10-21 Weekly Edition

Monday, October 21, 2019

The Independent Student Newspaper of Sam Houston State University

Students Dedicated to Professional Journalism Volume 131 | Issue 5

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‘A Tribute to Courage’: 25 Years of the Sam Houston Statue

BY SHARON RAISSI

Editor-in-Chief Standing at 67-feet tall on a 10-foot granite base, a statue of General Sam Houston greets passersby on Interstate 45. Impossible to miss, he has become a beacon of the City of Huntsville.

The 25th anniversary of the statue will take place Oct. 22 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Sam Houston Statue Visitor Center.

The statue’s official name is “A Tribute to Courage,” created by Huntsville native David Adickes, who graduated from Sam Houston State University in 1948.

According to Adickes, Sam Houston took him three years to complete.

“To this day, it’s still the biggest piece I’ve done and the piece I’m most proud of,” Adickes told Community Impact in 2018.

Adickes started construction on the statue in 1992, using over 30 tons of steel and concrete.

The statue is comprised of 10foot sections, each containing five layers of concrete reinforced with steel, according to Roadside America.

Sam can be seen six miles out heading north on the interstate.

The statue has a visitor center and gift shop where visitors can learn about the landmark as well as the man it was molded after.

General Sam Houston was born in 1793 and moved to Texas in 1832.

Upon his arrival, he stated that Texas is the “finest portion of the globe that has ever blessed my vision.”

He gained fame at San Jacinto by defeating General Antonio López de Santa Anna, effectively securing Texan independence.

After his victory, he was voted president in 1836 when he won in a landslide over Stephen F. Austin and Henry Smith. He won again in 1841,

again running nonpartisan and beating his opponent by a comfortable margin.

Houston avoided war with Mexico and halted warfare with Native Americans. Though a slave-owner himself, Houston insisted that the Union be preserved when whispers of a

Civil War were afoot.

Houston, though not a Texan by birth, died a Texan at heart.

In a biography titled “Exiled: The Last Days of Sam Houston,” Houston is quoted as saying, “I would give no thought of what the world might say of me, if I could only transmit to posterity the reputation of an honest man.”

Houston died in Huntsville in 1863.

Here, almost 200

years after his death, Texans are still finding ways to celebrate his life.

The Houstonian | bit.ly/SHSUCampusNews | Monday, October 21, 2019

Page 2

campus news

Workshop Series Helps Relieve Student Anxiety

BY BRAYLON MCCLURE Contributing Reporter For students who are feeling stressed and overwhelmed, Helping Kats C.O.P.E. workshops are here to relieve some of the stress and anxiety that they are dealing with.

Helping Kats C.O.P.E. is a series of workshops established to help students discover ways to become more centered, optimistic, productive and empowered (C.O.P.E.). Students can learn many quick tips to help deal with concerns such as

low self-esteem, stress and test anxiety.

Workshops include Suicide Prevention Training, Expressive Arts, Self-Compassionate Living, Taming Your Temper and many more. Helping Kats C.O.P.E. focuses on a specific area each week for students to improve their well-being.

Dr. Danielle Sirles, Group/ Workshop Coordinator and the creator of the C.O.P.E. workshops, discussed how important these events are to assist and improve students’ mental health. “[The workshops] focus on what we call secular education,”

Sirles said.

This means that those who attend will learn more information and have a more knowledge-based idea regarding certain types of coping strategies.

Sirles also talked about the Helping Kats C.O.P.E. workshop’s general mission.

“It’s all about getting a moment to relax,” Sirles said.

The workshops aren’t formal, and are structured to allow students to catch a much-needed break during the most stressful of times.

Sirles encourages all faculty and staff on campus to help per-

suade more students to attend the workshops. Even professors are encouraged to let their students know about the C.O.P.E. workshops as well.

“We’re actually at a point where some professors are offering extra credit or kind of weaving attending these well-being workshops into their class requirements,” Sirles said.

These workshops provide ample opportunities for students to decompress for the week and treat themselves.

As a clinician, Sirles believes the way she takes care of herself impacts how she helps stu-

dents with self-care routines and tips at the Helping Kats C.O.P.E. workshops.

“Self-care is really a foundation for me to be able to practice as a clinician, so if I’m ever feeling stressed out or overwhelmed, I know I need to bump up my self-care or, if need be, to take a mental health day,” Sirles said.

