The Oswegonian 10/29/21

Look Inside: A3 Halloween returns to Oswego

Friday, Oct. 29, 2021 VOLUME LXXXXVI ISSUE VII SINCE 1935 www.oswegonian.com

Students attend career networking event The career connector event hosted six college alumnus Annika Wickham Chief Copy Editor awickham@oswegonian.com SUNY Oswego hosted a career connector networking event on Oct. 27 as part of the 2021 Dr. Lewis B. O’Donnell Media Summit in the Tyler Hall lobby.

The event featured six career connectors, who are recent SUNY Oswego alumni within the past 10 years, and now work in the media industry. Gab Candela is the career connectors coordinator for the event and said that having graduates from the past few years allows them to give better advice to students.

“A lot of them are recent graduates, like a couple years out, which I think is really good because they can relate more to being a college student as it wasn’t that long ago,” Candela

said. “They are really involved in Oswego and in their careers so I think we are getting the best of both worlds and students are really taking advantage of it.”

After the Media Summit panel students were able to ask questions and network with the connectors from 4:30 to 6 p.m. They also offered advice from their time at SUNY Oswego and on how to get jobs in the media field.

Kalie Dobrow, class of 2016, is a senior social media strategist and said her advice to students is to be open to change and to be adaptive because, in her career, you are at the mercy of updates from social media companies.

She also said that the media industry is constantly evolving, as her job did not even exist when she graduated.

Another career connector Matt Stone, class of 2015, agreed

and also said students should keep in mind their personal lives when planning out their career.

“Life moves quick,” Stone said.

“Two or three years ago I was very focused on work but then personal life plays such a big factor as you grow your career.

I didn’t even think about that at the beginning and now I’m getting married next year, it’s totally different … Your personal life and personal relationships end up playing a factor in your career.”

Stone is a segment producer for Good Morning America and focuses on finding and booking guests for interviews. He also said that the field is constantly changing, partially because of COVID-19 and how it impacts in-person work.

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William Rogers | The Oswegonian

CONTENT

The career connector event after the Lewis B. O’Donnell Media Summit serves as a way for media students to talk to professionals.

Calendar...................... A3 Crossword................... C6 Contact Info................ A2 Laker Review.............. C1 News............................. A1 Opinion........................ B1 Sports........................... B3 Sudoku........................ C6

Lewis B. O’Donnell Media Summit returns to campus

William Rogers | The Oswegonian The Lewis B. O’Donnell Media Summit returned to a hybrid model after being virtual in 2020.

Brandon Ladd Editor-in-Chief bladd@oswegonian.com The Lewis B. O’Donnell media summit returned to campus on Oct. 27 after being virtual last year due to COVID-19. Waterman Theatre in Tyler Hall was turned into a red carpet entrance in the lobby of the building and the backdrop for the usual panel of media experts to discuss this year’s theme.

The theme was “On-Demand In Demand: Audiences and the Future of Video Streaming,” featuring the panel of Renard Jenkins, Jamie Duemo, Chrissy Guest and Frank Palumbo. Palumbo, a 1983 graduate of SUNY Oswego was the only alumni on the panel.

Jenkins is the vice president of content transmission and production technology for Warner Media. Duomo is a Media and Entertainment Business Development Leader for Amazon Web Service. Guest is currently an Associate Professor of Media Arts, Sciences and Studies at Ithaca College. While Palumbo is Vice President of Local Television for Nielsen.

The panel discussed the hybrid model of working in the media industry going forward and this was on full display

as Palumbo and Jenkins both contributed to the panel from a Zoom link. Both, several hundreds of miles away from SUNY Oswego. Vastly different from the usual fully in-person event that was seen from 2005 until 2019 before the pandemic.

SUNY Oswego student Abigail Czerwonka was the event director and introduced the event from a podium on stage.

Czerwonka expressed thanks to the SUNY Oswego School of Communications, Media and the Arts in her remarks for allowing the event to be possible. She also thanked SUNY Oswego President Deborah F. Stanley before welcoming Stanley to the stage.

Stanley introduced the panelists and also remarked on the need for television in each person’s life over the recent tough times as a form of comfort.

“For decades television has comforted us,” Stanley said. “I know that during hard times it has served as an escape from life’s challenges. Giving us a chance to laugh, a chance to relate, a chance to be transported to a different time or a different place. A different reality. And how much have we needed that over the course of the past 19 months.”

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THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Oct. 29, 2021

Weekend Forecast

Gonian Social

FRIDAY, OCT. 29 THROUGH SUNDAY, OCT. 31

Friday

H: 57°

Sunday

Saturday

L: 46 °

H: 58 °

L: 48 °

H: 57°

70%

50%

L: 46 °

The Oswegonian

@TheOswegonian

50%

@GonianLRO

@the_oswegonian

@GonianSports

@GonianMMD

Chance of Precipitation

NEW YORK STATE

WEATHER FRIDAY, OCT. 29

Potsdam 56°/42°

Oswego 57°/46° Albany 57°/47°

Syracuse 59°/46°

Buffalo 55°/47°

Delbert Smith, 43, was arrested on Oct. 15 at 10:41 a.m. on an active bench warrant by the Oswego City Court for aggravated harassment in the second degree and petit larceny.

NYC 60°/55°

Weather forecast provided by Brittney Sparceno from WTOP-10

Extended Forecast Monday

H: 54 °

L: 46 °

Tuesday

H: 51 °

20%

MONDAY, NOV. 1 THROUGH FRIDAY, NOV. 5

Wednesday

L: 42 °

30%

H: 49 °

Karastie Pfendler, 30, was arrested on Oct. 15 at 6:30 a.m. by the Fulton Police Department for an active bench warrant given by the Oswego City Court.

L: 42 °

Thursday

H: 52°

20%

L: 41 °

20%

Friday

H: 50 °

L: 41 °

30%

STAFF

Editor-in-Chief | Brandon Ladd Managing Editor l Abigail Connolly News Editor | Syndey Havens Opinion Editor | John Custodio Sports Editor | Jack Perdek Laker Review Editor | Ethan Stinson Multimedia Editor | Zac Case Photo Director | Kailee Montross Creative Director | William Rogers Chief Copy Editor | Annika Wickham Copy Editor | Spencer Bates Copy Editor | Abigail Conpropst

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Anthony Schaefer, 33, was arrested on Oct. 18 at 12:14 a.m. for contempt in the second degree when he was seen violating a stay away order of protection by Oswego police in the City of Oswego.

**Police blotter information is provided by the

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Shawn Donoghue, 33, was arrested on Oct. 16 at 4:48 p.m. for assault in the third degree following a domestic incident that occured in the city of Oswego.

Oswego City Police Department**

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On the Opinion Cover!

NEWS

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

I encourage families to check out the Creepy Crawl during Halloween weekend and support our downtown, small businesses while doing so.”

-Oswego Mayor, Billy Barlow, from A5

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Oct. 29, 2021

Return to normal Halloween activities in town

A3

Socializing is back on campus after a year of no festivities Brandon Ladd Editor-in-Chief bladd@oswegonian.com The SUNY Oswego campus and the greater city of Oswego area have several Halloweenthemed events coming up for the weekend of Oct. 29 to 31. These activities give college students and families the chance to get out and socialize this Halloween, after last year was bogged down by COVID-19 cases and restrictions without a vaccine yet approved to fight the illness.

The current 14-day rolling average of COVID-19 cases for SUNY Oswego students and personnel sits at nine, according to the SUNY COVID-19 tracker. A year ago, the total number of cases for the rolling 14-day average for Oct. 24 through Nov. 6 was 22. With 37 more cases in the following 14-day period.

Giving optimism that the vaccine mandate on campus has eliminated the risk of a COVID-19 surge for the campus community and with that there has been a vast amount of activities for students to participate in over the course of the weekend.

On Oct. 29, the following

groups are meeting for a Halloween-themed activity.

The Human-Computer Interaction Organization is gathering in Shineman room 306 for its Spooktober Design Challenge at 4 p.m. The club said on Laker Life, a website based around sharing SUNY Oswego events, “Join us learning how to put the fun in functional web and application design in our first entry of our portfolio series! Take cool designs as a team and make them into working wireframes and get critical feedback on them.”

The African American Males’ Empowering Network is also hosting a Halloween “Paint & Sip” event in Marano Campus Center room 232 at 4 p.m. The Bold Black Beauties will host a haunted maze at 6 p.m. in The Space, located in the Marano Campus Center from 6 to 9 p.m.

According to the organization, entry will be $3 for anyone wearing a costume and $5 for those who show up plainly clothed.

Oct. 30, the Shaun Cassidy Fan Club, the college’s improv comedy club, will be meeting in the Marano Campus Center Auditorium. The club has thrown a Halloween improv show in recent years for its meeting on Halloween weekend. The meet-

ing is from 8 to 9:30 p.m. according to Laker Life.

To finish off the weekend, the SUNY Oswego Student Association Programming Board (SAPB) is continuing its weekly hosting of Open Skate inside the Deborah F. Stanley Arena and Convocation Hall from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 31. The theme for the Open Skate will be catered to Halloween and SAPB President Aiden Burns verified via email that the movie “Hocus Pocus” will be playing on the JumboTron inside the arena.

The big event going on in the city of Oswego runs from Oct. 28 through Oct. 30, as the riverwalk will be transformed into a spooky trail for “The Creepy Crawl on Oswego Riverwalk.”

The event runs from 6 to 10 p.m. each of the three nights and starts behind the Pontiac Hotel before proceeding along the river. “Creepy Crawl” will feature Halloween characters, face painting, rock climbing wall, a haunted trail and live music,” according to the Oswego community events calendar. A food, beer and wine garden will be provided by Canale’s restaurant.

The event is suitable for all ages.

For more information on these events, visit the Laker Life and city of Oswego website.

African American Males’ Empowering Network: Paint & Sip Friday, Oct. 29 4 p.m.

MCC 232 Bold Black Beauties: Haunted Maze Friday, Oct. 29 6 to 9 p.m.

MCC: The Space Men’s Hockey vs Hobart College Friday, Oct. 29 7 p.m.

Deborah F. Stanley Ice Arena Open Skate: Halloween Theme Sunday, Oct. 31 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Deborah F. Stanley Ice Arena

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Image via Laker Life

Student Association meets at 6 p.m. every Tuesday in Lanigan Hall, Room 103

SA President, Takayla Beckon, gave executive report to the senate covering the prom committee, the Know Your Rights campaign and Oz Tournament. The Prom committee will begin activities soon with a potential to rebrand into a Gala in order to reach a wider audience.

Aside from student ambassadors, the Prom committee will require a faculty member on staff. The Know Your Rights Campaign held its first

meeting prior to the kickoff of the campaign. The Oz Tournament email was sent out to notify students of team rules and regulations as well as catagories of games and activities.

Director confirmations continued with the confirmations of the director of community outreach as Gabrielle Golfo, the director of health and safety as Arlene Mercedes De la Cruz, the director of public direction and design as Gabriele Candela and the director of sustainability as Nicole Rose.

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Media Summit from COVER

NEWS

The first major topic of the summit centered around the shift from traditional broadcast television to streaming models.

The emphasis being put on the broadcast networks embracing this shift. Duemo took the lead on the discussion during the middle portion and focused on the opportunities that this has created for local markets as well.

“It actually provides more outlets for content to be published to,” Duemo said. “A lot of work I have been doing with my customers has been how do we harness and enrich data. So, that content becomes intelligent.”

Duemo continued to say that the sharing of this information and content allows for the local news journalists on traditional television formats to focus on story arc and persona instead of just research.

The discussion pivoted to the best model for streaming services, if it was content with standard advertisements or premium accounts without. Palumbo had the strongest sentiment on the one way streamers could go wrong with their advertising choices.

“I think the over-the-top services have benefited from less ad clutter,” Palumbo said. “I think the commercial pop-ups are shorter and more tolerable.

I think if the streamers build up a lot of clutter, too many ads like traditional cable. Then they could be in some trouble.”

A major topic discussed and analyzed during the middle portion of the event centered around the topic of appointment television. Or the traditional cable viewing experience that many college students grew up with but now have alternatives to. The streaming services have started to creep back towards this model. Netflix, Hulu and Apple TV all have

FRIDAY, Oct. 29, 2021

A4

Networking Event from COVER

William Rogers | The Oswegonian

Brandon Ladd Editor-in-Chief bladd@oswegonian.com

THE OSWEGONIAN

shows that come out each week on a single day. Different from the original binge-like experience each offered. Jenkins believes that keeping a live-feel or the appointment television model is accomplished through interacting between audience and shows.

“Everybody wants to watch [sports and music] live,” Jenkins said. “That is because they want to comment on it during the actual event. So, I think when we tap into that recipe for interacivity from your audience. You can get that live feeling back.”

