Look Inside: A3
Gas Prices
Friday, March 25, 2022 VOLUME LXXXVII ISSUE XV SINCE 1935 www.oswegonian.com
Update on Oswego Harbor Power Plant oil spill
Booms, sorbent pads remain in place two weeks later John Custodio Managing Editor jcustodio@oswegonian.com
Oswego Harbor is experiencing a fuel oil spill from the Oswego Harbor Power Plant, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). In response, city of Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow closed the Breitbeck Park harbor walking trail on March 9 as the U.S. Coast Guard from Buffalo and DEC worked with the power plant to clean up the oil. “Clean water in Oswego Harbor and Lake Ontario is critically important to our residents and wildlife,” Barlow said, via a Facebook post. “We will do our part to ensure that the oil spread is limited and as much of the fuel that can be captured is captured.” An underground pipe from the power plant leaked No. 6 fuel oil into the lake, which is de-
scribed by the U.S. Energy Information Administration as a fuel oil of medium viscosity used by “steam-powered vessels” and powerplants for the production of “electric power, space heating, vessel bunkering and various industrial purposes.” According to the Buffalo Sector’s U.S. Coast Guard Public Affairs Officer, Lt. Sean Dolan, the actual quantity of oil spilled has not been measured, but the suspected source has been secured. The oil that reached the harbor’s water has been “boomed off,” where a wide floating barrier is cast off into the water to prevent the oil from spreading further. As of March 10, three containment booms were used in the harbor. “The oil that was in the water has been boomed off and is being recovered by the oil recovery contractor but I do not have an actual physical number to give you,” Dolan said. Dolan said four Coast Guard members from his office were working on the cleanup, along-
side members of the DEC and an environmental cleanup contractor. For Dolan’s office, aquatic pollution cleanups are common with a seasonal increase in the summertime. “The Coast Guard is committed to environmental protection and we have a staff of folks that are on call 24 hr a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year to respond to these things,” Dolan said. “It really is seasonal, naturally, busier in the summer but steady work responding to pollution cases of varying sizes.” Oswego Harbor is a major hub for migrating waterfowl but according to Dolan, there have not been any major impacts to the environment. “Our folks on scene would be managing that along with the New York DEC officers that are on-scene, but I have not received any reports of impacted wildlife as of right now,” Dolan said. As of March 23, the cleanup is still underway, utilizing containment booms and sorbent pads to contain and remove oil.
John Custodio | The Oswegonian
CONTENT
A boom is pictured in the Oswego Harbor, as the NYSDEC and the U.S. Coast Guard have worked to contain the oil spill and clean the water.
Calendar...................... A3 Crossword................... C6 Contact Info................ A2 Laker Review.............. C1 News............................. A1 Opinion........................ B1 Sports........................... B3 Sudoku........................ C6
Hollywood screenwriting professors’ next publication
Image via Bloom Books & Casablanca
Staff Reports news@oswegonian.com The Summer of Christmas, written by college professors Juliet and Keith Giglion is a romantic-comedy that celebrates our love for holiday movies that start running in July on the Hallmark Channel, Netflix, Lifetime, GAC Family and more. About the Book: Up-and-coming LA screenwriter Ivy Green is about to have her life turned upside down. Her movie, based on her and her high school sweetheart, Nick Shepherd, is being filmed in her upstate New York hometown. In the middle of summer, during the month of July, the production crew creates a winter wonderland Christmas. Nick is less than thrilled to see Ivy after all this time. Five years ago, college degree fresh in hand, she decided her screenwriting career was bigger than their future together. Or, at least that’s how he saw it. He returned home, to his family vineyards, and grew his way to the top of vintner acclaim: his
pride and glory being his vineyard’s award-winning “Poison Ivy” vintage – named after youknow-who. And then he learns that Ivy’s equally unhappy with him…and in her movie version of their relationship, she kills his character off. To complicate matters, Ivy isn’t sure of her relationship with the producer, the town is overflowing with movie stars and adoring fans, and worst of all—the actress playing Ivy develops a crush on the real Nick! Now, with renewed and confusing feelings about Nick, Ivy is determined to see if there is anything left between them, but in the end, Ivy will need to rewrite her life script to finally get everything she ever wanted. About the Authors: Juliet Giglio and Kieth Giglio are a husband-wife screenwriting duo who met in an elvator while attending NYU Grad Film school. Juliet and Keith are both professors who teach screenwriting at the State University of New York at Oswego and Syracuse University respectively.
Sports
Opinion
Laker Review
News
17 SHOTS
SOCIAL DISTRICT
PREDICTION SEASON
BOTTLE DRIVE
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Oswegonian File Photo
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Photo via Flickr
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Image via SHOP
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THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, March 25, 2022,
Weekend Forecast
Gonian Social
FRIDAY, MARCH 25 THROUGH SUNDAY, MARCH 27
Friday
H: 48 °
Sunday
Saturday
L: 35 °
H: 42 °
L: 26 °
H: 34 °
70%
60%
L: 21 °
The Oswegonian
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40%
@GonianSports
@GonianLRO
@the_oswegonian Chance of Precipitation
NEW YORK STATE
WEATHER
Potsdam 47°/35°
FRIDAY, MARCH 25
Oswego 48°/35° Albany 52°/39°
Syracuse 52°/38°
Buffalo 45°/35°
Julie Benson, 57, was arrested on March 20 at 3:37 a.m. for criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree.
NYC 58°/46°
Weather forecast provided by Brittney Sparceno from WTOP-10
Extended Forecast Monday
H: 33°
L: 24 °
40%
Deebra Blankshain, 57, was arrested on March 20 at 3:45 a.m. for criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree with intent to sell, criminal possession of a controlled substance, methanphetamine, in the fourth degree and tampering with physical evidence.
Tuesday
H: 38 °
MONDAY, MARCH 28 THROUGH FRIDAY, APRIL 1
Wednesday
L: 29 °
20%
H: 40 °
L: 31 °
Thursday
H: 39 °
40%
60%
Chance of Precipitation
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Maria Manonlantigua, 21, was arrested on March 20 at 5:03 p.m. for petit larceny following an incident that occurred on 1st Street in Oswego. **Police blotter information is provided by the Oswego City Police Department**
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Robin Coffey, 41, was arrested on March 20 at 3:45 a.m. for criminal possession of a controlled substance in the fourth degree, criminal possession of a controlled substance in the third degree with intent to sell, criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree and grand larceny in the fourth degree.
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On the Opinion Cover!
NEWS
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
And it just looks bad on us, especially since we live on such a beautiful natural reservoir of water, being Lake Ontario...” -Valerie Goetz
THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, March 25, 2022
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Gas prices impact SUNY Oswego commuters
Costs at the pump continue to soar, contributing to stress
Alumnus Bob Moritz Spring Address Friday, March 24, 2:20 p.m. Virtual
Trans Support Group Friday, March 24, 4:00 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. Mary Walker Health Center
1st Annual Spring Design Club Showcase Friday, March 25, 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Tyler Hall
Cirque Kalabante Monday, March 25, 7:00 p.m. Tyler Hall
Brandon Ladd | The Oswegonian The price of gas has risen substantially statewide since the beginning of year, which may cause difficulties for communters.
Brandon Ladd Editor in Chief bladd@oswegonian.com
A current issue for many Americans is the soaring cost of gas following recent foreign affairs leading to supply becoming more scarce. The impact of the skyrocketing prices has affected students at SUNY Oswego. Feelings of anger have struck those who have been going to the college for multiple years now, as they have seen the price of gas rise from just north of $2.00 per gallon to now a citywide range of $4.19 to $4.29 in Oswego. SUNY Oswego junior Thomas “Bubba” Turgeon feels the effect even more because of his diesel vehicle. “Really just a feeling of disappointment and irritation,” Turgeon said. “As a person who drives a small vehicle that runs on diesel instead of gasoline it impacts me even more than anticipated paying a little more per gallon at the pump. With that being said it is one thing where prices are fluctuating a few cents per day, but when it is changing vastly more than that ... it adds up quickly.” This still has not caused Turgeon to make changes to his daily routine of driving but did anticipate that could change as his travel increases into the spring for work in his hometown on weekends.
“I am still driving to campus to my house the same amount of time I do weekly,” Turgeon said. “This may change in a few weeks once I go back to my job at home on weekends which is about 150 miles round trip and may limit how many times I go back home to work during the school semester. However at this very moment the answer is no, primarily due to a routine of coming back and forth from campus and the grocery store being the only places I have really gone.” SUNY Oswego junior Joey Palatsky notices the price on the screen but tries not to let it overwhelm him. “I don’t let the gas prices bother me too much as there is really nothing I can do about it,” Palatsky said. “But it definitely hurts after filling up my tank and seeing the price on the screen. I try not to pay attention to the prices that gas stations have up on the signs you can see from the street, but it is definitely a bit heartbreaking seeing the price after filling up.” Unlike Turgeon, Palatsky sees how this is impacting his decisions during a normal week. Creating apprehension when it comes to deciding if a scenic, head-clearing ride is the right option. “I still drive where I have to, but multiple times I’ve found myself wanting to go for a drive and I decide against it because of the gas prices,” Palatsky said. “I think it may change in the summer when it is warm and beautiful weather to go for a drive, I will
probably opt for a walk instead.” Neither student seemed to know who to put the blame on when it came to the rise in gas, as many media outlets have tried to pass the blame on individuals and events in recent months. Ranging from President Joe Biden, to the Ukraine-Russia conflict happening a hemisphere away or the policies of federal and state governments. Turgeon felt that the blame can be spread out but basic inflation and economics principles are pointing to what is happening. “With the government’s actions towards the situation in Ukraine and Russia and even at just the state level I have noticed in the last few weeks how the difference between gas prices in states like New York and Connecticut,” Turgeon said. “[They have] prices varying almost as high as 20 cents compared to other locations. This is currently a situation though … where there are many people impacting what the gas prices are such as the businesses themselves, the location, supply and demand among actions by the governments as well.” Palatsky had less emotional response but wants the situation to be fixed in the near future. “I won’t act like I am an expert on why gas prices have risen,” Palatsky said. “I have heard a million different reasons whether it be war, the president, pipelines or other things. I don’t fully understand what is to blame but it is definitely an issue that should be fixed.”
GAS PRICES AROUND CITY OF OSWEGO
Lowest: $4.19 -STEWERT’S SHOP
MEDIAN: $4.24 -VALERO
HIGHEST: $4.29 -CROUSE
-SUNOCO -GULF 14 CENTS BELOW -SUNOCO & APLUS NY STATE AVERAGE -FASTRAC -BYRNE DAIRY William Rogers | The Oswegonian
Guided Nature Walk at Rice Creek Saturday, March 26, 11:00 a.m. Rice Creek Field Station
Planetarium Show: Observing Earth Sunday, March 27, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Planetarium, Shineman 223
Registration Workshop Monday, March 28, 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Marano Campus Center
Let’s Talk: Drop-In Brief Counseling Monday, March 28, 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Penfield Library
Achieving Goals Workshop Monday, March 28, 7:00 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. Virtual
Student Safe Zone Session Tuesday, March 29, 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Marano Campus Center
College Cuts Open Hours Wednesday, March 30, 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. Marano Campus Center
Grief and Loss Support Group Wednesday, March 30, 2:00 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. Mary Walker Health Center
Just ASK Alumni Panel: Adulting 101 Wednesday, March 30, 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Marano Campus Center
SUNY Oswego drops
NEWS
indoor vaccine mandate
THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, March 25, 2022
A4
Winter parking ban lifted as spring looms, relieves commuter students
Image via Zachary Gannett
Kailee Montross | The Oswegonian
Sydney Havens News Editor shavens@oswegonian.com
SUNY Oswego announced via email that the indoor spectator policy has changed as of March 21. Attendees of campus events are no longer required to show proof of having completed a full COVID-19 vaccination series or proof of a negative COVID-19 test. The school had previously announced on March 4 that they would no longer require fully vaccinated individuals to wear masks on campus. These changes mark a shift in attitudes surrounding COVID-19 on campus. These developments are guided by the New York State health and safety guidelines. The emails to the students regarding these policies have stated that the guidelines are subject to change or reinstatement at any time depending on evolving metrics and health and safety conditions. When it comes to events such as invited speakers, alumni in
classrooms and other guests coming to campus, they are not required to wear masks throughout their visit if they are fully vaccinated and boosted. If an outside group holds an event on campus it is the outside group or contracting agency’s responsibility to abide by all New York State and SUNY Oswego COVID-19 guidelines in place at the time of the event. Despite not having to show proof of vaccination to attend events, students and faculty must still be vaccinated and receive their booster shot if they are eligible. Additionally, unvaccinated individuals must continue to wear masks at events. There will be a vaccination and booster shot clinic in Marano Campus Center on March 26 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the food and activity court. Appointments are encouraged and registration links can be found on the oswego.edu website. The Pfizer and Johnson&Johnson vaccines will be offered. The Oswego Forward page has continued updates on these policies and vaccine clinics.
