The Oswegonian 2/18/22 by The Oswegonian

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Tully’s Update

Friday, Feb. 18, 2022 VOLUME LXXXVII ISSUE XIII SINCE 1935 www.oswegonian.com

Uber Josh returns to SUNY Oswego campus

Persona non grata ends for popular driver amid controversy Aiden Trusz Staff Writer news@oswegonian.com If you ask any Oswego student how they feel about Joshua Barbour, they may look at you with confusion. There are plenty of Josh’s on campus, is Barbour supposed to be special? When you rephrase the question, they suddenly understand who you are talking about. A slight cringe and head nod, a knowing smile, occasionally even a response question: “That creep?” It seems as if everyone on campus has a response to “Do you know Uber Josh?” Uber Josh moved to Oswego four years ago, and began driving for Uber to occupy his time and meet new people. He drove for Uber for two years before switching to instagram as his primary form of communication, employing himself instead of dealing with Uber, its fees and its guidelines. The driver and his red Kia Soul, emblemed with ‘uberJosh’ on its front driver door, are a constant sight around the town of Oswego. There is a negative stigma

about Uber Josh on campus that the driver is very conscious of, with people calling him a creep and even citing actual physical allegations with undetermined merit. Yet, he does n0t let the rumors get to him. “Those who choose to ride with me have heard those rumors and laugh because they know me and know I would never do something like that,” Barbour said. Barbour’s positive attitude and dismissal of these rumors is backed by a key announcement on his instagram page: A letter from the SUNY Oswego Dean’s office releasing him from his status as a persona non grata, which barred him from driving on college grounds. Uber Josh is back on campus, and he says the Oswego student and alumni community, despite the stigma, had a huge influence on his return. Barbour is out driving most weekends, and he has always taken great pride in being Oswego’s number one driver. “I have seen countless Uber drivers come and go,” Barbour said. “Yet for the past four years I am still here. Still driving for the students and people of the

Oswego community.” On Sept. 17th, 2020, the Dean of Students Office informed Barbour that he had been given the status of “persona non grata,” meaning that he was officially banned from passing through Oswego campus grounds. The ban cited screenshots from Uber Josh’s instagram page picturing him and his passengers without face masks in his car, a violation of New York and Uber mask mandates stating all people involved in ride-sharing must wear masks throughout the entire drive. The driver was shocked by the ban, especially because he had personally witnessed other Uber drivers without face coverings. He understands, though, that more attention will be paid to him due to his popularity and local status. “I am just the most visible driver in Oswego, and have the most eyes on me at all times,” Barbour. Barbour tried appealing the campus ban twice, at the start of each upcoming semester. His fall 2020 and spring 2021 appeals were both denied.

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Image via Josh Barbour’s Instagram

CONTENT

Josh Barbour drove for Uber for two years before switching to Instagram as his primary form of communication for providing rides in Oswego.

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Oswego City Police to participate in 30x30 initiative

Spencer Bates | The Oswegonian The City of Oswego police department begins an initiative to diversify their recruitment.

Spencer Bates Asst. News Editor sbates@oswegonian.com On Jan. 31 City of Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow revealed that the city police department will participate in the 30x30 initiative. The goal of the project is to increase the representation of women in the police force through several low cost actions. Setting out to get 30% of police recruit classes to be women by the year 2030. The initiative outlines practices that will make it so the police agency can identify problems, issues and areas within the department where diversity is lacking and where it can be improved. After identifying these areas different tactics will be implemented to right the course. According to a City of Oswego News Release, actions will address “recruitment, assessment, hiring, retention, promotion and agency culture.” The initiative is the result

of several leaders nationwide dedicated to the advancement of women in police forces and is associated with the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives (NAWLEE) and the NYU School of Law. Barlow spoke on how proud he was of the pledge and what he hopes will come as a result. “I’m proud to enter the Oswego Police Department into the 30x30 Initiative and to take the pledge to hire more women police officers, advance women officers to leadership positions, and commit to ensuring 30% of the Oswego Police Department is female by 2030,” Barlow said. “We have already made a concerted [effort] to diversify our police force and improve our department through our police re-imagining plan adopted last year. Now, we take our efforts to the next level by using this initiative to firmly commit to long term goals.”

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Sports

Opinion

Laker Review

News

MEN’S HOCKEY

HALFTIME

DIRECT

ICE SCARE

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Abi Conpropst | The Oswegonian

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THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Feb. 18, 2022,

Weekend Forecast

Gonian Social

FRIDAY, FEB. 18 THROUGH SUNDAY, FEB. 20

Friday

H: 25°

Sunday

Saturday

L: 14 °

H: 27°

L: 18 °

H: 38 °

60%

50%

L: 31 °

The Oswegonian

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@GonianSports

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@the_oswegonian Chance of Precipitation

NEW YORK STATE

WEATHER

Potsdam 20°/3°

FRIDAY, FEB. 18

Oswego 25°/14° Albany 43°/18°

Syracuse 42°/35°

Buffalo 22°/14°

Matthew Danielson, 21, was arrested on Feb. 11 at 2:18 a.m. for criminal mischief in the fourth degree following an incident at The Ferris Wheel in the City of Oswego.

NYC 59°/28°

Weather forecast provided by Brittney Sparceno from WTOP-10

Jameel Ahmed, 57, was arrested on Feb. 12 at 7:37 a.m. for criminal mischief after he broke the victim’s cell phone with a hammer.

Extended Forecast Monday

H: 44 °

L: 31 °

20%

Connor Greene, 27, was arrested on Feb. 12 at 3:25 a.m. for criminal mischief in the fourth degree following an incident in the City of Oswego.

Tuesday

H: 42 °

MONDAY, FEB. 14 THROUGH FRIDAY, FEB. 18

Wednesday

L: 33 °

50%

H: 42 °

L: 24 °

Thursday

H: 34 °

40%

20%

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H: 35 °

L: 21 °

William Graham, 52, was arrested on Feb. 13 at 5:12 p.m. for aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle in the second degree and was given three uniform traffic tickets for an expired registration, uninspected motor vehicle and unlicensed operation. Larry Walker Jr., 39, was arrested on Feb. 14 at 9:45 a.m. for resisting arrest following a previous incident in the City of Oswego.

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On the Opinion Cover!

NEWS

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

I drive through rain, blizzards, and dry days and intend to do so for the foreseeable future”

-Josh Barbour

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Feb. 18, 2022

Tully’s Oswego location aims to open in March

New style location to offer take out and drive-thru On-Campus Rail Jam Friday, Feb. 18, 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Hewitt Quad

Guided Nature Walk at Rice Creek Saturday, Feb. 19, 11:00 a.m. Rice Creek Field Station

Kailee Montross | The Oswegonian Tully’s Tenders is opening soon on Route-104 in Oswego, the construction occured next to FastTrac on the main street.

Mackenzie Shields Staff Writer news@oswegonian.com Tully’s Tenders, a new quickservice food location near SUNY Oswego, aims to open its doors in early March, said David Giamartino, one of its owners. Tully’s Tenders will differ from other Tully’s locations in that it is not a full-service restaurant. Upon opening, the restaurant will offer drive-thru and takeout services. On opening day, “we’re going to try to, I’ll call it, assist the customers in understanding what Tully’s quick service is,” Giamartino said. He added that some customers may be unsure of what the concept entails, or expect a full-service restaurant. He said that to help with this, Tully’s will have employees outside wearing apparel to direct traffic, hand out menus, and answer questions for customers before they order. Tully’s Tenders is located in the former Friendly’s building, which Giamartino said was a good location, as it is situated behind the high school and in a college town. “It is very convenient for college students as it is really close to campus, making it not a horrible walk if you can’t drive,” said Katherine Speed, a sophomore at SUNY Oswego. The restaurant’s namesake will be one of the main menu items, but it will also include crispy chicken sandwiches, salad, fries and some desserts. Giamartino said that the restaurant may expand its menu

later, but is currently focusing on its tenders and sandwiches. Later on, Giamartino also hopes to expand into online ordering options and delivery. The restaurant will also eventually have tables so customers can eat at the location. He said that this has not been possible yet due to delays in receiving furniture and equipment. Giamartino said that initially the company had been focused on the full-service brand, but that the “quick-service concept is something we’ve been discussing for some time.” He said that Tully’s was waiting for the right opportunity for this. This opportunity presented itself in the former Friendly’s location. “[Good locations are] hard to find, and when you find them you have to kind of jump on them,” he said. In the past, Tully’s has brought a food truck to Oswego. Initially, this truck was parked at Six Scoops Ice Cream, but Giamartino said this space was not large enough for the truck and may have impeded parking. The truck then moved to the parking lot of the old Friendly’s location, where the restaurant will now be opening. Giamartino said that they chose Oswego because it is far enough from full-service restaurants and they wanted the quick-service concept to stand alone. He added that the nearest Tully’s is approximately 20 minutes away from Oswego. There is still work to be done prior to the day that the doors open. Giamartino said that training must happen for both new employees and existing ones, since

Tully’s Tenders is a new concept with new technology and a drivethru. There are administrative jobs to finish as well. Another task is hiring. Giamartino said that so far, the hiring process has “had a good reception,” but that hiring is a constant process for the restaurant. “You don’t want to miss good candidates who might be with you for a long time and help you build your brand,” he said. Many of the workers there will be high school or college students, and will likely have part-time availability. Giamartino said that Tully’s Tenders will be hiring from both of these groups constantly. In terms of who Tully’s Tenders seeks to serve, Giamartino said ““I think most people in all demographics enjoy chicken tenders, whether you’re a 10-year-old child or a 50-year-old adult, so we want to be able to serve everybody, and offer menu items that not just a young kid might want, but that an adult may want.” “I definitely see myself going there in the future because I love chicken tenders and I am really intrigued to see what options they will have in their menu for different food,” Speed said. “We’ve been welcomed, the town, the mayor, everyone that we’ve worked with has been really great and supportive of the business, and we’re looking forward to serving the community and employing people in the community and adding some value where we can to this part of town,” Giamartino said. He added that Tully’s is excited to be in Oswego.

False alarm reminds campus of ice safety

BHG Job Fair 2022 Saturday, Feb.19, 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Lake Ontario Conference Center

Planetarium Sunday Show Sunday, Feb. 20, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Planetarium, SHI 223

Let’s Talk: Drop-In Brief Counseling Monday, Feb. 21, 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Penfield Library 211

Disney College Program Thursday, Feb. 22, 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Virtual

Effective Learning Strategies Wednesday, Feb. 23, 3:00 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. Penfield Library, 215 On-campus Vaccination Clinic Wednesday, Feb. 16, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Marano Campus Center, Swetman Gym

Lessons From Nature Series Thursday, Feb. 24, 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Rice Creek Field Station

Trans Support Group Thursday, Feb. 24, 4:00 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. Mary Walker Health Center Kailee Montross | The Oswegonian

Brandon Ladd Editor-in-Chief bladd@oswegonian.com A scene of chaos ensued on the SUNY Oswego campus on Feb. 15 as reports began to circulate that a student was potentially on the dangerous ice of Lake Ontario. This prompted the response of almost two dozen emergency vehicles to line Rudolph Road between Bev’s Dairy Treat and Seneca Hall to see if this report was actually true at around 6:00 p.m. The last of the vehicles left the scene at approximately 8:00 p.m., after concluding no one was on the ice. School officials verified to the Oswegonian that no signs of a person ever being on the coast were found. “[School Administration] can confirm that there is no such report of a person being identified as being on the ice. This reported incident should serve as a

timely reminder to students and others in the community to stay away from the lakeshore during the winter and off the ice given the dangerous conditions they present,” SUNY Oswego said via email in response to the event. The incident that could have been if there was actually a person near the Great Lake is what the school warns annually in a campus-wide email. Vice President for student affairs, Dr. Kathleen Kerr warned of the lake being unpredictable and putting students in a potentially deadly situation on Feb. 8. “Regardless of the weather conditions, please admire Lake Ontario from a distance,” Kerr said. “ Do not walk out onto the ice floes or break walls where the ice can be unpredictably thin, where footing is treacherous, the wind is strong, the waves are overpowering, and the water is freezing. Should someone venture too close to the lake when these conditions prevail, the results could be unfortunate and perhaps fatal.”

Kerr shared a similar sentiment in a Feb. 15 message to students at 8:03 p.m., following the scene on Rudolph Road. “We received a report this evening of a person being out on the ice, along the shoreline of Lake Ontario,” Kerr said. “Emergency responders immediately responded to the scene and found no evidence to indicate that a person was on the ice or near the lakefront. While we are grateful that this incident appears to be resolved, if you have any additional information regarding anyone being on or near the ice, please reach out to University Police immediately.” Drastic changes in temperatures and wind patterns have caused Lake Ontario to change ice density several times. The National Weather Service estimates the thickest of ice on the east shore of the lake this winter is two inches or less and changes by the day. A reminder to students that the coast and ice should be viewed from a distance or could result in death.

New diversity incentive

NEWS

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Feb. 18, 2022

Local driver, Uber Josh back on campus

Image via @uberjosh89 on Instagram Josh Barbour offers rides to people in the Oswego area, however he particularly tends to serve the student population of SUNY Oswego

Image via Flicker.com

Spencer Bates Assistant News Editor sbates@oswegonian.com JUMP FROM COVER The pledge will build off of the the City of Oswego Police Reform and re-invention plan that was approved by the Oswego Common Council last year. This original plan was the result of an executive order by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo that all law enforcement departments needed to adopt a reform plan at the risk of losing funding. In a press release following the announcement of this original police reform plan, Barlow touted the good relationship the city has with the police force. “The Oswego community at large respects and appreciates the Oswego Police Department and law enforcement and want to know our city is well protected,” Barlow said. “That is why our police-reinvention plan is designed to bring our officers closer to the community, allowing officers to better know our community and the people we serve. Our plan and new initiatives are thoughtful, balanced and designed to fit our community. I’m pleased to see our plan receive public support and unanimous approval from the Common Council and believe our plan, once fully implemented, will make our police department better, stronger and more prepared to serve our community than ever before.”

