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March 4, 2021 | Vol. 95, No. 18

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NEWS

OPINION

SPORTS

FEATURES

Students win Hearst Journalism awards

Gabe’s Take: Seuss or Sus?

The Dean Hood era begins with a win

Campus clubs adapt to life with COVID-19

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Beshear, Jackson tour flood damage Staff Report President Bob Jackson joined Gov. Andy Beshear and loc al government officials on Tuesday, March 2, on an aerial tour of the damage in Calloway Count y c aused by recent flooding.

Jackson said he toured the county via helicopter with Beshear, County Judge-Executive Kenny Imes and Mayor Bob Rogers. “ We saw a great deal of damage to roads, br idges, homes, other property, including small

What we have seen is some of the worst rain in Western Kentucky in parts of Calloway County to parts of cities underwater in Eastern Kentucky. So many of our people are struggling right now.

- Gov. Andy Beshear businesses throughout Calloway County,” Jackson said. “Several parts of our region and state also experienced extensive damage.”

Imes declared a state of emergency for Calloway Count y o n S u n d a y, Fe b . 2 8 , i m mediately following the record-breaking rainfall.

Between 4 and 6 inches of rain fell in Murray, according to the National Weather Service in Paducah’s Facebook page.

Jackson said Murray State did experience some flood damage to Stewart Stadiu m , t h e We s t Fa r m a n d m i nor damage to other buildings. “ We a r e c o m p i l i n g a l l i n formation now in order to submit a FEMA c laim for reimbursement of this dama g e s i n c e G o v. B e s h e a r a n d Judge Imes declared a state o f e m e r g e n c y, ” J a c k s o n s a i d .

Jackson said they toured campus and the West Farm in a low flyover. “ We greatly appreciate Gov. Beshear visiting Calloway County to review this damage and in assisting us with reimbursement of these costs, ” Jac kson said.

see BESHEAR, page 3

Sam Stewart/The News Dean of the School of Nursing and Health Professions Dina Byers is prepping Murray State nursing students before patients come in to receive the vaccine.

Nursing department helps run CFSB Center as regional vaccination site Ben Overby Staff Writer boverby2@murraystate.edu Faculty and students in Murray State’s nursing program have been on the frontlines of the regional COVID-19 vaccination efforts at the CFSB Center.

Nursing students and faculty assisted in treating and monitoring patients during the three regional vaccination days that have taken place on c ampus.

Dina Byers, dean of the School of Nursing and Health Professions assisted the Calloway County Health Department and the Murray-Calloway County Hospital in the planning and implementation of the regional vaccination site.

Byers said the faculty and students were eager to volunteer for whatever assistance was needed.

“The SONHP nursing faculty and students have helped by administering vaccines, assisting people with mobility issues from their cars into the CFSB Center, monitoring for any adverse responses to receiving the vaccine and checking temperatures at the door and answering any questions that people may have,” Byers said.

Despite challenges with Mother Nature, which forced a change in clinic dates, Byers said the operation has been seamless. “ The clinic has run smoothly and efficiently,” Byers said.

“SONHP faculty and students are glad that we are a part of

this important initiative. We will continue to support our partners and work together as a team.”

Both faculty and students who volunteered said it was a rewarding experience. Byers said patients were excited to get the vaccine and grateful for those who were working the c linic.

“Some of the stories that are shared by people receiving the vaccine are truly touching,” Byers said. “There is a lot of hope and happiness experienced by working the c linic.”

Byers said she relied heavily on Dana Todd, Bachelor of Science in Nursing program director and nursing professor, and Lori Ballard, nursing instructor, to help facilitate the organization of the nursing student volunteers.

“Seeing the happiness above the masks and hearing the encouraging comments that participants have had has been such a rewarding experience,” Todd said. “ The optimism is palpable. I am honored and privileged to be able to participate.”

Byers said it was also a great clinical experience for students, who were able to learn how a mass immunization center functions.

“They have the opportunity to apply many of the key concepts learned in the c lassroom setting, such as how to care for people with mobility issues, how to communicate with the geriatric population and educating others about the vaccine,” Byers said.

Senior nursing major Coleman White monitored patients at the site after they received the vaccine, making sure people didn’t have any adverse reactions and helped people back to their vehicles.

W hite said one of the most difficult aspects of his role was answering patients’ quest i on s a b o u t t h e c o ron a v i r u s .

“Many people had questions about the COVID-19 virus and the vaccine that I did not particularly know the answer to right a w ay, ” W h i t e s a i d . “ H owe v er, a big plus to having so many healthcare workers present is that someone was always there to answer any questions and address any concerns that they had.”

White, who is also a nursing assistant at Murray-Calloway County Hospital’s COVID-19 unit, said that working during the pandemic has been very challenging and exhausting but has strengthened his great respect for the profession.