The Helping Kats C.O.P.E. workshops are held in the Lowman Student Center every week for one hour. For more information, visit their website at www. shsu.edu/dept/counseling or visit the Counseling Center.

Student Health Center Launches Online Scheduling

BY SHARON RAISSI Editor-in-Chief Sam Houston State University’s Student Health Center has introduced a new online scheduling system through their website.

Director of the Student Health Center Erica Bumpurs spoke about the new service offered, as well as elaborated on the role of the SHC in the life of the average SHSU student.

“A lot of people don’t know about this resource or know how to use it, and that’s one of the things that I am really passionate about,” Bumpurs said. “I want every student at Sam Houston to know that we are here for them, that we are a valuable resource, that you have already paid to access this resource and I want to take care of as many Sam Houston students as we can.”

Students who live within 60 miles of campus have indeed paid an extra $75 on their tui-

tion to access the SHC’s services.

The new online scheduling portal helps usher the SHC into the modern era. Visit the Student Health Center website and click on the “Patient Portal” tile.

From there, students can choose from a variety of dates and the reason for their visit.

“They can still call and schedule, but we’ve found that a lot of students, if they’re not feeling well during hours we’re not open, they don’t want to wait to call and get an appointment because it just gets them further and further behind,” Bumpurs said. “We’re finding that a lot of students are using [the Patient Portal] on evenings and weekends to go ahead and schedule themselves an appointment.”

The Student Health Center’s schedule has some measure of flexibility, according to Bumpurs.

“If you’re trying to schedule an appointment and you’re feeling really bad, and online it says the next appointment is four days from now, if a student calls

us and talks to us, we have other options we can offer them to get them in sooner if their condition needs that,” Bumpurs said.

“Standardly, we can get students in within two to three days, sometimes same day, no problem.

We’re going to work with them and do what we can.”

Bumpurs stressed that the SHC does not charge students a copay or the same fees as a regular doctor’s office would.

“One thing that I tell students when I’m talking to them at freshman orientation is whether or not you have money in your pocket, if you are feeling sick and you need to come to the Student Health Center, come to us,” Bumpurs said. “We’re not going to ask you for any money.”

Any charges incurred through the visit (lab work, stitches, etc.) will be billed to the student’s MySam account through the Bursar’s Office.

“We don’t want students to feel like they can’t afford to come to the Student Health Center when they’re sick because they

don’t have money that day they can spend on a health center visit,” Bumpurs said.

The Student Health Center, however, is not an urgent care clinic, and should not be treated as an emergency room. Bumpurs stated that the average wait time at the clinic is less than average appointment-based clinics.

“The ability to get an appointment with us is much quicker than [students] would experience trying to schedule

an appointment with a medical doctor outside of this campus,” Bumpurs said. “In comparison to other appointment-based clinics, we are getting our patients in much quicker than they would experience in another setting.”

To schedule an online appointment with the Student Health Center, visit the Student Health Center website, click on the patient portal tab and then click the appointment tab.

Grant Worley

The Houstonian | bit.ly/SHSUCampusNews | Monday, October 21, 2019

campus news

Page 3

The Houstonian | bit.ly/HuntsvilleNews | Monday, October 21, 2019

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community news

Man Convicted of Screwdriver Murder Scheduled for Execution

BY BRE’ANNA BIVENS

Staff Reporter On Oct. 30, 20-year death row inmate Ruben Gutierrez will be executed in Huntsville for his decades-old crime.

In Brownsville on Sept. 5, 1998, Gutierrez accompanied by his co-defendants, Rene Garcia and Pedro Garza, entered the mobile home of 85-year-old Escolastica Harrison, brutally murdered her and took around

$600,000 that she had hidden in a suitcase in her trailer home.

When Gutierrez was questioned about the slaying, he claimed that he was present at the scene of the crime but was not the killer. During the interrogation, his alibi would falter multiple times in details.

Evidence showed that Gutierrez and his accomplices entered Harrison’s residence and struck her once on the head with the intent of simply knocking her out.

When Harrison demonstrated signs of struggle, Gutierrez and his accomplices beat her and

stabbed her thirteen times in the head with two screwdrivers.

