Opinions: Chipoltle needs to make its way to Macomb.
Sports: Men's soccer gets ready to take on Omaha in Summit League semi-final.
AWARD-WINNING STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF WESTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY. SERVING MACOMB SINCE 1905.
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Wednesday, November 13, 2019 - Vol. 120 Issue 36
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Open forum held to discuss racism on campus By Devon Greene editor-in-chief
The Division of Student Services and the University Counseling Center held a forum in response to a racist note that was left in the Currens computer lab on Tuesday. Western Illinois University was just the focus of an article written by The Chronicle of Higher Education entitled “Fear of a Black Campus,” on Nov. 1. Just 11 days later, a sign was left in the Currens computer lab that read “Whites Only.” Western Illinois Interim President Martin Abraham sent out a call to action last month, putting a focus on the need for diversity and inclusion at Western and he did the same today with a letter via email to the university that was titled “Hate Has No Home at WIU.” “I write this letter to remind our campus community that hate has no home at Western Illinois University,” Abraham said. “Prejudice, bigotry and harassment are not tolerated and have no place here. We value diversity and we expect members of the University and local community to act in a civil and respectful manner. When individuals and/ or groups become the focus of
derogatory comments or acts based on prejudice, it is crucial that we immediately respond and affirm our institution's principles of diversity, equity and inclusion.” The open forum began with a statement speaking out against the note. “Those racist remarks are not tolerated by this university. We do not accept them,” a source said. The same source said that the focus of the forum was to let students get their feelings out in the open and said that the recent times at Western have been the most turbulent in recent memory. “This semester has been a turmoil, unlike any semester that I've been at the University of 15 years,” the source said. “It's been very challenging, I talked with lots of students and students have been accepting of behaviors that have gone on around them that they should never have to experience.” Abraham was unable to attend the forum but he had a statement read to make his stance known. “This incident, combined with recent reporting on the challenges that we experienced this past year, reminds us that we still have a great deal of work to do,” the statement read. “I've asked every-
one to come together as we work through the issues and develop a more inclusive climate on our campus.” After Abraham’s statement was read, it was announced that the investigation on who wrote the note is still ongoing and the computer lab has been locked and isolated. A faculty staff member came up to speak next and made clear the status of the university. “What I want to mention is, I cannot guarantee a safe space,” the faculty member said. “Sometimes we use that word a lot, and oftentimes we can't deliver and so what I can tell you is that we're going to create a brave face. We're going to have a difficult conversation, we're going to hear your comments and hear your concerns. And while we know that that could potentially be triggering and potentially bring back a lot of memories, we want to let you know that representatives from the Counseling Center are here and it will be talking to you all in just a bit.” Students came up to speak next and tried to figure out where the paper could’ve been printed, said there was nothing funny about the note and said they were “very, very angry.” They also said
that the university should take “some strong action in the coming days following this,” and said that they have felt growing discomfort with the atmosphere around campus. “It’s a shame because as I’m starting to finish college, I’m not comfortable with a place where I’m supposed to be safe. It’s always been a safe haven for me,” the student said. Another faculty member came up and said that they feel the Multicultural Center and University Diversity Council is working better than it ever has before. “One of the differences now of this university Diversity Council is that it's going to report directly to the president versus being a support advisory group to the director of the Equal Opportunity and Access Office,” the faculty member said. “And so that is one very tangible way that I see progress because we do have a university Diversity Council that is reporting directly to the president on matters of racial climate diversity, equity and inclusion.” Another student was up next and he brought up the alleged racism that is in Macomb. “I think that we need to
understand that Macomb has racism embedded in their DNA. It's been there for a long long time,” the student said. The person who found the note was up to speak next and expressed their fear over finding the note and what it means about campus life. Another member of the faculty came to speak next and spoke about orientation and recruiting. They said they have been in Chicago talking to prospective students but has experienced some hesitance when promoting the university. “Am I supposed to lie to them and say ‘Yes I feel safe on campus.’ but then we have things like this pop up?” the faculty member said. They also said that they wanted to see some policy changes to improve the climate around campus. Another source said that their son expressed some doubts about Western because of the racial situations that have been hovering around the university for the last few years. The forum closed with discussions about organizations and groups around campus and what they can do to increase diversity, representation and acceptance around campus.
