EL CAMINO COLLEGE
THE UNION eccunion.com
MARCH 3, 2015
/ElCaminoUnion /ECCUnion /ECCUnion
TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA
Softball pummels Pasadena in 9-1 win Offense erupts in second inning as Warriors finish tied for first place in the South Coast Conference on Tuesday
Matthew Sandoval Staff Writer
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@ECCUnionMatthew
fter a scoreless first inning, the home team was not prepared to let the visitors leave this a close game. The visiting Pasadena City College scored first in the second. But this was El Camino’s house as the Warriors answered back in the bottom half of the second inning, scoring five runs and nearly batting through the entire lineup. Back-to-back doubles from freshmen Taylor Richter, rightfielder, and Kammy Fisher, first baseman, put the Warriors on the scoreboard. Freshman Raelani Camez, center fielder, capped off the inning with a two-run inside the park home run to give El Camino a 5-1 lead over the Lancers. El Camino softball (10-6) collected its fourth-straight win with a 9-1 victory in five innings over the Pasadena City College Lancers (8-7). Freshman pitcher Natalie Francis had herself another solid outing for the Warriors. Francis pitched a complete game, allowing only four hits and one run with three strikeouts, to earn her seventh win of the season. “I was super impressed with the way (Francis) fielded her position today,” Warriors head coach Jessica Rapoza said. “We’ve been working on that a lot in the last
few practices and it really paid off today.” Freshman Brigid Antonelli, catcher, Fisher, and Richter led the home team with two hits each in three at-bats. All three also contributed with at least one stolen base. “(Natalie) was on top of it today,” Antonelli said. “We had a good warm-up and came out ready to hit. We had a couple of errors, but we didn’t let them bother us.” Camez finished with only one hit in three at-bats, but made it count adding two RBIs. “I was really pumped after the (home run),” Camez said. “The team executed great and (Francis) was strong for us today.” El Camino finished the game with nine hits in 22 at-bats and two errors. The Lancers finished with four hits in 18 at-bats and five errors. “I think we’re starting to learn some things about the (team),” Rapoza said. “Having all new players it takes a while to find the identity and the personality of the team. But I think we are starting to settle in and we’re finding out who we are.” The Warriors are currently tied for first place in the South Coast Conference with Cerritos College (14-4 overall) and Mt. San Antonio College (12-2), all teams posing a 4-1 record. The team begins a five-game road trip beginning with a firstplace implicaions match at Mt. SAC on March 3 at 3 p.m.
Softball: El Camino Warriors vs. Pasadena City College Lancers 3/1 1 PCC 0 EC 0 Inning
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John Fordiani/ Union Outfielder Raelani Camez slides into home base after scoring a two-run inside the park homerun in the second inning against Pasadena City College. The Warriors defeated the Lancers 9-1 on Tuesday afternoon.
Excused absences may come easy for students The Athletics divison and Academic Senate hope to implement a process in which students will be excused from class without a penalty Roy Garza
Opinions Editor @ECCUnionRoy
Students who are absent from class due to extra-curricular events will be filed under a unified form as early as fall 2016 with the implementation of a new Academic Senate item. The suggestion was brought forward by new Athletic Director, Colin Preston, at the Feb. 16 meeting. Preston has been in his new position since Jan. 21. It will formalize the attendance policy for students, who would sign a form along with teachers and a department administrator who acknowledges the student’s event in advance so that they may be excused from conflicting classes at the instructor’s discretion. The forms would be a way for students to inform instructors of possible schedule conflicts before they happen and Preston said he wants “everyone on the same page,” in these situations.