“I see what these nurses go through on a daily basis at the hospital, and the care that they provide our patients is amazing,” W hite said. “I have seen what this vir us c an do firsthand and it is scary, but to have a chance to end this pandemic with the vaccine is a breath of fresh air for all of us. I am so glad that Murray has so many willing participants in this clinic.”

see SITE, page 3

News

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March 4, 2021

Faculty and staff begin vaccinations Gage Johnson Editor-in-Chief gjohnson17@murraystate.edu Kentucky entered into Phase 1C on Monday, March 1, which allowed all Murray State faculty and staff who want to get the COVID-19 vaccine the opportunity to roll up their sleeves.

It couldn’t come soon enough f o r S t e ph a n i e An d e r s on , a ss i s t a n t p ro f e s s o r o f j o u r n a lism and mass communications and faculty adviser for The News.

“I was hoping that postsecondary educators would fall into the 1B phase as K-12 teachers did but that wasn’t the case,” Anderson said. “I have not seen my family but once in the last year and my 15-monthold son is missing out on those precious moments with his grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.”

Anderson said she was able to make an appointment for her first dose of the Moderna vaccine on the Walgreens w e b s i t e o n S u n d a y, Fe b. 2 8 .

“It allowed me to go ahead and schedule for Wednesday, March 3 to get my vaccine even though 1C didn’t officiall y open until the next day,” Anderson said.

She said she signed up on the Calloway County Health Department’s website to be notified when she could schedule an appointment at the regional vaccination site at the CFSB Center. However, Walgreens allowed her to make an appointment sooner.

“I was going to seize any opp o r t u n i t y I c o u l d t o ge t t h e vaccine,” Anderson said.

Anderson is one of the 845,695 people in Kentucky who have received the first dose of the vaccine, according to the Kentucky COVID-19 website.

Gov. Andy Beshear encouraged everyone, in his daily press briefing on Tuesday, March 2, to visit vaccine.ky.gov and sign up for notifications regarding vaccines.

“Not only will our website tell you which phase you are in specifically,

Gage Johnson/The News Stephanie Anderson, assistant professor and faculty adviser for The News, received her COVID-19 vaccine at Walgreens on Wednesday, March 3.

you can supply your contact information so we can communicate with you when appointments become available at new and existing sites across the state,” Beshear said.

One of those regional vaccination sites, the CFSB Center, opened again on Wednesday, March 3.

Robert Jost, a non-traditional student who returned to school at the age of 71, got the vaccination at the CFSB Center on Feb. 21. He said the process of receiving his first dose of the vaccine was smooth and professional.

“Although there may be only about 500 over 70 in 1B in Calloway County, keep in mind that MSU is a regional vaccination center, so there were a lot of folks there,” Jost said. “I would say about 7 percent to 10 percent needed assistance as they were using walkers and wheelchairs, canes or crutches.

This is where the nursing program students really showed their colors, their Racer spirit, in the way they assisted those that needed help, with courtesy, decency, respect and

always a smile. Give a shout out to the Murray State public safety folks for the same attitude and approach.”

Ann Landini, a retired professor who spent 27 years with t h e U n i v e r s i t y, f e l l i n t o t h e 1B phase and was more than pleased to be able to get her first dose of the Moderna vaccine.

“I am very happy to be in one of the early phases,” Landini said. “I have been ready to receive my vaccination since November when the FDA began authorizing emergency use of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

Our governor and state health director have done a remarkable job of working with the CDC guidelines to develop the process which will work best in our state. It seems an orderly and thoughtful way of getting vaccines to people as the supply of vaccines increases. Murray now has at least five different places where one can be vaccinated.”

Similar to Anderson, Landini said she wishes current faculty and staff had been included in the 1B phase with elementary and secondary

school teachers, but is hoping that they can all get vaccinated quickly now that 1C can also be vaccinated.

W hile the major it y of stu dents have not yet been vaccinated, Amy Krazl, junior nursing major, said everyone, including students, should jump at the chance to get the vaccine.

Krazl received the first dose on Jan. 8 and the second dose o n Fe b. 5 , b o t h f r o m M u r ray-Calloway County Hospital. “ Receiving the vaccine was an almost automatic choice for me,” Krazl said. “I am able to better protect others and myself, play a part in stopping the spread of COVID-19 and help the nation get closer to beating this virus. Despite all of the potential health concerns of which studies have not been done yet, I decided to trust the majority of the medical community in their trust of and satisfaction with the safety of the vaccine.”

see VACCINE, page 3

Students win Hearst Journalism awards

she and Wright picked a piece of hers that was published and aired on Nashville’s NPR station 90.3.

Bullard said she went to Two Murray State students enthe princess camp to retered and placed in the 2020-2021 cord inter views and ambiHearst Journalism Awards Program. ent sound. The entire project The program is a collection of 14 took about 3 weeks to comcompetitions for journalism underplete for WKMS and WPLN. graduate students. There are five writ“ The topic of this piece just ing, two photojournalism, one audio, felt so pure,” Bullard said. “It two television and four multimedia was refreshing. There were so Paige Bold/The News Orville Herndon/The News competitions each year, having to Piper Cassetto won fifth place many negative articles comand a scholarship.

