Ram's Ear February 2019

February 20, 2019

VOL. MMXIX, No. 1

RAM’S EAR R I O V I S TA H I G H S C H O O L

Cross Country Greatness Goes Unrecognized The Rio Vista High School Cross Country team accomplished some amazing feats in their 2018 season. In the first year back in over 20 years, the team managed to compete in every race that they participated in. The team surpassed all expectations to the point where no one would’ve imagined where they finished. Taking in all that they accomplished, I feel that the team did not receive enough recognition for their hard work, so I am going to write about the brilliance of this season.

The season started from humble beginnings. Our first race was a bit chaotic.

We were the only team in the race that did not have uniforms, we were rushed to the start line without warming up, and most of us had only been practicing for a few weeks unlike the other schools who subsequently blew us out of the water. However, both the boys and girls started to turn things around after they got some experience under their belts. Each hard week of practicing would result in everyone shaving time off of that week’s race. Over and over the Ram’s continue to get better and better with each coming race.

When league races began, the improvement in the two teams could be clearly seen. In our first league meet, the varsity girls finished a respectable fourth place being that it was their first ever, and the boys varsity team again exceeded expecta-

tions by taking first place in league with all 5 of our runners setting personal records.

With the big win, the varsity boys set their sights on the now realistic goal of winning league, and the entire team began practicing with new vigor. The success of the team continued into the next week’s meet.

The challenge of this course was two large, steep hills named by the runners as Big Mama and Little Sister. They were dreaded by everyone, but we were prepared having trained repeatedly on the inclines around Rio Vista and Montezuma Hills. With this advantage, the boys dominated by again taking 1st place, this time by a substantial margin. The girls saw great success as well, moving up to finish 3rd place in our league.

A few weeks later, it was time for the League Championship. In the race, the girls varsity team finished strong with another 3rd place, and the boys again finished in first place. Placing first in all three of the league meets, the boys finish the regular season as league champions. The Rams’ runners also received quite a few personal awards for league. For the boys, the League MVP, which is awarded to the first place runner in the race, was given to Aiden Mayhood who finished the 3 mile race in 18:05 minutes. All-League awards went to Sam Esperson, who finished 7th with a time of 19:05, and Colton Merville, who finished 8th with a time of 19:14. On

Photo by: Richard Flink

by Henry Rossi, Assistant Editor

The 2018 Cross Country team posing for a team photo on the Rio Vista High School track.

the girls side, Yocelyn Corona finished in 4th place with a time of 22:30 and Jennifer Oakes finished in 8th place with a time of 23:20. Both received All-League awards for the season.

Both teams made it to sub-sections, the first round of playoffs. The boys varsity team placed 8th in their race and the girls placed 9th, which allowed them to move on. Sections was a bit of a disaster as it was delayed multiple times because of the smoke caused by the Camp Fire. Unfortunately, only four of the boys and one girl could make it to run in the impromptu Section Championship, so neither team was eligible to make it to State Championships.

Aiden Mayhood nearly made as an individ-

ual but fell just short in the race.

Overall, I believe that both the teams deserve much more recognition for their accomplishments than they did. They both exceeded expectations in league, and the boys took first place cementing themselves as the team to beat for next year. As well, both teams made it quite far in playoffs, competing in the Championships for the Sac-Joaquin Section. It’s even more impressive that all this was accomplished in the program’s first year. We are all looking forward to the teams continuing their excellence in next year’s Cross Country season.

Confusing Teen Permit and License Simplified

by Henry Rossi, Assistant Editor

For a student nowadays, getting your learner’s permit and driver’s license can be a difficult and confusing task. And with a plethora of new restrictions being put on teen drivers in California by the Graduated Driver License law in 1997, most of our parents went through a very different system when obtaining their licenses. Many people don’t know where to start when trying to acquire a license for themselves or for their kids.

With a learner’s permit and driver’s license along comes with it a complicated set of rules and requirements. Money may also become a factor as it can be quite a bit of expenses involved in the process.

The total cost of obtaining a license can be around $800 when you add up the fees and the price of driver’s education. This adds another limitation on teens who are looking to get their driver’s license before they are 18 years old.

Overall, this process can be a daunting and arduous task, so I will list out everything you need to know when trying to obtain a learner’s permit and a driver’s license.

The first step toward getting a license is the learner’s permit. To get a permit, all you have to do is pass the learner’s permit exam. To do this, you must be at least 15 ½ years old and have completed an online driver’s education course. This course must be California state-approved and you must pay for it. You must make an appointment

at the DMV to take the test, and on that day you must bring a completed identification card application (to be used for your license), proof of SSN, your birth certificate, proof of identity and lawful U.S. presence, proof of California residency, and a certificate of completion from your online drivers education. Be sure you have all of these thing with you on the day that you go to the DMV to take your permit test.

It is also important to note that some driver’s ed courses, including the one that I took, can only send you this certificate through the mail so plan for the few days that it takes to arrive through the mail. The exam will cost $36 dollars, and don’t worry too much about failing because that price includes 3 tries at the exam. After passing the test, you have only a 12 month period afterwards to get your license or else you will have to repeat this part over.

Now there is actually one more step that is required before you can drive with your permit. You must take a 2 hour behind the wheel driving lesson in order for your permit to be valid. The price of these lessons vary, but they are around $200 to $300 dollars each.

After all that, you can now drive with your permit, but remember that your permit only allows you to drive when someone else who is 25 and has a valid driver’s license in accompanying you.