HOURS OF OPERATIONS
MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY 8:00 AM to University Counseling Center 4:30 PM
2 NEWS
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
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Students get handson
DEVON GREENE/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Professor David Young asks student, Chase, questions while hooked up to a polygraph.
Officer Nick Severs speaks to his dog, Mac.
By Devon Greene editor-in-chief
The School of Law Enforcement and Justice Administration held an open house on Monday for prospective students looking to pursue their careers. The open house consisted of 13 separate sessions where students could learn from professors from Western Illinois University and various professionals from different fields in 30 minute time intervals. Instructors at Western Illinois University are required to have at least five years of experience before teaching a class on a subject. There were several sessions focused on lifting fingerprints and
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other types of prints without damaging evidence. Professor Todd Lough, who served with the Chicago Police Department, led students in demonstrations on fingerprinting where they were able to get some hands-on experience with the magnetic dust used by law enforcement. In a separate room, professor Glen Daugherty showed students how to use a magnetic dust lifter to get a usable fingerprint sample when they could be damaged by dust and other environmental factors. Another session that was offered was “K-9 and Investigative Seizures, Car Stops.” This was lead by professor Glen Schwartz who was an Illinois State Police Commander. Schwartz spoke about actions and demeanors that would
DEVON GREENE/ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Professor Glenn Daugherty demonstrates the magnetic dust lifter.
DEVON GREENE/ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Professor Todd Lough walks a student through the fingerprinting process.
lead him to call a K-9 unit in order to investigate for narcotics and other drugs. During this session, K-9 Mac, was brought in to demonstrate his abilities. His owner, Nick Severs, works with the Macomb Police Department and explained that Mac is just about 2-years-old and is still working to perfect his craft. Severs also said that Mac is trained to detect most narcotics except for marijuana due to the status of the drug in Illinois. Detecting deception and polygraphs also had several detections devoted to them. Professor Jack Schafer, who served with the FBI as a behavioral analyst, explained what he looks for when interrogating a suspect. Schafer worked his way down
STAFF MEMBERS editor-in-chief Devon Greene
proofreader Mary Kilbourne
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news editor Marc Ramirez
photo editor Becca Langys
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opinions editor Allison Young
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sports editor Bradley Piros
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from the forehead and explained what giveaways he was looking for. Sweat, crossed arms, rapid blinking and frequent shoulder movement are just some of the things Schafer went over with students. In another room, Professor David Young, who served with the FBI, spoke about the legal uses and effectiveness of the polygraph. Young said that the polygraph is about 85 to 90 percent accurate and stressed the importance of its use as an investigative tool. However, when asked about if he ever sees the polygraph being counted as a legitimate piece of evidence in a courtroom, he was not optimistic. In a lighter turn of events, Young called up a volunteer from each group that
passed through the room to see if they could beat the lie detector. Young took the students outside, had them take or not take a card from a stack of four and made them answer each question with the answer “no” to demonstrate the effectiveness of the machine. Other sessions that were available were “Blood Spatter,” “Drones and GIS,” “Cyber Crimes Investigations, Electronic Evidence, Location Tracking, Recovery, 5G internet of things,” “Fire - smoke survival - self contained breathing apparatus,” “Accident Reconstruction, Computer Animated Investigations,” Testifying, witness examination,” “Wheel of Juvenile Justice, Community Corrections” and “Emergency Management, IEMA Van.”
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Wednesday, November 13, 2019
NEWS 3
HALF
Beginning Monday, Nov. 4, a section of University Drive (from Brophy Hall to Western Avenue) and a section of Western Avenue (to University Drive) will have one lane closed for street repair. Construction will last approximately two weeks weather permitting.
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YOU COULD BE THE NEXT WESTERN COURIER PRODUCTION MANaGER! The Western Courier is now hiring their next Production Manager for the Spring 2020 Semester.