As of now, over 135 departments have signed the 30x30 initiative that was based on the idea that more women in a police force brings about better results associated with police activity in a community. Oswego City Police Chief Phillip Cady spoke about the honor it is to be one of the first in the nation to take the pledge. “This pledge means that the Oswego City Police Department is actively working, under Mayor Barlow’s leadership, toward improving the representation and experiences of women officers in our agency,” Cady said. “We are honored to be among the first in the nation to make this critical commitment, and we look forward to working with and learning from agencies across the country who share our priority.” According to the Pew Research Center, across the United States only 7% of officers in state police departments are women, only a 1% increase from over two decades ago when the Federal Bureau of Justice Statistics conducted a 50-state census. Pew also found that less than 13% of full-time officers in the nation are women. While being the focal point of the initiative being advancing women in the police force, it is noted that the plan will also affect all other minority and underrepresented groups within the force. Ensuring that everyone has opportunities for advancement available to them.

Aidan Trusz Staff Writer news@oswegonian.com JUMP FROM COVER “I had no interest in spamming or wasting anyone’s time if a decision had already been made,” Barbour explained, defending the decision to limit his number of appeals. Barbour was attempting to appeal a COVID-19 related ban at key times during a pandemic. The meetings were not going his way, “each meeting, the Dean would ask me what steps I had taken or changes I had made between our last meeting,” Barbour said. The situation could not be solved just by promising to wear masks inside vehicles again. The school was looking for more from Barbour. After he was denied for the second time, Barbour took a large step in his pursuit to prove he would follow COVID-19 guidelines by getting vaccinated. He also created an online petition to enlist the help of Oswego students and alumni to get him back on campus, garnering over 85 signatures. In early January 2022, Barbour presented both his vaccination status and his petition to the Dean of Students. After that, all he could do was wait. On Feb. 7, 2022, Barbour posted to his Instagram a new letter from the Dean of Students Office. “Your request to end your PERSONA NON GRATA status has been approved,” the letter stated. “Effective immediately you are no longer PERSONA NON GRATA.” The driver can now drive on campus, with the opportunity to pick people up and drop them off right at their dorms. Barbour celebrates this not for his business, which he said was never really affected by the ban,

but for his passengers. “This doesn’t make my life necessarily any easier,” Barbour wrote on his instagram. “But for those of you who live oncampus, it may open up another transportation option for you to get around Oswego.” Barbour greatly attributes the overturn of his persona non grata to the petition signed by his student and alumni friends. “I do think that it had quite a large impact in the decision,” Barbour said. While pleased that his appeal went through, Barbour is not completely satisfied with the process he had to go through. “I still feel as though the school could have handled it better initially,” Barbour said. “They acted on something which in my opinion could have been handled better if they had received a bit more context prior to their initial decision.” As Barbour has no real formal ties to SUNY Oswego, the school was not obligated to reach out to him before labeling him a persona non grata. While understanding that SUNY Oswego works to prioritize the health of its students, Barbour feels the situation could have been handled better if they had contacted him first. “I felt like they could’ve reached out to me before making a final decision,” Barbour said. With the many signatures on his petition and the successful appeal of his persona non grata, Barbour should have a positive appearance in Oswego. However, this is not the case as some of the first remarks people make when asked about ‘Uber Josh’ is that he is weird, although many admit they have never actually rode with him firsthand. “I was keeping mental tabs because of other people’s interactions they had with him,” Oswego freshman Malakai Gadsden said when discussing his

first ride with Barbour. Henry DeVoe, who rode alongside Gadsden, added that “Only thing I have heard before is he only takes girls,” referring to rumors that Barbour only responds to women. Despite their reservations, the two passengers ended up having a positive ride. The boys had been picked up at 2:30 a.m. They got their ride after a girl called Barbour for them. “We were joking around and he was laughing with us,” Gadsden said. “That was my first actual interaction with him.” Uber Josh’s Instagram showcases many pictures of him and his car passengers. Although most of these show him alongside groups of girls, many feature guys in the mix, and there are a few pictures with only guys present. According to Barbour, he does have a mental system in place to choose his passengers. “Often I have to make a decision between who needs a ride the most, who has the most important emergency and it’s often not that simple,” Barbour said. “I do my best to make myself available to everyone. But it does get quite overwhelming a lot of the time and it’s physically impossible for me to get everyone all the time.” Barbour does not care how the campus sees him. If the rumors about him were true, Barbour said, he would not have constant passengers every weekend, and his passengers would not refer him to their friends. No matter what students say, Barbour will continue to drive the City of Oswego, which he can do much easier now that his persona non grata is lifted. Barbour summed up his resolve for the times ahead with determination: “I drive through rain, blizzards, and dry days and intend to do so for the foreseeable future.”

Photo via @UberJosh89 on Instagram

NEWS SHOP provides free winter gear to students

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Feb. 18, 2022

Clothing given away during “Warm-Up Week” in MCC

Annika Wickham | The Oswegonian SHOP stands for Students Helping Oz Peers and is located in the basement of Penfield Library on SUNY Oswego’s campus.

Annika Wickham Chief Copy Editor awickham@oswegonian.com

SUNY Oswego’s SHOP (Students Helping Oz Peers) hosted Warm-Up Week Feb. 15-17 in hopes to provide students with proper winter clothing for no cost. According to Helena Buttons, the SHOP coordinator, Warm-Up Week was a two part event that began over winter break. “We did a drive for winter apparel in collaboration with SEFA [State Employee Federated Appeal],” Buttons said. “It was a three week drive and it ended up with us getting about $3500 worth of stuff donated, which was super awesome.” Along with partnering with SEFA, Auxiliary Services also donated free hot chocolate for SHOP to giveaway during WarmUp Week. SHOP took all the donated goods and gave them away for free Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in Marano Campus Center. “We’re just trying to get winter apparel in the hands of students,” Buttons said. “We see a lot of stigma in terms of going to a food and clothing pantry, so we wanted to try and move it out of the clothing pantry to see if we could eliminate some of that pressure.” Because of the stereotypes that may come with visiting a food or clothing pantry, Buttons said she was unsure how many students would take advantage of the program. “We definitely exceeded my expectations,” Buttons said. “I wasn’t sure if we were going to

be able to pull people into the room, I wasn’t sure if people were going to be comfortable taking things. But it proved to be so much better than I could have ever imagined.” SHOP is located in the basement of Penfield Library and provides “FREE non-perishable food, toiletries, sexual and reproductive health products and professional and winter apparel,” according to their website. In previous years, SHOP has hosted their events in their main pantry. Due to COVID-19, they began moving some events to other locations in order to have more space. By having Warm-Up Week in Marano, Buttons is hoping to see more student traffic. “I think just based off the location of [Warm-Up Week] being in a room where we can have more stuff and have it here for multiple days, I think we will get rid of a lot,” Buttons said. At the end of the week, Buttons said they had given away the majority of the donations. “We had the most interaction we have ever had for an event,” Buttons said. “We ended up carrying only three boxes and we walked in with a lot more, so we are really, really happy with how things went.” This is the first time SHOP has hosted Warm-Up Week, according to Buttons, but it was modeled after a similar event that took place a few years prior. “It was more of a tabling with some hats and gloves … take what you need sort of thing and it was one day,” Buttons said. “We have expanded it to include the drive and the three day giveaway. The idea was there,

but we definitely blew it up bigger and made it more expansive to serve students.” Buttons said her ultimate goal was to “put what students need in their hands.” “You see people in sweatshirts,” Buttons said “The goal would be to get those people in sweatshirts in some winter coats and get gloves on hands [because] frostbite is real.” Though this was the first year SHOP hosted Warm-Up Week, Buttons is hopeful it will continue and be an annual event. “SHOP has only been around for five years,” Buttons said. “We don’t have a whole lot of traditions so I am excited to get to start them and leave that for the next SHOP coordinator and future employees of SHOP.” The left over winter gear that was not taken during Warm-Up Week was taken to SHOP’s location in Penfield Library, where it will be given to students as usual. Buttons said they only do large scale giveaways in the beginning of the semester but SHOP is planning other events. According to Buttons, SHOP will be collaborating with Counseling Outreach Peer Educators (COPE), club sports teams and Greek life throughout the spring semester. Buttons said she is excited to “continue to engage with users, volunteers and donors” for the rest of the year. SHOP is open daily to all SUNY Oswego students, faculty and staff. For hours and more information about products and services, visit https://www.oswego.edu/student-affairs/students-helping-oz-peers-shop.

Image via SHOP A recent picture of S.H.O.P receiving items from the SUNY Oswego Auxillary Services, one of several donors to the organization.

For 87 years, The Oswegonian has been providing the Oswego State campus with relevant news, sports, entertainment and editorials.

NEWS Fitness centers change Instagram challenge

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Feb. 18, 2022

Dining halls making change to composting Commitment made towards sustainability on campus

Image via @oswegocampusrec on Instagram @oswegocampusrec posted the graphic (above) before deleting reposting a new graphic (below).

John Custodio Managing Editor jcustodi@oswegonian.com The SUNY Oswego fitness centers and campus recreation have changed a 21-day fitness challenge after pushback from the campus Counseling Outreach Peer Educators (COPE). On Feb. 8, @oswegocampusrec, the official Instagram account of SUNY Oswego’s campus recreation center, posted an announcement about a “Laker 21-day challenge,” where students can sign up for a three week challenge to “get active” and “create healthy habits.” In the caption, the account said “From February 14 - March 6 we want to see YOU building healthy habits. Choose your own wellness adventure and make yourself proud!” Students could sign up for the challenge in room 133 of Marano Campus Center and receive a print out with a table to record their progress each day. The Instagram caption ended with “Check in on day 14 for a chance to win oswego gear & hidrate spark steel water bottles! If you complete the challenge, you will receive a t-shirt!” However, the account had originally posted a graphic including a tagline of “Lose 3lbs in 3 weeks” and that participants would be weighed in Marano 133. COPE member Adriana Militello saw the graphic on Feb. 7 and said she did not like how the fitness centers were going to weigh people and use it as a metric. “They should not be weighing people and using weight as a goal for health or wellness,” Militello said. “The goal of the whole event was to build a healthy habit.” Militello said that focusing on weight loss can be triggering for people that have or have had weight or eating disorders, so she brought it up at a COPE meeting on Feb. 7. Militello said the COPE team emailed Brian Wallace, director of the fitness centers, and Cassandra Para, the director of campus recreation, detailing how the weight loss could be damaging to people with disorders and personal anecdotes about their beliefs. According to the chair of the Mayo Clinic’s division of endocrinology, diabetes, metabolism and nutrition, Donald Hensrud, in an article for mayoclinic. org, to lose one pound in one week an individual must burn 500 calories more than consumed every day. If someone

was to eat 2,000 calories every day, they must burn 2,500 calories every day for three weeks to make the weight challenge. For some, the change could be an unhealthy weight loss instead of a healthy habit. On Tuesday, Wallace communicated with the COPE team that he wanted to work with them, saying the program was created by faculty and the flyers were created by graduate students. Militello planned on going to the Student Association if the program was created by undergraduate students. However, COPE wanted to meet with Wallace before the program was set to start, but Wallace was unavailable. Instead, Wallace suggested the COPE team collaborate with campus recreation and the fitness centers in the future to support students. Graduate student Caroline Pace said unhealthy weight loss was never the goal of the challenge, instead promoting and focusing on healthy habits like proper nutrition and sleep schedules. “We had someone bring it to our attention that it maybe wasn’t a good idea to bring up weight as a main goal, because we don’t want it to seem like people have to lose weight,” Pace said. “We didn’t realize as the creators of the program that it could come off that way. You know, when you’re in the works of something you don’t necessarily always see how it could come off to someone on the outside.” Para said the program had to be changed to be all-inclusive and not focused on anyone changing their weight, but the program would not have been changed if somebody had not brought the problem to their attention. Pace said the post and challenge to win a t-shirt could also be misinterpreted, as participants never had to lose three pounds to get a shirt. “On the inside, we’re seeing this program as someone can build a skincare routine for 21 days, they can lose three pounds, they can eat a snack that is a healthy alternative to something, or they can take a walk with their friends every day or call a new friend every day,” Pace said. Participants are not competing against each other, nor are their sheets seen by anyone besides themselves. Militello said she is glad there was a change to the program, and the collaboration between COPE and the fitness centers was professional with a positive ending.

Image Via Flicker.com SUNY Oswego dining halls are taking steps towards sustainability and composting their food waste rather than throwing it away.