After the stabbing, Harrison was left in a pool of her own blood.

Gutierrez was first scheduled to die on May 14, 1999, but his execution was stayed due to issues of evidence.

After serving a 20-year prison sentence, Gutierrez was scheduled for execution on Sept. 12, 2018 for the crime.

On Aug. 22, 2018, Senior U.S. District Judge, Hilda Tagle, granted a stay of execution on the basis that Gutierrez’s newly appointed lawyers needed

more time to learn his extensive case record to explore possible appeals.

During this time, Gutierrez’s then-attorney, Margaret Schmucker, filed to be removed from the case because she did not have the relevant experience for an appeal that would require a DNA sample.

Given that there are no new developments or appeals in his case, Gutierrez is set to be executed by lethal injection on Oct. 30.

Courtesy of TDCJ

Collapsed Retaining Wall Causes Conflict at City Hall

BY RYAN WELCH

Contributing Reporter On Tuesday Oct. 15, Councilmember Ronald Allen had a heated discussion with City Manager Aron Kulhavy during a city council meeting.

The heated exchange concerned a collapsed retaining wall that had fallen onto a sidewalk near the corner of Avenue J and 7th Street on the way to Mance Park Middle School. The retaining wall fell due a broken water line, forcing pedestrians to walk in the street.

Kulhavy said that there are two collapsed retaining walls involved, one belongs to Huntsville Independent School District and the other belongs to the city. The city was waiting for HISD to fix the retaining wall on their property before going in and fixing the retaining wall next to the sidewalk.

“This has been going on for nearly five months, that people are having to walk in the street, and it is unacceptable,” Allen said.

Allen and other councilmembers were concerned that it was not safe for children walking to school because they were forced to walk on that narrow street due to construction barricades blocking the sidewalk.

Kulhavy said that HISD is planning a project to replace their retaining wall so a “permanent solution can’t be done now.”

The city has posted a police officer to protect children walking to and from school where the sidewalk is blocked. The city has also built a temporary walkway around the sidewalk construction.

“Fortunately for this location, it is a low traffic and a low foot traffic area, I mean for school age kids,” officer Zachary Duer said while on duty the next afternoon at the site.

Amanda J. Raaska

BRUSHING OFF THE SIDEWALK. Two collapsed retaining walls stir controversy within the city.

The City of Huntsville is waiting on Huntsville Independent School District to make the first move towards fixing them.

The Houstonian | bit.ly/HuntsvilleNews | Monday, October 21, 2019

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community news

The City of Huntsville Experiences a Rise of Vehicle Crimes Police warn residents to lock their doors and to not leave valuables unattended

BY AMANDA J. RAASKA

Community News Editor Since Oct. 17, the Huntsville Police were called on-site to 39 acts of burglary of a vehicle and seven stolen vehicle calls.

These numbers do not account for acts of burglary of a vehicle or stolen vehicles if the victim did not call the police.

In a roughly two-month span

of time, The City of Huntsville has seen a steady increase of vehicle crimes across the city limits.

In 2017, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety, Huntsville experienced 100 acts of burglary in a 12-month period– that number accounts for both home and vehicle burglaries – and 87 car thefts.

Since August (when many dorms and apartment buildings

started move-in), the number of vehicle offenses has steadily stayed on the rise.

The Huntsville Police Department shared with the Huntsville Item some of the objects that were stolen out of vehicles on separate occasions. The most common items stolen out of vehicles are purses, wallets and computers.

On three separate cases, guns were stolen out of people’s

vehicles.

Criminals are also subject to steal items some might find unexpected. One case saw a thief stealing sunglasses, prescription glasses, a car battery jump box and a graphing calculator.

Another thief was only able to get away with a car manual and Bluetooth adapter.

The most active area for these crimes seem to be around the off-campus student housing

surrounding Sam Houston State University.

“I also want to remind the public to lock their doors and to not leave valuables unattended,” HPD Lt. Jim Barnes told the Huntsville Item.

The Houstonian has reached out to the Huntsville Police Department, but no comment has been made yet about the rise in vehicle offenses.

The Houstonian | bit.ly/HoustonianAandE | Monday, October 21, 2019

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Arts & entertainment

Tyler Perry Establishes a Domain with Tyler Perry Studios

BY DIERDRE SMITH Contributing Reporter “Your beginning never dictates your destination.” - Tyler Perry Within the last 21 years, Emmitt Perry Jr. made a name for himself as he rose from a seemingly hopeless beginning to creating something extraordinary.