Contact the editor-in-chief devon greene at dj-greene@wiu.edu
4
OPINIONS
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
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Jiana Barrera Courier staff
Western Illinois University is a school full of students with all different and unique backgrounds. Whether students are from rural or nonrural areas, I believe that we all have similar wants and needs when attending this university. There is one thing that most students know that Macomb needs to bring to this community, and that is Chipotle. Chipotle Mexican Grill is an American chain of fast casual restaurants in the United States which specializes in tacos and mission-style burritos. Not only does this company attract
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college students, but it also appeals to children and families. Chipotle allows their customers to have control over what goes into their burritos, burrito bowls or tacos. Aside from the adult menu, Chipotle also has a kid’s menu, which is affordable and enticing to children. In addition, Chipotle also has a catering menu, which would be exceptionally beneficial to organizations on and off campus. They have a vast amount of mouthwatering ingredients that are prepared and made fresh every day. According to Statista, Chi-
potle has over 2,491 locations worldwide and 72 percent of Americans are familiar with this restaurant chain. With that being said, I think that if Macomb opened a Chipotle branch, it would be extremely successful. Many students that attend Western Illinois University are originally from towns that have this affordable restaurant nearby. Countless amounts of students each year continuously drive to Peoria or other towns just to order Chipotle or other food options. Although Macomb has small restaurants or fast food joints such as McDonalds, Wendy’s and Burger King, I feel that none of these places compare to Chipotle Mexican Grill. Over the years, Macomb has welcomed familiar restaurants such as Chick-fil-A, McAli-
ster’s Deli and Starbucks, but neglected the fact that Chipotle would be even more successful than those restaurants. In the current state of student enrollment, I also believe that having unfamiliar restaurants in town might drive students away from attending this university due t o the different atmosphere in the community. Coming from the suburbs of Chicago, the amount of places to eat out are endless. When I was visiting Western before I enrolled as a student here, it was appalling to me that there were not as many popular food places to eat at on the weekends or even during the week. I think that if the city of Macomb began investing in more food places that students are familiar with, the numbers of enrollment and the overall
population of Macomb would increase. Macomb is a familylike community where the cost of living is not expensive and has many excellent programs within the university. Although Western Illinois University has so much to offer already, I think this will give the university a competitive advantage over other Illinois state schools. Many college towns throughout Illinois have Chipotle and more common places to eat out. I think that this small change to the community will not only attract more students to Western Illinois University, but satisfy the families and college students of the town already. Chipotle will not only help the growth of the community, but the growth of student population as a whole.
Why should children play sports? ANDRE WHITLEY courier staff
Putting your kids in sports at a young age can teach them many different life lessons. When it comes to being on a team, the kids are already learning how to interact in groups, they develop leaderships skills and they will develop lifelong healthy lifestyle habits. When I was younger, I always looked forward to going to practice and being around my teammates. I feel as though being involved with sports at a young age has taught me so much and has shaped me into who I am today. When people think about sports, they don’t really think about the big picture and how sports can teach you real life lessons and tips. Being involved with a team can teach you leadership skills and how to work together as a team. Since everyone is wanting to achieve a common goal, winning, they learn to work together and develop communication skills. Along with communication skills, they learn how to problem solve.
When you are down 1-0 in your soccer game at half time, you have to think of ways to score a goal and how to stop the other team from scoring again. This makes everyone on the team work together and develop a plan in order to win the game. But this goes much farther than just in sports. When you are working in a group project for class, you need to work together in order to complete the project together. Along with leadership skills, these kids establish a boost of self-esteem. When they achieve goals on the field or on the court, such as when they score a goal or win a game, they see their hard work pay off, and that brings out loads of self-confidence. When they see that they can achieve their goals on the field, they are more likely to achieve the goals they set later on, whether that is in school or at work. Aside from the life lessons that these kids learn from being involved on a sports team, sports
are fun and get their mind off of the stressors of school. Sports can give your child a group to belong to. They will automatically have a group of friends to. Some of my best friends are the ones I made from being involved on a sports team when I was younger. The friendships you make through sports are the ones that will last a lifetime because you share the same goals and interests. Along with the friendships that they will make, your child will develop a healthy lifestyle and eating habits. Regular physical activity improves a child’s fitness and helps them stay in shape. Sports will also encourage kids to get outside and practice instead of sitting inside watching television and playing video games. Overall, sports can be very beneficial to children's health and their lives outside of sports. Being involved in sports teaches them a sense of selflessness and allows them to work together in groups to achieve a common goal. These are things that are used in everyday life no matter what age you are. So, teaching these things early on in your kid’s life can make them more successful in school and later in their career.
