Western Courier| August 19th, 2019

Opinions: Horoscopes can be more accurate than you think.

Sports: Men's Soccer laces up for upcoming matches.

WesternCourier.com

Monday, August 19, 2019 - Vol. 120 Issue 1

@WesternCourier

Western welcomes students back home

By Marc Ramirez news editor

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WIU faculty, staff, administration and student volunteer help move-in returning students.

Western Illinois University faculty, staff, administration and student volunteers spent their weekend making all first year students feel at home in Leatherneck Country.

All workers anxiously awaited the arrival of students back to Macomb in their bright gold shirts lining residence halls to help students move in. Welcome Crew helped ease the stress of hauling students belongings up to their rooms and direct the flow of traffic in what could be a very hectic time for students and their families.

Students signed up early summer to help assist in Welcome Week events as a way to welcome new students to our Leatherneck family. Students had the choice to either volunteer individually to help or they had the opportunity to register an entire student organization.

Following move-in, students were able to officially start off their collegiate career by attending New Student Convocation which kicked off at 5 p.m. in Western Hall

Friday. Interim Provost Billy Clow, Associate Professor of Political Science Macherie Placide, Casa Latina Director Rocio Ayard Ochoa, Macomb Mayor Mike Inman, Student Trustee Rachel Greene and Acting President Martin Abraham kicked off the event by welcoming students to their new home for the next four years. The Marching Leathernecks and Western’s live mascot Colonel Rocky IV, Ray, made a special appearance to give students a sense of purple and gold.

Immediately following the welcoming ceremony, students were directed to the campus mall to enjoy free hotdogs, hamburgers, chips and drinks to celebrate them officially becoming Leathernecks. The President’s Picnic gave students yet another opportunity to get to know those who they’ll be sharing a home with.

After Convocation and the day's events ended, students made their way to Hanson Field to experience the tradition of Rocky After Dark for the first time, an event hosted by the University Union Board. The event consisted of various inflatables ranging

from rock walls to hamster ball relay races to free food and drinks. Students had the opportunity to network with different student organizations and prominent student leaders from across campus.

This is a time where students get the chance to meet people on their floors, in their buildings and the rest of the class of 2023. Various other Welcome Week events will be spartatic throughout the first couple weeks of school.

Edge: Miley and Liam call it quits yet again.

2

NEWS

WesternCourier.com

Monday, August 19, 2019

First day back events Monday, August 19 Weclome Week Tent 8 A.m. - 12 P.m. - various loca tions

9 1 0 2 l l a f r a d n e l a Academic c asses Begin

August 19, Mon. -- Cl

s/University Closed

r Day -- No Classe ember 2, Mon. -- Labo

Sept

-September 3, Tues.

kinderday monday: uhds uber 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. - all location s on ca

Classes Resume k -- No Classes

ll Brea October 11, Fri. -- Fa

mpus

October 14, Mon. --

Classes Resume eak -- No Classes

Br ed. -- Thanksgiving mber 25-27, Mon.-W

greek 101 5 p.m. - 6 p.m. - capitol room

Nove

ed

os day -- University Cl li Ho -. ri -F s. ur Th November 28-29, Classes Resume December 2, Mon. --

hall government kick off!

7 p.m. - all residence halls

.-Fri. December 9-13, Mon

-- Final Exam Week

Commencement December 14, Sat. --

WC Located on the third floor of the Heating Plant Annex on the south end of campus across from Sherman Hall.

Mail: 1 University Circle, WIU, Macomb, IL 61455 Phone: 309-298-1876 Fax: 309-298-2309 Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays E-mail: micour@wiu.edu Member: Illinois College Press Association, National Association College Press

STAFF MEMBERS editor-in-chief Devon Greene

proofreader Jacinda Martinez

DJ-Greene@wiu.edu

JS-Martinez2@wiu.edu

news editor Marc Ramirez

photo editor Becca Langys

MA-Ramirez3@wiu.edu

RE-Langys@wiu.edu

opinions editor Allison Young

assistant photo editor Sara Remar

AN-Young@wiu.edu

SE-Remar@wiu.edu

sports editor Bradley Piros

production manager Jimmy Pierson

BJ-Piros@wiu.edu

JM-Pierson@wiu.edu

assistant sports editor Chris Bean

business manager Faith Rucker

CR-Bean@wiu.edu

F-Rucker@wiu.edu

edge editor Rachel Greene

advertising manager Jacob Day

R-Greene2@wiu.edu

JD-Day@wiu.edu

copy editor Amanda Wandachowicz

adviser Will Buss

A-Wandachowicz@wiu.edu

WJ-Buss@wiu.edu

PUBLISHING AND CIRCULATION

The Western Courier is published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the regular school year, excluding holidays, finals week and semester breaks. The WC updates the website weekly during the summer. All content reflects the editorial discretion of the students operating the newspaper and must be interpreted as unofficial university communication. While every attempt is made to determine the validity of advertising contained herein, the advertising in the WC is not to be construed as endorsements of any specific products or services. The WC assumes no responsibility or liability resulting from the content of paid advertisements. Subscription price is $36 per year mailed third-class bulk rate from Macomb.