In 2009 on “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” Perry revealed the story about his father, Emmitt Perry Sr., who physically and mentally abused him and his three other siblings on a regular basis. He was also sexually abused by four different people, one being a friend of his mother.

When Perry was 16 years old, he changed his name from Emmitt to Tyler in order to distance himself from his father.

He dropped out of school, later earning his GED and from then on, he found himself performing odd jobs and struggling to make ends meet.

Perry was a big fan of “The Oprah Winfrey Show” in the late 80’s and drew inspiration from Oprah’s words and lively spirit. One day while watching Oprah, he became inspired by something she said and began to write a script that would eventually catapult his career into what it is today.

After the success of his very first play, “I Know I’ve Been

Courtesy of Shutterstock Changed,” which was based on two brothers who survived abuse as children, Perry was eventually able to produce his second play titled, “I Can Do Bad All by Myself,” which birthed what was soon to be his most famous and craziest creation yet: Madea.

Madea is a character played

by Perry himself, and is based on various types of headstrong women in Perry’s family whom he shares a close connection with. She made an appearance in Perry’s first feature film entitled “Diary of a Mad Black Woman” in 2001. From then on, Madea

would appear in many more of Perry’s films and plays including “Madea’s Family Reunion” and “Madea’s Class Reunion.”

More and more people began to see a market for African American entertainment other than just Black Entertainment Television.

He sparked a change and an initiative for people to start being more diverse about who they

choose to represent their work in the entertainment industry.

After years of hard work and dedication, Perry has worked his way up to owning maybe one of his most crowning achievements yet, Tyler Perry Studios.

Tyler Perry Studios made a grand opening Oct. 5, in Atlanta, expanding up to 330 acres and costing approximately $250 million. Invitations were

sent out to major celebrities and supporters of Perry throughout the years.

“He didn’t wait for other people to validate or to say you should go this way, or that way,” Winfrey said in an interview with the Associated Press. “He said, ‘I’m going to create my own way,’ and as we can see here, become a force for himself.”

“I think it’s pivotal in everything that we’ve done, everything that we’re doing still, that we continue to try to motivate and inspire people,” Perry said at the opening of his studio. “It doesn’t matter if a million people tell you what you can’t do, or if 10 million tell you no. If you get one yes from God, then that’s all you need.”

His faith in Christ drives him and has made Perry a very strong and dedicated man. He paved the way for many African Americans in the industry as well as millions of others across the globe with his talent alone.

It is clear that Tyler Perry will continue to create and inspire millions of people as he continues on his path to greatness.

The Houstonian | bit.ly/HoustonianAandE | Monday, October 21, 2019

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Arts & entertainment

Trick-or-Treat Yourself to Stay-at-Home Festivities

BY ADRIANNE REECE Contributing Reporter Halloween tends to introduce a thrilling source of celebration with lively festivities and spookiness. From the traditional trick-or-treating to facing your darkest fears attending a haunted house, this season introduces a plethora of creative activities that could be done at home if you plan to stay in for the night.

Gather up a bowl of candy, unapologetically thrive in your decline to be adventurous and keep these ideas in mind for this spooky season!

1. Dare I say… binge-watching?

We’re constantly warned of the dangers of endless binge-watching, but maybe we can get a pass for Halloween night. Whether alone or inviting a couple of friends over, grab a soft blanket, dim the lights and take a spooky scroll down Netflix’s or Hulu’s horror section.

If you’re not into the entertainment on there, YouTube’s endless portal of videos could possibly influence your next watch. From the YouTube gaming world with gamers such

as CoryxKenshin and POiiSED celebrating horror content by reacting to multiple fright-filled short movies, to story-telling accounts uploading countdowns of fictional and non-fictional terrifying tales, the options are endless.

2. Host your own horror-filled party.

A party’s definition could range extensively in this option!

Whether you’d like to keep it simple and spooky or wild and bone-chilling, this is a perfect opportunity to customize Halloween into your own version of fun. To further the excitement, maybe integrate a costume contest into the festivities and supply a near-endless amount of food. The idea unveils an opportunity to engage in activities that will create a night that you and your guests will never forget.