“We just want support,” Preston said. “If there’s an athlete who is going to the postseason, and it coincides with a class, we just want to make sure that we’re communicating that at the start of the semester.” The forms could be used by a number of different students and Academic Senate Co-President Chris Jeffries said the senate wants to expand it beyond athletics into extra-curricular clubs and groups as well. “Anybody who is participating in inter-collegial competition, or representing the college, would be able to use this attendance policy,” Jeffries said. Students on the forensics team, in theatre productions and those on the associated student body are some of the other examples Jeffries gave. Absences under the new instruction would only be excused if the teacher signs off, so they won’t fall under the policy where students are dropped from classes when they miss more than 10 per-
cent of the sessions. Instructors would be given the student’s event schedule prior to the event, and before the season for athletes, so that “if the instructor doesn’t let them make up the work because they had to leave, they can show them the proof,” Jeffries said. Jeffries said the forms will be come in threes, so that the student has a copy, along with the teacher and department administrator (or athletic director). Athletic specialist Carolyn Biedler talked about the current policy, and said that the forms would replace yellow ID cards that students show to indicate they’re a student-athlete. Preston prepared the policy to be instituted in the fall, and currently it’s being reviewed by the Academic Senate for their suggestions. The forms are an information item so it doesn’t require a vote, and “if everything looks good, then in the fall it’ll be instituted,” Jeffries said.
‘Rumors’ play fills Campus Theatre with lies and deception, P. 6
Alisa Banks/ Union Actress Angelina Rico and Actor Sammi Bronow in action during the “Rumors” play on Feb. 25. Those interested can still view the play on March 4 and 5 at 8 p.m. and March 6 at 3 p.m.
NEWS
2 EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION
POLICE BEAT By Lauren Liddle
1 800-Hit-my-car Feb. 25, 5 p.m. A female student said that someone collided into her vehicle which was parked on the first level of Lot H. Someone left a note on the vehicle with a name and phone number. The case has been forwarded to a detective for a follow up investigation because the number on the note was fictitious.
STUN GUN ON CAMPUS Feb. 26, 11:11 a.m. Officers responded to the Men’s Locker Room regarding a suspicious male subject vandalizing some items in the men’s restroom. Officers located the subject near Lot B. The non-student was in possession of a stun gun and a bottle of vodka. He was arrested and charged with possessing a weapon on school grounds, being drunk in public, possession of an open alcohol container and vandalism.
PSYCHIATRIC HELP NEEDED Feb. 23, 8:37 a.m. Officers observed a suspicious male subject standing near the ATM at the Student Services Center. Officers contacted the subject at the location and detained him pending further investigation. The subject, a student, would not speak to the officers or answer any of their questions. During the detention of the subject, his father called his cell phone. One of the officers answered the cell phone and spoke to the father. The subject’s father told the officer that his son has been acting strangely lately and that he would appreciate it if the officers call the ambulance and have him transported to a hospital so that his son may get some psychiatric help. He was transferred to Harbor General Hospital.
MARCH 3, 2016
El Camino qualifies for award $1 million Aspen Prize could be awarded to the college Alba Mejia
Staff Writer @ECCUnionAlba
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n the East Dining Room on Tuesday, the California State Universities of Long Beach, Los Angeles and Dominguez Hills talked about the business programs they offer to transferring students. Each university had 15 minutes to tell students about the different options that students can choose from. Academic adviser of the College of Businees and Economics, Belem Enciso said that CSULA has different areas that students can concentrate on. “As far as our business program, (it) is very unique,” Enciso said. “They have 13 options right now, (but) once we hit this semester we’re incorporating more options.” They offer bachelor of science in business administration, computer information systems and bachelor of arts in economics. The most popular degree in CSULA is administration. Enciso said that the impacting concentration areas are accounting, management and marketing management. Students cannot double major in two options because the course requirements
are mostly the same in the upper and lower division. However, what students can do is get a minor and a major degree. The popular minor degree is the economics because with one additional economics class student can get it. On the other hand, CSULB students cannot get a minor degree in business if they are majoring in business. But they provide six minor options that are for those students who have different majors. CSULB has one undergraduate degree which is a bachelor of science in business administration. Students who attend this university have to choose from international business, accounting and finance, information systems and marketing management. Students have an opportunity to pitch an idea and also a chance to win $10,000 to put their idea to work. The student also gets office space for their business and other services. Assistant Director of Business Administration at Long Beach, Boualoy Dayton, recommends student to see the course requirements and see if business is the right major for them. “If you’re horrible at math, business may not be the right major for you,” Dayton said. “You might want to find a major that is best suited to your skill set.”
