The Oswegonian 3-15-19

Look Inside: A3 Oswego Overwatch team relies on votes to enter tournement

Friday, March 15, 2019 VOLUME LXXXIV ISSUE VI SINCE 1935 www.oswegonian.com

Women leaders, allies gather for conference Kassadee Paulo News Editor kpaulo@oswegonian.com Oswego State’s women leaders and allies gathered at 6:30 p.m. March 12 in the Sheldon Hall Ballroom for the Women in Leadership conference, hosted by the Women’s Center, Her Campus and Student Association.

Several women participated in putting the event together and spoke about their experiences as women and as leaders on campus.

The Women’s Center President Iyunha Callands and Secretary Lizeth Ortega Ramirez opened the conference, speaking on the successes of women as a whole and the road they still have yet to walk.

“We, as leaders, need to continue to fight,” Ortega Ramirez said. “In every level, we came to open the doors for women and girls, advocate for their interest, rights and social conservation. This transfor-

mation not only requires the participation of women, but also our counterparts, [men].”

Moderated by Melissa Wilson, the general manager for WTOP-10, six women spoke on their leadership roles on and off campus and gave advice on future women leaders.

The women included were Blessed Optimistic Loving and Determined Black Beauties President Jequana Johnson, Women’s Rugby President Sabrina Shortall, Association of Black Psychologists Vice President Elisa Descartes, WTOP-10 Vice President of Human Resources Boni Quatroche, who is also the event director for the Dr. Lewis B. O’Donnell Media Summit, Kristi Eck, chief of staff to President Deborah Stanley, and Pamela Caraccioli, deputy to the president for external partnerships and economic development.

See PANELISTS, A4

SAPB announces OzFest artists Rap, hiphop, R&B genres to be performed at concert

Jessica Wickham Chief Copy Editor jwickham@oswegonian.com This week, the Student Associatio Programming Board announced the four performers for this year’s OzFest, held on May 10. The choices are already causing excitement for students and showing signs of a big crowd at the end-of-year celebration.

Ella Mai, a Grammy-winning English rhythm and blues singersongwriter, Gunna, a rapper touring in support of a top-five album and single, Mahalia, an English singer, songwriter and actress, and Daydream Masi, an emerging young rapper and pop artist, will perform as part of the concert series in the evening portion of OzFest, beginning at 7 p.m.

The performers were chosen

by SAPB from the results of a student survey that went out in the fall 2018 semester, and Gunna and Mai were among the top 10 performers

Maria Pericozzi | The Oswegonian

requested below big names, like Beyoncé, that the school cannot afford, said Ryan Rodriguez, director of SAPB

from April 2018 to January 2019.

See OZFEST, A6

SA questions approvals of contingency fund

Senators discuss giving additional budget for conferences Colin Hawkins Asst. News Editor chawkins@oswegonian.com Student Association is discussing changes to how it allocates contingency funds to student organizations requesting money in order to attend trips to professional conferences.

The SA contingency fund is an annual budget of around $10,000, which allows student organizations to request additional money for their club activities if a need arises outside the club’s annual budget.

The contingency fund was $5,490 at the conclusion of the March 5 SA meeting.

“Contingency funds are for payments or wanting to use monetary funds that [clubs] don’t have but you feel is very important and only off by a couple hundred

dollars,” said Senator Matthew O’Donnell, SA rules and judiciary committee chair. “It’s just there as a backup in case you don’t have

enough funds to go do something, if you absolutely need it.”

Sports

Opinion

Laker Review

Oswegonian.com

NCAA QUARTERFINALS

OVERWATCH DIVERSITY

MARVEL WINS

MAKER MADNESS

Maria Pericozzi | The Oswegonian

CONTENT

SA President Omar van Reenen (first row, middle) signs into effect the Equal Pay for Equal Play bill.

Calendar...................... A3 Crossword................... C6 Contact Info................ A2 Laker Review.............. C1 News............................. A1 Opinion........................ B5 Sports........................... B1 Sudoku......................... C6

B1

Maria Pericozzi | The Oswegonian

B5

Image from Instacodes via Flickr

Kassadee Paulo | The Oswegonian Student Association is reviewing the approval of granting contingency funds for conferences.

C4

Image from Marvel Entertainment via Youtube

See KELLY, A5

Web

Kellsie Zacholl | The Oswegonian

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NEWS

QUOTE OF THE WEEK I feel like there’s nothing that brings people together more than music.”

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, March 15, 2019

- Micheal Oxley, from A6

A3

Oswego esports club needs your vote College club in online contest for esports tournament spot Colin Hawkins Asst. News Editor chawkins@oswegonian.com The eSports Association club at Oswego State is participating in an online contest to win a place in a regional collegiate “Overwatch” tournament, an online competitive video game.

“Our thing is competitive [video] gaming. We compete with other schools,” said Brian Richardson, events coordinator at eSports Association.

In recent years, competitive gaming, often called esports, has risen in prominence to mainstream appeal. This includes colleges forming esports teams. According to Gamedesigning.org, seven schools had varsity esports teams by the 2016 academic year, with that number growing to 68 collegiate esports teams by 2018.

Earning a spot in this regional tournament could help Oswego join those schools in the emerging arena of esports, Richardson said.

“We get voted in, and the top 16 teams with the most votes get to participate in the tournament,” Richardson said. “We want to make it because it will make our club and this school a big deal.”

The tournament, New York Excelsior Spring Rally, is an event where collegiate esports clubs in New York, New Jersey and some of northern Pennsylvania compete for online votes for a place in an “Overwatch” tournament.

“Overwatch” is an online competitive video game released in 2016 by game company Blizzard Entertainment.

It is a team-based game in the first-person shooter genre with teamwork elements similar to online arena games, such as

Men’s Ice Hockey vs. Hobart, 7 p.m., Saturday, March 16 at Marano Campus Center Ice Arena

Planetarium Show: Moon Landing, 7 p.m., Sunday, March 24 at Shineman Center Planetarium

Photo provided by Alba De Los Santos Brian Richardson tables in Marano Campus Center for the Oswego eSports Association.

“Dota 2” and “League of Legends.” Players form two teams of six and select from about 30 unique characters to accomplish objectives in the game and score points. Each character has individual abilities and role on the team, making teamwork and team composition another layer on top of the ability of each player.

“A lot of it is counter-picking,” Richardson said. “A lot of people can be skilled in different heroes because you don’t just have to be good at shooting, which is not my expertise. I’m very much a tank player, a strategist. I can be good at this game without being good at first-person shooters.”

New York Excelsior is the regional team in the Overwatch League, a professional esports league produced by Blizzard

Entertainment. The league includes other city-based and international teams, such as the Philadelphia Fusion, London Spitfire, Washington Justice, Seoul Dynasty, Atlanta Reign, Toronto Defiant, Dallas Fuel and Shanghai Dragons. The 20 teams in the league compete for a 2019 prize pool of $5 million.

The New York Excelsior Spring Rally event could have a prize pool totaling $10,000, depending on the number of votes submitted during the event. Oswego’s eSports Association has received over 220 votes as of March 13.

“This is a big deal, not just for the club, not just for the players, but for the school. It puts us on the map against other massive esports team,” Richardson said.

“Support your school like you support any other sport.”

Movie Showing: “Coco,” 7 p.m., Monday, March 25 in Marano Campus Center, Room 132

Softball vs. Clarkson, 3:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 26 at Laker Softball Field

Science Today Lecture: Forensic Chemistry, 4 p.m., Tuesday, March 26 in Shineman Center, Room 176

“Drive Safe, Live Safe,” 6 p.m., Tuesday, March 26 in Marano Campus Center, Convocation Hall

Social Media Title IX Workshop, 2:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 27 at Marano Campus Center, Room 133

Women’s Lacrosse vs. Brockport, 4 p.m., Wednesday, March 27 at Laker Turf Stadium

Oxfam Hunger Banquet, 5 p.m., Thursday, March 28 in Marano Campus Center Food Court Francesca Miesner | The Oswegonian Overwatch League pro teams Phildelphia Fusion and London Spitfire faceoff in the league finals at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

A bill to form a Brazilian JiuJitsu club failed.

Student Association decided the BJJ club was too similar to other martial arts clubs, and SA would like to make an effort to consolidate similar clubs.

Having larger clubs would foster a better campus community and cut down on niche clubs that lack membership, according to SA.

Fashion at Oswego club requested contingency funds to host a fashion show on campus.

FAO club is a recently approved club and did not have a budget at this time.

The fashion show is the third the organization has hosted and would feature up-and-coming fashion designers.

FAO requested $1,000 for the show, $650 for the sound and lighting, $250 for vendor tables and $100 for decorations.

The event will be at the end of March, and FAO said it will be bigger and better than its previous shows.

The Oswego State Equestrian Team club requested additional funding to offset costs for their members such as travel expenses and attending bigger events.

OSET will have a semi-finals event in Ocala, Florida, from March 14 to March 17 and a national event in Syracuse. OSET is ranked in the top 24 equestrian teams in the nation out of 500 teams and more than 10,000 participants.

Depending on how the team ranks in semi-finals, it will need additional funds to attend the finals in Syracuse. One OSET member is already guaranteed a place at finals.

With equestrian events being so expensive, many team members already contribute at least hundreds of dollars to participate, and each member pays half of their event fees.

OSET is requesting contingency funds to offset the cost for the team to attend.

While the funds they need total over $3,000, the equestrian

A bill to provide contingency funds to Oswego State Cheerleading club was passed after amendment.

The original bill requested $1,500 to offer a raise to the cheerleading coach, fund a trip to a team competition and purchase replacements for aging equipment such as mats and event equipment.

After debate, Student Association voted to amend the bill to $700 for safety equipment and competition fees.

Great Lake Review, a club that publishes a literature magazine every semester, requested contingency funds to improve the printing of its spring 2019 magazine.

The club requested $350 to print additional magazine copies and merchandise.

Great Lake Review was founded in 1974 and is the only SUNY organization that offers professional publishing of student literature.

Students can submit their work and, if published, can use the publication on their resumes and portfolios after graduation.

The request was itemized to $200 to allow a larger print-run and increase the pages of the magazine and $150 going toward Great Lake Review merchandise.

A4 NEWS Panelists discuss challenges, successes Good Guys Barbershop Women leaders offer advice to future classes, generations expands, moves locations THE OSWEGONIAN

FRIDAY, March 15, 2019

WOMEN from COVER Now that many of them are graduating seniors, the women on the panel agreed that they are working to build others up in preparation to pass on the torch. Shortall spoke about how those who came before her helped her and that she is glad she has been able to pass that on.

She said she is excited to see how her teammates will take the rugby team after she graduates.

“Leaving now is a great feeling because I see how I have set [my teammates] up,” Shortall said.

Wilson said she believes it is important for leaders on campus to help underclassmen by being role models and leading the way.

In regards to challenges she has faced as a leader, Quatroche said it can be very easy to become a “yes man,” agreeing to do many things in high quantities, but she said this does not always equate to high quality. She said by getting involved with too many things can spread one too thin and their self care can take a hit from it. Quatroche also said it is better to try different activities to expand your experiences.

“Definitely diversify what you’re getting involved with,” Quatroche said.

Descartes said she experienced

difficulties in being heard in her organization last year but did not give up on expressing her thoughts and ideas. She advised the audience to never give up on something they care about and to keep working because “people will follow leaders.”

Shortall said as president for women’s rugby, she had to learn how to adapt her leadership role by figuring out when to act as a friend and when to act as president. She said being in this role has helped her develop her delegation skills to make sure she is not getting overwhelmed by tasks.

Johnson, who founded B.O.L.D. Black Beauties, spoke of the challenges she faced as a leader when she first created the organization.

She said working from the ground up, she had to find an e-board who shared her vision of what the organization was designed to do.

“When you’re starting out, don’t shoot away the vision,” Johnson said. “Believe in it and find people who believe in it as well.”

As the panelist with the most years of leadership under her belt, Caraccioli said everything the senior students had said resonated with her and the issues they brought up have been relevant to her throughout her career as a leader. “[The student panelists] are with-

Maria Pericozzi | The Oswegonian Boni Quatroche (right) shares with the audience her views on working toward goals.

out question ground-breaking, and [they’re] setting the stage for the next class, the next generation,” Caraccioli said. “We are constantly working very hard to pave the way for others on our campus and certainly set the tone.”

Caraccioli said it is important to seek out a mentor to look up to and to go to when one has questions.

Eck said she agrees with Caraccioli in finding a role model. She advised the audience to find a mentor who has similar values and ethics and then reach out to them. She said people typically are willing to help someone if asked.

“If you don’t have a mentor in your personal life, a friend, a family member, an acquaintance even who you can look up to, strive to find that person who resonates with you,” Eck said. “Watch how they lead, watch what choices they make.”

The panelists each offered advice to the audience and to future generations of women leaders.

Shortall said no one will ever be universally liked but one does not need to be well-liked by every person in order to be a good leader.

Descartes said not to get discouraged if a goal is not achieved right away because it is just not the right time. She said to always have a backup plan because everything may not go exactly as planned.

Eck told women not to ask for a seat at the table; take it and do not assume validation for doing so is needed. Caraccioli said to never be afraid to show vulnerability, to admit mistakes or to lead with heart.

Quatroche said if one faces rejection from a position, there are plenty of other things one can dedicate time to. She said people often get caught up in carrying out their exact vision but that it is better to learn to adapt if it does not work out. Johnson said “change starts with you,” even if one does not have a leadership position.