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Soccer is one of the few sports that is offered to children at a young age.
OPINIONS 5
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
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Sleep is better than caffeine As we continue our daily routines, it is inevitable that we stay up later than we previously intended. This can mean that we won’t get adequate sleep. Since most of us can’t or won’t sleep in, people tend to rely on caffeine, usually in the form of coffee. This form of caffeine, just like others, is usually not as efficient as just getting adequate sleep. Some people have a routine, they wake up and they “need”
coffee, which is why when they do not have coffee they become very inefficient. This dependency has a negative effect on people which is why having caffeine is not good for you, especially in high dosages. Coffee can cause someone to be addicted to caffine and that is why coffee shops are so popular and prominent in our society. They “help” you start the day and give you a boost but the coffee is only that, a boost, so once
that boost goes away, you need another one. Not to mention that all of this caffeine costs money, so your wallet suffers as well and nobody needs extra expenses. Sleep is the answer. Your body naturally recharges and repairs itself while you’re asleep, which is why we get sleepy, it is our body yearning for repair. Whether you are exercising your brain or your body, it is imperative to get adequate rest. The body will use that down time to connect thoughts together or to give the body the physical repair to your muscles. When you wake up, you may feel a little groggy which may incite you to get a coffee, but
are you only drinking coffee? What happened to breakfast or a long hot shower? All of the things that slowly help you wake up are being put into a cup. It may seem as though that is better in the short term, but you will see the effects of this quick method over time. Slow and steady is the way to go. That instant gratification will catch up with your body in the form of sluggish behavior more severely without the caffeine. Now what happens when it seems like there is no choice? You woke up late and you have to perform at a certain time. There is no time to take the slow
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route. Well then, in that instance, you have to take the shortcut. The problem is it is only a shortcut and there are no shortcuts in life. If you continue to take shortcuts, you will fall short of your goals and those shortcuts will catch up with you, it is inevitable. Fix your routine so you don’t miss the alarm clock and fix your idea of the instant gratification. Having a balanced schedule will allow you to do more because you have committed yourself to the tasks you laid out. So when they don’t get done, you only have yourself to blame. Don’t take the shortcut or you will be cut short of your goals.
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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 - Marc Ramirez Editor-in-Chief - Devon Greene Opinions Editor - Allison Young
6
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
SPORTS
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Women’s basketball picks up second straight win at home By Bradley Piros sports editor MACOMB, Ill. — The Western Illinois University women’s basketball team continued their three-game home stand with a 91-51 win over the University of Illinois-Springfield Prairie Stars. With the win it brings Western’s record to 2-1, as they remain undefeated at home. The Leathernecks were off to a hot start going 9-12 from beyond the arc and 12-19 from the field. That helped them secure a 33-11 lead after the first quarter. Redshirt freshman guard Carla Flores led the way from threeland going 3-4 on the night. Western kept their foot on the gas headed into the second going 4-5 beyond the arc. UIS struggled to maintain any sort of offense and just couldn’t keep up with the Leathernecks. At half, Western had a comfortable 30-point lead, 54-24. The third quarter saw the Prairie Stars gain a little ground thanks to a couple of Western fouls and miscues. Western gave up 16 fouls on the night and UIS cashed in on 11 of those chances. On the other hand, the Prairie Stars gave up 19 handing Western 13 free points. Thanks to the fouls given by Western and a temporary lull, the Leathernecks only outscored UIS 17-15. The fourth quarter saw the Leathernecks find their groove again and pull away even further. In the final 10 minutes, the Leathernecks cashed in on three more three-pointers, but shot their worst percentage from the field at only 37.5 percent. In the end, it was just too much to overcome for the Prairie Stars as Western picked up their second straight win. As a team, Western went 31-57 (54.4 percent) from the field and 16-27 (59.3 percent) from behind the arc. Head coach JD Gravina was pleased with how his team was shooting, especially early on. “Especially early, it just kind of made
us feel comfortable and gave us a little bit of a lead and it’s a lot easier to play up 10 . . .You can play a lot freer,” Gravina said. Because of Western’s early spark they were able to maintain their lead for the entirety of the game. They went on an 18-point run in the second quarter and never looked back. Overall, senior guard Olivia Kaufmann led the way for the Leathernecks with her 17 points, four assists and two steals. Sophomore guard Elizabeth Lutz followed her with 14 points off the bench. Also with double digits were junior guard Grace Gilmore and redshirt senior guard Annabel Graettinger. Western will close out their home stretch against the Sycamores of Indiana State University before heading onto the road to face Purdue, coming back home to play Bradley and then leaving again to face Drake. It’s a tough upcoming week for the Leathernecks, but they are confident in their play after taking the Missouri Tigers to overtime in their season opener. They can hang with these bigger schools and that’s what they’ll have to do next week. Until then, the Leathernecks have Indiana State to worry about at home tomorrow night. Tip off is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. inside Western Hall. Twitter: @bradjp08
BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR
Carla Flores looks over to the bench.
BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR
Olivia Kaufmann chases down a defender.
BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR
Grace Gilmore tries to block a shot.
BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR
Annabel Graettinger blocks an inbound.
BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR
Elizabeth Lutz makes a pass.
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Kyra Washington shoots a floater.
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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.
Available now: Close to campus, clean studio apartments, excellent condition, reasonable rent, and partly furnished. Ceiling fans and a/c. Professionally maintained. No pets. Semester leases offered. Call 309 837 4369 and leave your phone number if not there. Email: MandKhousing@gmail.com
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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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ALL APARTMENTS - ALL INCLUSIVE Get control of your budget. Know exactly what you are spending each month. Each apartment includes free a/c, free heat, free electricity, free water, free cable tv, free hi speed internet, and free off street parking. Laundry on site. No noise policy. Bus stop across the street. Close to campus. Well maintained. Studios are $460/mo, One bedrooms are $620/mo. Call Doug at 309-255-8179 for an appointment.
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
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Sports 7
Illinois football is going bowling It’s been a long and mostly painful ride for head coach Lovie Smith and his Fighting Illini since taking over the job in 2016, but after three straight seasons of mediocrity, his complete reconstruction of the University of Illinois’ football program is finally paying off. It’s been a memorable 2019 season – one that once looked like another dreadful campaign sitting at 2-4 on Oct. 12. Since then, their success has been nothing short of magical. It all began in their seventh game of the year, where Smith’s squad stunned No. 6 Wisconsin with a gamewinning field goal as time expired. This would prove to be the turning point of their season. Since then, Illinois has rattled off three straight victories, taking out Big Ten opponents Purdue and Rutgers in blowout fashion before this past
weekend’s contest against Michigan State. This showdown against the Spartans would test their resilience and grit like no other, heading into the game as the 13.5-point road underdogs. The start of the game wasn’t ideal for the Illini, as they fell behind quickly, trailing Mark Dantonio’s team 28-3 late in the second quarter. Trying to muster any sort of offensive points as the clock struck zero on Illinois’ final play of the half, senior gunslinger Brandon Peters connected with junior wideout Josh Imatorbhebhe on a 46-yard prayer for a touchdown. Michigan State came out of the break and managed a field goal, once again extending their lead to 21 points. From here on out, it was all Illinois. After the Illini cut the deficit to just one score, still trailing 24-31, Spartans’ quarterback Brian Lewerke was intercept-
ed by sophomore free safety Sydney Brown and it was taken to the house. Then U of I went on to miss the extra point, something Michigan State would capitalize on, taking their next possession for a field goal. Now down four points late in the fourth, it was touchdown or nothing for the Illini. On the final drive of the game, they found themselves in a prime spot to steal this win, lining up for first-andgoal on MSU’s one-yard-line with just under a minute left. It came down to the wire after several failed attempts to punch it in. However, with five seconds remaining on the clock, Peters found sophomore tight end Daniel Barker wide open in the back of the end-zone to cap off the largest comeback victory in program history, shocking the Spartans in East Lansing. Maybe more impressively, they did this while missing prized starting linebacker, junior Jake Hansen, a player in the running for college football’s Dick Butkus Award this season. After a historic month of
football (4-0), the Illini are now 6-4 on the year and are bowl-eligible for the first time since 2014 – a fitting narrative to an exceptional season thus far. After the game, Smith acknowledged just how huge this victory was. “This was, of course, the biggest win that we’ve had,” said Smith. “As we went into this week, we talked about this being the biggest game we’ll have played since we’ve been here [Smith and his coaching staff]. So definitely this is our biggest win, and the way we won the game – that was a tough duty. We’ll remember this one.” At the end of the third quarter, ESPN’s win probability calculator gave Michigan State a 99.6 percent chance to win. This didn’t deter Illinois, as they rightfully earned their title of “Fighting” Illini in this one. When speaking about building this type of character for his team – one that doesn’t quit when their backs are against the wall – Smith was quick to give all the credit to his players, not just himself, in the post-game press conference.