Jack Perdek Sports Editor jperdek@oswegonian.com
On March 7, City of Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow officially lifted the overnight winter parking ban effective immediately. The city of Oswego previously required tenants of residents in the city to move their vehicles to neutral locations in order to ensure the safety of the roads and snow removal. Barlow exclaimed that the ban was productive and he was happy to see the university and city handle the change effectively. “Thanks to the winter parking ban, we were able to clear the roads safely and efficiently throughout the winter to ensure safe travel,” Barlow said. “I appreciate the cooperation from our residents and commend the men and women of the Oswego Department of Public Works for another job well done cleaning our streets and handling water breaks and other issues in harsh weather conditions.” The ban, which was in ef-
fect from Jan. 23 to March 7, permitted residents of the city to eight locations: Wright’s Landing marina, Breitbeck bell tower, Parking lots on Burkle Street, Fort Pool W 1st and Cayuga Street Lot, West 1st Street on the south of the Post Office, Bronson Street between Ontario and Dorcas, and lastly W Schuyler Street between Governor and Liberty Street. An issue for off-campus commuters to SUNY Oswego such as senior Zachary Gannett was the inability to go back and forth to these locations. For someone who lives on West Mohawk Street, the closest of these eight locations would be the post office which in the elements of the winter, would be about a 10-minute walk. For Gannett, he feels that the city should expand upon locations that would make his commute back home easier. “If they are gonna have community-wide parking bans in the streets after certain times then they should have more community lots available,” Gannett said. “Not everyone may have the option to shove
as many cars as they can into a driveway like me and my housemates did.” At the same time, Gannett understands that the parking ban is a necessity for the city and that snow removal is a positive element of the community. “I think the parking ban is a good idea,” Gannett said, “Obviously you need to get the streets as clear as possible when it is snowing and cars in the way can make that an issue because you are not clearing all the roads if there is a car in the way.” Another off-campus commuter who shares similar views on the ban to Gannett is that of William Bowling. “I think that the ban is a nuance,” Bowling said. “It adds stress to the stressful life of a college student, and I think if there is no snow on the ground the ban should be automatically lifted.” Students are now able to park anywhere with legal parking in the street, and should stay up to date with mayor Barlow’s facebook updates regarding the ban in the event of another storm. Find the page on a facebook search “Mayor Billy Barlow”.
Photo Brief
Harbor Fest returns
St. Baldrick’s
Image via Flickr
Sydney Havens News Editor shavens@oswegonian.com
Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow announced the 4th of July Independence Day Parade and annual Harborfest celebration will return to Oswego in 2022 after being canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. Harborfest, a free admission outdoor music festival attracting approximately 75,000 to Oswego, will take place from July 28-31 throughout the city. The parade will be held July 3, at 1 p.m., followed by fireworks which will be launched over the Oswego river at approximately 9:45 p.m. “We are extremely excited to bring back our traditional Independence Day Parade in 2022 and will hold the first of our three downtown block parties, successfully introduced in 2021, following the parade,” Barlow said. The parade will begin on Liberty Street, eventually turning eastbound down Bridge Street. Following the parade, the city will host another downtown block party at 5
p.m. along West First Street. There will be live music from Ruby Shooz, free activities for children of all ages and expanded outdoor dining space for restaurants. Individuals or organizations interested in participating in the parade may find an application on the city website at www.oswegony.org, email amurphy@oswegony.org or can call 315-343-3795. The deadline to register is June 10. Parade participants will compete for cash prizes with categories including best float overall, most patriotic float, most creative float, best youth performance float and best non-youth performance float. To become a vendor or volunteer, visit www.oswegoharborfest.com. “Our Independence Day celebration and annual Harborfest event are marquee events for the community, bringing fun, excitement and economic activity to the city, making it critically important to reintroduce these events post COVID to give both residents and visitors an opportunity to enjoy the very best of our community,” Barlow said. A comprehensive event program and schedule for Harborfest 2022 will be announced in the coming weeks.
Image via Instagram
John Custodio Managing Editor jcustodio@oswegonian.com
SUNY Oswego public relations students Ajsa Mehmedovic, Angie Cordovez, Pablo Leon and Carter Vangee are working with the St. Baldrick’s Foundation to raise awareness and funds to help fight childhood cancer by tabling in Marano Campus Center and collaborating with local businesses. Started in 1999 by Tim Kenny, John Bender and Enda McDonnell as a way to return some of their “good fortune in business,” the event started on March 17, 2000, by shaving 19 people’s heads in Jim Prady’s Pub in New York City, which raised $104,000. The group quickly grew to raising more than $1 million by the spring of 2002.
In 2004, St. Baldrick’s Foundation was officially funded, and has now funded $314 million in research grants since 2005, according to the official St. Baldrick’s Foundation website. According to Mehmedovic, two other groups in her public relations capstone program are also involved with St. Baldrick’s, but her group is working to improve the outreach for the foundation to specific target demographics. For Mehmedovic’s group, they are targeting college-aged men through fraternities and athletic teams along with local businesses. “We’ve worked with Kappa [Sigma], they tabled for us for a week,” Mehmedovic said. “And they raised almost $300. Theta Chi is tabling for us this week, and Alpha Phi Omega is tabling for us next week.” Mehmedovic said they have also received donations from
Utica Coffee Roasting Company in Utica, Eastside Nutrition in Oswego, and tabled at an Oswego hockey game that raised $100. On March 23, the bar The Ferris Wheel hosted a fundraiser with the group as well, giving a portion of the cover charge to the group for donation. SUNY Oswego ResLife and Housing is also a target for involvement according to Mehmedovic, with a challenge to begin with residence halls competing against each other to raise the most money for the foundation. The head-shaving event will be April 24 at the Oswego Best Western, where participants will have their heads shaved and money will be collected for final donations. Some locals and SUNY Oswego students, such as members of the Oswego Wizards rugby team, have already committed to having their heads shaved.
NEWS Go Green Club launches campaign
THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, March 25, 2022
Goal to ban all single-use plastic on campus
Kailee Montross | The Oswegonian A hot button issue for years now on the SUNY Oswego campus has been water bottles recently, the ones with Lake Ontario on them.
McKenzie Sheilds Staff Writer news@oswegonian.com Go Green Club has launched a campaign against single-use plastic on campus, including the use of plastic water bottles labeled with an image of Lake Ontario which are sold in retail dining locations. Go Green Club, SUNY Oswego’s climate justice organization, passed a bill through the Student Association last spring which discusses the use of plastic on campus, Valerie Goetz, a co-founder and the treasurer of the club, said. One element of this campaign involved discussion over the disposable plastic bottles which are sold and distributed on campus. “These bottles are sold at Lake Effect Café, Crossroads, Wall Street Market, Palates, [and] Laker Express Market,” Stephen McAfee, the Executive Director of Auxiliary Services, said. He added that they are also used for catering and are given to prospective students visiting campus. According to McAfee, the bottles are purchased from Blue Mountain Spring Water and this partnership began in 2010 after some debate over whether the campus should use spring or demineralized process water. “Blue Mountain approached us and shared their story of the family business and what they were doing to grow to better support their community with good paying
careers,” McAfee said. He added that they also worked to help them select an image that was recognizable, which is how the picture of Lake Ontario was chosen. “Our intent was to celebrate a favorite moment on campus,” McAfee said. But Goetz feels differently about the use of the image. “It goes against what we stand for as a college, our sustainability mission statement,” Goetz said. “And it just looks bad on us, especially since we live on such a beautiful natural reservoir of water, being Lake Ontario, that we are taking water from somewhere else and going through this harmful process of putting it into a plastic water bottle and then selling it to make a profit for the school.” The water for the bottles is sourced from a natural spring at the Aqua Valley Bottling Plant in Edmeston, New York, in the Tug Hill Area, McAfee said As for what Go Green Club hopes the campus will do, Goetz said that they want them to begin removing the bottles from the retail dining facilities. However, she recognizes that there is a need for an alternative. “There are some accessibility issues with that, and what if I forget my reusable water bottle, am I just going to be thirsty all day?” Julie Brophy said, a co-founder of Go Green Club and its director of fundraising. She added that some schools, such as SUNY New Paltz,
have started using canned water, which was a more recyclable alternative to plastic. “We’d also like to see the college add more filtered water stations,” said Goetz. She continued by saying that Go Green Club will also be asking the college to add at least one filtered water station in a residence hall per year. McAfee said that Auxiliary Services has worked in conjunction with the Sustainability department on initiatives such as composting and Tap In. Tap In encourages the use of reusable water bottles in place of single-use bottles. “Every member of the Oswego community has a duty and a responsibility to steward the lake,” McAfee said. “It is not an infinite resource.” Brophy said that the idea for the campaign began at a coffee shop, and was built up from there. Goetz said that it was somewhat inspired by a similar project at SUNY New Paltz, where she attended a sustainability conference. Following the passage of the bill with the Student Association, Go Green Club is also working on new campaigns. “We are running a divestment campaign, where we are asking SUNY Oswego to divest from fossil fuels,” said Brophy. She added that this involves asking the school for transparency in their investments. As part of this, Goetz said the club will be hosting a divestmentthemed event for the Global Climate Strike on March 25.
Brandon Ladd | The Oswegonian
For 87 years, The Oswegonian has been providing the Oswego State campus with relevant news, sports, entertainment and editorials.
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NEWS SHOP holds March Madness themed drive
THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, March 25, 2022
A6
Mayor Barlow announces Oswego concert series
Image via Instagram The campus food pantry partnered with club sports programs to get students involved .
Spencer Bates Assistant News Editor sbates@oswegonian.com Throughout the month of March, SHOP (Students Helping Oz Peers), SUNY Oswego’s on-campus food pantry, has conducted the March Madness Bottle Drive. A competition between club sports programs, Assistant Director of SHOP Caryn Nabrizny based the idea off of the NCAA March Madness tournaments that take place during the month of March. While the original plan was to get 10 or more clubs involved, due to short notice they ended up with five. Women’s club basketball, women’s club rugby, men’s and women’s club volleyball and the equestrian team have each been participating in the program in which the women’s club basketball team is leading the race. Nabrizny said that SHOP had to pivot from a bracket style competition to more of a race where the five clubs will race to see who can collect the most bottles by the end of March. However, people not involved in the club sports teams participating in the bottle drive are still encouraged to help by reaching out to whichever team they want to support. “I gave them [the club teams] the option of of going out and asking their friends,” Nabrizny said. “It doesn’t necessarily have to just be them alone, but obviously it’s whatever the club wanted to do. If they have their own system or they want to outreach I was more than happy to let them do so.” According to Helena Buttons, Director of SHOP, the program is
in partnership with Great Lakes Redemption Center. All cans and bottles that are collected will be sent there and all money raised will go to SHOP. The bottle drive will end March 31 but Nabrizny has said that this program was designed to have longer term effects as well. Reaching out and making connections with the club sports teams is something that SHOP has been wanting to do for a while. “The whole idea of the bottle drive was to outreach to the club sports because the main goal of SHOP is to reach out to the campus community and I’m like ‘what’s one area that doesn’t know much,’” Nabrizny said. “So the whole point was to make sure they know SHOP was there while also doing the whole fundraiser so that they know what they’re doing is going towards something. So short term it’s going to end in March for the bottle drive but long term I hope they know that SHOP is still here.” Nabrizny said there are others who are working with fraternities and sororities and that SHOP is trying to solidify these partnerships so that in the future they can do more events and programs with the help of these organizations. “Whoever’s working next year on this can get more clubs involved so it will be more successful than the first time around.” With less than a week left in SHOP’s March Madness Bottle Drive, students who are interested in helping are encouraged to get in contact with representatives whichever club sports team they would like to support in the race.
Image via City of Oswego The Sunset Concert Series is an Oswego tradition and this year's events will be the 88th season that feature local bands and musicaions.