The next step is to get your provisional driver’s license. To do so, you must

be at least 16 years old and have had your permit for at least 6 months. You also have to have 6 hours of professional driver training, so that means two more behind the wheel driving lessons like the one you took after you took your permit exam which you will need to pay for.

When you meet these requirements, you can schedule the behind the wheel driver’s test at the DMV. You may have to do this several months in advance since they are often booked full. You will need to bring with you to your appointment your permit, your vehicle registration and insurance, and your parent’s or guardians. You will not need to pay a fee for the driving test, and you can retake the test an additional two times. When you pass the driving test, you will finally have a license, though a provisional one. You can now drive on your own, but you will not be able to drive anyone under 20, with exceptions for siblings and family member, unless you are accompanied by someone who is 25 and has a valid license. As well, you will not be allowed to drive from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m., and all these rules apply for the first 12 months that you have your license.

Hopefully, this article has helped you navigate through the confusion that comes along with obtaining a permit and license for a teen. Not only is it an arduous and long process, but it can also become pretty costly quickly. It is always important to remember to make sure that you have ev-

erything on your list because one item can cause you to have to reschedule which will likely set you back by at least a month. I hope that I have helped make you experience a little smoother as you try to get your learner’s permit and driver’s license.

Steps to obtain a permit (Must be at least 15 1/2)

- Have completed an online driver education class.

- Make a DMV appointment and arrive with the necessary documents and Identification.

- Pass the knowledge test without missing more than 8 questions.

Steps to obtain a provisional license

(Must be at least 16 and have held your pemit for 6 months)

- Log 50 hours of driving pracitce - Complete 6 hours of professional driver training - Make a DMV appointment - Pass the behind-the-wheel driving test

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February 20, 2019

RAM’S EAR

EDITORIAL

Is Assisted Suicide Moral or Immoral?

By Aiden Mayhood, Editor-in-Chief

The Declaration of Independence states Americans have the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Although the Constitution doesn’t guarantee this explicitly, American government has held this to be self-evident, as Thomas Jefferson would say in his own words.

Assisted suicide has been debated in American society since the founding of our nation, where religious morals and the purpose of government have been questioned and stretched in order to support each side of the aisle. Assisted suicide comes down to one question: Should morality be legislated in American government, and is assisted suicide, or euthanasia in other terms, immoral?

Jack Kevorkian is sometimes considered a pioneer in modern American society in the field of assisted suicide and a supporter of the practice, helping over 130 end their lives at a time when assisted suicide was illegal nearly nationwide. He believed assisted suicide was moral, where a doctor was the servant of a patient and not vice-versa. Kevorkian sympathized with patients who had no out for terminal illnesses besides watching the clock as they slowly die in pain. Doctors like Kevorkian didn’t want to see their patients die, but instead, they wanted to make their patients as comfortable as possible through their illnesses. Even if the practice was illegal, was Kevorkian wrong for killing patients because they wanted to be pain-free?

Proponents of physician-assisted suicide argue that anticipatory suffering, or the depression and anxiety which is attached with dying and the fear of the inevitable pain that dying brings, can be much worse than the actual physical pain accompanied by death. Often, doctors who practice assisted suicide find that their patients feel a sense of relief just knowing that they have the choice

Black states have legal physician-assisted suicide, dark gray states have outlawed physician-assisted suicide, and light gray states allow physician-assisted suicide only through a court ruling.

to end their life free of pain associated with a terminal illness. The financial burden of terminal illness treatment is significantly reduced, and, if the patient is still healthy enough, organs can be harvested for donation. Even if the medical field has advanced so far that humans can live more than nature intended, is it worth it to live in pain and suffering from a terminal illness only to die not far in the future?

Opponents of assisted suicide state there

Calendar of School Events

February

February 9 - Vice Versa Dance February 11-15 - Ski Week Holiday (No School) February 18 - Presidents Day Holiday (No School) February 22 - Progress Reports February 22 - Rammie of the Month February 22 - Baseball @ Liberty February 27- Arena Conferencing @ Gym 6:00 p.m.

February 28 - Baseball @ Edison

River Delta on District Reapportionment

Jack Kevorkian was the man who believed in assisted suicide when almost everyone else at the time didn’t.

Opponents of assisted suicide state there is more than one victim in cases of an individual with family who wants to undergo the practice. Family members of a terminally ill patient have to suffer the loss of their family member even knowing that they could survive a little longer and spend valuable time with each other.

Some doctors fear that assisted suicide becomes an option for terminally ill patients because they fear being a burden for their family. And, would insurance companies even offer treatment for terminally ill patients who actually wish to undergo treatment instead of assisted suicide?

Insurance companies may instead opt out of terminally ill treatment and instead only offer assisted suicide for those who are terminally ill in order to save money.

What do you think? Should the practice of assisted-suicide be illegal federally, should it be left up to the states, or should assisted suicide be legal federally?

As humans and Americans increase their life expectancy, it may become a forefront issue in the future.

RAM’S EAR Published byby Rio Vista HighHigh School, Digital Publications Class Published Rio Vista School 410 South Street, Street Rio Vista,| CA 410 South4th Fourth Rio94571 Vista, California 94571 (707) 374-6336 ext. 1224 email: rvhsramsear@gmail.com

Printed by School Paper Express, Wappingers Falls, New York Letters to the Editor: To be published, letters must have the author’s name, address, and telephone number.

Editor-in-Chief Aiden D. Mayhood Assistant Editor Henry Rossi Adviser Julie Griffin

Ram’s Ear Staff Conor Cline, Jacob Kinser, Jaden Lira, Isaiah Mendola

The map above is the current trustee area map for River Delta Unified School District.