Mackenzie Sheilds Staff Writer news@oswegonian.com All of SUNY Oswego’s dining halls and retail locations are now composting pre-consumer waste, said Sarah Smelko, a graduate student interning at the sustainability office. “It’s a big undertaking, so we launched it in the fall semester of ‘21,” Smelko said. Composting started in Pathfinder dining hall and Lake Effect Cafe during sustainability week. They added two more locations before expanding the initiative in the beginning of the spring semester to include all dining halls and retail dining locations. Smelko said that within the next two weeks, the initiative will reach 10,000 pounds of compost. The composting initiative matched the composting from the fall within two weeks of collection in the spring. The director of resident dining, Daniel Siddons, said that waste from food preparation is put in buckets, which the dining halls and retail locations prepare. Each morning, someone from the sustainability department then comes and picks it up. Smelko said that the next step is to take it to the composting site, which is located at Bristol Hill Transfer Station in Fulton. Smelko said that the station is a landfill, but

also has composting piles. The department drops off the waste approximately once per week. Smelko said that about 1,000 pounds of waste are collected weekly. This waste would have formerly ended up in a landfill. “It’s now going to really awesome compost piles that are being filtered and churned every day,” Smelko said. The compost piles not only reduce waste, but help contribute to community development as well. Smelko said that the compost is available for free to Oswego residents, and that some comes back to campus for gardening. “Being mindful of our waste is something sometimes we miss out on, because we’re disconnected from putting something in the trash can and knowing where it ends up,” Smelko said. Siddons said that he thinks that there could be improvements in terms of educating students about waste management in the dining halls. He said that signage might help to raise awareness. Though post-consumer waste is not being composted yet, both departments hope that they might be able to expand that direction in the future. Smelko said that amount of waste is a lot to handle, and “then you’re dealing with bacterial issues, and you need sanitizing systems.” Siddons said that to do this, they

may need to cooperate with another company because of the amount of additional waste that this would involve. “However, we’re pretty well equipped to actually be able to take all of our waste. Our napkins are compostable, and then even things like chicken bones, they’re able to handle that and compost those as well,” Siddons said. He added that the napkins in the dining halls are compostable, and that they have now begun to use compostable paper condiment cups in place of the plastic ones. One of the next projects for the two offices involves tree tapping on campus to produce maple syrup. Smelko said that they hope to start this on Feb. 21, though it is weather-dependent. They would then be able to work with the dining halls to serve the maple syrup produced from the sap. Siddons said that dining locations also take additional steps to reduce waste, such as cooking food in small batches so there is not too much excess, and that managers keep a close eye on how much food is actually being eaten. “It is our hope that by focusing on this composting and the sustainability and physically having to put your food into a special bin that people would think twice about taking extra helpings that they don’t intend to eat,” Siddons said. He added that this would also reduce costs.

Abigail Connolly

aconnolly@oswegonian.com

Image via @oswegocampusrec on Instagram

OPINION HENDERSON RETRIAL

A5 Photo from Flickr

OPINION

VOLUME LXXXVI ISSUE XIII

“Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech or of the press.”

SPORTS

Photo from Flickr

WOMEN’S PUCK

Oswego in worst phase, looks ahead to summer months Riley Eipp Contributing Writer opinion@oswegonian.com We have just passed the peak of winter, and the campus has been draped in a thick white blanket of snow for a couple of weeks now. This brings about the question, is Oswego best in winter or summer? Oswego, being located in upstate New York, experiences all four seasons, each with a different magnitude depending on the year. But Oswego is known for its particularly snow and wind heavy winters from the lake effect weather off of Lake Ontario. Is this a good or a bad thing? Winter fanatics may argue that the snow provides prime conditions for winter sports such as skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, cross country skiing and sledding. Summer fans suggest the warmer weather provides opportunities for more outdoor activities in better conditions such as walking, biking, hiking, swimming and recreational sports. In the summer though, most dorms do not have air conditioning and can be bru-

tally hot, so winter favors this condition. But walking to class in frigid temperatures and wind chills below zero degrees can make it difficult to find the motivation to go to class each morning in the winter. Arriving to class sweaty after even a short walk to class in the summer is not necessarily favorable either. If you have been in Lanigan or Mahar Hall this semester, it can feel as hot as summer in those classrooms with all of the layers required to get to class. Despite all of the pros and cons for

both seasons, winter causes an increase in depressive moods and seasonal depression for college students, and this can make the winter feel unbearable. Summer provides the ability to go outside whenever, participate in more exercise, enjoy nature, and travel safer than winter does, making it the best season for students to thrive in a college environment. Summer allows the pure beauty of Lake Ontario and all of Oswego to shine, and it allows students the freedom to explore the college and city!

Photo from Flickr As temperatures stay below freezing, the Oswego Lighthouse is surrounded by ice and frigid water.

From my desk: The Editor-in-Chief’s column Super Bowl Halftime captured chances; keep it going Powerful statements despite pushback demonstrate resilence

Brandon Ladd Editor-in-Chief bladd@oswegonian.com “California Love” was on full display during the Super Bowl Halftime Show on Feb. 13, as Dr. Dre and his label, Aftermath Entertainment, took the stage at Sofi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Dr. Dre, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent and Snoop Dogg all headlined the first-ever rap-only halftime show for a Super Bowl. The show was a great success in being a tribute to the rap scene that Compton has produced in the past four decades, as the west coast street scene was tributed. Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg started off the performance with their most popular song “The Next Episode,” as the song was performed on a replica stage of the Compton nightclub, Eve After Dark. The two shared a smile as they performed the song from 2000 and brought the audience to life. It was the most fitting way to start the performance, as the beat to the song and the two legendary rappers rang out through the stadium. The two ended the opening set by pointing down to the surprise performer for the halftime show, 50 Cent. He was hanging upside down in a club scene as he began to perform his most popular single, “In Da Club.” Then the The independent student newspaper of Oswego State since 1935 performance went back on top of the stage as it was passed to Blige. She sang multiple songs and was stunning as the only female artist in her We want your thoughts on our coverage, campus and local issues, or any- sparkling outfit. Lamar’s opening song was thing regarding the Oswego State community. “M.A.A.D City,” as the Compton-based song brought the younger audience Email all letters as Word attachments to opinion@oswegonian.com or mail to its feet. The song is a staple of the submissions to 139A Campus Center, Oswego N.Y. 13126 college scene and was the correct way to introduce the younger rapper. His

dancers were the best and provided a nice visual off the stage. Eminem was the last of the artists headlining to appear and received the loudest rise of the crowd, as he performed his song “Lose Yourself.” The song brought the entire performance into perspective. All the artists on the stage came from much less and this was the opportunity of a lifetime for each of them. The song captures how a rapper may have just one chance in life and they have to capture it before it slips. This performance most definitely captured that chance. This is not a review article though, this is a statement on how the NFL found itself intertwined in a culture it just does not understand because it cannot control. Eminem took a knee in reference to former NFL quarterback and activist Colin Kaepernick, who many believe was pushed from the NFL following taking a knee during the National

Anthem throughout the course of a season. It was a powerful statement, especially from a white rapper who has always been around and in black culture. Eminem at the end of the day is as strong of an ally as possible. A real-life example of how the rap scene and powerful African-American producers, like Dr. Dre, have given him a chance at his dream. It has been reported that the NFL was against the knee and several other elements that Dr. Dre wanted to add to the overall performance. The NFL has denied this but still, it has created a talking point that the league has tried so hard to overcome in past years. The best part of this halftime performance was the buzz it created afterwards. The conversation around minority hires in the NFL recently can continue and work towards eventual resolution. The conversation of an inclusive sport can keep being pushed to the forefront. Halftime was a success and the music was awesome.

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Photo from NFL via YouTube From left, Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent and Snoop Dogg headline the Super Bowl Halftime Show.

Lily

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OPINION

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Feb. 18, 2022

Valentine’s Henderson retrial remind world of brutality Poucher safe needs wider Greek court ignored, denied factual evidence, leading to painful rulings haven, good meaning environment Ashton Becker Contributing Writer opinion@oswegonian.com

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Sarah Skibickyj Staff Writer opinion@oswegonian.com Valentine’s Day has turned into a day that revolves around couples but that is not all the day is about. Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate love for everyone in your life. It is for your friends, family and then of course significant others. As a kid, Valentine’s Day was a fun holiday in school where everyone had a little decorated mailbox and everyone received Valentine cards and candy. Then you grow up and see couples in the halls of high school exchanging gifts or cheesy Instagram posts online. It is a cliché holiday of stores marketing flowers, chocolates, stuffed animals, balloons, etc. to those in a relationship as a gift for that special someone. Stores market the red and pink hearts and all these things showing love to their target audience, which is people in a relationship. There is “Galentine’s Day” for friends and people might even receive gifts from family but the expectation of Valentine’s Day is focused on whether or not you are in a happy relationship with your significant other. There are five different love languages that one can possess. They are words of affirmation, acts of service, receiving gifts, quality time and physical touch. These could relate to how a person treats someone else on Valentine’s Day. If someone loves giving gifts they might go all out for the person they love on this day. Despite this, Valentine’s Day is not a good demonstration of love. It gives the message that on this one day out of the entire year is when you have to treat someone special and give gifts to show your love. This should be an everyday thing, there does not need to be a specific holiday to tell you to do it.

“Being single on Valentine’s Day does not make a person less than someone who is in a relationship.” With the holiday being focused on couples there is also the message to people that are single and not in a relationship that this holiday is not meant for them. There are so many other people in a person’s life that they could show love to but many of us have built into our brain that we have to be in a relationship on Valentine’s Day. With the cheesy Valentine’s Day posts on social media and seeing all these cute couples it is not surprising that this has been put into people’s brains as they think about the holiday. The love towards friends and family should be shown more and more items or TV commercials should be directed towards the love of everyone, not just your significant other. There are obviously some things that already do this but it should be more widespread so that when someone thinks of Valentine’s Day they do not just think of couples. Being single on Valentine’s Day does not make a person less than someone who is in a relationship. Whether or not someone is in a relationship does not define them and who they are. If someone wants to buy flowers and chocolates for themself or go out to a fancy restaurant with their friends then go for it. The mindset of Valentine’s Day being the only day to really show your love and it being only about couples needs to change and then maybe more people would like the holiday.

Twenty-two year old Bakari Henderson of Austin, Texas was murdered in Greece while on a business trip in July of 2017. He was the victim of a brutal and unwarranted attack. His life was taken all because of a selfie. Yes, a selfie. A woman reported to authorities that she asked to take a selfie with Henderson while waitressing at a bar and this drew negative attention from other male customers. “There are a lot of Serbs in the bar. Why are you talking to a black guy?,” one said. The man then hit Henderson in the face, Henderson hesitated, hit back and ran out of the bar. The attacker and eight other men proceeded to chase Henderson down the street and beat him against the car and on the ground. He suffered fatal blows to the head. They killed him within a matter of 30 seconds. The altercation was caught on surveillance video. In 2018, the nine men went on trial. Six of them were charged with intentional homicide, a charge which carries a life sentence in Greece, but they were only found guilty of an assault charge. Each were sentenced to five to 15 years, however, at least four of the suspects have already been released. The other three men were acquitted. Unlike the U.S., citizens of Greece can be tried twice for the same crime. The retrial, which had been

postponed two years due to COVID-19, is set to take place on Feb. 21. Seven of the nine attackers will be tried again. Parents of Henderson, Jill and Phil Henderson, will travel to Greece again to be present for the trial as they continue to seek justice for their late son. Henderson’s death drew international attention. It is a case that has raised many questions no doubt. Why did a group of men chase down someone in the street and beat them to death over a selfie? Was this an issue of xenophobia? Race? Jealousy? Drunken rage? No matter the motive, a bigger question remains, one that has been haunting the Hendersons the past four years; where is the justice for Bakari? This is an incredibly alarming case. A brutal attack and murder caught on video and witnesses to

corroborate the story, yet no murder charge for any of the nine men who hold responsibility for the death. A foreign court ignoring and furthermore denying factual evidence in aim of saving their own from life behind bars. Regardless of nationality, citizenship or race, Henderson was a human being first and foremost. The Greek court has dishonored his memory and deprived his family of a rightful sentencing by treating him as if he was less than so. Are people really willing to disobey their duty to uphold the law and cast their ethics to the side in order to appease a group of murderers? The past actions and decisions of the Greek court seem to point to yes, but this has yet to be determined as the Hendersons and the public anxiously await the outcome of the retrial and the fate of the attackers.

Photo via Flickr Bakari Henderson was killed by nine men while on a business trip in Greece in July 2017.

SPEAK YOUR MIND, TWITTER! POLLS POSTED EVERY WEEK TO @GonianLRO

SUNY Oswego consistently fails student parking Village residents get short end of the stick, especially during winter Annika Wickham Chief Copy Editor awickham@oswegonian.com On Feb. 10, residents of the Village on SUNY Oswego’s campus received the much anticipated snow plowing notice via email. Sent occasionally throughout the spring semester, these notices alert residents of the various halls on campus that they must move their cars out of their assigned parking lot for a certain amount of time so the college can come in and plow the piles of snow that builds up in between cars. For Village residents, cars had to be moved by 5 p.m. the day the email was sent and had to be out of the temporary lot by 7 a.m. the next day. Students who moved their cars had no way of knowing when the plowing starts or ends, unless they constantly look out their windows. The plowing started around 8 p.m. and finished around 8:45 p.m., which gave residents almost 12 hours to take the walk to the temporary lot and drive their vehicle back. That is if they could even find a parking spot, as the Village lots are consistently full and people have to park in these other lots anyway. Residents have wanted more parking for the Village for years due to the severe discrepancy between students with cars and spots. The nearest parking lot where those with a Village parking pass can legally leave their cars is an almost 10 minute walk, which is not far, but keeping in mind that Oswego winter nights average 15 degrees and the wind is constantly blowing, it feels like much longer. Due to the plowing schedule and the threat of getting a ticket

or their car towed, residents had to make the trek to the temporary lots late at night and hope there was an open spot by the time they got there. SUNY Oswego did offer to help start cars an hour and a half before the 7 a.m. deadline, but it seems very unlikely that college students would wake up just to move their vehicle before then. It is assumed that SUNY Oswego follows a schedule with plowing residential lots, because there is no other explanation to why they would plow last week when they did. The week of Feb. 6-12 was one of, if not the warmest of the semester so far, with temperatures in the low 40s and little or no snow accumulation. By the time the plow notice went out, there was barely any snow left to move. The only difference before and after was the three

or four spots that had been unusable due to snow pile up were now available again. The rest of the area had no change. It makes no sense why SUNY Oswego decided to plow residential parking lots when they did. The argument could be made that they wanted to get it done when there was no change of snow, but why wait so long? Why not help students out in the days after a major storm instead of letting all the snow melt or turn to ice, which is not moved during plowing anyway? No one likes moving their car and risking losing their prime spot, especially in the winter. Being forced to move it and back in one night with less than a day’s notice, and having to do it after most of the snow is gone just seems completely unnecessary.