3. Revitalize your home with decorations.

Halloween’s mysterious ambiance can serve as the perfect muse for decorating your space.

Let your imagination innovate ideas that will get you in the spooky spirit! Fake gravestones, spider webs, bats, jack-o’-lanterns, inexpensive window stickers and many more decorations

Editor-in-Chief

Sharon Raissi

Assistant EIC/Campus News Editor Mason Storrs Arts & Entertainment Editor

Ariole Jones

Sports Editor

Tyler Josefsen

Opinions Editor

Jacob Courtney

Community News Editor

Amanda Raaska

Assistant Sports Editor

Colton Foster

could zestfully drown your home in celebration.

4. Cook that recipe you’ve been wanting to try.

Food, especially sugar, has become a tradition almost synonymous with Halloween. Recipes and sweet delicacies thoroughly decorate aisles in major stores to increase the holiday spirit, and with social media filled with food content for every occasion, it’s possible to find a recipe that’ll not only rivet your creativity, but also keep you occupied. Bake

a candy cake or cookies and decorate them with details that will provide a spooky aesthetic.

Don’t worry, no one said you had to share with guests or trick-or-treaters. Dig in!

5. Create your own Halloween themed escape room.

Escape rooms thrive in the idea of teamwork accomplishment and solving challenging puzzles to successfully escape a mysterious mission. Though many of these adventures aren’t tantalizingly scary in spirit, you

Courtesy of Getty could intertwine Halloween into your own customized blueprint of an escape room! Invite friends or family to act as supporting characters in your mission and seamlessly beautify your home to drive inspiration to the storyline. Make sure your riddles and puzzles properly work to accommodate your space, and most importantly, have fun!

Have a safe and happy Halloween!

Run Sheet Manager

Kia Seastrunk

Digital Director

Jordan Smith

Promotions

Carlos Medina

Social Engagement Director

Alexis Berkey

Staff Reporters

Bre’Anna Bivens

Graphic Designer

Ashley Defrancis

Photographers

Elizabeth Machuca

Advertising Graphics Emily Guerra Business Manager

Paty Mason

Chelsey Norton

Faculty Advisor

Debbi Hatton

Jesus Perez Hannah Trojan

The Houstonian | bit.ly/HoustonianOpinions | Monday, October 21, 2019

Page 8

Opinions

The Deceitful ‘Science’ Behind Ghost Hunters

BY TYLER FEDERICO Contributing Writer

Paranormal science has been a topic of debate for a long time.

There are many who believe in paranormal occurrences, and there are many who do not. I fall into the category of those who do not.

While we have yet to find solid proof that paranormal apparitions like ghosts are real, there is certainly a lot of perceived “science” that goes into ghost investigation.

I want to start off by saying I don’t believe in ghosts, Bigfoot or any other supernatural creatures or urban legends. I believe what logic and science has proven, and as of yet, there has never been any hard evidence to suggest the existence of these legends.

One of the biggest sources of “evidence” for ghosts is measuring changes in electromagnetic fields or EMFs. Most ghost hunting shows and hobbyists use an EMF detector to inspect for the presence of ghosts.

The problem is that even high-end EMF detectors can be set off by almost anything that creates a magnetic charge. Things like batteries, cell phones, even outlets and other common electrical items can cause fluctuations in EMF patterns.

My biggest issue with paranormal science is that most of it is conjecture or speculation, even if there might be real methodology behind it.

I think that for me and other skeptics to believe the science behind ghost hunting is legitimate, there must be solid proof

behind the investigations and eventual conclusions.

Investigations need to have solid scientific tests to record paranormal activity, other than just recording high frequency audio or measuring cold spots.

Furthermore, I believe what makes skeptics feel even more doubtful is the way that many popular ghost hunting television shows are edited and dramatized in a way that takes away from the actual science taking place.

On the show “Ghost Hunters,” the hosts and investigators are not scientists, but instead plumbers who met on a website to share their experiences with paranormal activity.

For a television show, their blue-collar background brings a reliability that makes sense for audience members looking for a connection, but it does not lend any credence to the legitimacy of their findings.