The map above is the proposed seven-area solution created by Mr. Demers, which the school board of River Delta Unified School District is considering.

Illustrated by: Megan Ross

Art Contest!!!

Table Top Club is looking for talented artists to illustrate some of the most memorable scenes from our weekly game of D&D. talk to Ms. Gilliland for contest details. Winner gets a free piece of Rams Gear!!!

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dreams, no matter what stands in your way. but r e m e m b e r, s u c c e s s o n l y c o m e s w i t h h a r d w o r k and dedication. If you’re willing to fight for what y o u c a r e a b o u t , y o u w i l l p r o s p e r. ” ~ M r s . G o m e s

February 20, 2019

Page 3

RAM’S EAR

January School Board of College of the Month University of the Pacific Trustees Report

by Aiden D. Mayhood, Editor-in-Chief

From left to right: Member Casillas, Member Stone, and Member Mahoney are sworn in as River Delta Unified School District board members.

by Aiden D. Mayhood, Editor-in-Chief

Local school board meetings for River Delta Unified School District have become increasingly important over the last few months. Beginning in the last school board meeting of 2018 in December at Rio Vista High School, three new board members were elected to the Board of Trustees for our school district: Member Dan Mahoney of Trustee Area 1, Member Jennifer Stone of Trustee Area 2, and Member Rafaela Casillas of Trustee Area 3.

One concern brought up at the school board meeting was the impact of the new housing development in Rio Vista schools. A community member was concerned about an expansion of modular units (portables) at Rio Vista schools rather than an expansion of the schools through actual concrete buildings set in the ground.

No decisions have been made on school expansions and the best way to achieve a smooth process to solve this issue.

Debate soon began on reapportionment (changing the borders based on population changes) of trustee areas for RDUSD, and it seems as if a consensus has not been made on the best way to move forward with reapportionment. Member Dan Mahoney ran to be a board member because he is passionate about reapportionment and seeing it happen as soon as possible. A presentation will be made at February’s board meeting by Mr. Demers, who had previously made a plan in 2013 for district reapportionment. The seven-area plan is not entirely viewed popularly by the board, so a new plan may have to be made using updated 2020 census information that is more effective in representing each community in River Delta Unified School District while at the same time cre-

ating a more even population within each trustee area.

January’s school board meeting began with the announcement of the search for a new superintendent for RDUSD. Legal council for RDUSD discussed district reapportionment, stating that the district is not acting illegally by not re-making trustee areas. However, the legal representative did not say that district reapportionment was a bad idea for RDUSD to undergo.

Kathy Wright made a presentation on the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and whether the district was meeting their goals under the act. Days after the school board meeting, an open session was held at Rio Vista High School to update the community on the search for a new superintendent and what the community felt the qualities the superintendent should have entering the district.

To recap, the school board meetings of December 2018 and January 2019 discussed district reapportionment and the changing of trustee areas for RDUSD. With the growth of Rio Vista, school facilities will also need to be updated and expanded, a concern among community members. The district is meeting its goals under the Every Student Succeeds Act. RDUSD is undergoing a search for a new superintendent, and the district wants the community to be involved in the process as much as possible. If community members you know don’t attend school board meetings, emphasize the importance of the meetings and how much of an impact they have on each individual community within the district!

There are many underrated universities and colleges around the United States, not receiving attention from media and prospective students but still maintaining great median mid-career salaries, student reviews, and academic statistics. Often, high school students want to go to college far away from Rio Vista after graduation, not considering the options in their backyard, like University of the Pacific in Stockton, California.

University of the Pacific is ranked Business Insider’s #5 underrated college in the United States, and its ranking does the university some justice in giving it the spotlight that it deserves. According to the Princeton Review, University of the Pacific has opportunities for everyone, regardless if you are interested in the liberal arts, engineering, or dentistry. University of the Pacific is known for its accelerated programs, like in teaching, where students can get their degree and teaching credentials in four years instead of six. With small classes on campus, professors often know each student’s name and are available for extra assistance if needed.

A private university, University of the Pacific can be costly. With an average tuition of $47,480, students often receive a liberal amount of financial aid from the school. The university stands out among the city of Stockton, where the university is a “nice school in an unlikely neighborhood,” one student commented on the Princeton Review. Stockton is known for its high crime rates, but the city is starting to improve their crime statistics. However, the campus police is well-reviewed, along with the STRIPE program, where golf carts transport students around campus upon re-

quest at night.

The Pacific Tigers compete in the NCAA Division I West Coast Conference, although there is no football team for the school. 20 percent of the student body of UOP are involved in Greek life, and there are Greek apartments and houses to live in if students want to join a sorority or fraternity. If students aren’t interested in sports or Greek life, there are over 150 student organizations on campus.

Among the various undergraduate and programs offered at University of the Pacific, the school has specialized schools.

The McGeorge School of Law, the Eberhart School of Business, and a graduate school of education all offer graduate programs. A notable alum of the school is philanthropist Alex Spanos, who owned the San Diego Chargers and had made a name for himself in business.

Mrs. Griffin, a University of the Pacific alumna, enjoyed her experience at University of the Pacific tremendously. “It’s an easy transition from going to a small high school like Rio Vista High School. The class sizes were small, and there were never any stadium-sized lectures. The campus is so beautiful that you forget you’re going to school in Stockton.”

