The Advocate, Issue 12 - January, 11th 2019

Volume 53, Issue 12 JANUARY 11, 2019 advocate-online.net

Legislators hear concerns PAGE 2

To the last straw PAGE 5

The amazing Spider-verse PAGE 7

SAINTS OFF TO HOT START PAGE 8

Fiscal worries could keep KMHD off-campus PAGE 3

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NEWS

A D V O C AT E - O N L I N E . N E T

LEGISLATORS HEAR MHCC COMMUNITY PRIOR TO SESSION Gov. recommended budget would increase tuition $18 - $23 per credit

ASG student leaders with Oregon state legislators and staffers.

Megan Phelps the advocate

MHCC students, staff, and community members talked to several Oregon state legislators early Wednesday morning about why Mt. Hood is important to them and the surrounding community, while sharing concerns over lack of funding for community colleges.

Associated Student Government (ASG) President Bob Hansen and Vice President Melanie Roberts led the event, welcoming each guest to Mt. Hood’s annual Legislative Breakfast, held in the Town & Gown Room.

College President Lisa Skari was the first to speak, pointing out key members of the MHCC Foundation board and MHCC District Board of Education in attendance, including District board members Jim Zordich, Tamie Arnold, and Annette Mattson.

Skari briefly discussed Gov. Kate Brown’s recommended budget plan for the 2019-21 state spending cycle. The proposal would

effectively reduce funding (a slight spending increase would be offset by inflation and rising employee costs) for community colleges and the Oregon Promise, a grant which is offered to recent Oregon high school and GED test graduates attending community college.

Brown’s proposal would also lead to a tuition increase of $18-$23 per credit over the next two years, according to Skari.

Brown’s proposed “investment budget” – nearly $650 million in funding for community colleges, which would rely on new taxes approved by the Legislature – appears more promising, Skari noted.

Skari, who is scheduled to meet with the governor next week, explained that when legislators see MHCC members or representatives in Salem, it’s about students, businesses and the community Mt. Hood represents and supports.

This led to a combination of students, business owners, and others sharing their stories and the importance of MHCC to them with

Photo provided by Lauren Griswold, Director Marketing & Communications at MHCC

the breakfast guests.

UPS, DOWNS DESCRIBED Two ASG members spoke about their stories: Hansen, and Campus Affairs Representative Kim Poling, profiled in a recent issue of the Advocate. Hansen described how he and his wife chose to live in a trailer rather than rent an apartment, due to college costs. Poling shared how given her upbringing in extreme poverty and foster care, community college was her only option. She graduated in 2017 but is now continuing in the nursing program.

Local business owners Erinn Sowles and Brock Miller shared the importance of community college as it relates to business.

Sowles, of Suburban Auto Group, said that in the dealer group’s two automotive shops in Gresham and Sandy, approximately half of the technicians are Mt. Hood graduates. These technicians are earning $40,000 to $160,000 per year, she said. The Jaksich Family Automotive Technology Center on the Gresham campus was formally named after Sowles’s parents after

District board approval last year.

Miller highlighted the importance of the return on investment community colleges provide to the state and local community. He has served on the Foundation board for the past six or seven years.

Zordich raised concern over Brown’s budget plan. “(O)n paper, the level of funding proposed equates to the 2005-07 biennial budget,” he said, imploring the legislators to “think of our students” as they make funding decisions this year.

SECURING SUPPORT Legislators were then given a chance to freely speak to those in attendance.

Sen. Laurie Monnes Anderson, D-Gresham, was first to share. She said securing funding for Medicaid coverage and the Oregon Health Plan would be key issues of funding this year, but that reform for education funding should be taken seriously.

Sen. Michael Dembrow, D-East Portland, noted that he spoke

with the governor over the phone the day before she released her recommended budget, hinting that she sensed people within secondary education would not be pleased with the proposal. He said she does have a strategy and knows that comprehensive revenue reform – the mix of new tobacco, corporate and other taxes Democrats are proposing – will be key.

Dembrow also mentioned a community college caucus he is starting at the Capitol with Rep. Jeff Reardon, D-Happy Valley, in this session, with the first meeting scheduled for next week.