Following the panel, the presenters showed a short documentary and then announced the winners for a raffle, of which all the proceeds went to a local women’s shelter.

The event ended with SA President Omar van Reenen and Callands addressing the audience to acknowledge their successes.

“I feel so empowered being amongst so many professionals driven to make a difference and commit to change,” Callands said.

Alexander Gault-Plate Managing Editor aplate@oswegonian.com

Good Guys Barbershop in downtown Oswego has been enjoying the fruits of its labors after completing an expansion project that moved it into a new, larger storefront in Canal Commons. The expansion has allowed the shop to take on four new apprentices to begin working on their own in the coming months.

The expansion was partially funded by a small-business grant from the city of Oswego and the Downtown Revitalization Initiative, which granted the city $10 million for various improvement projects around its central areas.

Owner Keith Raymond said that without the grant, the shop could not have expanded.

“It was a foolish expansion, initially,” Raymond said. “The $25,000 we received from the city brought it into reality. It made it worthwhile for us.”

Good Guys has been a part of the Oswego business community for nearly five years and has grown in popularity to a point that stretched its capabilities in its old space.

“A really busy day, we do be-

tween 130 and 150 haircuts,” Raymond said. “We have seen an increase, but we are not really able to accommodate more customers yet, until the rest of our barbers are completely trained.”

The shop had eight barbers before the expansion project began.

Raymond said the build-out took about five months to complete, and the shop is still finishing up some details. The original shop was considered a “rough draft” of the finished look that Raymond and his team were hoping for, he said, and they are continuing to work with a custom woodworker to finish the space.

Raymond said alongside the expansion, the shop has begun to look at new markets to enter and to expand the Good Guys brand beyond Oswego.

“From here, we’re looking at other markets,” Raymond said.

“We’re looking at other cities to expand barber shops in, basically.”

Raymond said he is looking into expanding to nearby towns and cities, like Fulton, Camillus and Watertown.

“We’ve got a good business model for expansion now, and we feel like we can grow at a rapid rate,” Raymond said.

Alexander Gault-Plate | The Oswegonian On busy days, between 130 and 150 people visit Good Guys Barbershop for a haircut.

NEWS Kelly suggests budgeting ahead for trips

Senators investigate altering bylaws to redefine conference SA from COVER Student organizations in need of additional funds send representatives to present their request before SA. The presentation is to explain the amount of money the club is requesting and the purpose of the funds.

Often, funds are needed to close the gap between the money the club has, including annual budgets, fundraising efforts and club member contributions, and the money the club needs for the activity.

SA then drafts a bill, the club meets with the SA finance committee, and the bill is introduced to SA, where it is debated and potentially amended.

If passed by a majority of SA, the approved funds are transferred to the club account.

They discussed changes centered around student organizations requesting contingency funds to attend professional conferences, which are often overnight trips to other cities and states.

These conferences are typically focused on a specific professional field or industry where people in those fields network and share information within that professional community.

Students attending would get an opportunity to join that community and create connections that could help them get into graduate school, internships or careers after graduation.

SA, which is responsible for using the annual contingency fund for the benefit of the Oswego State campus community, is reevaluating how it treats contingency requests for funds to attend these conference trips.

“We want the contingency fund to be used for events that all students

can benefit from,” SA Vice President Edward Kelly said.

Students attending these conferences is valuable, Kelly and O’Donnell said, but mainly valuable only to those attending and therefore less beneficial to the campus as a whole.

“If there was an unforeseen cost [for a campus activity], like the cost from last year changed, and it wasn’t in the [club] budget, [senate] will come in and we’ll cover it,” Kelly said. “But conferences as a whole are kind of in a gray area.”

The contingency is drawn from the student activities fee all Oswego State students are required to pay, Kelly said. Club organizations requesting emergency funds to attend relatively pricey trips for the benefit of only a few students will have to face a higher level of scrutiny for access to those funds.

“The contingency fund is so limited, and oftentimes, conferences are expensive,” Kelly said. “That’s not fair to other students.”

If clubs wish to attend professional conferences, Kelly said they should request those funds as a part of their annual budgets and fundraise rather than request funds from the limited contingency funds.

While SA will hold conference requests to a higher level of scrutiny, there is consideration for attending conferences where student organizations compete and represent Oswego State on a larger stage, Kelly said.

“If you’re going to a conference that you are competing at, and you’re representing the college, the college as a whole is going to benefit from that,” Kelly said. “Then we’re going to look at that in a different light.”

Kassadee Paulo | The Oswegonian

Kelly and O’Donnell said they are looking into changing the bylaws to better define the term “conference.”

“Some sports teams call their national competition ‘a conference’ and we say ‘Oh, well that has the name conference in it, is that going to be a problem because it has that word in it?’” O’Donnell said. “Having a distinction will benefit everyone as a whole.”

O’Donnell, as chair of the rules and judiciary committee, will meet with his committee and investigate if a change of SA bylaws is necessary. He said he expects to bring the issue to a vote in the SA assembly after spring break.

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, March 15, 2019

A5

NEWS A6 OzFest tickets expected to Plastic cup referendum voted on, passes increase in sales this year SA sustainability measures to decrease carbon footprint THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, March 15, 2019

SAPB from COVER “Those are the people the students want to see,” Rodriguez said. “[Ella Mai] was very relevant at the time the survey came out, and then her album came out. … And Gunna, same thing. They’re just two both very, very relevant people right now.”

Taylor Griffin, current president of SAPB, said the artists’ schedules worked out so that the concert could feature the students’ top choices, which is an encouraging result SAPB does not often see.

“In the past, we don’t always get that lucky,” Griffin said. “It’s not for any reason other than dates or some little logistical things with the artists that they couldn’t come.

And we got really lucky that these are the artists that were specifically requested by our students, so we are expecting to sell more tickets than we did last year.”

Micheal Oxley, hip-hop director for WNYO, said what made Mai and Gunna so appealing for Oswego State students was their growth in popularity thanks to big album releases in 2018.

“For some reason, people just love [Gunna’s] vibe. He’s calm and has a nice voice,” Oxley said. “[Mai is] R&B, so it brings in a different crowd as well, not just a hip-hop-based, rap-based crowd. It also brings in the people that love R&B.” They and the other artists are part of the three most popular genres right now with students in their 20s: hip-hop, rap and R&B. Griffin said the performers also match what OzFest is all about – an endof-the-year celebration of students’ hard work in a fun way that everyone can enjoy.

“OzFest, every year, has been something to celebrate the end of school and sort of a way to thank the students for everything they have done throughout the year, to give

them a reward for working so hard and to give them a day to basically have fun,” Griffin said.

Oxley said the selection of artists that are relevant to students are a good pull for the celebration in the way that some of the daytime events are not.

“I feel like there’s nothing that brings people together more than music,” Oxley said. “I think that everybody just comes together and they just have a good time without being judged for feeling like somebody’s pressuring them to do something – you know, just have fun.”

Oxley said he has seen a lot of excitement for this concert because of the performers, and he thinks OzFest will be a good opportunity for students to get away from the stress of classes and tests to enjoy a day with friends.

“I feel like, as we get older, we don’t have as much fun, so we’re just trying to break out of our shell and have as much fun as we can this semester and just in general be around a lot of people and just have a good vibe,” Oxley said.

Griffin and Rodriguez both said they have seen an overwhelmingly positive response from students about the performers, which is an indication that this year’s OzFest will be among the most attended. In just the few days after the artists were announced, SAPB sold over 150 tickets for the concert, Rodriguez said, which is an encouraging sign.

“The spirit of OzFest is hype and energy,” Rodriguez said. “It’s something that every year, we’re always going to remember.”

The tickets for the concert are now on sale and selling for $15 for Oswego State students and $20 for the general public. Free daytime events for OzFest include a pre-concert by WNYO, and more activities will be announced as May approaches.

Maria Pericozzi | The Oswegonian

Peter Humphreys Staff Writer news@oswegonian.com

Oswego State students voted on a Student Association referendum to ban plastic cups in dining halls.

Students were asked on the SA ballot, “Should single-use cups (clear cold beverage cups) be used in the dining halls?” 52 percent voted no, 32 percent voted yes, and 15 percent voted neutral.

The movement began in spring 2018 with a push from current Student Association President Omar van Reenen.

“The plastic cups initiative has really been Student Association working hard on a topic they feel passionate about,” said Sustainability Program Coordinator Jamie Adams. “We are 100 percent behind them. The initiative has been theirs all along.”

In October 2017, Student Association drafted the Plastic Action for Commitment to Sustainability Affirmation (PACSA). The document states that there is an urgent need to combat the reduction of Oswego State’s carbon footprint.

It calls for the termination of “the purchasing of plastic cups used in the dining halls from spring 2018 and beyond.”

Co-written by van Reenen and Lucas Grove, Student Association director of sustainability, PACSA claims that the proposed plastics ban would return Oswego State to compliance with its signed agreement to the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC).

The ACUPCC was signed by Oswego State President Deborah Stanley in 2007.

Through the act of signing, leading college officials agree to progressively eliminate their net greenhouse gas emissions on their respected campus.

According to the PACSA document, 84.5 percent of students believe that plastic cup use in residential dining halls is an environmental concern.

Another 79.6 percent believe that plastic cups should be banned.

The PACSA resolution was not passed through the Student Association senate. The resulting vote was 11 against, 10 for and one abstain. The result did not stifle Grove.

“The resulting talk about the plastic cups did result in many positive changes in the dining halls,” Grove said.

Grove said a Student Association survey determined that almost 324,000 plastic cups are used per semester on campus.

Studies conducted through Student Association have shown that 324,000 cups per semester would add 15,056.5 pounds of waste, 123,310.5 kilowatts of power to create and 55,080 pounds of fossil fuels, and 1,982,498.8 square feet of land would not be used if the ban took effect.

Student Association and the Sustainability Office urged students to recognize reusable alternatives. Personal coffee cups or recyclable paper cups were mentioned.

In response to the controversy of the ban, Grove said the removal of the cups is greener in the long run.

“Saying ‘no’ is simply saying one understands that the cups pose no benefit to the person, but the they are detrimental to the environment, so we

William Rogers | The Oswegonian

should remove them,” Grove said.

The Sustainability Office has implemented posters and news briefings throughout campus to inform those on campus about the environmental impact of their dining decisions.

Plastic cup waste removal initiatives have been implemented throughout campus since the introduction of legislature. The use of polystyrene plastic materials has drastically diminished in on-campus dining facilities, such as the removal of plastic bags and plastic condiment holders.

Michael Flaherty, general manager of Auxiliary Services, said his office is trying to understand the rationale behind the initiative.

“I would be interested in feedback from our customers in resident dining centers regarding this initiative,” Flaherty said.

Plastic cups are still available at all dining facilities on campus. Legislature for the ban is in referendum.

SA changes budget proposal process

Equal Pay for Equal Play club sports movement continues Kassadee Paulo News Editor kpaulo@oswegonian.com For the past several years, Oswego State’s Student Association has had the same system of handling clubs’ and organizations’ annual budget requests, but this year is the pilot of a new zero-based budget system.

In the past, SA budget council looked at the past budgets, membership and in the case of club sports teams, the success of their season. According to SA Director of Finance Miranda Kryskow, the change in process is meant to end legacy funding and to make sure clubs and organizations are receiving only what they need.

“A zero-based budget is really meant to help with equality and efficient budgeting,” Kryskow said. “It’s forcing clubs and organizations to give strong rationales for why they are asking for what they’re asking for.”

Kryskow said she hopes the zerobased budget will save SA $200,000, which is how much the SA budget went into the red last year. This means SA had to reach into its reserved funds to make up for the budget dipping. With this in mind, SA plans to cut that amount as a whole from every club and organization.

“If you’re not spending your money efficiently, and you’re not having plans for it, you’re not going to get [that] money,” Kryskow said.

Every club and organization requested their budget via Google Forms, except the four organizations with the highest budgets: SAVAC, WTOP-10, WNYO and The Oswegonian, which had to present their budget requests to the budget council in person. Kryskow said it was necessary for these organizations to rationally explain their costs and needs.

Using Google, as opposed to Laker Life, allows SA to keep a record of budgets. When budget requests were done via Laker Life in the past, Kryskow said the records could not be saved because Laker Life needed to be wiped each year.

New clubs who achieve SA recognition are capped at $1,000 for their first year of official operation. After that, they may request more based on their goals and financial needs. According to Kryskow, Oswego State has one of the smallest student activity fees and provides one of the largest budgets in the SUNY system.

The new system, according to SA President Omar van Reenen, will help bridge the gap between men’s and women’s club sports teams and provide equal opportunity to succeed. Last year, spearheaded by van Reenen, the Equal Pay for Equal Play movement erupted and brought to light the budget gaps between men’s and women’s club sports teams and the budgets’ violation of Title IX, which “prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any federally funded education program or activity,” according to the Oswego State Title IX webpage.

“The new funding model is about op-

Maria Pericozzi | The Oswegonian

portunity,” van Reenen said. “The zerobase budgeting is not only going to solve Equal Pay [for Equal Play] and bridge the gap, but it’s going to allow both men’s and women’s club sports to have those same opportunities.”