Annika Wickham Chief Copy Editor awickham@oswegonian.com Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow announced the 2022 Oswego Sunset Concert Series along with the proposal of a new open container law that would coincide with events. The concerts will start on June 22, 2022 at Breitbeck Park and will be weekly, with the exception of July 27 for Harborfest, until Aug. 24. The Sunset Concert Series will be in its 88th season and performances will include show tunes, standard band literature and traditional marches, according to a news release. “I know I speak for all the musicians in saying we are looking forward to the series this year,” David Sterio, President of the Oswego County Musicians Union, said. “Both the Concert Band and Jazz Band are warmed up, ready to go and looking forward to seeing all our support in the park again this year!” According to Barlow, the city is partnering with both the Oswego County Musicians Union and the Oswego County Musicians Collective to sponsor the shows. “The concerts offer a free and enjoyable opportunity for
listeners to get outside, support local musicians and hear some fine music,” Barlow said. The announcement of the concerts on March 7 was followed by another statement from Barlow about the creation of a new social district on March 17. The social district will be a designated area within the city that will allow patrons to consume and possess alcohol outdoors. The proposed area would be from approximately W. 2nd Street from Utica Street to the shore of Lake Ontario. “We’ve had great success with lifting the open container ordinance during city events and with so many more downtown events scheduled to take place in the future, it makes sense to make this a permanent change during the summer months,” Barlow said. The Social District would be in effect from June 1 to Oct. 1 and includes Wright’s Landing Marina as well as the linear river walks Veteran’s Stage and Water Street Square. All alcoholic beverages would have to be in clear containers and would be able to be taken from restaurants and bars to other local businesses. “The creation of a social district will bring more energy and
enhance the atmosphere of our revitalized downtown area while giving small businesses another opportunity to expand sales and work together to continue improving our downtown,” Barlow said. Patrick Mitchell, owner of Southern Fare, said he fully supports the creation of the district because it makes downtown Oswego more appealing to both locals and tourists. “I've experienced first-hand the success such a district has had in other cities and think it’s a great step forward for our downtown,” Mitchell said. “A Social District supports local business and continues our momentum in making our city more pedestrian friendly. Imagine grabbing a cocktail or beer to go and strolling through farmer’s market, enjoying music at The Summer Concert Series, or walking to the waterfront to catch the sunset.” Barlow’s proposal followed Governor Kathy Hochul’s statewide motion to permanently legalize carry out alcoholic beverage sales in New York. Legislation to approve the social district was considered by the Administrative Services Committee on March 21 and was approved for a public hearing on April 11.
Abigail Connolly
aconnolly@ oswegonian.com
OPINION SOCIAL DISTRICT
B2 Photo via Flickr
OPINION
VOLUME LXXXVI ISSUE XV
“Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech or of the press.”
SPORTS B5
SEASON RECAP
Spencer Bates | The Oswegonian
Gas prices rise, blame corporations not president Increase in oil met with increase in government disdain John Custodio Managing Editor jcustodio@oswegonian.com Gas prices were higher than normal recently, and I saw an increase in stickers with President Joe Biden pointing with the caption “I did that!” placed on a few stations around the 518 and 315. While I am no Biden supporter, being a Bernie guy or a Green party supporter, it is idiotic to blame the United States president for something he did not do. Throughout human history, it has not been a white versus black, conservative versus liberal or Republican versus Democrat conflict. It is, always has and always will be, a rich versus poor conflict. It is ironic to blame the United States president on an issue impacting the entire world, espe-
cially other first world countries experiencing even higher gas prices than the U.S. According to CNN’s international money section comparing gas prices, the Netherlands has the highest average cost per gallon in USD, with over $6. The United Kingdom is close, alongside Norway, Italy and Denmark averaging around $5.90. Is Biden the president there? Is Biden the ruler of the oil corporations and conglomerates? Again, I am not defending Biden but place the burden where it belongs, on the greedy corporations hell-bent on stripping the earth so they can get another mega-yacht. For a car-dependent country, the U.S. sends most of its oil overseas. The Keystone XL pipeline, touted as the solution to the gas price change and the fault of Biden for its abandonment, would send its oil to refineries in the U.S., but the oil would be
mostly sent overseas. Corporate greed does not care about the average American, because there is no incentive to. A forest has no monetary value until it is cut down, so modern oil barons have no reason to care what happens to the environment unless it makes them a profit. Similarly, these are not the people that would be hurt if the pipeline leaked into drinking water of the already-damaged poor and Indigenous communities it would flow through. To stop helping the rich get richer, the United States. must invest more in public transportation like cross-country rail lines and more accessible local transportation. Do not be fooled by the rich into thinking Biden is the enemy of the average person when in reality, modern oil barons that aim to take as much as they can from this world are.
From my desk: The Editor-in-Chief’s column Spring break can be done wisely, not breaking bank Recap from past weekend in western New York with pals
Brandon Ladd Editor-in-Chief bladd@oswegonian.com Spring break is considered the beall and end-all of adventures for college students. This was no different last week for SUNY Oswego, as many students took to the roads to catch different planes and destinations. Some have the financial help from parents or just have worked hard to grow their personal capital leading up to the break. It is not easy for a college student to pay for a $2,000 trip, so here is the alternative that I found just right. For the beginning of my “vacation,” I went home to see my family from Friday night until Wednesday morning. I took this time to relax and catchup with them. I also took this time to save spending money. Outside of gas costs driving home, I spent zero dollars out of my bank account. I also was able to look on Blackboard and make a list of the assignments I had coming due in the upcoming weeks. From there, I made a spreadsheet to organize my days and also made a spreadsheet on how I wanted to spend my money for my upcoming trip to Niagara Falls and Buffalo. On Wednesday, I took to Interstate-90 once again and traveled the three hours back to Oswego to switch The independent student newspaper of Oswego State since 1935 out my clothes at my apartment. I packed the car once again, picked up my friends and was on the road by early evening. Just as the sky was We want your thoughts on our coverage, campus and local issues, or any- turning pink from a dazzling sunset in Niagara, we reached our Airbnb. thing regarding the Oswego State community. The Airbnb was only about $130 dollars for each of us for the four Email all letters as Word attachments to opinion@oswegonian.com or mail nights we would be spending there. submissions to 139A Campus Center, Oswego N.Y. 13126 The use of a door code instead of a key made an easy process for self-
check in. That first night we hung out and got used to the one floor condo we would be staying in. The following morning, we took an Uber to Key Bank Center in Buffalo for the first day of the NCAA Basketball Tournament. Eight teams would be playing in four games throughout the day. For that day it was about $400 for the ticket in the first few rows of the upper bowl of the arena. This included four free alcoholic drinks throughout the day and free food and soda in the Lexus Club. Between the basketball and the food/drinks, the price was well worth it. The next day, the guys and I went five minutes down the road to Niagara Falls to see the majestic sights from the American side. This followed a lunch at Duff’s Famous Wings to see what all the hype was about when it came to chicken wings in the Buffalo area. The wings and the waterfall did not disappoint.
Outside of $20 for lunch and $10 for parking at America’s oldest State Park, there were no more expenses on the day until evening. At that point, we tried the original wing place in the Buffalo area, Anchor Bar. An ungodly, $10 fee for using their parking lot was incurred but the food was excellent for just around $20. Saturday, was a trip back to the arena for the second round of the tournament. The four teams remaining from day one did battle on the court in the late evening. $150 more for the two games and free food/ drinks again. All and all, this was a $700 Spring Break trip that allowed me and my friends to do something we like, watch basketball and eat food. This beat the high prices of traveling to a beach by airplane. I would highly recommend a trip and week off from school like this. I am refocused after it. Also, Anchor Bar had the better wings.
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Brandon Ladd | The Oswegonian Niagara Falls as seen from the American side, falls were impressive during winter with ice.
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OPINION
March Madness, truly mad
Photo via Flickr
Jack Perdek Sports Editor jperdek@oswegonian.com To many, March is only important to them for one reason, their brackets and watching the NCAA March Madness tournament every year. The month of March for me is one of the best months of the year and that includes the tournament, but it is not necessarily why I would put the month in my top five. March marks the beginning of spring and in most cases, the first official teaser for above 30-degree weather and the endless pursuit of summer. Here at SUNY Oswego, in my four years of attendance, from the months of late November to late March, you deserve a gold medal if you can spot the sun. Aside from my personal opinion, the other 75% of the American population hangs their hats on Div. I basketball and constructing a tournament bracket. Although this is a fun tradition and a gold mine for people who like to bet on sports, I really have not invested the time to sit down and think about 32 match-ups and how I can brag about my success to people. At the same time, you have to consider the athletes and coaches of these college organizations and whether the pressure of the spotlight might actually damage their career more than glorify it. In my mind, teams like the St. Peter’s Peacocks are one of the beneficiaries of mass media attention because they are the 16 seed and were unlikely to do much damage in the round of 64. Then teams like the University of Kentucky, who many like myself thought could cut the nets at the end of the tournament as a number two seed, crumble in the national spotlight. Now I get it, that is why the tournament is special, but who is thinking about the players who were on the bubble of advancing to the professional level that still had something to prove? With professional broadcast networks giving the unsung heroes more attention, several players who were all-in on major basketball programs may lose their draft stock or worse be forgotten. I guess that is just the glory of March Madness, but I have to ask if the pressure is too great for 18 to 23-year-old players with literally tens of thousands of people in the stands. So is the tournament worth the hype? Well, for the most part , my answer is yes, considering I do not play college basketball and that the level of gameplay and competitiveness at the college level is far more entertaining than the NBA. The real question is whether or not the tournament makes the month of March an upper echelon span of 31 days. Let us map it out nice and simple; March has Shamrock Shakes, St. Patrick’s Day parades, mother nature’s awakening from a long and painful sleep, and yes a tournament that many sports fans cannot get enough of. I still put June, July, August and September way above March because hey, I could go ride a bike or something.
THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, March 25, 2022
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City of Oswego ‘Social District’ way of the future Mayor Billy Barlow proposes new initiative to generate business, with booze Abigail Connolly Opinion Editor aconnolly@oswegonian.com The average American consumes 1.35 drinks per day, 9.5 drinks per week and 494 drinks per year, according to senior scientific advisor to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism director, Aaron White. Why not consume these outside? That is what City of Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow asks. Barlow announced March 17 a proposal for a new “Social District” in downtown Oswego, which would allow for the possession and consumption of alcohol outdoors in a specified area. This law would allow bar and restaurant goers to order alcoholic beverages and take them to other public common areas and local businesses from noon to midnight, June through October. The drinks would be in clear to-go cups, no more than 16 ounces. The idea for this proposal is to bring more traffic to local businesses and create a more pedestrian friendly area. Barlow specifically named events like the farmer’s market, typically held on Thursdays on W. 1st Street, The Summer Concert Series and watching the sunset from the waterfront walk as events that could benefit from the creation of the district. From a convenience standpoint, this makes sense. The Oswego community ben-
efits greatly from the many local businesses that grace the downtown area. Giving the opportunity for individuals to enter and interact with a greater variety of these businesses, as opposed to having to stay in one location for however long it takes to finish a drink, will increase foot traffic and money spending. The argument that this could create issues with noise and public conduct in the city are valid, but unrealistic. The idea of the “Social District” causing rowdy, booze infested hoards wandering the streets and stumbling all over the place is a rather exaggerated reality. This is not a haphazardly
put together idea. Many European nations do not have the open container rules that the U.S. does. Additionally similar social districts in Royal Oak, Michigan, Mobile, Alabama and Dalton, Georgia have been in place for years and there have not been many, if any, reported adverse impacts. If the concern is relating to individuals stumbling all over in an alcohol induced stupor, with all due respect, look around the streets on a Friday night when the college is in session. The seasonal outline and the time restrictions on this open container law are also a smart precaution that would then en-
courage those who are looking to have a bit more fun with alcohol consumption to enter the establishments that are still open after midnight. At that point, the night is back to where it would be without the open containers being allowed on the streets. Barlow’s continuing focus on building and enhancing the downtown area is exciting for the residents of Oswego, the inclusion of this “Social District” is the next step in enhancing that downtown experience. The proposed law has been approved by the common council committee and will be reviewed by the council in the coming months.
Photo via Flickr The Oswego Summer Concert Series, like this one from 2011, could benefit from the proposed “Social District” in June to October.
SPEAK YOUR MIND, TWITTER! POLLS POSTED EVERY WEEK TO @GonianLRO
From The Archives: Feb. 6, 1992 Nuclear Power? By: S.A.V.E Originally Letter to Editor Transcribed by Brandon Ladd We of S.A.V.E. (Students Actively Volunteering for Earth, SUNY Oswego) declare that New York State should shut down the nuclear plants or SUNY Oswego. Due to poor maintenance and management, the three nuclear power plants in Oswego County pose an everyday threat. One of the plants, Fitzpatrick, is owned and operated by the Power Authority of the State of New York (PASNY), has just been placed on the embarrassing Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) watch list of worst run nuclear power plants in the nation, a dubious distinction given ounto onlya handful of the 111 U.S. power plants per year. To answer some of the plant’s problems, PASNY is committing to Fitzpatrick $20 million for an administrative building and at least $12 million a year on top of the $70 million budget. While the state of New York faces a severe budget crisis, Fitzpatrick is allowed to run in a state of severe disrepair and to operate at a net loss. To balance that loss, SUNY Oswego, as well as the other SUNY colleges, will have to raise tuition and cut many faculty members and courses. Is this New York State’s choice: the elimination of education and growth in order order order to secure nuclear waste, lifethreatening power plants, and an even larger deficit? We at S.A.V.E. are concerned about the safety of the nuclear plant employees and the sourrounding community members,
including Oswego residents, students from around the world, and families within a 50-mile radius of the plant, which includes those living in Syracuse. The NRC reported that in 1990, the Power Authority of the State of New York’s Fitzpatrick nuclear plant exposed its employees to more radiation than any other nuclear plant of its kind in the United States, with untold releases of radiation into the neighboring community. To reduce this radioactive exposure to its workers, Fitzpatrick has proposed to use the ALARA (As Low As Reasonable Achievable) method. Does “rea-
sonably” mean the State of New York’s nuclear plant will continue to operate with insufficient funds, ill management, overworked employees, ignorance of safe plant maintenance and operation, faulty equipment, and hundreds of uncompleted work orders which are vital to safe operation? Does “reasonable” mean problems will continue to be remedied by quick fix methods rather than repairing root causes? Is it “reasonably achievable” when we in Oswego cannot feel safe when a daily leak of 6,000 gallons of radioactive water goes unnoticed and when plant workers
are “‘living on the edge’ of sound safety performance”? We at S.A.V.E. are also very concerned about the toxic waste created by the nuclear power plants. We call for the immediate shutdown of the nuclear power plants and demand they remain shut down until there are scientifically-proven safe methods to contain and store the toxic nuclear waste. If the power plants continue to produce the nuclear waste. then the waste must remain stored on site. -S.A.V.E.. SUNY Oswego
Photo via Flickr Fitzpatrick. the power plants in Oswego that S.A.V.E. students wished to see shut down by the state due to safety concerns.