Reardon told the Mt. Hood gathering that he agreed with everyone’s statements, but at some point PERS (increased cost of the state Public Employee Retirement System) will need to be addressed, along with funding concerns.

TO CONTINUE READING, SEE PAGE 5

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NEWS

JANUARY 11, 2019

BOARD TO DECIDE KMHD’S FUTURE ON WEDNESDAY MHCC president gives formal recommendation ahead of vote Cassie Wilson the advocate

The Mt. Hood District Board of Education continued its discussion on the future of MHCC’s radio station, KMHD, at its Dec. 19 and Jan. 9 monthly strategy sessions.

After months of research, discussion, questions, and exploring hypotheticals, the board is nearing the end of its debate on KMHD. It will make a formal decision at the next regularly scheduled meeting, on Wednesday, Jan. 16, whether to renew the current contract with Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) or bring the station operations back to the college campus.

On Jan. 9, President Lisa Skari made her formal recommendation for the board’s consideration: She believes it’s in the best interest of the college as a whole to renew the contract with OPB, while pursuing better outcomes.

DECEMBER RECAP In December, the Board continued to float many of the same various options that were discussed all autumn. In considering bringing the station back to MHCC, even on a small scale, the board continued to voice concerns over the financial impact.

The proposed governor’s budget for 2019-21 provides a worrisome glimpse into the future, according to Skari and Jennifer DeMent, budget director for Mt. Hood.

Skari said the board will be making budget cutbacks at Mt. Hood regardless of the outcome of the KMHD decision, and, “The size (of the cuts) could be (academic) programs.”

Board member Jim Zordich expressed concerns that if KMHD were to return to campus, that its fundraising could compete with the MHCC Foundation. “The Foundation currently is able to raise about $400,000 a year. Would we be compromising that and in turn be compromising our scholarship awards?” he questioned.

Tamie Arnold said, “The folks listening to the radio station, benefiting from it, contributing to it, aren’t necessarily the same folks that are donating to the Foundation (for) scholarships.”

Kenney Polson added, “I don’t think the Foundation is collecting money on a global sense, but I know for a fact that the radio station is.”

There was also talk of the dissatisfaction with the current contract with OPB, and how some of the negative feelings towards it could come from the college’s lack of enforcing certain parts of the license management agreement, specifically in regards to “trade advertising” – the on-air promotion of Mt. Hood during broadcasts. The college is provided trade advertising through OPB annually, but DeMent explained the college hasn’t been fully utilizing it.

As with many previous discussions about KMHD, the meeting ended with a lot of questions from the board members. While DeMent was able to provide clear answers, the one thing that was still needed, as brought up by Annette Mattson after reviewing the board’s policies on taking action, was a recommendation from Skari, the president.

JANUARY RECAP Wednesday’s board strategy session discussion on KMHD began with just that: Skari’s formal recommendation on what she hopes members will consider for their decision on Jan. 16.

She acknowledged the important history of the station and of jazz at MHCC. She said, “Both options before you are positively impacting our mission, but I will add that they do so in a manner that is peripheral to our core mission. Ultimately, we are providers of post-secondary education.”

Skari explained that even in a positive economic period, the college is looking at a minimum budget deficit of $4 million over the next biennium (two-year state budget cycle).

Photo by Shyann Tooke / the Advocate

The MHCC District Board of Education and President Lisa Skari at the Jan. 9 board strategy session revising its bylaws in the first part of the meeting. The rest of the time was spent talking about KMHD.

“Our historical, ever-expanding, comprehensive mission is beginning to take its toll. Our facilities are in need of repair, our labs are in need of updated equipment, and we have safety issues that require attention,” said Skari.

“Every dollar that is spent on KMHD is a dollar we can’t spend somewhere else.”

She concluded with her stance. “Based on the current financial context I feel it would be irresponsible of me to recommend the board do anything else than continue the contract with OPB at this time. To address some of the contractual concerns, the board can direct me to work with OPB on better outcomes for students.”

Under the contract, Mt. Hood’s president (Skari) has a position on the OPB board of directors, where she could exert some influence on the KMHD partnership.

