The Torch // Volume 54 // Edition 5

If You Live In Cougar Country ◆ Learn your neighborhood. Be aware of any wildlife corridors or places where deer or elk concentrate.

◆ Install motion-activated light outdoors along walkways and driveways.

◆ Keep pets indoors at dawn and dusk. Shelter them for the night.

◆ Do not feed any wildlife. By attracting other wildlife, you may attract a cougar.

◆ Remove heavy brush from near the house and play areas.

◆ Deer-proof your garden and yard with nets, lights, fencing.

Recreation In Cougar Country ◆ Be aware of your surroundings at all times. ◆ Hike in groups. Make noise to alert wildlife of your presence. ◆ Keep children close to you. Teach them about wildlife. ◆ Store food in animal-proof containers.

◆ Do not approach any wildlife; stay at least 100 yards away. ◆ Steer clear of baby wildlife. Mother is likely nearby. ◆ Be especially alert at dawn and dusk when cougars are most active.

If You Encounter a Wild Cougar

- NOV 28, 2018 - VOLUME 54, EDITION 5 - EUGENE, OR ◆ Maintain direct eye contact.

◆ Stay calm and stand your ground. ◆ Pick up children, but do so without bending down or turning your back on the cougar.

◆ Do not run. Running triggers a chase response in cougars, which could lead to an attack.

◆ Raise your voice and speak firmly. ◆ If the cougar seems aggressive, raise your

arms to make yourself look larger and clap your hands.

◆ If in the very unusual event that a cougar attacks you, fight back with rocks, sticks, bear or pepper spray, tools or any items available.

*Information courtesy of Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife*

Features / pg 3

Event News / pg 5

Sports / pg 6-8

New season, who this?

Men's basketball opens play by dominating competition

photo illustration by Jason Petorak + Anna CK Smith / photojounalist + production manager

Tashon Brown sneaks under Tre Clark to score in the final minutes of the second half during the Titans vs. alumni game on Nov. 24. The win brought their record to 3-0, putting them in a tie for third place in the Northwest Athletic Conference.

continued on page 7

2

stories that matter

theTorch // www.lcctorch.com Wednesday, November 28, 2018

EDITORIAL

TORCH the

THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF LANE COMMUNITY COLLEGE THE STAFF Editor-in-Chief Marek Belka

Production Manager/Art Director Anna CK Smith

News Director Sabrina Piccolo

Reporters Dylan Bennett James Croxton David Galbreath Sanjuanita Maria Baum Trayse Riggle Sioux Sternath Gehrig Van Tol positions open

Illustrators Lucien Guidotti-Lawrence Quentin J. Piccolo Prenapa Techakumthon

Cartoonist Emmett Crass

Photojournalists Vicente Mather Jason Petorak Selina Scott positions open

Business Director Jason Petorak positions open

Web Designer Ian Kersey

News Advisor Charlie Deitz

Printer Oregon Web Press Albany, Oregon

LETTERS AND GUEST COLUMNS • Letters to the editor should be limited to 300 words.

• Guest columns should be limited to 700 words.

• Please include the author’s name, phone number and address (for verification purposes only).

• The Torch reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for length, grammar, spelling, libel, invasion of privacy and appropriate language.

• The Torch cannot guarantee publication of letters or guest columns, and may not be able to reply to all submissions.

POLICY

• The Torch is editorially independent and

reserves the right to publish at its discretion.

All web and print content is the property of the Torch and cannot be republished without editorial permission.

• Up to two copies per issue, per person of the Torch are free; each additional copy is $2.

CONTACT theTorch Lane Community Collegte 4000 E. 30th Ave. Eugene OR 97405 (541)463-5655 @lcctorch

@thetorchnews

Emails: editor@lcctorch.com letters@lcctorch.com advertising@lcctorch.copm tips@lcctorch.com

Who cares about the homeless?

Marek Belka Editor-in-Chief In my brief time as a member of The Torch, I’ve had the privilege of covering the rapid upswell of political involvement in and around Eugene. One of my first assignments as a reporter was covering the second Women’s March back in January, when thousands took to the streets of Eugene, and cities around the world, to protest the policies of the Trump administration.

Two months later, I watched as local teenagers stood on the steps of the federal courthouse in frigid rain and demanded gun reform in the wake of the Parkland shooting. For a kid born and raised in rural South Carolina – where most people’s idea of “political unrest” is shouting at the nightly news broadcast – seeing so many people gather together to defend basic human rights for themselves and others was deeply moving and inspiring for a rookie reporter.