SPORTS Oswego State men’s golf weeks away from Hershey Cup
Howard, Fecco on high expectations, crafting skill for Empire 8 Championships
THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, March. 25, 2022
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Around the Diamond Benjamin Diamond Asst. Sport Editor bdiamond@oswegonian.com
Image via Oswego State Athletics The Oswego State golf team poses with its plaque after winning the Clarkson Tournament in the fall, the Lakers finished first out of seven teams after shooting 311 combined.
Brandon Ladd Editor-in-Chief bladd@oswegonian.com
Oswego State golf returns to the links in the upcoming weeks after its winter break, still eying a conference championship in the Empire-8 conference. The team finished third out of seven teams in the Empire-8 Conference Championship, which was held in Baldwinsville on Oct. 2-3, 2021. This serves as the first two rounds of the Conference Championship, with the final two rounds coming April 1617, 2022. Currently, the Lakers sit 17 strokes behind St. John Fisher College, who leads the tournament with a combined +52. Head coach Mike Howard believes that the team can shoot even lower than the fall season and it starts with properly managing what the course gives them. “Well, avoiding trouble as you know [on the course],” Howard said. “If it means leaving the driver in the bag on certain holes, that’s what you do. If you are in trouble, get out
of trouble and move forward. Don’t try to make that one-in-a-million shot out of the woods because then you hit 17 trees and you are in deep trouble. Just manage the golf course and try to post the lowest score on each hole, if everybody did that I think we would see improvement in our team results.” The team’s usual lowest scorer, senior Ryan Fecco, is in a position to build off a good fall segment of the schedule. After the first two rounds of the conference tournament he sits tied for first place at +10 with Josh Kienz of Utica College. Fecco has finished in first or tied for first, in five tournaments now for his career. He is also consistent, finishing in the top-10, 15 out 26 career tournaments at Oswego State. Fecco still wants to be a better finisher coming down the stretches of rounds during the month of April. “I think my game is what I have,” Fecco said. “I just need to work on closing a round better the last few holes. I get a little too ahead of my-
self sometimes, I think about my score I’m going to shoot the last few holes and mentally it ruins me a little bit. So, then I struggle the last few holes and I need to fix that so I finish strong.” Expectations can be set high for a player who has won tournaments, consistently shoots the best on the Oswego State team and could win the individual Conference Championship leaderboard come April 17. But Fecco feels that he still sets expectations higher for himself than any other person could for his game. “I set pretty high expectations for myself,” Fecco said. “I’m way too hard on myself and I’ll be the first one to tell you that. So, I set the expectations on myself and I don’t particularly worry about being the best player on the team. If somebody beats me that day, that’s great. So, I just worry about putting a good number out there and trying to help the team be the best it can.” Howard can not not anticipate much improvement from players
over the winter months because of the harsh upstate New York winters taking away time from practice. Usually, the most improvement by players would happen during the summer, according to the head coach. The team has just began hitting inside the Romney Field House to get swinging the clubs as a team again. The wait to get outside continues after the snow and rain heavy previous months. He is hopeful that time to get outside to practice comes before the first tournament in Hershey, Pennsylvania on April 3-4. Fecco and his teammates have high hopes for the spring season and the goal of winning a conference championship is still there. “I think we all had stuff to work on [this winter],” Fecco said. “And I know we all want to win the conference tournament really badly as a team. We talked about that this offseason and I think that really is our team expectation. We all want to be the best versions of ourselves, to help our team win.”
The Oswego State softball team has not been at the top of their game to start off the 2022 season. In their first seven games, the Lakers are 1-6, but they have yet to play a conference opponent, so we have not seen them face teams that they have seen many times before. The one bright spot that has come out of this early season slide was in one of their two wins, a 3-0 win over Defiance College. In that game, the junior pitcher and first base woman, Fiona Higgins, threw a no-hitter. I think she was able to show how important of a piece to the Lakers roster she is. But, when it comes to the rest of the team, there are not many players pulling their weight to start this season. Zoe Mennig leads Oswego in almost every offensive category. She along with Samantha Morgan, Yaizzo Aleah and the aforementioned Fiona Higgins are the only players to have over five hits so far this season. The Lakers still have a lot of room to grow and to improve and I believe that the Higgins no-hitter is proof that they can bring about winning ways, it is just going to take some time. I think the problems the Lakers are having early in the season are just a case of shaking off the rust. You can tell from some of the final scores that the team is starting to get it together, at least a little bit. Unlike during their first couple of games where they lost by eight and twelve, their last four games have been decided by four or fewer runs. Any progress is good progress and I think even though things don’t look great right now, the Oswego softball team will turn it around.
Oswego men’s basketball ends tournament after 89-81 loss in Ohio
Bracket lead to the team’s highest overall ranking in school history, Sparks reflects on journey
Spencer Bates | The Oswegonian Oswego State men’s basketball team celebrates together after winning both NCAA Tournament games at Swartmore College before eventually losing in the ‘Sweet 16.’
Spencer Bates Copy Editor sbates@oswegonian.com
A historic season for the Oswego State men’s basketball season has officially ended following a Sweet 16 loss in the NCAA tournament to Marietta College. This season has been one to remember for a plethora of reasons. The team broke the program record for most wins in a season, tied the program record for the farthest any Oswego State team has gone in the NCAA tournament and secured their highest ever end-of-season national ranking at No. 11. However, there was not any assurance that this team would perform as well as they did. According to sophomore guard Jeremiah Sparks the capabilities of the team were unknown but he still had his sights set high. “Didn’t really see anything special, didn’t really know what we were capable of,” Sparks said. “I was hoping for a national championship because what else would you play for?” Despite the questions surrounding the team, the season started in the most emphatic way possible as the Lakers breezed
through the Max Ziel Men’s Basketball Tournament. This would be Oswego State’s first of many titles they secured over the course of the year. The team took down Elmira College and Hobart College with relative ease as the way the team played made it seem like they had played together for years. Efficient shooting and an early display of head coach Jason Leone’s defensive emphasis on the game shined through as they celebrated a dream start. However, an early season 6567 loss to Nazareth College provided a reality check for the team. The Golden Flyers danced around the national rankings throughout the season and ended the season outside of the top 25 and handed the Lakers an early season loss. Luckily for them it would be their last loss for a while. The next 17 games that followed the loss all ended with the Lakers securing victory. Oswego State stormed through the SUNYAC winning each of their games over this span by an average of just under 23 points. This included three games in which they scored over 100 points and solidified the team in the top 25 nationally ranked teams. Over the course of these games the Lakers fired on all cylinders, seeming unbeatable as they eyed an undefeated season in the SUN-
YAC. Unfortunately, a late season speed bump courtesy of SUNY New Paltz gave the Lakers their only conference loss of the season. For most a loss at this point in a season like Oswego State was putting together, it would be a cause for concern. However, Sparks explains how the loss actually helped. “Definitely when we went on a win streak, we were rolling,” Sparks said. “Heads were big, egos were big and then went up to New Paltz and lost. [It] was kind of a reality check but it definitely helped us in the end.” The reality check that the Hawks gifted the Lakers proved to be only momentary as the team got back to their winning ways the rest of the season. Going into the SUNYAC tournament it was clear that the Lakers had a target on their backs as the clear favorite. Both attempts by SUNY New Paltz and SUNY Oneonta in the semi-final and final respectively to upset Oswego State ended in failure as Sparks and the team cut down the nets in the Max Ziel Gymnasium signifying a conference championship and a punched ticket to the NCAA tournament. Sparks spoke on how it felt hosting the conference tournament and how much it meant to him and his team to secure the title. “Winning the SUNYAC tournament was really fun,” Sparks said.
“Having it at our place made it less challenging, less pressure, just [being] out there having fun … cutting down the nets, it’s like a dream come true for some guys.” Not to be underemphasized is the chemistry and depth of Oswego State’s roster this past season. Several players like Devin Green, who led the team in points per game with his excellent three point shooting and Jamal Achille, who caught fire late in the season, played a massive role in the success of the team down the stretch. Other players such as Brendan Mulson, Ahkee Anderson, Julien Crittendon, Kaleb Cook and midseason transfer Christian Simmons all played central roles in making the team the powerhouse it was. Following their second to last regular season game, an 87-66 win over SUNY Brockport, Leone had plenty of praise for his roster. Saying how his team’s depth was something rare, that many teams don’t have the benefit of having. “That’s certainly a big identity thing for us, is the fact that we can run a lot of guys at people and … it’s something that we haven’t necessarily had in the past,” Leone said. “This is a very unique feature of this team and I’m really happy we have the number of good players that we do.” After the team laid stake to being the best team in the SUNYAC,
the team learned their fate as they would depart for Swarthmore College to face Hood College in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Hood College proved a big first round challenge for the Lakers as the team’s style of play was different in comparison to anything they had seen this season. Oswego State had to adapt to the Blazers’ electric three-point shooting, spearheaded by the dynamic duo of twins Evan and Mason Wang. A close first half contest became unraveled as the Lakers found themselves on the beneficial side of an 82-73 scoreline. The Lakers then moved onto play Keene State in the Round of 32 the day after the Owls knocked out No. 20 ranked host school Swarthmore College. Oswego State had a much easier time handling the Owls as they earned a 21 point victory over their adversaries. With the win the Lakers tied program history for NCAA tournament progress. Next up for the Lakers was No. 2 ranked Marietta College. The Pioneers had been one of the nations best teams all season and to their benefit, they hosted the next two rounds of the Sweet 16 and Elite 8. Unfortunately, this is where the historic road ended for Oswego State as they suffered a hard-fought 89-81 loss. The Ban Johnson Arena erupted as their team continued to march through the tournament. The Lakers were sent packing, but not for a lack of tremendous effort. After the dust had settled Sparks reflected on his experience through this year’s NCAA tournament. “It was honestly really fun … just being on the bus, guys are excited,” Sparks said. “Practices, prepping before the game, the locker room leading up to the game, just seeing everybody excited and playing in a crazy atmosphere.” Despite not reaching the summit of the NCAA mountain, the Oswego State men’s basketball team has so much to be proud of after this season as they return to the campus who have supported them throughout their journey. Sparks had some brief words for what lessons he took from the season and provided a sneak peak into the attitude he has going into next season. “You have to stay hungry,” Sparks said. “You’ve got to work a little bit harder if you want to reach your goals.”
Shore Report
* - Indicates NEWHL Standings #- seed clinched x- playoffs clinched e- eliminated
SUNYAC Standings
Men’s Lacrosse
Overall
Oswego State Oneonta Brockport New Paltz Cortland Potsdam
2-5 3-2
0-0 0-0
L2 W1
Geneseo
2-4
0-0
W1
Plattsburgh
2-5
0-0
L5
Softball
Overall 5-5 8-2 3-7 3-7 8-5 3-11 7-5 0-5 3-7 9-5
Cortland Geneseo Oswego State Plattsburgh Oneonta Fredonia Brockport Potsdam Buffalo State
New Paltz
Men’s Baseball
Conference 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
Overall
Points 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Conference
1-0
Oswego State
10-3
0-0
-
13-6
0-0
-
5-6
0-0
-
5-10
0-0
-
0-0
-
0-1
-
Fredonia
Women's Lacrosse Cortland
New Paltz Geneseo
Buffalo State
Oneonta Fredonia Brockport Potsdam Plattsburgh Oswego State
9-6 Overall 1-4 2-4
1-3 1-5
3
7
COB: 0-4(0-0) BUF: 3-6(0-0)
12
6
BRO: 10-2(0-0) ROC: 10-4(0-0)
.558:
Oswego State baseball team infielder Ryan Enos has been on an offensive tear to start the season. On the season, Enos is batting .558, with a 1.655 OPS, five home runs and 22 RBIs. In Oswego’s game versus Beloit College, Enos totaled six RBIs in the game. He also accrued a total of six hits in a game versus Keystone College.