Photo via Flickr SUNY Oswego Village residents receive sporadic plowing and very little parking sports.

Abigail Connolly | The Oswegonian

Ashley Perretta and Liam Morgenstern Contributing Writers opinion@oswegonian.com My obsession with the Poucher Hall bathrooms began during the fall 2020 semester. It provided a convenient place to stop for a quick break, a “bathroom break.” The Poucher Hall bathrooms turned into a sanctuary for me, a safe place. Whether it be after a club meeting or a late night of homework I could always find comfort in Poucher’s 3rd floor men’s bathroom. This facility comes equipped with a urinal, a stall, and a handicap stall, the holy trinity. Out of my year and a half of using this facility I have personally encountered less than ten people. It is by far one of the quietest restrooms I have used on campus. However, the door placement could be better, whenever you walk out of the room you tend to draw the attention from students in room 306 and it can make for some awkward eye contact. Based on the colors the designers chose for the restrooms you can tell they have a SUNY degree in design. Typically I love a beige and blue palette but they really did not do a good job picking the correct shades. Fortunately, the personal connection and memories I share with this bathroom allow me to overlook these flaws and happily use it on a day to day basis.

“There is nothing particularly special about these rooms.” The third floor women’s bathroom follows suit of the careless design and decor of the men’s bathroom. Structured with three stalls, and a decent sized window, the women’s restroom allows for a luminous and airy safe haven. Unlike the men’s however, the women’s room is hectic and chaotic, filled with students and professors at all times of the day. Arguably, it is the busiest bathroom in Poucher Hall. Despite its high usage, the bathroom is always surprisingly clean. A concerning feature of the bathrooms are the signs above the toilets advising patrons what to do in the event that the toilet does not flush properly. Although I have never had a problem with this, it worries me that something may go wrong. I never cared to try out the men’s bathrooms on the other floors because I held the third floor so close to my heart and did not want to be let down. Unfortunately, I was right for that. The remaining bathrooms in Poucher Hall are at most mediocre. The layout is awkward, they have no windows, and most importantly they reside in a high traffic area. This makes for an overall undesirable experience. More opportunity for awkward exchanges, seeing your professors and lingering smells. The women’s rooms on the first and second floors, like the men’s, are dark, discomforting, and prone to flush splashback. There is nothing particularly special about these rooms, other than the extreme amount of privacy they offer. Contrary to the men’s, these bathrooms are extremely low trafficked, probably due to their unpleasant aesthetic. This allows for patrons to have privacy while utilizing the facilities. If you are ever walking into MCC and find yourself needing a quick bathroom break I would recommend taking a quick detour to Poucher Hall’s 3rd floor bathrooms. Despite their gender popularity differences, you will have a modest and comforting experience in these facilities.

Wrestling holds senior night Howard, Matthews happy to be back

SPORTS Lakers hit SUNYAC speedbump

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Feb. 18, 2022

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Photos provided by Oswego State Athletics

Logan Stolberg Sports Writer sports@oswegonian.com The Oswego State men’s wrestling team is coming off a disappointing loss against SUNY Cortland 12-32 on senior night. Six of those who competed celebrated senior night and were honored on Feb. 4. Many of the senior Lakers are very proud of what they have accomplished while at Oswego State. Senior Isaac Matthews was very impressed by the group of guys on the team. “This group is awesome, everybody including all the freshman up to the seniors,” Matthews said. “It’s been a great experience here; I can’t complain at all. Senior night was the best turnout we’ve ever had. It’s good to see wrestling gaining some popularity.” During his time as a wrestler, Matthews has seen the wrestling team gain more attention among members of the community. “It’s good to see wrestling gaining some popularity,” Matthews said. “You know a lot of people I talk to don’t even know we have a wrestling team and now it’s becoming like a cool thing where people are interested in it. I just think where our culture’s at right now. I think people need some healthy conflict in their life and this shows them a good way to get their frustrations out.” Matthews during his time as Laker has compiled a noteworthy list of accolades including three-time ECWC allteam honors. Matthews is proud of these accomplishments since his freshman year at Oswego State. “I’ve gotten better every year I have been here,” Matthews said. “My fresh-

man and my sophomore year I didn’t even start. I have really good guys ahead of me. I had wrestled completely differently. I’ve been developing new shots. It’s been a lot of different elements in coming into play. This sport would be really boring if you just did the same things every year and you never could find a way to evolve. It’s all about creativity. It’s a combat art. We’re just trying to get in here and be artistic.” Head coach Mike Howard says it has been a privelege to share his wrestling knowledge with this group of seniors. “Obviously they’ve had a tough go with COVID,” Howard said. “Last year we basically had no season or mat time. That’s a lot of adversity that these guys had to face to come back and put themselves in a position to compete. A lot of our competitors were able to get on the mat and unfortunately, we weren’t. That set us back a little bit. So, I think as the season went on when we were closing the gap, but we still have ways to go. These guys have been able to fight and stay committed to their goals and what they want to achieve in the sport.” Moving forward into the tournament round, Matthews and the Lakers are hoping to ride the success they had during the regular season. “We’re not really concerned with the wins and losses,” Matthews said. “We’ve had some guys get injured and get out. We’re not too concerned with the dual team stuff; we’re just concerned with getting better every day and winning every position along with every situation. It’s just about winning the small battles. That’s really all we think about day by day and doing things to the best of our ability.”

Lakers ACHA

Photos provided by Oswego State Athletics

Spencer Bates Copy Editor sbates@oswegonian.com Oswego State men’s basketball split their games in SUNYAC matchups for the first time this season on Feb. 11 and 12. The Lakers entered the Hawks Center at SUNY New Paltz undefeated in the SUNYAC and ranked No. 14 in the nation. Coming off a win in which the team scored their second highest point total in a game this season, Oswego State would be hoping to dismiss a Hawks team that they beat by nearly 30 points already this season. However, the story was different this time around with the Hawks coming away victorious and handing the Lakers their first SUNYAC defeat of the season in a tightly contested matchup that ended with a score of 64-63. The game came down to the wire with the Hawks scoring a game winning layup courtesy of Isaiah Bien-Aise with five seconds left. Both teams had three players score in the double digits with Jeremiah Sparks, Ahkee Anderson and Jamal Achille combining for 37 of the Lakers’ points and for the Hawks, Bien-Aise, Sean St. Lucia and Lucas Seyoum combined for 38 points. Sparks put up an impressive individual performance adding five

assists and four rebounds on top of his team-high 15 points. What upended the Lakers was the Hawks’ efficiency from the field. Despite shooting a mere 26.3% from 3-point range, they were impressive from everywhere inside the arc, shooting just over 43% from the field. Oswego State emphasis on defensive production faltered as the Hawks beat the Lakers on second chance points and rebounds. Courtesy of the Hawks, the Lakers 17-game win streak was shattered. However, the team refused to be kept down after getting dealt their first blow of the season. On Feb. 12 the Lakers visited the Dewar Arena at SUNY Oneonta where they bounced back, winning the game with a score of 63-53. For the Lakers in this game, Devin Green’s ability was on full display as he scored an impressive 19 points along with eight rebounds and two steals. Green was one of only two members of the team who scored double digits in this outing. Sparks added 10 points to the total. Falling just short of the double digit mark was Achille and Brendan Mulson who combined for 18 points. Three players for the Red Dragons, Dylan Trombley, Frankie Williams and Michael Ortale, all reached double digits scoring 15, 14 and 11 respectively. An efficient output on the offen-

sive and defensive end allowed Oswego State to score 10 more points from bench players than their counterparts while also dominating in fastbreak points and points in the paint. The Lakers shot an impressive 42.6% from the field while also holding the Red Dragons to 27.5% and an even worse 19% from beyond the three point arc. An area that the Lakers will look to improve in is their free throw percentage. The team only converted slightly over half of their free throws in the matchup, a possible 11 points that could have been added onto the score for Oswego State, wasted. The slight bump in the road that was this past weekend’s games resulted in the Lakers falling in the national ranking to No. 19. However, with the win over SUNY Oneonta, the team has secured the top seed for the SUNYAC tournament and a first round bye. They will await the winner of the matchup between the third and sixth ranked teams. On Feb. 18, SUNY Brockport will make their way to the Max Ziel Gymnasium for Oswego State’s penultimate regular season matchup at 7:30 p.m. The last time these two teams played the Lakers pulled off an impressive 27 point win. The following day the team will close out the regular season at home against SUNY Fredonia at 5 p.m.

Men’s Hockey celebrates senior night Fragapane reflects experience covering Oswego State ice

Aubrey Fischer | The Oswegonian

Alexander Abramovich Sports Writer sports@oswegonian.com The Oswego State men’s club hockey team currently sits in third place overall in the NECHL standings and playing some great hockey of late, they sit two points behind University at Buffalo for second place in the NECHL and have played one less game. The Lakers have won three games in a row, including backto-back wins on the road against Rutgers University. Kicking off the winning streak was a 3-2 victory at home over Mercyhurst University on Feb. 5. Oswego State started their successful weekend with a 5-2 win in the first game of a backto-back matchup against Rutgers University, thanks to a three-point outing from Forward Chase Nies and 2-point performances from Thomas Sansone and Carter Mcwilliams. In the second game of the back-to-back, the Lakers enjoyed an abundance of goals in a 7-3 win. Oswego State found themselves down 2-0 in the first period but did not yield despite the deficit. Trevor Jubran scored a goal with six minutes and 14 seconds left in the period to cut the lead to one. In the second period, the Lakers scored two goals in a 22-second span, with Nicholas Keyes scoring at the 8:01 mark followed by a goal from Sansone at the 8:23 mark. Impressive stuff from the Lakers, especially Keyes and Sansone recording two points in those 22 seconds. Rutgers would

tie the game at three after a goal from Dylan Stein at the 13:16 mark, only his second of the season. Right before the period would come to a close, Nies would score his 11th goal of the season to give the Lakers a 4-3 lead heading into the third period. The third period was when the Lakers pulled away, as they had scored three goals to cap off a dominating 7-3 win. Braydon Deming scored his 6th goal of the season at the 7:02 mark, followed by a power-play goal from Andrew Cardi at the 9:58 mark. Cardi would score his second goal of the period at 18:43 and would be the final score of the game. It was truly a dominating weekend to say the least for Oswego State and they look to keep this hot streak going into this upcoming weekend. The Lakers will travel to Buffalo on Feb. 18 to take on University at Buffalo and will then head home to take on University at Buffalo again on Feb. 19 at the Deborah F. Stanley ice arena. This is easily the biggest weekend for Oswego State as they only trail University at Buffalo by two points so this could be a make-or-break two game stretch. Two wins could put Oswego State in control of their own destiny when they take on Rutgers University, a team they just beat twice by a combined score of 10-5, so taking both matchups would be crucial. After dropping two straight games against Niagara University on Jan. 29 and 30, the Oswego State men’s club hockey team has caught fire and looks to finish their season strong with only three games left to play.

Alexis Fragapane | The Oswegonian From left to right: Tyler Antonucci, Steven Kozikoski,Travis Broughman, Alexis Fragapane, Ryan Bunka, Josh Leblanc and Mac Lewis.

Jack Perdek Sports Editor jperdek@oswegonian.com The 2021-2022 men’s hockey team seniors have made their last regular season skate in the Wheelhouse as Lakers. Travis Broughman, Josh LeBlanc and Steven Kosikoski have received a lot of media attention in their careers at Oswego State. One of the closest confidants between the team and the media is Oswego State Athletics’ Alexis Fragapane. The senior from Rome, N.Y. has covered the guys on the ice since she was a freshman and has developed a strong relationship with the group over the course of her college career. Fragapane, who is a sports photographer and graphic designer for the athletic programs at Oswego State was present at senior night against SUNY Brockport. It was a big night on Feb. 4 for her and the team. It was a night that nobody will forget and she says that the time spent with them was a joyful experience. “As the last regular season home game came to an end last Friday, it really made me reflect on the last three and a half years with the team,” Fragapane said. “The relationships I’ve made with the team and coaches are something that I’ll forever be grateful for. The senior class is really

special to me this year because they’ve been there with me since I first reached out to the team. They always supported me and helped me get to where I am today.” Since 2018, this group has endured a lot considering the COVID-19 pandemic and separation over the course of the past year and a half. Despite getting back to covering the team was a long and difficult trip back, Fragapane does not see her day-to-day coverage as an obligation. “Every time I’m tasked with a new graphic or the coaches need anything, I immediately jump right on it as soon as I can,” Fragapane said. “It might seem like a lot of work to people, but I’ve never once looked at it as work. It’s never felt like a job to me even when I just volunteered. I love absolutely every second of it whether it’s making graphics, photographing games, or even just sitting in an empty arena for practice.” Fragapane, double majoring in broadcasting and graphic design major at SUNY Oswego, has spent a good deal of time with the hockey teams and continues to do so this season. Both teams have clinched a playoff berth and the men’s team will be hosting a playoff game giving the seniors another chance for a home-ice skate. The senior has made strong relationships with multiple classes of skaters on the team

and credits their openness as a welcoming factor to her hard work and dedication. “My favorite part about the new class between this year and last year was the fact that they made sure they introduced themselves to me before the season even started, Fragapane said.” They recognize the time and effort I put in for the team and constantly thank me. I feel that the respect they have given me and continue to give me is a direct reflection of the returning players as well as the coaches. I really enjoy the team’s company, they’re some of the most appreciative people I’ve ever met and also just some really great friends. They truly make me feel included as part of the team, and the arena truly feels like home.” Fragapane has been able to evolve her skills in graphic design and take advantage of her time covering the team. For her, there is nothing but appreciation regarding what her and this team were able to accomplish in their time here. “Every graphic I made or every game I photographed I pushed myself to be better than I was previously and I still do that today,” Fragapane said. “I can’t thank Coach Gosek and Coach Whitelaw enough for always standing in my corner and being there to support me since the very beginning.”