Former NFL and EC football player announced as Commencement Speaker Hector Gonzales
Dominguez Hills has 12 concentration areas that business major students can concentrate on. Also, they offer students who are majoring in business the best technology for them to use. The university gets a $300,000 grant for building a high-tech. The senator of business, Jener Carbonell, 24, said that this is the first event and that it’s going to be the only one throughout this semester. “We were planning a UC panel but that failed because a lot of the UCs rejected to go,” Carbonell said. Carbonell also said that takes a lot of time to organize this type of events and that there would not be enough time to do another one this semester. David Aiad, business accounting, 20, attended the event because this is his major and he heard about it when he “saw a poster on campus by the library,” “It was helpful learning about the colleges and what they offer in terms of classes and how they help you to find a job,” Aiad said. Alicia Davis, architecture major, 18, found this really effective even though it is not her major. “I think that if there is more publicity it would be even more effective,” Davis said.
Staff Writer @ECCUnionHector
This year’s graduation Commencement Speaker was announced during the last Associated Student Organization meeting, by advisor Gregory Toya. Toya made an announcement that former El Camino football and NFL player Derrick Deese will be the Commencement Speaker for this year’s graduation. The Senate also voted to make change in the amendment concerning conditions on running for president of ASO. A vote was made to rescind a change that a person has to be an executive member for one semester before they can run for ASO president. That vote has passed. The ASO elections and ASO day were also talked about in the meeting. Near the end of the semester, there will be elections to appoint a new president and other important positions in the cabinet. The next ASO meeting will be on March 10, in the Alondra Room.
Campus-wide Wi-Fi may become student privilege after proposal to Academic Senate Caleb Okoye
Staff Writer @ECCUnionCaleb
El Camino could have a fix to the shoddy internet soon and not just that, but wide-area Wi-Fi may soon take place on campus, vice president of Academic Technology, Pete
Marcoux, said. Marcoux briefly talked about the announcement at the Academic Senate meeting on Tuesday, including the proposal to have Wi-Fi all over campus. “Our Chief Technology Officer of the district mentioned that they are in the process of sending out a request of proposal for cam-
pus wide Wi-Fi,” Marcoux said. “It’s going (to) blanket the entire campus, so not only classrooms (and) hallways, but also parking lots and open spaces.” Marcoux asked when EC could have campus wide Wi-Fi and his response was that it could take until the end of the year. “I think it’s a perfect idea to have Wi-Fi
all over campus,” Edwin Hernandez, criminal justice, 18, said. “The real question is though, will the Wi-Fi be just as slow as what we have now or will it be better becauseif not then it’s not worth whatever is being invested to make it happen.” The next Academic Senate Meeting is March 22 in the Alondra Room at 12:30 p.m.
March 3, 2016
It’s Lit
PHOTO ESSAY
El Camino College Union 3
El Camino students learn to make their own jewelry from scratch John Fordiani Photo Editor @ECCUnionJohn
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Elena Perez
Staff Photographer
l Camino’s introducton to jewelry making class prepares students and introduces them to the craft of jewelry making. The class concentrates on the techniques and design of metal fabrication. Jewelry making is a four unit class and is a lecture and lab style course. Two other courses in jewelry making are also offered. Jewelry fabrication and casting which covers fabrication and making. Casting covers molding and model making.
Connie Crawford, 58, Jewelry Making Professor at Harbor College for beginners jewelry making and learning new techniques currently in the process of sodering band ring.
Denise Quiroz, 23, criminal justice, hammering band ring into shape during her introduction to jewelry making class.
Left: Sketches are made for students to re-thinking the heart shaped jewelry class project. Right: Matthew Rogers, 25, welding, makes a wax mold to be used later for the Lost Wax Process, where the wax will be replaced by Sterling silver.
EDITORIAL
4 EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION
Warrior Pulse:
FaceTime or face time?
March 3, 2016
Vegas isn’t love or life The 21 and over trip hurts your wallet, doesn’t live up to the hype
Is it better to meet people online or in person?