Bolin: 3.2 IP, 1 ER, 4 BB Whitne: 2-3, 1 RBI Jack Pausic: 1-4, 1 R, 1 RBI
OSW:
Loomis: 7.0 IP, 1 K, 0 ER Swanson: 1-3, single Peterson: 0-2, 2 BB Higgins: 7.0 IP, 1 H, 13 K Mennig: 2-3, 1 R Detz: 2-3, 2 singles
Women’s Lacrosse
Men’s Lacrosse
14-10
4-19
Wednesday, Mar. 23
Saturday, Mar. 19
NAZ:
Maggie Vay: 5 goals, 1 assist Reva Mussi: 2 goals Emily Paddock: 2 goals
KEU:
OSW:
Julia Kirk: 4 goals Sela Wiley: 3 goals Isablella: 2 goals
OSW: Sexton: 4 goals, 1 assist
Spurgeon: 2 goals, 1 assist York: 2 goals, 2 shots MacDonell: 1 assist, 3 shots
Gray: 4 goals, 1 assist
Elston: 3 goals, 1 assist
Upcoming Events Softball
Saturday, Mar. 26
Baseball
Wednesday, Mar. 30
1:00 p.m./4:00 p.m.
OSW: 10-3(0-0) COB: 6-6(0-0)
Women’s Lacrosse
Men’s Lacrosse
@
@
Saturday, Mar. 26
Sunday, Mar. 27
1:00 p.m.
1:00 p.m.
FRE: 0-5(0-0) OSW: 1-5(0-0)
POT: 3-2(0-0) OSW: 4-2(0-0)
Laker Athletes of the Week
W2 W1 W1 L5 L2 W2 L2 L2
0-0
Baseball
HOU:
OSW: 2-7(0-0) SJF: 0-8(0-0)
Ryan Enos
Baseball Senior | Oriskany, NY
Around the SUNYAC Softball
JHOP:
0-1
Finnegan: 6.1 IP, 9 K, 3 ER Enos: 2-5, 2 R, 1 RBI Drew: 2-4. 2 RBI
12:00 p.m./2:00 p.m.
Streak L2 L3
0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
2-2
OSW:
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Conference
3-1 3-2 2-4 0-5 2-2
4-6
@
11-2
4-9
Tuesday, Mar. 22
Points
Brockport Cortland Plattsburgh Oneonta New Paltz
Softball
Baseball
Saturday, Mar. 19
W3 L5 L1 W1
0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0
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Oswego Scoreboard
Streak
Conference
4-2 1-6 4-2 1-5
THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, March. 25, 2022
Men’s Lacrosse
24
10
POT: 3-2(0-0) CAN: 3-5(1-1)
1.03:
Fiona Higgins of the Oswego State softball team has stood out as the Lakers’ top pitcher. She has struck out double digit batters in three straight starts, striking out a career high 14 batters versus Utica University in ten innings pitched. Her ERA on the season is a very low 1.03.
Fiona Higgins
Softball Junior | Buffalo, N.Y.
Enos leads the SUNYAC in batting average and is tied for first in the country in hits in one game (6). Enos has played a huge part in that, with an overall Batting Average of .558 in 13 games played. Ryan has also played a huge role in RBI’s, Oswego is third regionally in runs, coming with 12 RBI’s just this week for Enos. The Lakers also lead the SUNYAC conference in home runs per game, scoring, stolen bases and stolen bases per game. Ryan has an impressive slugging percentage of .900
Fiona Higgins threw a no-hitter on Tuesday against Defiance College in a complete game effort. Higgins had ten strikeouts in the no hitter only allowing two batters to reach base. The Buffalo, NY native has a total of seven games started this season, totaling 28.0 innings pitched. Higgins has 37 strikeouts this season and an Earned Runs Average of 1.00. The Lakers will start their home game schedule on March 23.
The Oswego State men’s lacrosse team showed an offensive onslaught on Keuka College, defeating the Wolves 19-4. Weston Gray and Liam Sexton led the way with four goals each. Gavin Elston and Jason Dongelewic followed them up with three goals of their own. With the win, the Lakers improved to 4-2.
Oswego State women’s lacrosse attacker Madison Davis set a new record for points in a game. Versus the SUNY Morrisville Mustangs, Davis had two goals and seven assists for a total of nine points. Even with the seven assists, Davis is still only tied for 6th in assists in a game. On the season, Davis totals eight goals and ten assists.
19:
9:
SPORTS Women’s lacrosse falls against Nazareth, to host Fredonia
Howard, Wiley, Davis relay importance of experience honing in on SUNYAC play
THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, March 25, 2022
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Perdek’s Corner Jack Perdek Sports Editor jperdek@oswegonian.com
Photos provided by Oswego State Athletics (#12) Shae McConell moving the ball pass midfield past two Utica College defenders in the Lakers 10-11 defeat March 5. McConell tallied with 4 goals and 2 assists.
Alexander Abramovich Sports Writer sports@oswegonian.com The Oswego State Women’s lacrosse team lost to Nazareth College by a final score of 14-10 on March 23, dropping their record to 1-6 on the season. The Lakers fought hard to secure win number two on the season, but fell just short, as Nazareth College picked up their second victory instead. Heading into yesterday’s matchup, the Lakers knew that it was one that they could really use to revive their season after a rough start. The Lakers were fortunate enough to be able to have a season last year when other teams did not, and junior Sela Wiley believes that last season had a major impact on the team overall. “We have a new class this year, but last year was huge for us, as few returners that we have, we didn’t get a freshman year,” Wiley said. “It was big for us, even just having eight games just to figure out how it works, start our team’s culture and continue to build on that this year.” Wiley has been a huge player for this team and is one of their main leaders as well. The offense has not been an issue for
the Lakers so far this season as they have had multiple outbursts of goals this season, like when they scored 23 goals in a singular contest against Morrisville State and scored 10 in a heartbreaking loss against Utica College. Junior Madison Davis has been a key part of the offense this year and is currently second on the team in points with 19, with Wiley leading the team with 20. Davis had her past two seasons canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, making her performance this season even more impressive. “What’s been working is, I have more assists than goals, for me, it’s just connecting with good players,” Davis said. “Sela and I work really well together, when I feed her the ball, she usually finishes really well, I feel really confident when I have the ball.” Davis looks to continue her fantastic season, so far, strong. Confidence is key when it comes to having a winning culture on and off the field. While this has not been the most successful season for Oswego State, head coach Britt Howard believes that this team is very capable of having that winning type of culture, but it takes time to get to that point, especially with a lot of
new players. “I think that we have a lot of new players coming into this season, so it’s just making sure everyone is on the same page, buying into the system,” Howard said. “We only had nine games last year, and we were 4-5 and we competed against some of the ranked teams in the SUNYAC. It was a good experience for the players that are returning, so they know what to expect in conference play.” Howard believes that her team is learning the game better with every game that passes by. The Golden Flyers jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead in the first quarter, putting Oswego behind the eightball early. The Lakers were able to keep it close for the rest of the half, outscoring Nazareth College 5-3 before halftime. The Lakers’ second quarter was an impressive one with goals from Logan Castiglione, Isabella Lembo and Sela Wiley scoring her second of the game. The third quarter was one to forget for Oswego State, as they were outscored 5-1. The Lakers went from being down by only one to being down by six in just one quarter, obviously not an ideal situation for them to be head-
ing into the final quarter. The lone goal for the Lakers in the third quarter was by Julia Quirk, her second of the game at the time. The Lakers did their best at mounting a comeback in the fourth quarter, as they outscored the Golden Flyers 4-3. Quirk scored early in the quarter on an assist from Madison Davis to make it 11-7, but Nazareth College responded quickly to get their lead back to five. The game kept going back and forth as Oswego would keep cutting the lead to four with the Golden Flyers answering right back. The 14-10 score did not exactly indicate how close the game actually was. If it was not for a faulty third quarter that put the Lakers in a tough position to rally, this could have been a very winnable game. Nonetheless, the Lakers dropped to 1-6 on the season and this could have been a big momentum shift in the right direction for them. The Lakers’ next game will be at home on the Laker Turf on March 26 against SUNY Fredonia, who has yet to win a game this season. Oswego State has a huge opportunity to get rolling, especially since they are going up against a winless team.
Unlike most teams here at Oswego State, the spring sports programs were able to have a make-shift season in 2020, including Lacrosse. After COVID-19 began and more protocols were able to be implemented, coaches such as women’s lacrosse’s Britt Howard and men’s lacrosse’s Sean Eccles were able to develop their players. It was an unusual set of seasons for these teams in their own respect, but now with a little more freedom, they can hope to build positively. The men’s squad last season was everything short of where they wanted to be in terms of the SUNYAC. They finished with an 0-7 overall record and were dealt a cancellation and a postponement. There were some bright spots though as junior Weston Gray and freshman Lucus Cioch tallied in 17 goals collectively. Now in 2022, the Lakers stand 4-2 and have defeated some respectable out-of-conference opponents St. Joseph’s College and SUNY Poly quite soundly. For them to be in great shape for SUNYAC play, they will need to continue using the depth they have found in the offseason and combine it with Gray and Cioch’s talents. For the other squad that shares the Laker Turf, it was more of an opposite kind of season compared to their counterparts. The women’s team was able to go 4-5 overall and win three out of four conference games. If that season had a playoff tournament, the Lakers would have been a participant. This spring the Lakers have also added some firepower acquiring the talents of first-year player and junior Madison Davis. The attack from Whitesboro, N.Y. has eight goals and a team-leading 10 assists thus far and has been a huge boost for the team. The green and gold have also found a freshman goaltender in Sarah Kamide who is still in the learning process but starting to show promise as of late. If both squads are to excel this season, they will need to start playing their best lacrosse by this weekend when SUNYAC play begins.
Men’s lacrosse enters into SUNYAC play, struggled last year
Team riding high after four straight non-conference wins, ‘offense starting to find itself,’ Eccles believes
William Rogers | The Oswegonian Oswego State players fighting for the ball against Utica College player during game action at the Laker Turf Stadium.
Zac Case Multimedia Editor zcase@oswegonian.com This weekend marks the first SUNYAC game of the 2022 season for the Oswego State men’s lacrosse team. The Lakers head into the contest on a four-game win streak which featured a win against non-conference opponent Utica College. The 18-8 victory featured plenty of offense coming from Weston Gray and Ryan Eccles who both had over seven points in the contest. The offense has been quarterbacked by the two players along with Gavin Elston who had one goal and five assists in Wednesday’s contest against the Pioneers. This win streak started back on March 11 with a 10-7 win over Morrisville State. The Lakers continued their dominating performance with another road win
against St. Joseph’s College on Long Island over spring break and followed that up with two wins at Laker Turf Stadium. Oswego State will look to continue their hot streak that they have stringed together into conference play that kicks off this weekend. After going 0-7 the previous year, and not winning a conference game, the Lakers have bounced back under new head coach Sean Eccles. This is the interim head coach’s first time as the head of a coaching staff at the collegiate level and he touched on the beginning of his career at Oswego State. “We have had some growing pains at the start of the season, but we are starting to play faster,” Eccles said. “We are starting to execute on offense and starting to jell. I think we have been good defensively all year, but it is time to find those transition goals from defense to offense.”
The players have spoken highly of Eccles and his stint with the team so far. There is a new culture surrounding this group and that new feeling makes the team want to hit the field hard every day during practice. Junior defender Brendan Haims spoke highly of that new atmosphere. “The first part of the season has gone well, and I have noticed the energy is better,” Haims said. “The compete level is up in practice and that is translating over to games. The culture is better, and I look forward to coming out on the field every day.” On the defensive side of the ball, Haims has been with the team for three seasons with his first game coming back in the 2020 season prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. With 16 career games played and 14 total ground balls, Haims is a leader in the defensive zone and continues to be an example of how the Lakers want
to play lacrosse on the defensive side of the ball. In between the pipes, the Lakers have a new starting netminder after Kevin O’Donnell graduated following the 2021 season. Aiden Kenyon, a junior from Canandaigua, steps into the starting role after being mentored by O’Donnell the previous two seasons. The head coach had a lot to say about his goaltender after the performance he had Wednesday afternoon. “His communication has been awesome but his work clearing the ball is what has set him apart,” Eccles said. “He can find the right guy and it is jump starting the offense. The offensive stuff comes from our defense, and he is our backbone on the defensive side.” The Laker has put up a goals against average of 7.51 and a save percentage of .643 after seven games played so far this campaign. Kenyon has now taken over as the upperclassman leadership in the goaltending position, showing the way for the two younger netminders also on the roster. “I sat behind a great goalie in Kevin O’Donnell for two years,” Kenyon said. “I took a lot from him and now I can fill that role as a junior. I am that guy that must keep the group calm and be that go to now in net. I have been telling the younger guys to be confident when they are in goal and trust the team that is in front of them. That is what Kevin taught me and it is my turn to do the same.” Back on offense, the Lakers have already tallied 77 goals in seven games played so far this year. Leading the way has been senior attacker Weston Gray who has 17 goals and six assists. Corey O’Connor has been the lead playmaker for the Lakers with a team high of 11 assists in his freshman campaign.
