Thursday, March 30, 2023

Thursday, March 30, 2023

OSU strikes out 15 times in loss to DBU

Dallas Baptist (17-8) started relief pitcher Zach Heaton on Tuesday. He threw five full innings for the Patriots, surrendering just two hits, as many walks and struck out seven batters.

Daniel Allen Staff Reporter

DALLAS — Josh Holliday often makes the most of team huddles.

It gives him a chance to address his team in a timely manner.

On Tuesday evening, his postgame talk was short and simple following No. 17 OSU’s 8-0 road loss to Dallas Baptist. He didn’t go too in-depth – and quite frankly he didn’t need to.

“There wasn’t much to say other than we played a bad game,” Holliday said. “We got shutout. What are we going to do about it? Get better and learn from tonight.”

The Cowboys (20-6) suffered their first shutout loss of the season. The OSU bats were limited to three hits on the day.

“(Heaton) threw the ball really well and mixed his pitches very well,” said second baseman Roc Riggio. “He was just flat out doing what he wanted to do with the ball tonight and it was frustrating for us and for myself especially.”

Heaton wasn’t the only one plaguing OSU’s offensive production. The Patriots utilized two more pitchers – Alec Baker and Matt Bollenbacher – to boost the Cowboys’ strikeout total to 15.

“That’s probably the first time all year where we just haven’t been able to get the needle going in our direction after falling behind early,” Holliday said. “But we’ll bounce back. These kids are very good at doing that and I have all the confidence in the world that they will.”

sports.ed@ocolly.com

Matt Hembrough navigating difficult NFL draft process for special teams players

Gabriel Trevino Sports Editor

The NFL draft experience is much different for special teamers.

There’s only one spot per specialist position on a team, and if a front office and coaching staff has players they are satisfied with, they won’t draft another one.

And for long snappers, such as Matt Hembrough — a finalist for the Patrick Mannelly award for the top long snapper in college football and who worked out at OSU’s pro day on Wednesday — the road to the league contains more bumps.

The NFL combine only invites one long snapper, compared to the seven kickers and punters who attend the event.

“Snappers get the

OSU students wait in line to get Garth Brooks tickets

Stephanie Landaverde Staff Reporter

on Tuesday and Wednesday from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., but some students arrived earlier.

Olivia VanHootegem, a sophomore majoring in human development and family science, arrived at the center at 7:15 a.m. to ensure she got a ticket. VanHootegem said she expected a high turn-

out and estimated 65 to 75 people were already in line when she arrived. She said the line was wrapping almost all the way to the road at 9:45 a.m.

For Zane Schimmel, a postgraduate, attending the concert will be a way to connect with his parents.

See Garth on page 4

short end of the stick,” Hembrough said. “They took Alex Ward this year, he did a good job, but it would be nice if we got that exposure as well. Maybe two or three snappers.”

Hembrough found a way to get his name out to teams, though. In February, he attended the EastWest Shrine Bowl in Las Vegas, where he practiced with and played for the Arizona Cardinals’ and New England Patriots’ coaching staffs for a week, and interviewed with every team. Two weeks later, he went to Gary Zauner’s specialists combine in Arizona, another place he could train in front of scouts.

In interviews at the Shrine Bowl, Hembrough said teams told him he needed to add more weight so he could be a better blocker. In his senior season at OSU, he weighed 226 pounds. At pro day on Wednesday, he was 236.

OSU suffered its first shutout loss of the season, 8-0, on Tuesday night at Dallas Baptist.

Courtesy of OSU

Hembrough...

Continued from page 1

He also jumped 36.5 inches in the vertical and hit 22 reps of a 225-pound bench press, both marks second among the 11 players who participated in OSU’s pro day.

Still, he said 235 pounds is the minimum teams look for in a long snapper, as average NFL lineman are

much bigger, stronger and athletic than typical college players. And each has a different preference for their long snappers. “Some teams want someone who’s 240, some want someone who’s 265,” Hembrough said. “Some people want someone who doesn’t run downfield very well, but they’ll never miss a block because they’re heavy. Other people want someone smaller that will get the block, they might get pushed back a little, but they can go make a tackle. So depending on what a team wants, you

have to fit in that role.”