Shore Report

* - Indicates NEWHL Standings #- seed clinched x- playoffs clinched e- eliminated

SUNYAC Standings

Men’s Basketball Overall Oswego State-1 20-2 Brockport-x 16-6 Oneonta-x 15-8 13-9 New Paltz Potsdam 11-10 Cortland 12-11 Geneseo 10-12 Buffalo State-e Fredonia-e

5-18 3-20 2-21

Plattsburgh-e

Men’s Hockey

Overall Oswego State-x 16-1-5-0-1 Plattsburgh-x 15-4-7-0-3 18-0-3-0-1 Geneseo-x

Cortland-x Fredonia-x Brockport-x Potsdam-e Buffalo State-e

Morrisville-e

Streak W1 W6 L1 L1 W1 W2 L1 L1 L5 L8

Conference 15-1 11-5 11-5 10-6 9-7 8-8 8-8 4-12 3-13 1-15 Conference 11-0-2-0-1 11-2-4-0-1 10-0-2-0-1

Points 34 32 31

12-1-9-1-2 9-0-9-0-1 13-0-9-1-2 4-0-16-0-1 5-1-16-1-0

7-1-5-1-2 7-0-7-0-0 6-0-7-1-2 3-0-11-0-1 3-1-10-1-0

23 21

7-1-14-2-2

2-1-12-2-0

Women’s Hockey (NEWHL) Overall

21 10 9

Conference

15-0-1

Oswego State

14-7-1

11-4-1

Cortland Canton

16-4-1

11-4-1

12-9-1

6-9-1

6-7-1

Morrisville

8-13-1 5-14-1

6-10-1

Buffalo State

1-20-1

0-15-0

Cortland-x

New Paltz-x

Buffalo State-x

Geneseo-x Oneonta Potsdam Fredonia Brockport Plattsburgh-e Oswego State-e

Overall 18-4 16-6

Conference

14-2 12-4

14-8 15-8 11-12 12-10 10-11

Streak L2 W3 W5 W8 L2 L1 W1

10-12

11-5 11-5 8-8 7-9 6-10 5-11

7-16 5-17

4-12 2-14

L2 W1

FRE: 9-9-1 (7-0-7) GEN: 18-3-1 (10-2-1)

Women’s Basketball 58

COR: 18-4 (14-2) BUF: 14-8 (11-5)

2/5:

Oswego State women’s ice hockey powerplay efficiency Tuesday Night at Potsdam was 2/5. The Lakers were able to ring in 40% of their special teams opportunities in a 3-2 victory at the Bears home ice. Thr Lakers powerplay percentage has been above average this season at 25%. with the playoffs right around the corner.

Men’s Basketball

3-7 OSW: FRE:

53-63

Cahill: 2 goals, 1 assist Bull: 3 assists, 4 shots Flack: 2 goals, 6 shots

ONE:

Galloway: 2 assists, 3 shots Parsons: 1 goal, 5 shot King: 1 goal, 4 shots

OSW:

Women’s Hockey

Trombley: 15 pts, 4 Rebs Williams: 14 pts, 4 Rebs Ortale: 11 pts, 9 Rebs, 3 asGreen: 19 pts, 8 Rebs, 2 stl Sparks: 10 pts, 4 Rebs, 2 assists

Women’s Basketball

0-5 Sarich: 2 shots Haynes: 2 shots Cruzal: 1 shot

BUF: OSW:

McGrath: 2 goals, 1 assist Corbett: 1 goal, 1 assist Hull: 2 assists

56-37 Fitzgerald: 12 pts, 7 Rebs, 4

NEW: Stl OSW:

Serravillo: 10 pts, 5 Rebs, 3 Ast Caivana: 10 pts, 9 Rebs, 4 Ast Pickett: 8 pts, 13 Rebs, 1 Blk

Upcoming Events Men’s Hockey

Men’s Hockey Friday, Feb. 18

@ 7:00 p.m.

OSW: 15-5-1(10-2-1) BUF: 4-6(2-10)

7:00 p.m.

OSW: 15-5-1 (10-2-1) FRE: 7-9-1(5-7-0)

Women’s Hockey

Men’s Basketball

Friday, Feb. 18

7:00 p.m.

MOR: 6-14-1 (4-11-1) OSW: 14-7-1 (11-4-1)

Friday, Feb. 18

7:30 p.m.

BRO: 16-6 (11-5) OSW: 21-2 (15-1)

Laker Athletes of the Week

Around the SUNYAC Men’s Hockey

Men’s Hockey

Points

20-2-1

Women's Basketball

Oswego Scoreboard

Saturday, Feb. 19

Plattsburgh

Potsdam

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Feb. 18, 2022

Men’s Basketball 62

BRK: 16-6 (11-5) FRE: 3-20 (3-13)

1st:

The Laker’s men’s basketball team has clinched the first seed in the 20212022 SUNYAC playoffs. Oswego State’s 15-1 confrence record has given them their first top seed ranking in the SUNYAC since the 20182019 season featuring their three game NCAA tournament run. The Lakers are 21-2 and only have two more regular season games left on the calendar.

Aiden Harrington

Men’s Track Field Sophomore | Nesconset, NY

Aidan Harrington - of the men’s track and field team - has been named Oswego State Male Athlete of the Week for the week ending February 13. Harrington took first in the men’s 400-meter dash with a new personal best of 51.76 seconds. He also posted a second place finish in the 200-meter dash (23.16 seconds) and sixth in the 60-meter hurdles (9.44 seconds).Harrington and The Lakers look to keep their momentum going when they head to Nazareth on Friday.

.512:

Oswego State men’s hockey team is above 50% on faceoffs as they enter their last two regular season games. Of the 1,255 faceoffs they have taken they have won 643 of them to their opponents 612 on a 48% rating.

Ashleigh Lacy

Women’s Track and Field Junior | Fort Edward, NY

Ashleigh Lacy of the women’s track and field team has been named Oswego State Female Athlete of the Week for the week ending February 13. Lacy broke the Oswego State women’s track & field program record in the women’s 60-meter dash at RIT on Friday. Lacy ran a time of 8.08 seconds in the preliminary round to best the previous record of 8.10 seconds by Deb Richards that had stood since the 2003 season. Later in the meet, Lacy finished second of 41 runners in the women’s 200-meter dash in a season-best 27.01 seconds.

8.08:

Junior women’s track & field runner Ashleigh Lacy broke the Oswego State women’s track & field program record in the women’s 60-meter dash at the RIT Friday Meet #2. Lacy ran a time of 8.08 seconds in the preliminary round to best the previous record of 8.10 seconds by Deb Richards that had stood since the 2003 season.

SPORTS B5 Lakers’ hockey embracing ‘gritty’ attitude Track & Field breaking records THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Feb. 18, 2022

Digby, Teggart discuss seven game win streak, team ambition Lacy, Harrington prepare for SUNYAC’S

Photos provided by Oswego State Athletics Kailee Montross | The Oswegonian (#20) Aislinn McAleer and women’s hockey seniors celebrate senior night, win 3-1 while hosting SUNY Canton on Feb.11.

Jack Perdek Sports Editor jperdek@oswegonian.com “Grit” and “ambition” are the two words Lakers’ head coach Mark Digby describes this year’s Oswego State women’s hockey team, as they head into the NEWHL playoffs. The Lakers are reaching the final weekend of their regular season as they hit the road to Morrisville State and Buffalo State. The team stands in the top two seed of the NEWHL conference and No. 15 ranked in the country. Their momentum has never been stronger, riding a seven-game win streak after losing their north country trip to Plattsburgh State twice and another to William Smith College. Despite the tallies in the loss column for his team, Digby claims that his team’s performance was at its peak that weekend. “I think that a lot of the success we’re having now probably stems up from the weekend we had in Plattsburgh where we lost twice,” Digby said. “I thought we played good hockey and a couple little mistakes ended up biting us. Two days later we go to William Smith and we changed the way we play, after that game it clicked to the way we played at Plattsburgh. Whether you win or lose you want to play that way, it’s fun to play that way, and that’s where we saw the switch flip, and I think that has really helped propel us to where we are right now. To put this into statistical perspective, Oswego State was leading in all three of those losses in January and gave up leads in the second and third periods. Still, Digby was satisfied with the way his team played aggressively. Now in the month of February, the Lakers are a tough team to

play, posting three shutouts in their seven-game win streak. They also found victory in dominating fashion, leaping over SUNY Canton not only in their three match-ups, but in the NEWHL standings. Digby credits a good portion of their success to junior standout Morgan Shines. “She’s one of those players that you watch in the game and in your head, you’re saying, ‘okay don’t do that, well okay great play,’” Digby said. “You have to have players like that who are willing to make a risk at the appropriate time with the potential of making a play and scoring a goal. We even saw it the other night [Tuesday at Potsdam].” Shines, the Marengo, Illinois, native is one point away from breaking her 18 point record having nine goals and eight assists thus far in her 2021-2022 campaign. In her second season for the Lakers, she is second in scoring just behind Ariella Haas. Captain for Oswego State Philomena Teggart is hopeful Shines will continue to do great things when Teggart says farewell to Oswego State. “I’ve only played one season with Morgan and, not just on the ice but in the locker room, she’s a teammate and a great person,” Teggart said. “She’s come out of her shell and she’s helped upperclassmen integrate players. I’m excited to see what she can do in the next couple of years.” The first-line defenseman Teggart has been through it all in her five years with Oswego State and cannot believe the story is winding down. A win on senior night made her reflect on the days she was first wearing the green and gold. “It was bittersweet,” Teggart said. “Having Emma Morisette and Amber Thomas would have been nice because they didn’t get their senior

night. It was crazy, I remember when I was a freshman looking up at the screen and looked at Ais [Aislinn McAleer] like ‘oh my god, that’s going to be us one day.’” With the season yet to have its conclusion, this team still has their sights set on winning a NEWHL championship and perhaps more. To get there from Teggart’s perspective will involve fine-tuning their zone skating and scoring in bunches. “D-zone wins championships,” Teggart said. “I think we have the X’s and O’s down. We know where we need to be, our shot selection is almost there, we score a lot, we’re a scoring team. I think that’s the one part of our game that’s going to come out in the playoffs.” For Teggart and Digby, their recent success is due to their complete roster and the ways they can respond when in a close game. “We’re winning in different ways,” Digby said. “It allows you when you’re in that one game playoff to learn how to play from behind. Those are all experiences that if you play the right kind of schedule the right kind of opportunities come up which lets you draw positives by the end of the year. Those are all great lessons to have, you have to have those lessons to put all the pieces together.” When describing the mentality of the team, Digby said the same thing he has been preaching since October. “Gritty to me is an identity, we can’t be ambitious if we’re not gritty,” Digby said. “There’s just no way. With the skill set we have as we saw last night [Tuesday at Potsdam] where if you play gritty you can be successful, you can beat a team down and be hard to play against.”

Brandon Ladd Editor-in-Chief bladd@oswegonian.com The indoor portions of the Oswego State men’s and women’s track and field seasons are coming to an end in the coming weeks but it has been a season dazzled with personal bests and standout performances. Feb. 18 is the last indoor regular season meet of the season for the teams, before the SUNYAC Championships the following weekend. The season will close for all March 5 at the Atlantic Region Championship, if no individuals qualify for the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championships. With that said, there have been standout performances that have individuals on both teams in position to compete at Regionals. The team has been described as “close-knit” by themselves and have been helped by interim head track and field coach Juan Martinez to work as a group. Sophomore sprinter and hurdler Aidan Harrington also credits assistant coach Curtis Merrick for helping push the team and himself further. “Coach Merrick has helped us by giving us the drive to go out and compete our hardest every day,” Harrington said. “He is a great motivator and has made practices fun.” Junior sprinter Ashleigh Lacy shared similar sentiments to Harrington about Merrick, elaborating further on how practices have helped the individual athletes. “Even with our setbacks we have amazing coaches that support and believe in us,” Lacy said. “Merrick has given us the drive and motivation to put in our best work even with our setbacks. He believes in us when no one else has. Curtis is great about modifying practices to our needs and helping us in every aspect.” Lacy made headlines in recent weeks by breaking the SUNY Oswego record in the women’s 60-meter dash

at the Rochester Institute of Technology meet on Feb. 11. Lacy ran a time of 8.08 seconds in the preliminary round to best the previous record of 8.10 by Deb Richards from 2003. However, was not the end of her meet as she delivered a 27.01 second run in the 200-meter dash to finish second of 41 runners. Lacy did not think this was possible for herself before the meet and now believes more is possible. “I am working towards the regional times for the 200 but with two meets left I don’t have any doubts,” Lacy said. “At this meet, I broke the Oswego State School record for the 60-meter dash. This is something I did not think was possible. I also had a season personal record in the 200 [meter] which is one step closer to regionals.” Harrington thought back to his SUNY Brockport meet earlier this season as his favorite, citing personal bests in each event that day. Harrington has been just as stellar recently, as he got first place at the R.I.T. meet in the 400-meter dash with a time of 51.76 seconds. He also took second in the 200-meter dash. Adding to an impressive season, which he is happy about. “This season has been great so far,” Harrington said. “At the moment, I am very close to Regionals and I’ve recorded a personal best in every event I’ve done.” On the throwing end of things, Alandra Jones continued her impressive freshman campaign at the R.I.T. meet with a personal-best throw of 11.96 meters in the shot put, finishing fourth at the meet. She has also qualified for Regionals. The last indoor regular season meet for the men’s and women’s teams is at Nazareth College on Feb. 18 at 3:30 p.m. The meet will be one last chance to qualify for the SUNYAC Championships and the second to last chance for individuals to qualify for the Atlantic Region Championship.