The panel closed by answering some rapid fire type questions for the final 15 minutes of the summit. The key topic discussed during this was what skills that employers are looking from entry-level workers. A topic that relates directly to the audience of media college students in attendance. Guest went into detail about the ability for a successful worker to stand out due to their digital skills and the ability to stand out with digital media compared to others.

“You need to be versatile,” Guest said. “You need to be able to pivot and you need to be able to manage in-person and remote. So, I would say the organizational skills, the communication skills [are most important].”

She went on to suggest that students have an advantage when it comes to digital content due to the ability to put it out now and do so consistently.

This is vastly different from sending demo reels a generation ago by mail, according to Guest. She urged students to take advantage of this.

The event closed out by faculty advisor Michael Riecke thanking the panel and making sure that students knew to participate in the career connector event which featured six recent SUNY Oswego alumnus working in the media industry.

The 2021 Media summit signalfies the return of the event in-person after being virtual due to COVID-19. The discussion faced the reality of how the industry is changing after the pandemic and how streaming is pushing that change.

Matthew Hernandez | The Oswegonian The career connector event allowed for students to connect with recent graduates from SUNY Oswego who work in media.

Annika Wickham Chief Copy Editor awickham@oswegonian.com

“Staffing has decreased a little bit, departments have gotten smaller, responsibilities have grown on my end from where I started,” Stone said. “It was always a 24/7 job and that hasn’t changed but how I do work, being able to do it from my apartment instead of the office has a big difference.”

Even though Stone said his team has downsized over the past few years, that does not mean jobs are also decreasing.

“The opportunities right now are continuing to grow,” Stone said. “We used to be just a couple of ABC shows and now there is ABC News Lives which is 24/7 and you can get news anytime. Under the Disney branch there’s Hulu that has news coverage, you have YouTube channels, I think that continuing to report and to create is very important.”

Travis Clark, class of 2015, works for Insider as a senior media reporter and also said that the popularity of streaming services has changed the media industry and will continue to do so.

“The rise of streaming ser-

vices is completely different,” Clark said. “When I started it was mostly just Netflix, Prime Video and Hulu … every giant media corporation has a streaming service now.”

Clark also agreed with Stone that now is the best time to be a senior graduating because there is an influx of opportunities in media.

“It’s a great time to apply for jobs, there are a lot of jobs open,” Clark said. “It is a really fascinating time to be in media or to cover media because of how quickly things are changing with new technologies being introduced, it’s just an exciting time.”

Career connectors also reflected on their time at SUNY Oswego and what experiences helped them the most.

Geselle Martinez, class of 2017, is a stage manager for CBS Good Morning America and is “eyes, ears and voice of the director in the control room.” She said working with student media showed her what part of media and entertainment she wanted to pursue after college.

“The reason I came to Oswego and what I was inspired by was WTOP,” Martinez said. “I thought I wanted to anchor and on-air talent and it turned out that while at Oswego I decided that’s not what I wanted to do. Oswego helped open my eyes to that and

directed me to maybe I want to be a director instead and where I am now [working at CBS] will help me to get to that point.”

Martinez also worked on the Media Summit and said it was her favorite part of her college years because it helped her gain confidence and meet new people.

“The Media Summit was something I was a part of in 2017 and it was such a great experience,” Martinez said. “It was very eye opening, it built a lot of character for me and I did a lot of networking. One of the career connectors [that year] … is the art director for CBS This Morning and I work there now, so he actually emailed me a couple weeks ago … and said ‘I saw your name for the Media Summit, congratulations!’ How crazy is it that four years ago he was walking these classrooms telling me not to be nervous and here I am coming back.”

After the Media Summit students were given the chance to sign up for information about working next year’s event, which includes being ambassadors for career connectors.

For more information about this year’s Summit or to get involved, students can visit the Media Summit website or email this year’s event director Abby Czerwonka at aczerwon@osewgo.edu.

Matthew Hernandez | The Oswegonian The event took place after the Lewis B. O’Donnell Media Summit outside of Waterman Theatre, inside the Tyler Hall lobby.

NEWS Breast cancer survivor faces challenges

Jill Slattery was in remission, now has stage four breast cancer

Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Hampton Jill Slattery, 54-year-old breast cancer surviror, walking in the Pink Ribbon Walk and Run in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Melanie Higgins Contributing writer news@oswegonian.com After almost 10 years, 54-yearold Jill Slattery was living her life in remission, but a little while later, a new pain quickly turned things around.

What was supposed to be a simple back surgery turned into what she calls a terrifying discovery. Now Slattery is right back where she started all those years ago, and this time she is facing a new challenge.

“I thought I was one of the lucky ones, after all those 10 years,” Slattery said. “Now they found a mass in my lung, my hip and in my spine.”

Now with stage four breast cancer, she faces a number of challenges in her day-to-day life, but she said the start of the pandemic horrified her.

“I panicked worse knowing that if I get it I’d be gone fast,” Slattery said.

She trembled a little, recalling the days going to and from the doctors, going through chemotherapy.

Now she is reliving some of her worst days all the while trying to avoid COVID-19.

“I’m almost in tears, I try to avoid the appointment,” Slattery said.

“Anything and everything, because you just don’t want them to tell you anything bad.”

Her weakened immune system only makes this harder. It has been months since she last left the house for anything other than to go to the doctors. Seeing family and resuming a normal life through it all is hard, she said.

Nevertheless, Slattery lives each day like it is her last, because “that’s all you can really do,” she explained.

Those who are close with Slat-

tery said it is a silent battle that she is working through. They describe her as selfless and tough.

“She still has to take care of her mother with dementia, she even went over there when she had her walker recovering from surgery,” Elizabeth Hampton, Slattery’s daughter-in-law said. “She doesn’t like to ask for help.”

Hampton said one of the hardest parts of it all is seeing her motherin-law in pain. This being so hard because Slattery has always been there for her in hard times.

However, Hampton said that she was one of the lucky ones that had the opportunity to be with Slattery in the hospital during her last extended stay.

“I knew she wasn’t in the right state of mind, I knew she was scared,” Hampton said. “She said that every time she would hit the call button, no one would come.”

The short staffed hospitals, and heavy COVID-19 restrictions keeping close friends and family away from their loved ones made the journey even harder. Hampton, a healthcare worker herself, took advantage of her knowledge of the hospital and patient care and sympathized with struggling staff and confused patients.

Slattery laid alone in a small shared room, with a tiny curtain for privacy, and an inconvenient urinal during her time in the hospital, according to Hampton.

“People need to have advocates for themselves, even if they can’t be the ones to do it,” Hampton said.

Slattery lives with her husband, and they take care of each other.

Slattery said she just wants to have the opportunity to spend more time playing with her grandkids. But the cancer “came back with a vengeance,” as Hampton described it.

Hampton has since been more than willing to give a helping hand back to her mother-in-law.

She has been taking to Twitter and uses her platform to bring some form of financial support when things get tight.

“We’re still recovering from the first time around,” Slattery said. “I had to quit work, and yeah, we never could catch back up again.”

Slattery and her husband after she had finished radiation on her leg back in September.

Slattery, thankful for the support, now stands along side her daughter-in-law advocating for others in similar circumstances.

With October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Hampton and Slattery now urge women and others to get checked and to learn the warning signs before it is too late.

“When she [Slattery] first got diagnosed she wasn’t going to ask.

She felt a lump, it didn’t hurt, so she didn’t worry,” Hampton said.

“I always say, ‘can I get my sons tested?’” Slattery said. “I’m adopted, so I can’t say what runs in my family.”

Nevertheless, Slattery said she is hoping a cure will come through soon for those in the same situation as her. With her experiences, Slattery is hoping to inspire those struggling with breast cancer and spread awareness about the disease.

“Just try to live your day like you would any other day even though you’re sick and you feel bad,” Slattery said.

After over a decade battle, Slattery said she is most looking forward to being with her family and hopes to hear good news from her doctors soon.

“I just want them to tell me the chemo is working and I can get my life back on track where I’m a normal grandma,” Slattery said.

Slattery continues her journey to battle breast cancer for the second time now.

Photo Brief

Creepy Crawl event returning to Oswego Oct.28 Sydney Havens News Editor shavens@oswegonian.com The colder weather is a sign that Halloween is approaching and the city of Oswego is gearing up for a family-friendly celebration. Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow has announced the second “Creepy Crawl Haunted Trail” event will return this year along the west linear riverwalk on the Oswego River from Oct. 28 through Oct. 30 The event features a Halloween themed haunted walk lined with live Halloween characters and decorations. Activities will include a rock climb, mechanical bull, face painting and a roaming T-Rex. There will also be food vendors, as well as a beer and wine garden provided by Canale’s Restaurant. The three-day event is Images via City of Oswego free to the public and appropriate

for all ages.

The “Creepy Crawl” event first started in 2019 but was not held in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The first Creepy Crawl was a great success so we’re going to make an even larger event that caters to people of all ages,” Barlow said. “We continue to create new and expand existing events to give Oswego families more fun activities to do throughout the year and events to attend and have fun. I encourage families to check out the Creepy Crawl during Halloween weekend and support our downtown, small businesses while doing so.”

Live musical performances will include The Swooners, the Silver Arrow Band and the Jess Novak band. Also, the open container ordinance will be lifted in the event area for the duration of the event.

More information about this event can be found on oswegony.org.

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Oct. 29, 2021

A5

NEWS A6 Understanding poverty rates in Oswego THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Oct. 29, 2021

Photo Brief

Tarot card readings

Series of events has resulted in the increase seen

Image via Laker Life

Annika Wickham Chief Copy Editor awickham@oswegonian.com SUNY Oswego’s Student Association Planning Board (SAPB) hosted Modern Divination, Palm and Tarot Readings with Larry & Raven on Oct. 26 in the Hearth Lounge in the Marano Campus Center.

The event was free and students could wait in line from 6 to 9 p.m. to get either a palm or tarot reading from Raven or Larry. Interactions lasted for 5 to 10 minutes depending on the reading.

Raven and Larry are a mentalist couple based in Long Island and have been in practice together for over 30 years. They are high school sweethearts and began working together in divination in college.

“He would show me a magic trick before class and I would read his tarot,” Raven said. She added that their style of “modern” divination is a mix of many different styles of mentalism, psychic readings, oracle studies and more and is constantly being influenced by people they meet on their travels.

As a team, Raven and Larry have been to more than a dozen

countries and 40 states within the U.S., according to their website, and they have no plans to stop. Raven said her favorite part of touring is connecting and inspiring people and she hopes to give them light in the darkness when they do readings or shows.

The couple first came to SUNY Oswego in August 2021 during freshman orientation for a mentalist show sponsored by SAPB. The performance was so popular and loved that they immediately began working to come back. The palm and tarot reading event was also very popular, as the line for a reading was over an hour long and some students were turned away.

SUNY Oswego student Lauren Michaels said she loved the event and hopes to see more in the future. Because it was free, she said it was a perfect opportunity to “get a quick reading” instead of making an appointment with a psychic, which can take weeks.

With the popularity of Raven and Larry on campus, students hope to see them in Oswego again soon. A full calendar of on and off-campus SAPB sponsored activities and events can be found on the SUNY Oswego website. .

Brandon Ladd

bladd@oswegonian.com

Image via City of Oswego's Website The average poverty level has hovered around an alarming 25-30% for the past few decades in the city of Oswego.

Abigail Conpropst Copy Editor aconpropst@oswegonian.com Poverty levels in the city of Oswego have been high for a long time, according to the United State Census Bureau, who show that they have risen an additional 5% since 1997.

The poverty rate was 24.3% in 1997, according to the city of Oswego's website and had increased to 25.3% by 2012, then to 28.9% in 2016 and slightly decreased to 26.7% in 2019, as found by the U.S. Census Bureau.

In 2017, "Although the official poverty rate in the City [was] 29%, another 18% of residents have income at or below 200% of the poverty threshold, which means they often struggle to make ends meet," according to a LIFT (Learn, Identify, Focus and Transform) Oswego Needs Assessment.

"This isn't really a new thing," Dr. Elizabeth Schmitt, professor of economics at SUNY Oswego said.

"We can find decades of data that would tell us that poverty rates in Oswego County are higher than the national average."

The average U.S. poverty rate in 2020 was 11.4%, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Rural areas, like the city of Oswego, tend to have higher poverty rates than the national average, Schmitt said. There are not as many job opportunities due to fewer employers and underemployment can be an issue, too.

Transportation is a significant contributor to poverty in rural, spread-out areas, Schmitt said.

Unlike a rural one, an urban area has more public transit options that are more widely available.

A lack of a vehicle makes it difficult for an individual to get to and keep a job and travel to higher education, like college or trade school, Schmitt said.

According to the Needs Assessment, "Census data show

that 16% of city households do not have a vehicle, and 61% of jobs held by city residents are located outside of the city."

