Western Courier| October 25th, 2019 by The Western Courier

Opinions: Taking steps to prevent breast cancer.

Sports: Women's soccer prepares for Senior Day.

AWARD-WINNING STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF WESTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY. SERVING MACOMB SINCE 1905.

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Friday, October 25, 2019 - Vol. 120 Issue 28

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NRHH gets ready for annual Dodgeball for Diabetes event By Tea Wheat courier staff

According to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, around 40,000 people are diagnosed each year in the United States with Type 1, or juvenile, Diabetes. Currently, there is no cure for those with Type 1 Diabetes, though many management options allow for the ability to live a regular daily life. The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation works to find more management options and will continue to spearhead research until a cure for Type 1 Diabetes is achieved. Diabetes is something that affects many people, it is likely that everyone reading this knows at least one person affected by this chronic condition. It is important to educate and advocate to help find a cure. Each year in November, the National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH) holds its Dodgeball for Diabetes tournament. This event falls in November primarily be-

cause November is Diabetes Awareness month. Additionally, World Diabetes Day takes place worldwide on Nov. 14. This day is in place to raise awareness and educate about both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. This year, the National Residence Hall Honorary will have its Dodgeball Tournament on Nov. 7, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The event will take place in the Donald S. Spencer Student Recreation Center in the MAC Gym. To play, all you need is a team of 3 to 6 people. Different from years past, there will not be a registration fee for teams. Instead, teams and attendees are encouraged to donate or raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. The registration form for Dodgeball for Diabetes 2019 can be found on the National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH) PurplePost page. In addition to the previously mentioned change of price, another way that the National Residence Hall Honorary has

worked to revamp this event is through the new prizes for first, second and third place. The first-place prize will be the team’s choice of bowling and pizza or a movie and small concessions, a paddle and a golden dodgeball. The second-place prize will be a paddle and a golden dodgeball, and the third-place prize will be a golden dodgeball. Dodgeball for Diabetes is a classic dodgeball tournament that allows participants to be competitive, have fun, be active and enjoy their time with their friends or their organization. National Residence Hall Honorary President, Katlynn Davis, encourages all that are able to come out and support. “Dodgeball for Diabetes is such a great event, we get to bring together different residence halls and organizations for one night in order to raise money and awareness for juvenile diabetes and have fun while doing it. It’s even free this year so we are hoping to have an amazing turnout," Davis said.

Sentences announced for Operation Iced Out By Marc Ramirez news editor

MCDONOUGH COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE

Levi Sloan, Donald Graham and James Newman were all sentenced to more than 10 years on drug charges.

On Oct. 24, 2018, the McDonough County Sheriff's office published a press release regarding the federal indictment of three men caught for the distribution of methamphetamine in west central Illinois. Levi J. Sloan, 23, of Bushnell, Ill., Donald E. Graham, 48, of Bushnell, Ill. and James A. Newman, 30, of Dallas City, Ill. were all indicted in the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois at Rock Island. One year later on Thursday morning, it was announced that the three men were sentenced to more than 10 years for their drug charges. This decision was made on Oct. 17 to sentence Sloan to serve 11 years and 7 months, Grahams to 12 years and 6 months and Newman to 10 years and 6 months in the

Federal Bureau of Prisons. The drug bust was apart of Operation Iced Out and was run by the Macomb/ McDonough County Drug Unit with representation from McDonough County Sheriff’s Office, Macomb Police Department, Bushnell Police Department and Western Illinois University Office of Public Safety. Over the course of the investigation, officials seized more than two pounds of methamphetamine and multiple firearms. It was later discovered by investigators that there were plans to distribute around 50 pounds of methamphetamine over seven west central Illinois counties. In conjunction to these indictments, it was made known that 17 other people have been arrested in relation to Operation Iced Out. Police are still looking for two women, Heather M. Gillette-Oyler, 34, of Bushnell and Mamie K. Wojtkiewicz, 30, of Bushnell.

2 NEWS

Friday, October 25, 2019

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Macomb rallies to Take Back the Night

ANTHONY GOMEZ/ COURIER STAFF

A large make-up of the Macomb community came together to support victims of sexual assault and domestic violence at the 30th annual Take Back The Night which took place on the front steps of Sherman Hall.