The discussions that followed were brief.

Zordich said, “Well, have we worn out this conversation?”

Polson reiterated that his stance hasn’t and will not be changing. “I think (KMHD) should come back to the college,” he said. “The station itself is an educational component of

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the college. We’re here to educate people.”

Skari reminded everyone that the board is going to need to pass a schoolwide operating budget, and that part of that equation is always potential tuition increases. She doesn’t support raising tuition to cover the expense of bringing KMHD back, she said.

She also explained that if the board decides to just let the OPB contract roll over for the five-year extension, that it technically doesn’t need to take action. Most members seemed to agree they wanted the closure and resolution of a vote, but either way a decision will be made at the Jan. 16 meeting.

This is just in time to meet the Feb. 11 deadline of notifying OPB if the college does not wish to let the contract auto-renew, as is, for another five years.

Anyone interested in having their thoughts on this issue heard will have a last chance for input at the Jan. 16 meeting before the board votes. Public input takes place at the beginning of meetings (start time is 6:30 p.m.), and arriving early to sign up to speak is important.

The Advocate encourages readers to share their opinion by letters to the editor and guest columns for publication. All submissions must be typed and include the writer’s name and contact information. Contact information will not be printed unless requested. Original copies will not be returned to the author. The Advocate will not print any unsigned submission. Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words and guest columns should not exceed 600. The decision to publish is at the discretion of the editorial board. The Advocate reserves the right to edit for style, punctuation, grammar and length. Please bring submissions to The Advocate in Room 1369, or e-mail them to advocatt@mhcc.edu. Submissions must be received by 5 p.m. Monday the week of publication to be considered for print. Opinions expressed in columns, letters to the editor or advertisements are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Advocate or MHCC.

Graphic Design Editor

Elias Rankin is in his second year at MHCC, currently taking Gen Ed classes as he tries to figure out what to do with his lif – er – carefully considers the options for his promising future. If he isn’t hunched over and drawing in class, he’s at home… hunched over and drawing. He dreams to someday bring the characters he doodles to life. He created “Your Local Supermarket Super Hero,” a comic strip that runs every other week in the Advocate.

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OPINION | NEWS

JANUARY 11, 2019

STRAWS ARE SUCKING LIFE AWAY Applebee’s overuse of straws needs to chill out

Chloe Collins the advocate

The compelling debate about the condition of our planet and where it’s headed is a central topic in current politics. Whether or not you believe climate change is happening, there is one simple fact that cannot be ignored: Mother Earth is insanely outnumbered.

There are more than seven billion of us on this one planet.

Who knows, with the way science is progressing, mankind might have colonies on Mars in the future. But as of right now, this is it, guys. If we do not make positive changes, we will be facing serious backlash.

I know what you are thinking: How can you personally make a difference?

Does it really matter what you do to make change if no one else is doing it?

Well yes, it does.

When you go the extra mile others will take notice.

An example of this statement in action is the movement to reduce the amount of straws we use in the U.S. every year.

According to the National Park Service, Americans use an average of 500 million straws daily. Upon hearing how many plastic straws we use as a culture, some companies responded, and moved toward organizations like the Be Straw Free Campaign. While some citizens, restaurants, and city governments alike moved to use less straws, others tossed the notion aside. Applebee’s in

Gresham, for example, puts a new straw in every drink its servers bring to the table. The straws are already unwrapped, so regardless of whether customers use it or not, it is wasted.

The most common argument against the movement to reduce straw pollution is that refusing to use a straw won’t really make a difference. It is true that the sole cause of environmental trauma is not the use of a plastic straw.

As a whole, people on this planet discard single-use plastics in many different forms than straws every day. We also consume meat en masse, a process which has proven to be harmful for the ozone. Not many people eat a local meal every day, which would definitely cut down on oil and gas used to import/export food. These are just a few examples of the many

Graphic by Kevin Garcia De La Vega

ways in which we harm the planet as human beings.

However, to say that it wouldn’t

make a difference at all to stop using plastic straws is simply untrue.