Ellen Lazarek, prevention services coordinator at Oswego County Opportunities (OCO), said that people "don't have the transportation that they need to get from point A to point B to be able to get back to work and maintain regular employment."

The OCO is a "community action agency for Oswego County, offering over 50 human services programs aimed at empowering vulnerable populations and creating thriving communities," according to its Facebook page.

Currently, during the COVID-19 pandemic, there are many more job openings, said Tina Eusepi, collaboration manager for workforce at OCO. Prior to the pandemic, however, the more sustainable, higher-paying jobs were located outside of the city of Oswego, such as manufacturing jobs.

A factor in continued poverty is the lack of transportation, Eusepi said. Furthermore, since many manufacturing jobs start at odd hours, carpooling and buses can be unreliable ways to get to work.

Eusepi said that in a previous poition working with impoverished families in Oswego County, if she worked with 55 families, only 10% would have a vehicle.

Eusepi said these families without a car could get to the grocery store, for example, but getting outside the city was difficult.

Another barrier to employment is finding safe, reliable and affordable childcare, Lazarek said. She also noted that many daycares are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., meaning individuals who work odd hours or different shifts every week may find it difficult to find child care.

The Needs Assessment also noted that "About 30% of the 5,000 poor residents of the City are college students, who may

be able to relatively quickly move out of poverty upon graduating and finding employment."

Schmitt, Lazarek and Eusepi all noted the historical factors of the poverty rate in Oswego and surrounding areas; the shift in industry. Many factories in the area have closed in past decades, taking jobs with them.

"We have a shift for ... 40 years at least, out of manufacturing employment into service employment," Schmitt said.

"The shift from manufacturing means it becomes a lot harder to earn a living wage without a skill, without a post-secondary skill." A post-secondary skill could be a college degree but could also be an apprenticeship or trade.

"The city has been losing population for some time, and when it loses population, it mainly means it’s losing jobs," said Dr. Ranjit Dighe, professor of economics at SUNY Oswego.

"Jobs [move] out, but ... sometimes the people stay in."

"Manufacturing jobs have decline by more than 30% in the last 15 years," according to the Needs Assessment.

When industry leaves an area, often the skilled workers move with it, Schmitt said.

Those individuals have mobility, but the people without skills get "caught in a trap."

"It takes a lot of money to move," Schmitt said.

Low-income people can lack mobility because they often do not have income for a first month’s deposit or may not be able to pass a credit check and the high cost of moving in general, she said.

"So you’re stuck in an area where job opportunities are limited,” Schmitt said. “And limited job opportunities and lower income has limited transportation reliability, and it limits your ability to move, so now you sort of get in that kind of trap."

Contact:

John Custodio

jcustodio@oswegonian.com

OPINION STANLEY REPLACEMENT

A B52 Photo from Flickr

OPINION

VOLUME LXXXVI ISSUE VII

SPORTS MEN’S B5 BASKETBALL Photo from Nicole Hube

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

How do you feel about hockey being back?

FRIDAY, Oct. 29, 2021

B1

Excited to go

Absolutely amazing

Electric energy

In my three years here, I have never gone to a hockey game.

I was lucky, having a normal year-and-a-half of college, but I just never got around to going to a game. I am looking forward to finally checking that off the classic Oswego bucket list.

Hockey night in Oswego has a different feel to it this year.

Going 592 days without seeing our team on the ice was hard for those of us who remember the pre-pandemic hockey games.

It is amazing to see how this team brings together not only the SUNY Oswego community, but the Oswego community as a whole. Being able to work behind the scenes of the games from The Oswegonian and WNYO 88.9 FM has given me a new appreciation for the sport and all those who dedicate time to supporting and cheering this team on.

I had my fair share of hockey game experiences at SUNY Oswego as a freshman. I love hockey in general, so I was very excited to be back in the arena.

When the student section is full, the energy is electric and so much fun. Plus, seeing the women win 18-0 and the men win 9-1 was a great way to be welcomed back into the rink.

- John Custodio Opinion Editor

- Abigail Conpropst, Copy Editor

- Abigail Connolly, Managing Editor

From my seat: The Editor-in-Chief’s Column October is best time of year for sports fans, not March Five sports going on provide for ample entertainment

Brandon Ladd Editor-in-Chief bladd@oswegonian.com The best time of the year for sports is the month of October.

This is due to the constant overlapping of storylines throughout the month from both professional and collegiate sports: college football, the MLB postseason, the NBA, the NFL and the NHL. There are five sports going on and providing extremely entertaining moments to watch each and every night. The most outrageous thought of those around the sports world is that March Madness makes March the best month in sports. `That is the lazy man’s thinking, someone who just turns on sports when it comes to the postseason. Someone who can only focus on one thing at a time. The real sports fan-mind goes straight to October, though.

I felt this, as I sat in my basement on Monday night and had three televisions going in order to be able to catch as much action as possible. Monday Night Football between the Seattle Seahawks and the New Orleans Saints was on one. The other two televisions were a revolving door between NBA and NHL games.

The independent student newspaper of Oswego State since 1935 Tuesday night will be the World Series between the Atlanta Braves and the Houston Astros on one television and another We want your thoughts on our coverage, campus and local issues, or any- night of switching between the NBA and NHL. The exact same thing regarding the Oswego State community. will apply to Wednesday night before the football world returns Email all letters as Word attachments to opinion@oswegonian.com or mail on Thursday night and for the submissions to 139A Campus Center, Oswego N.Y. 13126 whole weekend.

The weather is perfect for this

to occur this week, as the temperature has dropped and a wet pattern has sat over the area.

There is no desire to go outside at night and get activities done during this weather. The only acceptable answer is to grab a blanket and cozy up for a night of sports.

This is not the case for March in Oswego. A weekend or two will be seasonably warm and the desire to get outside and socialize after a long winter is overwhelming. There is not as much time to just focus on being a sports fan. While the entire community is coming out of hiding, why would you want to be settling in? Not to go after your silly NCAA tournament bracket, but there is a minimal chance you will even win.

In October there are no brackets, there is just fantasy football, an activity in which you have a much better chance to make some money off of your friends. The mood screams football, the leaves falling screams intense playoff baseball and the curiosity of the month screams time to figure out what your favorite basketball and hockey team has under the hood this year.

So, you can have your March Madness. I will take the controlled chaos of this spooky month, as I am treated to a plethora of matchups to entertain my sports-based mind.

Some of the fascinating storylines that you should be aware of are the inaugural month of the Seattle Kraken franchise, the approaching college football playoffs and the world series turning back to Atlanta for the first time since 1999.

This wide array of sporting events to watch allows for the mind to drift, just like a fiction novel allows the mind to. Just, this is reality. One moment you are treated to a freshman quarterback trying to lead his team to a winning season, the other you are watching Jordan Eberle try to come through as the star offensive player for the Kraken. The mind chases and touches all corners of the continental U.S. and drifts into Canada at times too.

March does not have the same feeling with just the one sport going on. College basketball is great, but it does not provide what October can. Enjoy the viewing, you only have a weekend to go.

THE OSWEGONIAN G UIDELIN ES

All writers must provide their real name, address, academic year, major and phone number (which will not be published).

Members of organizations should include their title if their letter addresses an issue pertaining to the organization.

Photo from Flickr The Atlanta Braves played in the 2021 world series, hosted at the Minute Maid park in Houston.

ZIGGY

For publication, letters should be 250 words or less and submitted by the Tuesday prior to the desired publication date.

The Oswegonian reserves the right to edit and reject letters and cannot guarantee that all letters will be published.

Opinions presented are solely those of the author and do not always reflect those of The Oswegonian.

See web exclusive Opinion articles at www.oswegonian.com/opinion

Photo provided by Lauren DuBord

OPINION

NFL MVP Award a mockery

Photo from Flickr

Spencer Bates Copy Editor sbates@oswegonian.com The National Football League (NFL) has a major problem on their hands in regards to the legitimacy of their end of the season awards.

More specifically, the award for Most Valuable Player (MVP).

Year after year we see quarterback after quarterback given the title of most valuable player for that year. There has not been an MVP in the NFL in a position other than quarterback since 2012, and there has only been one other player in a different position than quarterback given the award since 2007. That is 13 out of the last 14 years that a quarterback has won the NFL’s MVP award and personally I believe that the award has strictly become one for those of the position.

It is a complete disrespect to players in the NFL who have arguably been more valuable than some of these quarterbacks not only getting snubbed for the award, but snubbed to even make the finalists list. Now let us look at the word valuable closer, more specifically the root of the word, value.

Merriam-Webster defines value as, “to rate or scale in usefulness, importance, or general worth.” In regards to the NFL, this word has lost all meaning.

Instead of giving the award to a player who has a higher usefulness, importance and general worth, in recent years we have seen the award go to those who can get the most clicks, the most likes, the most shares. The award goes to players the NFL wants to show off because of the attention it brings the league instead of giving it to the rightful player.

This is where the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year award comes in.

This award has no reason to exist. It is as simple as that. The only reason this award exists is because the NFL still wants to make sure that players who may have deserved to win the MVP award still get something.

It takes away the suspicion that the MVP award is all a hoax. I am not buying it.

The first player that comes to mind as the most valuable player in the NFL is the Tennessee Titans’ running back Derrick Henry. Standing 6’8” and weighing 238 pounds, Henry is a monster on the field and has so far this season had a run clocked at 21.8 mph.

Henry is brought up in sports talk shows day in and day out with people saying that there is no way a person of his size should be running and putting up the numbers that he is. The last two years Henry finished the season with 16 and 17 touchdowns respectively. This year he is already at 10 and the season is not even halfway over.

Last season Henry joined elite company as he rushed for over 2,000 yards on the season. Only seven other players in the history of the NFL share the same honor. Looking at his stats for this year, Henry leads all running backs with 869 rushing yards, the next closest is division rival Johnathan Taylor of the Indianapolis Colts with 579 rushing yards. Henry holds a nearly 300 yard cushion between him and the current second best runner in the league.

So, when looking at the word value again and then looking at Henry and the weight he has carried for the Tennessee Titans, it is almost insane that he has not been given the award.

Ultimately and unfortunately, this all comes down to the NFL and their greedy ways. Something needs to change to give the players like Henry the respect and honor they deserve.

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Oct. 29, 2021

Outdoor cats should not be allowed Allowing cats to roam free incredibly poor for environment John Custodio Opinion Editor jcustodio@oswegonian.com Recently, my neighbor’s cat was hit by a car and I had to knock on their door to inform them. Definitely an uplifting experience, not at all depressing. As tragic as that event was, as the death of a pet always is, it is a lesson in not allowing cats to freely wander outside.

As every ornithologist, and as a shoutout to SUNY Oswego professor Daniel Baldssarre, would say, outdoor cats are incredibly bad for the environment, killing all sorts of native wildlife. Research backs this up, with an estimated 2 billion birds and 12 billion mammals killed a year in the United States alone, according to an article in the Smithsonian Magazine.

“The impact of free-ranging domestic cats on wildlife of the United States,” by Scott Loss, Tom Will and Peter Marra was cited by the Smithsonian, and said while feral cats are more to blame, housecats that are allowed to freely roam outdoors are responsible for a significant portion of the damage. Also according to Loss’s article, cats are listed among the “100 worst non-native invasive species in the world.” On island ecosystems, cats have “caused or contributed to 14% of the modern bird, mammal and reptile extinctions recorded by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List.”

Now, many outdoor cat owners may say their cat becomes depressed if not outside, that it is inhumane to keep them indoors, that they do not kill animals. You do not see them kill animals. You are not providing enough stimulation for the animal to be happy. It is a learned be-

havior to go outside and to roam. If the animal is not happy being inside, it is not the fault of the environment, it is the fault of the owner. Take your cat for a walk, allow it to be outside while you watch it to ensure it is not contributing to the destruction of your local ecosystem. Human laziness is not an excuse for animals to die for no reason. As an active hunter and fisherman, I am disgusted by the killing of an animal for no reason, and allowing outdoor cats to kill native animals is unjustifiable.

The solution for owned outdoor cats, meaning cats that people own but allow outside, is simple. Stop letting your cat outside without supervision. Unfortunately, solutions for feral populations like trap-neuter-release, which is exactly what it sounds like, do not appear to work according to studies like “Zoonitic Disease Associated with Free-Roaming Cats,” by

R.W. Gerhold and D.A. Jessup. When feral cats are neutered and released, non-neutered individuals move into neutered areas. Similarly, kittens in neutered groups have a higher rate of survival. It sucks, but if native animal populations want to stay around, feral cat populations must be lowered.

I am not saying to hit every feral cat you see, nor am I saying that outdoor cat owners are evil. Outdoor cat owners are just uninformed, and want what is best for their cats. Unfortunately, outdoor cat lifespans are significantly shorter than indoor cats, according to an article by U.C. Davis’s veterinarian school, with the indoor cat average lifespan being 10-15 years, and outdoor cat lifespans being two to five years. Parasites, cars, other cats and predators such as foxes or coyotes are not a cat’s friend. Remember that next time your cat is begging to be let out.

