SPORTS
10 EL CAMINO COLLEGE UNION
APRIL 23, 2015
John Fordiani / Union
Sophomore setter Chris Griebenow is the leader in overall assists in the Western State Conference this season with 423. He is also the leading setter in the WSC with 666 overall assists and he led in assists per set in the WSC with an average of 10.58.
Volleyball star sets himself up for success
Phil Sidavong News Editor @ECCUnionPhil
The ball is held by an opposing player. Once the whistle blows for the go-ahead, the player throws it up and serves a massive spin. An El Camino defender receives it and pops it up. The setter runs toward the ball and sets it up masterfully, while an EC attacker smashes the ball in between defenders. The Warriors huddle up in excitement as they gain a point.
It all started with the pass and ended with the spike, but it went to the setter’s hands halfway through. The setter on the court, the leader that every play usually goes through is sophomore setter for the men’s volleyball team Chris Griebenow. “I started out young,� he said. “I’m still lacking in defense, but I’m working.� The 21 year old has been an important addition to this year’s men’s volleyball team. He ended the season leading in overall as-
sists in the Western State Conference with 423, is the leading setter in the WSC with 666 overall assists and he led assists per set in the WSC with an average of 10.58. Coach Richard Blount sees Griebenow as an improvement to previous players on his team. “He’s taller (than our last guy),� Blount said. “The block is better, and the numbers don’t lie. He’s great.� Blount compared Griebenow’s job to one of the focal positions in baseball. “He’s like the pitcher of a base-
ball team,� Blount added. “He does a lot of the work in-game but he gets more of the blame if we lose.� Captain and sophomore outside hitter, Casey Wood, had a similar comparison of Griebenow. “He has a huge job,� Wood said. “He’s like a quarterback, and he does a great job of executing like one.� Wood and Griebenow have coached for the SCVC Quicksilver team together and have a special connection. Wood is the coach and Griebe-
now is the assistant coach of the young volleyball team. “He’s a great leader,� Wood said. “He has a high volleyball IQ.� “We click on and off the court, so it’s easy to get along with him,� Wood added. Griebenow’s mother, Tina, said there were a number of reasons why he’s so “great.� “His dad played at UCLA,� she said. “(Griebenow’s) been playing since he was 8, it was mostly his father’s decision.� Tina Griebenow feels wonder-
ful being able to watch him play. “It’s always nice when your FKLOG GRHVQ¡W FRPH RII WKH Ă RRU Âľ she said. Griebenow wants to be a high school chemistry teacher when he Ă€QLVKHV KLV VWXGLHV “I love helping people improve,â€? he said. “It’s what really makes my love for coaching. Seeing the progress of people is great.â€?
:Yk]ZYdd l]Ye gh]fk ĂšfYd series strong against ELAC Grant Hermanns :[HɈ >YP[LY @ECCUnionGrant
)UHVKPDQ ULJKW ÀHOGHU -RQDthan Pasillas took off from second base the instant freshman ÀUVW EDVHPDQ -DNH 6DKDJLDQ made contact with the ball. He rounded third and made it home as the ball landed in left ÀHOG The Warriors baseball team hosted the East Los Angeles HusNLHV RQ 7XHVGD\ LQ WKH ÀUVW JDPH RI WKH ÀQDO VHULHV RI WKH UHJXODU season, and defeated them 10-4. EC followed up the RBI double with an RBI single by sophomore short stop Fred Smith that brought in Sahagian for the score. 7KH :DUULRUV HDUQHG RQH ÀQDO UXQ LQ WKH ERWWRP RI WKH ÀUVW LQning when sophomore catcher -RH\ 1RWFK ULSSHG D EDOO WR ULJKW FHQWHU ÀHOG IRU D GRXEOH WKDW DOVR brought in Smith for the early 3-1 lead. Sophomore second baseman -RVHSK &RUWH] WKRXJKW WKDW WKH ÀUVW LQQLQJ ZDV UHDOO\ WKH WXUQing point in the game and got his team in the right mindset. ´7KH\¡UH QRW UHDOO\ ÀJKWLQJ IRU DQ\WKLQJ ¾ &RUWH] VDLG ´EXW ZH¡UH still battling to make it into playoffs.� After a scoreless second in-
ning, the Huskies had a solid third inning. They earned three runs and took a 4-3 lead over the Warriors, the biggest inning for the Huskies. :DUULRUV¡ DVVLVWDQW FRDFK -HII Miera said one of the main things his team needs to work on is preventing these kinds of defensive innings. “(We need to work) on limiting those really big innings,â€? Miera said, “and just having no mental mistakes.â€? EC followed up the Huskies’ strong third inning with a powerful bottom of the fourth inning with six runs scored, which gave WKHP D ELJ Ă€YH UXQ OHDG RYHU (DVW / $ 7KH Ă€UVW ZDV HDUQHG ZKHQ VHFRQG EDVHPDQ &RUWH] GRXEOHG WR FHQWHU Ă€HOG WKDW EURXJKW LQ freshman third baseman Ricardo 6HUUDQR DQG FDWFKHU 1RWFK IRU two RBIs. The Warriors earned two more UXQV RQ D WKURZLQJ HUURU WR Ă€UVW base that brought in second basePDQ &RUWH] DQG VRSKRPRUH OHIW Ă€HOGHU $OH[ 7XUQHU 7KH\ HDUQHG DQRWKHU UXQ ZKHQ Ă€UVW EDVHPDQ Sahagian hit a single that brought LQ ULJKW Ă€HOGHU 3DVLOODV (& HDUQHG RQH Ă€QDO UXQ LQ WKH inning when short stop Smith was DEOH WR UHDFK Ă€UVW EDVH RQ DQ HUURU by the Huskies’ second baseman WKDW EURXJKW LQ Ă€UVW EDVHPDQ 6Dhagian.
John Fordiani / Union
Warriors second baseman Fred Smith tags East Los Angeles player out at second base in the bottom of the fourth inning. El Camino fell to the Falcons 7-6 on Tuesday afternoon.
/HIW Ă€HOGHU $OH[ 7XUQHU IHOW the fourth inning was the real turning point in the game that helped his team to relax a bit. “(The fourth inning) really put a little cushion on it for us,â€? Turner said. After three more scoreless in-
nings, the Warriors were able to HDUQ RQH ÀQDO UXQ LQ WKH JDPH LQ the bottom of the eighth inning. 6HFRQG EDVHPDQ &RUWH] VLQJOHG WR OHIW ÀHOG ZKLFK EURXJKW LQ ULJKW ÀHOGHU 6HUUDQR DQG SXW WKH ÀQDO QDLO LQ WKH FRIÀQ IRU WKH victory.
Miera said that his team’s offense was really on point all day “Our offense really stepped up,� Miera said. “10 runs is really something to be proud of.� The Warriors had an impressive day at both the plate and on the mound, earning 11 hits
against the Huskies and sophomore Dalton Erb threw eight innings before being relieved by VRSKRPRUH -RVK 1RUZRRG Miera felt that the turning point in the game came “when Erb settled down and really got into a groove.