Phil Sidavong
Managing Editor @ECCUnionPhil
• 79 percent of students prefer to meet people in person. • Only 19 percent of students prefer to meet people using online services. • Online services include dating sites like Match.com, or mobile applications like Tinder and Hot Or Not that are used to start relationshps. • There are over 2500 dating services in the U.S. according to Forbes. com, but the majority of EC students still prefer old school dating.
Many people have heard grandiose stories about great times and birthdays in Vegas. But let’s be honest, the phrase “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas,” has to mean something else right? It’s definitely been coined for one reason that everyone, who was not ready for the experience, has thought of, “I definitely don’t want to talk about it.” Vegas is not the place to go unless you’re not paying for anything, or you’ve got the equity to make up for the spending. When I turned 21 in December 2014, I didn’t go to Vegas, and I didn’t go until October 2015 when my best friend turned 21. We had it all planned out, we were going to leave Friday morning, go out to a club that night, go gamble a little bit and then get massively drunk. Unfortunately things didn’t go as planned. That weekend I had a bill to pay and wasn’t able to bring as much money as I wanted to that weekend and I also had to quit my job that weekend because of some terrible shifts. I also had a women’s volleyball game to cover that day and I ended up taking a flight out to Vegas at 10 p.m. (Luckily for me, my mom
had some travel points she wanted to spend on a ticket.) I get out to Vegas spend $100 dollars immediately on a Fat Tuesday, some gambling and a $12 dollar Stella Artois. I mean, I’ve been there three hours and I’m already down a hundred bucks. By the time that night was finished, I was questioning my entire decision to have even gone. But who wouldn’t go for their best friends’ birthday right? At the end of the trip I was down about 500 dollars and contemplating what to do with my life and it would have been worse if I had attempted to do more expensive things apart from drink, gamble and eat. I was a 21 year-old college kid with a part-time job, school, homework and for me, I work for the student newspaper (basically a full-time unpaid job). Vegas is a trap, and whenever you hear stories of exceptional food and unholy amounts of alcohol, just remember that the person who lived that story probably spent a lot of money. If you aren’t prepared for the trip, don’t make it happen.
Tips for making the trek to Las Vegas: • Drink at the penny slots, you’ll save money and have fun. • Be smart when drinking alcohol, don’t try and recreate “The Hangover”. • Ladies, be careful who you dance with or accept a drink from, play it safe and go with a group.
Editorial: Excuse everyone or excuse no one Throughout our time as students in high school and college, we’ve all seen students get up to leave class for different reasons. They’re sick, they’re bored, they have a family emergency that needs handling. But there’s one common reason teachers will excuse a student for leaving their class early. “I have a _______ game to get to.” It doesn’t matter the sport, fill in the blank with them all, and the result is still the same. “Good luck at your game. Be sure to get the homework done.” The process of student athletes leaving their class early for their games has become normal, but leaves the rest of students with other co-curricular obligations, including club activities, off the list for excused absences. This treatment is completely unfair to students performing in
theatre productions or taking part in a campus club, as meetings can get in the way of some of their classes. Now, El Camino is currently in the process of amending this tradition thanks to our new athletic director, Colin Preston, who suggested the idea to the Academic Senate. Preston, who brought the idea of a revised attendance policy to the Academic Senate, wants to ensure that teachers and student athletes are on the same page for the whole semester when it comes to games and their interference with classes. Now while his hopes for the new program want to make it easier on student athletes, Academic Senate Co-President Chris Jeffries looks to ensure the program helps students involved in other co-curricular activities to be excused from missing class.