Photo from Jak Wonderly National Geographic photographer Jak Wonderly collected animals killed by cats to create the photo.

From the archives in 1997: Oct. 27 Roger House writes about racial issues and affirmative action

The following excerpt from an article is from the Oct. 27, 1977, edition of The Oswegonian. Roger House, a writer at the time, writes about the education system and racial prejudice, referencing the court case Bakke vs. California. Due to changes in Associated Press style, the following article does not follow current AP style, and it is an incomplete article due to the size of the sections at the time versus current section size.

Racial dilemmas are once again prime issues for the media as the Alan Bakke case reaches the Supreme Court, and N.Y.C.’s board of Education is ordered to intergrate their classrooms by the federal government. It is astonishing and rather saddening the way races are pitted against each other in situations where the only conflict is due to race, and the other problems they point toward are totally ignored. it is immoral the way racial fears and prejudices are called upon in these heated situations.

Let’s first examine the Alan Bakke vs. the University of California case. It is a case of tremendous relevance for all minorities and women, and with America’s right-ward movement combined with poor economic times, the question-ability of affirmative action programs were bound to arise. it seems as though our country’s power base of white males will give just so much and then in their myopia take it away on the premise of ‘they had their chance.’ What they don’t realize is how discrimination damaged the people so badly and horribly, and the damage is so deep rooted it will take years of affirmative action to reach a state of mediocrity. The need for black professionals as role models for black children and for service to their

Stanley must name replacement

Photo from Flickr

Abigail Connolly Managing Editor aconnolly@oswegonian.com

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

Copied by John Custodio Opinion Editor jcustodio@oswegonian.com

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commnities and country is tremendous.

While it is true that on a singular scale affirmative action programs are not fair, that they are not color-blind, and no one in their right mind would argue so, they are desperately needed to correct a past unfairness, an unfairness that went a lot further than keeping a few blacks or women out of medical school.

And it is the mora responsibility of this society to help correct that, not by giving always, but by a helping hand. The action of accepting a student for qualities other than his marks is done by colleges in the case of athletes and persons with artistic talents, and no one would question or challenge that. A college has a right to round out its community.

Another obstacle is that everyone takes for granted in this charge of reverse discrimination that the white student is automatically better qualified than the minority student, and nothing could be further misleading, a student’s qualifications are based on more than just his accumulative average. It is based on determination, past records, and usefulness to society to name a few. the minority student might have more distinguish-

ing qualities than a white student, and minority doctors are more sensitive and understanding of their ethnic groups in most cases, thus they are more useful as qualified doctors on that level. in a way it is good this particular has arisen, because of mr. Bakke’s personal situation and past medical school record, and the impact of a foul ruling, it is doubtful the Supreme Court would rule in his favor, but one would also have to agree that the California medical school will have to change its too rigid program.

Now to get away from race and examine other extenuating problems which the Bakke case could illustrate, one is the lack of medical school seats for the qualified students seeking them; it is a situation that helps keep the American medical Association small and highly profitable. For instance, last year about 40,000 persons applied to medical school, around 2/3 were rejected, and a high portion were clearly qualified on many parts. One major problem lies in the lack of medical seats, not in the petty challenge of affirmative action programs, but no one seems to be examining this.

Photo from John Custodio The Oswegonian archives have every edition of the newspaper since its creation in 1935.

Stanley has been a force unto her own, working for SUNY Oswego for 44 years, 25 of them as president. In May 2021, Stanley announced that effective Dec. 31, 2021, she would be retiring from the position. Since then, little has been heard of who will take over or fill in for the position.

With only a little over two months before Stanley will step down, it is concerning to think about the fact that no announcements have been made regarding a possible replacement or interim president. What is even more worrisome is that there does not seem to be a clear plan in place for the transition. Even if there is a plan in place, it has not been communicated to the student body in any clear or effective way. This does not bode well for a transition that directly impacts the student body.

As Lao Tzu once said, “a leader is best when people barely know he exists…” While that may be true, it would still be very nice to know if a leader exists at all.

“While that may be true, it would still be very nice to know if a leader exists at all.”

Stanley has mastered the art of being both accessible and elusive, providing opportunities for one on one meetings with students, largely avoiding any fanfare or recognitions but avoiding constant communication, widespread announcements and discussions as much as possible. Exciting things constantly happen around campus and at SUNY Oswego, it is foolish to think that these things are happening out of nowhere and safe to assume that Stanley has something to do with it. To name a few of the things Stanley has accomplished in her time here, she initiated successful national accreditation for the School of Education, national and international accreditation for the School of Business and global accreditation by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET for Oswego’s electrical and computer engineering and software engineering programs. In addition to this, Stanley effectively created the School of Communication, Media, and the Arts which draws thousands of students.

These examples are not things that many SUNY Oswego students walk around talking about on a normal basis, this does not discredit Stanley’s hand in them, it just demonstrates that perhaps Stanley is the best leader SUNY Oswego has seen.

25 years is a long time to fill.

Stanley has managed to pack every moment with something valuable, most recently securing a grant to renovate Hewitt Hall for a new communications building.

Her tireless efforts have undoubtedly improved SUNY Oswego drastically. This is why students should be conscious of the fact that she is leaving. This is why students should be concerned that there has been little information on who will take over the position of president.

It takes all kinds to make a world, it takes Stanley to create the SUNY Oswego we see today. It takes the student body to create the SUNY Oswego we will see tomorrow. It is vital that students engage with administration and have a hand in selecting the next president.

Bring in the rookies

SPORTS A tale of two seasons

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Oct. 29, 2021

Photos provided by Oswego State Athletics

Photos provided by Oswego State Athletics

Ben Diamond Asst. Sports Editor sports@oswegonian.com The Oswego State women’s basketball team is gearing up for their upcoming season.

After a long hiatus they know that they need to relearn how to play with each other, as well as acclimate the new players to the team. This year they have nine freshman players on the roster and three sophomore players. With their roster being composed of a majority of players who have not played at the collegiate level, they know it is important that those players get used to the play style of the team as well as their teammates.

To help the new players get used to the feel of playing with the team, they can look to veteran and star player Raiven Encarnacion. Encarnacion is a senior and has been a part of the team since the 2017-2018 season. Over the years she has been on the team, Encarnacion has improved her game and cemented herself as a leader for this Lakers team. In the most recent season she played back

in 2019-2020, she averaged a career high 10.9 points per game with 3 assists per game in 19 games.

Encarnacion has been a staple of the women’s basketball program for a few years and the team has not had the kind success she or the team has hoped for. So, in what could be her final season with the Lakers, Encarnacion hopes that she can bring a winning culture to the team and turn the program around.

The Lakers will also have to play without star forward Ramatoulaye Sy. Sy played with the Lakers during the 2018-2019 and 2019-2020 seasons. Sy was a great player on both sides of the ball totaling 12.3 points per game, with 41 assists, 10 blocks, 36 steals and 310 rebounds over the course of two seasons.

Her most notable games were during the 2019-2020 season when she put up 27 points and grabbed 21 rebounds versus Morrisville State and 29 points and 15 rebounds versus Alfred.

Her career high for rebounds in a game is 23. Her dominant playstyle will be missed by the Lakers this season.

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Jack Perdek Sports Editor jperdek@oswegonian.com The Oswego State women’ soccer team’s 2021 season has concluded with upsetting results after a 1-2 loss to SUNY Oneonta on Oct. 23.

It was a tale of two season’s for the Lakers starting off 2-0 before their next four games were cancelled due to COVID-19. From then they only won one game out of conference and two SUNYAC matchups before they ended with seven straight losses.

At their highpoint of the season the Lakers were 5-2 winning SUNYAC matchups against SUNY Potsdam and Buffalo State. They responded well after the four cancelations but saw a tough span of opponents from that point on. On top of the season coming to a fast close with no playoffs, the Lakers will also be saying goodbye to some of their best scorers in 2021.

The fall soccer season was nothing short of outstanding for seniors Elizabeth Myers, Grasia Madden and Maggie Riordan. These three seniors led the statistical sheet in

nearly every category besides goaltending, which primarily belongs to Haley Muehl.

Madden played in all 14 games this season for the Lakers leading the team with 5 goals and also had 2 assists on the season.

The midfielder from Baldwinsville, N.Y. in 2019 Started all 17 games for the Lakers and recorded her first collegiate goal against SUNY Canton on Sept. 18. She finished the season with one goal and a teamhigh three assists on 27 shots, 11 of which were on-goal. Since then in 2021, she has recorded 37 shots, 21 shots on goal and 2 assists. The Lakers will miss her contributions and her leadership come next Fall.

Myers was another key piece of the puzzle in 10 games for the Lakers scoring four goals and one assist. Similar to Madden, Myers as a senior notched 21 shots on goal for the Lakers and was a stellar contributor on the squad in 2021.

Myers appeared and started in nine games for the Lakers in 2019 where she tied for the team lead in goals with four and points at nine.

She had a career-high four points against Clarkson on Sept. 13 and finished the season with 19 shots,

11 of which were on-goal. Overall, she had contributed the same amount she had in 2019 and was solid this fall.

Considering the record the Lakers finished with, they found a way to fight for five wins with a shorthanded roster in the first season back after nearly two years. Half of the roster consisted of 18 new players and only 14 returners. They were able to get solid production out of newcomers such as sophomore goaltender Muehl. In her first season playing in the net for the Lakers, she started in 14 games and made 58 saves on the season.

Muehl finished the 2021 season with a 71% save percentage and was a vital anchor on defense for Oswego State in several close contests this season.

At 5-9 overall, the Oswego State women’s soccer team was able to complete and compete in 14 games for the season. The Lakers were two conference games short of clinching the sixth seed in the SUNYAC playoffs, and it came down to the last weekend of games with two 1-2 overtime losses against SUNY New Paltz and SUNY Oneonta.

Exhibitions in the rear view, next stop regular season

gallery provided by William Rogers | The Oswegonian William Rogers | ThePhoto Oswegonian

Shore Report

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

SUNYAC Standings

Men’s Soccer Cortland-1 New Paltz-2 Oneonta-3

Buffalo State-4 Geneseo-5 Oswego State-6

Plattsburgh-e

Brockport-e Fredonia-e Potsdam-e

Women’s Soccer Geneseo-1 Plattsburgh-2 Cortland-3 New Paltz-4 Fredonia-5 Brockport-6 Oneonta-e Oswego State Potsdam-e

Buffalo State-e

Field Hockey

Points 24 21 19 16 15 13 13 9 3 0

Overall 14-2-1 12-4-0 10-3-1 12-5-1 10-6-2 4-4-1 8-7-1 7-7-1 6-11-0 2-12-2

Conference 8-1-0 7-2-0 6-2-1 5-3-1 5-4-0 5-6-4 4-4-1 3-6-0 1-8-0 0-9-0

Overall 13-2-1 12-3-2 8-4-3 7-5-3 10-6-2

Conference 8-1-0 7-2-0 6-1-2 5-2-2 5-3-1

Points 25 21 20 17 16

8-8-2 3-11-1 5-9-0 6-10-1 3-15-0

4-4-1 2-6-1 2-7-0 2-7-0 0-9-0

13 7 6 6 0

Conference

Streak

Overall

New Paltz-1

13-2

6-0

Cortland-2

14-1

5-1

W3

Geneseo-3 Oneonta-4

11-5

4-2

W1

3-11

2-4

L1

6-7

1-3

L1

7-8

2-4

L2

Morrisville-e

3-11

0-6

L6

Overall 21-3 13-8

Conference

Streak W3 W6

15-7 12-11 11-12 10-11 4-17

W1 W1 L1 W2 L3

10-15

6-3 6-3 6-3 3-6 3-6 2-7

9-13 6-13

1-8 1-8

L1 W1

Cortland-1 Geneseo-2 Brockport-3 Fredonia-4 New Paltz-5 Buffalo State-6 Oneonta-e Plattsburgh-e Oswego State-e Potsdam-e

9-0 8-1

0 8 CAN: 2-13-1 PLAT: 12-3-2 (7-2-0)

Field Hockey

Men’s Soccer

7

4 1

0

MOR: 3-11 (0-6) BRO: 7-8 (2-4)

26:

Erica Sheblein saved a season high 26 shots to tie Kristen Buckley of the 1990 field hockey team for ninth in program history for the single game saves record.

Sheblein’s performance in goal helped lead the Lakers to a crucial 4-3 conference victory over Brockport. The Lakers record on the season is now 8-6 with two more critical games coming up before the end of the regular season against Oneonta and Cortland.

