo Seals The Corsair

Caylo Seals The Corsair

Anna Sophia Moltke | The Corsair

Anna Sophia Moltke | The Corsair

Caylo Seals The Corsair

Caylo Seals The Corsair

Caylo Seals | The Corsair

“A democratic government voted by the people is established. That’s all we want to see. We would like to see freedom, democracy, and human rights for everyone,” Sepehri said.

“Wakanda Forever”: Carrying on Legacy

Josh Hogan | Staff Writer

Nov. 11 marked the of ficial theatrical re lease of Marvel Stu dios' "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," the highly an ticipated sequel to the 2018 film "Black Panther." The film picksup after the events of “Aveng ers: Endgame,” with the leaders of Wakanda fighting to protect their home from outside nations trying to steal their resources after the death of King T'Challa. The titular character was played by Chadwick Boseman, who died of colon cancer in August 2020. Returning cast members include Angela Bassett, Letitia Wright, Lupita Nyong'o, Winston Duke, Danai Gurira, and newcomer Dominique Thorne as Iron Heart.

In his 2018 interview with Va riety magazine after the record breaking box office release of the first Black Panther film, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige hinted at sequels, saying there were many more stories to tell about the T'Challa character. He said Black Panther co-writer and director Ryan Coogler would re turn to direct any future sequels, and Boseman would return as T'Challa.

Boseman embodied the role in a way that had a deep impact on cultural and racial representa tion. It was a source of pride and accomplishment to have a Black superhero as the lead in a Mar vel Cinematic Universe (MCU)

film. A role model exemplifying integrity, eloquence, fairness and justice, qualities that cross the racial divide in real-life but are not always represented in films.

Boseman and his T'Challa character were beloved by fellow cast members and Marvel film makers, and also held an iconic place with audiences. Boseman’s death occurred while the se quel, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” was in development. Marvel Studios did not want to recast his role, instead choosing to honor Boseman and what he represented. They kept Bose man as the face of King T'Challa and decided to create a paral lel between the real-world grief over Boseman's death, and the Wakandan grief over T’Challa's death. This created many op portunities throughout the film to honor both the character and the actor.

The box office success of the first Black Panther film opened the door for future films with casts that are predominantly people of color, and storylines that represent non-main stream cultures. “Black Pan ther: Wakanda Forever'' took the MCU's movement toward cul tural representation to a higher level with the introduction of the underwater Talokan kingdom. Filmmakers created Talokan to highlight authentic Mesoameri can cultures, indigenous people groups, and the Yucatec Mayan language. It also featured an all-

star Latino cast including Ven ezuelan actor Alex Livinalli as Attuma, and Nahua-Mexican ac tress Mabel Cadena as Namora. Tenoch Huerta, from Ecatepec, Mexico, was cast as K'uk'ulkan, also known as Namor, the god and ruler of Talokan.

In both Black Panther films the Wakandans’ dialogue includes Xhosa, the official language of South Africa and Zimbabwe. In “Black Panther: Wakanda Forev er,” filmmakers brought in actor and native Mayan speaker Josué Maychi, as Shaman, to teach the cast, screenwriters and produc ers the correct usage of the Yu catec Maya language. Yucatec Maya is still the most widely spo ken Mayan language in Central America.

The Mayan language and sounds were used throughout the “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever'' soundtrack, most no tably by Mayan-Mexican rap pers, All Mayan Winik, Pat Boy, and Yaalen K’uj, who wrote the end credit song, “Laayli’ kuxa’ano’one.” Composer Lud wig Göransson went to Mexico City and created the soundtrack with the help of musical archae ologists who specialize in rec reating Mayan music. This was accomplished through studying instruments found in Mayan graves and ancient paintings de picting Mayan musicians' tech nique in playing turtle shells and seashells.

Not only does “Black Panther:

Wakanda Forever” set a very high standard for authenticity in cul tural representation, it is also the final film in the MCU's Phase 4. This gives it the added responsi bility of providing closure to pre vious film’s storylines in addition to setting the scene for the next phase of Marvel films.

Santa Monica College alum nus Faly Rakotohavana, is an ac tor whose work includes "Secret Society of Second Born Royals," "The Mick," "Nightmare Cinema," and the upcoming series "Un prisoned." Rakotohavana, a Mar vel aficionado, said, “Wakanda Forever, it’s gotta be the best written Marvel movie since Civ il War. They had to tie so many storylines together, so many plot points, and they did it in such a way that it kept you interested. It kept you locked in throughout the whole movie. For a movie that is close to three hours long, it's definitely difficult to do, and they did it very well.”

According to Box Office Mojo, as of Nov. 21, 10 days after its global release, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” box office numbers are approaching $545 Million worldwide, with over $287 million in domestic earn ings.

The film’s opening weekend marked $181 Million in U.S. ticket sales, putting it in second place to the 2022 opening weekend record of $187 Million set by Marvel Studios’ “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.”

A Trial and A Tribute

MyDari Baker | Staff Writer

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has finally hit theaters and it’s more than just a film– it’s a tribute. Following the shocking and unexpected death of the for mer lead actor, Chadwick Bose man in 2020, fans wondered about the future surrounding the role. Rather than recasting the role, director, Ryan Coogler, incorporated the death of Chad wick into the film by making it a beautiful tribute to his legacy as the Black Panther.