Oswego State not seeing Buff State, Fredonia as ‘light work’ Broughman, Cahill relay success on scoring lines, Lakers focus on last two regular season skates

Photos provided by Jim Gemza (#17) Assistant captain for the Oswego State Lakers Josh LeBlanc rushing the puck by Mustang defenders in the Morrisville IcePlex arena with a 4-0 victory on Feb. 9.

Zachary Case Sports Writer zcase@oswegonian.com The Oswego State men’s hockey team has reached the last weekend of the regular season. The Lakers will head on the road this weekend to Buffalo to take on SUNY Fredonia and Buffalo State. The final weekend of SUNYAC play features the Oswego State team looking to lock up the number two seed in the playoffs or possibly be the number one seed depending on how the Geneseo Ice Knights play in the final stretch. Coming into the final two games, the Lakers have an overall record of 16-5-1 and a conference record of 11-21. The only two conference losses came against the current number three seed in the SUNYAC, SUNY Geneseo. The rest of the standings feature a log jamn which has six teams clinching a playoff berth but none securing a specific seed in the postseason. Based on games played, Plattsburgh State has jumped SUNY Geneseo as the Cardi-

nals recently defeated Morrisville State during a middle of the week contest to take over the second spot. SUNY Cortland, SUNY Fredonia and SUNY Brockport are all separated by two points in the fourth through sixth seed. The Golden Eagles are the only team out of the three that have one game left to play. On Saturday, SUNY Fredonia will take on SUNY Cortland that will have huge playoff implications. In terms of this weekend, the Lakers have fared well against the Blue Devils and the Bengals so far this season. When both teams came to the Marano Campus Center this season, Oswego State came away with a total of six points. Oswego State’s offense has continued to score as the team averages 3.5 goals per game, a stat line that has improved over the course of the season. Captain Travis Broughman leads the team in points with a total of 27, which puts him in sixth in the SUNYAC conference based on the stat.

He is the only Oswego State player that is above a point per game as Alex DiCarlo trails him with 20 points in 20 games played. Both of the players are tied for first place in goals with a total of 12 for each player. Broughman touched on his linemates and their style. “We all know my line has shooters,” Broughman said. “Whatever happens, we just want to shoot the puck and not make a lot of cute passes.” Underclassmen Tommy Cahill has improved his game as of late. The transfer from King’s College has seven points in the past six games for the Oswego State Lakers. Cahill was a healthy scratch for a majority of the first semester before slotting into the center role on the fourth line alongside Mac Lewis and alternate captain Josh LeBlanc. “It has been great playing next to those guys,” Cahill said. “We all play the same brand of hockey, that hard nose hockey and not afraid to get into the corners. I have been able to get more opportunities and take advantage of those situations.”

Another newcomer that has stepped to the plate is Ontario native Tyler Flack. Flack has six goals and 10 assists so far in his first season at Oswego State. In the lineup, the forward usually is the second line center who is key in the faceoff battle for the Lakers. The captain spoke highly of Flack, complimenting his work ethic as a new player. “He is a great playmaker and works hard,” Broughman said. “He is not the biggest player but he gets into those scrums and wins battles. That is what we need and that is what he is doing. He makes good plays and makes good passes.” On the defensive side of the puck, goaltender Steven Kozikowski continues to dominate in between the pipes for the Lakers. With 19 games played, the senior has a record of 13-4-1 while manning the net for Oswego State. The Syracuse native posts a 1.84 goals against average and a .933 save percentage. These stats rank him towards the top of the conference along with

nationally among all goaltenders in Division III men’s hockey. On Friday, the Lakers will travel to Fredonia to take on the Blue Devils who are coming off a 3-2 win against the Geneseo Ice Knights while on the road. The 9-9-1 Blue Devils completed the comeback after netting two goals in the third period. Last weekend, SUNY Fredonia got a shutout victory against SUNY Brockport to steal points in the standings. The matchup history goes in favor of Oswego State as the Lakers are 5029-4 against the Fredonia Blue Devils. The squad is on a four game win streak versus SUNY Fredonia as the Blue Devils defeated the Lakers in the 2018-19 season in Fredonia. This season, Oswego State beat SUNY Fredonia 3-2 in the Deborah F. Stanley Arena. “We just have to battle and play between our systems Friday night,” Broughman said. “We have to keep working every day out here and trust our teammates. We are going in with the attitude that they are not light work and are a good team. We have to come ready to get those three points.” On Saturday, Oswego State will take on the Bengals of Buffalo State on their alumni weekend. The Bengals got an overtime win against the Golden Eagles of SUNY Brockport but dropped the previous thirteen games prior to that contest. Oswego State is 50-4-5 when facing the Bengals and the Lakers have not lost a contest against Buffalo State since the 2018-19 season which was in the Deborah F. Stanley Arena. Since then, the Lakers have won the last three contests. This weekend makes or breaks the Lakers playoff position as conference play wraps up. Two wins guarantee Oswego State hosting a semifinal game in the SUNYAC playoffs which would mean the Lakers secure the second seed in the standings. A mental slip from Geneseo in the final weekend means the SUNYAC Championship runs through the Marano Campus Center.

Sports Track & Field

Photo provided by Oswego State Athetics

SPORTS THE OSWEGONIAN

NEWS Uber Josh

A1 Photo provided by Uber Josh

VOLUME LXXXVI ISSUE XIII • www.oswegonian.com

FRIDAY, Feb. 18, 2022

Hawks outlast Lakers by two points, Green & Gold pick up first SUNYAC loss

Leone, Anderson, Achille break down what a loss means for team morale, future with playoffs

Photos provided by Oswego State Lakers (#23) Jerimiah Sparks working past halfcourt by SUNY Potsdam’s (#21) Parker Kelly in Oswego State’s 85-58 victory on Feb. 4. at the Max Ziel Gymnasium.

Ben Diamond Asst. Sports Editor bdiamond@oswegonian.com The Oswego State men’s basketball team is gearing up for the SUNYAC playoffs and they will not let one late loss to a division rival deter them. After a close 63-64 loss to the rival New Paltz Hawks, Laker head coach Jason Leone made sure his team was not focused on the past, only the future. It was important for Leone to make sure his team did not dwell on the loss, because they know they can play better, so all he wanted them to do was work on what went wrong to clean up the mistakes that led to the loss. Leone gives New Paltz credit on how they played in the close win. The Lakers also had not played a closely contested game in a long time, so they did not have as much experience in close games as a team like New Paltz might have had. After the game, Leone had two important messages to give his team guid-

Around the Diamond

Ben Diamond Asst. Sports Editor bdiamond@oswegonian.com

With the preseason only a week away for the Oswego State men’s baseball team, there is a lot to be excited about surrounding the 2021 SUNYAC runner-ups. Oswego State has a lot of players returning from last year’s championship caliber team. Star players like second baseman Ryan Enos and shortstop Paul Tammaro are set to lead the Lakers batting order again this season. Both Enos and Tammaro have been everything you could ask for in “top of the lineup” hitters. Their ability to get on base and start rallies for the Lakers allows the team to put up big numbers. It is also a scary sight for opposing teams to see power hitter Ryan Weiss come up to bat after Enos and Tammaro get the inning started. Weiss’s big power helped him lead the team in home runs last year as well as being towards the top in slugging percentage. Unfortunately for the Lakers, this could be the last season we see the trio in action together as both Weiss and Tammaro have committed to further their educations elsewhere. Tammaro committed to play at the University of Connecticut and Weiss committed to Canisius College. Both schools are Div. I, so they will be able to show their skills at a higher level. Although their absence will be missed, Oswego State baseball should not worry. The team still has plenty of young talent on the roster in the form of freshman infielder Tishawn Featherstone, and sophomore Jacob Levine, who has proved to be a valuable asset to head coach Scott Landers’s lineup. The Lakers open up their preseason versus Salisbury University in Salisbury with a double header.

ance on how they should proceed as a team. “After a loss it was really easy to focus on maybe a missed shot or two in the last minute of the game, when in actuality, in the first half we had a number of blown assignments on defense,” Leone said. “My second message was that we turned the page and had a sense of amnesia and forgot about that loss when we played a big game Saturday versus Oneonta.” Oswego State did have a quick turnaround, beating Oneonta 6353 the day after their loss to New paltz. The focus on practice and working to better themselves is Leone’s way of helping his team to continue to move forward, finish the season strong and go into the playoffs with a lot of confidence. “I think it is really important at this time of year to focus on playmaking,” Leone said. “We gotta go out and execute whatever that is in that particular game that we want to emphasize in order to beat teams. Nobody ever wins games at this time of the year playing tentatively, so

we want to play the most aggressive style of basketball that we can play.” Leone also said that a team’s confidence comes from their preparation, so he wants to make sure his team is well prepared to handle anything that comes their way. He also tries to make things simple for his team in order to keep pressure off their shoulders down the stretch. For Leone, he and the team can learn a lot from both wins and losses. Through this, the team is able to grow together as one and create a winning atmosphere that builds on one another. “It’s much tougher to have your team’s attention after wins obviously because the more you win, the more you feel good about yourself,” Leone said. “We have a lot more attention on the team now than we did in November and December when all this winning started. It puts them in a precarious position where they have to remain humble and remember kind of what got them there.” Freshman Ahkee Anderson has had a successful first sea-

son under Leone. Anderson has started in 19 of the team’s 23 games as well as being fourth on the team in average minutes per game with 22.5. He, like many on the team, got very accustomed to winning and had not felt a loss in two months. But, even with the sudden hurdle, Anderson is still confident in the team’s ability to stay ready and continue charging forward. “We just try to get refocused after [the game], we come together, we talk as a team about what we need to do to get better,” Anderson said. “We don’t take it to heart, we don’t let it knock us off our pivot, but it’s really important to stay together and not point fingers.” Being a freshman starter on a successful team can be a lot for some players. Anderson has taken it in stride and learned how to handle himself as well as the expectations of the team. He also got a lot of important guidance from veteran players that has helped him become the player he needs to be, the one the team can rely on.

Lakers name Martinez interim head coach

Martinez reflects on hire, plans future for track & field

“Just learning to be consistent,” Anderson said. “It takes a lot of time, you gotta put a lot of time in the gym, make sure you’re getting up extra shots. Everything kinda starts with you being a point guard, on the defensive side it starts with you, and on the offensive side it starts with you. So just listening to everyone, and taking little things from each person, everyone has been a mentor to me.” Anderson has been using the lessons to his advantage this season. He is averaging 8.1 points per game and is second on the team with 59 assists. Junior Jamal Achille also has a lot of faith in his teammates. He knows that they will pick each other up when things get tough and that is what has helped them sustain the success they have had. “Losses happen, it’s a part of the game,” Achille said. “But we were able to regroup and get ourselves together. We knew we needed the next game, so we got back to being focused and played how we always play.” Although Achille is in his second year, like Anderson he has taken advantage of the advice and encouragement of his teammates. Achille agrees with Anderson that everyone on the team is there for each other. This bond has helped push him to another level this season. This season, Achille is averaging 7.1 points per game with 3.5 rebounds, 10 steals and nine blocks. He is also strong on the block, posting a 57.1% field goal percentage. “Compared to my freshman year, this group is far more connected,” Achille said. “We are all selfless, we all want to see each other succeed. All egos go out the door.” To end the season, the Lakers face SUNY Brockport on Friday, and SUNY Fredonia on Saturday. They look to close out the season on a high note before the real challenge begins.

Perdek’s Corner Jack Perdek

Sports Editor jperdek@oswegonian.com

Photos provided by Oswego Lakers

Annika Wickham Chief Copy Editor awickham@oswegonian.com Juan Martinez was appointed interim head coach of the Oswego State cross country, indoor and outdoor track teams in September 2021 and brings over 20 years experience with the sport to the Romney Field House. Martinez first started running in 1994 when he was in high school and said he did not really fall in love with the sport, but he was good at it, so he stuck with it. “I grew up in a rough neighborhood,” Martinez said. “The sport took me from the street to the classroom, it kept me focused on my schoolwork. I saw the positives that it got another kid off the streets.” After competing at the high school level for three years, Martinez began running at William Paterson University in Wayne, New Jersey, but was only there for one semester before he joined the Navy. While serving, Martinez said he took a six-year break from running, only starting again after his father was diagnosed with diabetes. “I had put on some weight so I decided to get back into running in 2006 and I’ve been running ever since,” Martinez said. Despite taking his own hiatus from the sport, Martinez said he still followed track and field and his love of running continued to grow.

“It led me to running 11 marathons, winning several races [and] being one of the best in the country for my age group,” Martinez said. Martinez started his coaching career as head coach for a modified boys and girls outdoor track team and assistant coach for the varsity indoor track team at Jamesville-Dewitt School District in Jamesville, N.Y. At the time, he was also completing his college degree online and raising his family, but still found time to continue his passion. Currently, Martinez is a teaching assistant at Jamesville-Dewitt High School and commutes to Oswego to coach after the school day. He said he hopes to be hired as head coach for the Lakers in the near future. “My goal is to be here permanently,” Martinez said. “I believe I can turn the program around for the better. My vision is to have a that is inclusive and [that promotes] equality. Just to have everyone from different backgrounds be a part of the team.” Martinez also said though he has enjoyed coaching all age groups, collegiate athletes, especially at Oswego State, have a devotion to the sport that others do not. “The student athletes in Oswego are very passionate, they love the sport,” Martinez said. “This is [Div. III], they are running for the fun of it not because they

have a scholarship. That’s what I love about it.” He continued, saying that another reason he loves coaching at the collegiate level because it is more flexible than younger teams and the Oswego State track and field team is very diverse, which is a major positive in his eyes. Mental health is also a large part of Martinez’s coaching style because he knows the impact it has on his athletes. “You aren’t going to get anything good out of it if you are drained mentally,” Martinez said. “I’m very big on making sure everybody is healthy, physically and mentally.” After being in the Navy, in his opinion, Martinez said he does not believe the ‘drill sergeant’ style of coaching is effective, and he opts to try and be more of a father figure to his team. “I always tell the team, ‘don’t try to impress me,’” Martinez said. “If you feel pain or are tired … I will change the training around. I’m not one of those coaches that’s push, push, push.” As the men’s and women’s track season continues, Martinez said his goals are “to continue to have fun first” and to help his athletes qualify for both the SUNYAC Championships and the Atlantic Region Championships. The Oswego State track and field teams travel to Nazareth College on Feb. 18 for their final contest before SUNYAC championships begin Feb. 25.