UOP, as the school is often referred to as, is a great school for students wanting to get a great education close to home that offers great financial aid to students. Aim for an SAT score of 1030 and above or an ACT score of 23 and above with good grades and extracurriculars and you may be part of the 66 percent of applicants who are accepted to University of the Pacific!

University of the Pacific of Stockton, California is a great local university that Rio Vista High School students often overlook in their search for the right college for them.

February Birthdays February 1st Tiara Masabala Madison Myer February 2nd Zoe White February 3rd Jared Beechler Joshua Gaxiola February 4th Orson Griffin Fabrizio Lazo Gutierrez February 7th Johnny Gornto

February 8th Jesus Castillo February 10th Madison Davis February 12th Julian Gutierrez February 17th Atziri Villasenor February 19th Dallas Haley February 20th Jaqueline Leal-Carillo February 21st

Spencer Weatherford February 22nd James Blake Aiden Mayhood February 24th Meagan DeLancy February 25nd Joshua Davis February 27nd Stacy Gomez February 28rd Araceli Elisea

Page 4

February 20, 2019

RAM’S EAR

Varsity Girls Soccer Having Tough Season

RIO VISTA HIGH SCHOOL HONOR ROLL Block A 2nd Semester 2018-2019 PRINCIPAL’S HONOR ROLL (4.0 GPA or Above) FRESHMEN

Andrea Villasenor throwing in from the sideline.

By Conor Cline, Staff Writer

The Rio Vista varsity girls soccer team has been working very hard at practice and in games. The girls team has had a rough pre-season playing higher division schools, but they are very confident they will turn it around in league. For practices, they work on a variety of drills consisting of sprints while dribbling the soccer ball, triangle passing, and they usually finish off practice by scrimmaging the Boys Varsity team.

Team captain Destanie Rendon

believes to get off to a good start in league they will have to, “Focus on the fundamentals of soccer again, work on our passing and communication, and also grow a better trust with each other.” First year coach Sarah Rendon responded to how it has been coaching the girls thus far, and what she is excited for throughout the rest of the season, “Coaching the girls has been amazing! It’s completely different from the boys in a good way.

Varsity Boys Soccer Rebounding in League

SOPHOMORES

Yareli Antunez Zaragoza Daniela Arias Daniel Cantine Jr. Sumain Chiv Johanna Contreras Kayla Delk Greta Dole Scarlett Dole Colby Eisenhour-Libby Sam Esperson Marjorie Forbes Meraiah Groves Fabrizio Lazo Gutierrez William Lindsay Karen Mandujano Mesa Melissa Mandujano- Rojas Tucker Mayfield Alexander Montes Alexander Ornelas McKenna Pratt Donald Roos Jr. Isabella Saldana Sophia Saldana Jesus Silva Figueroa Brook Summitt Melissa Torres Camacho Silvia Valencia Luna Susana Valencia Luna

Jeff Contreras David Forbes Fatima Sandoval Villanueva Alex Tejeda Garcia Savannah Arias Jose Chavez Eamonn Drury Preston Ebert Christian Escoto Wyatt Hagan Jaqueline Leal-Carrillo Anna Lett Fisher Lyon Zackary McLean Ofelia Montano Lacee Myer Devin Peterson Josie Preston Aidan Rosen Peter Rossi Miguel Tejeda Jr. Marivella Torres Caroline Upham

FRESHMEN

SOPHOMORES

Oscar Aguilera Rodriguez Kyra Atkinson Dakota Balcer Christopher Barros Kayla Brazil Stephanie Corona Garcia Diana Freyre Monica Garcia Nova Griffin Amy Henning Maia Stone Adrian Tejeda Julissa Torres Mandujano Johnny Young Jr. Kylee Carlson Jenna Holden Daniel Hurley Mason Kitchens Eric McCann Jaimie McDowell Kaylee Medlock Jacob Rivera Calvo Aidan Stovall Jimena Torres Ruiz Melissa Uribe Castillon

JUNIORS

Bailey Adgate Stephanie Aguilera Rodgriguez Emily Bellante Asucena Castorena Yocelyn Corona Lane Eggers Isabel Flores Ethan Medders Kaitlyn O’Connor Valerie Rodriguez Sydney Saldana Maria Segoviano Brena Stovall Richard Zamarripa Lizbeth Antunez Madison Davis Araceli Elisea Yaneth Espinoza Mandujano Alicea Gonzales Alexis Lackey Masne Linh Le Javier Lopez-Cisneros Madison Myer Edgar Rodriguez-Flores Karina Romero Valencia Megan Ross Samuel Sandoval Neida Segoviano Lozano Aidan Walker Zoe White

RAM’S HONOR ROLL (3.50 TO 3.99 GPA)

Jared Beechler Hannah Eckard-Henderson Kevin Jimenez Theodore McGill Lizeth Mendoza Joseph Solis Lexie Stiebrook Nevaeh Tesch Arthur Weller Karson Christianson Yalicza Fernandez Munguia Aidan Frisbie Lillianne Griffin Nathan Hearn Kawika Makua Jason Tello Atziri Villasenor Ashlee Weller

JUNIORS

SENIORS

Aiden Mayhood Isabella Hernandez Suheng Chiv Brady Bowers Meagan DeLancy Amaya Frisbie Ingrid Gallardo Camberos Cecilia Hernandez Jacob Kinser Katlyn Langlois Martin Magana Jr. Gerardo Mandujano Rojas Brooke Okumura Montana Olson Jennifer Oropeza Alexis Brown Jesus Rivas Henry Rossi Cindy Torres Camacho Alondra Villalpondo

SENIORS

Michael Arellano River Billoups Kimberley Broughton Jazalyn Blalock Monica Castillo Ortega Amber Griswold Jayden Griffin Kaylee Kitchens Guadalupe Lopez-Manjarrez Mercedes Roberts Layloni Rubiaco Deanelly Martinez Jameson Torres Olivia Roberts Andrea Villasenor Esmeralda Aguilar Elizabeth Webber Duran Judith Chavez Logan Boothe Gladis Chavolla Savana Groves Conor Cline Jacqueline Lopez Maxwell Easter Carina Torres Solis Timbe Kelepily Jaylynn Lacy Jason Mandujano Escobar Jennifer Ortiz Can Yilmazer

HONOR ROLL (3.00 TO 3.49 GPA) FRESHMEN

Jose Vega waiting for the offense to get kickstarted again.