Hannah Bullard won sixth place for her audio. consist of already broadcast materials. ing out all last year. I mean, I Piper Cassetto, senior television said. “As my television produc- all. Since the events and the se- would w r ite ar tic les o ver the production major, won fifth place and tion capstone professor, he over- ries filming occurred simultane- Beshear presses almost e ver y a $1,000 scholarship in the Hearst saw the production of ‘Pony Up’ in ously, no one knew how the sto- week night, and the headlines Media TV Features competition. the spring of 2020. Upon the proj- ry would unfold. As a result, the would sometimes just be numShe entered “Pony Up,” a two-part ect’s completion, Dr. Qualls be- success of the project depend- bers of COVID-19 cases rising video series that follows the Mur- lieved it would be a solid candidate ed entirely upon the documen- and deaths. And of course with ray State Racer Girls on their journey for the Hearst Media Award, and tation of every single late-night the murder of George Floyd and to the Fall 2020 OVC Tournament. he entered it with my permission.” practice session, backside-bust- the protests, I wanted to presCassetto said the project’s cre- ing missed kip-up, Ford Center ent a piece that showcased some Hannah Bullard, senior journalism major, won sixth place in the ative process was “the adven- courtside huddle and moments in change that the protests accomHearst Media Audio News and Fea- ture of a lifetime” with her fol- between. I owe the Racer Girls a plished, even in a small way.” tures for her piece “‘We Want You lowing the Racer Girls’ mission huge debt of gratitude for allowBullard said the award gave her To Feel Seen:’ A Clarksville com- t o t e a c h t h e i r t e a m m a n a g - ing me to be along for the ride.” some much needed affirmation pany that sends princesses to parties er, Blaire Sullivan, how to dance.

In addition to winning the as she applies for jobs and en“At the onset of production, Blaire adds more roles for Black actresses.” $ 1 0 0 0 s c h o l a r s h i p, t h e j o u r- ters her career after graduation.

Cassetto said Kevin Qualls, as- was set to debut at the OVC Tour- nalism and mass communicaV i si t TheNe ws.org t o l i st e n sociate professor of television pro- nament, and team captains Syd- t ions depar t ment on c amp u s to Bullard’s “‘ We Want You To duction, helped her enter the ney Beaupré and Kaelyn Spowart will receive a matching award. Feel Seen:’ A Clarksville compaentr ies into the competition. had just three weeks to make her Bullard said she represented a ny that sends princesses to par“Dr. Kevin Qualls deserves all performance-ready,” Cassetto piece of work she published in As- ties adds more roles for Black of the credit for my participa- said. “The biggest challenge rest- sistant Professor Leigh Wright’s actresses” and to watc h Castion in the competition,” Cassetto ed in the inherent uncertainty of it senior capstone class. Bullard said s e t t o ’s “ Po n y U p , ” e p i s o d e .

Levi Brandenburg Contributing Writer lbrandenburg@murraystate.edu

Correction

On Thursday, Feb. 25 The Murray State News incorrectly provided information regarding the 2021 All Campus Sing. The location of this year’s event will be Performing Arts Hall, not Lovett Auditorium. This is the 62nd anniversary of the event, not the 60th. The flat-rate cost to participate in the event varies by how many groups are perfoming in the organization, not the size of the group. The cost for 2 groups within an organization to participate is $30, not $40.

The News deeply regrets the errors.

March 4, 2021

News

teaches me how to care for my patients to the best of my ability, but this particular vacFrom Page 1 cination clinic showed me just how important our job is to White said this experience has the general public. People look taught him ver y valuable clin- to healthcare workers for help ical skills, especially since the and guidance, and that is exexperience is something many a c t l y w h a t w e g a v e t h e m a t health care workers have not had this c linic. W hile no one ever to go through. White also said wants a pandemic such as this being involved in this ground- one to occur, I am glad I was breaking experience showed able to help in some way in what being a nurse really is like. putting an end to COVID-19 “ The care and the love we a n d o b t a i n v a l u a b l e c l i n i have for people is what drives c a l e x p e r i e n c e t h a t w i l l f o r us in doing what we do,” White e v e r c h a n g e m y o u t l o o k o n said. “Clinical experience always n u r s i n g c a r e f o r t h e b e t t e r. ”

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SITE

VACCINE From Page 2 Kr azl said she onl y exper ienced soreness after the first vaccination but had a more significant reaction after the second dose. After about 10 hours, Krazl said it felt like she had the flu, experiencing body aches, chills and fatigue, but the symptoms almost completely subsided when she woke up the next morning.

Despite her reactions to the second dose, Krazl thinks ever yone should get the vaccine.

“I most definitely believe others should get the vaccine,” Krazl said. “The temporary reaction to the vaccine is a simple setback in comparison to this incredibly crucial action that I believe everyone should take. We are one step closer as a nation and a world to stopping this pandemic. I encourage you to read trustworthy and credible sources from medical professionals regarding the vaccine. We don’t know everything, but the information we do have is

so encouraging. Get educated and then get out there for your shot.”