The WC is printed by The Galesburg Register-Mail in Galesburg, Ill.

COPYRIGHT 2017

No reproduction or reuse of material is permitted without written consent of the WC. All rights reserved. To request permission to reprint any material from this publication, please contact Nicholas Ebelhack or Will Buss at 309-298-1876.

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One copy of the Western Courier is free.

Additional copies $1.

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS The WC needs your help to maintain accuracy. If you find a factual error, call the WC office at 309-298-1876 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. weekdays. Please ask to speak to an editor to ensure the inaccurate information can be corrected as quickly as possible.

Monday, August 19, 2019

@WesternCourier

NEWS 3

Campus Crime Reports

Legend Cannabis

Alcohol by a Minor

Burglary/Theft

Fire Alarm

Other Report

•On June 25 at 12:31 p.m. an individual came to Seal Hall to report a lost backpack from Stipes Hall.

The incident is under investigation.

•On June 28 at 8:06 p.m. a student reported that a bicycle, which was locked to the Corbin-Olson bike rack, had been stolen. The value of the bicycle is placed at $100. The incident is under investigation •On July 26 at 8:29 a.m.

OPS and the Macomb Fire Department responded to a fire alarm in Lincoln Hall. No smoke or fire were found and no injuries were reported.

•On July 28 at 2 a.m. non-

student Dionte Wright, 23, of Champaign, IL, was arrested in the 400 block of North McArthur Street for obstruction of identification. He was lodged in the McDonough County Jail at 2:41 a.m. pending bond.

•On Aug. 6 at 8:26 p.m. a student reported the theft of an Apple MacBook Pro, valued at $1,000, from his room in Corbin Hall between July 31-Aug. 3. The incident is under investigation.

•On Aug. 13 at 10:40 a.m. OPS and the Macomb Fire Department responded to Olson Hall for a fire alarm. No smoke or fire were found and no injuries were reported.

Now Hiring at

Western courier news writers

wanted

if interested please contact

Devon Greene

dj-greene@wiu.edu

4

OPINIONS

Monday, August 19, 2019

WesternCourier.com

Get hip with your JIMMY PIERSON/PRODUCTION MANAGER

If you are anything like me, I check my horoscope almost daily. It is a religious activity that I do because I find it very intriguing and sometimes it does help me push through a tough day.

Some people have probably never even checked theirs because they find it foolish and don’t believe in it but I think so many people

would be interested in how accurate a horoscope can be some days.

For those of you who don’t know, a horoscope is “a forecast of a person's future, typically including a delineation of character and circumstances, based on the relative positions of the stars and planets at the time of that person's birth.” per Google Diction-

ary. The history behind horoscopes is very interesting and for the non-believers, hopefully it’ll spark some interest and be a little bit more believable. Horoscopes are based on the position of the sun at the time of someone’s birth which is where the different signs come into play.

There are obviously 12 different signs that correlate with the different months in the year. For example, I am an Aquarius because I was born between the dates of January 20th and February 18th.

They say that for every sign there are certain characteristics that line up with most

people born in that cycle. It is kind of crazy to see the things that come up when I search “Aquarius character traits” because several of them match me to a T. As I previously mentioned, I check my horoscope religiously; my daily, monthly and even yearly horoscopes are available on an app that is on my phone. If this is something that is sparking an interest for you, I highly suggest getting an app you find that works for you and keeping it on your phone.

There has been several times when I am having a bad day that I check my horo-

scope and it is like I’m reading about my day that has already happened.

I think that horoscopes can be something really fun to add to your lifestyle and if you are even just a little curious, do a bit more research on the topic. I have even found that there are tips and such for people of certain signs to get them through their struggles and it is kind of reassuring to know that other people of my sign are going through some of the same things. Everyone is different, but horoscopes can be very reassuring, so just give it a try!

It's time to make the most of your undergrad years!

All of us have had that inevitable feeling of being tired of school. The best way to combat that as we come into the new school year is to distract ourselves.

You can do this by making friends with people, primarily the ones on your floor because those are the people you will be around the most. Another thing to do is get involved in activities and clubs around campus. This way you make more friends, but more impor-

tantly you have another way to network in the future and believe me, you will thank your past self!

Once you have tried these things, another way to get the most out of your time in school is to get into a workout routine. This will be extremely easy if you have made friends because they will motivate you to go through with this. Another reason to go to the gym is to avoid any unwanted weight gain from hav-

ing access to junk food more often. You can knock out two things at once, which is something that you become good at in college.

If you are the type of person to get homesick, then plan out your trips back home in advance so that you can budget for it, or, if you are really tight for money, set up times where you can talk to your family over the phone. This is important because some people struggle with being away from home, especially if it is their first time. Western also has certain days where family members are welcome to come by, so this is also a chance to reconnect with family.

As mundane as it may be, fo-

cusing on your studies is another way to distract yourself from being unmotivated and missing people back home.