This weekend Oswego State will wait until Sunday to kick off their conference play in the 2022 season. SUNY Potsdam will travel into town to faceoff against the Lakers for the first time since the 2019 campaign. That last matchup was April 10, 2019, when Oswego State handed SUNY Potsdam an 11-9 loss in the North Country. The Bears enter the weekend with an overall record of 3-2 and are coming off a 24-10 win over non-conference opponent SUNY Canton. Last season, SUNY Potsdam finished 5-1 in conference on the other side of the conference that was split geographically due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In matchup history, the Lakers have been the dominating team with a record of 26-15 against the Bears. Oswego State heads into Sunday’s contest on a four-game win streak against SUNY Potsdam and look to start off where the team left off a few years ago. Only the senior class has faced the Bears over the course of their collegiate career, but the Lakers are focusing on playing their style of game heading into the contest. “We need to keep riding hard and get those garbage goals,” Eccles said. “We need to play dirty not penalty wise but in terms of ground balls, getting back on defense, and we want to be that blue-collar team. We need to get it off the ground and, in the air, and play hard. We are focusing on ourselves, and this is what the first part of the season was about.” That blue collar, gritty style is something the Lakers will continue to bring to the field each contest the rest of the season. Game time is set for 1 p.m. on Sunday at Laker Turf Stadium as the Lakers look to start conference play on the right foot against the Bears of SUNY Potsdam.
Sports The Sweet 16
B3 Photo provided by Melinda Brancato
SPORTS THE OSWEGONIAN
NEWS Parking ban
A4 Photo provided by Zachary Gannett
VOLUME LXXXVI ISSUE XV • www.oswegonian.com
FRIDAY, March. 25, 2022
Lakers return from Florida trip, prepare for confrence play
Landers, Enos dicuss “high morale,” Oswego State pleased with road trip Benjamin Diamond Asst. Sport Editor bdiamond@oswegonian.com After a rocky first series versus Salisbury University, the Oswego State baseball team went on a huge winning streak, including going 6-1 on their Florida road trip. The early season success has helped to give head coach Scott Landers’ squad more confidence as they head into the middle of their season and start to face conference opponents. According to Landers, the more confidence his team has, the better they will be able to perform as the season goes on. Landers also said that being able to have success in Florida was a good sign for things to come further down the road. “I think the big thing with Florida is, it’s a hot, tiring, grueling stretch,” Landers said. “You’re playing a lot of games in a short period of time. When you’re playing a lot of top 25 teams at that point, it’s tough. We played a grueling schedule and came out 10-3.” Due to the injuries that were sustained during the trip to Florida, Landers was able to see more of some players that he wanted to take a look at. This not only gave some players the chance to step up and take on a bigger role, but it was able to help him figure out who he can use towards the end of the season, or when needed. “The biggest thing I took out of it, when one guy goes down, the next guy steps in,” Landers said. “We did that, now we come back 6-1 which is huge and we got four top 25 wins up to this point. I was excited to see guys step in and do their job.” But, even though Landers liked what he saw during the Florida trip, he still believes that there are things that need to be polished in order to continue their winning ways. “We have to be more con-
Photos provided by Oswego State Athletics Team picture of the 2021-2022 Oswego State Lakers’ Baseball team photographed inside the Max Ziel Gymnasium
sistent on the mound,” Landers said. “The guys have really good stuff and they have had really good outings, but we have had some bad ones too. We need to be more consistent there and same with our at-bats. We are scoring a lot of runs but our average isn’t where we want it.” Anthony Van Fossen is one of the players Landers pointed out that was inconsistent throughout the start of the season. In his first outing versus Salisbury University, Van Fossen went 6.0 innings, allowing no hits and one earned run. But, the game after versus Keystone College, Van Fossen only went 2.2 innings giving up 11 hits and seven earned runs. The same cycle continued versus Ramapo College and Southern Maine University where he gave up one earned run and four earned runs respectively. “You can look at Van Fossen who is one of our top arms, and see how well he did in two of his
games and how bad the other two went,” Landers said. “He’s got the ability to be good everyday, he’s proven that. He’s gotta be able to navigate from start to start.” On the other side of the ball, Ryan Enos has started the season hotter than any other hitter in the Laker lineup. To start the season, Enos is batting .558, with a 1.655 OPS, five home runs and 22 RBIs. He has also stolen 11 bases on 13 attempts. His hot hitting has earned him two straight Laker Athlete of the Week recognitions. While playing in Florida, the heat and humidity helped the ball fly farther than in the cold. Enos knows that adjustments need to be made in order to keep up his strong offensive output. “The approach changes a little bit, but at the end of the day you are still trying to stay on time and get a good pitch to hit,” Enos said. “It doesn’t change too much, it’s just let’s be more aggressive on the bases and
manufacture more runs than we would in Florida.” Landers agrees with Enos that the change in approach from warm Florida to cold Oswego is going to be a very important piece in the season’s success. Also like Landers, Enos and the rest of his teammates are happy with the way they played in Florida. But as the conference season begins, they need to be ready to get back out there. “The morale is high,” Enos said. “We are happy with what we have done so far, but we aren’t satisfied and we are just going to continue working towards being prepared for the upcoming games we got.” The Lakers will continue to try and sustain their success as they play their first home games of the season on March 30 versus the SUNY Cobleskill Fighting Tigers. The Lakers have a 10-0 all-time record versus SUNY Cobleskill. The Fighting Tigers are 6-8 on the season.
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Back Home
Michael Gross Sports Writer mgross@oswegonian.com One month into the season, the Oswego State baseball team has found itself ranked in the top 25 for the first time in 2022. Ranked at #23 with a 10-3 record, head coach Scott Landers has helped the Lakers defeat #1 Salisbury University once, ran a two-game sweep of 18-seeded Shenandoah University, both on the road, and outscored opponents by almost 30 runs, all before returning back to New York. The only question that should be presented, as SUNYAC play inches closer and closer, is how high is the ceiling for Oswego State baseball? Wednesday marks the first home game of the season for the Lakers when SUNY Cobleskill comes to town for a midweek double header. The last time the Fighting Tigers played Oswego State was 11 years ago when the Lakers won a close 3-1 game in early May. That win was the tenth straight for Oswego State and helped them become 10-0 all-time against SUNY Cobleskill. The Fighting Tigers are currently in the middle of the Russmatt Baseball: College Baseball Invitational who are playing host to teams like Hamilton College and The College of Wooster who received 10 votes this week in the national poll. Sure, nothing star-studded like Salisbury University or Johns Hopkins, who the Lakers beat last Saturday, Mar. 19, but still formidable opponents. SUNY Cobleskill has three qualified hitters who have an On-Base Plus Slugging (OPS) of over 1.000, have a team batting average of .282 and have stolen 26 bases on 30 attempts. That is nothing to sneeze at considering the importance of runners on base in Division III baseball. As for the Lakers, they too have three qualified hitters over a 1.000 OPS and bat .311 as a team this season. The biggest difference is, one of those hitters is named Ryan Enos and he is one of the best second basemen in the country. Batting .558 with 29 hits in 52 at-bats, Enos ranks in the top five in Division III college baseball in OPS with 1.655, making it clear to the Division III preseason All-American committee that his name deserves to be on that list. The double header against SUNY Cobleskill on Wednesday, Mar. 30 begins at 1:00 p.m. on the Laker Baseball Field.
Oswego State Softball splits series with RIT, stand at 3-8 to start season Jack Perdek Sports Editor jperdek@oswegonian.com The Oswego State softball team stands 3-8 to begin their 2022 season, recently defeating RIT in a twogame series. For teams like the Lakers playing a season in 2021, they have the advantage of developing a young core and building off last Spring. This year they have also brought in a freshman class that has been very productive at bat. First-year player Kylie Detz is the fifth leading batter on the team averaging a .200 AVG and has three runs on the season in her 14 at-bats. Similarly, Mattison Phinney has been slugging the softball just as well with three runs and 14 hits in this young season. Returning players such as Zoe Mennig, Taylor Dubois and pitcher Fiona Higgins have also seemed to increase their stat percentages throughout the season. Starting on the mound, Higgins is on pace to record a better season than her last with a 1.03 ERA through 11 games. The junior averaged a 6.5 ERA last season but was a total for the whole season opposed to the early start she has gotten off to. Higgins’s pitching has been superb thus far, especially with her no-hitter performance against Defiance college in which she shut out their batters in seven total innings allowing zero hits or runs. Zoe Mennig has picked up right where she left off for the green and gold from last year’s batting average of .423 and sits currently at a .387. As of now, she is atop the stat chart for the Lakers with two runs, 12 hits and four RBIs. Her best game thus far was at home versus Washington College where she averaged a .368 and ran home once off her two hits. Mennig is also the starting catcher for the Lakers and has recorded 69 PO’s thus far. 13 of them came from the Lakers’ first win against Houghten on March 22. Another big contributor to this team has been Samantha Morgan and the
William Rogers | The Oswegonian (#23) Taylor DuBois at bat for the Oswego State Lakers softball team against SUNYAC rival SUNY Geneseo in a two game series defeat 0-6, 0-7 April 23, 2021.
boost she has given at the plate. As a junior, she now averages a .286 batting average and owns the third-most hits on the squad with seven. Morgan has already surpassed her previous average of .236 and if she keeps it up she may be able to double the number of hits that she had in the pandemic season. It is never too late to see where this Oswego State softball team matches up against their opponents in the SUNYAC conference. With runs, they rank fifth at 88, forth at hits with 156, forth in home runs at eight and fifth at RBIs with 76. Looking at these offensive statistics they rank just about in the middle of the 10 team pack behind SUNY New Paltz, Suny Cortland and Buffalo State. With their out-of-conference schedule coming to a near close before they start playing SUNYAC teams, they will need to increase these numbers to compete amongst the top seven. The Lakers, who started their season on a five-game losing streak, found flashes of who they can be in their victories against Defiance College and RIT. Their main issue at the moment is fin-
ishing innings offensively and putting more runs on the scoreboard. Oswego State has been shut out twice and often outscored by three runs a game. With the exception of their blowout losses to Franklin and Marshall College Ramapo college, they have been tight with every team they have played so far. This set of victories against RIT was an example of a close game where they came out victorious and played strong fielding the softball. This Saturday, March 26 the team will host St. John Fisher and get their last dose of experience before they play SUNY Fredonia the following Friday. Fredonia has an overall record of 3-11 and should be a favorable opponent for the Lakers considering both squads have been up and down for the most part statistically. SUNY Fredonia is in a similar situation losing three of their closest games by a differential of three runs, if the Lakers hope to slow them down, they will need their pitching and fielding in good shape.
William Rogers | The Oswegonian
INSIDE
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Laker Review Netflix releases Popular bands rock C3 C4 predicts the Oscars ‘Big Mouth’ spin-off Rochester over break
FRIDAY March 25, 2022
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LAKER REVIEW
FRIDAY, March 25, 2022
Laker Review predicts 2022 Academy Award winners
Ethan Stinson Laker Review Editor estinson@oswegonian.com
Delayed by a month to avoid conflict with the Beijing Olympics, the 2022 Academy Awards ceremony will air on ABC this Sunday. Following the notably troubled, unorthodox 2021 Oscars broadcast, this year’s ceremony aims to draw in viewers through a variety of changes, including the use of a three-act structure, in which Regina Hall (“Breaking News in Yuba County”), Amy Schumer (“Trainwreck”) and Wanda Sykes (“Bad Moms”) are slated to individually host each part. Like past years, the ceremony has been subject to significant speculation among fans and the media regarding who will take home the gold in each of its categories. With this in mind, Laker Review has also thrown its hat in the ring, presenting predictions for some of the night’s most prestigious awards. Best Picture: “The Power of the Dog” Running against strong opponents like “Drive My Car” and “Licorice Pizza,” “The Power of the Dog’s” assured direction, fantastic cinematography, strong performances and subversive themes may be enough to give it an advantage against the competition. Dealing with concepts like coping with one’s sexual insecurities and toxic masculinity through the lens of the Old West, the film deserves significant praise and recognition for the important conversations it sparks regarding sexuality and acceptance. Continuing director Jane Campion’s (“The Piano”) successful run bending genres and gender roles, the film stands out as one of the most unique and powerful modern Westerns. Best Director: Jane Campion, “The Power of the Dog” In many Oscars ceremonies, the winner of Best Di-
Image from Netflix via YouTube “The Power of the Dog’s” subversive take on the Western genre and masterful direction from Jane Campion make it a strong contender for the Academy Award for Best Picture.