In my time covering sports here at The Oswegonian and as a student involved in media organizations, I have never seen our teams this talented. The men’s basketball team is 21-2 and truly a box office attraction here at Oswego State. Jeremiah Sparks and the guys from Max Ziel Gymnasium are lighting up teams and have only lost to one conference opponent this season. Their success has been huge and it has been contagious to other winter sports like ice hockey. The men and women of the Deborah F. Stanley Arena have also been lighting it up in their own respect earning playoff berths as the top two teams in their conference. Ed Gosek’s team is currently sitting atop the SUNYAC conference and has found its strength and momentum at the right time in 2022. Mark Digby and the girls from the other locker room have found their stride as well with two more regular-season games left and playoffs starting next weekend. Two underrated sports will also start their postseason campaign as well with the swim and dive going to SUNYACs this weekend and wrestling preparing for regionals on Feb. 26. Both teams have told me their teams have been gaining more attention in 2022 and are ready to perform at full tilt in their respective events. I think they are happy just to be back after not playing last year. If I have to be honest, none of these sports teams are an illusion this year and they look ready to upset a lot of programs around the state. There is something about wearing that Oswego State logo in the month of February that adds a huge performance boost. Next weekend could be the pinnacle of a lot of athletic careers so make sure to have some popcorn on deck. There is a lot going, on so check out oswegolakers.com for times and destinations for the Green and Gold.

INSIDE

C2 Nintendo Direct pulls

out all stops

C3 Local school performs C4

‘Mamma Mia!’

‘I Want You Back’ boasts honest romance

FRIDAY Feb. 18, 2022

LAKER REVIEW

FRIDAY, Feb. 18, 2022

Nintendo Direct impresses with unexpected gaming reveals

William Rogers Creative Director wrogers@oswegonian.com

Rating:

Nintendo unveiled an absolute banger of a Direct on Feb. 9. The Direct featured over 20 new games, ports and DLC additions to already released games. The direct first opened with a trailer for the upcoming “Fire Emblem” game titled “Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes.” Although Fire Emblem fans were excited to see a new game, it was revealed to be a spin-off and not part of the main series. “Fire Emblem Warriors” will be released on June 24, 2022. Nintendo then dropped trailers for two highly anticipated games: “Mario Strikers Battle League” and “Splatoon 3.” “Mario Strikers Battle League” is a 5 v. 5 Mario themed soccer game. The last “Mario Strikers” game was released for the Wii back in 2007 so it is exciting to see the franchise get a much needed

refresh. Mario Strikers will be released on June 10, 2022. First announced just over a year ago, Splatoon 3 is Nintendo’s own third-person shooter. This trailer focused on the game’s newly updated “Salmon Run” game mode and announced a release frame sometime in the summer. Breaking up a wave of ports, Nintendo unveiled yet another trailer for their highly anticipated Kirby themed platformer: “Kirby and the Forgotten Land.” The trailer showcased main character Kirby’s “Mouthful Mode” where he is able to suck up objects into his mouth in order to gain new powers and abilities. The trailer showcases Kirby inhaling various things including cars, cones and lightbulbs. “Kirby and the Forgotten Land” is set to be released on March 25, 2022. Nintendo then shocked the world and brought nostalgia to many with the announcement of “Nintendo Switch Sports,” a new sports themed game derived

off of the classic fan favorite, Wii Sports. The game brings back classic tennis and bowling while introducing new games such as volleyball and badminton. The game makes excellent use of Nintendo’s Joy-Con controller’s motion sensors allowing older fans to relive moments playing Wii Sports using Wii remotes. “Nintendo Switch Sports” is set to be released April 29, 2022.

Following a trailer for the new “Cuphead” DLC, “The Delicious Last Course,” Nintendo announced a free update to last year’s Game of the Year nominee, “Metroid Dread.“ The update adds new “Rookie” and “Dread” difficulty settings, as well as a “Boss Rush” mode, where players work to defeat every boss in the game one at a time in a row. The Direct continued on fur-

ther, announcing that “Earthbound“ and “Earthbound Beginnings” would be added to the Nintendo Switch Online program. More unexpected was the announcement of a “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe” DLC pack. Priced at $24.99, the “Booster Course Pass” will add 48 remastered tracks to the game. The courses are set to be released in packs of eight and will be released over the course of the year. Nintendo ended the direct off with a trailer for the highly anticipated JRPG “Xenoblade Chronicles 3.” The game will bridge the gap between the first two “Xenoblade” games and is set to be released sometime in September 2022. All in all, Nintendo’s February Direct gave most gamers something to look forward to. The Direct showcased a nice mix of RPG, sports, indie and AAA games, and brought forward a nice balance between ports and remasters and new titles to look forward to.

provided the most melodic pieces of the night with her backup dancers, who later dispersed to give her the stage. Though seemingly out of breath, she dispensed some impressive vocals and ended with a dramatic fall to the ground. Blige’s performance was followed by the next rapper, Kendrick Lamar (“Damn.”) He was revealed from a sea of dancers in cardboard boxes. Lamar’s portion of

the performance was the most impressively choreographed and was accompanied by equally interesting camerawork. The use of panning and movement made these songs feel immersive. This portion also made use of overhead cameras, showing a dance reminiscent of a marching band. The final and biggest entrance of the night was from Eminem (“Music To Be Murdered By.”) He emerged from the explosion of a set piece. After a short interlude, the six artists united centerstage to finish the show. Though rap itself and the works of these artists are often deep and meaningful, this performance seemed to focus elsewhere, especially when it was so difficult to hear the lyrics. Much like many highly commercialized concerts, the show in some ways felt like a demonstration of extravagance. The set, though an interesting concept, did not always translate well to camera. The individual performances taking place in

different sections of the town were sometimes difficult to follow when seen through the lens of a camera. The finale, though, used the set well, moving artists between sections and placing band members strategically throughout the area. One exciting aspect of this year’s show was that its performers were predominantly artists of color. The Super Bowl is arguably one of the most important events in American culture, and featuring artists of color on its mainstage is essential for demonstrating what America is. This halftime show had a very specific target audience. For viewers who were not familiar with the genre or era of music, it was more difficult to feel engaged with and excited by the performance. For those included in the target audience, the show was exciting and enjoyable. These older hip-hop and rap artists, for some, constituted an exciting reunion full of familiar music and faces.

Image from Nintendo via YouTube The Direct made shocking reveals like a DLC pack for “Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.”

Halftime Show falls short despite impressive lineup Mackenzie Shields Staff Writer laker@oswegonian.com

Rating: At this year’s Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show, several hip hop artists and rappers took the stage in a collaborative performance. The show opened with Dr. Dre (“Compton”) as the DJ atop a large monochromatic town scene, facing an enormous white soundboard. He was soon joined by Snoop Dogg (“BODR”) who helped him open the show. The goal of the opening song seemed to be to promote audience engagement and excitement, and was reminiscent of a pep rally. The performance’s musical aspects were rather simple. Much of what constitutes rap, namely its lyrics, were difficult to distinguish because of the venue. Stadium acoustics are notoriously difficult to work with for both artists and their audience. The focus then shifted

downward a club scene inside the set. 50 Cent (“Wish Me Luck,”) a surprise performer, sang “In Da Club.” Though this song was recognizable for many, the dancing felt unchoreographed, but effectively reproduced the atmosphere of a club. The scene then shifted focus to Mary J. Blige (“Good Morning Gorgeous,”) adorned in metallic cheetah print and accompanied by a group of women. Blige

Image from NFL via YouTube The halftime show featured performers including Dr. Dre (left) and Snoop Dogg (right.)

LAKER REVIEW

FRIDAY, Feb. 18, 2022

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Oswego High School Music Department performs ‘Mamma Mia!’ Faith Smith Staff Writer laker@oswegonian.com

Rating: The Oswego High School put on performances of the hit musical “Mamma Mia!” at the Robinson-Faust Theatre on Feb. 11 and 12 of this year. In the show’s program, “A Note from the Director,” Eve Phillips stated that Oswego High School had not been able to pull off a musical performance for two years. Their last one was “Beauty and the Beast” in February 2020 and less than a month later, COVID-19 forced schools across the globe to lock down. Phillips wrote that hearts were broken for all the drama clubs who worked hard for their productions, but were canceled in the blink of an eye. After many months of yearning to put on a show for their community once again, Phillips and Robert Dumas, the show’s music director and producer, decided that the perfect musical to bring to the stage was surely “Mamma Mia!” After all, it had everything that the students and

the community had missed. Lots of color, upbeat tunes, energetic dances and a light-hearted plot. In the musical, Donna, an independent hotelier in the Greek islands, is preparing for her daughter’s wedding with the help of two old friends. Meanwhile Sophie, the spirited bride, has a plan. She secretly invites three men from her mother’s past in hope of meeting her real father and having him escort her down the aisle on her big day. It was obvious that the Oswego High School Music Department added their own unique and creative twists to their show. This was significant because 90% of the audience probably had already seen “Mamma Mia!” before. However, they went to watch the live performance in person for a reason. It would have been a bore had the cast not switched things up like they did. Another noteworthy aspect of the show is that all of the actors had such strong voices. Each actor embraced their characters while also not simply “copying” them, and added bits and pieces of their own personalities. It probably was challenging to have to sing and

Image from Mamma Mia! via mamma-mia.com The upbeat, energetic “Mamma Mia!” was the obvious choice for Oswego High School to perform after years without a show.

dance around the stage with masks on, but in unity, there was certainly strength. The costumes were superb, while the set design was magnificent! The clothing each character was wearing on stage replicated what they wore in the original musical, which was fascinating. They were chosen perfectly to match the Greek island setting, and the time period. There were scenes at the beach and the costumes still remained appropriate to show they were still in bathing suits, while not being too revealing.

The stage was set up beautifully from start to finish. Very smooth transitions between scenes. The boat dock with the rope and lifeguard ring buoy was such a nice touch. Lights and sound were nice, only concern being possible small technical difficulties involving microphones, but that was not human error. It was lovely to see that inclusiveness and equality was very evident in the show. There were breathtaking scenes in the courtyard, under the moonlight. Some may say, their favorite parts were

the dazzling costumes in Act One, Scene Eight, while others may have loved the warm and sunny beach scenes the most. After watching the performance, there were many questions about if the fire near the ceiling was real, and if the cast meant to have someone lose their shoe like “Cinderella.” The overall effect of the atmosphere the cast and crew provided to their community was fun, charming and comedic. Everyone did a job well done getting the audience to dance out of their seats.

‘Lightyear’ trailer brings hope, raises questions for ‘Toy Story’ spin-off Lauren Royce Contributing Writer laker@oswegonian.com Fans of the “Toy Story” franchise are in for a treat coming this June. After four “Toy Story” movies comes “Lightyear,” a spinoff set in the same universe and the latest creation from Disney and Pixar that promises to explore the backstory of Buzz Lightyear. For the first time, we get to see the man behind the toy as he and his crew work to free themselves after being “marooned on this planet.” The official trailer was released on YouTube last Tuesday by Pixar and has since garnered over 15 million views. Have you ever wondered what movie Andy saw in “Toy Story?” Director Angus MacLane (“Finding Dory”) asked the same question when pitching the idea for the movie, according to an October

Image from Pixar via YouTube Chris Evans takes over as the voice of the titular Space Ranger in the upcoming Pixar film.

2021 online article in Collider. He also expressed that he had wanted to pursue a story for Buzz for a long time, as sci-fi is his personal favorite genre. MacLane will be making his directorial debut with the film, after mainly working in animation for Pixar since 1997. The roles of the cast have not yet been fully disclosed, but viewers can expect the voices of a few favorites.

Chris Evans (“Avengers: Endgame”) will be voicing Buzz Lightyear, and Keke Palmer (“Hustlers”) will be voicing Izzy, who briefly appears in the trailer. Who better to voice the iconic Space Ranger than Captain America himself? Other big names such as Taika Waititi (“Jojo Rabbit”), Uzo Aduba (“Orange Is the New Black”) and Isiah Whitlock Jr. (“The Wire”) are among the

cast as well. For now, only the character names are listed beneath them, so it is not known what Hawthorne and Morrison look like. Little kids and adults alike are sure to get a kick out of Peter Sohn (Executive Producer, “Luca”) as Sox, an orange robot cat joining Buzz for the ride. The “Lightyear” trailer is just shy of two minutes long, but it is breathtakingly gorgeous and Pixar’s expert tailoring shines through yet again in its flawless animation. Just when we thought computer animation could not get any more precise and intricate, the iconic studio duo still manages to outdo itself in showcasing a gritty yet fun sci-fi setting. How long has it been since we have seen a good animated sci-fi, anyway? Pixar shows they have come a long way since “Wall-E” with this trailer. Its beauty and quality cannot be overstated, as we see high-

tech spaceships and towering robots, presumably in Emperor Zurg’s army, nearly resembling “Star Wars” sets. A snippet of David Bowie’s (“Life on Mars?”) “Starman” plays in the second half, combined with some orchestra music composed by Michael Giacchino, who has composed the music for several other Pixar movies like “Up” and “The Incredibles.” There really is no better song to encapsulate a movie about Buzz Lightyear. The sound alone elicits nostalgia and wonder, no doubt purposefully engineered by Giacchino. As any good trailer should, it leaves you with some questions: what planet are they on? Who is who? Can we expect some easter eggs in reference to the previous movies? Perhaps we can expect more trailers as the release date approaches- we will have to wait to find out. Until then, stay buzzed for Buzz and his friends.