Training for the draft and getting on teams’ radars was one challenge, but making a roster is another.

From 2015-21, at least one long snapper was drafted, including two in the sixth round in 2021. But with the limited spots, many specialists don’t get drafted and have to go from team-toteam until they have a shot.

Most teams have three, four or five players on their roster at each position. But with only one for specialists, long snappers like Hembrough must be

prepared for the life that comes with playing a unique position.

“It’s really hard to get your foot in the door,” Hembrough said. “You have to have really good timing and show what you can do once you’re there. A lot of people don’t get drafted as specialists. You have to get into camps and earn the job. Sometimes you get cut midseason, sometimes you get called midseason and you have to show up. They could call you on Wednesday and you’re playing on Sunday.”

sports.ed@ocolly.com

File Photo

Matt Hembrough was a finalist for the Patrick Mannelly award for the nation’s best long snapper in 2022.

How OSU’s top recruit Brandon Garrison played in McDonald’s All-American game

Sam Hutchens Staff Reporter

Brandon Garrison instantly impacted the 2023 McDonald’s AllAmerican game.

Garrison, the top player in OSU’s incoming recruiting class, started the game for the West team. He used his 6-foot-9 frame to win the opening tip.

The game, an allstar showcase featuring 24 nominees representing high school basketball’s best players, was played at the Toyota Center in Houston and televised on ESPN.

Garrison played well for the West team, scoring 10 points on five-for-five shooting in a 109-106 loss to the East. He started the game and was also on the floor for the final two minutes when the game hung in the balance. He was one of five players in the game committed to Big 12 teams, joining Ja’Kobe Walter (Baylor), Ron Holland (Texas), Omaha Biliew (Iowa State) and Elmarko Jackson (Kansas).

Bronny James, LeBron James’ 6-foot-3 son out of Sierra Canyon in California, was also in the game and played on Garrison’s team.

Garrison, a fourstar recruit at center out

of Del City, is the No. 1 prospect in Oklahoma. In his press conference to wrap the regular season, OSU coach Mike Boynton has been vocal about Garrison’s potential impact for the Cowboys next season.

“I think Brandon can have a similar type of impact (as Cunningham did) in terms of impacting winning, but the game will look totally different,” Boynton said. “He’s physically capable of stepping on campus and, with a good summer, getting to a place where he’s going to make a difference on the court.

OSU beat out schools including Kansas, Florida and Houston to land Garrison as part of its 2023 class. 247 Sports ranks OSU’s recruiting class as No. 11 overall.

Despite his promising outlook, Garrison could face adversity as a freshman. Three solid OSU big men, Moussa Cisse, Kalib Boone and Tyreek Smith, could return next season.

“There will be an older, big guy here, I don’t know who, maybe one of the guys coming back, maybe one of the guys we recruit from the portal that will be pushing (Garrison) around in June and July and that’s OK,” Boynton said. “But hopefully by the time November, December rolls around he’ll be ready to take those blows and deliver some back.”

sports.ed@ocolly.com

via @brando2wavvyyy on Instagram

OSU basketball coach Mike Boynton said incoming freshman Brandon Garrison could have a “Cade Cunningham similar kind of impact” when it comes to winning.

Garth...

Continued from page 1

“My parents went here, and they got to see him play when he was still playing at Willy’s,” Schimmel said.

Schimmel said he is excited to see Brooks for the first time and share the experience with his parents.

Carter Chase, the senior director of marketing at the OSU Alumni Association, said not all tickets were claimed Tuesday but the 900 tickets were gone on Wednesday. . There were 1000 tickets available. The first 900 students to donate and register were guaranteed a ticket.

After that, students were encouraged to donate and entered into a lottery for the chance to win one of the remaining 100 tickets.

“Garth was very interested in promoting philanthropy among the student body, which is why his concert for students is free,” Chase said. “We had an exceptional turnout today, so we know he’ll be really pleased with that.”