By Conor Cline, Staff Writer

The Boys Varsity soccer team have had many obstacles throughout the 2018-19 season. For example, the fires in Northern California really affected the boys’ practice schedule at the beginning of the season. In addition, the recent storms haven’t helped the field conditions and their ability to practice, and a recent storm was even strong enough to cause the Rams’ game against Highlands to be cancelled.

However, the boys persevered and started off there season with a big win 10-1 over Buckingham Charter on November 28.

The boys have played our

high schools rivals, the Delta Saints, twice in preseason games. They gave it their all and played two hard fought games, but fell short in both matches. The Saints came out on top in a 3-0 game at Rio Vista and a 6-0 game at home. In the following weeks, Rio has dropped a tough match against Fairfield, but have continued to improve and started off league with a 5-0 win over Vacaville Christian despite playing extremely short handed with only 9 players most of the game. The boys soccer team is bound to have a great season this year.

Grant Baldwin Jason Calvan Kaitlyn Du Bois Ashton Frazier-Roberts Dallas Haley James Bautista Vasconcellos Madison Belcher Jeanette Chavez Cecilia Perez Synia Reed Amber Tonnesen Diego Torres

SOPHOMORES James Blake Nicholas Bowen Trevor Gomes Tiara Masabala Benjamin McFarlane Jessica Mingay Macie Oglesby Marco Rosales Carson Spradling Conrad Vosefski Cody Fuller Rosa Gomez Anthony Gonzalez Carter Lira Hannah Riedmiller Bryan Rish Marisol Segoviano Benjamin Sisneros

JUNIORS

Per Andersson Ariel Carter August Giannini Stacy Gomez Logan Reynolds Benny Rodriguez Cassandra Steinbrook Bryan Romero

SENIORS

Brennen Bellante Diana Bernal Marlys Eckard-Henderson Steven Fernandez Ryan Hurley Christopher Kimbrow Colton Merville Anna Ramirez Darin Rasmussen Destanie Rendon Christian Riedmiller Antonio Silva Ibarra Lana Volkerts Spencer Weatherford Lillian Welbourn Symphony Weller Payton Carademos- Avila Bryce Ciaramitaro Gabriel De La Rosa Ryann Kelly Cassie Langlois Jaden Lira Quinten McGill Jesse Pettit Beatriz Romero Destyni Villa Robert Zamarripa

February 20, 2019

RAM’S EAR

Page 5

Varsity Boys Basketball Positioned JV Boys Basketball Team for Sierra Delta League Playoffs Looks To Finish Strong

By Jacob Kinser, Staff Writer

The 2018-19 varsity boys basketball team has been virtually unstoppable, and they don’t plan on stopping any time soon.

Led by their new head coach Lubertus Baldwin, the boys have earned an impressive 14-5 overall record (3-0 League). Senior guards Jacob Kinser and Conor Cline lead the team in scoring with 14.7 and 14.2 points per game respectively. This is the toughest and hardest working team that Rio Vista High has seen in a very long time.

The boys have had to overcome height and size disadvantages all season long, but they don’t let anything stand in the way of their one goal: playoffs.

This year’s team is built on a group of 9 seniors that have played together for almost the entirety of their lives. These seniors are determined to make the absolute best out of their last year to play high school basketball, and so far, they have not disappointed. On any given day, this team is sure to put on a show and leave everything that they have on the court. Four games so far this season have been won at the buzzer, which is a testament to the determination that this team has.

On December 22, 2018 the boys traveled into hostile territory to play the Vacaville Christian Falcons. The game got off to a rough start, and the boys found themselves down early. Senior Brady Bowers stated, “In the locker room at halftime, Coach fired us up and told us how important this game was. We came out at halftime hungry, and we wanted to win. We were a different team in that second half.”

Coach Baldwin’s halftime speech must have had an impact on his players because they completely turned the game around by overcoming a 16 point deficit in the fourth quarter. Shooting guard Jacob Kinser hit a buzzer-beating shot to secure the last-min-

ute 62 - 61 win.

The Rams got off to a hot start this season, and they have no intention of ever slowing down. The team faced off against the Highland Scots on Tuesday, January 15 in what would be the biggest game of the season thus far. Coming into the game, the Rams and the Scots both boasted an impressive record of 3-0 in league, meaning that the winner of this game would be positioned first in league and be the frontrunner to win league and make it into playoffs.

I had the pleasure of talking to Senior Conor Cline and I asked how he views the importance of this game. Conor told me “This is definitely our biggest challenge yet and we need to come out prepared. Winning this game could lead us to a league championship which would mean a lot to the team and the school as a whole.”