Women’s Soccer Saturday, Oct. 23

1-2(OT) OSW: ONE:

2-0 ONE:

Perciballi: 1 goal Kelly: 1 goal Tortorice: 1 assist

OSW:

Friday, Oct. 22

0-18

OSW:

Saturday, Oct 23

Delgrosso: 1 goal Marinaro: 1 assist Madden: 2 SOG

Women’s Hockey

KIN:

Men’s Soccer

Allen: 1 shots Quindipan: 2 shots Conboy: 2 goals McGrath: 2 goals Hull: 2 goals

Posillico: 1 goal Howe: 1 goal Fecci: 1 assist Gehnrich: 2 SOG Bushen: 3 shots Gilroy: 2 shots

Men’s Hockey Saturday, Oct. 23

OSW: CAN:

9-1 LeBlanc: 3 goals Broughman: 2 goals DiCarlo: 1 goal Sipperley: 1 goal Morrison: 1 shot Ahola: 1 shot

Upcoming Events Field Hockey Friday, Oct. 29

Men’s Hockey Friday, Oct. 29

@

@

4:00 p.m.

KEU: 5-9 (2-5) OSW: 8-8 (2-4)

Women’s Hockey Friday, Oct. 29

7:00 p.m

OSW: 0-0 (0-0) HOB: 0-0 (0-0)

Men’s Soccer

SUNYAC Playoff Saturday, Oct. 30 @

@ 2:00 p.m.

OSW: 0-0-0 (0-0-0) ADR: 0-0-0 (0-0-0)

1:00 p.m.

#6 ONY: 10-3-2 (8-1-1) #3 OSW: 5-6-4 (4-4-1)

Laker Athletes of the Week

W2

Around the SUNYAC Women’s Soccer

B4

Oswego Scoreboard

W7

Brockport-e Oswego State-e

Women's Volleyball

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Oct. 29, 2021

GEN: 9-6-2 (5-4-0) FRE: 6-11-0 (1-8-0)

90:

In the Oswego State golf team’s final tournament of the fall they came in 5th place out of 6 teams. The Lakers finished with a final score of 666 which was 90 over par. Ryan Fecco had a solid day two shooting a 79 (+7). Jake Owens was also solid shooting an 81 (+9) on the second day of the event. The Lakers now have the winter off to work and prepare themselves for the spring portion of their season.

Cameron Ellis

Men’s S&D Senior | Bay Shore, N.Y.

Kaitlyn Mastracco Field Hockey Junior | Rome, N.Y.

Ellis notched three individual event wins last week as the Lakers opened the season with a spl it i n dua l meets aga i nst RIT and Oneonta. Against RIT, E l l is won t he 3-meter d iv i ng event and won both the 3-meter a nd 1-meter event on Saturday aga inst Oneonta . El lis w a s a 2 0 2 0 A l l-A mer ica n for both boards.

Mastracco scored two goals, including the game-tying goal, in a 4-3 shootout win over Brockport on Tuesday. She added an assist on the Lakers’ second goal and was successful on her shootout attempt to help clinch the victory. In Oswego’s 3-2 setback to Oneonta on Saturday, she scored the opening goal to put the Lakers in front before the Red Dragons completed the comeback.

The Oswego State men’s hockey team had 16 total penalty minutes in their 6-4 loss versus Utica. It was a hard fought game for the Lakers as they had stayed in the game for the most part but were unable to retake the lead after Utica took a 5-3 lead in the second period. The Lakers next exhibition game is versus SUNY Canton Saturday night.

The Oswego State women’s volleyball team swept Cazenovia College 3-0 earning their eighth win of the season.

The Lakers led the match in kills with 45 versus Cazenovia’s 18. They were led by Georgia Farry’s team high 11 kills followed

by Emma Fiorentine with seven and Cara Simplicio with six. Next for the Lakers are two important SUNYAC conference matchups versus Potsdam and Plattsburgh.

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SPORTS B5 Men’s soccer with opprutunity to upset Oneonta in historic matchup THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Oct. 29, 2021

Terra, Munski and Kane prepare for SUNYAC playoff battle between #6 Lakers at #3 Red Dragons Michael Gross Sports Writer sports@oswegonian.com As the Oswego State Men’s Soccer team eyes down the #6 seed in the SUNYAC, they have one of the toughest tasks of the year right before them: SUNY Oneonta, on the road and in the SUNYAC Tournament.

The Lakers and the Red Dragons have a deeply rooted history of games dating back to 1960 when Oswego State won their first ever matchup 5-3 on the road. The next five after that, the Lakers accumulated four more wins moving to 5-1 in the first six games from 1960-1965.

Ever since, Oswego State has been winless.

But all that can change Saturday afternoon when the Lakers meet the Red Dragons in Oneonta for the first round of the SUNYAC Tournament, a setting the Lakers have become familiar with under the coaching prowess of Dan Kane. The first back-to-back stints in the dance since the 2008 and 2009 season where they played two nail biters against SUNY Brockport and SUNY Geneseo that sent the Lakers packing.

The last time Oswego State and SUNY Oneonta stepped in the ring together in a playoff format was the ECAC playoffs in 2006. For context most of the players on today’s team were between four and eight years old which means neither team has seen each other in a high pressure, win or go home situation.

For those that do not know, the Red Dragons were a Division 1 soccer program from 19892006 so when they re-entered the SUNYAC conference, their level of player was much higher than virtually every other team.

And since their return, six of the last 13 SUNYAC championships have come back to Oneonta, New York making them the best team in the conference since the turn of the century.

But how could an Oswego

Photos provided by William Rogers | The Oswegonian Senior Ryan Young moving the ball to midfield, (pictured right) Brian Terra at goal in Oswego State’s last regualar season game hosting SUNY Oneonta on Oct. 23.

team with a lackluster history who have not won a SUNYAC in 55 years have a chance to win this year?

The Laker’s goals per game is up from 1.00 to 1.40 in the last two seasons, they have put up almost three more shots per game in that span (10.9 to 13.5) and the star studded defense of this team has let up two fewer shots per game. Now those numbers may not seem too gaudy, but check these out.

SUNY Brockport has possession of the third best shot on goal percentage (.519) in the SUNYAC. SUNY Brockport is home to the third highest point scorer in the SUNYAC, Matthew Stefaniw, who also ranks in the top three in points and shots. Despite his three shots and two of which being on goal against Oswego State in early October, the Lakers were able to keep Stefaniw off the board and secure a victory. Not to mention this SUNY Brockport team defeated SUNY Cortland 3-2 in the Dragons’ Den this season, making that their only home loss of the

year. Oswego State took down the Golden Eagles 1-0 in double overtime at home.

Plattsburgh State was 4-3-1 overall at home this season and is always a hostile environment when the away team steps on the field. Playing on the road against Plattsburgh State is already a difficult task, but to do it facing a team that has been in the top four in shots, shots per game, shots on goal and shots on goal percentage and still come out with a point is not something one can overlook.

The Lakers and Cardinals tied 1-1 taking one of the four points earned during this year’s north country trip.

The SUNYAC leader in goals is Buffalo State with 43 this season. Their SUNYAC leading scorer and most likely Offensive Player of the Year, Theo Pencic, had one measly contribution as a second assist and only had two shots over the course of the entire game -- none of which were on goal. Pencic ended the regular season finishing first in goals, assists, points and shots

yet still was not able to be a difference maker against the Lakers. Oswego State beat the Bengals on the road 5-2, in a game where both the offense and defense for the Lakers outplayed and outwilled the home side.

Even in their game against SUNY Oneonta this past Saturday was not that far off from a different result. In the Lakers’ 0-2 loss, the Red Dragons had 16 shots and three on goal. Oswego State had 14 shots and three on goal. The first goal of Saturday’s game came from an errand pass that ended up in an unassisted goal in the 16th minute of the game. After taking a 2-0 lead in the first half, Oneonta began to slip as possession went the way of the Lakers. The Red Dragons were outshot 9-3 in the second half and were out disciplined on the defensive end, committing four more fouls than Oswego State, highlighting that the Lakers had some life and will certainly fight until the bitter end on any battle ground.

In 2018, the Lakers were outshot 13 to 5 (4-1 on goal) in the

1-0 loss on the road and in 2019 the Lakers were outshot 21 to 6 (7-2 on goal) in the 2-1, double overtime loss at home where the SUNYAC player of the year and First-Team All American, Witman Hernandez, scored a desperate game-winner in the 104th minute, barely edging out the Lakers. There are signs of life and improvement in the last three seasons against SUNY Oneonta heading into Saturday.

As fun as analytics and stats are and as good of a story they may tell, nothing compares to the heart this team has played with for this entire season. No task has been too tall and no game has been too difficult for the Lakers which shines a glimmer of hope on their chances tomorrow afternoon. Who knows?

Every streak is bound to come to an end at some point, right?

Oswego State will face their familer foe in the SUNYAC Quarterfinal Championship tomorrow at one o’clock. In light of last weekend’s battle, Oswego State is looking to play upset when they reach SUNY Oneonta.

Ice Hockey packs Deb Arena, wins last exibition game aginst SUNY Canton

Josh LeBlanc hits hat trick, Oswego State Lakers prepare for first four regular season games

William Rogers | The Oswegonian #19 Tyler Flack scoring his first goal of exibition versus SUNY Canton on Oct. 23 assisted by #17 Josh Leblanc in a 9-1 victory

Alexander Abromovitch Sports Writer sports@oswegonian.com The Oswego State men’s hockey team is back and ready to get their season started tomorrow against Hobart College and seek redemption after losing out on last season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Lakers fell to SUNY Geneseo by a score of 4-1 in the SUNYAC championship game back in March of 2020, but are back and rejuvenated for this season.

After a 6-4 exhibition loss to Utica College to start off the pre-season, the Lakers defeated SUNY Canton 9-1 in dominating fashion at home. Junior forward Josh LeBlanc led the way scoring a hattrick and adding an assist, Junior Travis Broughman scored twice and Sophomore Trent Grimshaw had a goal and three assists.

The Lakers take on Hobart

College in their first matchup of the season, a team that beat them 4-1 back in the 2019-20 season. Oswego State aims to turn the tide in this one as they look to get their season started off on the right foot. Head coach Ed Gosek believes that his team is locked and loaded headed into their heavyweight matchup.

“It will be a heck of a tilt, they are a very good team,” Gosek said. “We’re getting better each week, we’re a working progress but we like the direction that we’re going.”

Broughman knows that this game will be a tough one as well but feels like his squad is ready for battle. He believes that the team has done enough practicing and watching film to be able to pick up a win on Friday.

“We know that they’re going to come hard, they play a smart, fast and hard game and they play it right,” Broughman said.

“But we’re ready, we know what we can do and we have watched

video and have done everything we possibly can to be ready, so we just have to go out there and execute, and I think the boys are absolutely fired up to actually get started.”

After almost two years of not being able to suit up can definitely take a toll on a team and its chemistry in the locker room. LeBlanc feels like this is not the case for the Lakers and believes that the two exhibition games were a good way to be able to get back into the swing of things.

“Well I think that after two years, we need those exhibition games to get the rust off,” LeBlanc said. “I know a lot of guys that are on that same boat, they picked up other things to do like train and play golf to keep busy but I think playing those exhibition games helped us click as a unit and get used to everything like the crowd, the refs and the atmosphere.”

In the second exhibition game against SUNY Canton,

LeBlanc recorded a hattrick which is something to feel very accomplished for in the hockey world. LeBlanc scored two goals in the first period and finally cashed in his third one in the third period. Happy would be an understatement for how he felt after putting in his third goal of the night.

“Oh man, it’s been a while, the last time I scored a hattrick was my last year of Juniors when I was 20,” LeBlanc said.

“Honestly man, everyone is always talking about it when you get two, they say “you need to get that third one” and yeah, it just worked out well, I got a pass right in the middle, deked the defender and slipped it passed the 5-hole, and it felt so awesome but I didn’t even celebrate because I wanted to keep my composure for the rest of the game, but it felt great.”

A focal point for many teams this season will be the new players that will be making their debuts after losing many top scorers from two years ago.

That will certainly be the case for the Lakers this season, but the team is quite confident that they can get the job done. Players like Sophomore forwards Tyler Flack and Jackson Arcan will look to make their presence felt early on this year.

“Every college team usually gets a big freshman class, so I think what separates a lot of really good teams is how good that class is,” LeBlanc said. “I think we have exceptional freshman and sophomore classes, especially our sophomores, we have a lot of guys with character. It’s not all skill, you need guys who can play through adversity and I think we have a lot of different depth in that sophomore class and I think that’s going to help us big time.”

Broughman also believes that the Lakers have a loaded younger group of players. He thinks that they have looked comfortable so far while heading into the new season.

“They look good, they bring in

a lot of talent and bigger bodies, especially Jackson Arcan, he can shoot and do a lot of things well,” Broughman said. “Flacker is just a nice “go” guy and is a great player and great passer, he does everything right, so just having these young guys step up to the plate is great for the senior class to look at.”