Jaylin Strub, a junior in architectural engineering, said she is most excited for the concert because it lands on the same night she and her friends planned to celebrate 21st birthday.

“We’re going to go see him and then hit the strip,” Strub said. “I’m really excited. He’s going to make my night, that’s for sure.”

Miranda Krebbs, a fifth year

architectural engineering student, said she didn’t expect Brooks to perform a concert at OSU.

“I’m really excited to hear ‘Friends in Low Places’ and ‘Mama Loved Papa,’” Krebbs said. “And just to see Garth himself.”

Chloe Blood, a marketing major, said she has tried to see Brooks multiple times and never been successful, until now.

Baylen Bayless, a marketing entrepreneurship senior, has never seen Brooks in concert and said he is most excited to see Brooks for free. He said he will be going with friends if they manage to get a ticket.

Reece Sconyers, a political science sophomore, is excited to see Brooks and hopes he shares stories

about his time at OSU and how it has impacted him as an alumni.

“I know that Garth Brooks has a song that brings the whole community together,” Abigail Weaver, an elementary education major, said. “I think this is a really good community event for everyone at the university.”

Isabel Inman, a music industry freshman, and her friend Mallory Forgione, a public health major, said they had never seen Brooks and were most excited to be in the concert environment.

“ I love country music,” Kadence Gage, a biochemistry and molecular biology freshman, said. “It’s great because he’s a big name, but he’s an alumni here.”

Courtesy of OSU

To attend the concert, students had to fill out a registration form at the ConocoPhillips OSU Alumni Center, bring their student I.D. and donate a nonperishable food or hygiene item.

OSU announces four-year nursing degree program, expected to combat Oklahoma nurse shortage

Adam Engel Editor-in-Chief

A new degree program awaits. OSU will soon offer a fouryear Bachelor of Science in Nursing on the Stillwater campus during the 2023-24 school year. This is OSU’s first non-online Nursing program in Stillwater. OSU’s RN to BSN completion program is online. This program mirrors OSU’s land-grant mission and will assist in meeting workforce demands and improved health care in Oklahoma, according to a press release. The state continues to deal with a nurse shortage.

“The shortage of qualified health care providers in Oklahoma is only going to intensify without a focused effort to provide pathways of opportunity for aspiring nurses,” OSU President Kayse Shrum said.

Oklahoma ranks No. 46 among states for the number of registered nurses per capita, according to the Oklahoma Nurses Association. In 2021, Oklahoma was about 400 nurses below the average amount of nurses per 100,000 people. There were only about 700. In 2021, 35% of Oklahoma’s licensed nurses were nearing or at retirement age.

“As a physician, I learned firsthand the immense value nurses provide in patient care,” Shrum said. “You cannot run a hospital or clinic without their expertise. Increasing the number of graduates in critical areas is a key tenant of our land-grant mission, and I’m excited about the impact this new program will have, certainly for students, but also for patients and health care entities across the state.”

This program will prepare

nurses to meet the health care needs of families, individuals and communities. The Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education accredited the program and it will be housed in the School of Community Health Sciences, Counseling and Counseling Services, which is part of the College of Education and Human Sciences. The program will offer students the chance to concentrate on rural and underserved populations and to infuse prevention and total wellness practices in Oklahoma’s health care systems.

Jon Pedersen, CEHS dean, said about one-third of CEHS’ students pursue degrees related to nutritional, physical, mental or relational health.

“In adding this new BSN, we’re strengthening our work to prepare graduates for high-demand jobs in the growing health care sector,” he said. “I’m excited about new opportunities to collaborate across degree programs and to expand on our existing partnerships with the health care partners.”

Students will have opportunities to participate in clinical experiences with health care partners in urban and rural settings. OSU is renovating campus space to create a fully equipped simulation lab for the program, aimed for completion in 2024.

Anna Cluck, the nursing program’s director, said students, parents and health care partners expressed significant interest in an OSU bachelor’s degree in nursing.