Last year SA averaged out the club sports men’s and women’s teams, which made the women’s sports teams receive the same funding amount as their male counterparts. The teams affected by this change included rugby, soccer, volleyball, baseball/softball and ice hockey. All club sports men’s teams but volleyball experienced a budget cut, and their women counterparts all received a budget increase.

The women’s rugby budget went from $7,300 to $13,775, which allowed the team to purchase new uniforms and equipment, rent space in the Romney Field House and to also take part in more scrimmages and tournaments, according to President Sabrina Shortall.

“Having the bigger budget this year definitely made all the difference for us,” Shortall said. “Because of the budget, we were allotted a lot more opportunities that we wouldn’t have otherwise had last year.”

Shortall said, as a result of the increased budget, the women’s rugby team advanced to become top eight in the nation when they competed in a tournament in Ohio. She said the team will compete in four or five tournaments this spring and will be able to register two Oswego teams, allowing 30 players to participate.

“If we hadn’t had the funding for it, we would have had to forfeit those games,” Shortall said.

Shortall said the new budget process was smooth and required them to research what they needed and provide proof of cost. While they did not request more than what they received this year, they did take into account that they would like to purchase a camera to record their games and the travel expenses they expect for tournaments.

The women’s club ice hockey current vice president and incoming president, Maddie Block, said their increase of $22,199 allowed for the team to join the ACHA Div. II league, where they can play against more competitive teams. They

were also able to pay for coach buses to take to away games. For next year’s budget, Block said the team is asking for about the same amount it has now. She said the most important expenses they will have next year is paying for league dues and replacing their old equipment as a safety precaution.

“We have a lot of old gear,” Block said.

“It’s just not safe. Some of the helmets have expired, and after you get a concussion in a helmet, you can’t have the same helmet. It’s just a safety precaution that we need new gear.”

When SA averaged the budgets for the men’s and women’s club sports teams, the men’s club ice hockey team took a budget cut of $8,500. This caused players to pay more out-of-pocket and fundraise for expenses such as ice time and paying officials, according to head coach Christopher Timmons.

“I think we also need to shed light on the fact that there may be clubs that are in different phases in terms of structure, organization, community outreach and participation,” Timmons said. “I agree that each club should have equal opportunity to grow and prosper each year, but that also needs to be earned through progression and results, not just given.”

Timmons said, with the new budget process, it requires more details and documentation support, whereas, in the past, they just had to submit a PowerPoint with a few details. He said, with the new system, they are asked to provide actual documentation, which will help organizations and teams get the funding they actually need.

The team has asked for about the same amount they received two years ago before the Equal Pay for Equal Play movement, which was $37,500. Much of the budget includes expenses for transportation, hotels, officials, ice time and league fees. The budget items also included trainer fees and supplies.

“Hotel is something we would like to have covered as normally our players pay out-of-pocket for hotel expenses,” Timmons said.

At the Women in Leadership Conference March 12, van Reenen and members of women’s club sports and SAVAC signed in the Equal Pay for Equal Play resolution to become a bill.

OPINION TRAVEL BAN

B5 Maria Pericozzi | The Oswegonian

VOLUME LXXXIV ISSUE VI

SPORTS THE OSWEGONIAN

SPORTS B3

LOOKING TO IMPROVE

Oswegonian file photo from 2018

• www.oswegonian.com

FRIDAY, March 15, 2019

B1

Lakers prepare for NCAA tournament game against Statesmen Gosek, Campbell say team needs to improve on ‘little things’ going into game against Hobart Ben Grieco Sports Editor bgrieco@oswegonian.com The Oswego State men’s hockey team will host Hobart College in the NCAA Div. III Tournament Quarterfinals on March 16 for the Lakers’ first NCAA tournament appearance since the 2016-2017 season.

After receiving the first-round bye due to the PairWise rankings, the Lakers had to wait a week to see who their opponent would be for the quarterfinals. On March 9, Hobart College and Plymouth State played during the first round at Hobart College with the Statesmen coming out victorious 2-1.

While the Lakers are preparing for Hobart College this coming weekend, they must focus on their own needs after the loss to SUNY Geneseo in the SUNYAC championship.

“Obviously, we need to be better than we were in our last game,” head coach Ed Gosek said. “[It is] a lot of little areas, getting back to fundamentals and getting back to basics that we need to get better at.”

Compared to the Statesmen, who

have now only had a week to prepare for the quarterfinals, the Lakers have had two full weeks of practice and no games. Especially following a loss in the league championship, having the two weeks of just practices can be frustrating mentally, captain Devin Campbell said.

During the practices, coaches show video and do different drills to show what needs to happen differently. Every time film is shown from the game, players relive the moments that led to their demise – whether it be a bad pass, a blocked shot or poor positioning.

“It’s hard sitting at home for a weekend this late in the year,” Campbell said. “I don’t think we played a terrible game against Geneseo. Sometimes the bounces don’t go your way.”

But, after 29 games since the first exhibition game of the season on Oct. 20 for the Lakers, the rest can also be beneficial physically. With some players battling undisclosed injuries and simple nagging issues, including after the tough game against the Knights, the rest came at a good time.

“I think a lot of guys needed the rest,” Campbell said. “A lot of guys are banged up right now. It’s just

that time of the year.”

Oswego State and Hobart College have already faced each other once this season, starting, what seems like, an annual tradition between two teams that are not in the same conference but are both in the national rankings week after week.

On Nov. 10, the Lakers hosted the Statesmen at the Marano Campus Center in the Lakers’ third regular season game for the year. It was Oswego State’s first back-to-back weekend of the season, just coming off a win at SUNY Canton on Nov. 9.

It was Hobart College’s fifth game of the season and had just come off a tough weekend against two stout NEHC opponents in Castleton University and then-No. 12 Norwich University.

Due to how early in the season the game was, it is hard for Gosek to use that footage to analyze. But Gosek knows that the Statesmen are still a physical team and capable of winning.

“It was awful early in the season for both teams. … I know they’re a different team,” Gosek said. “They’re playing very good hockey.”

Going into the weekend, Gosek

and Campbell said there are just little things the team needs to work on, such as defensive zone awareness and watching the opposing teams in coverage. Campbell also said the penalty kill needs to improve.

“I think our confidence with the puck too. … We’ve been getting rid of pucks when we should be holding onto them and trying to make more plays and be more skilled,” Campbell said. “Nothing too crazy.”

Even though it is brought up time and time again for every “big” game, the home-ice advantage for Oswego State is a greater edge than most teams have at their home rinks. With the Marano Campus Center Ice Arena packing in 3,000 fans strong, the atmosphere has a different vibe to it during the NCAA Tournament.

The Whiteout Weekend, TEAL game and SUNYAC semifinals games were all special in their own regard.

For the first one, a crowd was decked out in white; the second, that same crowd was decked out in teal. The SUNYAC semifinals was just a general playoff atmosphere.

But there is something just a little different about the NCAA Tournament, knowing what is at stake

for fans and players alike.

“We all love playing here. It’s the reason we all come playing here in the first place,” Campbell said. “It’s hard not to want to play your best hockey when you have that kind of support from everybody around.”

Despite losing to SUNY Geneseo just two weeks ago, Gosek and the rest of the coaching staff are happy with the progress the team has made, both long-term and in more recent practices, which Gosek described as “hard-working practices.”

“I’m a firm believer of the harder you work, the more breaks you make [and] the more opportunities you get,” Gosek said.

Campbell told his team they cannot play scared and need to just be comfortable on the ice and “make the plays [they are] here for.” But everyone knows that one team, either Oswego State or Hobart College, will be done on Saturday night.

“We certainly don’t want to dwell on that. They understand the pressure from there,” Gosek said. “I think they have something to prove as far as how we played our last game. It’s no disrespect to Geneseo. We know we can be better.”

Maria Pericozzi | The Oswegonian

Hobart College ‘more disciplined’ since last meeting with Lakers Head coach Mark Taylor leads team to first NCAA tournament win since 2009 season, ending decade drought Matt Watling Asst. Sports Editor mwatling@oswegonian.com On Saturday, March 9, the Hobart College Statesmen ended their NCAA National Tournament curse that lasted for an entire decade.

With their victory over Plymouth State, the Statesmen won their first National Tournament game since they reached the Frozen Four in the 2008-09 season.

Since then, the roster has completely turned over twice, but this current senior class has had great success in its four years, including four National Tournament appearances.

Head coach Mark Taylor has been through all the struggles this past decade as he has been at the helm since 2000. Taylor has seen his program hit peaks and valleys, with the highs of two Frozen Fours, and has the most wins in program history.

Taylor’s coaching schemes and systems suits his deep roster impeccably. While the team does not have

a single player averaging a point per game, Hobart College scores an average of 3.97 goals per game, which is top 10 in all of Div. III. This goes to show how deep the roster is for the Statesmen, with five players scoring 20 or more points and 16 in double digits. Depth in hockey is arguably the most important aspect of a team, especially come playoff time. In the postseason, a team needs to be able to roll three or four lines in the waning minutes of games as it protects players from fatigue.

“Your top guys have got to score, certainly playoff time is a time [where] teams are playing tighter defense and people should be playing at the top of their game,” Taylor said. “It’s more [about the] opportunity than it is who gets that opportunity.”

The way Hobart College gets its opportunities demonstrates its style of play quite well. Rather than scoring flashy goals with slick stick handling, the Statesmen grind it out.

They are not scoring on line rushes as much as they are cycling the puck, extending their offensive zone time

and tiring out the opposition. They dominate the puck in the offensive zone and play a physical style. Once the opposition is hemmed in its own zone for an extended shift, Hobart College works the puck toward the crease and scores dirty goals in tight.

This was evident in its firstround matchup against Plymouth State when scoring both its goals.

On Denicourt’s game-tying goal, Alec Robitalle entered the zone with ease. He brought the puck along the half wall and muscled the puck back to the point. Denicourt was able to sneak into the middle of the slot and fire a puck stickside. On the gamewinner, Hobart College had its goal scorer, Robitalle, parked in front of the net. He maintained his position in the dirty area and used his slick hands to slide the rebound through his defender’s legs, pick up the loose puck and bury it from within inches of the crease.

Hobart College would finish the game with an impressive 40 shots to Plymouth State’s 14. Typically, the shot numbers do not reflect the bet-

ter of the chances, but rather who possessed the puck longer. In watching the game, it was evident that the Statesmen dominated the puck as it was hardly in their defensive end.

When the play did end up in their zone, the team defense was impressive. It angled Plymouth State into the boards when they attempted to enter the zone. As a result, it was very difficult for Panthers to cleanly enter the zone. Instead, they were forced to dump the puck behind the net and lost puck possession. The biggest reason for Hobart College jumping on those loose pucks first was its speed.

It had the legs to edge the Panthers out on nearly every 50-50 puck.

Oswego State head coach, Ed Gosek, recognizes Hobart College’s style of play and understands the challenge at hand in getting out of the defensive zone quickly.

“We need to get back quickly for pucks, first of all,” Gosek said. “We need to try to get out before they can establish their forecheck. That’s the most intelligent way. ... Against good teams, you see it every night

in the NHL: teams are going to get zone time. Can you keep them to the perimeter? ... If we can keep pucks to the outside, [Richer] can handle most of them.”

Gosek’s Lakers saw the Statesmen at the Marano Campus Ice Arena back on Nov. 10, but that was a long time ago. At the time, Aaron Huffnagle scored the second goal, while now he is not on the roster, and junior Alexander Connal was the starting goaltender for the Statesmen. Now, freshman Liam Lascelle has taken the reigns in net, but Taylor proclaimed that the biggest difference from then until now is simple.

“We are more disciplined,” Taylor said.

Taylor’s comments validate the fact that on Nov. 10, the Statesmen recorded 24 penalty minutes, including a five-minute major and game misconduct for Julien Denicourt. Additionally, Taylor has been very happy with Lascelle who has provided steady goaltending.

See STATESMEN, B3

SPORTS B2 Leone finds bright side despite end to season THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, March 15, 2019

Photo Briefs SUNYAC HONORS

Maria Pericozzi | The Oswegonian The Oswego State lacrosse programs each had a Laker receive conference accolades after their second week of competition. Both Teresa Shattuck and Evan Hollfelder of the women’s and men’s lacrosse teams, respectively, were named SUNYAC Athlete of the Week for their sports.

Shattuck had a dynamic week, offensively, as the attack recorded 12 points in a single game. In Oswego State’s 21-7 win against the Lycoming College Warriors, Shattuck recorded 11 assists and a goal. Her 12 points led the Lakers in that game, and the next closest scorer was Brigid Regin who scored six points on the day. Shattuck’s 11 assists set a new program record for most assists in a single game. The previous record was set in the 2016 season when Shattuck recorded 10 assists against SUNY Canton. Shattuck has been a strong passing threat throughout her career as a Laker. She has set the record for most assists three separate occasions and holds the record for most assists in a single season with 58.

Shattuck leads the Lakers in total points with 19 in just two games this season. Toni Laneve is second on Oswego State in points with nine.

Alongside Shattuck as SUNYAC Athlete of the Week is an attack from the men’s lacrosse team, Hollfelder.

The junior led the Lakers to a 16-14 win over the Morrisville State Mustangs. He recorded two goals and four assists, one of which was a tally on the game-winning goal. In the first game of the season on March 2, he recorded one goal and an assist.

Although there has only been two games so far this season, Hollfelder has led the Lakers high-powered offense in several major categories including assists (5) and points (8).