It is even worse when these shows bring in psychics or people who claim to be paranormal mediums. Nothing helps you win over a crowd that wants to be convinced like bringing in people whose entire reason for being on the show is making you believe in something you can’t see or prove with evidence.

Overall, while paranormal beings might exist, the science behind finding them is unclear at best. Until there is a more solid basis for science in this field, it will continue to be looked down upon by people who are mostly exposed to it through dramatized television shows.

Best Halloween Movie: Editors’ Picks Jacob Courtney, Opinions Editor “The Thing” (1982): Great practical special effects, memorable characters and a sense of isolated paranoia only the chilly Antarctic setting can give you. It only gets better the more you watch it.

Colton Foster, Assistant Sports Editor “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” (1966): Can we talk about a classic? This movie is on the must-watch list every year and never gets old.

Ariole Jones, Arts & Entertainment Editor “Twitches” (2005): The movie follows the plot of the series, “Sister, Sister” where Tia and Tamera are adopted by separate families and eventually come together again. In “Twitches” they have awesome super powers, aside from being twins, and they defeat the power of darkness and save their family!

Tyler Josefsen, Sports Editor “Hocus Pocus” (1993) is an opportunity every Halloween to enjoy a family-friendly film set in Salem with a comedic talking cat. It's the classic struggle between teenager and witch. Who can't relate to

Amanda Raaska, Community News Editor “Halloween III: Season of the Witch” (1982): The most random movie in the “Halloween” franchise with no Michael Myers. The Silver Shamrock theme song will stay with you until your head explodes into bugs.

Sharon Raissi, Editor in Chief Tim Burton's "Corpse Bride" (2005) is easily the movie of the season. Beautiful music, solid storytelling and a jazz band made exclusively of skeletons. My spooky heart is content.

Mason Storrs, Campus News Editor Claudio Fragasso’s “Troll 2” (1990) is often regarded as the “best worst movie,” and this cult classic is a must-see for any fan of the horror genre. It is the perfect combination of goblins (not trolls as the title would suggest), a ghost grandfather, young love and a quotable script, driven by a cast that exemplifies the term overacting.

The Houstonian | bit.ly/HoustonianOpinions | Monday, October 21, 2019

Page 9

Opinions

The Difference Between Freedom and Occupation

BY JACOB COURTNEY Opinions Editor

Recently the fallout of President Donald Trump’s decision to pull American troops out of Syria has been dominating the news. Trump tweeted about the event that “The Endless Wars Must End!” referring to not only Syria but the decade spanning wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

This leaves a complicated question: how should U.S. military be used in countries that are not directly attacking our own?

The United States has little to fear from invasion. The massive size, weaker neighbors and two huge oceans separating our country from other powerful nations in Europe and Asia should let the United States rest easy.

After winning independence then killing Native Americans and Hispanics for their land, the United States mainly focused on using its armed forces for brief military occupations to change governments to be more “friendly” to U.S. economic and political interests.

This kind of intervention is selfish. Regardless of how much influence other countries have in an area, removing a government

by force only makes that government work with you under the point of a gun. All the same, people will suffer as they do in any war.

We saw this happen repeatedly in the 20th and 21st centuries. It seems the Philippines, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan stick out as prime examples of countries the United States intervened where the people did not want them.

During World War II, the United States sent its forces abroad where they were largely

seen as heroes in every country they went into.

From the moment Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, the United States was a welcome ally against the fascist and military run governments invading almost every country around them. The majority of the people in those countries hated the invaders and were willing to work with the United States so they could have their homes free from foreign imposed tyranny.

The United States did not simply leave as soon as the

enemy was defeated. The United States instated the Marshall Plan to rebuild war-ravaged Western Europe.

The intervention in Syria can be likened to our WWII efforts.

Instead of imposing our own way of life on them, we came as an ally against the invading force in their lands. This protected them not only from ISIS, but the brutal dictatorship of Bashar al-Assad and Turkey. All that protection went away as the United States pulled their forces out.

Within days, Turkey invaded the territory occupied by the now-abandoned U.S. allies, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.

Now refugees flee from Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan’s “safe zone,” ISIS prisoners are escaping from guarded Kurdish internment camps and the Syrian Democratic Forces has formed an alliance with the Russian-supported Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad for his military forces.

At this time, a weak five-day cease-fire is all the U.S. has accomplished since then. Even then, there are reports that the cease-fire is occasionally being broken.