rector generally coincides with the Best Picture recipient. As such, it only seems fitting to predict that Campion will be rewarded for her work on “The Power of the Dog.” Having previously won the award for Best Original Screenplay and nominated for Best Director, among other honors, Campion has proven herself to be one of modern cinema’s most capable and elite writer-directors. If she were to win in the category, she would be only the third woman to do so, following Kathryn Bigelow (“The Hurt Locker”) and last year’s winner, Chloé Zhao (“Nomadland”). Best Actor: Andrew Garfield, “Tick, Tick… Boom!” In a year defined by his return to the role of Peter Parker in “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” Andrew Garfield (“The Eyes of Tammy Faye”) also delivered arguably the best performance of his career in the semi-autobiographical musical “Tick, Tick.. Boom!” Portraying the eccentric, yet conflicted, composer Jonathan Larson (“Rent”) during the early stages of his career, Garfield showcases a high quantity of energy and emotional range unseen in his prior roles. To further plead his case, the unprecented
prowess Garfield displays as a singer in the film demonstrates a level of growth and flexibility that make him all the more deserving of receiving an honor as prestigious as the Oscar for Best Actor. Best Actress: Kristen Stewart, “Spencer” Having moved far past her “Twilight” days, Kristen Stewart (“Happiest Season”) seems destined to achieve Oscars glory after giving her stellar performance as the troubled Diana, Princess of Wales. Showing Diana in the midst of an existential crisis, Stewart practically carries “Spencer” with her hypnotic take on the late princess. Though her actions and mannerisms are slightly exaggerated for the purpose of depicting “Spencer” as a psychological thriller, Stewart makes the best of the creative liberties the film takes, giving an uncanny performance as the late princess while subtly exaggerating her struggles and emotions conveyed. Best Animated Feature: “Encanto” Boasting three consecutive wins in the Best Animated Feature Film category, the Walt Disney Company
is looking to continue this successful streak in 2022. Taking into account “Encanto’s” refreshing narrative, spirited soundtrack and recent rise in popularity, it seems the film is destined to be showered with accolades during the awards season. With strong contenders like “Raya and the Last Dragon” and Pixar’s “Luca” also in the running, it seems the odds are in Disney’s favor to experience yet another victory in the category. Best Original Song: “No Time to Die” Though this year’s pool of nominees for Best Original Song may feature representation from “Encanto” through “Dos Oruguitas,” Disney’s puzzling decision not to campaign for “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” ultimately renders another song to be the stronger contender. Performed by Billie Eilish (“Happier Than Ever”), “No Time to Die” serves as the theme song for the “James Bond” film of the same name. Bolstered by Eilish’s somber, chilling vocals and fittingly haunting, reflective lyrics, the song also benefits from the successful track record of modern “Bond” songs at the Oscars, with its predecessors “Writing’s on the
Wall” by Sam Smith (“Stay With Me”) and “Skyfall” by Adele (“Rolling in the Deep”) both having previously won the same award. Best Cinematography: “Dune” After helming the sci-fi triumphs “Arrival” and “Blade Runner 2049,” director Denis Villeneuve (“Sicario”) proved he would be more than capable of taking on a project as challenging as an adaptation of Frank Herbert’s (“The White Plague”) sci-fi epic “Dune.” Aside from its faithful narrative, memorable performances and impressive score, Villeneuve’s rendition of “Dune” stands out for its awe-inspiring visuals. With Greig Fraser (“The Batman”) in charge of cinematography, the film’s vibrant color palette, sharp camerawork and scope do wonders in immersing viewers in its harsh, yet breathtaking otheworldly desert setting. After last year’s disappointing ceremony, one could only hope the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will have a stellar presentation planned this year. With a stellar group of nominees in the running for each category, a high bar has already been set for “Hollywood’s Biggest Night.”
LAKER REVIEW
FRIDAY, March 25, 2022
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‘Big Mouth’ spin-off ‘Human Resources’ balances crude humor, heavy topics Lauren Royce Staff Writer laker@oswegonian.com
Rating: At long last, the “Big Mouth” spinoff “Human Resources” arrived on Netflix on March 18. Equally raunchy and expletive-filled as its predecessor, “Human Resources” follows the inner lives of all those “hormone monsters” who pilot their humans through grief, anxiety and love. The show tackles some surprisingly heavy moments while maintaining its usual crudeness, from birth in one episode to death in another. Love it or hate it, the “Big Mouth” universe has now expanded. The animation is renowned for its hideousness, but after watching it for a while, it becomes less noticeable. Think of “The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance,” also by Netflix, with its grotesque puppets; you were rooting for them by the end. Longtime fans of “Big Mouth” will enjoy the familiarity of the ridiculous proportions, giant heads and all.
Arguably, it is necessary to have watched all 5 seasons of “Big Mouth” before proceeding to the spinoff in order for it to make sense. In October 2019, Netflix ordered a spinoff of “Big Mouth.” Nick Kroll (“Sing 2”), Andrew Goldberg (“Family Guy”), Mark Levin (“Nim’s Island”) and Jennifer Flackett (“Little Manhattan”) have all returned as creators and executive producers. Assumedly, “Human Resources” takes place between season five and what will eventually be season six of “Big Mouth.” Yes, there will be a season 6, Kroll and his team have a contract with Netflix through their new animation company Brutus Pink according to online entertainment news outlet The Wrap. The cast is star-studded as per usual. Keke Palmer (“Hustlers”) returns as Rochelle the Lovebug, whose transformation from a Hateworm occurred in season five of “Big Mouth.” Joining her is Aidy Bryant (“The Big Sick”), who voices another Lovebug named Emmy. She is saddled with Becca (Ali Wong, “Tuca
& Bertie”) as her client after Sonya (Pamela Adlon, “King of the Hill”) is fired from the office. There is nothing disappointing about the cast, especially since Hugh Jackman (“Reminiscence”) is the voice of Dante, an “addiction angel.” Thankfully, no major voice acting changes have occurred, save for Maria Bamford (“Arrested Development”) replacing Jean Smart (“Designing Women”) as the voice of the Depression Kitty. Many additions to the original “Big Mouth” team have been made and viewers will enjoy the widened array of monsters, including the likes of “need demons” and Keith from Grief (Henry Winkler, “Happy Days”). When the show isn’t being outright ridiculous, it also is funny. There are some lighthearted moments, some life advice and commentary on humanity in general that will make you giggle at least a little. But for every normal moment in the show, there are several dominated by the hormone monsters and their kinky habits. But due
Image from Netflix via YouTube “Human Resources” focuses on a cast of sentient “hormone monsters.”
to its parent show being so controversially gross in its middle school cast setting, “Human Resources” might be more openly welcomed with its heaps of adult humor because it turns the camera away from our awkwardly budding characters. It seems that the creators of the show were attempting to demonstrate their strength as writers, balancing sex humor with day to day problems faced by monsters and their respective clients. They succeeded in showing depth next
to shallow humor. They did well in adding a healthy dose of cringe-worthy moments, a heap of “no, they wouldn’t” and a scoop of “oh but they did.” If you think something is too gross, think no more, because the “Big Mouth” team will top it in the next episode. Oddly, they were even triumphant in depicting what something like postpartum depression looks like. Nothing is too taboo for them. If you are looking for something to watch, give this one a go, but not with your family.
‘Hook, Line, and Sinker’ successfully concludes ‘Bellinger Sisters’ series Gabrielle Kroeger Staff Writer laker@oswegonian.com
Rating: “Hook, Line, and Sinker” by Tessa Bailey (“It Happened One Summer”) is the second book in “The Bellinger Sisters” duology, and it is in the contemporary romance genre. The first book, “It Happened One Summer,” followed main characters Piper and Brendan’s story. While we saw a bit of Hannah and Fox’s budding romance, they were not the main focus. “Hook, Line, and Sinker” takes place seven months later with Hannah and Fox as the main characters. Hannah Bellinger works for a movie production company in Los Angeles, and when the director decides Westport, Washington is the perfect place for his new movie, Hannah finds herself back in the small town with nowhere to stay. Fox offers up his spare bedroom, which
Image from Tessa Bailey via tessabailey.com “Hook, Line, and Sinker” is the second installment in a duology of romance novels.
Hannah gladly accepts. Their friendship has been growing over the past seven months and she was excited to see more of him. Fox, however, is known in the small town as a major player and everyone is waiting for him to mess up their friendship and hurt Hannah in the process. Hannah has a crush on her director, and Fox decides the best way to avoid flirting with Hannah is to help her make a move on Ser-
gei. The problem is, Hannah finds herself wanting Fox more, and Sergei less. What happens when the line between friendship and something more starts to blur? This story is great if you are looking for an enjoyable, friends to lovers romance. There are many tropes commonly found in the romance genre such as slowburn, forced proximity, and the one bed trope. With Hannah and Fox living together, we get
to see many scenes between the two that are so awkward they are funny. Bailey does a great job of showing their relationship slowly go from best friends to something more. One major issue Bailey talks about is self worth. Fox has been told since he was very young that he was going to be a heartbreaker when he got older. Growing up, he was constantly told he was going to have girls constantly trying to get with him, and it did not help that his dad was the same way. Fox eventually started acting like everyone expected him to and started sleeping with more girls than he could count. He played into this stereotype of the pretty boy because everyone told him that was how he would be. When he meets Hannah, he wants a relationship with her, but he does not think he is what she deserves. Hannah helps him see his self worth throughout the story, and the way Bailey wrote it was beautiful. One thing that is very com-
mon in romance novels is the author having the couple fight and break up before they get their happy ending. It is overused and sometimes it takes away from the story. Bailey did not include this in “Hook, Line, and Sinker” and it made the story even more enjoyable. Instead of having them break up, we see Hannah and Fox take time to think before talking about their issues. Fox struggles throughout the whole book with wanting to be in this relationship because he wants more for Hannah, and with them communicating, we see his doubts slowly disappearing. The epilogue of this book was adorable and it was a great ending to this duology. We see both Hannah and Fox, and Piper and Brenden’s families ten years later. It provided great closure for both books. If you want to read “Hook, Line, and Sinker” it is recommended that you read “It Happened One Summer” first because it will make the setting, and other characters make more sense.
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LAKER REVIEW
FRIDAY, March 25, 2022
Coheed and Cambria, The Wonder Years rock Rochester with tours Connor LaLone Asst. Laker Review Editor clalone@oswegonian.com
Rating: Alternative and progressive rock group Coheed and Cambria (“The Liars Club”) performed live at the Main Street Armory in Rochester, NY on March 14. The band’s stop in Western NY was one of the last for the group on their “Great Destroyer Tour.” Coheed’s tenth studio album, “Vaxis - Act II: A Window of the Waking Mind” will be released on May 27, and each of the three singles from the upcoming release were part of the setlist. The venue is an incredible place to take in live music. An armory built in 1905, it was used to train US Army soldiers for both World War I and World War II. The arena portion of the Armory houses events, and is essentially a large gymnasium, surrounded by balconies with sitting areas. By the time that Coheed and Cambria had begun their setlist around 9 p.m., roughly 80% of the standing area of the arena had been filled, and the balcony seating was nearly full, suggesting that people in the western and northern New York regions were ready for a return to normalcy. Known for their musicianship, Coheed and Cambria do not disappoint in a live setting. Frontman Claudio Sanchez roamed the stage with a restrained wildness, and his signature flowing hair was on display for the faithful fans. Drummer Josh Eppard executed an essentially flawless show, perfectly recreating even songs from Coheed’s album “Good Apollo, I’m Burning Star IV, Volume Two: No World for Tomorrow,” in which the drum parts were performed by Taylor Hawkins of Foo Fighters (“Learn to Fly”). Travis Stever’s excellence was on display all night, with brilliantly performed guitar riffs and melodies. Bassist Zach Cooper provided the steady beat for the rest of the group and contributed with his own displays of musical proficiency.