“You just don’t build it [character]. It’s been a long time of building this football team and how we want to portray ourselves outward, and just who we want to be.” Smith continued, “It’s always about character and what you do and what you say when no one is looking. It’s a special group. These guys have been through an awful lot, and a lot of them have stayed [at the University of Illinois]. I think that some people just deserve to win, and we’ve got a bunch of guys that deserve to win.” Illinois’ recent dominance has now put them in contention for the Big Ten West title, trailing Wisconsin by just half a game for the secondplace spot. The team has two regular-season games left, their next being on Nov. 23 against at Iowa (6-3) before returning home for one final hoorah against Northwestern (1-8). Each of these games are unquestionably winnable for this white-hot team, but regardless of their finish, one thing remains imminent. The Illini are going bowling – and that’s a remarkable feat in and of itself.
games. The Preds are looking for more out of Ryan Johansen and Viktor Arvidsson who have 13 and 12 points respectively in 17 games. Pekka Rinne was unbeatable in the early stretch of the season, but his save percentage has fallen to .912 and his backup Juuse Saros has an .890 and has only won one out of four starts. The next phase of the Central starts with the Winnipeg Jets with a record of 10-7-1. The Jets have become a complete disaster in their own end. Connor Hellebuyck has been one of the best goalies in the league with his .933 save percentage. The Jets are one of the worst teams in the league at allowing high percentage shots, making Hellebuyck’s start even better. The Jets start defensively is not completely surprising, as they did lose essentially everyone from their right side and added Neal Pionk; not exactly a defensive core to be scared of. Patrik Laine and Mark Scheifele have been scoring to start the season. For Laine, this is good to see because of last season's struggles, but he only has four goals in 16 games, which only puts him on pace for about 20 goals, which would be wildly disappointing. His playmaking, though, has been surprisingly good as he has 11 assists. Blake Wheeler is now 33 and is starting to show it as he has struggled mightily with only 10 points in 18 games.
The Dallas Stars started off slowly but are finally coming around and have battled back to an 8-8-2 record. Like many teams, they are dealing with injuries to key players. John Klingberg is out for a few weeks and Roope Hintz, who has shown quite the improvement, is also out for a couple weeks. The Stars are 27th, however, in goal scoring and if that trend continues, they will miss the playoffs after a lot was expected of them. The big three of Alexander Radulov, Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin have been, to put it simply, terrible. All three have played in all 18 games and have combined for just nine goals and 27 points, which is brutal for the three stars. Ben Bishop and Anton Khudobin have been doing all they can, but if the Stars can’t score then obviously they won’t win. Coach Jim Montgomery will be back in the hot seat if the Stars go through another extended losing streak. The Chicago Blackhawks have finally started to open up their offense a little bit and it has resulted in some success on the scoreboard. They are 6-7-4 on the young season and there are signs they could make a run at a playoff berth. They are still giving up way too many shots at points, giving up almost 60 to the Maple Leafs, but Robin Lehner and his .934 save percentage have been up to the task. Offensively, Patrick Kane has been Patrick
Kane with 20 points in 17 games and other guys they need to contribute like Alex DeBrincat, Dylan Strome and Jonathan Toews have finally started coming around offensively. Kirby Dach has looked fine in spots but for the Blackhawks to have more balance offensively, he needs to do better than four points in 11 games. The Blackhawks are going to have to outscore teams and finally it looks they might be able to in some spots. Everyone expected the Minnesota Wild to be terrible and guess what, they are! At just 6-10-1 they are in the cellar of the division where they will most likely stay. They are 24th in goals for and 25th in goals against, so they can’t hang their hat on anything. They are a team without really any identity and Bruce Boudreau will probably be let go. Boudreau is a good coach and it isn’t his fault this team is bland with little skill, but a move will be made. Paul Fenton messed things up as GM so much for the Wild that it will take this current leadership group a couple years before the Wild are relevant again. Brad Hunt, who has been waived many times, is currently their third leading scorer with 10 points. The Kevin Fiala and Ryan Donato moves have been disasters for this team and those Ryan Suter and Zach Parise contracts aren’t coming off the books anytime soon.