“Academic Senate would like to expand it to other areas, besides athletics,” Jeffries said. “Anybody who’s, say, on the debate team, or the forensic team or the theatre productions, even associated student body who has to miss maybe because of a conference they’re going to. So anything that’s involving representing yourself for the college.” Now, this is definitely a step in the right direction, offering more students in various clubs the privilege to miss class for their conference or productions, as long as they are representing the school. But even this isn’t fair to students who have legitimate reasons for missing class that don’t relate to co-curricular activities. Many students have jobs that may conflict with their classes, or kids that need tending to. So how is it fair that these
THE UNION
Vol. 70, No. 2 March 3, 2016
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Editor-in-Chief ����������������������������������������������������������������������������Sydnie Mills Managing Editor ������������������������������������������������������������������������ Phil Sidavong News Editor ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� Brenda Soriano Opinion/Editorial Editor ���������������������������������������������������������������� Roy Garza Arts Editor................................................................................... Grant Hermanns Sports Editor ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������Eric Ramos Photo Editor ������������������������������������������������������������������������������� John Fordiani Features Editor �������������������������������������������������������������������������� Phil Sidavong Advertising Manager ������������������������������������������������������������������� Jack Mulkey Adviser ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������Kate McLaughlin Adviser ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Stefanie Frith Photo Adviser...................................................................................Gary Kohatsu
students don’t get excused from class when, say, their kid gets sick and they can’t find someone to watch them, or their job needs them to work that day or they will be fired? If there is going to be preferential treatment for students, it needs to be fair and apply to everyone. The way teachers handle “excused” absences, and the way El Camino’s policies restrict them from being lenient, needs to be adjusted to show more understanding for students who have unavoidable circumstances. If we want to be a fair campus, we need to expand excused absences for all, or not have them at all.
The Union is published Thursdays by Journalism 11 students at El Camino College, 16007 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance, CA 90506, and is free to the student body and staff. Unsigned editorials and cartoons are the opinion of the editorial board and do not reflect the views of the student body, staff or administration. Letters to the editor must be signed and must be received one week prior to publication in the Union office, Humanities Building Room 113. Letters are subject to editing for space, libel, obscenity and disruption of the educational process. Single copies of the Union are free; multiple copies can be requested through the Union.
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ARTS
6 EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION
MARCH 3, 2016
Artist finds influence in music and environment Grant Hermanns
@ECCUnionGrantH Arts Editor
He sits in his room trying to find inspiration for his art, but can’t help but look up. Once he does, the inspiration is there. Notes dancing around the room, jumping from wall to wall, the sound is in his ears, his head, his soul. The people walking by his window with their earbuds in and their phones in their face keeping them from the true world. 20-year-old Aric Hanson has found the influences for his art: music and the world around him. “I feel like in today’s society with how plugged in we are with phones and our daily lives in the rat race, we forget to stop and think about what really matters,” Hanson, illustrations major, said. “I try to emphasize things like that in my art, or a strong emotion in my art that I’m feeling.” Hanson has been at El Camino for almost two years, only having started taking art classes last semester to help expand his horizons beyond pen and marker. “I’m taking some digital art classes right now and trying to learn more digital stuff,” Hanson said. Hanson believes that his creative process started a few years ago when he started taking up activities like skating. “I put a lot of creativity into that (skateboarding), and kind of trying to approach it with my own style,” Hanson said. “Over time I realized it wasn’t really something that wasn’t going to take me where I needed to go, and that I just didn’t really have any opportunities in it.” Hanson continues the line of artists in his family after his mother and grandfather. His mother, Sheri Delgado, has a Fine Arts degree in illustration from CSU Long Beach,
and has been a middle school art teacher in Garden Grove for 14 years. Delgado knew her son was going to be an artist, recalling an art contest he won in the first grade by drawing his interpretation of a refrigerator with arms. Even during high school, Hanson used to have art nights with his friends. “When we lived at our old house, he started these arts nights where his friends would come over to hang out and make art,” Delgado said. “He would have 20-30 people over and he would even hang his friends’ art around his room after.” Delgado really believes that Hanson has a future in the arts, as he “desires to do it,” and “really puts the time and energy” into his work. Hanson also had his art featured in a one-night exhibit in down-
town L.A. on Jan. 30, being invited by his friend and EC art major, 20-year-old Paul Bodin. Bodin and Hanson have known each other since their time at Redondo Union High School, but really have become closer as friends in the last year. Bodin said he has definitely seen an “artistic shift” in Hanson’s work lately, and feels like his work is “definitely coming together,” becoming pieces rather than just sketches. Hanson hopes to turn his art into a living and put his designs onto more than just exhibit walls. “I decided I wanted to be putting my efforts into something I care about and enjoy doing,” Hanson said. “I will try to make a living off illustrations, maybe designing skateboards or internet art as well.”