This decision by Trump only shows his ignorance in mistaking the American intervention in Syria to be the same kind the United States continues to wage in Afghanistan, where the enemy is the Afghan’s fellow countrymen.

The United States must use its military sparingly and with full understanding of the benefits and costs of going to war. Only then will the “Endless Wars” have a chance of ending and the United States be a true defender of democracy.

The Houstonian | bit.ly/HuntsvilleSports | Monday, October 21, 2019

Page 10

SPORTS

Kats Shutout Unbeaten Nicholls, Claw Way into First Place

BY NATHAN WILLIAMS Sports Reporter Sam Houston State University football upset the No. 9 Nicholls Colonels 17-0 to win their eleventh consecutive Homecoming game and jump to first place in the Southland Conference.

“We’re coming after everybody,” head coach K.C. Keeler said. “That’s kind of the mindset our kids have. [This is] one of the special victories in my career.”

The offense took the field with a variety of quarterback packages that kept the Colonels’ defense off balance all day.

Freshman wide receiver Ryan Humphries came into the game

and showed off his athleticism by playing quarterback, running a few plays on the ground that eventually set up a 15-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Ty Brock to junior receiver Brennon Tibbs.

“We went into this thing saying ‘We’re going to play defense and we’re going to play three quarterbacks,’” Keeler said.

“We’re going to have a package for Noah [Smith], a package for [Humphries] and a package for Ty [Brock]. We have five quarterbacks on scholarship; all five are hurt. The frustrating part is I know how good my football team is, and we have just come up against it at the quarterback spot.”

The Kats offense played their

packages well, and Humphries led the ground game with 39 yards on 11 carries. Brock led the air assault with 116 yards and a touchdown. Humphries also had an impact with his arm, completing five of his six passes for 75 yards and a touchdown.

After allowing an early second quarter field goal to the Kats, Nicholls was unable to bounce back. A sack by senior Royce See forced a punt, and things went downhill from there for the Colonels.

Their next offensive position was a one-and-done play as junior Zyon McCollum forced a fumble that was recovered by senior linebacker Hunter Brown.

“Coach Carlin [defensive coordinator] preaches every

day swarming and competing,” Brown said. “We were swarming and giving relentless effort.”

Another stop by the Kats on fourth down forced a turnover on downs as graduate defensive back Dwayne Williams made a momentum-halting tackle.

In the third quarter, sophomore defensive back Ke’Shon Murray intercepted a pass at the Colonels’ 47-yard line, setting up the Kats for a one-play touchdown connection from Humphries to freshman receiver Ife Adeyi, giving the Kats a 17-0 lead entering the fourth quarter (see page 11).

“We’ve been working on that play all week,” Humphries said.

“The offensive line [got] out in front of Ife who is the fastest

guy on the field.”

The Kats ran 61 plays and put up 295 yards of total offense. Senior tight end Woody Brandom led the team in receptions with five for 90 yards.

Dating back to last week against Lamar, SHSU’s defense has not been scored on in eight consecutive quarters of regulation.

Brown tallied 10 tackles and a fumble recovery and See added on 10 tackles of his own to go with his 1.5 sacks.

“I think this defense is playing as well as any defense in the country,” Keeler said.

The Kats will travel to Conway, Arkansas to play the University of Central Arkansas Bears (3-1) on Oct. 26 at 6 p.m.

Bearkat madness

october 22 at 6pm johnson coliseum Bearkat volleyball

Bearkat volleyball

Nicholls Mcneese

october 24 at 6:30 pm Johnson Colliseum

october 26 at 1:00 pm Johnson Colliseum

The Houstonian | bit.ly/HuntsvilleSports | Monday, October 21, 2019

SPORTS

Page 11

Touchdown, Ife Adeyi!

William Holcomb: A Hol-Comb in One

BY TYLER JOSEFSEN Sports Editor

SHSU soccer went 2-0 at home this week, beating Southeastern Louisiana 2-0 and Nicholls 3-0. In doing so, the Bearkats improved to 5-2-1 and clinched a berth in the Southland Conference Tournament Nov. 6-10 in Conway, Ark. Colton Foster

Bearkats bowling came back from down 0-2 to defeat Vanderbilt in Sunday’s championship match and take home first place at the Tulane Invitational. The Kats defeated the Commodores 222-217 in the sixth game to take the gold.