Both lacrosse teams return to action over spring break with the men’s team traveling to St Joseph’s on Wednesday, March 20. The women’s team will play in Utica on March 19 and open up SUNYAC play on Saturday, March 23 against the SUNY Fredonia Blue Devils.

ALL-REGIONAL BASKETBALL

Men’s basketball caps off strong season with Sweet 16 appearance Mamadou Tall Sports Writer sport@oswegonian.com The Oswego State Lakers ended their season on a disappointing note on March 8 in a 78-61 loss to the Marietta College Pioneers in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament.

Solid performances from Quinn Carey, Liam Sanborn, Brandan Gartland and Tyler Pierre were not enough for the Lakers to come away with the win. The balance in scoring that has been a strength of the Lakers all season was matched by the Pioneers, who also had four players score in double figures.

The true game-changer throughout the game came from the threepoint line, where the Lakers struggled shooting 7-19 and the Pioneers shot an impressive 11-22. The Pioneers showed their depth, scoring 40 bench points compared to the Lakers’ single bench point.

What came as a tough and disappointing loss gave the players and coaching staff time to reflect on the long season they have had. The Lakers finished their season with an overall record of 24-6, the best record they have had in seven years.

Although the season stopped short of them winning the NCAA championship, the Lakers experienced much success throughout it. From winning the SUNYAC championship to grabbing the top seed in their conference and making it as far as the Sweet 16 in NCAA tournament, this season has been one of the more successful seasons the program has seen in recent years.

“I would describe it as incredibly rewarding and satisfying,” coach Jason Leone said about his team’s season. “This is the prototypical team you would like to have as a coach, guys who work hard during the offseason and integrated new players into the team.”

Leone did not hang his head on the season’s end. Instead, he found himself looking ahead on what future seasons will bring. After a successful season like this one, the program can only go up from here, and Leone is optimistic about the team going forward. With the season coming to an end, the seniors on the team will have to end the college basketball chapter of their lives to move on.

Seniors Pierre, Carey and Allen Durutovic will all be graduating and leaving the team after this season.

“I think all three of them brought different qualities to our team,” Leone said.

D3hoops.com announced its Allregional teams on March 11, and several Lakers were named to the All-east regional team for the 201819 season. The website rewarded senior center Tyler Pierre with the second-team selection. Guard Liam Sanborn will join him with the honors of a third-team selection.

Pierre was also named to the All-SUNYAC first-team as one of the best big men in all of the conference. Pierre ended his season with statistics that were very strong throughout all of Div. III. He was fifth in field goal percentage (66.8) and 23rd in offensive rebounds per game (3.8).

Pierre was an integral figure down the stretch for the Lakers, as he scored just under 15 points per game in Oswego State’s three NCAA tournament games. Perhaps the most impressive was his 19 points in the round of 64, where he fouled out after 30 minutes. Pierre ends his 2018-19 campaign averaging 13.4 points and 9.1 rebounds per game.

Joining Pierre on the All-SUNYAC first-team is Sanborn who played the fourth most minutes in all of Div. III with 1,084 minutes. On the season, Sanborn ranked top 10 in the nation in total assists with 166 and 24th in assists per game with 5.5.

In the NCAA tournament, Sanborn contributed significantly to Oswego State’s farthest postseason

run in program history. Against Baldwin Wallace College, Sanborn was tied for the team lead in points (20) with Brandan Gartland. In the team’s final game of the NCAA tournament, Sanborn received a technical foul as his fifth foul on the day.

As a result, he fouled-out and did not play more than 29 minutes. Sanborn was still second on the team in points against Marietta College with 14 points.

The Sophomore will end his second season in green and gold averaging 12.6 points per game. He also tacked on just over 5.5 assists per game and 4.6 rebounds per game.

Joining Pierre and Sanborn on the list of men’s basketball accolades is their head coach, Jason Leone. In his 17th season at the helm, Leone was SUNYAC Coach of the Year for the fourth time in the last eight seasons.

The final set of accolades for the trio was announced March 13. The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) named Pierre and Sanborn to the NCAA Div. III AllDistrict team for the East District.

The duo were two of the six players named to the team as voted on by Div. III coaches. Leone was honored by his coaching peers as he was named as the Head Coach of the Year for the East District. This is the second time Leone was honored with the award as the first came back in 2011-12.

This year’s senior class was unique to say the least. Center Pierre was transferred to the Lakers his sophomore season from Downing College. This has been Carey’s only season with the team, and Durutovic has played for the Lakers for all four years. Throughout the season, the players on the team have grown close and ultimately became a family, creating bonds that go beyond basketball.

“These are a really good group of guys, and I have made life-long friends and acquaintances,” Carey said.

Moments like these are often bittersweet for both the players and coaching staff. Carey described it as a “strange” and “odd” feeling.

“There was a sense of joy as coach subbed me out last minute,” Carey said. “I just sort of soaked up the last time I’ll be out there on a basketball court. It was definitely sad and emotional.”

As for his life after college hoops, Carey said he will be finishing off his last two months here at Oswego State and, after graduation, pursuing a masters degree in journalism.

Carey averaged 11.3 points per game on the season and led the team in three-pointers made with 93.

Pierre, who has been the team’s leader on and off the court, shared sim-

ilar sentiments as Carey when looking back on his time with the Lakers.

“These guys really became a family to me for all three years that I have been here, and even though we didn’t win the championship, I still had fun with these guys,” Pierre said.

Pierre, who has been a major force for the team on both sides of the ball, will leave a big hole to fill.

His low post scoring and rebounding was one of the major components for the team’s success this season. Pierre led the team in points with 13.4 per game, rebounding with nine boards a game and total blocks with 25. Although his impact will be missed, he is looking forward to seeing what next season’s team has in store.

“You just have to keep your hopes up for the guys next season. I’ll be following them,” Pierre said.

After he graduates, Pierre plans on joining the U.S. Marines for four years, and through the leadership and hard work he has shown this season, he seems ready for what is to come.

The Lakers’ extraordinary season has come to an end. This year’s team has won trophies and raised banners and will go down as one of the best Oswego State teams in recent history.

Winter weather stifles start to women’s lacrossse

Through snowy conditions, Lakers open season undefeated Luke Owens Sports Writer sports@oswegonian.com

Maria Pericozzi | The Oswegonian

Maria Pericozzi | The Oswegonian The Lakers ended their season in the Sweet 16, tied for the best postseason run in program history.

The Oswego State women’s lacrosse team is off to a 3-0 start this season, following a 19-13 victory over St. Lawrence on Wednesday afternoon. The Lakers were once again led by seniors Teresa Shattuck and Brigid Regin. Regin totaled seven points on six goals and an assist, while Shattuck also tallied seven points but with one goal and six assists.

Shattuck now leads the team with 26 points through three games and was honored as this week’s Laker Athlete of the Week after setting the school record with 11 assists against Lycoming College. Fellow captain Regin is second on the team in points with 15 and leads the team with 11 goals. Shattuck and Regin’s leadership entering their senior years could determine just how far the Lakers go this season.

“They’re very strong on and off the field, both academically and athletically, and the girls really look up to them,” said head coach Britt Howard.

“I think that, with them in our captain role, we can go a far way.”

Returners are always a huge advantage from year to year, and the Lakers have a roster full of upperclass talent. Of the 27 players on the roster, 20 are juniors and seniors. This has made transitioning into the new season a lot easier for Howard.

“We have several returners, which I think is very strong for us,” Howard said. “Our goaltender we lost, which was a huge impact, but we have a junior that has really stepped up in the role.”

The goaltender the Lakers lost was four-year starter Angela Ponto. Ponto posted a career 36-28 record and .505 save percentage. In her last game with Oswego State, Ponto stopped a careerhigh 21 saves in the SUNYAC semifinals loss against SUNY Cortland.

Stepping in to replace her is junior Elianna Sanchez. Sanchez is one of two goalies on the roster, but she is off to a 3-0 start this season, stopping 34 shots en route to a .521 save percentage.

Even with all the returners, the Lakers have also had to incorporate three freshmen and a whopping 11 transfers into their system. Regin acknowledged that playing with that many new teammates could take some getting used to.

“I definitely think our chemistry is something we need to work on,” Regin said. “We have a bunch of new players

and a bunch of freshmen, so finding that chemistry to connect on defense and also offense will really help us out.”

Another added element to begin this season has been the weather. As is usual in the beginning of any spring sport at Oswego State, the Lakers have had to reschedule the St. Lawrence game twice before completing it Wednesday afternoon. Their game against Morrisville State scheduled for last week has also been postponed.

“It’s kind of disappointing. I mean, we build up a game plan, we build up a scout and then find out within one or two days that our game is canceled,” Howard said. “I think it’s kind of discouraging for the girls, but we’re trying to battle through it and take it day by day.”

Those lack of games is perhaps more discouraging for the players involved in them.

“I get in such a game mode and get ready for these games, and then they get canceled because the weather is crappy, and we can’t go outside and play,” Regin said. “It really does blow.”

When the Lakers have taken the

field, they have been stellar thus far.

Oswego State has outscored its opponents to the tune of a plus 22 goal differential. With just one tune-up remaining before SUNYAC play begins, the Lakers and Shattuck have their eyes set on one longtime foe.

“I definitely want to make it to SUNYACs,” Shattuck said. “I want to beat Cortland. It’s a big goal for us this year to beat Cortland, and maybe that’ll set us up for winning SUNYACs.” The Lakers lost both games to the Red Dragons last season by a score of 13-10, including the SUNYAC semifinals game. With it being the fourth and final season for Shattuck and the rest of the Oswego State seniors, it is now or never.

“Being a senior, it just kind of means I have to give it all I can,” Shattuck said. “It’s the last time I’m ever going to play lacrosse, so I might as well go all out.”

The Lakers travel on the road for two games over spring break before returning home on March 27 against The College at Brockport.

Maria Pericozzi | The Oswegonian The Lakers started their season March 1 at Clarkson University, a game they won 16-14.

B B33 SPORTS Softball looks to improve on first winning season since 1998 THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, March 15, 2019

Each week, The Oswegonian Sports beat writers give you their thoughts on each team's upcoming weekend schedule.

Lakers return 2 star players, Rebecca Vilchez, Angela Frampton, both for pitching, hitting

Men’s hockey vs. Hobart College

Ben Grieco Sports Editor bgrieco@oswegonian.com The Lakers might have already beaten them once, but the Statesmen are going to be a new bear to wrestle on March 16 for the NCAA Div. III Quarterfinals.

Oswego State brought in a lot of offense, both at even strength and on the power play. The Lakers saw a typical fourth-liner, Jody Sullivan, score halfway through the first period. Aaron Huffnagle scored on the power play after he had a wide-open net while the four Statesmen on the penalty kill were all drawn to one side. Anthony Passero was able to wrist a shot top shelf after another good offensive zone entry. Mitch Emerson, along with some strong forechecking from his linemates, sealed the game with the empty-netter.

But Oswego State still has some things to work on for potential success this weekend against Hobart College. It is not the beginning of the season anymore, when teams are trying to find chemistry within itself. Playoff hockey is crunch time, and the loser is sent home without redemption.

Following the loss to SUNY Geneseo, neutral zone entries are key for the Lakers and trying to maintain offensive pressure. There were a lot of situations where the Laker forwards had to either dump the puck in and change or take a weaker shot.

Special teams will also be key. Oswego State’s power play, which is running at a 26.1 percent success rate, will need to take advantage of Hobart College’s average of 15 penalty minutes per game, as well as its 85.3 penalty kill success rate. With the Lakers’ improving penalty kill, now at 83.2 percent, it should be strong against the Statesmen’s faltering power play of 16.2 percent.

Oswego State is most likely the favorite heading into the matchup against Hobart College. But it could be interesting given the fact that playoff hockey is crucial, with neither team wanting its season to end.

Matt Watling Asst. Sports Editor mwatling@oswegonian.com Over the last two seasons, the Lakers have perennially been in the top 15 of the Div. III rankings. To start this season, the Lakers were ranked No. 9 in the USCHO poll. Since then, the Lakers have climbed to as high as No. 3, only trailing SUNY Geneseo and Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

This constant national scrutiny has helped the Lakers in terms of their mentality heading into the postseason. In talking to captain Devin Campbell, he exuded a vibe of confidence and calmness.

The Lakers’ mindset coming into the second round matchup is just as it would be in any ordinary game. Being able to treat a game of this magnitude like any other is a huge advantage, especially early on. It helps a team avoid those firstperiod jitters and butterflies. Those butterflies can spiral into catastrophic results if a player muffs a pass or makes a mental error.

For the Statesmen, they seem to be just as prepared for the magnitude of the game since they played in the first round.

In the first period of that game, one could see the unease in their play. They maintained puck possession but seemed to grip the stick too tight. A couple of minute mental errors snowballed into a onegoal deficit when a defenseman pinched when he was not supposed to. As a result, Ryan Stevens from Plymouth State came down the left wing and scored the other way. For the final 40 minutes, the Statesmen refocused, were able to play like they usually do and went on to win the game.

While players on both teams have been playing for well over a decade, this second round matchup is likely the biggest game of their lives. Despite this, both sides have played under different highpressure situations throughout this season, making Saturday’s game an exciting one that should be played relatively clean with few mental mistakes.