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STAFF MEMBERS PUBLISHING AND CIRCULATION editor-in-chief Devon Greene DJ-Greene@wiu.edu

proofreader Mary Kilbourne

news editor Marc Ramirez

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photo editor Becca Langys

opinions editor Allison Young

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assistant photo editor Sara Remar

sports editor Bradley Piros

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production manager Jimmy Pierson

assistant sports editor Chris Bean

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Friday, October 25, 2019

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NEWS 3

Halloween takes over Western Illinois University By Tea Wheat courier staff

All around the Western Illinois University Campus and the Macomb area, there have been and will continue to be numerous Halloween festivities to enjoy. This past weekend, Macomb held “Moon Over Macomb” which took place on the Macomb Square on Sunday morning. This included things such as crafts for children, games, horse-drawn carriage rides and even haunted museum tours. Following that event, on Monday, UUB presented their Halloween event as well. This event included a showing of the classic movie Halloweentown, hay rides, snacks and much more. If you missed these amazing events, there are still many to look forward to. Haunted Housing will take place on Thursday, Friday and Saturday in Thompson Hall. The hours will be from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Thursday, 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday.

The cost to attend is $5, or $3 with a canned good. Horn Field Campus is holding their annual Corn Maze and Haunted Trail on Saturday and Sunday of this week. The Corn Maze will run on Saturday from noon to 5 p.m., and the Haunted Trail will run on Sunday at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. The cost for these events is both $5. The Western Illinois University Residence Halls will be holding the yearly Safe Trick or Treat. This year, the event will take place in Corbin-Olson and will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. This event is geared toward children ages two through 12. Safe Trick or Treat creates a fun and safe environment for young children to trick or treat and participate in games. The Social Dance Club on campus is also hosting a Halloween Dance Party. This dance party will take place on Oct. 31 at 7:30 p.m. and will be held in Brophy Hall room 235. There will be optional dance lessons, social dancing and candy and drinks. All are

welcome to attend and costumes are encouraged. The Student Development and Success Center at Western Illinois University will be having an event called “Think B4 You Drink” on Oct. 29 from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the grassy area behind Stipes Hall. You can stop by the event and get a cup filled with candy, all while having the opportunity to talk with multiple offices on campus! Some of the offices that will be in attendance are the Office of Public Safety, Western EMS, Women’s Center and the Office of Students Rights, Responsibilities and Retention Initiatives. These offices and many more will be providing information on the effects of alcohol on Western Illinois students. As the countdown to Halloween continues, there are endless events flooding the Western Illinois University campus and the entire town of Macomb. Don’t be a scaredy-cat, go and participate in a Halloween event this week.

5 Day Weather Forecast sourced by FRIDAY

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53 H 33 L

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53 H 40 L

SUNDAY

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59 H 37 L

MONDAY

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OPINIONS

Friday, October 25, 2019

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Take part in Breast Cancer Awareness Month Since 1985, the United States has utilized October as “Breast Cancer Awareness Month,” with the goal of increasing awareness of breast cancer throughout the nation. During this time, we see many individuals, groups and communities come together to provide support and resources for those who are currently struggling with or at high risk for developing breast cancer. Activities featured throughout the month include fundraising events (like Big Pink Volleyball or Pink nights at sporting events), breast cancer survivor celebrations and simply wearing pink to show solidarity in our fight to overcome the disease. Although I strongly believe in the importance of raising funds for continued research and encouraging those who are currently fighting, there is another important aspect to breast cancer that seems to receive far less attention: preventative actions. What should those at greatest risk (women over the age of 50) be doing to lower their chances of developing breast cancer? What should we as college-age students be doing now to reduce our risk of breast cancer? Now, I know that breast cancer is a very complicated disease that can be caused by a variety of uncontrollable factors (genetics, environment), so it isn’t possible to guarantee avoiding it. However, we do know a variety of risk factors that increase one’s chances of developing breast cancer. Thus, if we eliminated or reduced these risk factors from our lives, we would expect to see a reduction in the future incidence of the disease. Considering the physical, emotional and financial hardships of fighting to survive breast cancer, it would seem like a logical choice to perform actions