Alisa Banks/Union The cast of the comedy, “Rumors,” take a bow after a performance in the Marsee Auditorium. The farcical production will perform its final three shows March 4-6.
‘Rumors’ is an edge-of-your-seat comedy Lauren Liddle
@eccunionluren Staff Writer
A little after 8 p.m., the show began with a stressed-out wife, pacing and running around the living room, debating whether to smoke a cigarette or not while her husband is upstairs in the master bedroom. The phone rings with the doctor on the other line, wondering about his patient, the man of the house, whether or not he’s ok. The panicstricken wife lies to the doctor that everything is ok, when everything really isn’t ok. There’s a big secret this couple must hide from the rest of the guests who are set to arrive at any moment. With sarcastic humor, couples’ drama, and a very big secret, throughout the evening in the play, the rest of the party slowly began to grasp the severity of the panicstricken wife and frantic husband.
The performances given by the actors were spectacular, from screaming in hysteria questioning what is really going on, to performing a spectacular lie to the police to save themselves from going to jail.
atre for family, friends, and students to attend. Although there weren’t many people in attendance for the preview, the actors played the performance as if it were opening night with a full auditorium to perform to. Ronald Scarlata, theater professor, was elated over the performance. “The audience “The actors were very ready laughed throughout and gave stellar performances,” and clearly had a Scarlata said. Stephanie Raygoza, 20, Torgreat time.” rance resident, attended the play. —Ron Scarlata, theater “I’m here to support my boyprofessor, said. friend who is working backstage in production,” Raygoza said. “But I used to be in theater back Overall, the play will keep you in high school, so I didn’t mind on the edge of your seat, whether going.” you are dying of laughter or tyring The play will have three perforto uncover the truth behind the ru- mances open to the public in the mor troubling the characters. Campus Theatre on March 4 and “Rumors” gave a small preview 5 at 8 p.m., and March 6 at 3 p.m., of the production based on Neil tickets are $15, according to the Simon’s play at the Campus The- Center for the Arts website.
(Top): Aric Hanson, 20, illustration major is relaxing on his drawings and the things that influence him.
(Right): Hanson is pensive in his drawing that usually takes up to an hour to finish. He is influenced by the relics around his room including music and paintings. Photos by: Jorge Villa/Union
SPORTS
7 EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION
MARCH 3, 2016
Beginning the journey to State The Warriors beach volleyball team is ready for the first match of the season on Friday, vs. Long Beach City College and Cypress College
No. 1
After not reaching the state singles tournament last year, the former No. 2 beach volleyball team has been promoted and is looking for some success. Laynie Thompson and Sadie Fraker, both sophomores, are the only returners to have the same partners under El Camino coach Le Valley Pattison. The members of the pair are both co-captains of the team and are now the No. 1 team headed into the season.
No. 2
No. 4
No. 3
Another part of last year’s stat semi-finalist forms a team with a budding freshman from the indoor volleyball team. El Camino beach volleyball’s No. 3 pair this year is sophomore Brooke Russell and freshman Taylor Brydon. Russell will not be returning to the sand courts with sophomore Nickeisha Williams, but she and Brydon were teammates on last year’s quarter-finalist indoor volleyball team and at South Torrance High School.
A former reserve and a member of the state semi-finalist No. 3 pair come together for this year’s No. 2 team for El Camino beach volleyball. Nickeisha Williams, sophomore, made it all the way to the state semifinals last year, with former partner Brooke Russell, only to fall to eventual champions Irvine Valley College. While sophomore Michelle Shimamoto has left behind her reserve position, she looks forward to being part of the No. 2 pair.