Maria Pericozzi | The Oswegonian

Aaron Valentino Sports Writer sports@oswegonian.com The Oswego State softball team is gearing up for another season and is prepared to make it all the way. It will not be long before the Lakers are at Laker Softball Field once again to work toward a SUNYAC Championship.

The Lakers’ last season placed fourth in the SUNYAC last year, going 19-15 overall and a record of 11-7 in conference play.

The Lakers did fall short of a title, losing to SUNY Geneseo in the first round. The Lakers are hoping to continue their success and go further this season. “[We want to] win SUNYAC,” said head coach Abby Martin on the team’s goals for the season. “We went two and out last year, and it was kind of disappointing, to be honest. Our goals were set much higher than that, and we’re good enough that we should

absolutely win the conference. That’s 100 percent the goal and to get into the NCAA Tournament. That’s an experience that nobody really has in this program so that would be really special.”

Catcher Claire Hewitt, a senior on the team, said she also thinks Oswego State is good enough to win the SUNYAC title.

“Our goal this year is to win the SUNYAC title,” Hewitt said. “Being a senior coming here, the team wasn’t so great. We don’t have a good past, so we’ve been building it up, and it would just be really great to see after four years of hard work just getting that SUNYAC title. ... [I plan to] do what I can, build my teammates up, just keep working hard pushing each other every single day and getting one percent better every day.”

Hewitt said she has seen a lot of excitement from the team in the first couple practices and workouts on the season.

“I feel like everyone is just in it this year,” Hewitt said. “We have just a really good attitude, and they are excited just to

be here, and this is the best I have seen our team so far. Especially in pre-season, we were just mashing the ball, so it’s never been like that before.”

Hewitt said her time on the softball team has been a welcomed part of her experience at Oswego State.

“I don’t think I would enjoy college at all without softball. This team has just brought me my best friends and really good times,” Hewitt said. “Even the hard times … you look back at them [and] they were OK because [of] the people you’re surrounded with.”

Senior pitcher Angela Frampton said she will do her part to help the team reach and win the SUNYAC. “I want to be the best that I can be,” Frampton said. “Last year, as soon as we came back from Florida, I was injured and so I couldn’t play as well as I wanted to. I want to just play to the best of my abilities this entire year. ... I just want to give it my all because it’s my last season.”

Frampton said she has seen significant improvement from the team and she is happy to be in a leadership role so far this year.

“If [the freshmen and transfers] have trouble with something, they feel comfortable to come ask me about it. Or if in the middle of practice some say, ‘Hey, can you watch me do this? I want to see if I’m doing it right,’ … and they trust my opinion on that,” Frampton said.

Her brief time here at Oswego has been challenging but rewarding.

“I am in a really difficult program. I’m a chemistry major, so coming to practice is definitely my break, and even though we’re working hard, it’s a break from my really hard classes, and I can just come here and relax and hang out with friends,” Frampton said.

Oswego State will head down to Florida to start its season and will be back home here after spring break to start conference play.

Campus Rec Report: soccer, Statesmen bring physical volleyball leagues continue game, similar to SUNYAC foes Morgan Meaney Contributing Writer sports@oswegonian.com Two sports are starting to head into playoff territory as we quickly approach spring break. Soccer and volleyball both had full schedules this past week, so let us take a look at the action.

In the CoRec recreational soccer league this week, Shoot Your Shot defeated both Church Group (remastered) (5-1) and Trash Rats (7-3) in two big victories. In the CoRec competitive league, Netkicks and chill and We Destroy Audrey faced off in the sole game of the week with Netkicks and chill coming out on top with a final score of 7-3. In the men’s competitive league, FC Deportivo League defeated Gentlemen of West Virginia (9-6). The 1926ers picked up their fourth win of the season with a 5-2 win over Oxford United. Also in the men’s recreational league, Halls & Balls started the week off strong with a close win over 5-star (8-7). 5-star was able to bounce back later in the week, however, with a 4-1 victory over Tuesdays are for Jon. Oswego’s Finest took home two wins with a 3-1 win over Los Pollos Lokos and a 4-3 win over Halls & Balls. Tuesdays are for Jon secured another win in the final game of the week over OZ GOLF (8-5).

The CoRec recreational volleyball league was jam-packed this past week. Popped AVolley I’m

Settin continued to dominate the league with wins over The Empire Spikes Back (3-0) and Scrambled Legz (3-0). They hold the top spot in the league. The Empire Spikes Back came back strong, however, with a 2-1 win over Milwaukee’s Beasts.

In similar fashion, Milwaukee’s Beasts took home a win later in the week over the Waterbury Wreckers (3-0). I Dig It also took home two more victories, defeating both Sets on the Beach (2-1) and THE LAST HURRAH (2-1). Karasuno secured three more wins this week, defeating both THE LAST HURRAH (3-0), Halls & Balls (2-1) and Waterbury Wreckers (3-0). Halls & Balls defeated Two Bump Chumps in a threeset shut-out (3-0).

USA Volleyball continued to sit high up in the rankings, as they won all three sets against Scrambled Legz (3-0). Scrambled Legz were able to bring home some wins later in the week, despite a difficult start, with a 2-1 victory over The Village People. Another team to add three more wins to its record this week was Safe Sets, who defeated both Lil Bump (2-1), Kiss My Ace (3-0) and Sets on the Beach (30). Not to be left out, Kiss My Ace defeated Two Bump Chumps (3-0), while Scrambled Legz defeated The Village People (2-1). The Village People closed out the week strong with a win over Lil Bump (2-1). In the men’s recreational league, Volleybaes defeated Wheres my dad?

(3-0), while OFC beat Team No Game Scheduled (3-0).

Shelby Stewart via Campus Recreaction The CoRec recreational soccer league saw Shoot Your Shot go 2-0 during the week.

Kyle Hurley | The Oswegonian The last time Oswego State played Hobart College, the Lakers won 4-2 on Nov. 10.

HOBART from B1 “Consistency in play and his top game,” Taylor said of Lascelle. “He was an all-league goalie in a very good junior league [CCHL]. We expected him to be competing for the No. 1 job.”

While the team looks different, its style of play has not changed. From the Lakers’ perspective, they still play like a mix of two SUNYAC rivals.

“They get after it and play physical like a Fredonia,” Gosek said. “They got skilled guys, and their defense are active like a Geneseo. I like Hobart’s defense a lot. I think they’re very good at getting up on the rush and generating stuff from the offensive blue line.”

Like SUNY Fredonia, who has sophomore Victor Tracy, the Statesmen have a budding star of their own, Zach Tyson. Tyson is tied for the team lead in points with senior Jonas Toupal. Tyson’s 26 points and 20 assists is third among all rookies in Div. III. While he is scoring at a rate that teams cannot expect heading into a first-year, Taylor knew Tyson could contribute to the team’s performance.

“You only expect him to be a good freshman and an impact player, but especially in hockey, it’s not a one-man line. … It’s [the] chemistry of the lines,” Taylor said. “Would I have said he’s going to be up there in scoring? I think that would have been a high expectation for anybody coming in, … [but] you’re always expecting someone to emerge.”

Another player who has emerged, this time as a power play staple, is defenseman Tanner Shaw. He has scored three goals on the man-advantage and has helped the unit rank within the

top-50 of Div. III. The unit sets up shop similar to the Plattsburgh State Cardinals as they use two defensemen on the power play. At their set positions, the two defensemen play both the left and right point and creep down toward the goal when it is applicable. Adding to their scoring depth is the fact that 12 different skaters have scored at least one power play goal with three being the most goals by any one player on the man advantage.

The Statesmen have still had some troubles with discipline, which causes them to take a lot of penalties. As a team, they average 15 penalty minutes per game, a number that is somewhat inflated due to the 10 five-minute major penalties they have taken. Despite this, they have taken several penalties early in games, something that can be fatal for a team that needs to play with a lead. Their penalty kill, however, is very impressive at 85.2 percent. They play slightly more passive than the Oswego State penalty kill, but once teams enter the zone, the Statesmen do a good job knocking the puck off the opposition’s stick.

Regardless of the numbers, this Saturday will be an exciting game. Both teams are very similar in the sense that they like to roll all four of their lines, regardless of the situation. Both coaches trust their four lines to generate offense when they need it most.

“We like to roll four lines. We think there is strengths in numbers,” Gosek said. “They like to roll four lines. They’ve got depth. They don’t have key guys. We don’t have key guys as far as depending on one player, which is a positive for both teams. It’ll make for an exciting game for the fans.”

Shore Report

NCAA Div. III Tournaments Men’s Hockey

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, March 15, 2019

Oswego Scoreboard Men’s Basketball Friday, March 8

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61

MAR:

Ellis: 13 points, 3 assists Richardson: 8 points, 3 rebs Dixon: 10 points, 5 rebs

OSW:

Carey: 18 points, 5 rebs Pierre: 11 points, 10 rebs

Men’s Tennis Saturday, March 9

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3

Shea McCarthy | The Oswegonian

Men's Basketball

B4

Women’s Lacrosse Saturday, March 9

21

7

OSW:

Regin: 5 goals, 1 assist Shattuck: 1 goal, 11 assists Sanchez: 7 GA, 5 saves

LYC:

McGinnis: 4 goals, 8 shots Purchesky: 12 GA, 3 saves

Men’s Lacrosse Saturday, March 9

16

14

Hollfelder: 2 goals, 4 assists Emerson: 4 goals, 11 shots O’Donnell: 14 GA, 11 saves

ELM: Gervase: 3 6 1(10-4) OSW: Emigholz: 6 3 0

OSW:

ELM: Stedge: 2 1 OSW: Gayvert: 6 6

MOR: Geswaldo: 5 goals, 2 assists Alverado: 16 GA, 12 saves

Upcoming Events Men’s Lacrosse Saturday, March 16

Men’s Hockey Saturday, March 16

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@

12:00 p.m.

7:00 p.m.

OSW: 2-0 (0-0) SJF: 4-0 (0-0)

HOB: 20-7-2 (11-5-2) OSW: 19-6-2 (11-4-1)

Baseball

Softball

Saturday, March 16

Saturday, Mar. 16

vs.

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5:00 p.m.

OSW: 1-2 (0-0) PLA: 2-3 (0-0)

1:00 p.m.

OSW: 0-0 (0-0) FER: 6-4 (0-0)

Laker Athletes of the Week Shea McCarthy | The Oswegonian

Around the SUNYAC Baseball

Softball

Women’s Lacrosse

Teresa Shattuck

Women’s Lacrosse Senior | Syracuse

12

10

7

4

11

10

BUF: 3-1 (0-0) DYO: 1-2 (0-0)

FRE: 6-4-0 (3-0-0) UTI: 1-5-0 (0-0-0)

4

COR: 6-4-1 (0-0-0) STE: 2-5-0 (0-0-0)

15

5:

NOR: 2-0 (1-0) PLA: 1-2 (0-0)

The Oswego State softball team wil welcome five freshman to the team this spring. The newcomers consist of three infielders, a pitcher and one utility player in Kaylyn Wilson.

Last season, the softball team ended their season with an overall record of 19-15. Their 11-7 conference record propelled, them into the playoffs.

5

11

11

9

LAS: 0-4 (0-0) POT: 2-4 (0-0)

ONE: 4-6 (0-0) TDA: 6-8 (4-7)

11:

Teresa Shattuck set the women’s lacrosse single game record for most assists in a game with 11.

The record was set Saturday, March 9 against Lycoming College. The Lakers went on to win the game 21-7 at the Laker Turf Stadium. Shattuck would score a goal in the contest to finish the day with 12 points.

Chris Gayvert

Men’s Tennis Sophomore | Fairport

The senior from Syracuse set a program record with 11 assists in a 21-7 win over Lycoming College on Saturday. Shattuck also owns the school record for assists in a season, tallying 58 her junior year. That record broke the previous mark of 56, also owned by Shattuck. This season, Shattuck has six goals and 13 assists in the Lakers first two games of the season.

Gayver t defeated Zackarie Stedge from Elmira College in straight sets on Saturday afternoon. The Fairport native won the first set 6-2 before completing the sweep with a 6-1 win in the final set. The senior was a big part in the Lakers 6-3 win over Elmira, and their 2-1 start.

Oswego State travels to Hilton Head, SC, for three matches over spring break.

In the first matchup between Hobart College and the Lakers, the two teams combined for 29 penalty minutes. The Statesmen contributed 23 of those minutes due to a five-minute boarding penalty. Julien Denicourt took the boarding penalty late in the first period and was given a 10-minute misconduct.

In the second men’s lacrosse game of the season, the Lakers and Morrisville State combined for 30 goals. Oswego State would edge out the Mustangs by a score of 16-14 with help from a pair of attacks. Freshman Weston Gray and senior Bobby Emerson scored four goals apiece on a combined 16 shots.

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OPINION

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, March 15, 2019

B5

Travel ban Trudeau scandal reveals American polarization Teenagers difficult too young Canadian citizens jump political parties for betterment of nation for students to vote Athena Lamicela Staff Writer opinion@oswegonian.com

Maria Pericozzi | The Oswegonian

Ben Grieco Sports Editor bgrieco@oswegonian.com Just imagine this: you are a collegiate swimmer, working hard to make it to the national invitational. You finally hit that time where you are going to the national meet to represent your school, your team, your family and so on.

This is one of the greatest accomplishments of your life.

Now, let us get a little specific.