A bonus is that you get better grades if you buckle down on your studies. If you are advanced in a certain subject, you can make money by tutoring others that might not understand it. Whether it is the tutoring center or the writing center it is very easy to get help or provide help to people.

Since we are on the topic of money, getting a job really forces someone to obtain some type of management and commitment skills. You can work in the Union, library, recreation center, the possibilities

are numerous, you just have to seek them out. This is another way to accomplish two tasks at once. Since everyone likes having money, this has to be something you try at one point.

Above everything else, as you make your way through your college career, make sure you connect with people. The great thing about college is that there are all types of people you can meet from many different places. There may be things that are not listed here that interest you, but meeting new people can expose you to new opportunities. Chances for new experiences are important as you tackle your next obstacle in this game we call life.

E2 EDGE

Monday, August 19 2019

WesternCourier.com

Miley and Liam officially split This is not the couple’s first separation, but it is the first time they have gotten divorced. Their first separation was years ago when they broke off their 2012 engagement in 2013. The first separation, like this one, did not come as a surprise. The constant rumors, speculation, and conspiracies about their relationship proved to be too much for the couple to handle. Anytime either of them was spotted without a ring, it was inevitably reported that the wedding was off. This added pressure and stress, along with the regular struggles of any relationship, led to their eventual demise.

People grow and change throughout relationships, and that is certainly true of Cyrus and Hemsworth.

When the pair met in 2009, Cyrus was just 17 years old, while Hemsworth was 20.

They dated for 2 years before getting engaged on May 31st, 2012. After breaking off their engagement, the pair saw other people, experienced different aspects of life, and finally got back together in 2016. Cyrus returned the same engagement ring to her finger and fans could finally picture the happy ending they had lost sight of in 2013.

For those hoping the pow-

er couple will reunite, hope seems to have been crushed in more ways than one. Seen kissing Kaitlynn Carter in pictures, it seems that Cyrus has begun moving on. Additionally, Cyrus released the song “Slide Away” just days after the split, and it is clearly about how the couple does not work together anymore. With lyrics like, “Move on, we’re not 17. I’m not who I used to be. You said that everything changed. You’re right I’m grown now,” Cyrus evidences how she truly feels about the on and off again relationship: it is over. For the first time since they were younger, the two will be navigating the trials and tribulations of single life. As many fans are saying, the couple can no longer be our ideal image of true love, but maybe, just maybe, they will be again someday.

FLICKR.COM

TASTEOFCOUNTRY.COM

E3 EDGE

It is ideal to want to be healthy; as we return to school, a lot of people are making decisions to go to the rec center more often to stay healthy.

I discovered a new anime while looking at Joshi Pro Wrestler “Muscle Idol” Reika Saiki’s Twitter and found that she was in a music video to help promote the new show, “How Heavy Are the Dumbbells You Lift”? Translated into English, the name is terrible. In the original Japanese it’s known as “Danberu Nan-Kiro Moteru?” This is a much better name; similar to how Pokémon sounds better than Pocket Monsters, but the English and Japanese are switched.

The show is based on a Manga series, which is still on going. It is about a teenage girl named Sakura Hibiki who has a big appetite, and when it is brought to her attention that she is gaining weight, she decides to join the new gym. She discovers that a schoolmate of hers, Soryuin Akemi is also joining the gym and they decide to start training together with the help of trainer Machio. Over the first few episodes, we get introduced to the rest of the main cast who join Hibiki and Akemi’s group which include Hibiki’s best friend and classmate Uehara Ayaka, Russian exchange student Zina Void and schoolteacher Tachibana Satomi.

In every episode, the group learns an exercise and they show you how to do it properly; they also give a lot of tips on dieting, stretching and other health tips.

I love that they describe how to do the exercises in detail and that before you

use heavier weights you should use lighter weights to work on form and muscle endurance. I’ve been looking forward to trying it out for myself.

This is the first time I have watched an Anime and read a Manga, that you can actually use in real life. There are some drawbacks to this info, though, when watching the Anime, you sometimes have to pause to be able to read all the descriptions but it’s worth it.

Another thing that gets frustrating is the calorie count for food items and the characters’ weights are done using the metric system, which can be difficult for us Americans. After each episode, they have an exercise you can do with them right in the comfort of your living room. It’s a nice Slice of Life show with a lot of comedy and unlike the Manga, it has less fan-service, but there is still some in the anime some of which will leave you scratching your heads.

The anime series is slated to go 12 episodes but with its popularity and the Manga is now working on its eighth volume; we might get another season. I do have to talk about the opening song, I think I’ve mentioned it before but something about Anime openings is inspiring and this one is no different. It makes you want to go to the gym and do a couple of reps.

“Danberu Nan-Kiro Moteru?” Can be watched on Funimation in both English (Dub) and Japanese (Sub) with a subscription (though I believe at least the first episode can be watched for free). New episodes are released every Wednesday and I highly recommend it.