The only freshman pair makes a connection at No. 4 in the 2016 El Camino beach volleyball line-up. Jessica Dow and Victoria Curtice, freshmen, are looking to prove that their place in the team is rightly given to them. Head coach Le Valley Pattison said last year’s team had a good No. 1, 2 and 3 pairs and the other two weren’t so great. This year she believes all of her five pairs are great, that includes Dow and Curtice and the No. 5 pair in Jewel Yandall, sophomore, and Brooklyn Rubio, freshman.
The second of the newest beach volleyball pairs, enjoy a nice sense of camaraderie from a freshman and a former reserve. Golden West import Jewel Yandall, sophomore, has come into her own after riding the bench last year and with her new-found trust in freshman Brooklyn Rubio expects to take it as far as possible this year. The two of them will make up the No. 5 pair in this year’s starting line-up. The team will begin its season against Long Beach City College and Cypress College on March 4 at 10:30 a.m. at the Sand Courts.
No. 5
All photos and stories by: Phil Sidavong
Sophomores Hicks and Martin lead Athlete of the way at Cerritos Invitational The Week
Freshman Nicole Clark won the Javelin with a personal best, 123-6 Jed Fernandez Staff Writer
@ECCUnionJed
The track and field team traveled to the annual Cerritos Invitational on Saturday. “Saturday’s Invitational at Cal State L.A. is traditionally a VERY competitive meet with many top local university teams (USC, LMU, Cal Poly Pomona, etc), JC teams, and club athletes,” Lofgren said. “We will see how they stepup and respond.” Coach Dean Lofgren knows this next meet will be a good indicator of how his team is progressing through the season thus far. Freshman Alex Castro placed second in the men’s 400-meter hurdles. The men’s 4X100 meter relay team placed second and 4x400 meter team placed first. Freshman Jacob Funes placed third in men’s high jump. Sophomore Syrea Hicks placed second in women’s 100 and second in the women’s 400 hurdles. She also placed first in long jump
Dean Lofgren
Jorge Villa/ Union Zack Ferreira poses behind the homefield home plate. He is El Camino baseball’s third baseman, has been on fire this season helping the team to an 8-4 record.
Zach Ferreira
Freshman Justin Alexander sprinting at Cerritos Invitational on Feb. 27. and second in triple jump. placed second in women’s high Sophomore Passionae Martin jump. placed third in the women’s 100 Freshman Ashley Wells placed and first in the women’s 400 second in women’s discus. hurdles. Freshman Nicole Clark placed first Tayler Dahm The women’s 4X400 meter team in women’s javelin. Staff Writer placed third and 4X800 team took The Warriors next meet is Satur@ECCUnionTayler second. day at California State University Freshman Yazmine Al-Uqdah of Los Angeles. The La Habra alumni Zack Ferreira, 21, communications, hit four home runs, 13 RBIs, and nine runs scored during a six-game stretch. On the season, the third baseman is hitting .351 and leads the conference in home runs. Question: How long have you been playing baseball? Answer: I have been playing baseball since I was 4 years old.
Sophomore, Baseball
Baseball shuts out Cypress College El Camino snapped the Chargers 10 game winning streak.
Tayler Dahm Staff Writer
@ECCUnionTayler
El Camino (9-4 overall, 0-0 in conference) handed the Cypress College Chargers (10-2 overall, 0-0 in conference) their second loss of the season on Tuesday. Warriors freshman pitcher Cassius Hamm pitched a complete
shut-out on the road. "Cassius was lights out today," freshman catcher Connor Underwood said. "And he allowed the defense to make a lot of plays behind him." The Warriors have now won three-straight games thanks to its starting pitching throwing back to back complete games. In addition, El Camino snapped
the Chargers 10 game winning streak. Including an RBI single from freshman Brady Dorn with the bases loaded, and a sacrifice fly from sophomore first baseman Jake Sahagian in the fifth inning. The baseball team goes on the road to face East L.A. College next Tuesday at 6 p.m. in its first conference game of the season.
Q: What are your plans after El Camino? A: If baseball doesn’t pan out, I would like to become a firefighter. Q: What is your favorite food? A: Pizza Q: What do you do to unwind? A: I enjoy listening to country music, rap and “pretty much anything” when it comes to music. Q: What are your favorite hobbies? A: Most of my time is taken up by baseball but my biggest hobby right now is working out.