This spirit of activism runs deep in Eugene’s culture. A former neighbor of mine, a Veneta-born college professor now well into his 80s, rarely missed an opportunity to regale me with tales from his time as a radical activist. His obviously-embellished stories about hunger strikes and falling in love with FBI informants nonetheless romanticized Eugene’s place in the history of Oregon activism–a small, tight-knit community anchored by a staunch belief in progressive values and respect for humans and the environment alike.

But despite long-time Eugeneans’ rose-colored opinion of themselves, the city has failed to live up to its own progressive beliefs–especially when it comes to the homeless.

The city government’s disdain for the unhoused is old news. The recently-enacted downtown smoking ban is the latest city council ordinance designed to target the homeless population, following on the heels of last year’s wildly unpopular and quietly-repealed dog ban. While the smoking ban was marketed as a solution to a public health issue, the enforcement of the new non-smoking rules in the downtown core has been selective, at best. In the three months since the ban took effect, not once have I, or any of my smoker friends, been so much as spoken to by any authorities for smoking or vaping downtown, even while strolling past uniformed Eugene police officers giving a ticket to a group of buskers for smoking and possessing an unlicensed dog on Broadway.

While the City of Eugene’s unstated policy toward the unhoused is disappointing, it’s not surprising. After all, they have order to uphold and an economy to diversify; the city must find it difficult to attract new businesses and investors to a city with a “homelessness crisis,” as a 2017 editorial in the Register-Guard called it. While Eugene and Lane County have taken tiny steps to address the so-called crisis – Lane County formed a Poverty and Homelessness Board in 2017, and the city has worked with White Bird Clinic to provide some emergency medical assistance to those without regular access to healthcare – little has been done to address the root causes of homelessness.

But, to the city’s credit, they recently approved plans to open a temporary winter shelter at the gravel pit that once held City Hall, which would have provided a day shelter with running water and restrooms as well as a covered and secure dusk-to-dawn campsite. It would have been the second such facility in the area: Lane County also runs a “semi-permanent” homeless shelter on Highway 99. While the proposed downtown site would have only been active during the winter months and did not include any long-term proposals to find permanent shelter for Eugene’s homeless population, it signaled that the city was at least trying to treat the unhoused with a modicum of compassion. It’s not like they were using the City Hall lot anyway.

Then the business owners protested.

Faced with pressure from a group of downtown businesses and Chamber of Commerce, the city reneged on the downtown shelter plans, instead announcing a vague partnership with the county to expand the Highway 99 site or another location elsewhere.

Days after the plans were cancelled, the Eugene Weekly published a copy of a joint letter from the concerned businesses, thanking them for reconsidering and revealing the 27 signatories.

Many of the companies represented in the letter are fairly new to the city, including a Portland-based marijuana dispensary and several startup tech companies–not exactly the deep-rooted community members they portray themselves as in the letter.

The City of Eugene and the people and businesses that live and operate here can’t have it both ways.

They can’t take to the streets twice yearly in defense of democratic values, social justice and other progressive values while simultaneously thumbing their nose at members of their own city who are forced to sleep on the sidewalk. They can’t work for a revitalized, vibrant and diverse downtown area for denizens of Eugene while ignoring the root causes of homelessness – like a shortage of affordable housing and the myriad barriers to receiving affordable healthcare – root causes that at least a few of these businesses may have indirectly influenced. illustration by Lucien Guidotti-Lawrence / illustrator

stories that matter

Wednesday, November 28, 2018 theTorch // www.lcctorch.com

3

FEATURES

LIVING WITH WILDLIFE If You Live In Cougar Country ◆ Learn your neighborhood. Be aware of any wildlife corridors or places where deer or elk concentrate.

◆ Install motion-activated light outdoors along walkways and driveways.

◆ Remove heavy brush from near the house and play areas.

◆ Deer-proof your garden and yard with nets, lights, fencing.

If You Encounter a Wild Cougar

◆ Keep pets indoors at dawn and dusk. Shelter them for the night.

◆ Do not feed any wildlife. By attracting other wildlife, you may attract a cougar.

◆ Maintain direct eye contact. ◆ Stay calm and stand your ground. ◆ Pick up children, but do so without bending down or turning your back on the cougar.

◆ Do not run. Running triggers a chase response in cougars, which could lead to an attack. ◆ Raise your voice and speak firmly. ◆ If the cougar seems aggressive, raise your

Recreation In Cougar Country ◆ Be aware of your surroundings at all times. ◆ Hike in groups. Make noise to alert wildlife of your presence. ◆ Keep children close to you. Teach them about wildlife. ◆ Store food in animal-proof containers.