In the semester before finished the required 59 hours of prerequisite coursework, students will apply to continue coursework toward the degree. OSU expects to admit 50 students to continue with nursing labs, simulations and clinical experiences. The program will increase the students to 100 in the second year.

Applications for fall 2023 are open and students can learn more about admission requirements and how to apply on the OSU website.

Courtesy of OSU

will offer a four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing on the Stillwater campus. This new program will help in meeting workforce demands and improved health care in a state with a nurse shortage.

Mr./Miss Hispanic pageant promotes Hispanic representation

Stephanie Landaverde Staff Reporter

New platforms, new reigns, new crowns.

On Saturday, Wilson LazoSalmeron, a graduate student majoring in counseling psychology, and Michelle Salazar, an international business and marketing major, were crowned OSU’s 2023 Hispanic Latinx royalty.

The pageant showcases the diversity and culture of OSU’s students. This year there were four contestants: three women and one man.

“Of course it’s nice to win, but I would’ve loved to see more male contestants,” Lazo-Salmeron said. “For one, that representation of we’re here, we’re wanting to see differences.”

One integral aspect of the pageant competition is the platform portion; contestants run on and present a speech for a platform that, should they win, they will enact throughout their reign. Salazar’s platform is focused on a topic she holds close to her heart: criminal justice reform.

“My brother has been incarcerated for over a decade,” Salazar said. “I think being a person of color and interacting with the police, a lot of people don’t realize how much criminal justice affects everyone.”

Salazar wants to introduce the topic of her platform on campus and host workshops. She said factors such as literacy, finances and language barriers impact people when it comes to their knowledge of government.

Lazo-Salmeron’s platform is also focused on a topic he has personal connections to: mental health.

“Unfortunately there’s a lack of representation of mental health issues in the Latinx community,” Lazo-Salmeron said. “It’s sometimes covered up or there’s just barriers in generals.”

Latinos may struggle with finding the appropriate therapist who will be non-judgmental, non-discriminatory and non-biased, Lazo-Salmeron said.

Lazo-Salmeron works at the Counseling and Counseling Psychology clinic and said while he is already in a position to provide counseling, it needs to go beyond counseling an

individual client. He plans to advocate for accessibility and availability by organizing workshops for the community and recruiting Latinx individuals for research studies.

“In research the common population are usually white individuals, so it doesn’t really capture all of our experiences, especially with mental health,” Lazo-Salmeron said. “Being able to recruit Latinx individuals in those studies can definitely help explain our experiences more accurately.”

Contestants competed in several categories, both off and on-stage. For their talents, Lazo-Salmeron performed an original poem about his former eating disorder and Salazar performed a jump roping and dance routine.

“I knew a poem was going to be fitting for who I am as a person,” Lazo-Salmeron said. “This pageant reminded me of who I am as a person and what I’ve struggled with in the past, so it felt natural to talk about my eating disorder from when I was younger.”

For the cultural wear portion, they each wore clothing representative of their countries: Salazar’s being Mexico and Lazo-Salmeron’s being El Salvador.

Lazo-Salmeron wore a shirt with tecomates, pants with symbols of maize, a sombrero, a waistband that said “El Salvador” and a bag used to store food. Tecomates are bowls used for storing water. He also carried the Salvadoran flag with him during his cultural wear walk.

Salazar dressed as an Aztec warrior.

“I felt so empowered,” Salazar said. “I felt so connected to my family, to my roots, to my ancestors.”

Salazar won the People’s Choice, evening wear, cultural wear, entrepreneurship and interview awards.

Wilson won the academic excellence and talent awards.

“It is important for Latinos to make themselves be present, to have their voices heard,” Salazar said.“We are such a small part of this community here at OSU, and it’s important that we represent ourselves, our culture and what we stand for.”

Courtesy of Michelle Salazar Wilson Lazo-Salmeron (left) and Michelle Salazar (right) were crowned OSU’s 2023 Hispanic Latinx royalty.

Lifestyle

Season one of ‘Blue Lock’ sets a high bar for sports anime

Baylor Bryant Staff Reporter

Among all the controversies in the anime world, sports anime is the hardest one to beat.