We have to start somewhere. The Environmental Protection Agency states on its website that “the best way to reduce waste is to not create it in the first place.” Think about how many times per week you go out to a restaurant to eat and use a plastic straw. It adds up.

If you are willing and able, forgo the plastic straw. It is a simple way to lead by example and put drops in the bucket toward having less pollution in our water sources.

There are so many more simple things you can do to reduce waste in your daily life, too!

NEWS BRIEFS Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Mt. Hood’s Diversity Resource Center will host “Honoring the Legacy of MLK” between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 16 and Thursday, Jan. 17. Events ranging from a pop-up library, readings, films, and other displays honoring MLK and his works, as well as those of other civil rights leaders, will be featured in the MHCC Library and Student Union.

There also will be a guest speaker appearing from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Visual Arts Theatre.

The college will be closed on Monday, Jan. 21, in observance of the holiday.

Oregon Transfer Day From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 17, in the Vista Dining Hall, Mt. Hood’s Academic Advising will host the Oregon Transfer Day. Representatives from over 30 colleges and universities will be available to provide information and advising about transferring to their institutions.

-Darcy Hitchcock Use a ‘for here’ mug at coffee shops and repurpose plastic bags or ditch them altogether.

Recycle the sleeve on your hot coffee! Consider adding used clothing to your wardrobe. Did you know it can take up to 2,700 liters of water to make one T-shirt? You can read more about water usage in the making of clothes on the World Wildlife Fund for Nature’s website.

Speaking of reading more about these topics, do some mild research. Read those articles you scroll past on social media that discuss our planet’s condition. If you come across a statement that you are uncertain of, fact check it! No one is telling you to take everything at face value. Stay up-todate and fully informed on environmental policy and movements.

Once you have formed you own opinions on all of these topics, get involved, advocate, and contact your elected representatives. This is our planet and we all get a say in its treatment and care.

Staffing Changes There have been some staffing changes in key administrative positions at MHCC over the past couple months.

In late November, it was announced that Doctor Abio Ayeliya is the new Director of Student Life and Civic Engagement, succeeding Justin Core, who left earlier in 2018. In December, Mt. Hood President Lisa Skari announced her decision to restructure instructional leadership by eliminating the Chief of Staff position.

She received and accepted Craig Kolins’ resignation from that position and will instead be hiring a Vice President of Instruction, she said. Matt Farina has a new role as Director of Academic Advising and Retention, after a history of working in various roles since 2011. Felisciana Peralta resigned as Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion just before the holidays. This month, Rachel Falk joined the college as the newest faculty counselor.

-Cassie Wilson CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

Reardon added that legally they cannot and will not take away retiree benefits, but that they will need to figure out what to do going forward. He then said it’s important as a community to step up to the conversation and be ready: “You have my support.”

BOND STILL CRUCIAL MHCC District Board member Tamie Arnold asked the legislators what Mt. Hood could do as a community college to improve. Their answers touched on Mt. Hood’s longtime failure to win voter approval of a general obligation bond to fund major campus construction/renovations.

Sen. Lew Fredrick, D-North Portland, discussed bonds and the Gresham area, stating most people don’t know their

neighbors, and said he thinks part of this recommended budget was strategically set up so that legislators and community colleges would have this conversation.

That conversation should focus in terms of resources, especially in terms of business, as “that’s where the money is,” he said. “Talk with neighbors and businesses to have an absolute return on investment.”

State Rep. Carla Piluso, D-Gresham, wrapped things up, saying the best thing to happen is Skari bringing new energy to Mt. Hood. Piluso said she is optimistic going into this session, but knows there will be challenges. She stressed that the college’s bond attempt “needs to get passed, once and for all.”

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OPINION | ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

A D V O C AT E - O N L I N E . N E T

WOMEN IN CONGRESS BRING DIVERSE REPRESENTATION

Omar Saradi the advocate

If there’s one person who has been constantly popping up on social media, it’s a certain politician whose name is the attention grabber of every headline she is attached to.