that might help avoid it altogether (I’m sure those who have undergone this battle would agree). If fewer people were developing the disease, it would also free up funds for those who have unavoidable risk factors (like mutations to BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes), thus improving their outcomes as well. Ultimately, greater prevention would be a win-win situation for everyone. So, what are some of these risk factors that you can actively avoid to reduce your chances of developing breast cancer? We could categorize them into two groups: those that are related to women’s hormonal/reproductive health and those that are related to general life-style choices. When exploring risk factors related to women’s reproductive system and hormones, there are several decisions women must make that may impact their risk for breast cancer. One of these decisions involves whether and how long to breastfeed their children. Several studies have suggested that women who breastfeed their children for a year or more may lower their breast cancer risk. Another decision that may increase risk involves those around birth control methods. As many birth controls (birth control pills, Depo shots, implants, some IUDs) work using hormones, they have been associated with increased cancer risk. A final risk factor is the use of hormone replacement therapy after menopause. Obviously, the difficult decisions that women make around these topics are influenced by a myriad of factors that provide both benefits and risks to their health. What’s important is that they are well informed of each of these factors so that they can make the decision that is best for them. Therefore, although

breast cancer risk may not be the deciding factor in these decisions, its impact should still be considered (especially for those with greater hereditary risks). Other risk factors are more related to general life-style choices. One of these risk factors is related to alcohol consumption. Studies have shown that women who have one alcoholic drink per day increase their risk by 7-10 percent and those who have 2-3 drinks per day have a 20 percent greater risk. Another risk factor for breast cancer is being overweight or obese post-menopause (fat cells continue to release estrogen, increasing the risk of cancer). Low physical activity is another factor that leads to increased breast cancer risk. Even as little as a couple hours per week has shown to be beneficial. Unsurprisingly, avoiding these factors is known to have a variety of health benefits besides simply breast cancer. Yes, unlike the previously discussed risk factors, it’s hard to argue for reasons against avoiding these behaviors. As college students, these lifestyle choices are some of the most important decisions we can make to avoid many poor health outcomes in later years of life. As it is generally easier to develop positive health habits at an early age, it is critical that we begin now in order to minimize our chances of suffering from devastating diseases like breast cancer. So, as the month progresses, I encourage you to continue to participate in community breast cancer events, raise funds for continued research and resources and demonstrate your love and support for those who are currently battling with breast cancer. However, I also challenge you to take it a step further and think about what lifestyle changes you and your loved ones can make to reduce your chances of ever having to battle it yourself. For although we must continue to win and celebrate the individual battles, it is far more important that we ultimately win the war.

OPINIONS 5

Friday, October 25, 2019

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The difference between freedom and fear

Edward Snowden is a household name at this point in time. In 2013, he became a controversial figure around the world because of his leaked information from the NSA and CIA detailing the mass surveillance that the citizens of the world were under. Several agencies were spying on the public, collecting data from their computers in forms of tablets, computers and most commonly phones. The NSA checked people’s location, email history and messages. Everyone’s digital history was being tracked and recorded, when previously it was only suspected terrorists who were spied upon. That

sparked controversy that is still going on today. What led up to this started way back during Sept. 11, 2001. The United States underwent a horrible tragedy that caused fear to run amok. People were so terrified of having another catastrophe that they traded freedom in place of security, which led to people creating programs and deals that would ensure that such a thing would never happen again. If that sounds familiar, it should. It was one of the major plot points in the Marvel movie: The Winter Soldier. Paralleling real life, the movie posed the question: what are you willing to give

up for security? If you are willing to give up your freedom for security, are you really free? Where do your values lie in yourself and where does it lie in the state of a nation? Do those values reflect where you want the nation to be and where you would like the nation to be in the future? Those were the questions that have been circulating in the public sphere since Snowden released his whistleblower report in 2013. The United States government has tried to silence him and discredit him by attacking his character and his background, rather than the facts given in the documents. He has continued to speak out on the wrongdoings of the American government and what went wrong leading up to the whistleblower report and what is still not right in this day and age per-

taining to technology and government practices. On Oct. 23, 2019 Joe Rogan interviewed the controversial figure Snowden for almost three hours on his podcast, detailing several topics, including how Sept. 11 created the mass surveillance state that this country is still under, the capabilities of your cell phone and how it spies on you and the impacts of mass surveillance under the Obama administration leading to even worse abilities for governments to spy on the public today. Snowden’s whistleblower report is not such a hot topic as it was in 2013, but it is still relevant. The subject of privacy, security and freedom is not one that is going to go away anytime soon, if ever. It is constantly evolving based on public opinions and laws provided at the time. What is important is that people are

informed about matters relating to them, and the future of their families and their countries because only when people care and act upon a problem, can progress be made towards building something that the majority of people agree upon that is right in the eyes of the law and of the people. The people’s will and the government’s practices should not be in conflict with each other, and when they are, it usually does not lead to somewhere good. The more information that the public understand what their governments are doing and what they will and will not accept will create great change in governments around the world. It is up to the people to decide what the are willing to do with information that is provided to them. Keep denying it, or do something about it?