Monday, August 19, 2019

WesternCourier.com

E4 EDGE

Monday, August 19, 2019

WesternCourier.com

“Midsommar” leaves viewers bewildered As summer comes, so does the summer blockbuster. After Jaws’ massive success in 1975, studios have clamored to produce big, expensive movies that draw in massive crowds during the summer.

Yet, smaller studios are nothing to be slept on during the wave of Marvel superhero movies hitting the theatres.

Independent entertainment company, A24, released my favorite film of the summer, Midsommar, in June with a semi-limited release to leave their mark on the summer.

Directed by Ari Aster in his second feature film, Midsommar has not left my mind since watching it. Aster ’s trip to the big screen came in the form of Hereditary, which left viewers disturbed for days upon viewing the gutwrenching masterpiece. Midsommar is no different.

Aster has a knack for getting under the audience’s skin and putting the viewer in uncomfortable and grief-ridden scenarios. Hereditary followed a mother and her family who lost a mother and daughter and Midsommar follows a college student who lost her sister and both parents. That’s about where the similarities end with Aster ’s first two feature films.

Midsommar follows the main character, Dani, a college student through her emotional journey over the summer. From the very beginning of the movie, we see that Dani and her boyfriend, Christian, have been having relationship problems. Christian and his friends Josh, Mark, Simon and Pelle are

sitting in a bar where we find out that Christian had been considering breaking up with Dani. The same night, Dani gets the call everyone dreads when she learns that her sister murdered her parents and committed suicide.

A year later, Christian and Dani are still together and Dani finds out that Christian and his friends have been invited by Pelle to Sweden to visit his commune and attend a midsummer celebration. An upset Dani confronted Christian before the trip and ends up attending the trip with the guys.

At the commune, the group gets picked off one by one as the midsummer celebration goes on. That description may sound like this movie ends up becoming a slasher movie, but it is anything but.

Midsommar is one of the most unsettling and strange movies I’ve seen in a decade.

Every second I spent watching left me feeling off balance and uncomfortable. The last film that made me feel that way was either Stanley Kubrick’s, A Clockwork Orange or the 2018 remake of Suspira that was directed by Luca Guadagnino.

Acting is probably the strongest facet of Midsommar.

Florence Pugh, who portrays Dani, is an absolute powerhouse and almost blows any other actor who is in a scene with her off the screen. Pugh has had a nice coming out party over the last few months with Midsommar and Fighting With my Family and I can't wait to see what she does next.

I think one of the things that

kept me so off balance was Aster ’s decision to have this film take place almost entirely during the daytime. Aster harkens back to the Wicker Man when talking about his inspiration for the decision. As an avid horror fan, one thing that has started to bug me with the genre is its reliance on the dark in order to add an extra layer of fear for the viewer.

Midsommar is a breath of fresh air with its use of vivid color and light while still being extremely disturbing and unsettling.

The colors in this movie are one of the things that keep me thinking about it. From the green of the grass to the pinks and blues of the flowers that are plastered around every inch of the commune in Sweden, every shot is comprised of colors that keep the viewer enthralled with the composition of the scene.

In an interview with Editorin-Chief of The Ringer, Sean Fennessy, Aster said that he describes this movie as a break up movie. I guess he’s technically correct, but Midsommar is as much of a breakup movie as Die Hard is a Christmas movie.

Midsommar has received generally positive reviews from critics but has been much more divided among fans. This comes as no surprise since it tackles such hard-hitting subjects and is a slow burn horror that many fans aren’t accustomed to in this era of horror films. Personally, slow burn horror films are either a hit or miss. For example, I loved Hereditary and Midsommar but hated the 2015 hit, The Witch.

Midsommar is out of theatres right now, so all I can do is impatiently wait for it to come out digitally or on DVD, but I highly recommend watching the movie if you can stomach it.

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OPINIONS 5

Monday, August 19, 2019

@WesternCourier

The issue with blackface

The issue of blackface for the past several months has really been up for serious debate in our society.

It truly started a conversation when former NBC host Megyn Kelly seemed surprised that people were upset that a woman had darkened her skin to dress up as Diana Ross for Halloween, drawing major backlash. Kelly apologized and acknowledged the ignorance of her commentsonly to have her daytime TV show cancelled. Then there was Virginia Governor Ralph Northam whose college yearbook revealed him to either be dressed in blackface or in a Ku Klux Klan attire; Northam would later apologize only to then deny he was even in the picture claiming that it was

put on his section by mistake, but then admitted to darkening his face with shoe polish in the 1980s when he dressed up as Michael Jackson for a party. Now why am I writing this article? Because this issue hits close to home for me; my very own high school has been in the headlines all week because a couple of white students decided to wear, you guessed it “blackface.”

Over the weekend these boys darkened their skin and began posting themselves screaming on social media, and to make matters even worse, tthey approached a McDonald’s drivethru where the employees, some who were also AfricanAmerican, seemed visibly upset as the boys can be heard in the background laughing and

making crass comments towards black females. Immediately the next day this incident spread when HomewoodFlossmoor students, parents and alumni started expressing immediate condemnation.