Obviously, I’m talking about Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. If you are confused about who exactly this person is, I’ll catch you up to speed: She is a 28-year-old from Bronx, New York who ran as a U.S. representative in her congressional district. She won the mid-term election in an upset against another Democrat, Joe Crowley, who was already an established politician and representative in that area.

Along with other newly elected representatives who are women of color and have gone down a similar path as Ocasio-Cortez, there are obvious, but differing opinions about her, from MSNBC to CNN and Fox News. I think that no matter

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Photo by Chip Somodevilla, Getty Images

House Democratic women pose for a portrait in front of the U.S. Capitol Jan. 4, 2019 in Washington, D.C.

how you view the current political climate and the different ideas that are considered “radical agendas,” I think this is an extremely important time in American politics.

Ocasio-Cortez isn’t the only person from a marginalized group to be sworn into Congress, but her strong political stances and her ability to be fiercely independent from special interests inadvertently made her the face of this new wave of “progressive Democrats” due to heavy media scrutiny. The new, 116th Congress has a lot of firsts –

first Muslim women to be elected, first women of Native American heritage – and like I said earlier, a good majority of the newly elected members are women, specifically women of color. Nothing is more fitting for the title of “representative” than a person who comes from an unspoken group and embodies the community they come from and I think it is not only important, I think it’s something we must have more of in the future.

But all of this comes with certain media doubt. In the age of career

politicians using status quo policies as fuel for their administration, some people have no choice but to doubt one who isn’t backed or even endorsed by these politicians.

For example, Ocasio-Cortez is a self-proclaimed “Democratic Socialist” like Bernie Sanders, the politician she has looked up to and gained support from. Like Sanders, she has been scrutinized by her peers and the media for her ideas and tactics: center left-media saying her resentment towards the establishment will be her demise,

and more right-wing media saying that her ideas are not only radical, they’re dangerous and unrealistic.

The issue with this premise is that when several political commentators on social media try to take her and the other women down, they give them more attention and support. To me, more attention on these women is a good thing, but counterproductive for the opposition.

What I took away from the election of the 116th Congress is that representation matters the most when it’s the people in charge, those who have the power to say something where ordinary citizens can’t. This can be seen in the race with Ilhan Omar, a Somalian woman of Muslim faith who came to the country as a refugee. She campaigned in the last year as a progressive and got elected for government office by nearly 200,000 votes in her U.S. House district in Minnesota.

I expect to see more of this, not only because it gives a hopeful policy shift for unspoken and marginalized groups, but it also reflects the identity our country touts itself for around the world: the idea that the U.S. is a melting pot of different races, religions and ethnicities coming together to create a culturally diverse society in which everyone can make a difference.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

JANUARY 11, 2019

MOVIE ENTHUSIASTS DO NOT FEAR, SPIDER-MAN IS HERE

‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ ended 2018 with a new hit 4.5 out of 5 stars

Kurt Larson the advocate

Before giants such as Marvel and DC rose to become the powerhouse purveyors of superhero content that they are today, Pixar’s “The Incredibles” was once touted as the greatest superhero movie to hit cinemas.

However, with the start of the Marvel cinematic golden age, beginning with the release of “Iron Man” back in 2008 and bolstered by the Christopher Nolan-directed “Batman” movies, opinions started to sway and eventually the title of best superhero movie would be given to many other films in the coming years.

In the hearts and minds of many, though, The Incredibles could, at the very least, be considered the

greatest animated superhero movie of all time.

But a new challenger has entered the arena, and it might be time, once again, for Pixar to hand over that coveted title.

“Spider-Man: Into the SpiderVerse,” directed by the trio of Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman, and Robert Persichetti Jr., is the latest from the genre to hit screens, and is arguably one of its best.

Taking place in an alternatereality “spider-verse,” the movie features Miles Morales as the average awkward teen protagonist.

As one might guess, he is unwittingly bitten by a radioactive spider, and eventually finds himself embroiled in a plot to save the universe.

While still getting the hang of his new spider abilities, Miles is forced to work with a group of Spider-men from multiple different realities in order to prevent the infamous Kingpin from messing with the time-space continuum any further and opening a black hole under New York City.

Pretty simple, right?