High praise from two natural-born leaders like Broughman and LeBlanc is certainly encouraging for the younger guys on the team. Leadership has always been part of Broughman’s game, LeBlanc as well, and as practice started to wind down on thursday, the team was visited by Broughman’s mother, who had some big news. She broke the news to the team that her son is going to be the next captain for the Lakers, along with LeBlanc being named the alternate captain. Being named captain is truly an honor, and Broughman is grateful for that.

“It’s an honor to be up there with LeBlanc wearing the “A”, he’s my co-pilot, pretty much since I’ve been here, for four years, we’ve been through it all together,” Broughman said. “Obviously being able to lead this team will hopefully lead us to some more victories and bring a championship home.”

The Lakers open the season at home where they will see massive support from the students and community of Oswego. Gosek had a message for the fans before the home-opener.

“I know it’s not easy for them with all of the COVID vaccinations and restrictions, so we are grateful for their support,” Gosek said. “We’re excited, after 18 months off to be able to get out there. Our community support, the fans here have always been a big part of Laker hockey, and we’re appreciative of that and all they do for us.”

The Lakers take on Hobart College at “The Deb” and look to capitalize on their two exhibition wins with their season opener of their season with a big win.

Sports MEN’S HOCKEY

B5 William Rogers | The Oswegonian

SPORTS THE OSWEGONIAN

NEWS FREE SKATE

A3 Image via Nicole Rose

VOLUME LXXXVI ISSUE VII • www.oswegonian.com

FRIDAY, Oct. 29, 2021

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Men’s Basketball preps for Max Ziel Tournament after 623 days away

Leone, Sparks and Oswego State Lakers have sights on returing to NCAA D3 tournamnet after successful 2019

Photo provided by Oswego State Athletics Guard Jeremiah Sparks moving to the basket in last season’s Oswego State men’s basketball victory over Montclair State in the 2020 Moravian College Steel Club Classic.

Jack Perdek Sports Editor jperdek@oswegonian.com It will be 622 days since the Oswego State men’s basketball team played a game on Nov. 12, the start of the 2021 Max Ziel Men’s Basketball Tournament.

The Lakers will take the floor once again against Elmira College with two returning starters from the 2019-2020 season and nearly two years of anticipation.

This will be a relatively new cast of Lakers with eight new editions to the roster.

Head coach Jason Leone has seen it all as the 17th head coach of the program and throughout his first nine seasons, Oswego State has the most wins in any nine-year period in program history (18175) and ranks first for total wins in the East Region during that time. The time off was new for Leone which allowed him to take a step back and emphasize the opportunity for the team to get back on the hardwood.

“The guys really put in a lot of time

during the last couple of offseasons,” Leone said. “Obviously we were limited with what we were able to do last year.

It was not really a ton of time, but right now is a fact-finding period for us, trying to get some synergy down with the group. I’ve implored upon them to be very thankful that we’re playing, you don’t want to get too serious about mistakes this time of year.”

Fixing mistakes will be a large part of the formula if this team hopes to make it back to the NCAA Division III Tournament. In 2018-2019, the Lakers went 24-6 and beat Salem State and Baldwin Wallace in the tournament before they were bested by 22nd ranked Marietta College. One of those players on that 2018 roster, senior forward Louis Fedullo, knows what it is like to play in that kind of championship environment and what it will take to make it back.

“It really starts off the court,” Fedullo said. “Building relationships and building team chemistry as a whole. It’s about everyone working towards the same thing and so far it’s looking a lot like my

freshman year with everyone coming together and having the same mindset.

Everyone’s egos are checked at the door and I think we’re in a very good position this year.”

Fedullo, who is now in his last season as a senior with the Lakers, played 19 games in 2019 and was a key part of victories over Ithaca College and SUNY New Paltz. Fedullo’s experience is a key supplement to why he thinks this roster will be able to grow and put them in a position to win.

“Everyone on this team can play,” Fedullo said. “A lot of guys can contribute in different areas, and the potential for these guys is through the roof. Obviously, with 20 guys, everyone’s not going to see a ton of time on the floor, but the experience they get will be great and by the time they become juniors and seniors they’ll be able to contribute as much as our guys have.”

Considering the success that upperclassmen have had on this team, Jeremiah Sparks must not be forgotten. As a freshman, Sparks played 27 games for

the Lakers averaging 13.5 points and 6.5 rebounds a game. With 364 total points and 57 assists in 2019, Sparks had a spectacular freshman year and is looking to get even better in 2021. With the near two year period of missing out on playing in Max Ziel, Sparks cannot wait to get started.

“I think it starts with practice, getting everyone involved and keeping the energy high,” Sparks said. “Not having played in two years I think everyone wants to go out there and compete while they fight for a spot. With two returning starters I think we have some spots open with the 20 guys on the roster this year, so it’s a really competitive environment and I’m really excited for the beginning of the year.”

This will be a statement year for Sparks and the Lakers where they will attempt to set the highest of goals and stay consistent. The last time he and his teammates were out on the floor their season ended against SUNY Brockport in the SUNYAC Championships. With new blood and optimism for this season,

On the road again

Around the Diamond Ben Diamond

Perdek’s Corner Jack Perdek Sports Editor jperdek@theoswegonian.com

Asst. Sports Editor sports@oswegonian.com The season for Oswego State men’s basketball is coming up in just a couple of weeks and the team is excited to get back to work.

Their last two seasons prior to the hiatus were very strong. In the 2018-2019 season, the Lakers went 24-6 and won the SUNYAC title before being taken down in the sweet 16 of the division III NCAA tournament. In their most recent season in 2019-2020, they had good success going 19-8 before losing to SUNY Brockport in the SUNYAC semifinals. The Lakers have a very talented roster, highlighted by star guard Jeremiah Sparks who looks to continue his strong play in this coming season. He will need to keep up his level of play as the Lakers have added many players who have not played at the collegiate level, so the expectations for Sparks will be much higher than they have in years past. I expect that Sparks will continue to grow as a player, as a teammate and as a veteran presence. I also expect that the Lakers as a whole will return to form and have a strong season.

On the other hand, the Oswego State women’s basketball team came into the hiatus after a few underwhelming seasons.

And to make matters worse, the Lakers lost their points per game leader from the 20192020 season, Ramatoulaye Sy. But they do have Raiven Encarnacion returning who looks to take charge of this Lakers team.

Encarnacion has been a part of the team for three years now, and she hopes that in what could be her final season, the Lakers start to brew some success.

The Lakers will need to find a way to get back to the basics after the pandemic gave the team a long time to dwell on their past poor seasons. I expect that early in the season, the Lakers will have a rough time adjusting after the long break. This is due to the uncertainty that comes with not having played with one another for a long time. If the Lakers want to have success this season, players need to step up and take leadership roles and they need to forget the past.

Sparks is not concerned about the past.

“Every game is circled on our calendar,” Sparks said. “Every game means more than the next one. The goal is to go undefeated and win every game if we can. As a team, we wanna reach higher goals, we want to set the highest goal we can with a Division III championship, we gotta go out there and play like it’s for a championship every game.”

The road to getting back to the NCAA tournament will be long and there will have to be a lot of work to be put in from day one. Having high expectations is friendly to have, but with the first games against Elmira and potentially Hobart University or SUNY Polytechnic, the coach said they do not know who they’ll play the second day but he said it will be one of these teams, Leone said it will be a time to stick playing their brand of basketball.

“Everyone’s zero and zero so nobody really has knows where there going to be a couple of months from now,” Leone said. “A lot of times when you play teams early in the season, there’s an exuberance and stress which can make you have uncharacteristic mistakes, when we play we want to focus on fundamentals and get the best shots possible.”

In his experience, Fedullo has been there to host the start of a season like the Lakers did in 2018, the excitement to do it all over again for him and his teammates has been something they have discussed at length.

“Opening up the season with the Max Ziel Tournament at home is a great feeling,” Fedullo said. “The last time we did that was my freshman year and we ended up winning the tournament which was a great way to set the tone. I feel like if we were to come out and win those first two games it will set the tone for the season.”

For the Oswego State basketball team and their emerging talent in Sparks, seizing every opportunity is paramount to their success this season.

“I missed the competitiveness of how we played every day,” Sparks said. “Practicing with the guys and having coach Leone get us better. We’re playing a lot of fast-paced basketball. As a basketball goal I want to win every game, be the best player I can be and a ring will talk for itself.”

Photo provided by Oswego State Athletics The Oswego State women’s hockey team is set to start their season in Angola, Indiana over the weekend after winning their preseason games.

Logan Stolberg Sports Writer sports@oswegonian.com

The Oswego State women’s hockey team begins their first two games of the season on Oct. 29 at Adrian College at 7:00 PM. After Friday’s game, they have to continue to travel to Angola, Indiana to take on Trine University on Oct. 30. The women’s hockey team was very successful during the preseason in dominating opponents in terms of shots on goal as Oswego State had a large margin compared to their two opponents.

They defeated Kings College 18-0 and then Neumann College 7-0.

This has been the first Oswego State women’s hockey season since 2019 when they finished 16-7-4 overall and 10-4-4 in their conference. During that season, Megan Teachout was one of the best players on the team as she led the team in goals, points scored, and in assists. The Lakers have four returning seniors graduating this year, Chyne Kennedy, Taylor Hudon, Aislinn McAleer and Philomena Teggart.

Their coach Mark Digby has been the women’s head coach since 2019. In the team’s game against Kings College, they had scored 18 goals which was the most points that they have scored in team history. A closer look at the last time before 2021 when the Lakers played a full season shows some interesting statistics. In 2019, the Lakers were averaging more shot attempts than their opponents by a margin of .18.

Their game against Adrian College on Friday is the fourth matchup between the two in their school’s history. The last meeting between the two ended up in a 5-3 Adrian College victory over Oswego. Oswego has only won one game against Adrian College and has been shut out in two matchups against them. A shutout does not seem likely for the Lakers against the Bulldogs. On the other hand, the Bulldogs are 1-1 in their exhibition games.

The Bulldogs’ worst loss this season came last Saturday against the Buffalo Beauts as they lost 8-0. The Lakers matchup on Saturday is the first time they will face Trine University in their team’s history. Trine University’s

first game of the year begins on Friday against Stevenson College. The Lakers will be looking closely at the results from that game to prepare for Trine for the first time ever.

As the Lakers look forward to the rest of the games this season it is imperative they stick to the formula that has been working for them in the last two games. Moving the puck around to their leading scorers in 0preseason Teggart and their young core. They will face the bulk of their SUNYAC opponents midseason with SUNY Canton twice along with Buffalo State, Plattsburgh State, SUNY Morrisville, SUNY Cortland, and SUNY Potsdam.

The Laker’s toughest matchup this season comes when they face off against Plattsburgh State, the winner of the NEWHL in 2019, in the first meeting on November 13 at the Deborah Stanley Arena.

The ultimate goal for the Lakers at the end of the season will be to win the championship title and take home another title to Oswego. The 2021-2022 season looks like so far it is going to be a very good season for the Oswego State

It was a very productive weekend for Oswego State’s men’s and women’s ice hockey teams in the Deborah F. Stanley Arena.

First, I would like to start with the women’s 18-0 slaughter of a victory against King’s College on Oct. 22. 13 different Lakers scored in this game as freshman Mack Hull and Ashlyn McGrath both had two goals each. Sophomore newcomers also had a spectacular day with Kyleigh Grugin, Mia Conboy and Kamryn Barnes all adding to the scoresheet with 12 combined points. In my experience of watching hockey games, I have never witnessed a blowout of this proportion. The Lakers then went on to beat Neumann University the next day 7-0.

The women’s ice hockey team really set the bar high for their regular season games starting next weekend at Adrian College and Trine University. In my opinion, I think head coach Mark Digby has the girls ready to do spectacular things this season and establish them as a top team in the NEWHL. Their performance last weekend was truly remarkable and worth keeping a close eye on for their upcoming schedule.

Switching locker rooms to the men’s team, they established and took care of everything they needed to fix from their 6-4 loss against Utica College. I think head coach Ed Gosek did a good job of preparing the team to fix their special teams play and execute on a better level. Their hard work led them to a 9-1 victory over SUNY Canton on Oct. 23. Josh LeBlanc had a hat trick in the game, putting the puck in the Kangaroos’ net three times, in a truly incredible atmosphere.

Both teams won by large margins in their exhibition periods last weekend and led opponents overall in goals 27-1. The sky is the limit for both of these Oswego State teams. Coming back after nearly two years off, the road will not be easy, but I think they both have the fire power to make a championship run this season.