The pictures and videos were all on social media for the entire world to see and I, for one, was just disappointed at the ignorance and lack of common sense.

Homewood-Flossmoor High School is comprised of a nearly 70 percent black student population, the fact that these boys would do something like this in such a community like Homewood-Flossmoor was just unbelievably stupid.

Of course students and parents were upset and immediate disciplinary action was called for the boys. Throughout the week, local news to national news, like CBS and the Daily Mail have been covering what's been happening at Homewood-Flossmoor.

People are heartbroken, angry

and honestly stunned that this has taken place.

On Tuesday, over 1,000 students at Homewood-Flossmoor began a walk-out in protest to what had taken place and demanded immediate action towards the boys. The administration, which consists of both a black principal and superintendent, supported the students' request to walk out and protest, and while that's good, many people in the community still believe it's not enough. “If we continue to give passes for things like this, for certain kids and not others, then it’s allowing them to just keep doing what they’re doing,” said Tyfeni Gerring, the mother of a Homewood-Flossmoor senior.

According to the administration, the boys in the video have not returned to school at all this week and were immediately called to a meeting with their parents on Sunday to address the incident. Since the boys are minors their iden-

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tities cannot be revealed, but classmates have said that the boys made apologies for their actions on their social media accounts and one has claimed not to know what black face was, but many believe it’s not enough.

I attended Homewood-Flossmoor for four years where I met some really good people from diverse backgrounds and shared some very good memories at the school. The issue of race is always difficult to discuss, especially when it comes to African-Americans and the history that it entails; people have questions and there are people who want to grow and prosper and not be ignorant, but when actions like this are displayed for the entire community to see, it derails that.

Blackface is not okay, it never has been okay; not then and especially not now. Certain actions and words hold a lot of weight to certain groups of people, it's not funny and it’s not acceptable.

Contact Allison Young

AN-Young@wiu.edu Editorial Policy

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.

Letters & Local Forum Policies

E-mail letters to the Editor and Local Forum messages to micour@wiu.edu.

Letters should not be more than 350 words in length. The author’s name and phone number must be included for verification purposes. Failure to include such information will lead to the letter being discarded. The WC staff will edit letters in cases of timeliness, obscenity length and grammer, and we do not guarantee publication of all letters.

2019 Fall Semester Editorial Board

Edge Editor - Marc Ramirez Editor-in-Chief - Devon Greene Opinions Editor - Allison Young

6

Monday, August 19, 2019

SPORTS

WesternCourier.com

Volleyball looks to move on and improve this fall season

By David Koier courier staff

The Western Illinois volleyball team was more than anxious to play an exhibition game this past Saturday.

The exhibition meant that fall is around the corner and a brand new season is underway. The Leathernecks finished a tough 3-26 last season, going 2-24 in conference play under the direction of new head coach Ben Staupe.

While the record may have not fully shown last year ’s team potential, the talent was there. However, the passing of another semester means that some talented seniors have graduated, leaving leadership positions to fill.

One such player is the charismatic Shiah Sanders who, for the past four years has brought an energy and attack that sparked the Leatherneck offense. Sanders’ 2018 campaign saw the senior score 193 points while also recording 162 kills, placing her fourth on the team in both of those statistical categories. While it may be easier to find someone able to produce those numbers, it may be tough to find someone who can spark this volleyball team season

the way Sanders could.

Another senior who will be missed this Leatherneck volleyball season is former outside hitter Melanie Patenaude. The Aurora, Colo. native led the team in many offensive categories including points (266.5), points per set (2.54), kills (229) and kills per set (2.18) while her specialty serving earned her 22 service aces.

While the losses of Sanders and Patenaude may hurt the Leatherneck offense, there are returning players who are still able to provide part of that offensive spark that Leatherneck volleyball fans have become accustomed to.

The best friend attacker duo of Mackenzie Steckler and Emma Norris are shaping up to be the offensive leaders of this squad. Norris, a junior, has started every year of her Leatherneck career. In her 53 career matches at Western, Norris has recorded 368 kills and 29 service aces, accumulating 2.11 kills per set.

A strong attacker, Norris is very helpful when it comes to defense, recording 342 digs in her time at Western.

Steckler complements Norris very well on both offense and defense. The red-

shirt junior has made a name for herself in her time in The Summit League. In 2017 she earned an honorable mention spot on the All-League Team and in 2018 she was named a Summit League Player to Watch prior to the season.

In her three seasons as a Leatherneck, Steckler has produced 394 kills, good enough for 1.87 kills per set, and 27 service aces. The six-foot frontliner is also the anchor for the Western defense.

Steckler has accumulated 205 total blocks and 88 digs in her career, 89 of those blocks coming in the 2018 campaign.

While the pieces are there, the Leathernecks weren’t able to prevail on Saturday as they fell to the Northern Illinois University Huskies four sets to one. While the exhibition may not have had the outcome the team wanted, it allows the team to figure out what they need to work on as the new season approaches.