Making life decisions is a process ANDRE WHITLEY courier staff

When it comes to picking majors, minors or even making life decisions in general, it can be very stressful. When we are making a lifechanging decision, we need to first think about ourselves. You should make the decision that is best for you, your health and even your well-being instead of making a deci-

sion simply to make someone else happy. The first example that I can think of is when you allow your parents force you to major in what they majored in and do what they did. Now, don’t get me wrong, they are still your parents and their opinion on things does matter and should be taken into ac-

count. However, I don’t think you should let the opinion of your parent or somebody else influence the decision that you are about to make. There are a lot of people out in the world today that are stuck in bad situations simply because they picked the wrong major, or picked a major in which they were not interested in. The best thing that we as college students should do is find our passion. Finding a passion, something that we love to do and never get bored of, can help with choosing careers. A passion is something

that we could do the rest of our lives. Finding what you love to do is one of the first steps we can do take ensure that we are not stuck in a bad situation. When you sit down and think about your passion, I believe you should take the money and benefits of it out. Money is important, yes, but if you pick a career and do something that you absolutely hate simply because it pays well, then you will be miserable every day that you go to work. I also think being miserable at work can cause so many other health issues that just

wouldn’t be beneficial to you at all. We need to find our passions and make sure they are something that we really want to do. The decisions that we make like picking majors and minors, and even joining certain organizations can affect our lives for years to come. We are making a decision for the next 40 years of our lives. All in all, finding your passion is crucial when making these decisions. They will help ensure that we live the life we want to live and do not get stuck in any bad situations.

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The editorial views of the Western Courier shall be confined to this editorial and are to be separate from news coverage otherwise noted. The editorial presented is based on the ideas and views of the WC editorial board.Columns are the opinions of the columnists alone and should not be construed as the opinions and beliefs of the WC staff as a whole.

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2019 Fall Semester Editorial Board

Edge Editor - Rachel Greene Editor-in-Chief - Devon Greene Opinions Editor - Allison Young

Friday, October 25, 2019

SPORTS

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Men's soccer makes Summit League Volleyball kicks off three-game homestand Tournament with win or tie against EIU does not prove his talents, but being selected against SDSU Jackrabbits By Michael Harms to the U-23 national team should. The national By Zach Remelius courier staff The Western Illinois University volleyball team will face off against South Dakota State on Sunday inside Western Hall at 1 p.m. The Leathernecks come into the game with a record of 5-17 overall and 2-7 within The Summit League. The visiting Jackrabbits are 5-15 overall and sit at 2-6 in conference play. Both teams face a must-win game for an opportunity to get to The Summit League tournament. The Leathernecks lost their outing to Purdue Fort Wayne in five sets and South Dakota State was swept in three sets by Omaha last time out. The Jackrabbits are led by senior Mackenzie Hennen, sophomore Tatum Pickar and freshman Carly Wedel. Hennen has 247 kills on the season, Pickar has contributed with 294 digs and Wedel has amassed 369 assists. South Dakota State is led by head coach Nicole Cirello who is in her fifth season in Brookings. In the last two seasons, the Leathernecks

have been able to knock off the Jackrabbits. The Leathernecks have been a strong blocking team this season only having been out-blocked five times in 22 games. The team has totaled 155 blocks on the season led by Mackenzie Steckler who is first in The Summit League with 99 in total. The four freshmen who joined the Leatherneck program this season have had solid starts to their Leatherneck career as well. Jessie Connell has 380 assists, Gabby DePersio has 244 digs while Aubrey Putnam is second on the team with 162. Lastly, Elle Shult has 82 kills and 41 blocks to round out a solid freshman class. This game is the beginning of a three-game homestand for the Leathernecks. They’ll take on SDSU this Sunday and then worry about North Dakota and North Dakota State next weekend. Each game is a crucial one now as the Leathernecks fight for a spot in The Summit League Tournament. They hope to get things started on the right foot this Sunday afternoon against the Jackrabbits.

BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR

Mackenzie Steckler goes up to the net to block the ball.

courier staff

Western Illinois will take on in-state rival Eastern Illinois for their last home game of the year. The Leathernecks will head to battle with emotions high as a win or tie cements an appearance into The Summit League Tournament for the four players Western will honor on senior day. For the last time in 2019, fans will watch the men’s soccer team compete at John Mackenzie Alumni field in hopes to get back to postseason play after missing The Summit League tourney last year. It will be Tim Trilk, Gimmale Essacu, Christian Junna and Thomas Hollis last time suiting up at home under the direction of head coach Eric Johnson. The four players will be honored during the pre-game festivities, Hollis the only nonsenior being honored is listed as a junior, but his playing days are almost over. Trilk is the only senior that has played for Western all four years as the other three all came in two years ago through the transfer portal. Trilk’s in the midst of his best season as he is currently fifth in Division 1 and second in The Summit League with 66 saves. He has two clean sheets and is coming off a Summit League Defensive Player of the week award. He has been a leader for his team and continues to dominate in between the posts. Essacu is from Papua New Guinea. That alone

GOLEATHERNECKS.COM

Tim Trilk makes a save during a game.

team was looking to qualify for the 2020 Olympic games in Tokyo earlier in September. He is back with the team and is looking to make an impact in the final games for Western. Junna has been a defensive anchor for the team this year. His leadership has helped Western rally from starting 0-11 to being in a prime position to return to postseason play. Hollis hardly plays for Western. He has only played in five games this year but will look to Senior Day to make a name for himself. A big game for Western as they only have two conference games remaining, the last against Oral Roberts who has not lost a game in The Summit League yet. Western can still make The Summit League tournament if they don’t win either game but is in control of their own destiny with a win or a tie. The in-state rival has a 4-7-2 overall record, and a struggling 0-1-2 conference record which puts them fourth in The Summit League, trailing Western by five points. Western will look to Ryan Debois to continue his hot streak after scoring in his fourth straight game, earning him a Summit League Player of the Week award. The striker off the bench has been a determining factor in the recent success on the team. The Cougars will look to forward Shady Omar who leads the team with three goals. Can Western return to The Summit League tournament? Saturday the answer comes.

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Christian Junna dribbles the ball in the midfield.

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LARGE STUDENT RENTALS 5 and 6 Bedroom Homes are still available!! Ask for our $1000.00 Discount program! First come first serve for the last large homes that are open for the fall.

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Westen Investments has only two 4-Bedroom brich houses available. Call our office at 309-833-5995 to schedule a showing! We will show to 2-3 person groups as well!

Small 1BR apt near campus and downtown. All utilities included. (Electric, Water, DISH, Garbage) $500/month, $300 deposit. Available immediately. Also have 2BR, you pay electric. $600/month, $350 deposit available September 1st. Please contact 309-255-4367 for a showing.

STC Investments now leasing for the 18/19 school year. We have 1-6 bedroom apartments/houses ready for you to call home! Check out our selection at www.stcinvestments.com. You can also find us on Facebook to see daily posts!

Westen Investments has just one 3-Bedroom ALL UTILITIES INCLUDED (Water, Sewer, Trash, Gas, Electric, and Internet) Apartment left! That’s right you just pay for rent, and the rest of it is on us! Call our office at 309-833-5995 to check it out. For Rent: Little Swan Lake, 30 min from campus. 2br, 2bth, heated double car garage with work area. $600 per mo. (309) 335-2206 after 6:00 pm, may leave message anytime.