INSIDE

C2 Intricate world of "Dune" C3 "Faces" released on music C5 Cosmo Sheldrake's release

transitions to screen

streaming platforms

creates relaxing theme

FRIDAY Oct. 29, 2021

C2

LAKER REVIEW

FRIDAY, Oct. 29, 2021

Visually impressive ‘Dune’ honors Herbert’s classic sci-fi novel Ethan Stinson Laker Review Editor estinson@oswegonian.com

Rating: From a troubled film to a forgotten miniseries, Frank Herbert’s “Dune” has grown infamously complicated to translate from page to screen. With a deep lore and expansive sci-fi world to depict, it once seemed impossible to adapt the novel without sacrificing its engaging qualities or important details.

Helmed by visionary director Denis Villeneuve (“Blade Runner 2049”), the most recent “Dune” adaptation ignores the reputation established by its predecessors, making for a bold, epic cinematic experience which does its source material proper justice. Despite slight narrative hiccups, the film’s engrossing visuals, impressive performances and immersive sound design command viewers’ attention throughout its entirety.

Given the novel’s density

and abundance of detail, the film makes an educated decision by opting to only cover half of the story. This way, it has more time to hone in on finer details, rather than sacrificing important context. However, the book lacks any good cut off points. Thus, the film ends at a point which, though ultimately satisfactory, may bother viewers because of its abrupt execution.

Despite taking some creative liberties, “Dune” remains mostly faithful to the novel. Though small omissions are made from the plot, most do not have a major impact on its progression or dramatic elements. However, those who have read the book may notice the character Thufir Hawat (Stephen McKinley Henderson, “Lady Bird”) is reduced to a much smaller role in the film.

The film boasts a perfect cast.

Featuring big names such as Timothée Chalamet (“Little Women”) as protagonist Paul Atreides, Oscar Isaac (“The Addams Family 2”) as Duke Leto Atreides and Josh

Image from Warner Bros. Pictures via YouTube “Dune” brings Frank Herbert’s epic sci-fi world to life in triumphant fashion.

Brolin (“Avengers: Endgame”) as weapons master Gurney Halleck, each actor perfectly embodies their character’s personality and physical appearance. Despite there being bigger roles in the film, Jason Momoa (“Sweet Girl”) makes the best out of his limited screen time as swordmaster Duncan Idaho, delivering a charming, heartfelt performance which stands as the film’s best.

Tasked with bringing the world of “Dune” to life, Villeneuve succeeds in fully immersing viewers into the places and environments depicted. Through the use of distinct color palettes, crisp sound design and a complex score sampling from different music styles and cultures, the film presents distinct planets and landscapes which draw viewers in with their detail. This

is a slower tune that has a chill, Saturday in the sun vibe. It is the perfect pick-me-up song after a bad day and makes you want to sway along with the beat and just have a good time.

“After All” featuring Charlie Puth (“See You Again”) sets the tone for the next two songs, as it slows down and has a more sensual feel focused on long held notes by both John and Puth, and is the perfect transition into “Chosen Family.”

Clocking in at almost five minutes, this deep and seemingly melancholy song featuring Rina Sawayama (“XS”) is all about one’s “chosen family” and how important those people are. Similar to the previous, it relies on drawn out notes and beautiful piano melodies

by John. With an almost gospel feel, John and Sawayama’s voices echo and blend together to form a passionate and raw sound that shows their admi-

especially applies to scenes featuring the desert planet Arrakis.

With a fire-like orange tint falling over each shot, the scorching, brutal nature of the planet is perfectly conveyed.

Another high point of the film is its score. Arranged by Hans Zimmer (“No Time to Die”), the music makes great use out of the composer’s style, mixing traditional and electronic music to generate a futuristic atmosphere.

Embracing the fictional cultures and environments which the film depicts, parts of the score find Zimmer fusing different international music styles in order to create new sounds one could associate with otherworldly groups.

With hopes for a sequel to pick up where the film left off, “Dune” makes for a breathtaking, attention-grabbing viewing experience which pleads to be viewed in a movie theater. Assembling a fantastic cast, stellar visuals and captivating sound, everything about the film feels as though it lept straight from the novel’s pages.

Elton John’s ‘The Lockdown Sessions’ brings something for everyone Annika Wickham Chief Copy Editor awickham@oswegonian.com

Rating: Elton John (“Rocketman”) released his much anticipated album, “The Lockdown Sessions,” on Oct. 22, and it has something for every music listener.

John’s 32nd studio album, “The Lockdown Sessions” is made up of 16 tracks that feature a different collaboration with other artists on each, including Miley Cyrus (“Wrecking Ball”), Gorillaz (“Feel Good Inc.”), Nicki Minaj (“Starships”), Eddie Vedder, singer and guitarist for Pearl Jam (“Alive”) and Stevie Nicks (“Edge of Seventeen”).

“The Lockdown Sessions” touches many genres of music as John worked with country, rock, modern and pop singers and musicians to create the album and utilizes each of their strengths.

The album starts off with “Cold Heart - PNAU Remix,” which was previously released as a teaser for “The Lockdown Sessions” featuring Dua Lipa (“Levitating”). The next track, “Al-

ways Love You” featuring Young Thug and Nicki Minaj, is a rap song with John on the chorus and Young Thug and Minaj taking the first and second verse, respectively. A rap collaboration may seem out of the ordinary for John, but the mix of his longer drawn out vocals and the more upbeat lyrics in between create an interesting blend that works.

Changing pace immediately, the next song “Learn To Fly” with Surfaces (“Sunday Best”)

Image from Elton John via YouTube “The Lockdown Sessions” features “Cold Heart - PNAU Remix,” a collaboration between Dua Lipa and Elton John.

ration for each other and their own chosen families.

There are also a few songs in which John is solely instrumental and showcases his talent on the piano, “Nothing Else Matters,” which was originally written by Metallica (“Enter Sandman”), and now sung by Cyrus, features four other artists including Yo-Yo Ma, a Grammy award winning cellist, and Chad Smith, the drummer for Red Hot Chili Peppers (“Californiacation”) and “One Of Me”

by Lil Nas X (“MONTERO”).

“Simple Things” featuring Brandi Carlile (“The Story”) is a country style track with plenty of piano and guitar about enjoying the more mundane parts of life. It shows off a deep and soulful part of John’s voice and the two seem to ring together despite having majority of their works in opposite genres.

Regardless of music taste, anyone can find something to love about “The Lockdown Sessions.” With 16 different collaborations featuring over 20 artists, this album is not one to skip. Even if you think you will not enjoy every song, they might surprise you.

LAKER REVIEW

FRIDAY, Oct. 29, 2021

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'Faces' reminds Mac Miller fans of late artist's talent Spencer Bates Copy Editor sbates@oswegonian.com

Rating: “Faces” was the 11th mixtape released by late hip-hop and rap icon Mac Miller. The tape was originally released for free download in 2014, but it was not until Oct. 15 of this year that Miller’s estate released it on music streaming platforms and vinyl.

The 25-song mixtape is considered by many to be one of Miller’s greatest works. When it comes to casual listening of an album, “Faces” has to be one of the best, with a plethora of songs that can be put on in the background and enjoyed purely for the hypnotizing beats and dreamy flows.

While “Faces” is an easy project to casually listen to, it is just as brilliant when put under a microscope. Throughout the tape, Miller unfolds his experiences with drug abuse with dark lyrics juxtaposed with jazzy and relatively positive beats. This is especially

noticeable in his song “Angel Dust.” For one, the track starts with Mac sniffing repeatedly, a reference to his addiction to drugs like cocaine. Secondly, with lyrics such as, “Everyone’s afraid of what I do inside my studio, worried I’mma lose control,” it is clear to see that Miller is not afraid of exploring his use of drugs in a dark and twisted way.

“Faces” is Miller’s longest record to date, with the exception of the commentary version of his 2011 project “Blue Slide Park.” With 25 songs, one would expect many features, especially in today’s music climate where many of the biggest stars in the music industry are producing songs and albums that are reliant on features.

This could not be more false for “Faces.” Throughout the entire mixtape, only seven songs feature another artist and Miller uses these features to perfection, making sure at the end of the day it is still his project.

The mixtape does have a darker side to it with lyrics that speak about suicide and depression. In the song “Diablo,” Miller says, “Contemplatin' suicide

Image from Mac Miller via YouTube The late Mac Miller's mixtape has been widely-regarded as one of his bet works.

like it's a DVD/Lost inside my mind, it's a prison, homie, leave me be/You can see me bleed,” putting the dark thoughts and feelings that went along with his drug addiction.

While “Faces'' is definitely grim to a certain level, there is a reason why fans still consider this to be his best project.

While a liberal portion of the lyrics and messages in some songs have to do with topics such as suicide and drug abuse, in a majority of the songs,

Miller’s genius shows with his perfectly witty and at times psychedelic lyrics. The lyrics, “I'm walkin' backwards, shadowboxin' with karate masters/ It's more to rap, we sell the royal crack at Castle Rock/A bad apple like an unemployed Macintosh,” in the song “Ave Maria,” are just one example of the brilliant wordplay Miller employs in this project.

One last notable thing that makes this mixtape so great is Miller’s extensive use of sam-

ples. In 12 out of the 25 total songs there are samples of previous works. Miller’s creativity is on full display as he expertly places these samples to boost the already great tracks.

There is one difference between the version of the mixtape that was released in 2014 and the one that was released this year. Miller’s estate has added a never-before-heard bonus track to the tape on streaming platforms. The song, titled “Yeah,” is the perfect song to round off the album. The lyrics to the song are almost exclusively questions Miller is asking about mortality and whether or not he can actually be free, to which an almost angelic choir of a mix of Miller’s voices respond, “Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.”

It is unclear if any more posthumous music will be released by Miller’s estate in the future. But for now, fans can now relive the glory of the artist’s past work with this rerelease of “Faces” with the new bonus track. The album is great for all music lovers, as its flexibility to be listened to casually and closely is second to none.

New novel 'So, This is Christmas' gets readers in holiday spirit Caitlin Alicea Asst. Laker Review Editor calicea@oswegonian.com

Rating: Need a break from all the Halloween horror and maybe even a little sneak peek into what books are in store for the holiday season? If not, too bad because it is that time of year for some of the hot new holiday releases; from thanksgiving themed stories to Christmas tales.

A new release, “So, This is Christmas” by Tracy Andreen, is a fun Christmas story full of family, love, holiday magic and heartwarming moments. The book contains small-town charm, and adorable romance as one girl returns home for the holidays to find many things are different than they were before. For those who enjoy

a good Christmas romance or any Hallmark movie for that matter, this is the book to read.

Andreen was born in Southern California but raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

She graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in journalism and professional writing.

Andreen then moved to Los Angeles where she spent years in the world of film development as a screenwriter, employed at Amblin/ DreamWorks and Mandalay Pictures, among many others. She started her paid writing career when she revised some properties in development at Mandalay and ultimately left that side of the film world to pursue her writing full time.

Her book, “So, This is Christmas” is one of the ending results of choosing to stick with the writing career path. Those who have previously enjoyed “Let It

Image from Tracy Andreen via Instagram "So, This is Christmas" is a romance filled to the brim with heart and holiday cheer.

Snow” by John Green ("The Fault in Our Stars"), Lauren Myracle ("The Big Shrink") and Maureen Johnson ("The Box in the Woods") have also expressed their enjoyment for this holiday treat. While October may be a little too soon to be thinking about the holidays, time will fly by faster than many may believe it to do so. While this book

does take place during the holiday season, the setting is Christmas, Oklahoma which could be confusing for some.

"So, This is Christmas" is a Young Adult (YA) romance that follows the main character, Finley Brown, who has just returned back to her hometown of Christmas, Oklahoma from an elite boarding school. She

expected to find it just as she left it since Christmas has not changed much in her sixteen years. However, she is shocked as she returns to find her best friend dating her ex-boyfriend, her parents separated and her archnemesis with a job working at her grandmother’s inn. When Finley's misleading description of her hometown on its website causes one of the cute boys from her school to visit, it is up to her to make sure he has a wonderful visit.

“So, This is Christmas” released on Oct. 12 from Viking Books. It is intended for those at least 14-years of age. The book totals out to 368 pages and is a standalone. However, this is not the last book that is expected from Andreen. To learn more about this book, check out reviews from Nerd Daily and promotions from Penguin Random House.

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LAKER REVIEW

FRIDAY, Oct. 29, 2021

Indie-pop artist Ritt Momney stuns with sophomore album Abigail Connolly Managing Editor aconnolly@oswegonian.com

Rating: Rating:

“Sunny Boy,” the sophomore album from Ritt Momney, the indie-pop singersongwriter hailing from Salt Lake City, Utah, stuns with its laid back, bright sound.

After gaining recognition for the breakthrough single, “Young Adult,” Ritt Momney released his first studio album “Her and All of My Friends” in 2019. Originally a high school group, Ritt Momney became the solo act of Jack Rutter in 2018. Heavily influenced by his relationship with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Rutter’s early music reflected the impact of church life on young people. Ritt Momney gained the most recognition for the cover of Corinne Bailey Rae’s “Girl Put Your Records On,” which began trending on TikTok, the social media platform that features short videos and clips.