Breaking down the NHL’s Central Division Zach Remelius courier staff
The Central Division was predicted to be one of the best divisions in hockey along with the Metro in the Eastern Conference. So far this season, things have been up and down for the division and three teams have really separated themselves from the pack. In the leadoff spot right now is the defending Stanley Cup Champions, the St. Louis Blues, who sit at 12-3-3 on the season. The Blues have been able to survive the early onslaught without star forward Vladimir Tarasenko. Blues fans should be concerned with how few quality chances they are getting in games and how many are going to overtime. They seem to have been able to grab enough points early to give them enough room to get through any struggles they may experience to stay in a playoff spot. Don’t be surprised if they go out and make a move to bring in a top line forward to ease the loss of Tarasenko. David Perron, Brayden Schenn and Ryan O’Reilly have been able to contribute just enough for the Blues to continue to pile up the wins. The Colorado Avalanche sit in
second right now with a record of 10-5-2. They have dealt with injuries to two players on their top line in Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen. Offseason pickups Andre Burakovsky and Joonas Donskoi have been able to add to the offense and Nazem Kadri has been his normal pesky self. Rookie Cale Makar has been outstanding with 17 points in 17 games, and it appears he will be a top candidate for the Calder. The goaltending has been fine, it hasn’t quite been a hindrance but not a strength for this team. Like the Blues, it will be interesting to see if the Avalanche make a move to stay afloat while two of their stars sit out. Also if you haven’t watched Nathan MacKinnon play, do yourself a favor and give him a watch, he is so much fun. The Nashville Predators have cooled off after an extremely fast start and sit at 9-5-3. Roman Josi got his new contract and has lived up to it early on by being a point per game player, and Ryan Ellis has been right there with him. Everyone expected Filip Forsberg to be a leading goal scorer, and he has eight in 11 games, but no one expected Nick Bonino to be right there with him with eight in 17
Men's soccer takes on Omaha Mavericks in Summit League Tournament semifinal By Michael Harms courier staff Western Illinois Men’s soccer enters the tournament as the surprise favorite. Taking the No. 1 seed away from nationally ranked Oral Roberts last week shocked The Summit League as Western stole their fifth Summit League title in program history. Now, Western will look to hold off three other teams for a chance to enter the NCAA tournament. It starts with Omaha. Western will travel to Denver University to take on the Mavericks in the first game of the tournament. Omaha secured a win over the Leathernecks in the regular season 3-1. The Mavericks were at home for that contest and got the better of an inexperienced Western team at the start of Summit League play. If Omaha believes this gives them an advantage, they should reconsider. The amount of turmoil this team has gone through in the past two years has been astounding. Head coach Eric Johnson brought in 11 newcomers two years ago. This year, 15. Those numbers are astounding, considering that you only start 11 players. Coach Johnson has contin-
ued Western’s tradition of tough and battled back after going 0-11. They won four of their Summit League matchups including ranked Oral Roberts to become a co-Summit League champion. This was the goal for the team from the beginning. After a poor start, the players knew the chemistry would come eventually. It takes time, and coach Johnson continued to work his team. After a dramatic win against Denver University 4-3, it became possible. The team continued playing well together and stacked wins against Purdue Fort Wayne and Eastern Illinois to cap off a four-game winning streak. A season full of failures and successes, and it all ends in a three-day contest in Denver. The Mavericks secured the last seed in the playoffs with a 2-2-1 conference record. Their last four games have resulted in two ties and losses to Oral Roberts and Denver. The last time the Leathernecks took on the Mavericks in the tournament was in 2017. With the Mavericks as the No. 3 seed taking on Western as the No. 2 seed, they won 2-0. That win projected them to beat Denver on penalty kicks to become The Summit League tournament cham-
pions. They lost in the opening round of the NCAA tournament to Florida International. The Leathernecks should ignore all the stats and history of this matchup. The last time Western won a game in The Summit League Tournament was 2014. They beat Oral Roberts in the first round only to be upended by the Denver Pioneers in the final. The same exact result of the 2013 Summit League Tournament. The last time Western came out on top was in 2012 with wins over UMKC and Oakland, two teams no longer in The Summit League. It will be just the second opportunity for a few Leatherneck seniors to make their mark in the history books. Players like Paul Kirdorf; after playing for Western for five years, he still has not hoisted a trophy over his head. The dominant left back for the Leathernecks has been a leader both on and off the field. He has two goals and two assists on the season and is looking to end his collegiate career with a bang. If the team wins their first game, they will take on the winner of Oral Roberts vs. Denver University Saturday night.
BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR
Paul Kirdorf dribbles by a defender.
BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR
Tim Trilk catches the ball during practice.
Men’s basketball continues fourgame home stand against UT Martin By Christopher Bean assistant sports editor
MYANNA PERDUE
CJ Duff tries to create some space in the paint.
MYANNA PERDUE
Kobe Webster frives to the basket past a defender.
MYANNA PERDUE
Ben Pyle looks for an opne pass to a teammate.
MYANNA PERDUE
Zion Young shoots a three from the corner.
The Western Illinois men’s basketball team will host the University of Tennessee Martin Skyhawks tonight at 7 p.m. in Western Hall. These two teams will meet for the second team in as many years. Last year, the Skyhawks got a slim 92-90 win over the Leathernecks. The Leathernecks are still looking for their first win of the year after dropping their first two games last week to Indiana and Stetson. In their most recent loss to Stetson, the Purple and Gold were in the lead for most of the game, but unfortunately for them, they lost the lead with seven minutes left and never regained the lead in their 77-75 loss to the Hatters. Zion Young, Ben Pyle and C.J. Duff all scored double figures; combining for 48 of their 75 points. Kobe Webster added nine points in the first half, but could not score in the second half, and is currently one point away from scoring 1,000 points as a Leatherneck. The bench added another 14 points, but
were outscored 18-14 by the Hatter bench. After the first two games of the year, the Leathernecks have relied heavily on their starters. Every starter played 26-plus minutes on Saturday, and have played 25-plus minutes in both games with the exception of Duff’s 21 minutes against the Hoosiers. With Keshon Montague and Jeremiah Usiosefe not playing, the Leathernecks will need to make up for their production. DreShawn Allen, Kyle Arrington, Jaden King and Roderick Smith have all played 16-plus minutes so far this season in their first season’s as Leathernecks. They have combined for all 29 of their bench points, and will need to step up their production in the absence of Montague and Usiosefe. UT Martin is 1-1 coming into tonight, with a blowout win over St. Louis College of Pharmacy and a 17-point loss to East Tennessee State. Just like last year, senior Forward Quintin Dove leads the way on offense for the Skyhawks. He is averaging 24.5 points a game in UT Martin’s first two games. Dove has been a
fantastic scorer since transferring to UT Martin last year. He earned All-Ohio Conference Second Team, and had the 24th best field goal percentage in the country with his .597 percentage. Before transferring to UT Martin, Dove went to Cuyahoga Community College and earned first team NJCAA Division II AllAmerican. He helped his team to finish seventh in the country with 32-2 in his last year before transferring to UT Martin. The Purple and Gold’s defensive game plan will revolve around one of the best shooters in the nation, as they found out in last years match up. Dove only played 18 minutes, scoring 14 points on went 6-10 from the field, proving why he was one of the best shooters in the nation. The Leathernecks are currently on a four-game home stand, their largest home stand of the year. After tonight’s game, the Leathernecks will host Northern Illinois and Central Christian of the Bible to end their home stand. The Leathernecks will look to pick up their first win of the year and move to .500 on the home stand.