Tyler Josefsen

Sam Houston State University golfer William Holcomb has exceeded expectations during his tenure as a Bearkat. The senior has compiled an impressive list of accolades, and on Oct. 8 he picked up the first individual title of his collegiate career at the 2019 Bentwater Intercollegiate in Montgomery.

“It didn’t happen the way I envisioned it,” Holcomb said. “It was kind of a burden lifted off of my shoulders. I know how much I want to win and all of the people that have helped me become the player I am, I know they want it just as bad as I do.”

A product of Crockett High School about an hour north of Huntsville, Holcomb began golfing when he was seven years old.

“My dad decided to buy a cabin at the nine-hole course in my hometown,” Holcomb said. “My friends and I would drive around and play golf like we were a bunch of old men. We’ve had a lot of really good golfers come out of the Crockett area—which is astonishing with how small it is.”

Prior to becoming a Bearkat, Holcomb finished first at the 2015 Junior PGA Championship Qualifiers and was ranked No.7 in Texas in 2016 by Junior Golf Scoreboard.

Despite the name he has made for himself during his four years at SHSU, his path to becoming a collegiate golfer was a little dif-

ferent than many people might think.

“Truthfully, I wasn’t really that highly recruited out of high school.”

- William Holcomb According to Holcomb, he had an idea of what to look for during his recruiting process thanks in large part to his sister who was a golfer at Stephen F. Austin University.

“I had looks from numerous schools in the Southland Conference,” Holcomb said. “UTSA and [SHSU] were two of the top schools I was looking at.

[SHSU] has access to the best courses in the nation. I would put us up against any school on course access and just getting to play great golf courses.”

A winning pedigree is also important to Holcomb, and Bearkats head coach Brandt Kieschnick has a history of success.

“I love that guy,” Holcomb said. “He’s basically a mentor. He’s like a second dad to me.

[SHSU] won conference the two years right before I committed. I was like, ‘I’m going to a place with a bunch of winners. Coach is a winner.’ That pushed me to come here.”

Holcomb’s honors extend beyond just his performance on the course. Not only has he garnered back-to-back first team All-Southland Conference selections, but he was also named the men’s golf Student-Athlete of the Year in 2017 and 2018 for his academic work.

“It’s been tough to balance everything,” Holcomb said.

“School has really come easy for me. I’m very blessed to be an

athlete and a student because I get access to the best tutors and stuff I might not normally get if I was just a student. Things like that have really helped my success both ways.”

As good as Holcomb has been, he is not alone in the spotlight at SHSU. Senior teammate Noah Steele has matched Holcomb swing for swing, and the friendly competition keeps them both at the top of their game.

“We came in together the same year,” Holcomb said. “We love golf and love hunting, but we’re complete opposites on personality. We both want each other to succeed, but we want to beat each other playing our best.”

Holcomb even went to visit the nutritionist this year after noticing how in shape and ready for competition Steele looked.

“I was like, ‘Noah [Steele] looks like he’s doing the right things every day,’” Steele said.

“He sleeps enough and eats the right stuff. I need to be able to do that so I can make sure he doesn’t have an advantage.”

Golf, school and his team are important to Holcomb, but so is his Christian faith and his family—specifically his wife, Graycie.

He and Graycie have been married for almost two years.

They dated for a little over a year, but the start of their relationship had a comical charm.

“We’ve known each other since we were kids,” Holcomb said. “We actually went to Homecoming together, and I asked her to go on a second date and she said ‘No.’ But later on she let me take her on a date.”

He will look to build upon his recent individual and team success as the squad continues to work toward its goal of winning the Southland Conference Tournament in April 2020.

Sights from a Groovy Homecoming Week Sam Houston State University’s 2019 homecoming theme was Sammystock, featuring tiedye shirts, colorful floats and a decked out Sammy the Bearkat. The week included a Distinguished Alumni Gala, Black Alumni & Friends Homecoming Reception, the annual Sam Jam Carnival, the Homecoming Parade and the beloved tradition of crowning Homecoming King (Marsalis Johnson) and Queen (Bria Ferrier).

Colton Foster

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Colton Foster Elizabeth Machuca

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Elizabeth Machuca

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