With such a bizarre and seemingly complex plot, one might be inclined to assume that this undertaking could only result in a mediocre product, at best, especially with Sony Picture Studios still holding rights to the franchise.

Thankfully, if you held this assumption, you will be pleasantly surprised to discover how amazing this movie actually is.

Into the Spider-Verse truly impresses: From its comic book deep cuts to its inventive and beautifully unique art style, this movie has no trouble keeping the viewer entertained.

Somehow the writers even managed to find a wonderfully cohesive way to present the origin stories for its many new characters.

Speaking of characters, Shameik Moore does a fantastic job as the voice of Miles (Ultimate SpiderMan), along with Jake Johnson and Hailee Steinfeld as Spider-Man and Spider-Woman, respectively.

Nicolas Cage makes an appearance as Spider-Man Noir and is expectedly delightful to listen to.

All these

positive Web photo attributes, and many more, culminate to create one of greatest, if not the greatest, animated superhero movie, and most certainly, the best Spider-Man

movie ever released.

Being animated, the film lends itself quite well to this particular plot and is undoubtedly the closest anyone has come to truly relaying the feeling of reading comics to the screen.

With its snappy dialogue and beautifully choreographed action sequences, not to mention everything else listed in this review, it’s no surprise that Spider-Man: Into The SpiderVerse gets a solid 4.5/5.

Why not a 5?

Well, as with anything, the film could a l w a y s somehow be done better, and to be fair, there are a couple plot inconsistencies that might take you out of the moment if you really look for them. Still, in spite of these slight shortcomings, its creators have produced a masterpiece fit for the whole family.

INDOOR ACTIVITIES THAT WON’T BREAK THE BANK Mariah Getch the advocate

Need ideas for something to do during these cold winter months?

Heat it up at a concert!

From huge, extravagant venues to intimate coffee shops, various artists are constantly performing in Portland and its surrounding areas.

Popular artists’ concerts are always selling out fast, but sometimes the local musicians can be better – especially for your wallet.

It’s always a good idea to be constantly checking ticket websites for low-priced concerts, and scoping out new artists that you’ve never heard before. However, I know that can be time consuming – especially with this new term starting – so here are some concerts in January that can help you unwind!

There are concerts available as early as this weekend. Vein will be playing at the Doug Fir Lounge in Portland this Sunday, Jan. 13, and tickets are on sale, from $32-$35.

However, if you’d like something farther out, Jacob Banks will be

playing at the Wonder Ballroom in Portland this upcoming Tuesday, Jan. 15, and tickets range from $22$72.

Those are just a couple of the countless concerts playing this month.

If you’d like to purchase tickets, the best way is to go directly through the venue’s website, because they tend to have the best prices.

Another way to unwind is letting off some steam with laser tag! The Wunderland on Burnside offers quality, miner-themed games for only $4.25 a game, per person. It is open noon to 11 p.m. on SundayThursday; noon to midnight on Friday; and 11 a.m. to midnight on Saturday.

Then again, you could kick back and relax at the Mt. Hood Theatre in downtown Gresham.

The theater offers only a few different movies at a time, but the insanely cheap prices –$4.50 per adult and $3.50 per child – and the outstanding popcorn make the experience worthwhile.

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the advocate

The 2018-19 season is here and as Jeremy Vandenboer enters his second year as head coach of the Mt. Hood women’s basketball team, he looks to take the Saints to the NWAC championship tournament once again. They had a successful preseason in late 2018, going on an 8-1 run before entering the regular season.

During the winter break, the eighth-ranked Saints had a great performance at the crossover tournament hosted by Skagit Valley Community College, finishing 2-1 over the three-day tournament. Mt. Hood’s Madison Allen and Tasha Beckett were named to the all-tournament team.

But now is when it counts and boy, are the Saints making the most of it. South Region play began Jan. 2 as they hosted the Southwestern Oregon Community College Lakers at the Yoshida Event Center in a game that went down to the last play.

This was the Saints’ first home game of the entire season as all their preseason games were away, so, obviously the Advocate was there to cover it for you guys.