◆ Do not approach any wildlife; stay at least 100 yards away. ◆ Steer clear of baby wildlife. Mother is likely nearby. ◆ Be especially alert at dawn and dusk when cougars are most active.

arms to make yourself look larger and clap your hands. ◆ If in the very unusual event that a cougar attacks you, fight back with rocks, sticks, bear or pepper spray, tools or any items available.

*Information courtesy of Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife*

illustration by Prenapa Techakumthon / illustrator

A Spectrum of identity and cuisine New owners rehaul old Wayward Lamb space Sioux Sternath Reporter Spectrum is more than just a gay bar, new owner Helen Shepard says. “We are a Queer establishment by the Queer community for the Queer community.” It’s about gender identity, they encourage self expression; they plan on holding a lip-sync battle every Wednesday night.

Spectrum has worked vigorously since the closing of the Wayward Lamb last winter to take over the same space downtown

at 150 W. Broadway.

Shepard said they had to completely rebuild the kitchen, adding months to the opening along with endless visits by a half dozen inspectors. It wasn’t until the last week of November that they began to see the reality of this new business come alive with their official opening taking place Nov. 23.

The Spectrum, open at 11 a.m. for coffee, espresso and breakfast, as well as lunch and dinner, offers a relatively affordable menu along with creative drinks. They welcome people of all ages until 9 p.m., after which point they won’t serve minors. Their dinner fare includes foodie-bait like Spinach Roasted Pear Gorgonzola Dulce Salad, Spectrum Burgers, Sweet Potato Pork Belly Sandwich and Boudin Balls for appetizers.

Opening weekend proved to be a great success, with a variety of opening acts performed by Pansy Production’s “Mis-Fit Toys Gender F*** Cabaret,” on Saturday night.

Jesse Pender, who came down from Portland to help with the performance, said he has been working with producer J. Alanna Giardinelli for over three years. Pender explained how Giardinelli has a way of creating a community of people no matter what they do, encouraging performers to be empowered with the exploration of range in gender expression. He says it’s giving people the space and much needed creative freedom, it’s open ended, “soul-feeding.”

One of the cabaret skits was performed by Max Little and Tommy ChaseMe. This adorable duo performed a skit as two construction workers expressing the need for dismantling. They too came to work with Giardinelli, saying it allowed them to be the directors of their own films and lives. In their everyday lives these two are dedicated educators and members of critical resistance efforts to abolish the industrial prison system.

As stated on their website, “Spectrum is a venue as diverse as our LGBTQIA+ community, offering accessible space for working, eating, celebrating, enjoying art and being part of a revolution. We are committed to proving a progressive safe space, accessible to a spectrum of Eugene’s needs.”

"We are a Queer establishment by the Queer community for the Queer community."

Helen Shepard, Spectrum Owner

illustration by Prenapa Techakumthon / illustrator

4

stories that matter

theTorch // www.lcctorch.com Wednesday, November 28, 2018

NEWS Titans treat thousands to turkey LCC culinary students donate food, labor for annual Thanksgiving dinner The Whiteaker Thanksgiving Dinner takes places each year on Thanksgiving Day to provide free meals to individuals who can’t afford them, who don’t have family or friends to celebrate with or who simply want to spend time with other members of the community. On Nov. 22, the Whiteaker Community Head Start Center held its 30th annual free Thanksgiving dinner from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The event was open to the community, providing food as well as free blankets, toiletries and clothing to thousands of individuals. Each year, the Whiteaker Thanksgiving Dinner involves the collaboration of volunteers and regional organizations to provide for the event’s attendees.

Lane Community College’s Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management program was at the heart of preparing, cooking and setting up the food for the event, a job that began weeks before Thanksgiving Day. On Nov. 16, the culinary and hospitality students loaded up equipment and food into carts that would later be sent to the Head Start building in the Whiteaker neighborhood . The Renaissance Room, the culinary program’s student-run restaurant, was closed off and packed with a maze of carts filled with cooking and prepping equipment.

Second-year student Brandi Lang, in-between checking to see if all equipment was in the right place, explained that 72 turkeys were thawed and broken down over three days.

Clive Wanstall, chef instructor for the Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management program since 1998, kept the group organized while cracking jokes in-between directing students. His positive aura added a lighthearted touch to the atmosphere.

Students would occasionally take advantage of downtime to rest, but, most of the time, they stocked carts and double-checked if they had forgotten to place items in the carts or miscounted equipment. Meanwhile, other students squeezed between the carts attempting to move from one side of the room to the other.

Culinary student Taylor McDonnell acknowledged the chaos in the room, adding that it was necessary to be able

photo by Selina Scott / photojournalist

to work well under stress and pressure.