Chris Trzepacz, assistant professor in the department of biological science and college head of L ee Clark Residential College, said when he received the vaccination the setup was very safe and went smoothly.

Trzepacz technically falls under the 1C group, but because of his daily interaction with students and others as a college head he was listed under the 1B group. Trzepacz said ever yone had a scheduled time to receive the vaccine, and when he arrived he filled out some paperwork in a socially distanced waiting area.

“The vaccination itself was easy, and it was perhaps the least painful vaccination I can remember receiving,” Trzepacz said. “After the jab, they handed me my vaccination card and I was asked to hang around for 15 minutes so they could monitor me for any allergic reactions. I had none. By the next day, my shoulder was pretty sore, and it ached to move it above my head. But that discomfort was gone within 24 hours or so.”

Sam Stewart/The News Nursing students Madi Williams and Samantha McClure help administer the COVID-19.

Trzepacz said his experience getting the second dose was different since the health department was performing mass vaccinations and everything scaled up. The process was much quicker with stations, and it felt almost like an assembly line, Trzepacz said.

“About 6-8 hours after the second dose I started getting sore, which was an earlier onset than the first dose,” Trzepacz said. “The soreness continued into the next day, but I also had some additional symptoms, fatigue and a little light-headedness.

This passed by the afternoon though - I think my post-lunch nap helped a great deal. The soreness disappeared in about 24 hours as before.

While everyone’s experience will be different, I would recommend that everyone should plan to take the day off after their second dose.”

Trzepacz said he received the vaccine for several reasons, the first being to benefit the health of those around him. He said although the likelihood of surviving the virus is high even for his age group, he doesn’t want to take chances, nor does he want to run the risk of possible long-term effects.

“I also got the vaccine because it helps protect others,” Trzepacz said.

“The original clinical trials indicated that the vaccine protects an individual from developing COVID-19, not necessarily from getting infected. But as they continue to study vaccinated populations it seems clear that vaccinated individuals are less likely to pass the virus to others, which means that the more people that are vaccinated, the better we will be as a community.”

Director of Communicat i on S h a w n To u n e y s a i d a p proximately 1,100 people were vaccinated at the CFSB Cent e r o n We d n e s d a y, M a rc h 3 .

“We know many MSU faculty and staff were vaccinated throughout the day ; however only the Health Department has those official records and they are not shared with Murray State,” Touney said.

Tourney said there will be a number of regional vaccination sites in March that will be announced by the Calloway County Health Department. For more information on how to sign up for a vaccine appointment, visit callowayhealth.org or vaccine.ky.gov.

JavaTalk BARISTA SPOTLIGHT: MAX

Photo courtesy of Bob Jackson President Bob Jackson observed flooding in Murray with Gov. Andy Beshear on Wednesday, March 3

BESHEAR From Page 1 Following his visit to Calloway County, Beshear provided an update on the state’s emergency response during his daily press briefing.

“What we have seen is some of the worst rain in Western Kentucky in parts of Calloway County to parts of cities underwater in Eastern Kentucky,” Beshear said. “So many of our people are struggling right now.”

Beshear assured residents the proper action is being taken by multiple agencies to ensure everything that can be done is being done to provide safety and relief to anyone affected by the devastating flood.

“ We have the National Guard out in force working with numerous local officials who are providing great leadership,” Beshear said.

The News provided readers with updates throughout the day on S unday, inc luding live video from the Bee Creek area on 4th Street and the Station 74 apartment complex on North 16th Street. The media company Stor yful asked to use The News’ video of the flooding. The video was then shared w i t h m e d i a o u t l e t s t h ro u g h out the countr y, even airing on ABC News and Yahoo! News.

V isit The News’ Facebook page to see videos and pictures from the recent flooding as well as Judge Imes’ declaration.

Mackenzie, known as “Max” to her friends, is a Biology major with minors in Psychology and Chemistry. She is a Senior at Murray State University, and she hopes to go on to medical school and study to become a Gynecologist.

Her favorite drink at Future Grounds is a 12 oz Cappuccino with an extra shot of espresso made with Almond Milk and topped with cinnamon powder. Her hobbies include spending time with her cats, spending time with her friends, and thrift shopping. That’s Max!

Opinion

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March 4, 2021

Gabe’s Take: Seuss or Sus?

Gabe Steffen Opinion Editor gsteffen@murraystate.edu

Dr. Seuss has been a childhood staple since the late 1930s. From his famous “The Cat in the Hat” to his lesser known “Thidwick the Big-Hearted Moose,” just about everyone has heard of Seuss and his whimsical rhyming tales of creatures and places that do not exist. But recently, six of his books, “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street,” “If I Ran the Zoo,” “McElligot’s Pool,” “On Beyond Zebra!,” “Scrambled Eggs Super!,” and “The Cat’s Quizzer,” have been banned for racist imagery and will not be printed or published anymore. Was this a good move on behalf of Dr. Seuss Enterprises, or will this come back to bite them in the butt?

I have been reading Dr. Seuss’ books since I was a child. In fact, Seuss taught me how to read.