You are still that same swimmer, but you are a Div. III swimmer, where the national meet is held in Greensboro, North Carolina. Better yet, you are part of a SUNY school, where the travel to North Carolina is considered “state sanctioned.”

The NCAA originally posed the same kind of ban but lifted it shortly after North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory put the bill into place.

Due to the circumstances, you cannot stay in North Carolina. You find a hotel in Roanoke, Virginia, and have to travel farther to the swim meet every day. This harsh reality is true for a dozen swimmers and divers from SUNY Geneseo, SUNY Cortland and The College at Brockport.

Those swimmers practice hours a day, all for a sub-30-second event, at least at nationals.

When North Carolina passed the Bathroom Bill, which required transgender people to use the bathroom of their gender assigned at birth, New York state Gov. Andrew Cuomo posed a travel ban for all state-sponsored travel to North Carolina in response to the bill.

This entire situation messes up those student-athletes not only on the physical side of swimming but also the psychological side. While swimming is already demanding on the bodies of swimmers and divers, with sometimes two practices per day, lifting sessions and not a lot of time for recovery, there is now the mental side of everything with the sport.

Take a 50-yard freestyle swimmer, for example. Those swimmers practice hours a day, all for a sub-30-second event, at least at nationals. They also require a lot of rest to prepare for such a highintensity event. When you grow up as a swimmer, most coaches will say only take three breaths on the way down and two breaths on the way back. As swimmers get faster, fewer and fewer breaths are taken.

Every minute of rest matters for those swimmers. To ask them to get up an hour and a half earlier than normal just to get on a bus to then go to Greensboro for their 30-second event is unfair to those athletes who work so hard and have, stereotypically, nothing to show for it.

Cuomo needs to lift this ban for future instances that require state-sponsored travel to North Carolina. While it is too late for these swimmers and divers to have the luxury of only being five or 10 minutes away from the arena, future nationals swimmers should not have to suffer as well.

uncompromising when he was asked about rumors that he had pressured her to vote differently. He claimed there was “no inappropriate pressure” and that he had simply asked her to consider all sides of the situation.

Wilson-Raybould, who is against Canadian policy that prevents MPs from discussing their previous positions, spoke out to say that Trudeau and many of his aides sent her messages over phone, email, text and in person asking her to consider her decision. She admitted this was not illegal, as they did not explicitly tell her which way to vote, but the intentions of their actions were clear. Wilson-Raybould resigned last month, as did Minister Jane Philpott and Trudeau’s chief aide, Gerald Butts.

Trudeau’s popularity took a hit as well, with polls shifting in favor of conservative opposition.

In the U.S., a scandal like this seems miniscule. It is outlandish to us that a leader’s career could be knocked down over a scandal that does not involve foreign collusion or sexual harassment.

This highlights a fundamental difference between Canadian and American

politics. In the U.S., voters are generally expected to align themselves with a candidate by their values, regardless of their actions under them. In Canada, individual ethics are valued over the party, and many feel less reserved about switching across the aisle from a candidate that violates ethical codes. We have become so acclimated to corruption and scandal that we expect it as part of the package and instead hope that support of an ideology will justify the means officials take to enact it.

In America, there is a fantasy of Canada as a liberal paradise. With a vocally progressive leader and generally less involvement in foreign conflicts, it is easy to see why. But we must be careful of an idealized version of such a complex political situation. It is very likely that the next round of elections will see a conservative prime minister.

While this would still likely land left of the U.S.’s current situation, anyone considering moving to Canada as an escape from our political climate should recognize the tradeoffs offered by a government where comparably small disputes can shift political alignments.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been popular with liberal Canadians for his self-proclaimed feminism and dedication to equality in government. He famously built a 50-50 gender split in his cabinet, stating that “It’s important to be here before you today to present to Canada a cabinet that looks like Canada.” However, voters’ favor of him is dropping in response to a scandal involving the engineering and construction company SNC-Lavalin, the nature of which has resulted in some high-ranking women in his cabinet stepping down to distance themselves from his actions.

SNC-Lavalin has a history of using bribery and fraud to win government work contracts. Since 2015, it has been embroiled in an accusation of bribing the Libyan government. If it is found guilty, it could be banned from taking such contracts for the next 10 years. The company hoped to dodge this penalty by applying for a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA), which would allow it to instead pay a penalty fee but continue otherwise as normal. The introduction of DPAs, which specifically protect companies from penalties for financial crimes like bribery and corruption, was lobbied in large part by SNC-Lavalin under the pretense of protecting workers that depend on their jobs.

Member of Parliament Jody WilsonRaybould vocally opposed the request for a DPA, claiming the company did not fit the criteria for one and should be punished accordingly for their actions. She was demoted from attorney general and justice minister to veterans’ affairs portfolio as the hearing approached, which many saw as a direct result of her opposition. Trudeau, famous for apologizing Photo from G20 Argentina via Flickr when he steps out of line, was notably Justin Trudeau, the Canadian prime minister, was caught in a scandal that dropped his approval rating.

SPEAK YOUR MIND, TWITTER! POLLS POSTED EVERY FRIDAY TO @gonianOPN

Diversity in media makes difference Adding LGBTQ characters to media should be organic Francesca Miesner Opinion Editor fmiesner@oswegonian.com In modern films, video games and books, many people are calling for increased diversity. Instead of having a romantic subplot between a man and a woman, some suggest they should be replaced with a gay couple. Alternatively, instead of a protagonist being a male, perhaps they should be a female instead. However, what many different shows and brands have done is promise diversity, force it into places where there is preexisting lore and then demand applause for it.

The biggest offender is J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter books.

She claims certain characters are homosexual, namely Albus Dumbledore, while, during the actual books, there was no indication on whether he was. The only actual “hint” given was his flair for the dramatic, which in itself cannot be indicative of his sexuality. Rowling did confirm, after the books finished being released, that Grindlewald and Dumbledore were romantically or sexually involved to a certain degree. The question is whether Dumbledore being gay was intended, or when fans asked her if there was someone gay in the books, she panicked and said, “Yeah! Dumbledore, probably.” Another question fans asked was whether there were Jewish people at Hogwarts. She could have admitted to not including them, but instead she said there are Jewish people at Hogwarts; we just did not see them. It is rather disconcerting that, if you are a fan of the franchise and wanted to see some representation, Rowling decides to say, “Yeah,

Photo from Manseok via Pixabay Hogwarts was the home of Albus Dumbledore, who J.K. Rowling proclaimed was gay.

sure,” and then everyone applauds her for progressiveness.

Overwatch is an online multiplayer video game that was released in May 2016 by Blizzard Entertainment. The game, too, has made some choices that have been questioned by its players.

Since the game is not at all story based, lore and additional information surrounding the characters and the world are released intermittently. The world that was built was so interesting that fans became increasingly interested and invested in the comics and the animated cinematics that were released in the world of the game. Through these comics, two characters, Soldier: 76 (Jack Morrison) and Tracer (Lena Oxton), were confirmed to be homosexual. Many of the people who play the game claimed the characters gave no indication of their sexuality beforehand, and therefore the announcement of their homosexuality was out of nowhere and inorganic.

With the case of Rowling, there was plenty of room to give indications of sexuality. The Harry Potter books,

in total, had over 1 million words that could have been used to describe or add additional information. Blizzard, however, could not afford this luxury and therefore could only release lore outside of the game. Some argue that Soldier: 76 could not be homosexual or did not appear to be, at first, because of how hypermasculine and edgy he is. This only shows ignorance surrounding how little aesthetics bleed into sexuality. There was no need for any indication beforehand, as there is virtually no dialogue proving everyone else straight, either.

Diversity in media matters. Every child and person who is of color, LGBTQ, Jewish or any other underrepresented minority in media deserves to have someone to look up to and relate to. If films, books or video games have the opportunity to make their characters fall into one of these categories, good on them. If they do not, they should not try to force them into these roles post-production. Consumers can tell, and it is not charming.

Photo from Andreas Breitling via Pixabay

Samantha Flavell Editor-In-Chief sflavell@oswegonian.com Massachusetts residents are currently lobbying to adjust the voting age from 18 to allow 16 and 17-yearolds to vote as well, but it is ill-conceived to grant high school sophomores the right to vote.

The argument is that they are educated and mature enough to make wise decisions of whom to elect as their political officials. This entire argument is flawed in that adults cannot claim sophomores are old enough to vote but then deny them the right to drive alone, to buy tobacco or alcohol products all due to the argument that they are too young to make wise decisions. Lawmakers cannot limit individuals based on the premise that they are still too young to properly moderate their intake of alcohol or make a fact-based decision of whether to use tobacco products after understanding the different health concerns. Sixteenyear-olds are just beginning to gain responsibility as they are learning how to drive and may be beginning to consider colleges and what area of the workforce they may want to pursue after high school.

In the U.S., a majority of voters do not actively research the candidates of elections...

No high-schooler is prepared to vote. In most schools, it is not until their senior year that students are required to take a politics and government class that begins to explain portions of civic duty and the voting process as it pertains to citizens on a daily basis. The issue is that these younger voters would most likely be uneducated on the candidates and likely vote based on shallow rumors or their parents’ views. In the U.S., a majority of voters do not actively research the candidates of elections and are more likely to vote based upon their party affiliation rather than the policies of the individual candidates and their platforms.

The larger issue is that policymakers want to pick and choose what 16-year-olds are mature and qualified enough for. It is unjust to claim that they are prepared to vote but then restricting them on if they can drive alone and not allowing them to drive past 9 p.m. except under certain circumstances. The legal drinking age is 21 in an attempt to prevent binging and irresponsible drinking, again assuming that those under 21 are incapable of making wise decisions on how to enjoy alcoholic beverages in moderation. Recently, many counties are increasing the legal age to buy tobacco products from 18 to 21 again in hopes of preventing younger generations from picking up tobacco use, assuming they are not well educated enough to make the healthy decision.

It is hypocritical to grant certain privileges, such as voting, to 16-year-olds and then deny them other basic privileges on the basis of immaturity. Either drop all legal ages to 16 or do not change the voting age at all.

NEWS OSWEGO OVERWATCH

B5 Francesca Miesner | The Oswegonian

OPINION

VOLUME LXXXIV ISSUE VI • www.oswegonian.com

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

SPORTS B2

SEASON PREVIEW

Maria Pericozzi | The Oswegonian

FRIDAY, Mar. 15, 2019

STAFF EDITORIAL

As spring break approaches, many students will be leaving campus to go on vacations, alternative spring breaks to volunteer or perhaps just to take the week to relax at home and spend time with friends. The break is meant to signify the middle of the semester and allow students a hiatus from courses and to catch up on sleep, eat some home-cooked meals and often to catch up on course work.

While it is nice to take time off and get a break from college life, it is important to remember that spring break is meant as a time for rejuvenation. Take the time to do whatever you need for self-care and catch up on work for your classes if that is what helps you relieve stress. Spend

time with your pets you do not see often or catch up with friends from your home town. Use the time off for whatever you need.

The important thing to remember is that, when returning after that, there will still be half of the semester to go. It can be easy to lose focus after a break, especially if you are spending the time off on vacation. The transition back to Oswego and classes can be difficult. The break is meant to allow for a recharge, and students need to be prepared and focused to get back to work when they return to campus.

The idea of an extended break by skipping a couple of classes may sound nice, but it will only hurt students in the end. If you are using

spring break to catch up on work, keep that momentum going. Learn from the bad habits and procrastination you may have had for the first half of the semester and strive to do better when we return on March 24.

It is cliché to say that when we come back it is like a second chance, and that spring is a time of rebirth and new opportunities. Saying that would be the same as saying people stick to their New Year’s resolutions. You do not need a special day or season to change your habits and refocus.

However, if you are given the time to re-center, take care of yourself and come back refocused and motivated, use your time wisely and prepare to finish out the semester strong.

IN THE OFFICE

Fake news discredits LGBTQ community

No one wants pedophiles to be accepted in society Social media has allowed society to move at a faster place and permitted more immediate social interaction than ever seen before. At this point, however, it is clear that social media and the rapid connections it provides have some inherent failures. One major issue associated with social media is something that could be called the “outrage machine,” where ridiculous articles are shared and discussed. Even when they are largely treated as idiotic, they move the public conversation on the subject further toward insanity.

In the LGBTQ community, an insidious fake news campaign is taking place.

Individuals with unclear motives have been spreading articles and tweets expressing either interest in or disgust at the idea of including pedophiles in the LGBTQ community. They are fighting for “pedophiles’ rights” and arguing that pedophiles have a natural, inbuilt sexual orientation toward children.

One thing has to be made plainly clear: pedophiles are not members of a marginalized community. They are not simply acting on their sexual orientation when they victimize children. No reasonable member of the LGBTQ community,

Alexander Gault-Plate Managing Editor aplate@oswegonian.com or indeed any reasonable person, is arguing that pedophiles should be considered akin to homosexuals or trans people.

It takes only a quick moment of research into the articles that even mention treating pedophiles as members of a marginalized community to find that they are from shaky or completely fake publications or writers. The Daily Caller, an unabashedly conservative online news publication with a strong conservative leaning, according to MediaBiasFactCheck.com, posted a link to a story titled “Pedophiles Believe They Should Be a Part of the LGBT Community” on July 10, 2018. This story has been occasionally quoted by random

Twitter accounts, brought back into the public conversation.