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Friday, October 25, 2019

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Sports 7

Will David Ross Chicago Bulls Aim for bring the Playoffs this Season Cubs another championship josh purnell courier staff

The Chicago Cubs are hiring David Ross as their next manager for the 2020 season. Ross will be the Cubs’ 55th manager in franchise history, replacing Joe Maddon who was hired by the Los Angeles Angels. Ross is getting a three-year contract with a team option for 2023 season. Ross earned the job by beating five other candidates. Those candidates were; Cubs’ first base coach Will Venable, Cubs’ bench coach Mark Loretta, former Phillies’ manager Gab Kapler, former Yankees’ manager Joe Girardi and Astros’ bench coach Joe Espada. Ross, better known as “Grandpa Rossy,” was a part of the Chicago Cubs’ historic run in 2016, winning their first World Series championship in 108 years. During Game 7, Ross hit a home run, making him the oldest player to do so in World Series history. Ross retired after the 2016 season, becoming an ESPN baseball analyst and a member of the team's front office. So, is it really a surprise that he’s the next Cubs’ manager? I don't think it’s a surprise, not one bit. Ross is beloved by the organization, the players and the city of Chicago. Being in the front office, who knows the organization better than he does? This is why he is the right fit for the job. While everyone may think the same way I do, Cubs’ President Theo Epstein says otherwise. “David’s connection to the organization and his relationship with his former teammates could be assets initially, but they were not factors in our decision nor will be critical to his long-term success in the role. He earned the job on the merits, and he will move the team forward in a new and different direction.” Epstein said. This season, the Cubs’ record of 84-78 place them third in the division and a non-invitation to the playoffs. This was probably their toughest season thus far. There are many reasons why they did not make the playoffs; injuries, bullpen and inconsistency on the field. Regardless of the ups and downs during the season, that comes with the game. Everyone was hoping the players could pull it together and go on a run, but

it did not turn out to be that way. After a victory against the Cincinnati Reds in the first game of the series winning 8-2, the Cubs went on to lose the next two games, dropping the series 2-1. Their next opponent was division rival St. Louis Cardinals. The Cubs went on to lose the series 4-0. Next was the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Cubs lost the series 3-0. Their last opponents of the season were again the St. Louis Cardinals. Chicago went on to win the series 2-1 but it was not good enough to clinch the playoff. The Cubs went on a nine-game losing streak. If Chicago were to win six or seven of those nine games, they would’ve been second in the division which places the Milwaukee Brewers third in the division and they would have clinched the playoffs. Unfortunately, it did not turn out that way. Let’s face it, the Cubs were supposed to be a dynasty team. They were a young core ready to dominate the league for many years to come. Instead of building on that championship run, the Cubs suffered tough results each year. Let's be clear, the Cubs are not completely done and they are far away from a rebuilding team. Hiring Ross as the new manager may bring a different attitude, energy and excitement to the team. Ross, who has never been a manager before, is excited for the opportunity to coach the players he once played with. “A lot has been made, and rightfully so, of my connection to the 2016 World Series team, and the notion that I’ll now be managing players I once counted on as teammates,” Ross said. “Having those relationships going into this will be a bonus, no doubt about it. But those guys know I’ll be the first to hold them accountable, the first to demand their best daily effort and the first to let them know about it if they give anything but their best.” Saying Ross has a lot stacked against him if he doesn’t get the Cubs back to the playoff is an understatement. This is still a great team that has a lot of potential to win another championship. Will Grandpa Rossy deliver another championship in Wrigleyville?

After finishing last season near the basement of the NBA’s Eastern Conference with a record of 24-55, the Chicago Bulls head into the 2019-20 campaign with much higher expectations. Now, with the team’s young core having another year under their belts to go along with several key offseason additions, the Bulls may find themselves in a spot to make noise in a wide-open conference. This is a group that thoroughly impressed in the preseason, suggesting this could be the year we finally begin to see them trend upward. If they’re able to sneak into one of the last seeds for the playoffs, it would mark the team’s first postseason appearance since 2017. Last night’s game kicking off the regular season may have been a tough one for Bulls fans to stomach. The team dropped a high-scoring contest to the Charlotte Hornets by a score of 125-126, an organization that finished last season with a record of 36-46 and had just lost star point guard Kemba Walker to the Boston Celtics via free agency. The Hornets are expected by many to once again be a bottom-feeding team in the East. Simply put, this was a game that the Bulls should’ve, and needed to win in order to prove their identity to themselves. Things weren’t all bad for Chicago, however. Third-year big man Lauri Markkanen erupted in his first taste of regular-season action. The Finland native was rumored to have added muscle over the summer and worked on his game inside the paint, something that was easily apparent Wednesday night. The offense ran through Markkanen, sinking 13-25 shot-attempts and 8-10 free-throws for a whopping 35 points to go along with 17 rebounds and two assists. The Hornets tried to throw different defenders on him all game but just didn’t have an answer for 7-footer. On the flip-side, Zach LaVine shockingly struggled to find a rhythm early on after a red-hot preseason. LaVine is a player expected to lead the charge for the Bulls in the scoring department this season, building off his 23.7 points-per-game average last year. The shots were there for him going against a porous Charlotte defense, but he just could knock down easy looks at the beginning of the game. LaVine finished the match with 16 points (7-17 from the field), however, we saw his all-around game that he worked on this offseason come to fruition. The six-year veteran facilitated the ball well, dishing out seven assists (averaged only 4.5 assists per game in 2018-19) while chipping in with six boards and two steals.