When I heard that six of his books were banned, I was appalled! And for racism, none-the-less. It seems that every day we dig up some dirt on beloved children’s figures.

But the more I looked into it, the more I realized why these books were banned. They are stuck in a different time than where we are now. Back when these books were written, people were just realizing that racism is bad and just starting the long trudge to fix most of America’s ideologies. It wouldn’t surprise me if Seuss himself held some racist viewpoints, as it wasn’t uncommon back then. Even then,

“Hey! What did we do?”

BANNED! Gabe Steffen/The News

as times change, it seems best that these books are put to rest.

Does this mean all of Seuss’ books are racist? Many parents ponder that very question. Are the books that shaped me as a human being racist? I don’t think so. As I stated before, these books are trapped in their time, a time when racism was popularized and even seen as okay. I think the decision to

CHEERS....

pull the books off the shelves was a good one, but I also believe these books could be used as teaching opportunities for future generations. A show of what is right and what is wrong. Because, despite a handful of his books having racist imagery, there’s a plethora of even more that teach good life values, such as “Horton Hears a Who,” which teaches children that “a

JEERS....

CHEERS

JEE

to the warmer weather! It’s nice to not have to wear several layers to just go to class.

RS

person is a person, no matter how small!” Suess’s “The Sneetches?” uses satire to teach people about discrimination toward different races and cultures. While there may be a few unsavory images in his books, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel when we see what Seuss really wanted: to teach children good values with whimsical storytelling and colorful art.

&

to midterms. They’ve come up faster than a freight train...

JEERS

Got opinions?

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Sports

March 4, 2021

5

Photo courtesy of Dave Winder/Racer Athletics The Racers defeated UT Martin in their first game of the 2021 season.

The Dean Hood era begins with a win Jakob Milani Staff Writer jmilani@murraystate.edu

Not even a weather delay could stop the Murray State football team from defeating the UT Martin Skyhawks by a score of 14-10.

After a day of nonstop rainfall, Head Coach Dean Hood took the field for his first game at Murray State and walked off with his first win at the Racers’ helm.

The Skyhawks received the ball to start the game and started their drive on their own 25 yard line. The Racers’ defense forced a quick three and out, forcing the Skyhawks to punt. On the Skyhawks’ next drive, sophomore quarterback John Bachus III threw an interception to senior safety Don Parker, who went down Murray State’s 10 yard line.

For the first play of the Racers’ drive, junior quarterback Preston Rice threw a pass to senior wide receiver DeQuan Dallas, who took it all the way to the end zone for an 83-yard receiving touchdown, giving the Racers a 7-0 lead. The Skyhawks had a chance to score later in the first quarter after a 34-yard rush by senior running back Peyton Logan, but failed to complete the touchdown pass on a 4th-and-goal from the Racers three yard line. After the first quarter, the Racers led the Skyhawks 7-0.

The Racers started with the ball in the second quarter and despite driving down to the Skyhawks’ 27 yard line, sophomore kicker Zaden Webber missed the 45-yard field goal, giving the Skyhawks the ball. The Racers’ defense stepped up yet again, preventing

a first down by the Skyhawks. After the Skyhawks punted, the Racers started the drive with a 26-yard rush from senior running back Demonta Witherspoon. The Skyhawks’ defense stopped any movement after that, forcing the Racers to punt. The Skyhawks drove down the field to the Racers’ 17, but had to settle for a field goal on 4th-and-5, bringing the score to 7-3 in favor of Murray State.

The Racers ended the quarter without making any headway and went into halftime leading the Skyhawks 7-3.

The Racers got the ball to start the second half and just like with the Skyhawks’first possession,suffered a threeand-out. A few drives later, Bachus III dropped back to pass, but Parker blitzed around the left edge and forced Bachus III to fumble. Junior defensive lineman Ethan Edmonson recovered the ball to give the Racers possession.

Despite a 28-yard pass from Rice to Dallas to put the Racers in the red zone, the Racers didn’t get a single point as senior kicker Aaron Baum missed the 37-yard field goal. Later in the quarter, Bachus III threw another interception, this time by senior cornerback Sylvaughn Turner, but the Racers failed to make anything of the pick and punted on 4thand-29. The Skyhawks weren’t able to score after the punt and the quarter ended with the Racers leading 7-3.

The Racers defense started the 4th quarter with a huge sack on 3rd-and-5 from junior outside linebacker Scotty Humpich, forcing a 4th-and-13 for the Skyhawks. Later in the quarter, Witherspoon had a long 16-yard rush to set the Racers up at the five, allowing Rice to rush into the endzone two

plays later for a Murray State touchdown, making the score 14-3. The Skyhawks didn’t back down as junior quarterback Dresser Winn rushed for a touchdown to lighten the Racer lead, making the score 14-10 with just 59 seconds left in the game.

However, the Skyhawks failed to recover the onside kick, giving the Racers the ball and allowing them to kneel the game away. The Racers defeated the Skyhawks by a score of 14-10.