On the night of the game, the gym was packed full of Rams fans coming out to support the boys in their huge game. The two teams were virtually evenly matched, with neither team holding a lead of more than a few points. After four quarters of hard-fought basketball, the Rams fell 4 points short of victory, losing to the Scots 60 - 56. After the loss, the Rams fall into second place, but that shouldn’t diminish the fact that this is the first basketball team in over 5 years that has a legitimate shot at playoffs. Furthermore, the Rams are hoping to get revenge when they travel to Highlands on February 1.

The team has seven remaining games in the season, but they hope to extend that by making playoffs to continue into the postseason. This is the first RVHS boys basketball team in over five years that has had a legitimate shot at the playoffs and they do not want to waste this golden opportunity.

JV boys defense rotate over to try and stop the Highlands guard.

By Jaden Lira, Staff Writer

The Rio Vista High School JV boys basketball team is off to an amazing start with captains Art Weller, Mason Cobb, and Ben Sisneros helping the team to reach their goal of league champions this year.

The boys have had a couple of setbacks so far, losing to Golden Sierra 44-40 on January 8 and also losing to Highlands 54-26 on January 15. However, the team is still seated in a good position, currently sitting in 3rd place in league with 4 games left to come at the time of publication.

The next opponent for the JV boys team is the San Juan Spartans. The Rams are looking to become a win closer to closing out the season on a positive note. The JV San Juan boys basketball team is struggling to win, boasting a measly 3-10 record overall and a 2-3 league record. I asked Caption Art Weller what his last games on JV mean to him. He said, “These last games for JV mean a lot because they show

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Conor Cline getting ready to pulling up from deep while being lightly contested by #15 on San Juan.

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What Do You Plan To Do Over February Break?

Noelani Coffee (11) “I plan on spoiling myself since nobody else will.”

Alexis Brown (12) “Be a hoodrat.”

Eamonn Dury (10) “Doing whatever Comes to mind first.”

Judith Chavez (12) “Im going to try to got to SF.” Ashley Weller (10) “Maybe go

how much we as a team have progressed and what the possibilities are for the sophomores moving up next year. The boys have been working hard at practice, and I think that if we continue to work hard and grind, then these last games should go well.” These next few games are what the boys have been practicing for, and they surely will be the most impactful of the season. I also asked captain Mason Cobb as the season is coming to the end what do these wins mean for you and your team.

His response was, “Just to finish league the best we can and play our hearts out.”

With only 3 games left, the JV boys are racing to do just that and make a final push to claim the first spot in league. The Rams hope to leave everything out on the court and win out the last few games as they look forward to finishing off the season strong.

to Fort Bragg.”

Deanelly Martinez (11) “Stay home and do homework.”

Montana Olson (12) “I plan to go record shopping and hang out.”

Javier Lopez (11) “Might go to L.A.” Meagan DeLancy (12) “Watch Netflix, and cry probably. The

usual.”

Julian Carpenter (11) “Ride dirt bikes.”

Melissa Torres (9) “Take care of my goat.”

Joey McGahey (11) “Sleep” Benny Rodrigues (11) “Ride Ostriches.”

Zach Davi (10) “Sleep hard.”

Montana Olson Montana is a student at Rio Vista High School who is very involved in the Art department.

She has taken many art classes including ceramics in which she is currently enrolled.

Montana has also recently commissioned a piece for a local resident who saw her artwork in an article in the Rio Vista Beacon.

Page 6

February 20, 2019

RAM’S EAR

Varsity Girls Basketball Hopes to Make Postseason

RAM Winter Stats

WRESTLING MOST DUEL MATCH WINS WRESTLER

WINS

Brennen Belante James Blake Jacob Rivera

28 18 18

WINS CONT. WRESTLER

WINS

Emma Belante Jesus Rivas Gabe DeLaRosa

14 5 2

WINS CONT. The Lady Rams getting fired up after a huge team win.

Conor Cline crossing half court, ready to start the offense (Photo by Brooke Okamura)

By Jacob Kinser, Staff Writer

The varsity girls basketball team has been off to an incredible start this season, which is what we have come to expect from this well-coached team. As we reach the final stretches of the season, the girls have an overall record of 11-6 (2-2 in League).

Since the three best overall records qualify to make the postseason, the Lady Rams have a tough fight ahead of them if they hope to play past February.

The team held a game at home against Highland Scots on January 15. The Scots sit in first place in our league and the Rams were going into the game looking to dethrone the king to secure a better chance at making playoffs. The Scots came to play though and showed su why they have hold a record of 4-1 in league, beating the Rams by a score of 74-42. The team is looking forward though and hoping to upset the Scots in their rematch on February 1 at Highlands.

The next opponent that the Lady Rams face off with are the Linden Lions on January 18. The Lions have had some struggles this season, racking up an overall record of 5-15 (1-3 in League). Junior captain River Billoups said, “Winning this game is really important if we want to make playoffs, but the deciding games will be Vacaville Christian and Highlands.

Those two teams are our biggest competitors for sure.”. Jessica Mingay, another returning varsity player, said, “I don’t know what to expect from this team, but I do know that intensity is key. We can’t let off the gas at all.”

Playoffs are definitely not out of their reach yet, but if these girls want to be legitimate contenders they hope to knock down Vacaville Christian and Highlands.

They are currently in a battle with Golden Sierra who currently holds a slim lead with a record of 3-2 in league over the Rams for the last playoff spot. Vacaville Christian is currently also 4-1 in league, their only loss coming from the first place Highlands Scots. In order to achieve success, the Lady Rams need to feed their leading scorer, Mercedes Roberts. Roberts averages 11 points and 5 rebounds per games, which is significantly higher than the national average for both categories.