Another student, John Ermat, commented on the organization despite the pressure, describing the environment as “controlled chaos.” The efficiency and productivity, he said, were simply due to “teamwork and communication.”

After packing up all the needed equipment, the students were later notified that trucks had arrived to pick up the carts. The students left the Renaissance Room and headed into the rain to load one truck with carts full of equipment and then later another truck with prepared food. The trucks

would then take these carts to the Whiteaker.

The Whiteaker Thanksgiving Dinner provides LCC culinary students with an opportunity to be involved in large-scale cooking, food preparation and organization.

However, students also find themselves driven by their morals.

According to second-year culinary student and firstgeneration college student Alison Meeler, “Even if I wasn’t in culinary, I would want to do this to help those in need.”

photo by Selina Scott / photojournalist

More than 2000 men, women and children attended the 30th annual Whitaker Thanksgiving. Attendees received a warm meal, free clothing, toiletries, pet food and other resources and amenities as part of the large-scale outreach event. Volunteers and participants came from all over the Pacific Northwest helping in many ways from serving food, sorting through recycled material, watching dogs at the pet zone, managing crowds, handing out free clothing and making sure people felt welcome.

stories that matter

Wednesday, November 28, 2018 theTorch // www.lcctorch.com

5

NEWS Winter break event guide Torch Staff

Salmon Bake, Nov. 29 The Native American Student Association at Lane Community College will host its third annual Salmon Bake event at the Longhouse at 5 p.m. on Nov. 29. This will be the college’s final celebratory event for Native American Heritage Month before the closing ceremony the next day. During the event, salmon and other foods native to the the Northwest will be harvested, prepared and cooked according to the traditions of Native American tribes of this area. The salmon will be cooked in the large salmon pit in the Longhouse.

The event will be open to the public, NASA President Eylssa Landrum said. All that NASA asks, she added, is that attendees be open-minded and respectful.

Lori Tapahonso, NASA’s advisor, said that by working with the University of Oregon’s Native American Student Union, NASA hopes to reach out to individuals from all areas of the Eugene/Springfield community and encourage them to attend and participate in events like the Salmon Bake.

The Salmon Bake is merely one event that plays a role in NASA’s larger, overarching goals. To Tapahonso, events like this one are significant because they help represent and shed light on communities that are often overlooked in the United States.

“Native Americans are roughly two percent of the American population,” she said.

“In many ways, because our population is smaller than most minority groups, our voices, issues and even successes are lost in the masses. We become invisible in the larger society.”

Having a month dedicated to Native American history and culture allows members of Native American communities to share their stories, Tapahonso said, but NASA’s work goes beyond November. The organization aims to continue supporting Native American students who feel displaced after having grown up in a tribal community, students who have not grown up in that close-knit environment and now feel that they have grown out-of-touch with their culture and anyone who simply shows an interest in being involved with NASA. The day following the Salmon Bake, Nov. 30, NASA will host a closing ceremony at 12:30 p.m. at the Longhouse. This will top off the events celebrating Native American Heritage Month at LCC and bring a close to November.

Fix-It Fair, Dec. 1 Due to the overwhelming success the City of Eugene experienced last year with their three Fix-It Fair events, they will be holding another on Saturday, Dec. 2 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Lane Events Center. According to Allie Breyer, waste prevention analyst, they were able to repair about 400 items with a 70 percent success rate, therefore eliminating approximately 2,000 pounds of what would have become waste.

Breyer said people bring a large variety of items, from power tools to bicycles, sewing machines, clothing alterations and light fixtures. Some of the most interesting are the pre-1950 electronics like old blenders, mixers and fans and how they can often be fixed.

Part of the agenda behind this fair is to help people realize how easily some of these items can be fixed, saving landfills from unneeded waste and to help connect them with repair businesses in our community that they may not be aware of. There is a one-itemper-person limit. In some cases, participants may assist or be guided in self-repair.

There will be many professionals, hobbyists and volunteers to assist. Some of the professionals expected to be on hand are Ken’s Electronics, Brighter Homes Lighting, Cellular Mekanix, Moonlight Maintenance, Lignicity, Eugene Power Tool Repair, Funhouse Productions, Imagine Alterations & Custom Sewing, Oregon Sewing and possibly Viking Sewing Center.