The home crowd, consisting mostly of family and high school friends, was excited to finally being

“

able to watch the Saints in action and it did appear that the players were a bit nervous and pressured at the beginning of the game. They missed some open 3s and shots from inside the paint in the first 5 minutes but it didn’t take long for the home crowd to get into the game and cheer the Saints on as they finished the first half down just 33-32, after being down by as much as eight points.

The next two quarters were close, as well, with the lead going back-and-forth. Then came the fourth quarter, which was a nail-biter that ended with a huge comeback from the Saints.

It all began with 4 minutes remaining on clock and the game tied at 57. SWOCC called a full timeout and got a 3-pointer from Keiko Aotaki right after the game had resumed that silenced the crowd. The Saints’ Courtney Jackson responded with a made jump shot. SWOCC then made a layup, followed by another 3-pointer by Aotaki. At 65-59, Lakers, Mt. Hood coach Vanderboer called a timeout and then gave SWOCC the same treatment as he created a 3-point opportunity that the Saints’ Bri Rosales converted, thanks to a great assist by Kassidy Ellett. A turnover was made right after,

to a crucial steal by Ellett, giving Atalina Pritchard a layup.

And so, in a matter of 40 seconds, the Saints were back in the game at 65-64, and getting the crowd hyped again.

FANTASTIC FINISH Bell Madison from SWOCC made a layup on the next play, but Saints’ Madison Allen responded with a clutch 3-pointer from behind the arc, tying the game at 67 with 1:07 remaining, thanks to another great assist by Ellett. This was followed by two Laker free throws and then two by Mt. Hood – but Rosales was only able to convert one. Leading 69-68 with 24 seconds on the clock, SWOCC called a 30-second timeout; the Lakers were looking to run the clock out and Mt. Hood was forced to foul.

SWOCC had the opportunity to stretch the lead to three but that’s when home court advantage came into play. The Saints crowd made some noise during Abby Neff ’s two free throws for SWOCC, causing her to miss both. With 16 seconds on the clock, Mt. Hood called a full timeout. Down by one, with no need of a 3-pointer to seal the game, Vanderboer either had to come up with an

open jump shot opportunity or look for a foul to convert hopefully into two free throws.

As the game resumed, SWOCC chose not to give Mt. Hood the easy two tries and instead try to rely on good defense, hoping the Saints would miss their last shot. But after a bit of passing, Jackson was able to find Ellett, who was forced to pull up for a jump shot with three SWOCC players on her but successfully made the shot, to regain the lead.

With only two seconds remaining it was SWOCC’s ball, enough time for a quick grab-and-shoot 3, but the Saints’ Emily Webber sealed the game with a massive steal to give the Saints the 70-69 victory.

The Saints’ Jackson led the team with 24 points (3-4 from behind the arc) and six rebounds, Kassidy Ellett had seven assists and four steals, and Tasha Beckett just missed out on a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds.

Just three days later, Mt. Hood had another home game as it hosted the second-ranked Riverhawks of Umpqua Community College.

But this

didn’t scare the Saints as they went out strong and finished the first quarter up 2015. They kept the lead through all four quarters of the game, finishing on top, 78-72, and improving their record to 2-0 in league play while staying undefeated at home.

Courtney Jackson led the Saints with 20 points and six rebounds, as Rachel Watson picked up a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds.

COOLED OFF BY STORM The Saints did suffer a setback in their most recent game as they were on the road facing the Chemeketa Storm and fell, 71-64, on Wednesday, Jan. 9. Watson finished the game with 12 points and three personal fouls, while Jackson finished with 11 points and also three personals, a teamwide issue against the Storm.

But this loss shouldn’t stop Mt. Hood’s momentum as the Saints stood at 11-5 overall, their best start in years, heading into the weekend.

This time last year, they were 5-8 overall.

The Saints hope to keep their strong run going when they play at 2 p.m. Saturday at Linn-Benton Community College.

O FINISH T IS L A O G R OU GUE AND TOP 2 IN LEA ECOND S E H T O T IT MAKE ACS” WEEK OF NW LLEN - MADISON A

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RESEASON P

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Photos by Fletcher Wold / the Advocate

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