When asked about the inspiration for the album by Broadway World Music, Rutter said the album reflects learning that life and healing is sometimes more about what you need to lose in order to grow and not necessarily about what you can gain. The debut single from the album, “HEADSTART,” encapsulates the message of the album with lyrics like “Cuz’ there’s no part of mе that can’t be torn apart/ If you’re not ready to leave, then I’ll take the headstart.”

Reflecting a torn relationship and taking the steps necessary to remove oneself from a bad situation, “HEADSTART” has the lyrical force Ritt Momney fans crave. Echoing vocals and dissonant songs are also features of the track, pulling together the idea that opposing forces can come together.

Ritt Momney has grown instrumentally since his debut, gaining more electronic sounds and elements. These are displayed prominently on the album’s ninth track, “Escalator.” Synthesized beats and notes accentuate the lyr-

Image from Ritt Momney via YouTube Ritt Momney’s “Sunny Boy” displays the musician as a more-developed instrumentalist compared to his prior works.

ics “Call me a ghost/But mind you/I’ve got some pain so real it came alive,” to create a haunting ballad about pain and loss. While this may not be the Ritt Momney, “Put Your Records On” listeners are used to, it is certainly a more compelling and evolved form of the young artist.

The titular track, “Sunny Boy” falls in the second slot on the album and sets up the rest of the track list perfectly.

The second verse reflects the

struggles of living during the pandemic era with the lines, “These days stuck in my phone, I hardly feel like I’m free/Caged up in my body, hardly feeling like me/Dirt on my mind, my feet are so clean.” Artfully demonstrating the impacts staying in one place can have on the mind, “Sunny Boy” reflects what it means to be hopeful in the midst of despair. As the name suggests, “Sunny Boy” does follow a rather light and breezy instrumental pattern,

giving it a “drive with the windows down” feeling.

Ritt Momney gives fans of indie-pop a refreshing, double take album with “Sunny Boy.” For those who cannot get enough of the band, the “Sunny Boy” tour will kick of Feb. 25, 2022 and travel the U.S. “Sunny Boy” is the perfect COVID-19, breakup, feel good, catch all album that indie-pop has seen in a long while. Here is to hoping this is only the beginning for Ritt Momney.

Image from Amazon Prime Video via YouTube

others for their own personal gain. Things are not as simple as “the good guys team up to defeat the bad guys.” There are many different factions at play and there are consequences for people’s actions. Jordan manages to put his own spin on this world even further in the form of his complex yet incredible magic, extremely detailed and well-realized cultures, and so much more to discover for yourself.

On top of all this, Amazon is reportedly putting close to $91 million into the first season of the show, which just surpasses the final season of “Game of Thrones” as the most expensive season of TV in history with $90 million. The cast and crew are full of big-names and the few teaser trailers released for the show thus far have already been generating a lot of buzz.

If this sounds like your cup of tea, be sure to check out Amazon Prime’s The Wheel of Time, premiering on Nov. 19.

‘Wheel of Time’ series promises exciting fantasy story Eli Holicky Contributing Writer laker@oswegonian.com When thinking about bigname movie or TV franchises within the fantasy genre, it is hard to look past the big names such as “The Lord of the Rings” or “Game of Thrones.” In recent years, we have seen streaming services such as Netflix attempt to adapt their own tellings of modern fantasy stories, as seen with their adaptations of Andrzej Sapkowski’s (“The Tower of Fools”) “The Witcher,” and Leigh Bardugo’s (“Six of Crows”) “Shadow and Bone.”

Both of which have varying results in terms of success.

Amazon Prime Video is the latest streaming service to try their hand at adapting another big-name fantasy property in the form of Robert Jordan’s “The Wheel of Time” series. But what separates “The Wheel of Time” from other newer fantasy series is the overall weight within the wider fantasy community

it brings with it. It is regarded as one of the greatest fantasy stories of all time with over 90 million copies sold worldwide.

For reference, the “Game of Thrones” books sold just over 11 million copies before it was adapted to TV. Scheduled to be released on Nov. 19, the show will follow the path of the novels in the form of a coming-of-age story centered around a group of young adults from a rural farming village who are unexpectedly thrusted into a grandiose adventure spanning multiple countries and continents in order to protect the ones they love. Our protagonists eventually come to deal with many other darker, fantastical elements in the form of grotesque monsters hunting them at every turn, a Dark God seeking to remake the world in his own image and the eventual revelation that one of them is a prophesied chosen one destined to save the world, or maybe destroy it trying.

If that sounded like generic

Amazon Prime tries their hand at fantasy mumbo-jumbo to you, then you would be correct.

Jordan, even said himself in multiple interviews that he set out to tell a generic Lord of the Rings-style story in a more “realistic setting” and took a lot of his inspiration from the aforementioned epic fantasy series.

But what Jordan ends up doing is quickly turning the story on its head and subverts a lot of the expectations you would have after your first time pick-

fantasy with “The Wheel of Time.” ing up the book. It manages to capture the incredible magic and scope of the world that comes with “The Lord of the Rings,” while also managing to bring in the complex characters and political maneuvering we see in series such as “Game of Thrones.”

The characters are flawed as people are. People are greedy; they make bad and often sometimes horrifying decisions that often exploit

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FRIDAY, Oct. 29, 2021

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England-based musician Cosmo Sheldrake releases three songs John Custodio Opinion Editior jcustodio@oswegonian.com

Rating: Cosmo Sheldrake (“Cuckoo Song”), an England-based musician that incorporates natural sounds into his music, has released an EP of three songs.

TOAST, a British clothing company that promotes environmental sustainability in an industry dominated by unsustainable fast fashion, commissioned the songs based on their seasonal theme of rewilding and hoped Sheldrake would create ambient, relaxing music based on it.

Sheldrake’s eccentric style uses sounds found in nature, having songs with major beats being made entirely out of bat echolocation or of the sound of cuckoo birds singing. While Sheldrake does have more normal production styles in songs like “Come Along,” his signature style is the incorporation of the natural world.

The first song on the EP, which is available on SoundCloud, is titled “Air.” It is composed using

Image from Cosmo Sheldrake via. YouTube Cosmo Sheldrake creates unique sounds which utilizes the natural sounds of nature going well with the names of each song.

the birdsong of British birds, the calls of pipistrelle bats and horseshoe bats. The song is very light, feeling like a walk through the woods on a comfortable, sunny day. To be frank, it sounds like something out of “The Legend of Zelda,” like an ocarina song. As all of Sheldrake’s songs are, it is a bit wacky, to say the least.

“Soil,” the second song of the EP, takes the listener to the ground using recordings of plants and fungi. According to

Sheldrake’s Instagram caption when he released the song, he recorded the bioelectrical activity of plants and fungi, along with using hydrophones to record plant roots. He also recorded stridulation of insects, using it to produce unique beats and tones. Stridulation is when an insect rubs parts of its body together to produce a sound like how crickets chirp, “Soil” brings the listener much closer, with muted sounds giving a feeling

of being in a tight spot without the claustrophobia. The song also feels much darker, less in a spooky or depressing way and more so with a feeling of darkness or lack of light. Sounds echo and drip, giving an image of wet cavern walls crawling with tiny life thriving in a world alien to our own.

The crème de la crème of the EP is hands-down “Ocean,” which was made using the calls of many animals and natural ambient sounds.

As Sheldrake said in his Instagram post, “Ocean” uses the sounds of longhorn sculpins, bucktoothed parrot fish, Norwegian cod breeding, blue whales, humpback whales, seals and many other natural sounds. The most interesting of the sounds are used in a process called “acoustic restoration,” the sounds of a healthy coral reef, such as fish swimming or dolphins chirping, to restore damaged coral reefs by attracting beneficial organisms.

Usually, damaged coral reefs are quickly colonized by algae, and playing the sounds of a thriving ecosystem causes organisms that would consume the algae to come, which in turn produces a healthy ecosystem. “Ocean” flows gently at times, but with a true depth to it to showcase the sheer enormity of the seas while shining a light on the life found there.

Sheldrake’s weird, fantastical musical style is perfect for this EP and for the clothing company that commissioned it.

By using specific species from a range of environments and natural processes like water flowing, Sheldrake builds a beautiful soundscape of a marvelous world that reconnects the listener with our own.

'American Horror Story' new season falls short with messy ending Ethan Stinson Laker Review Editor estinson@oswegonian.com

Rating: In an unprecedented move, “American Horror Story” creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk (“Glee”) announced the series’ 10th season would be a package deal, showcasing two separate stories over a 10 episode span.

Appropriately titled “Double Feature,” the season is divided into separate parts, exposing fans to what could be considered two seasons in one.

On paper, “Double Feature” deserves praise for taking an experimental approach to the series’ tradition of presenting a different story per season. However, by attempting to cram two stories into a standard-length season, the concept quickly loses its luster. With little time allotted for each story to be completed, their ideas and themes are ultimately left underdeveloped. Thus, the

season’s setup comes off as a misguided gimmick, rather than a fresh subversion.

Titled “Red Tide,” the season’s first half depicts a small town plagued by a pill which allows people to excel in their artistic talent. However, those who take it become bloodsucking vampires. The concept is a satire on the concepts of fame and the entertainment industry,

portraying the talented as those who feed off of the talentless in order to thrive.

Despite “Red Tide’s” clever ideas, it falls short of meeting its potential because of a limited episode count. Spanning six episodes, the plot displays interesting ideas and characters which deserve more attention than they ultimately receive. Pacing also proves to be an issue, as the

Image from TV Promo via YouTube "Double Feature" fails to showcase two separate stories without a dragging plot.

plot drags until the final episode, which rushes to make an unfortunately sloppy ending.

Though “Red Tide” has its issues, it stands as a stronger narrative compared to the season’s second half, “Death Valley.”

Resigned to a meager four episodes, the second story depicts extraterrestrials’ pursuit to birth human-alien hybrids by impregnating captive subjects.

Simultaneously, “Death Valley” depicts aliens’ involvement in U.S. government affairs from the 1950s to the 1970s. Though its bizarre premise deserves some attention, the overall execution is lacking.

Inspired by conspiracy theories, the ideas depicted had the potential to be presented as intelligent play on fantastical real-life concepts. However, the limited amount of time allotted for their exploration reduces them to brief nods to what could have been in a full length-season.

One redeeming quality of “Double Feature” is that, keeping

in tow with “American Horror Story” tradition, actors from seasons past return for the season, assuming new roles. To the delight of fans, regulars Sarah Paulson (“Ratched”) and Evan Peters (“Mare of Easttown”) star in the season following their first absence from the series in season nine. Paulson, who played different roles in both halves of the season, reigns as the standout of the season’s cast.

Overall, it is apparent “Double Feature’s” poor turnout is the result of a rushed production. After a year without a new “American Horror Story” season, it is understandable that the creator’s would wish to make up for this lost time with what appears to be double the content. However, what seems to be a novel idea comes off as misguided, given the setup hinders the season’s ideas from being fully-developed.

Rather than mash them together, the stories would have greatly benefited from being presented in their own standalone seasons.

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FRIDAY, Oct. 29, 2021

Crossword Puzzle

Across

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

1. Fighter pilots 5. Large primate 8. Trickle 12. Marathon, e.g.

13. Lion’s home 14. ___ hygiene 15. Intrinsic 17. Dismiss 18. Expiate 19. Make believe 21. Remains behind 23. Of the seashore 27. Platter 32. To some extent (2 wds.)

33. Smells 34. Large artery 35. Glamorous 36. Does nothing 38. Decorated 42. Singer Paul ___ 47. Advertising emblem

48. Citrus drink 50. Nordic captial 51. Intense anger 52. Thicken 53. Abound 54. Vane dir.

55. Towel pronoun

Down 1. Diva’s song 2. Is unable 3. Reverberate 4. Visualized 5. Fruity refresher 6. Mail friend (2 wds.)

7. Vestibule 8. Lenient 9. A Great Lake 10. Merit 11. Begged 16. Check

20. Strong coffee 22. Make a doily 23. Spy org.

24. Yoko ___ 25. Spring mo.

26. Used a stool 28. Ship’s record 29. Physicians’ org.

30. Summer hue 31. Superlative suffix 33. Beer’s kin 35. Church leaders 37. Sandwich shops 38. Oodles (2 wds.)

39. Medicinal portion 40. Gawk 41. Space 43. Foot part 44. Masculine 45. Bloodhound’s clue 46. Seines 49. Kitty sound

For this week’s puzzle answers ...

Go to Oswegonian.com and click on the Laker Review tab!

LAKER REVIEW

FRIDAY, Oct 29, 2021

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Shea McCarthy

Jacob Fallat