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LAKER REVIEW

FRIDAY, Feb. 18, 2022

Amazon Studios releases cheesy romantic comedy ‘I Want You Back’ Ethan Stinson Laker Review Editor estinson@oswegonian.com

Rating: Released just in time for Valentine’s Day, Amazon Studios’ “I Want You Back” stands as a solid entry among the expansive library of romantic comedies available for couples to enjoy during the holiday. Although it sometimes falls for the genre’s conventional trappings, a charming pair of leads and clever romantic story render the film a worthwhile watch on any date night or Valentine’s Day. “I Want You Back” stars Charlie Day (“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”) and Jenny Slate (“On the Rocks”) as Peter and Emma, a pair of strangers who meet after being dumped the same weekend. Conspiring to help one another win their exes back, a wrench is thrown into their plan when the two begin falling for each other. Based on its premise, the film blatantly pulls cards from other romantic comedies, namely “Forgetting Sarah Marshall.”

Bearing an overarching “will they, won’t they?” conflict, it may also seem derivative of films like “When Harry Met Sally…” Despite its lack of originality in the storytelling department, “I Want You Back” stays afloat because of its leads’ charm and chemistry. Showing restraint compared to their past works, Day and Slate both flex their comedic chops while portraying honest humans, rather than caricatures. The humble nature of their performances reflects in the development of their characters’ relationship, which progresses organically, rather than feeling rushed like in other romance films. This natural progression is further benefited by multiple setbacks and moments of uncertainty, much like how real-life relationships progress. Whereas Peter and Emma are portrayed as real humans, the same cannot be said for the supporting cast, namely, their exes and replacements. Depicted as egotistical individuals, the over-exaggerated way the characters are written often awkwardly contrasts with the more grounded leads. However, mak-

Image from Prime Video via YouTube Charlie Day and Scott Eastwood star as adversaries turned friends in a comedic, if unoriginal film from Amazon Studios

ing the exes unlikable also greatly benefits Peter and Emma’s relationship. By establishing their exes’ horrid personalities from the get-go, it is established that they are deserving of someone better. Thus sets the stage for their chance meeting and their ensuing romance. The moments leading up to and following their first encounter do contain some humorous moments. Focusing mainly on Peter and Emma coping with their break-ups, the sporadic nature of the first act’s comedy

causes the film to get off to a slow start. However, the initiation of Peter and Emma’s plan in the second act greatly helps the film find its footing, showcasing a plethora of gut-busting moments for viewers to enjoy. Showing the desperate singles as they attempt to sabotage their ex-lovers’ new relationships, viewers are presented with an abundance of hilarity and comic relief which relies on a mixture of physical comedy, awkward banter and the close-

calls that ensue. Although its unoriginal premise and slow start keep “I Want You Back” from prevailing as a new classic romance film, its charming performances, honest characters and realisticallypaced story and relationship development prove the genre still has plenty of new ground to cover. For couples or romantics looking for a new worthwhile romantic comedy to enjoy, the film is surely worth the watch.

‘This Woven Kingdom’ signals start of compelling fantasy series Gabrielle Kroeger Contributing Writer laker@oswegonian.com

Rating:

“This Woven Kingdom” by Tahereh Mafi (“Shatter Me”) is an epic fantasy novel full of magic, danger and forbidden love. Alizeh is Jinn, meaning she has magical powers that make her stronger and faster than the average person. In addition to this, she is the long-lost heir to a Jinn Kingdom. Her entire family was murdered years ago and since then Alizeh has been on the run, desperate to disappear. She is working as a servant who must wear a snoda, a mask of silk that covers the top half of her face, helping her keep her true identity a secret. Kamran is the crown prince of Ardunia, and is Clay, which means he has no powers. His grandfather has always told Kamran to be on the lookout for the evil monster set to kill

Image from Tahereh Mafi via Instagram

“This Woven Kingdom” offers a fantastical setting and captivating story.

the king. When Kamran meets Alizeh, he becomes suspicious of her, but something cannot keep him away. This book has many elements common in fantasy novels including, royalty, a forbidden romance, an impending war, betrayal and rivals to lovers. There is a powerful female lead who knows how to defend herself and survive on her own. Fantasy novels sometimes include female characters always in need of

saving but having Alizeh be the stronger one made this an exciting read. There are many intense action scenes in this book where we get to see Alizeh show off her powers. She is an extremely clever character who knows how to use whatever she has to her advantage. Since she has been on the run since she was a child, she can make a home out of something as small as an old storage closet. She is a strong

and admirable character who does not let the negative things that have happened control her life. Kamran goes through a strong character development throughout this novel. He starts off as a passive character who does not stand up for what he believes. As he gets to know Alizeh, he sees that the king has been unfair, and he tells him such. Kamran risks his position as the crown prince to continue to help Alizeh and ignores his grandfather’s wishes. This book has many positive aspects, but there are a few things that made it a bit unenjoyable at times. Alizeh and Kamran are not allowed to fall in love because of both of their positions, but there is some romance between them. Mafi did not give the characters enough time to fall in love before Kamran started talking about marriage. It seemed too fast for the two characters to actually be in love. It would

have been nice if there were more scenes included where Kamran snuck into the house Alizeh was working at to pretend he was spying, but he was really going to visit her. Another aspect of the story that could have been improved was the beginning. Mafi included many scenes towards the beginning of the novel that seemed unnecessary. It took a while for her to build up the action and it would have been nice to see less of Alizeh cleaning, and more of her and Kamran doing things to fight the common enemy. That being said, Mafi did an amazing job with world building in this story and the plot was strong. This is the first book in an upcoming series that will be released over the next few years. After finishing this book, you will find yourself missing the world and wishing the series was already complete.

LAKER REVIEW

FRIDAY, Feb. 18, 2022

Hippo Campus tackles unpleasant subjects with album 'LP3' Annika Wickham Chief Copy Editor awickham@oswegonian.com

Rating: Rock band Hippo Campus’ (“Landmark”) third studio album “LP3” marks a successful end to their almost four-year hiatus, sporting unique melodies, strong lyrics and thoughtprovoking themes. Hippo Campus’ last full album, “Bambi,” was released in 2018 and was followed by a series of singles, with no word on another full-length album until 2021. In October, the band dropped their single “Boys” and announced “LP3,” which became available Feb. 4, 2022. In anticipation of the new album, Hippo Campus released two additional singles, “Semi Pro” and “Ride or Die,” both of which added to the suspense “Boys” created. The band has a guitar-heavy sound, with three of the five members playing the instrument in their own particular style. This, mixed with the keyboard and occasionally the trumpet, creates a unique sound only Hippo Campus could produce.

The entire album only boasts a 33 minute run time, but it packs a lot of heavy material into its ten songs. The opening track “2 Young 2 Die” has major themes of battling mental health and coping with substances, which is also heard throughout the entire album. The chorus “Everyone takes what they can handle/Everyone thinks they're too young to die” showcases the invincibility one may feel in their youth. “Boys” has a similar feel but with a more upbeat melody, with the repeated phrases “I'm doing every line/I'm phasing out the humdrum/I do this every time,” implying the person is escaping into a high to avoid their issues. “Semi Pro” shows a different take on being young and making mistakes by offering listeners to look towards the future instead of living in the past. Lead singer Jake Luppon reflects on previously mentioned bad habits as he sings, “Been broken and bruised, yeah, yeah/Peace out, I'm never going back now/I've been bad, but I'm only getting better.” Hippo Campus delves into deeper parts of mental illness with “Bang Bang,” which is en-

Image from Hippo Campus via YouTube Hippo Campus encourages listeners to look toward the future rather than dwell on the past in the reflective single "Semi Pro."

tirely about seasonal depression. The repeated lyrics, “Dead winter gonna take my life/…/Dead winter gonna snow me in” reflect the intense feelings the winter months may cause. With “LP3” being released in the heart of winter, this song is meant to speak directly to listeners who may relate. Other songs feature more traditional motifs of love and loss. “Ashtray” talks of miscommunications and the hardships they cause, even if unintentional.

“LP3” concludes with “Boys” and “Understand,” which are arguably the most different songs on the album. “Boys” has a faster pace with a lighter tone, as it describes life as a single person in the city, while “Understand” is much slower with contrasting lyrics like “Gotta find the right scene and I'm getting clean/ Running out of energy playing for the wrong team.” The songs can be seen as a journey, with “Boys” showcasing the person

running away from their problems and then finally coming to terms with their unhealthy habits in “Understand.” With their third studio album, Hippo Campus proves they are not afraid to get into unpleasant sides of mental health and drug use. Though done beautifully both lyrically and instrumentally, “LP3” shows off the band’s range even after three years without a full album.

ing his spot in the hip hop world. He made his debut in 2019 and since then has made several hit songs and has many quality features, but no album. “City of Gods” will be featured on the New York rapper’s debut album “B.I.B.L.E” which is to be released this spring and executive produced by West. In working on the album, West took the opportunity

to hop on a track and stir up some more unrest. West delivered a passionate performance where he did not hesitate to take shots at his affairs and make disses towards his current adversaries. With his verse on the song, West contributes to a series of spontaneous outbursts within songs and social media posts building on existing animosity. No names are mentioned, but it is clear in the lyrics “This afternoon, a hundred goons pullin' up to SNL/When I pull up, it's dead on arrival” that West is referring to the Saturday Night Live comedian Pete Davidson, who is currently involved with Kim Kardashian, his ex-wife. Further into his verse, West seems to proclaim himself a victim, comparing himself to the King of Pop, Michael Jackson (“Thriller”). “They throw a party, won't even invite you/I seen the same

thing happen to Michael/ You black and you rich, they sayin' you psycho/It's like a cycle." West tries to antagonize his ex-wife, bringing up his daughter’s birthday party that he was allegedly not invited to. West has experience dropping hit albums while under heavy fire from the media. His recent activity seems reminiscent of the time leading up to the release of his 2010 album “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,” which won album of the year. West has gone without a filter for the past couple months, especially in his music. His choice of lyric leaves fans entertained and on the edge of their seat to see what “Donda 2” has in store. The “City of Gods” single will most likely be West’s last appearance before the anticipated release of his album “Donda 2," set to drop Feb. 22.

Kanye West showcases dramatic private life in 'City of Gods' Aaron Brown Contributing Writer laker@oswegonian.com

Rating: Hip-hop mogul Kanye West (“Donda”) has taken another opportunity to stir up more drama in his private life. Following his single “Eazy” released less than a month ago, the rapper jumps on board with Fivio Foreign (“Big Drip”) and Alicia Keys (“If I Ain’t Got You”) to produce “City of Gods.” The piece pays homage and takes fans back to many hip-hop moments in the past decade. The song opens up with a great tease of the chorus from Keys. Despite the references to the Chainsmokers’ ("Closer") 2015 hit song “New York City,” her performance is reminiscent of her song “Empire State of Mind” (2009) with rap legend Jay-

Z (“4:44”). Fivio Foreign then makes his move first paying tribute to the late New York City rapper Pop Smoke (“Dior”) then proclaiming himself the King of New York. His opening lyrics “Welcome to the city of gods (What?) Pop was the king of New York, now I'm the ... in charge.” The song is a great tribute piece as Fivio takes a lively stance in claim-

Image from Fivio Foreign via YouTube "City of Gods" references songs of the past decade like The Chainsmokers' "New York City."

FRIDAY, Feb. 18, 2022

Crossword Puzzle

Across

Sudoku Fill in the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 block contains 1-9 exactly once.

1. Opera highlights 6. RR depot 9. Turner or Koppel 12. AM-FM ____ 13. Hawaiian garland 14. Young’s opposite 15. Cake layers 16. Approve 18. Thick slice 19. Gobi, for one 20. Animated 22. Wren, e.g. 25. Incidents 28. Baseball’s ____ Gehrig 29. Flat cap 30. Falcon’s claw 32. Saloon 33. Propose as a candidate 36. Rind 38. Construct 39. Oppressive ruler

41. She, in Marseille 45. Appease 47. Look of contempt 48. Enjoy a buffet 49. Apiece 50. Go in 51. “Yes” vote 52. Make a stab at 53. Duties

Down 1. Skills 2. Train track 3. Conception 4. Military runaway locale (2 wds.) 5. Mayday! 6. Garment part 7. Verb forms 8. Helper 9. Taco ingredient 10. Raised railroads

11. HST’s successor 17. Ball 19. Achieved 21. Parking area 23. Origin 24. Hill of sand 25. Subsides 26. Summit 27. Aggravate 30. Nervous twitch 31. Insect’s feeler 33. Less messy 34. Surly 35. Ran across 37. Manhattan letters 40. Engrossed 42. Allows 43. Onion’s kin 44. Slips up 45. Pod vegetable 46. Place 47. Clique

For this week’s puzzle answers ... Go to Oswegonian.com and click on the Laker Review tab!

LAKER REVIEW

...And Foul Smelling Poison Aurora Myrer

we cannot help ourselves when it comes to pretty things to tend to destroy what we love most we fill with poison pretty girls their heads full of self-loathing ideas about how to be prettiest Pretty girls hold words that could sting like foul smelling poison because they are protect their beautiful glass hearts Golden Flowers, Golden Girls. Girls gilded in beauty and popularity but we kill their kindness their soft voices and gentle spirits as if the their humanity was Dozens of beautiful golden flowers popping up from the ground...

FRIDAY, Feb 18, 2022

Shea McCarthy

Jacob Fallat