Coheed opened with crowd favorite “In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3,” causing the hundreds within the Armory to erupt in applause. The song features several lines that Claudio Sanchez allowed the audience to sing themselves, most notably “man your own jackhammer” as well as a section at the end of the track which features a chanted melody that backs the chorus of the song. Sanchez is an expert in this regard, stepping back from the microphone to give the audience the chance to create a truly unique and atmospheric listening experience while not sacrificing the quality of the performance. The remainder of the setlist featured songs from the band’s first album, “The Second Stage Turbine Blade,” 2005’s “Good Apollo I’m Burning Star IV Volume One: From Fear Through The Eyes of Madness,” and at least one song from each album except “The Afterman - Descension.” A notable inclusion is “A Favor House Atlantic,” which is one of the band’s most well-known songs. The faithful crowd sang nearly every word to each song throughout the concert, creating a truly special atmosphere within the venue. After “concluding” the setlist with “The Willing Well IV: The Final Cut,” Coheed and Cambria performed an encore of “The Liars Club” and the band’s most popular track, “Welcome Home.” These two songs produced the most spectacular performances of the night, as Sanchez’s emotion was astonishing throughout the former, and the musical performance combined with the crowd atmosphere of the second created an unforgettable and unmatched experience for those who bore it witness. “Welcome Home” features a technically impressive guitar solo that Sanchez proceeded to play behind his head with a double-neck guitar, something that has become a bit a party piece when performing live. Despite its Rochester appearance featuring late in the tour schedule, Coheed and Cambria put out a performance for the ages, with the members’ unmatched musicianship and
Image from Earl LaLone Coheed and Cambria performed three singles from their upcoming album release at the Main Street Armory.
incredible talent combining to create a masterful concert. The Main Street Armory was packed quite literally to the rafters with those familiar with the group’s glory, and Sanchez, Eppard, Stever and Cooper did not disappoint. On March 17, pop punk group The Wonder Years (“Cigarettes & Saints”) performed at Anthology, again in Rochester, NY. The tour also featured Save Face (“Preoccupied”) Origami Angel (“24 Hr Drive-Thru”), and Spanish Love Songs (“Routine Pain.”) The tour for The Wonder Years was originally meant to be last year, coinciding with the tenth anniversary of “Suburbia I’ve Given You All and Now I’m Nothing,” but was rescheduled. As such, the group performed the aforementioned as well as their first album, “The Upsides” in their entirety. As the album is heavily inspired by Allen Ginsberg (“Howl”) and his poem “America,” The Wonder Years’ performance of “Suburbia I’ve Given You My All and Now I’m Nothing” was prefaced by a recording of Ginsberg reading his own poem, before the famous line “My mind is made up/ there’s gonna be trouble” that signals the start of the track “Came Out Swinging.” Much like the Coheed performance earlier in the week, the audience at Anthology was incredibly well versed in the material performed. At times, Wonder Years frontman Dan
“Soupy” Campbell was almost drowned out by the fans within the bar. This should not be taken as a slight towards Campbell or the sound crew, but rather a compliment to the members of the audience and their passion and enthusiasm. The entire venue area had filled in by the time The Wonder Years began performing, also around 9 p.m., and even getting to the bar for a drink meant shuffling through an angular mass of shoulderto-shoulder concertgoers. The performance from The Wonder Years differs from most in the way in which Campbell would pause between songs to provide exposition and detail regarding the next track. He often provided insight into his thought process, emotions, and intentions before continuing with the albums. Notable performances from “Suburbia” include the aforementioned ‘Came Out Swinging,” as well as “Woke Up Older,” and “Local Man Ruins Everything.” Campbell gave a rousing speech condemning discrimination and prejudice before performing “I Won’t Say The Lord’s Prayer.” Before beginning “The Upsides,” Campbell informed the crowd that the band would be taking a short break, allowing for a brief reprieve before diving into another heavy and upbeat yet depressive album. “The Upsides” has a very similar feel to “Suburbia,” and while some in attendance may
have been slightly less familiar with the songs within, “It’s Never Sunny In South Philadelphia,” “Hostels & Brothels” and “Washington Square Park” all received rousing ovations and were certainly crowd favorites. Both albums focus around the concepts of sadness, depression and loss, and the experience of listening, watching, and participating in a band playing an album in its entirety is unlike essentially anything else. The raw emotion within a building during such an event escapes description, and must be experienced for oneself. All in attendance were pleased to hear Campbell announce that a new album had been completed and would be released in the near future. The group has matured greatly in the years since their first two albums, and their newest work should be yet another example of the group’s wonderful ability to create music that speaks deeply to its listeners. March has proved that the pop-punk scene in Western New York is alive and kicking, with sell-out crowds attending concerts to see bands they have an affinity for. The famed atmospheres of concerts combined with the fact that “it’s finally spring” has created a desire for events such as these. With new albums scheduled for both Coheed and Cambria as well as The Wonder Years, it seems as though “the tides will turn” for fans of the genre.
LAKER REVIEW
FRIDAY, March 25, 2022
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Grim '80s animated film 'The Brave Little Toaster' still holds up today Gavin Gonzalez Contributing Writer laker@oswegonian.com
Rating: The '80s were a wild time for children as the tensions of the Cold War were nearing a close and the popularity of new hobbies like video games and roller rinks ruled the school playgrounds. This could also have been said for children’s animated movies during that time, which aimed to not only tell a story, but also to let children know that the world is not “all sunshine and rainbows." Examples include “The Secret of NIMH” and “The Black Cauldron," which both possess dark undertones as seen through their graphic scenes and storylines. The latter of the two had 15 minutes of scenes cut from the final production due to how violent it was. However, when one dark movie from the era comes to mind, it has to be “The Brave Little Toaster." Produced by Hyperion Pictures and distributed by Disney, "The Brave Little Toaster" tells the story of five
appliances who travel the countryside and the city to find their beloved master (Wayne Kaatz, "Problem Child") before he heads off for college. It sounds childish enough, but when you watch the movie for yourself, it is definitely not what you would expect. Dreary sceneries give you the feeling of something bad going to happen. The characters all have different personalities. There is Toaster (Deanna Oliver, "My Favorite Martian") the leader and brave one who tries to keep the team together. Then there is Lampy ("Tim Stack, Castaway"), a desk lamp who is not the brightest mind of the bunch, but still tries to help. There is also Radio (Jon Lovitz, "A League of Their Own"), the hyperactive mischief maker, who speaks like a sports announcer. There is Blankey (Timothy E. Day, "Rags to Riches"), an electric blanket who is the most innocent, young and attached to the master. Finally, there is Kirby (Thurl Ravenscroft, "Alice in Wonderland") a vacuum cleaner who is the grumpy old character who also seems to be the lone wolf of the group. The
light bunch of characters are also supported by an interesting cast of side characters. This movie is well-known for the many dark scenes that are included within and their meanings. In the first 20 minutes of the movie, there is an on-screen death which involves the air conditioner of the house. Later on, they come across a meadow and Toaster runs off to avoid the critters and comes across a lonely flower who falls in love with its reflection. He runs away from the flower, but later peers again to see that the flower was wilting and eventually died. This scene has a strong meaning with the resemblance of abandonment and that without someone to care for them, they do not have a place in the world. Many other dark scenes come into play later on, including a scene where the characters almost die in a waterfall, Toaster’s nightmare which includes a scary firefighter clown and references to toaster-related suicides and even a parts shop where broken-down appliances are dissected and sold by a mechanic named St. Peters
a surprise weekend getaway, she does not think much of it, despite the warning from her best friend Mollie (Jojo T. Gibbs, "Twenties"), who is skeptical of Steve and his handful of red flags. When Noa arrives at Steve's vacation home, everything seems picturesque and perfect until she meets the real Steve and his 'unusual appetites.' Stan's acting is one of the highlights of the film, as Steve is an incredibly well-played, com-
plex character maintaining a kind, humorous and human persona throughout the entire film. Stan's execution is so convincing that an unknowing watcher may not suspect his villainy at all. Perhaps advertisers of "Fresh" should have gone the "Hereditary" route and obscured the nature of the movie, preserving the most interesting aspects of the film. The directing, cinematography and sound design are other
Image from Walt Disney Pictures via IMDb Despite its lighthearted premise, "The Brave Little Toaster" is remembered for its dark tone.
(Joe Ranft, "Finding Nemo"). The darkest scene occurs near the end of the movie when the main characters get sent to a junkyard against their will by the Master’s new cutting-edge appliances. Here, they come across several broken-down cars singing a song called “Worthless.” The fact that this already grim scene is being accompanied by a dark and very catchy song really goes to show how much went into this film. In the end, this movie is amazing and definitely worth watching. The animation is su-
perb, the characters are wellwritten, and the soundtrack is a banger. Disney later made two sequels to the movie, but they were nowhere near as dark as the first. This movie does things that Disney has not done in a while. Recent films like "Raya and the Last Dragon," "Frozen II" and "Encanto" could not match up to this masterpiece. Most of the people who worked on the “The Brave Little Toaster” went on to create Pixar and the famous "Toy Story" series. If you are fan of Disney or Pixar, this movie will not disappoint.
strong elements of the movie. A few examples include the shots focusing on mouths, and the overemphasis of chewing sounds help to drive home the overall theme of the film. The scenes are also often juxtaposed with others, such as one with a shot of Noa's mouth followed by a scene focused on Mollie's eyes. In all, the directing and technical aspects of the film are superb. "Fresh" evades regular horror tropes by making the characters intelligent. Instead of a typical horror movie where the viewer wants to yell at the person to do the commonsensical thing, they just do it. This makes the film less frustrating and more realistic, and therefore more frightening. The film still has its stereotypes and cliches, but it is not so predictable that it is boring. As with most movies, there are things you can foresee, but "Fresh" has twists that keep the viewer entertained. Despite the film's disturbing premise, "Fresh" is not all that gory, making it more digestible
for people interested in a thriller. There are some potentially disturbing scenes; it is a horror movie, after all. However, there are only a handful of shots involving blood, and "Fresh" is not gory just to be gory; the unsettling elements have a purpose. One of the few missteps in the movie is the character of Paul (Dayo Okeniyi, "Emperor"), Mollie's former lover and bartender for one of Noa and Steve's dates. The character acts as a source of information and safety for Mollie as she tries to help Noa, but he does nothing at the end of the film. This can be viewed as a good thing, as the women reach a resolution instead of being saved by a man. Despite the potential moral significance of his involvement, the character seems like a useless plothole. Overall, "Fresh" is an exciting and captivating film with creative concepts and few blunders. It is sure to please any movie lover, especially a horror or thriller fanatic.
'Fresh' offers unique take on traditional suspense-horror genre Abigail Conpropst Copy Editor aconpropst@oswegonian.com
Rating: Hulu's original film "Fresh" circumvents many typical horrorthriller tropes for a unique and exciting movie that is sure to satisfy. With the title and intro credits not appearing until 33 minutes into the film, it is clear to viewers they will be in for an innovative treat. In the directorial debut of Mimi Cave, "Fresh" follows the love life of Noa (Daisy Edgar-Jones, "Normal People") as she tries and fails to find someone she truly connects with. However, once Noa meets plastic surgeon Steve (Sebastian Stan, "Captain America: Civil War") in the produce section of the grocery store, a bond is formed between them. After a few dates and heartfelt moments, Noa begins to believe she has found someone worthwhile; Steve is funny, kind, attractive and attentive. So, when Steve invites Noa to
Image from ONE Media via YouTube Sebastian Stan plays a plastic surgeon with 'unusual' dietary habits in Hulu original "Fresh."
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FRIDAY, March 25, 2022
Crossword Puzzle
Across
Sudoku Fill in the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 block contains 1-9 exactly once.
1. Lincoln, informally 4. Gloomy 7. Minor disagreements 12. ___ Alamos 13. Likewise 14. Wood spinner 15. Sewing guide 17. Actress ____ Burstyn 18. Actress ____ Hayworth 19. Comes closer 20. Proposed as a candidate 24. Comprehend 25. Horn’s sound 26. At all times 28. Mr. Schwarzenegger 31. Constructs 35. Expires 37. Radio part 38. Defunct USAF branch 41. Essential 44. Investigate
46. Percentage 47. Royal domain 48. Pilot 52. Result 53. Each 54. Dried grass 55. Corroded 56. Curvy letter 57. Bard’s “before”
Down 1. Mont Blanc, e.g. 2. Squeezing snake 3. Washington, DC time zone 4. Pub mug 5. Heart artery 6. Give to charity 7. Thin 8. Ashen 9. Road guide 10. Not here 11. Taste or smell
16. Camera stand 20. Lakers’ league (abbr.) 21. Above, poetically 22. Guys 23. Adam’s partner 27. What Moses parted (2 wds.) 29. Certain football players 30. Low grade 32. Espionage org. 33. Pitch 34. Like a fox 36. Skin abrasion 38. Shopping binge 39. Ring 40. Shore 42. Roof overhangs 43. Mixes 45. Melancholy 49. “Sex and ____ City” 50. Rowing device 51. Bread type
For this week’s puzzle answers ... Go to Oswegonian.com and click on the Laker Review tab!
LAKER REVIEW
FRIDAY, March 25, 2022
Paper Planes Ashley Peretta
We haven’t spoken in a while. I wear your jacket nearly everyday. I’ve gotten a handful of compliments on it, I always tell them it’s yours. Whenever I hear a person talking about Someone that’s not in their life any more, I can’t help but think of you. I wish I’d known you more I cry out to the memories that have faded I ask them to be sent back, they know the return address. Tears well up everytime I think of you writing “No Regrets.” I think about you now More than ever I don’t know why but you’re often on my mind I’ve grown really close to my dad Sometimes, when I see him, He looks like you Especially when he wears the hat. I don’t know when we’ll see each other again, Part of me hopes it’ll be a while until we do. Then I’d have so much to tell you. I want to send you a letter One that I’ve folded up into the shape of a plane But you’re too far to fly to.
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Shea McCarthy
Jacob Fallat
William Rogers | The Oswegonian