Things should get better for LaVine scoring-wise, but it was encouraging to see him contribute in other departments. Coby White was another player who captured fans’ attention with an impressive rookie debut. Chicago’s first-round selection from this past April’s draft (seventh overall pick), White wasn’t shy from firing away in his first-ever regularseason contest, connecting with six of 13 shots for 17 points while leading the team’s bench unit. A player is known for his scoring prowess at the University of North Carolina (passed Michael Jordan on UNC’s all-time freshman scoring list), White admittedly had work to do as a facilitator. That didn’t stop him from handing out seven assists in the season-opener, showing the ability to find open teammates with ease. Although the Bulls ended up on the wrong side of the win column after their first game, there were plenty of positive takeaways from the season-opener. This is no longer the inexperienced group of young individuals we’ve all grown accustomed to. Over the summer, general manager Gar Forman went out and added several key veteran pieces that should help this organization compete at a higher level. The first was former Indiana Pacer Thaddeus Young, who the front office inked to a three-year, $41 million deal. The veteran combo forward (31 years old) is a well-respected player known for his gritty defense and ability to stretch the floor. While not an elite three-point shooter, he’s a guy that can knock down outside shots and play both the three and four spots. Maybe most importantly, he’s reliable. In the past two seasons combined, Young has missed just two games. As we saw Wednesday, he’ll likely be running with the second unit, but that should help bring tenacity to the maturing roster. The next piece they signed was 27-year-old Tomas Satoranksy. The Bulls acquired their newest starting point guard through a sign-and-trade with the Washington Wizards, extending him on a three-year, $30 million deal. This signing was especially impactful after the woeful play by former starter Kris Dunn last season. Satoransky is an extremely versatile guard, which helps with Chicago’s flexibility in the backcourt as he can play both the shooting guard and small forward spots as well. This should allow first-rounder White to see the floor more often. While this roster may not look incredibly different from a season ago after failing to make any “big splash” signings in free agency, fans can rest assured that this team will take a big step forward from its three previous underachieving years. Wednesday’s loss to the Hornets surely stings, but better days should be ahead for the Windy City. As the season progresses, don’t be shocked if the Bulls are competing for a playoff spot.

Football takes on Younstown State University Penguins

By Christopher Bean assistant sports editor

Western Illinois’s football team travels to Youngstown this weekend to take on the Youngstown State University Penguins (4-3, 0-3). The Leathernecks are also winless in the Missouri Valley Conference; however, they are still looking for their first win on the year and come into this weekend at 0-7 overall. The key to Western’s season and the biggest reason as to why they don’t have a win up to this point is inconsistency and mistakes. Last week, the Purple and Gold turned the ball over five times against Illinois State: including one fumble on the opening drive, two muffed punts and two interceptions (one of those coming on the opponents twoyard line). They also had four more penalties and 23 more penalty yards than ISU. However, their were positives for Western. The Leathernecks did outgained the Redbirds

by 96-yards, and also held James Robinson to 68 yards, who is argubly the best running back in the country. Head coach Jared Elliot is proud of his team but understands that the only thing that matters is winning. “They have an undeniable will to win even though we haven't. Our guys understand there are no moral victories. We expected to win that game,” Elliot said. Since Youngstown State opened the year off at 4-0 and ranked as high as 17th in the FCS, they have struggled in the Missouri Valley losing all three of their games. Including last weeks 35-10 loss to Southern Illinois University Carbondale. "I'm extremely proud of this team, and I'd take these guys into battle anywhere. As hurtful as it is right now, with where we are, it's a breath of fresh air to be around a bunch of guys that care about each other as much as they do." Elliot said. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. on Saturday.