The team’s first match of the season takes place on Aug. 30th when the team faces Mississippi Valley State in the StarkVegas Classic. The team makes its first home appearance on September 10th in a non conference matchup against Drake.

GOLEATHERNECKS.COM

Mackenzie Steckler goes up to spike the ball.

Emma Norris prepares to serve the ball.

JOSH PURNELL / PHOTO STAFF

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Timbercrest Apartments 1587 Riverview Drive Now showing 1 & 2 Bedroom Units. Very clean, close to WIU campus with bus stop in front of building. Washer/dryer available in most units, all other appliances included, FREE INTERNET, ceiling fans in every room, pet friendly. All units have off street parking and private decks overlooking campus. Both 10- and 12-month leases are available. Openings for Summer 2017 and school year 2017/2018. Deposit required. Phone (309)833-3192 and leave message.

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.

The nicer apartments are going fast, excellent service- 24 hour emergency maintenance. Reasonable prices. Studio, 1-3 bedrooms, locations on/off campus available ‘18-’19 school year. Check us out at rentcollegepads.com. If interested, please call F & H Rentals 309/837-1705.

RATES $5.50 per issue (open rate) $4.00 per issue (campus rate)

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.

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.

Spacious 3 Bedroom Upper in Duplex close to campus and Jackson St. All utilities furnished and appliances Includes cable and internet 18/19 school year $375.00 per Br Ph 309 255 8086 Please leave message Still have some nice large locations available at reasonable prices. Excellent service- 24 hour emergency maintenance. 1-8 bedrooms, locations on/off campus available ‘18-’19 school year. Pets at some locations. Check us out at rentcollegepads.com. If interested, please call F & H Rentals 309/837-1705.

Sports 7

Monday, August 19, 2019

@WesternCourier

Preseason College Football Playoff predictions Christopher bean assistant sports editor @cre_bean

We’re less than two weeks away from college football and I couldn’t be more excited, but until the season starts, all we can do is anticipate what is to come in 2019-20.

With that being said, I will tell you who I think will make the College Football Playoff.

The first two teams are obvious and need no introduction in the college football world.

Alabama Crimson Tide and the defending National Champions Clemson Tigers will both be back in the playoff. Bama has made the playoff every year since it started in 2014. Clemson has made it four years in-a-row, and in that span, both teams have faced each other every year

in the playoff. Both teams have two wins apiece in the rivalry and two National Championships since 2015.

Three of those games were decided in the National Championship game and the other was in the 2018 semifinals. Last January, Clemson got the better of Alabama, beating them 44-16 in the 2019 National Championship.

Clemson was the first team in the modern era to go 15-0 in a single season.

Alabama brings back Heisman candidate and hopeful quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. Tagovailoa is entering his junior year and will be starting for the second straight season. He made

his first appearance in the second half of the 2018 CFP Final when they were down 13-0 to begin the half. The Tagovailoa lead offense tied it at 20 in regulation to force OT. The Bulldogs made a field goal to make it 23-20, but Tagovailoa walked it off with a 41-yard touchdown pass.

Tagovailoa looks to have an even better year in 2019 to get Bama over the hump.

Trevor Lawrence enters his second year at Clemson and will look to do the exact same thing they did last year: win the National Championship.

Lawrence hasn’t lost a game in college and there’s no reason to think he can’t keep that streak. Yes, Clemson lost a lot on defense, but they will do the exact same thing they’ve done the last four years: reload.

The third team that I think will make the 2019 CFP are the Georgia Bulldogs. QB

Jake Fromm is also entering his junior year and is 23-5 as the Bulldog’s starter.

He led them to the National Championship game his freshman year. Like I said earlier, Bama came back to beat them 26-23 in OT. A year later, Bama came back to beat them again in the SEC Championship game that cost Georgia a second straight trip to the playoff. They ended the year 11-3. Georgia will have to replace three wide receivers and a tight end on offense that all went to the draft last year. However, they bring back arguably the best running back in the nation, D’Andre Swift. Fromm and Swift will have to carry the load this year, but they are more than capable.

My fourth team is the Oregon Ducks. The Ducks come into the season as the 13th best team in the nation and a bit of a sleeper team. Washington

is the only PAC 12 team that is ranked better than them as the 12th best team. It’s not surprising that a PAC-12 team The Ducks bring back QB Justin Herbert, who was expected to go in the first round of last year ’s draft.

He came back for his senior season with unfinished business after going 9-4 last year.

The Ducks bring in the No. 1 recruit in 2019, defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux. It won’t be easy for the Ducks as they play Stanford, Washington, USC and ASU all on the road, but I think being battle tested will be a good thing for them.

College football is right around the corner and I can’t wait. With only a four-team playoff, every week matters and one or two losses could cost you a chance to make it. What two teams will join Alabama and Clemson this year? We’ll find out very soon.

100th NFL season is right around the corner Football is back. Two weeks of the preseason are in the books after tonight, and it’s time for both the simple fans and the fanatical fans to dust off their gameday seats and throw on their team apparel.