Anime has a wide variety of genres and ways of portraying narratives and with similar tropes to many of the series and not much room to expand on the real-life equivalent sport to keep the story semi-realistic, sports anime can fall into a stale, lifeless and repetitive story that loses viewers after a couple of seasons.

“Blue Lock” does not have this problem.

“Blue Lock” is a sports anime done right, with animation from Eight Bit studios and illustration from Yusuke Monura, the anime was based on the manga of the same name written by Muneyuki Kaneshiro.

In “Blue Lock,” instead of the main character trying to become a better teammate and take his team to victory like in typical sports anime, the main character, Isagi Yoichi, is focused on becoming an egoist in order to become the world’s greatest striker. Every character in the series shares the same goal, which makes for a cast of characters that at times are friendly with one another, but at their core are enemies and seen as obstacles or stepping stones.

“Blue Lock” takes place in Japan after Japan’s soccer team loses in the 2018 World Cup. Without a striker capable of taking the team over the top, the Japan Football Union alongside Jinpachi Ego, a young coach with a plan to turn around Japanese soccer, constructed the “Blue Lock” plan. “Blue Lock” takes the best young strikers in Japan and pits them against one another to find Japan’s next ace.

The series produces some of the best characters in recent anime and manga, and the dynamics

between them are just as strong and compelling. “Blue Lock’s” matches, unlike other sports anime, feel more high stakes and have more variety within them because every player on the field has the same goal while being a completely different style of striker. Unlike many sports anime as well, “Blue Lock’s” matches are not like real soccer because every player on the field is a forward and fights against one another for goals.

“Blue Lock” however comes with its flaws. The series is still a sports anime and its climactic moments are still just soccer matches. The games are very interesting though, filled with their own storylines and each match showcases new and unique strikers with their own style and narrative they bring to the story.

The animation leaves room for improvement. The animation has its moments, but with players moving around the field playing a game of soccer, it’s not always clean and crisp. When looking at the visuals it is apparent that the manga excels better with “Blue Lock’s” highs. Though the animation has its limitations, if you want a more comedic watch, and don’t tend to read manga, then the anime would be more enjoyable.

Despite its flaws, “Blue Lock” continues to prove time and time again that it stands as one of the top new anime alongside “Jujutsu Kaisen,” “My Hero Academia” and “Black Clover”

Season one of “Blue Lock” has concluded with 24 episodes with season two and a movie now being confirmed for the series. The “Blue Lock” movie will be titled “Episode of Nagi” and follow fan favorite character Seishiro Nagi before he joins the “Blue Lock” program. The entirety of the first season of “Blue Lock” is now available on Crunchyroll.

entertainment.ed@ocolly.com

Lethal fentanyl poisoning is real.

The drastic increase in opioid overdose deaths is largely due to fentanyl poisoning. Illegal fentanyl is cheaper than most other drugs on the streets and is being intentionally substituted into cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and drugs like counterfeit Adderall®, Percocet® and Xanax® as well.

Learn the facts and protect those you love.

Courtesy of Blue Lock Wiki

Blue Lock was released on Blu-ray and DVD in four volumes from January 27, 2023 to July 28, 2023 and it’s also available on Crunchyroll.

Prank war OSU students share April Fool’s stories

Emi Norton Staff Reporter

With April Fool’s Day coming up, get ready for a prank war and expect the unexpected.

April Fool’s Day is an annual holiday where people scheme tricks and ideas to prank their peers in hopes of getting a laugh out of everyone involved.

Sure, embarrassing your friends and family or poking fun at your peers on any normal day might be seen as annoying or even a little cruel. However, on this underrated day, anything and everything is fair game.

Freshman biology, ecology and conservation major, Zashri Cocheran, said she remembers getting pranked by her teachers when she was a kid and said she believes April Fools is an underrated holiday.

“Teachers would say ‘okay, we have like a pop quiz’ and then hand you the paper and it just says, ‘April fools,’” Cocheran said.