Women's soccer hosts Oral Roberts on Senior Day

By Bradley Piros sports editor

MACOMB, Ill. – The Western Illinois University women’s soccer team (6-91) will play their last home game of the year this Sunday against Summit League foe Oral Roberts University. The last home game of the season also means that it will be Senior Day for Western. It will be the last time playing at home for six Leathernecks: defenders Kayla McCormick, Madison Bulin, Maddie Wilsey and Natalie Sielaff, forward Emily Bollman and goalkeeper Ines Palmiero Herrera. Let’s start with the defenders. First up is McCormick, the accounting major from Morton, Ill. Her freshman year, she appeared in all 17 matches and started 15 of them. After taking a year off, she recorded 1,609 minutes and started 18 games in her junior year. This year it’s been a tough fight for playing time in the defense, so she’s only appeared in one game. Next is Bulin, the microbiology major from Eldridge, Iowa. She transferred to Western her junior year and started seven games for the Leathernecks, recording 747 minutes along the way. This season she’s made 15 appearances and logged 365 minutes.

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Ines Palmiero Herrera passes the ball out of the back field.

That brings up Wilsey, the engineering major from Saint Johns, Mich. Her freshman year, she appeared in all 17 matches and logged 472 minutes. The following year she started every game of the season and logged 1582 minutes. Her junior year she redshirted due to injury. Last season she started seven games and recorded 580 minutes. After slowly coming back from injury last year, she healthy now and has started 15 out of the 16 matches she’s been in. She’s logged 1135 minutes so far this season and recorded four shots. The last defender Western has to say goodbye to is Sielaff. The Plainfield, Ill. native redshirted her freshman year and then came in and appeared in 15 games and logged 1071 minutes. Her sophomore year she made 17 starts, all in the defense, and totaled 1475 minutes while last year she only made 11 started and tallied 1114 minutes, also recording two shots along the way. This year she has appeared in 16 matches and started 10 of them, which is good for 1167 minutes. So far this season she’s recorded 10 shots. Next up is the forward from Coal Valley, Ill. She exploded onto the scene in her freshman year. She logged 989 minutes and had two goals on the year. Coincidentally, both those goals were game winners. She also recorded 19 (10

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Natlaie Sielaff dribbles the ball and looks for her next pass.

SOG) on her way to notching a Summit League Offensive Player of the Week honor. Her sophomore year, she played in all 17 matches with nine starts. She scored three goals and assisted another. One of those goals was yet another game winner. She recorded only 754 minutes but still rattled off 19 shots again (nine SOG). Last year she started 11 games and had a career high four goals and two assists through 719 minutes. This season she’s started nine games out of the 16 she’s appeared in. She has an assist on the year and has taken 18 shots (five SOG). Last but certainly not least is the goalkeeper, Palmiero Herrera from Viladecavalls, Spain. Her freshman year, she started five games and recorded 22 saves. Her sophomore year she had 13 starts and recorded 62 saves. She also had her first collegiate clean sheet which helped her notch her first Summit League Defensive Player of the Week honor. Last season she had 93 saves and had a career high nine saves against Milwaukee on the back on Sept. 7. She also started all 18 games for the Leathernecks. This year she’s started all 16 matches so far and recorded 75 saves. She also climbed to fourth all-time in career saves for the Western Illinois women’s soccer program. She helped her team record

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Emily Bollman eyes up the net as she takes a free kick.

three straight shutouts on her way to obtaining her second Summit League Defensive Player of the Week honor this season and isn’t done yet. All six seniors will surely be missed, but Western still has a game to play. The last time these two teams met was back on Sept. 29, 2017. Western traveled to Tulsa, Okla. and were handed a 3-0 loss from ORU. This time around, Western has the home field advantage. Western currently sits sixth in The Summit League standings with six points. Ahead of them are Omaha with six points, NDSU with eight points, North Dakota with nine points, Denver with 10 points and in the first place, SDSU with 15 points, a perfect 5-0 conference record. Only the top four teams make The Summit League Tournament. Western will have to win both of their remaining games and get a little help from others. NDSU and Omaha will have to lose at least one game each for Western to have a chance. The Leathernecks also have ORU hot on their trail in seventh with five points. It’s a crucial conference matchup and Senior Day. It’s shaping up to be a dramatic contest. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. Sunday on John Mackenzie Alumni Field. twitter: @bradjp08

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Maddie Wilsey heads the ball while playing in the defense.