Think about that for a moment. A publication with a strongly conservative leaning has posted something claiming that pedophiles think they should be considered equal to gay, lesbian and trans people. Even if pedophiles do think they should be respected, honestly, who cares? Should murderers be protected from public backlash just because they say it? Would anyone even listen? No, they would not.

Not only are the publications that share such vitriolic, ridiculous stories at fault for this issue, but the people who share the stories are at fault as well.

Whether they were looking for attention or just expressing their outrage at the possibility of such a ridiculous concept, they are at fault for amplifying the issue.

The concept of pedophiles as akin to LGBTQ people is preposterous, as are so many other ridiculous claims made online. It is important to think about what you share on the internet and verify that the publication you are sharing is honest and interested in the truth and that you are not just helping them share their ridiculous claims.

Filmmaking not limited to theaters

Netflix provides accessible, high-quality films that deserve respect Nathaniel Ahart Staff Writer opinion@oswegonian.com Recently, legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg has spoken out against Netflix, shunning the prospect of its films getting nominated for Academy Awards after Netflix’s “Roma” took home three awards at the 91st Academy Awards, including Best Director and Foreign Language Film. However, Spielberg said he is not going to propose that Netflix films should be banned at the annual postOscars meeting. Jeffrey Katzenberg, cofounder of DreamWorks, said, “I talked to Steven about this yesterday. I asked him very specifically — I don’t have any skin in this game anymore — he said, ‘I absolutely did not say that.’”

Regardless, it is true that Spielberg does feel very strongly about the theaterThe independent student newspaper of Oswego State since 1935 going experience as opposed to watching films on a small screen. If he does not propose any changes, then fine, Netflix will stay the way it is and potentially We want your thoughts on our coverage, campus and local issues, or anything become a big platform for future Oscar regarding the Oswego State community. campaigns. However, we do have to discuss why Netflix gets to play by different

rules from traditional theatrical releases.

A film must be played in a commercial theater in Los Angeles county for at least a few days between the beginning and end of the year.

There should be at least a 90-day window between theatrical and homevideo release for the film to qualify. So why does Netflix get away with showing a film for a few days and then releasing it on its platform soon after? It, honestly, does not matter. It is exciting that films have become more accessible for wider

audiences that perhaps do not live near a local theater. Cineastes can see arthouse films like “Roma” without having to venture out to see it.

But since Netflix is a streaming platform, should its films not be nominated for Emmys? The answer here is no since there is a clear cinematic element to the way films are made and the fact these films would not be distributed otherwise.

Whatever happens, hopefully that Netflix will stay on the Academy’s map for years to come.

THE OSWEGONIAN G UIDELIN ES

Email all letters as Word attachments to opinion@oswegonian.com or mail submissions to 139A Campus Center, Oswego N.Y. 13126 All writers must provide their real name, address, academic year, major and phone number (which will not be published).

Photo from David Mark via Pixabay Filmmaker Steven Spielberg thinks that Netflix films should not be allowed to win Os-

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

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INSIDE

C2 ‘Captain Marvel’ finally C3 New trailer for ‘Game C4 Nintendo Switch adds

arrives to theaters

of Thrones’ drops

strong lineup of games

Laker

FRIDAY March 15, 2019

Review

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FRIDAY, March 15, 2019

LAKER REVIEW

‘Captain Marvel’ flies high at Box Office Newest Marvel superhero proves not even trolls can stop her

Idris Elba set to replace Will Smith as Dea dshot in Jam e s Gunn’s “The Suici de Squa d.”

Image from Marvel Entertainment via YouTube Brie Larson stars as Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel, the newest hero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, battling Skrulls and trolls alike, in Marvel’s “Captain Marvel.”

Francesca Miesner Opinion Editor fmiesner@oswegonian.com

“Captain Marvel,” easily one of the most anticipated movies of the year, was finally released to theaters this past weekend. Before fans could reach the theater, however, they were shown scathing reviews about how disappointing it was. None of the reviews seemed aggressively negative, but none seemed overwhelmingly positive either.

The fact is that it was a really good superhero film.

Brie Larson (“Kong: Skull Island”) plays the witty and passionate Carol Danvers, who cannot remember her past. Upon arriving to Earth, she runs into a young Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson, “Glass”). The pair team up and work to save Earth and recover her memories.

Some of the best parts of this film were the scenes where Fury and Danvers were together. Jackson and Larson have some serious comedic chemistry, and their banter never failed to cause a laugh.

Fury’s overwhelming confusion and dependence on Danvers in the film was both hilar-

ious and organic, as Danvers had knowledge of outer space and what sort of situation they were dealing with. One of the bigger griefs people had was that Danvers did not seem like a comedic sort of character.

The fact of the matter is that humor sells. With the previous release, success and admiration of movies like “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Deadpool” and “Thor: Ragnarok,” it would only make sense that Marvel would follow that trend. While the trailers had no indication of whether this would have comedic elements, it is only following the current superhero movie formula.

The plot was unfortunately not that interesting. It was not like the film was so boring that people were falling asleep, but as superhero movies go, it was pretty standard.

It had some interesting twists and turns the viewer might not have anticipated, but it was not a revolutionary plot by any means.

The real fault this movie had was queer-baiting, which is when a same-sex couple is hinted at, but then the medium fails to deliver. Maria Rambeau (Lashana Lynch), easily the standout breakthrough performance of the film, was a single mother who, in each

one of Danvers’ flashbacks, played a central role. Some may argue that it was simply a deep friendship, but Marvel intentionally had no mention of Rambeau’s husband or the father of her child. From a writing and acting standpoint alone, the two had such overwhelming chemistry. There was no outward exclamation as to whether they were ever dating, but at no point did they say they were not, either. For a film that was supposed to be revolutionary in its progressiveness, all it had was a female lead.

This is partially the fault of reviewers. Of course, the fact that Danvers is a woman does make a difference in the plot. She could have been a female character stuck into a role written for a man, but this film required a female lead. The reviewers, however, seem to be comparing this movie to “Wonder Woman.” The only parallel that has been drawn is that “Wonder Woman” is also a superhero film with a female lead. This is reducing two different flavors of superhero film to be somehow similar, besides the fact that they share a genre. This is a trend that has been happening frequently, where just

because a superhero movie has a female lead, it immediately ignites trolls online to come out and derail the movie before it is even released to theaters, based on the sole fact that the lead character is a woman. Not only does this roll the movies into one genre, which is unfortunate because the two films are so unique in their own respective ways, but it also just makes it even funnier when the films are successful. Trolls can complain all they want, but at the end of the day, money talks, and nothing sends a stronger message than $153 million at the box office opening weekend.

Obviously, women have not starred in too many superhero movies without strong male counterparts, but the first step to normalizing this type of movie is to stop acting like they are all comparable just because of the gender of the lead or just have Rotten Tomatoes remove its audience score rating. Overall, “Captain Marvel,” despite what the trolls would have people believe, is a legitimately enjoyable time at the theater, despite the usual amount of flaws that have plagued superhero movies recently.

“Captain Mar vel” instigates yet another troll war, to the po int where Rotten To matoes to ok down its fan rating of the film.

Michael Jackson HBO docu mentar y “Leaving Neverlan d” leaves fans an d casual viewers shaken by shocking new revelations.

LAKER REVIEW

FRIDAY, March 15, 2019

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Fans avidly prepare for ‘Game of Thrones’ final season Charlie Shipley Contributing Writer laker@oswegonian.com All avid watchers on the walls and readers of the “Game of Thrones” series have been eagerly anticipating the upcoming final season and the epic conclusion. The series that has been a part of so many childhoods for the last 10 years, and there are all sorts of bittersweet emotions running through the hearts and minds of fans as the first official trailer for the shows final season was released.

The viewing audience wants so badly for this final season to best represent the culmination of decades of work from one of the greatest fantasy authors of our generation, and at the same time, they do not want to see it end so soon. The hottest take for this trailer, however, much more so than the dragonfire that is to be felt, is that it was very underwhelming.

It felt more or less like a re-

cap of the previous season without much to go off of.

The narration felt like it was specifically made for the trailer, nothing furthered the excitement for the upcoming season, and the climax of the trailer, the Night’s King’s horse at the gates of Winterfell, was not half as exciting as one would think.

What people look for in a trailer is enough information (and minor spoilers) to up the anticipation for what is

to come. This does not mean the entire trailer needs to be a recap. The few pros with the trailer were the feeling of hopelessness in the narrators and Jaime Lannister saying that he “promised to fight for the living.” In addition, any sort of narrative drag will be out the window, as the shortened amount of episodes means the showrunners are going to have to move things along in terms of wrapping things up. This

means the tensions that exist between all the parties that rendezvoused at Winterfell in the premiere will have to be resolved quickly in time for the infamously hyped up Battle of Winterfell.

More plot threads to be further explored this season include Bran and Samwell’s revelation of Jon’s true parentage, which simultaneously creates conflict with Daenerys’ claim to the throne. Things to wrap up this season include Bran’s unfinished business with Jaime, who is riding hard north for Winterfell when the audience last left him; Cersei, alone and seemingly defenseless in King’s Landing, an entire armada of mercenaries being led there; and Theon’s attempt to rescue his sister Yara from their uncle Euron’s clutches. Other theories that may work themselves in there are how will Cersei’s prophecy from Maggie the Frog be answered?

Will Arya finally get her revenge? How are Melisandre

Another person who starts to develop drastically is Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, “Shot Caller”).

His journey in the Riverlands with Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie, “Welcome to Marwen”) is an entertaining thrill-ride that questions how to overcome adversity when one loses hope. Jaime is a perfect example of someone who was given everything in life, and watching him become

emotionally and physically vulnerable leads to interesting plot points.

The War of the Five Kings raises its stakes immensely with Robb Stark (Richard Madden, “Bodyguard”) honorably trying to avenge his father. The ninth episode, “The Rains of Castamere,” is arguably one of the most haunting hours in television history. The climatic ending is traumatic due to its brutal depiction of irredeemable treachery.

In Essos, Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke, “Solo: A Star Wars Story”) begins conquering cities on her quest toward the Iron Throne. The Mother of Dragons’ steady integration of compassion and ruthlessness makes her a dark force to be reckoned with. Her arc grew mightily since her early days as a Khaleesi for Khal Drogo (Jason Momoa, “Aquaman”).

Meanwhile, King’s Landing is still as shady as can be. King Joffrey’s

Image from GameofThrones via YouTube Rhaegal and Drogon, Daenerys’ dragons, are fully grown in the final season of “Game of Thrones.”

and Varys destined to die in Westeros? And will the fans finally get an answer as to what the Song of Ice and Fire really means?

Just from a technical standpoint, however, the trailer itself is gorgeous. The scenery has never looked better, and neither have the dragons. Despite the fact that the audience knows there are two CG creatures standing before us, Drogon and Rhaegal still look fleshed out and terrifying enough to be real. The actual imagery being presented, the dragon flying over Winterfell, the ships hoarded up with mercenaries reflecting the sun, the Unsullied gearing up for War and the overall darkness of the trailer really help to get across exactly what we are in for this season: death, death and a whole lot of death.

All the answers to the questions above and many more will be answered when the final season premieres on Sunday, April 14.

(Jack Gleeson, “A Shine of Rainbows”) sadistic tendencies are highlighted more frequently. His ineptitude at ruling is shown through condescending conversations with grandfather Tywin (Charles Dance, “The Widow”) and the small council. Weddings are a recurring motif in the season, as they contain some of the most important moments of the show. Even Tyrion (Peter Dinklage, “Avengers Infinity War”) and Sansa’s (Sophie Turner, “X-men: Apocalypse”) union has consequences down the line. The Lannisters and Tyrells are also set to unite through Joffrey and Margaery (“Penny Dreadful: City of Angels”).

One character who faces hellish conditions is Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen, “The Predator”). He is captured by Joffrey 2.0 aka Ramsay Snow (Iwan Rheon, “Inhumans”), who ensures that all of Theon’s humanity will cease. A quality that makes “Game of Thrones” stand out is its ability to make the audience feel for the bad guys. Theon has done some terrible deeds, but his torture sequences are unbearable to witness. All around, season three hits the nail on the head of quality over quantity. Now that HBO has another hit series on its belt, maybe people begin to appreciate the fantasy-drama, and word of mouth spread like wildfire.

‘Game of Thrones’ third season ups game with several weddings

Alex Kent Staff Writer laker@oswegonian.com

By 2013, “Game of Thrones” was quickly becoming a household name in the field of entertainment. The third season would further the complexity of the groundbreaking story, though notable signature elements the show still employs were birthed during the tumultuous year.

Audiences learn right away that the impending threat of White Walkers is going to be trouble for the continent of Westeros. Samwell Tarly’s (John Bradley, “Patient Zero”) vast development is directly associated with the supernatural creatures. The use of Sam as an underdog is unique to show that anyone can be a hero regardless of their outward appearance.

Jon Snow (Kit Harington, “How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World”) continues to live cautiously as a wildling (person beyond the Wall). His complicated relationship with Ygritte (Rose Leslie, “The Good Fight”) leads to an inner conflict over personal values.

Leslie shines in every scene she is in with contagious energy and valor.

Image from GameofThrones via YouTube The Red Wedding was the culminating event of season three of “Game of Thrones” and shocked many fans who had been following the series.