Freshman zoology prevet major, Levi Radford, is always looking forward to the holiday its exact origin remains a mystery today, despite all the rumors you will find online.

“I feel like most of the months have a designated holiday, you know, we have Easter but it’s not always in April necessarily,” Radford said.

Labeled as an unofficial holiday dating back as far as 1582, April Fool’s Day pranks have been said to insist that a

person is gullible which they would poke fun at another person. Paper fish, referred to as April fish, was secretly placed on someone’s back who had been labeled as gullible. These paper fish symbolized an easily caught fish and a gullible person.

Sofie Swink, human development family science major, said she gets enthusiastic for April Fool’s Day, a date she used to orchestrate pranks as a child and perfected up to today.

“You take the saran wrap and you put it over the toilet, and then whenever you go to the bathroom, you know... Yeah,” said Swink.

According to History, historians have found that there are even links between April Fool’s Day and ancient Rome. This has been said to look like citizens dressing up in disguises to mock other citizens and even magistrates.

“And then you know, like the other cliché ones of the toothpaste in the Oreo, and then you eat the Oreo and there’s toothpaste in it,” Swink said.

Modernized pranks today are characterized in the media such as TV stations and websites that trick people into believing out-of-this-world stories, whether it be about mainstream celebrities or anything else of that nature to trick their audiences.

For more information on the history of April Fool’s Day, visithttps://www.history.com/ topics/holidays/april-fools-day.

entertainment.ed@ocolly.com

Courtesy of History

Labeled as an unofficial holiday dating back as far as 1582, April Fool’s Day is an annual holiday where people scheme tricks and ideas to prank other people.

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

Edited by Patti Varol and Joyce Lewis

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Daily Horoscope

Nancy Black

Tribune Content Agency

Linda Black Horoscopes

Today’s Birthday (03/30/23). Pursue personal passion this year. Recharge with practices for rest to build energy, strength and endurance. Personal realizations illuminate the springtime. Discover summer income from new sources, before collaborative projects flowers this autumn. Share and save winter resources together. Love animates and energizes your cause.

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is a 7 — Relax despite a change. Romantic ideals don’t match reality. Advance causes that call to your heart. Follow a passionate dream. Hunt for hidden opportunities.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is an 8 — Savor home sweet home. Advance domestic projects. Rearrange and renew. Adapt spaces for changes and to nurture mind, body and spirit. Relax and recharge.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) — Today is an 8 — Hunt for solutions for a challenging puzzle. Consider unusual suggestions. Disciplined actions can realize a dream. Follow the heart of the story.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) — Today is a 9 — Stay in action for lucrative gain. Your discipline is admirable. Plan and strategize to adapt with changes. Push to advance a dream.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is an 8 — Action speaks louder than words. Imagine the results you want already accomplished. Prioritize a personal passion. How can you use your power for good?

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 7 — Love and nature feed your spirit. Look back for insight on the road ahead. Build foundational structures and prepare for action. Plan moves in advance.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is an 8 — Adapt around social changes. Things may not be as they were before. Strengthen networks with participation. Coordinate actions with friends to grab a dreamy opportunity.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is a 6 — A professional limitation or challenge requires adaptation. Keep your eyes open for opportunities. Push for a dreamy situation. Do the homework. Polish your promotional materials.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is a 7 — An investigation could face a complication or obstacle. Immerse yourself into a good book, nature, or both. Persistence and determination go the distance.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is an 8 — Collaborate to increase the bottom line. Focus on practical financial details. Manage changes with insurance, taxes or legal matters. Go for a lucrative prize.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is an 8 — Surge forward in collaboration and coordination. Share the load around a barrier. Compromise and empathy can defuse an upset. Patiently keep a dream alive.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is an 8 — It’s all about action now. Watch your step to avoid accidents. Advance physical goals with patience and persistence. Keep your own scorecard. Prioritize health.

6 Bartending tool

11 Proof letters

14 Threepio’s pal

15 Khaki-colored cloth

Ella Dershowitz

Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit sudoku.org.uk