SPORTS
March 3, 2016
EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION 8
Freshman forward Meghan Peneueta poses with the ball on her finger in the middle of the North Gym. Peneueta was named 2015-16 South Coast Conference-South Co-Player of the Year.
Elena Perez/ Union
Injuries not a challenge for passionate basketball player Freshman forward Meghan Peneueta overcame two high school ACL injuries and was named All-state Second-Team
Sebastian Spencer Staff Writer
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njury after injury at a young age didn’t stop her. These were not simple injuries either, but anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgeries; and not one, but two in high school. It took about seven months for each knee to heal after the surgeries, she said. But, then again, with her passion for basketball, there was no chance of her not making a comeback to the sport. After overcoming two ACL surgeries in high school, freshman forward Meghan Peneueta is proving she can lead on the community college level. “I have always had a passion for basketball, the energy and how good I feel is different when I’m on that court,” Peneueta said. Peneueta was named 2015-16 South Coast Conference-South Co-Player of the Year, after finishing the season averaging 17 points per game with eight rebounds, 2.7 steals and 2.5 assists. “It’s an honor to be recognized for something that I love,” Peneueta said. “But I coudn’t have done it without my coach and team.” Peneueta was named to the 2015-16 All-state Second-Team, and she becomes the first player
under head coach Steve Shaw to be given the honor. It took time, practice and patience after the knee injuries that set her back in her prep career at Redondo Union High School.
“Meghan has always had heart, and you can’t teach that. (In) my career I’ve seen tons of women suffer knee injuries and give up playing.”
— Rheina Ale, Peneueta’s cousin, said.
She tore the ACL in her right knee as a sophomore, and later on the other ACL tear in her left knee kept the budding star sidelined for the whole season during her senior year. As a kinesiology major, her injury opened her eyes to what could be another career for her. “My injuries made it clear that
I wanted to study and work with (different types of) sports injuries to help people like me and prevent these type(s) of injuries from happening,” Peneueta said. She got a fresh start coming to EC; no injuries, new opportunities and a new coach in Shaw who is in his 16th season as the head coach of the women’s basketball team. “She’s a real aggressive player, she makes things a lot easier for her teammates and I’m having fun coaching her,” Shaw said. Her inspirations are what kept her going after the injury to get better. Her favorite player is none other than Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant, but another inspiration was someone closer. Rheina Ale, Peneueta’s cousin, is somebody she grew up admiring. Ale was a star in the south bay before attending the University of San Francisco. “Meghan has always had heart, and you can’t teach that,” Ale said. “(In) my career I’ve seen tons of women suffer knee injuries and give up playing. She played with me and my brothers growing up and never backed down from a challenge, even if it was a boy.” While Peneueta enjoys the recognition, next season will be full of high expectations. “My goals for next season is to get better as a player and as a leader,” Peneueta said.
WARRIORS SCHEDULE MEN’S TENNIS: Today vs. Mt. SAC College 2 p.m.
TRACK AND FIELD: Saturday, March 5 CSU L.A. Invitational 10 a.m.
SOFTBALL: Today at Mt. SAC College 3 p.m.
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL: Friday, March 4 vs. L.A. Pierce 6 p.m.
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Right knee: Injured during Peneueta’s senior year in high school. The injury sidelined her for the whole season. Injury time = approximately seven months
Left knee: Injured during Peneueta’s sophomore year in high school. Injury time = approximately seven months Jo Rankin/ Union
Warrior’s forward Meghan Peneueta (21) dribbles past Mt. SAC Mountie’s Tahniya Sweatt (22). El Camino women’s basketball lost the South Coast Conference game, 76-46, on Wednesday, Jan. 6.
WARRIORS SCOREBOARD WOMEN’S TENNIS: Warriors 2 Riverside 7 SOFTBALL: Warriors 1, Santa Barbara 4 (Called after six innings)
MEN’S TENNIS: Warriors 3, L.A.Pierce 6 BASEBALL: Warriors 5, Hartnell 7
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