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LAKER REVIEW

FRIDAY, March 15, 2019

‘American Gods’ kicks off season 2 with ‘New Gods,’ messy CGI

Dominic Rizzi Laker Review Editor drizzi@oswegonian.com

If one were to hear from a random stranger sitting next to them on a plane that they were living in a world inhabited by deities and other mythological figures, would their reaction be fight or flight? This is exactly the scenario Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle, “The 100”) finds himself in as he meets Mr. Wednesday (Ian McShane, “Game of Thrones”) in the pilot episode of “American Gods.”

Based on the popular book written in 2001 by Neil Gaiman, “American Gods” is yet another story of gods interacting with mankind, with Moon finding himself in the middle of a war between the Old Gods and the New Gods, personifications of modern-day fixations, such as money and technology. The thing that made these characters so interesting, not at all like the larger-than-life figures that most of us have grown up knowing them to be, is that they

feel like regular people. It is one of the many elements that helped make the book and, by default, the first season of the show so special and relatable.

In 2017, Starz released the first season. Consisting of eight episodes, the show was created by Bryan Fuller (“Hannibal”) and Michael Green (“Logan”). The two promptly walked away from the show after the first season due to budgetary restraints and further studio meddling. Gaiman officially took the title of executive producer afterward, with Jesse Alexander coming on to replace Fuller as main showrunner and writer.

The first episode picks up shortly after the finale of the previous season, with Shadow, Wednesday, Laura Moon (Emily Browning, “Golden Exits”) and Mad Sweeney (Pablo Schreiber, “First Man”) on their way to the House on the Rock, the place where Wednesday instructed the rest of the Old Gods they met the previous season to meet them. They reach the place, where they meet up with several other characters from the previous season, including

Image from Starz via YouTube Technical Boy (Bruce Langley), one of the New Gods, is the personification of the Internet.

Bilquis (Yetide Badaki, “Aquarius”), the Djinn (Mousa Kraish, “Echo Park”), Mr. Nancy (Orlando Jones, “Madiba”) and Salim (Omid Abtahi, “We Bare Bears”).

Meanwhile, Mr. World (Crispin Glover, “Texas Rising”), the leader of the New Gods and the chief antagonist, sends Technical Boy (Bruce Langley) to find Media, who was last seen semi-destroyed by Wednesday.

Upon the opening scene of the episode, something feels off. That is not to say the epi-

sode is bad. As far as the story goes, it is still interesting. The Old Gods are still preparing for war against the New Gods, and the inklings of betrayal are sprinkled in to make it seem like the New Gods may not be the antagonists the audience has come to believe. That is all there, and that stuff is all good.

The best description that comes to mind, however, with the word choice is the meeting of the Old Gods within the episode. This is a meeting of

every single age-old deity from every corner of mythology from over the years: Norse, Russian, African, Eastern European, Asian, etc. Because Fuller had such a distinct style, a scene like this should feel epic and awe inspiring, but instead, it just feels like a bunch of flashy CGI with some really messy color pallets put over it. It does not feel like it has weight or substance to it. The brilliance of the first season came from making these larger-than-life characters feel down to earth and humanized, but while watching them, one would get the sense their power came from how old they were, the fact these beings had been alive for generations and had seen all of mankind evolve to where it is today.

It was subtle yet poignant, and that feeling was missing from the episode. We will see where things go from there, but as far as pilot episodes go in terms of determining the quality of the overall season, expect another sophomore slump from this one.

Nintendo Switch making attempt to rival PS4, Xbox One Zak Haines Staff Writer laker@oswegonian.com

The Nintendo Switch has been worming its way into the current video market, a market saturated with other consoles like Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC. It is not an easy market to get into, but if there is a will, there is a way.

Nintendo has announced some upcoming titles that will be on the Switch soon enough, such as “Pokémon: Sword and Shield,” “The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening” and “Yoshi’s Crafted World.” These are franchises that have been expected to make an appearance on the Switch for some time. However, Nintendo has been doing work behind the scenes. There are more exclusives coming to Nintendo only, such as “Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order,” “Travis Strikes Again: No More Heroes” and “Daemon X Machina.” These

Image from GameSpot via YouTube The Switch is Nintendo’s stab at competing with major video game systems, and “Pokémon: Sword and Shield” should help in this effort.

anticipated games are a surprise to Nintendo’s 2019 lineup for this year, as they do not fit into the description of a Nintendo exclusive. The question some may be asking is what is Nintendo’s plan here? Nintendo is simply following an ongoing trend: exclusive games for its titles only.

Exclusives are not entirely new but also not as old as gaming itself. Some of the more well-known examples are the “God of War” series and the “Uncharted” series for PlayStation consoles, while the “Halo” series and the “Gears of War” series, as well as many arcade games

from the Microsoft store, are exclusive to Xbox consoles and PC. Computer gaming has an entirely new market when it comes to exclusive titles between all the major AAA studios and many smaller developers. Nintendo is following and applying a trend from the early 2000s

to its games but has also earned the rights to other well-known games as well.

This is a draw-in method for Nintendo, hoping these titles are strong enough to bring in consumers and have them buy a Nintendo Switch.

Nintendo has a strong lineup of games so far. The Switch is only in its second year of existence, and Nintendo is trying to keep its cash flow going. In a market so divided on which console or computer is better, Nintendo is trying to get its foot in the door. It is taking long-anticipated titles and sequels and getting exclusive rights to them. This may cause some consumers to buy a Switch simply because their favorite title is on the Switch only. This brings in a lot of draw power for Nintendo. In a market full of many consoles and exclusives, the Switch is only starting its career as what may be a field-changing device.

LAKER REVIEW

FRIDAY, March 15, 2019

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'Fighting with My Family' proves inspirational tale of triumph Dominic Rizzi Staff Writer drizzi@oswegonian.com

“Fighting with My Family,” directed by Stephen Merchant (“Logan”), is a biopic about wrestler Saraya-Jade Bevis, aka Paige. Debuting in the world of wrestling at the age of 13 at a promotion run by her parents, Paige would go on to sign a contract with WWE, even going so far as to win the Divas Championship at the age of 21 in her debut match. At that point, she was the youngest champion ever.

The film goes into her backstory, establishing a strong pathos as it shows how the inspiration for her and her brother Zack (Jack Lowden, “Mary, Queen of Scots”) comes largely from their parents, both former wrestlers. Paige herself is portrayed by Florence Pugh (“The Little Drummer Girl”) in the film, with Nick Frost (“Slaughterhouse Rulez”) and Lena Headey (“Game of Thrones”) filling out the cast as her parents Patrick and Julia, aka Row-

Image from Movieclips Trailers via YouTube Paige (Florence Pugh) is the subject of the new wrestling biopic "Fighting with My Family."

dy Ricky Knight and Sweet Saraya.

Documenting her beginnings to her audition and successful entry into NXT and culminating with her first ever WWE Diva match against reigning champion AJ Lee, the film is a slightly clichéd yet passionate message about following one’s dreams and how familial support plays a large part in that.

Now, given that this is a Hollywood-backed biopic, several liber-

ties are going to be taken with the actual material. There is a scene at the beginning in which Paige and Zack meet one of their wrestling idols, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson (“Skyscraper”), who pulls double duty helping to produce the film as well as cameo in it. While empowering and helping to flesh out the film’s message, this meeting never actually happened, as the Rock had just returned to the WWE after

a seven-year absence in 2011, the same time that Paige won her first championship belt.

In addition, the character of Hutch Morgan (Vince Vaughn, “Brawl in Cell Block 99”), who ran the NXT auditions and pushed Paige to constantly quit, is an entirely fictional character, placed there strategically for the purposes of serving as an obstacle for Paige to overcome. It is important to point out these clichés so people can recognize them in films going forward and the directors and creators of these biopics can understand why they need to keep making these stories in new and interesting ways.

Despite these clichés, the film is surprisingly one of the most heartfelt and emotionally charged joyrides of the year. People will hopefully leave this film with a sense of empowerment and happiness. The reason for that is because everyone has a family to some extent, and these families are all different in every way. What this film gets right is playing it to the character, not trying to over-sensationalize a story

to make people feel better about themselves. By choosing to focus on Paige’s relationship with her family and how that helped mold her into the person she is today, the film is able to get across so many different motivational messages that otherwise would have felt forced. The film is clever in that sense with a bit of a misdirect, as it starts primarily with Paige and Zack both trying to achieve their dreams and almost makes viewers think it is going to be Zack that we follow, until it is revealed to be Paige.

Merchant was the right choice for this film, as he injects so much subtle comedy and heart. The Rock’s presence was felt throughout this entire film, even though he only pops up in two scenes, it can very much be understood how much this story meant to him. He definitely saw a lot of himself in Paige, even if he never actually met her during her molding years. This is a film everyone should see, not just another “feel good” biopic. The WWE would be very wise to invest in films like this going forward.

'Devil May Cry 5' worthy successor; introduces new player Stephen Novak Staff Writer laker@oswegonian.com

After some controversial moves, Capcom seems to be finding itself back on track by successfully revitalizing old fan-favorite franchises like “Resident Evil.”

This trend seems to continue with “Devil May Cry 5,” a continuation of the long-beloved hackand-slasher series that has left fans desperate for a new entry.

Thankfully, after returning into the limelight after the conflicted reception of its reboot in 2013, it happily continues the original storyline from “Devil May Cry 4” all the way back in 2008.

Picking up where that game left off, protagonists Nero and Dante, along with enigmatic newcomer “V,” find themselves in a new apocalyptic scenario where a giant demonic tree takes over a city in an attempt to drain the blood from all its citizens. It is a bit of a mess in the long run, but thankfully, even non-fans of the series can find it fairly easy to comprehend. Not

only are players provided a helpful video to catch up newcomers, but the plot also keeps itself fairly simple from beat to beat.

All that players need to know is to kill the big tree and Nero will quip his way to the end of the level without concern.

Level design is simpler than what most fans will be used to, while puzzles have been almost completely dropped in favor of a straighter shot with combat encounters laced with the oc-

casional secret path. Most of these secret paths reward the player with either red orbs (experience points for upgrades) or, more interestingly, Devil Breakers. Nero can use these robotic limbs to unleash dynamic attacks, usually complimenting the returning “Style Rantings.”

However, the Devil Breakers are fragile and can be broken by either being attacked while in use or if the player decides to exceed its standard limits in ex-

change for a devastating strike.

This means that combat is both stylish and intense, especially when combined with the soundtrack. While some tracks in V’s campaign can come off as a bit melodramatic, the rest can be pretty rad, which is great because players can set their preferred tracks to play at any time while customizing their options in Nico’s van.

Progression is well balanced, with a large variety of available

Image from Gamespot via YouTube V is the new playable character introduced in "Devil May Cry 5," equipped with three demons from the first game as weapons.

upgrades for all three playable characters, adding moves and expanding the player’s arsenal to add more ways to build their style meter. Only dropping the ball with the abundance of revives can prevent most players from falling during their first playthrough, which is made slightly insidious by the option to purchase more of these with real currency.

Players can also enjoy an interesting multiplayer element wherein random players will cross over their playthroughs with one another. It is a bit shaky in implementation, with the odds of actually meeting another player being incredibly slim, but finally being able to combine moves with other players for the sake of style is a joy hard to recreate.

Overall, audiences have been able to look past these misgivings to find a solid action game with an entertaining plot (if a bit convoluted). The people who stick around will find a lot of potential in subsequent playthroughs with increasing difficulties, speed-running potential or alternate pathways to experiment with.

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FRIDAY, March 15, 2019

Crossword Puzzle

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

Down 1. Large antelope 2. Noah’s vessel 3. Cowboy’s ropes 4. Identical 5. Summer shade 6. Honest ___ Lincoln 7. Stricter 8. Narrative 9. Pseudonym 10. Gambling game 11. Leg joints 16. Palo ___ 19. “Scarface” gangster 20. Defunct USAF branch 21. Bathing place

22. ___ door 23. Cindy Crawford, e.g.

28. Goes to 29. Toy racer (2 wds.)

30. Solar body 31. Miniature 33. Singe 34. Horses’ gaits 35. Creepy 36. Doctrine 38. Self-assurance 40. Two of a kind 43. Possessed 44. Lemon beverage 45. ___ Thurman of “Paycheck” 46. Tit for ___

Across 1. Guy’s partner 4. ___ loss for words (2 wds.)

7. Stem 12. Gun rights group (abbr.)

13. Hunting dog, for short 14. Vulture’s claw 15. Russia’s neighbor 17. Upper crust 18. Kind 19. Make 20. Respected leader 24. Rescue me!

25. Passenger vehicle 26. Deal (with) 27. Major network 28. Zeal 29. Vane dir.

32. Adolescent 33. Tip 34. Senator ___ Kennedy 37. Cellular ___ 39. Unlock again 41. Cereal grass 42. Church instrument 43. Barber’s offering 47. Fainthearted 48. Public notices 49. Physicians’ gp.

50. Singes 51. Bad grade 52. Lab animal

For this week’s puzzle answers...

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

ARTWORK

LAKER REVIEW

FRIDAY, March 15, 2019

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Flashback Friday

Artwork contributed by Jacob Pavoldi

Image from YouTube Movies via YouTube

On March 15, 1972, Francis Ford Coppala’s film adaptation of Mario Puzo’s hit novel “The Godfather” first premiered in New York City.

The film tells the story of the Corleone crime family and has been hailed as the best film of all time. It has a 98 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, won the Oscar for Best Picture 1973 and ranks No. 3 on the American Film Institute’s Top 100 Greatest American Films of All Time list.

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