Some fans were upset about the role not being recast; how ever I was not one of them. The film taking the direction of fo cusing on the grieving process of the leading women in T’Challa’s life, individually, was a beautiful approach. From the storyline to

the acting to the soundtrack, the movie was a touching send-off to Boseman’s legacy as the Black Panther.

“I think that they really did a great job with honoring all of his hard work,’’ Caleb Bell, San ta Monica College student, said. “He had to work really hard to get to that role and all of the years that he worked to be an actor. So I would say that it was a great remembrance of all of his hard work and sacrifices.”

From the beginning, I had high expectations for this film. Not only due to the death of Bose man and wondering how they could continue on with the mov ie franchise, but also because the first film was a cultural reset for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Usually, sequels don’t live up to the hype of the original and can be a tad bit disappointing.

However, this sequel was not one of them.

From the shocking plot twist to the surprise appearances, to the comic relief sprinkled into the scenes, the movie met all of my expectations and so much more.

Personally, I feel that recasting a role that was played so amaz ingly well by Boseman would not have done his character justice. Truthfully, incorporating the death of T’Challa added a realis tic element to the film. When one monarch passes, the next in line takes their place.

Santa Monica College stu dents voiced their opinion on the film - Yanci Angel, SMC Student, agrees with the director’s choice to not recast the role.

“He’s already done a great job and it’s hard to look for someone to take that role and make it the

same when it’s not the same,” Angel said.

While also touching on the reality of grief and how it affects people, the film incorporates real-world issues such as colo nialism, slavery, and oppression in a way that ties into the sequel. Following in the footsteps of the original, the sequel continued to expand on cultural represen tation, women empowerment, equality, and so much more.

“The Wakanda Forever movie does a great job of represent ing different cultures, musically, definitely. Cultural representa tion is just really good. We all need it. We all need heroes,” Bell said. “Also the representation of genders and equal representa tion, showing all of the male and females having intelligence and having valuable character devel opment in the movie.”

Courtesy of Marvel Studios

Freekick Wins the First Playoff Game for Men’s Soccer

Sasha Funes | Sports Editor Katheryne Menendez | Editor-in-Chief

On Saturday, Nov. 19, the No. 8 seeded Santa Monica Col lege (SMC) Men’s soccer team played against the No. 9 seed ed Norco College Mustangs, ultimately winning 1-0. This was the second round of the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) Southern California Regional playoffs, with the third round being against the No. 1 seed ed Cerritos College on Nov. 22.

The first half kicked off strong for the Corsairs as they kept the ball on the Mus tangs side of the field for the majority of the half. They had multiple runs towards the goal and a few shots on target, but none would prove successful until the 20 minute mark of the game. A foul just a few yards out from the box set up an ideal freekick for the Corsairs.

Captain and midfielder Taj Winnard stepped up to take the freekick. After an alyzing the goalies position and practic ing a freekick from that spot countless times in practice, Winnard took the shot and put it in the back of the net, putting the Corsairs up 1-0. They continued the first half pushing towards goal, but were unsuccessful.

The Corsairs were more on the defen

sive side of the game during the second half as the Mustangs came out strong, keeping possession on the Corsairs side of the field for the majority of the half. Goalie Cesar Gomez was extremely ac tive, blocking every shot that came his way. The Corsairs had some breakaways towards the Mustangs net, but were unable to get a second goal to ease the pressure. They successfully held off the Mustangs and closed out the game with the lone goal from Winnard being the de ciding factor.

The playoff win for the Corsairs adds to their winning streak as they finished the final week of the regular season with two wins. The first was the final regular season home game on Tuesday, Nov. 8, in which they won 7-1 against Allan Han cock College. Their final regular season game was a win on Friday, Nov. 11, where they defeated Moorpark College with a score of 2-1.

Winnard and Head Coach Tim Pierce reflected postgame on the win. Both dis cussed the difference in each half and how it could’ve been played differently to not be so close, but were overall hap py with the win. Following the slim win against Norco, the Corsairs now divert

their attention to the upcoming game against Cerritos College.

“I thought we actually came out real ly, really well in the first half. Second half, Norco came out with a game plan and made it hard for us,” Pierce said.

From a player standpoint, the game was going to be difficult as it is the play offs.

“Since it's a playoff game, it's always going to be high intensity. Honestly I think one thing we could have done bet ter in the second half was be a little less frantic,” Winnard said.

Despite the challenges posed, the Corsairs are still optimistic about their next game.

“Cerritos is the number one team in the nation right now. We gotta be on our A game,” Winnard said. “They may be the number one team, but I think we have a really good chance.“

“We’ve watched them play. We have a game plan formulated,” Pierce said.

Santa Monica College Corsairs' Jose Urdiano (right) kicks the ball past Norco College Mustangs' Andrew Montes (left).

Corsairs Alexander Lalor (left) and Mustangs Yahir Hernandez (right) moments after knocking each other down. November 19, 2022, Santa Monica, Calif.

Allan Hancock College Bulldogs' Hector Villa, Eric Diaz, and Corsairs' Alexander Lalor during the men's soccer match.

Nick McCall The Corsair

Jamie Addison The Corsair

Nick McCall | The Corsair