Bachus III finished the game passing 13-26 for 84 yards and two interceptions for the Skyhawks, while Winn passed 2-5 in the game for 19 yards and rushed three times for 19 yards and a touchdown. Logan rushed 15 times for 91 yards and six catches for 39 yards. Junior wide receiver Colton Dowell had seven receptions for 61 yards.

For the Racers, Rice finished with 9-22 passing in the game for 155 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed 11 times for 47 yards and a touchdown.

Dallas finished with two receptions for 111 yards and a touchdown. Witherspoon rushed 14 times for 89 yards in the game. Parker finished with an interception, a fumble and five tackles, two of which were tackles-for-loss.

After the game,Rice talked about the win and how the team played after the rain delay late in the third quarter. He gave a lot of credit to Head Coach Dean Hood and his focus on persistence.

“It’s just what Coach Hood talks about, adversity,” Rice said. “Just brush it off our shoulders and keep going.

With everything that’s happened over the past year and a half, tonight was just about playing par for the course.

We handled it exactly how we’ve han-

dled the past year and a half: exceptionally well. It’s just a good feeling.”

Rice also talked about what the team has learned in the several months since the team last played. He said it showed who the players really are and how they are always ready for a game.

“It brings out the real character in each of us,” Rice said. “It shows that we want to be here. It shows that we want to play football. It shows that we are here for each other and that we are ready to play at any time.

We’re just waiting for the next opportunity to get out there and play.”

Parker spoke after the game about the defensive effort in the game, saying the plan for the game was to slow down the Skyhawks’ running game.

“Coming into the game, stopping the run was a real big emphasis,” Parker said. “I know since we had players from last year that came back and the loss to them was pretty bad last year, we were like let’s go ahead and show them what Racers really are. We just came and stopped them.”

Hood also spoke postgame about the win and how proud he was of the team.

“I’m just really really proud of the kids,” Hood said. “They’re just so resilient… it just seems like at every turn there is more adversity for these kids.

They just do a great job of facing the brutal facts of reality of what we’re dealing with and attacking it and saying that they are gonna persevere and keep attacking it. They’ve just been unbelievable every step of the way.”

The Racers start their season 1-0 with the win over UT Martin. The Racers play next at SEMO on Sunday, March 7, when they take on the Redhawks at 2 p.m.

Tennis drops two in Alabama, slow start continues

Andrea Jameson Contributing Writer ajameson1@murraystate.edu

The Murray State women’s tennis team traveled to Birmingham, Alabama, to compete against both Samford University and the University of Alabama.The Racers lost both matches with scores of 3-4 and 0-7, respectively.

The team played their very first outdoor match of the season against Samford on Feb. 27, with a competitive stance.

“We always like to schedule those matches to see where we are,” said Head Coach Jorge Caetano.“We came close against Samford. The key there was the doubles, we had our chances and ended up losing the point.”

In the doubles matches, sophomore Marit Kreugal and redshirt senior Sara Loncarevic came out victorious with scores of 6-2 against Samford.

Individually, redshirt senior Anja

Loncarevic made it to the third round with scores of 2-6-6 along with senior Stasya Sharapova fighting for the point with scores of 7-5-1.

Kreugal and freshman Sarah Bureau each finished in the second set with scores of 7-7 and 6-6, respectively.

“Anja, coming back to the lineup, was able to win a third set match being she hasn’t played any matches in singles in over a year,” Caetano said. “It was good to see her competing again in singles.”

The second game against the University of Alabama ended in a loss for the Racers, but they still came up with a win in the doubles matches. Sophomore Samantha Muller and Loncarevic won their match with a score of 6 in the first round.

Individual scores featured Sharapova standing ground with three rounds ending in scores of 7-2-4 and sophomore Marit Kreugal competing in the third set with scores of 7-4-1.

“Stasya played really well. She lost

Photo courtesy of Racer Athletics Senior Anja Loncarevic returns the ball against Samford.

her third set knowing she got really close,” Caetano said. “She keeps fighting until the very end. Her attitude is amazing and the way she is handling herself, she knows she is going to bounce back in the next match.”

“We are really going to try and play offensive tennis,” Caetano said.

“We are looking forward to working on the things that we saw this

past weekend that we didn’t do well.

The key for us is to figure out ways of hanging with the opponent and staying competitive. Anything can happen the longer we hang in there.”

The Murray State women’s tennis team will compete next on Saturday, March 6, at 1 p.m. against the University of Southern Indiana at the Kenlake Tennis Center.

Sports

6

March 4, 2021

Photos courtesy of Racer Athletics Four Murray State basketball players received All-OVC recognition: junior guard Tevin Brown, junior forward KJ Williams, junior guard Macey Turley and Freshman forward Katelyn Young.

Racers earn OVC honors

Brown, Williams, Turley, Young named All-OVC First Team Simon Elfrink Sports Editor selfrink@murraystate.edu Two players on each of Murray State’s basketball teams were voted to the All-OVC First Team.

From the men’s team, junior guard Tevin Brown and junior forward KJ Williams were selected, and from the women’s team, junior guard Macey Turley and freshman forward Katelyn Young received All-OVC honors.