With this season marking the 100th season of the NFL, the league decided that the most storied rivalry in the game will kickoff the regular season on Sept. 5: Bears vs.

Packers. Whether you love either of the teams or hate them, you have to admit that the NFL couldn’t have picked a better game to start the season. I mean, just look back to the first game between these two teams last year. Khalil Mack had one of the most dominating defensive games the league saw last season in just one half of play! The game came down to the wire after Aaron Rodgers threw for three touchdowns in the last quarter of the game alone. If the game on Sept. 5 is anything like last season’s opener, then we should be in

for a treat.

However, there are still a lot of question marks around the league for who will be filling in the missing pieces. Who will get the start up in the Meadowlands for the Giants?

Will the Bears find someone who can finally kick? And will the Steelers be able to replace Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown and the firepower they brought?

The Giants have one of the top running backs in the league, as Saquan Barkley is going to be a force in the NFL for the next couple of years. The problem is that no one knows who’s going to be lined up under center to feed Barkley the ball. The Giants went out and drafted Daniel Jones out of Duke, with the 6th overall pick. This caused a controversy with their fan base as the fans wanted to draft Dwayne Haskins out of Ohio State instead.

Obviously, the franchise sees a lot of potential in Jones if they went ahead and draft-

ESPN.COM

Khalil Mack lining up before the snap.

ed him instead of Haskins, but the Giants also want to win now.

Jones is going to be a project for this upcoming season and will probably make a lot of mistakes, whereas Haskins was one of, if not the only, quarterback in this year ’s draft that was NFL ready.

To make matters even more complex, the Giants still have Eli Manning on the roster who, for better or worse, has been at the helm of their offense since 2005. It will be interesting to see who will get the start between Jones and Manning as the season goes on. Manning will probably start early on, but as the season progresses, look for Jones to start taking over.

The double-doink. The sound that will haunt every Bears fan for the next couple seasons. The ending of their postseason run was one of the most heartbreaking things to watch. Though, the team didn’t wait long to start trying to find someone to take over the kicking after cutting Parkey back in March. There were rumblings from San Francisco that Robbie Gould wanted to return to Chicago, and Bears

USATODAY.COM

Daniel Jones steping back in the pocket.

fans were pumped. The team was going to bring back the best kicker in franchise history and there wouldn’t be any double-doinking under his watch. It wasn’t meant to be, though, as the 49ers placed their franchise tag on Gould. Now down to just two kickers, the Bears are trying to figure it out. Elliott Fry and Eddy Pineiro are battling it out for the starting job. Neither has impressed too much in the preseason so far, making it harder to figure it out.

The Pittsburgh Steelers finally got rid of two players who caused the franchise some big headaches.

Bell and Brown have moved on from the Steelers to join the Jets and Raiders, respectively. Bell made headlines last year for sitting out the entire season due to him not feeling he was being paid what he deserved. Brown caused drama in the locker room, complained about the team and requested a trade.

The Steelers obliged and sent him out to Oakland, one the furthest destinations from Pittsburgh as possible. The problem that the Steelers now have to face is making

NEWYORKDAILY.COM

Le'Veon Bell going through drills at camp.

sure they can still be as dominant on offense as they have been the last couple of seasons. Luckily, James Connor was able to step right into the shoes that Bell left untouched last season and had a phenomenal year. It looked as if they didn’t need Bell and for Steelers fans sake, let’s hope so. The major issue is finding the replacement for Brown.

As big of a headache as he was last season, Brown was still one of the top receivers in the league and made big plays whenever he touched the ball. While the team still has JuJu Smith-Schuster, will he be enough to fill in for Brown? Smith-Schuster is definitely a top wide receiver and will be for a while, but Brown was so talented that it makes me question if SmithSchuster will be able to fill in for him. Only time will tell.

I’ve missed football. I’ve missed waking up on gameday and settling myself in for games. With only two more weeks left until the season officially starts, I can’t wait to see which players will remain dominant and which ones will fall off.

Sept. 5 will start answering that question.

PITTSBURGHPOSTGAZETTE.COM

JuJu Smith-Schuster running down field.

Men's soccer prepares for exhibition matches

By Michael Harms courier staff

Western Illinois University Men’s soccer team prepares for their first exhibition match this Wednesday. They have two exhibition matches this season against Quincy University and this matchup, against the University of Illinois-Springfield.

They are coming off of a 4-103 season, looking for improvement as they finished second to last in conference play, going 1-3-1. With 11 new players last season, it was a rebuild for director of soccer operations Eric Johnson, but not without upside. The team seemed to improve as the year went on and can hopefully muster up more wins this year.

The team may have said goodbye to seven graduating players and six more that are no longer with Western, but Coach Johnson did not miss a beat bringing in 15 new players. In fact, the newcomers outnumber the returning players by two. Of the new group, five are international players including Daisuke Otsuka from Matsudo, Japan. Otsuka previously played for Tyler Junior College, tallying eight goals and starting two.

Of the group, the biggest

standout may be Kyle Owen from Oklahoma City. The defenseman comes in with a ton of high school accolades including 2017 and 2018 All Conference and All District 1st team selection, and 2018 All-State Honorable Mention.