With 6 games remaining in the regular season, the Lady Rams need to win at least 4 more in order to continue on to playoffs. Considering the talent on this team, winning 4 more games is a walk in the park. With fingers crossed, the Lady rams will be playing in mid-February, trying to bring some playoff wins back to RVHS.

JV GIRLS BASKETBALL Updated: 1/29/19 10 games played

TOTAL POINTS

POINTS

Josie Preston Brook Summitt Devon Peterson

146 77 62

PLAYER

Brook Summitt Devon Peterson TOTAL REBOUNDS PLAYER

Josie Preston Sophia Saldana Isabella Saldana

30 25 REBOUNDS

58 57 41

Updated: 1/29/19 19 games played

TOTAL POINTS

PLAYER

POINTS

Jacob Kinser Conor Cline Brady Bowers

266 265 103

TOTAL ASSISTS

Jaden Lira Conor Cline Jacob Kinser TOTAL REBOUNDS PLAYER

Undefeated JV Girls Basketball Looks to Finish Strong

ASSISTS

VAR. BOYS BASKETBALL

PLAYER

Conor Cline Jaden Lira Brady Bowers

ASSISTS

75 53 47

REBOUNDS

47 42 32

JV BOYS BASKETBALL Updated: 1/29/19 19 games played

TOTAL POINTS

PLAYER

POINTS

Ben Sisneros Mason Cobb Art Weller

191 120 83

TOTAL ASSISTS

PLAYER

Art Weller Dominic Vieira Tuck Forbes TOTAL REBOUNDS Brook Summitt taking her free points at the free-throw lin.

By Isaiah Mendola, Staff Writer

The JV girls Basketball team has had a great amount of success so far this season, earning an undefeated record of 9-0 overall (3-0 league) and averaging 47.2 points per game. The leading scorer for the Lady Rams is Josie Preston with 14 points per game. LuAnn Haley, the head coach, is doing what needs to be done to have the girls be prepared for each and every game.

Their last game they dominated Linden High school with a score of 56-12.

So far this season, the girls have been playing with nothing but confidence to maintain their undefeated record. Their next game is home against Golden Sierra, which the girls previously beat 41-13.

I had the pleasure of speaking with Josie Preston and I asked her how the team is feeling after the early season success and how they plan to end the season on a positive note. Josie responded with, “I’m feeling very confident for the remainder of the season. The team works well together and we all have a very good bond. We keep our intensity up by going hard at every practice.” The Lady Rams plan to end the season strong and defend their undefeated record for the remaining three games. The future is looking bright for this young team, and we look forward to see what they do on varsity in the next few years.

PLAYER

Ben Sisneros Mason Cobb Spencer Emeigh

WINS

Per Anderson

1

VAR. GIRLS SOCCER Updated: 1/29/19 9 games played

PLAYER

TOTAL ASSISTS

WRESTLER

ASSISTS

24 16 10

REBOUNDS

166 63 56

TOTAL GOALS

PLAYER

GOALS

Betty Romero Brooke Okamura Caroline Upham

2 1 1

TOTAL ASSISTS

PLAYER

Brooke Okamura Destanie Rendon Andrea Villasenor Caroline Upham TOTAL STEALS

PLAYER

Brooke Okamura Destanie Rendon Taylor Holyfield

ASSISTS

2 1 1 1

STEALS

61 48 32

VAR. BOYS SOCCER Updated: 2/8/19 15 games played

TOTAL GOALS

PLAYER

GOALS

Alex Tejeda Jose Vega James Mentee

16 10 5

TOTAL ASSISTS

PLAYER

Adrian Tejeda Alex Tejeda

TOTAL STEALS

PLAYER

Alex Tejeda Anthony Ornelas Jose Vega

ASSISTS

5 5

STEALS

203 166 121

VAR. GIRLS BASKETBALL Updated: 1/29/19 20 games played

TOTAL POINTS

PLAYER

River Billoups Kaylee Kitchens Olivia Roberts

POINTS

44 37 34

TOTAL ASSISTS

PLAYER

River Billoups Kaylee Kitchens Anna Ramirez Mercedes Roberts Olivia Roberts TOTAL REBOUNDS PLAYER

Kaylee Kitchens Olivia Roberts Jazzy Blalock

ASSISTS

12 7 3 1 1

REBOUNDS

38 33 31

What was your favorite memory from your senior basketball season?

How does it feel to be playing your final season as a Rio Vista Ram?

“My favorite memory was beating Vacaville Christian on the road, which was something that has never been done in this school’s history.”

- Bryce Ciarimitaro

“It’s a bitter-sweet feeling; I’m going to miss playing wth these people, but I’m also excited to move on to the next chapter of my life.”

- Anna Ramirez

Feburary 20, 2019

Rio Vista Wrestling Update

by Jaden Lira, Staff Writer

The Rio Vista High School wrestling team have accomplished some great feats this season with captain Brennen Bellante placing in all 3 of their tournaments so far while also having a 26-7 record. This year’s wrestling team has gained some new players to help try and win league since having such a smaller team places them at a disadvantage, but they are off to a slow start, starting 0-3 in league.

The next opponent for the wrestling team is the San Juan Spartans where they are looking to take a win after losing to Highlands, Linden, and Golden Sierra.