Brown had high expectations coming into the 2020-21 season after opening eyes in his sophomore season. In 2019-20, Brown was named to the All-OVC First Team after averaging 17.9 points per game and 3.7 assists per game. Brown also hauled in 148 rebounds for the Racers and drained 85 three-pointers.

Brown also led the OVC in threepoint field goal percentage at .419 that season. Brown and his teammates looked forward to putting up similar numbers in his junior season.

Brown’s three-point prowess seemed to have run dry early on in the season when he shot 30 precent from behind the line through the first 14 games.

While it’s nothing to scoff at, the Racers expected Brown to have more

success behind the arc. In those first 14 games, Brown had three appearances where he shot 1-7 from three.

However, Brown managed to turn things around and relied less on his three-point shot to make buckets for the Racers. Gradually, his shooting percentage climbed all the way to 42.1 percent from the field and 37.6 percent from behind the arc.

Going into the OVC Tournament, Brown is averaging 14.4 points per contest and is shooting 44 percent from deep in the last 13 games.

While Brown’s shooting is his most notable attribute, Brown’s all-around game has improved. He’s in the top ten in the OVC for rebounds per game (5.8) and in total assists (109).

Williams came into his junior season with high hopes. Williams spent 2019-20 battling his way to seventh in the OVC in rebounds per game at 7.4. Williams also ranked 14th in the conference in points per game with 13.7. Williams’s reputation as an athletic, versatile forward goes hand in hand with his reputation as an efficient scorer. Williams’s field goal percentage of 59.9 percent going into his junior season was fourth in all-time Murray State history. This season, Williams’ efficiency has taken just a slight hit,

dropping down to 57 percent on the year. However, Williams has extended his jumpshot, knocking down 25-59 from deep for an impressive 42.4 percent three-point percentage.

Williams finished the regular season averaging 15.3 points per contest, ranking him fifth in the OVC in that category. Williams also bumped up his rebounding numbers, dragging down 8.4 rebounds per game for the Racers. Williams has recorded seven double-doubles and 20 double-digit scoring games this season.

Williams, Brown and Turley all joined the 1,000 point club this season. Turley, having been named to the All-OVC Second Team, All-Newcomer Team and OVC Freshman of the Year in her freshman year and All-OVC First Team in her sophomore year, is no stranger to conference recognition. Turley was the Racers’ heartbeat in 2020-21, leading her team in points per game for the second year in a row at 17.5, shooting 40.7 percent in the process.Turley also dished out 3.5 assists and snagged 3.5 rebounds per game in her junior year.

Turley’s 1,257 points are 13th alltime for Murray State scoring, and her streak of 45 free throws straight is a school record. Turley led the OVC

in three-point percentage (38.6 percent) and free throw percentage (92.4 percent) during the regular season.

Young wasted no time in making a name for herself at the collegiate level, putting together a solid case for OVC Freshman of the Year. While that award went to Belmont University’s freshman guard Destinee Wells, Young definitely made an impact on the conference in her rookie season.

Young tallied seven OVC Freshman of the Week awards along with one OVC Player of the Week award.

Averaging 14.3 points and 9.5 rebounds per contest, Young recorded nine double-doubles in 2020-21 and 21 games with 10 or more points.

Efficiency is a strong suit for Young, having shot a clean 51.3 percent from the field in her freshman season.

Young also shot 80.8 percent from the charity stripe, attributing 84 of her season’s 357 points to free throws.

The women’s basketball team will get the opportunity to showcase their All-OVC selections in round one of the OVC Tournament against No. 3 seed SEMO on Thursday, March.

4, at 3:30 p.m. The men’s team will go head-to-head in the men’s OVC Tournament later that night against Jacksonville State University at 7 p.m.

March 4, 2021

Features

7

Jillian Rush/The News Clubs have been using different methods in order to have meetings and follow COVID-19 rules.

Campus clubs adapt to life with COVID-19 Mason Galemore Contributing Writer mgalemore@murraystate.edu Murray State organizations and c lub s h av e c h a n g e d how t he y operate because of COV ID-19.

They have been tested in a way they have never been tested before, but st udent pa r t icip at ion h a s not b e e n ph a s e d .

One of those clubs is the Murr ay St ate A l l i a nc e l e d b y s e nior biology major Kearby Stiles.

Stiles gave positive reviews as to how h is c lub was f unct ioning.

“I would say that we had about the same number of new people this year as in prev ious years,” Stiles said. “ We switched from in-person meetings to all meetings being over Zoom because we did not want to have any COVID-19 r isk s for ou r me et i n g s.”

Li ke St i les, ot her c lub leader s have u s ed Z oom a nd ot her means to continue the fun of ex tra-cu r r icu la r activ ities. Senior political science major Ryan A c k e r m a n n , p r e s id e nt of t h e Mu r ray State Democ rats, sa id his club has combined in-person meetings with Zoom meetings. “ We d i d t h i s t o a c c o m m o d a t e p e o p l e w i t h t h e i r p r e ference s a nd to rema i n a s sa fe a s possible,” Ac ker ma nn sa id. “ I f t he y cou ld not ma k e it to t h e i n-p e r s o n m e e t i n g , t h e n they can use the Zoom option.”