The six-foot defenseman is looking to help replace graduating senior Jamison Kozar who helped lead the Leathernecks' backline.

With such a large number of newcomers, the leadership on the field needs to be strong.

The most likely candidate to lead this newly filled team is junior Paul Kirdorf. The midfielder from Germany earned his way onto the second team All-Summit last year, the only Leatherneck to earn an AllSummit selection for his play on the field.

The schedule makes for interesting pre-season matchups with Milwaukee University, Drake University and Green Bay, all teams Western played a year before, but adds some excitement playing Northwestern University on September 12. However, no one will be harder than their Summit League opponent Denver University who currently ranks No. 11 in the entire country. They will be the team to beat in confer-

ence and the Leathernecks’ toughest opponent.

This is a team with very little playing time together and will need to find chemistry quickly to rack up wins. In the front to help put goals on the board is returning forward Xavier Brown. Last year ,Brown excited fans with his explosive speed and large personality. He has tremendous talent on the pitch and will look to improve this year.

In goal once again will be Tim Trilk. The senior from Rockford, Ill. has been a Leatherneck since his freshman year and started for two years, his highlight year being his sophomore with two Summit League Defensive Player of the Week awards and 51 saves. He did not pick up any awards this year, but managed to improve to 53 saves and three shutouts. His leadership will be an important factor in getting his defensive line up to speed in the early part of the season.

With a few strong returning pieces and an abundance of talent, Coach Johnson should have no problem getting the best from his players. The first look of the team will be this Wednesday for an exhibition match with the regular season right around the corner.

GOLEATHERNECKS.COM

Paul Kirdorf dribbles past a defender.

GOLEATHERNECKS.COM

GOLEATHERNECKS.COM

Tim Trilk takes a goal kick.

GOLEATHERNECKS.COM

Xavier Brown celebrates after scoring a goal.

Jamison Kozar goes in for a tackle.

the road for two games against the Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis Jaguars and the University of Missouri – Kansas City Kangaroos. They’ll return home for two games against the University of Illinois – Chicago Flames and the Northern Illinois University Huskies.

The following week, the Leathernecks go back on the road for two of their toughest opponents: the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee Panthers and the Illinois State University Redbirds.

Last season Western fell to UWM 3-1 at home and 4-1 to ISU on the road.

After that tough trip they will open up a five-game home stand when the Drake University Bulldogs come to town. Then they take on two opponents that they beat last year in NIU and CSU. Those should be wins this season, but only time will tell.

From there on out, it will be all Summit League play. They play the University of Nebraska Omaha Mavericks who they lost to last year 2-1 on the road in their final game of the season. Western will close out their home stand against the University of Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons.

The Leathernecks will take on the Denver University Pioneers and the North Dakota University Fighting Hawks. Last season Western was shutout by both

teams; 3-0 by DU and 5-0 by NDU. It will be an uphill climb to try and hang with these teams.

Western will go back on the road against South Dakota State University and North Dakota State University and then return home one week later to play their final home game where they take on the Oral Roberts University Golden Eagles. Their final regular season game of the year will be on the road at South Dakota University.

With more home games than away, it’s safe to say that this season’s schedule favors the Leathernecks. Last season the team lost four seniors; Lily Butler, Madeline Edwards, Ashley Kuhlmann and Emma Keckeisen.

Butler and Kuhlmann were regular starters in defense and midfield, respectively. To make up for it, director of soccer Eric Johnson recruited five new freshmen, two of them being goalkeepers.

The team will look very similar to last year’s, which means they have chemistry. That’s not all they have, though. Each player has the individual skill to make things happen in the game and they’ve looked promising so far. We’ll just have to wait and see how the season goes.

The Leathernecks will kick off their season at home this Friday, August 23 against MSU. The game starts at 5 p.m.

Women's soccer begins season with high hopes

By Bradley Piros sports editor

Ines Palmiero Herrera punts the ball upfield.

Natalie Nagle runs back into the play.

GOLEATHERNECKS.COM

GOLEATHERNECKS.COM

The Western Illinois University women’s soccer team kicked off their fall slate with two preseason shutout wins last week.

On Wednesday, they took on the Southeastern Community College Blackhawks and defeated them 5-0. Last Friday, the Quincy University Hawks came to Macomb where they were held scoreless in a 2-0 win for the Leathernecks.

Western will play 18 games this season with high hopes that they can make an appearance in the Summit League Tournament.

They'll play 10 of those games at John Mackenzie Field here in Macomb with a five-game homestead entering October.

The Leathernecks will be looking to improve upon their 3-141 record from last season with wins coming against Northern Illinois University (1-0), Chicago State University (5-3) and the University of Northern Iowa (1-0).

Western’s season opener will be this Friday against the Missouri State University Bears. The two met in last year’s season opener where the Purple and Gold fell 1-0 on the road. This time around, the Leathernecks host the Bears and plan on flipping the script from one year ago.

After that, the team will go on