The San Juan Spartans are struggling this year on the mats. I asked captain Brennen Bellante on how much this match means to him, and he said, “We are just trying to prove that they are the best out there. We are losing in league, but that is not because we are bad. It is because we have a small team while everyone else has a lot more players than us.” He also said on the up-

Page 7

RAM’S EAR

coming league tournament,” During the

tournament, we are just going out there to prove to all the wrestlers that our kids are the best out there at that level. We also want to prove to our coaches and other coaches out there that we are ready for the next level.” I also asked Emily Bellante, the sister of Brennen, that is the only girl on the varsity team about how much this upcoming match means to her. She responded, “This next match matters because we are such a small team and we are going to go out there and prove why we deserve to win.”

The wrestling team is going all out because they only has a couple of matches left to try and win league. They have a league tournament Saturday, February 2 at Rio Vista High School, which is their last match to determine who will make it to sections and even masters this season. We are looking forward to watching how the season turns out for the Rams, and we are rooting them on in the hopes of playoffs.

Athletes of the Month

by Conor Cline, Staff Writer

Conor Cline

Varsity Boys Basketball “Conor Cline is the athlete of the month. He works hard in every practice and his shooting has kept us in all the games this month,” stated Coach Baldwin.

Brennen Bellante Varsity Wrestling

Brennen Bellante getting ready to slam his opponent.

Support Golden Sierra Soccer Team

“Brennen has compiled a record of 26-7. Has placed at 3 major tournaments. He has also recently been named team captain.” Coach Smith stated.

By Conor Cline , Staff Writer

The Golden Sierra Varsity boys and girls soccer teamed traveled 91 miles to play the Rio Vista Rams soccer teams on January 30, 2019. Golden Sierra girl’s team is having a great season, boasting an impressive 15-5-1 overall record. They are number one in the Sierra Delta league this year with an undefeated league record of 7-0. They won 6-1 against the Rams’ girl team while displaying great sportsmanship. The boy’s team came in with a rough record, but they have lots of fun out there competing and creating bonds. After lots of

sweat, running, and two hardfought games, they dragged all their stuff onto their bus.

On the long drive home, they stopped to get a snack at Flag City. Unfortunately, while they all were inside, someone robbed everything in the whole bus. This included jerseys, cell phones, cleats, wallets, etc.

If you would like to help these young adults, you can donate to the office, write checks to Golden Sierra Soccer, or send money straight to Golden Sierra High School, 5101 Garden Valley Road Garden Valley, CA 95633.

Marivella Torres Varsity Girls Soccer

“My athlete of the month is Marivella Torres Bella stepped up as goalie with absolutely no previous experience and she is killing it. She stops more balls then get passed her. She is dedicated and we are proud of her.” Coach Sarah stated.

Golden Sierra’s boys soccer team holding up Rio Vista’s very own Isaiah Mendola before their game.

Ben Sisneros

Junior Varsity Boys Basketball

“Ben Sisneros is my athlete of the month. Ben works hard rebounding and averages 11 points a game. To date he is the top scorer for JV. I’ve been coaching Ben for five years now and have had the privilege of watching him develop and grow as a player. He’s a great team player.” Coach Kawika exclaimed.

Josie Preston

Junior Varsity Girls Basketball

“Josie Preston is JV girls basketball athlete of the month. Josie started our season with a strong passion for the game. Her bubbly outgoing manner helps to motivate her teammates. She has proven herself to be a worthy competitor who not only plays a strong and effective defense; her game under the basket has placed her as our top scorer!

Josie is also one of our captains and does a phenomenal job representing our team.” Stated LuAnn Haley

Anthony Ornelas Boys Varsity Soccer

“Anthony Ornelas is athlete of the month for showing up and trying new positions” Coach Sarah exclaimed.

Page 8

February 20, 2019

RAM’S EAR

Happy Valentine’s Day RVHS! To: Richie To: Andrea V.

From: Jenny O.

“Thanks for giving me burritos.”

“I love you lots gf!”

To: Aiden Mayhood Hagan To: Preston

From: Bob

From: Wyatt To: Chris

“You are my favorite cousin.”

From: Tyler

“Rip ACL”

“F.R.O.I.”

To: Wyatt Preston To: Mrs. Roman

From: Jessa Majors

“I love you, happy 6 months and happy valentines day baby!”

From: Jaden

“707 507-9341”

To: My friends

From: Jacob

From: Madi To: Yocelyn Corona

“I love you guys so much.”

From: Valerie Rodriguez

“You cute mamas, let me get those digits??”

To: Lily Griffin

To: Amber

From: Josie Preston

“You’re cool and I love you.”

From: Ryan

“Hi . . .”

To: McKenna Pratt From: Stephanie Corona

To: Carter

“Love you G, but I’d still smack you in Fornite hehe”

“I love you girly.”

To: Tycen

To: Sam Lara

From: Miguel

“skrrrt!!!”

From: Logan

“I love you”

To: Manuel Belcher

To: Cassie Langlois

From: Kyle W.

“Happy Valentine’s Day Manuel, you’re the best friend I’ve ever seen!”

From: Diana

“Let’s get pizz bro.”

To: Asucena

From: Anthony

From: Lizbeth

“I love you bestfriend!

Happy Valentines day!”

To: the Gang and Friends

From: Malia

“Thank you, for everything.”

To: Kaytlin Preciado From: Isabella Hernandez

“I love you Kaytlin!!!”

To: Madison Belcher

To: Kamren

From: Benny

“You’re my brother let’s rock out next football season.”

“I miss you”

To: Las comadres

To: Davis M

From: Kamren R.

“DaVIS is hot!!”

From: M.C

From: Celi

“I love you b. I ain’t ever gunna stop loving you b . . .”

To: Antonio Sliva

From: Asucena

“I love you!!!”