B ot h St i le s a nd A c k er m a n n share the same concern of ma ximizing student involvement and campus life while ensuring safety.

Though many clubs haven’t show n a ny ef fec ts in st udent p a r t ic ip at ion , c lub s l i k e t he T V Club h av e s e en a noticeable decrease in size.

S e n i o r T V p r o d u c t i o n m ajor Jay l a L ou i s , t he s e c ret a r y of T V Club, sa id she t hink s t h e c lu b ’s a bi l it y to w o r k on proje c t s h a s b e en a f a c tor.

“ There have def initely been less people join ing t h is yea r,” Louis said. “ We think that it is most ly b ec au s e we c a n’t work on projects l ike we once cou ld due to COV I D-19 g u idel ines.

We are hoping that things will go back to nor ma l soon so we c a n sta r t work i ng on projec ts and operating more like a club.”

As students are looking forward to COVID-19 being a thing of the past, club leaders like Ackermann are still planning to keep their COV ID-19 friendly procedures.

“Our plans will be most likely t he sa me, hy br id pa r t ic ipation with both in-person meeti n g s a nd Z o om ,” A c k e r m a n n s a i d . “ W i t h v a c c i n a t i o n e ffor ts and g row ing herd immunit y, by the time we reach the fall it could be more in person.”

Stiles hopes to ease MSU A ll ia nce rest r ict ions by t he ne x t a c a d e m i c y e a r. H e w a n t s t o move for wa rd w it h a hy br id for mat to promote f le x ibi l it y.

“I k now a lot of members are looking forward to doing in-person meetings,” Stiles said. “Some activ ities are best done in-person while others are best suited for Z oom, so hav ing t he f le xibilit y of choice w il l be good.”

Senior advertising major Matt h e w A n d e r s o n , p r e s i d e nt o f t he A d s Clu b, s a id it i s h a rd to pre d ic t wh at t he ne x t y e a r w i l l br ing. A nderson is hopef u l t hat Ads Club is ready for w h a t e v e r c o m e s t h e i r w a y.

“A s a d v e r t i s e r s , w e a r e taught to be ready for a nyt h i n g ,” A n d e r s o n s a i d . “ R e g a rd less of what happens, t he c l u b w i l l e n s u r e e v e r y m e mb e r ’s s a f e t y i s a p r i o r it y a n d work will still be accomplished.”

COV I D -19 h a s a lte r e d d a ily l i fe a nd c h a n g e d how p e ople communicate, but it has not stopped people f rom persevering and f inding ways to adapt.

Features

8

March 4, 2021

Murray’s seasonal Dairy Queen opens back up Andrea Jameson ContributingWriter ajameson1@murraystate.edu Murray’s Dairy Queen had its annual grand opening on Monday, March 1. The seasonal Dairy Queen has been operating in Murray since 1949, but because of the impact of COV ID-19 their system of operation has changed.

The restaurant is open between March 1 and Oct. 31 each year.

Since 1949, they have gained positive reviews by bringing sugar-lovers sweet and icy treats every year.

According to reviews on Facebook, customers have called Murray’s Dairy Queen the place to be at.

The store is most loved for its footlongs and Blizzards that keep loyal customers waiting in line for more.

Since the 2020 March opening, the fan-favorite ice cream stop has had to make some changes because of the coronav ir us.

“Due to COV ID, we are car hopping in the parking lot as we are trying to live up to the regulations,” manager Misty Long said.

Despite the new format, Dairy Queen still drew a traditionally large crowd for its grand opening.

Instead of a long line out front, cars parked in the back and a worker came to car windows to take orders.

“ We of fer t he nor ma l t re at menu and loca l hotdog and c h i l i dog menus,” L ong sa id.

As of last year, Dair y Queen is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The hours changed because of COV ID-19 reg ulations. Dair y Queen will be open on weekends as well, though hours may differ.

In order to fulf ill social dist a n c i n g a n d m a s k i n g g u id e lines, workers w il l be wearing masks and, it is important for customers to wear a mask as wel l while a worker takes their order.

“Out of respect for each other, most people see us walk up to their cars with our masks on to take their orders and we expect ever yone to fol low t he sa me procedu res,” L ong sa id.

Long said they follow strict guidelines to keep everyone safe in order to best serve the community.

“We go through the grand-opening every year, just like any other store opening for the first time of the year,“ Long said. “We enjoy seeing everyone and look forward to seeing them every season.”

The Murray Dairy Queen is located on 1303 Main Street. Customers are encouraged to f ind a park ing spot in the rear parki n g lot a nd w a it for a worker to come and get their order.

FUN FACT:

The Blizzard was introduced in 1985 Photo courtesy of Dairy Queen’s Facebook

Paige Bold /The News Just one of the many cold treats offered at Murray’s Dairy Queen.