Shakey Graves, Dec. 7 Texas-based roots singer and multi-instrumentalist Shakey Graves brings his foot-stomping blend of folk, blues and rock to the McDonald Theater on Dec. 7. Born Alejandro Rose-Garcia in Austin, Texas, Shakey Graves first emerged with the self-recorded, released and promoted Roll the Bones in 2011, which became an internet sensation on the back of Rose-Garcia’s unique one-man-band live performances. His 2014 full-band follow-up “And the War Came” earned critical praise and nabbed Rose-Garcia a “Best Emerging Artist” award at the Americana Music Awards, as well as a record deal with Dualtone Records. Shakey Graves is currently on tour with alt-rock two-piece KOLARS in support of his new record “Can’t Wake Up,” released earlier this year.

All Ages Drag Show, Dec. 8 A one-hour, family-friendly drag show will be held at the Davis Restaurant and Bar on Dec. 8. All proceeds during the event will be donated to the nonprofit organization coordinating the event, the Imperial Sovereign Court of the Emerald Empire. The ISCEE is a local organization that raises money for charity and social work, especially in regards to causes that support the LGBTQ community in Eugene.

The Ladies Who Brunch drag show is held on the second Saturday of each month.

The Eugene’s ISCEE is an independent chapter of a now-international organization.

The court system was founded in San Francisco in 1965 by gay bar owners who wanted to take a stand against police harassment. The group held the first public drag ball in the city. In 1974, a small group of individuals formed in Eugene to form an organization similar to the one in San Francisco. The resulted in the ISCEE, which has helped contribute to the hundreds of thousands of dollars raised by the court system.

The ISCEE embraces support from all individuals. “A person’s gender, lifestyle, or mode of dress has no bearing whatsoever on acceptance into our group,” its website states.

The doors of the Davis Restaurant and Bar will open at 11 a.m. for the Ladies Who Brunch event. The drag show begins at 1 p.m. and ends around 2 p.m.

Dale Bates Basketball Tournament, Dec. 7, 8 &9 Lane Community College hosts the 27th annual Dale Bates Classic from Dec. 7-9. The tournament, named in honor of former Titan head basketball coach, athletic director and NWAC Hall of Famer Dale Bates, invites eight teams from around the Pacific Northwest for a weekend jam-packed with basketball action. The tournament will also be the first major test for first-year Lane basketball head coach Joe White, who led the Titans to confident victories over Pacific University and Lane alumni to start the season. Though Lane has won the Classic 11 times, the team is looking to bring the Bates trophy back to Eugene for the first time since 2008.

African Children’s Choir, Dec. 7, 9, 12 & 14 The African Children’s Choir will perform four concerts in the Eugene area, starting Dec. 7 at Westside Christian Church in Eugene, followed by performances in Creswell, Finn Rock and Sweet Home. The choir, which is an extension of the Christian nonprofit “Music for Life,” aims to assist impoverished African families and children orphaned by AIDS by raising awareness and donations at the choir’s performances. In addition to wellknown Christmas and children’s songs, the ACC performs traditional African songs and dances as well as spiritual and gospel music.

Ray Barnett founded the ACC in 1984, inspired by a visit he had made to Africa in 1977 that gave him the urge to share the beauty of the continent. The choir has since performed worldwide, including for the Queen of England.

The choir not only involves impoverished children in music, but also supports the education of these children.

“By being in the choir, the children will get a further education all the way through post secondary,” Janelle Hoekstra, the booking manager for all the performances of the choir, said.

17 children will be performing on Dec. 7. The concerts are free to the public, but donations of any amount are suggested and encouraged.

Eugene Astronomical Society Star Party, Dec. 14 On Dec. 14, the Eugene Astronomical Society will hold its monthly “First Quarter Fridays” star party at College Hill Reservoir at dusk to view the first quarter of the moon as well as visible constellations and planets. Attendees can bring their own telescopes or use ones provided. Some of the telescopes provided were invented by members of the Eugene Astronomical Society. Both professional and amateur astronomers will participate in the stargazing party. All but dogs are allowed to attend the event.

The society advises that those who attend the event dress warmly and do not use flashlights or cellphones during the event so as to keep the atmosphere dark for night vision.

6

stories that matter

theTorch // www.lcctorch.com Wednesday, November 28, 2018

SPORTS Titans one-up Chuks Coach Graves sets sights on deep playoff run

photo by Selina Scott / photojournalist

Aolani Talamaivao-Calderon drives down court during a scrimmage before their Thursday home game against Simpson University. Talamaivao-Calderon is ranked 8th in field goal percentage in the state.

Gehrig Van Tol Reporter The Titans women’s basketball team started their season in impressive fashion with a statement victory over the Treasure Valley Chukars 99-53, in their first regular season game. The visiting Chuckers held the early lead after their first two possessions before the Titans snatched it away, never relinquishing it again.

The 57 turnovers committed by both teams is a great representation of the chaos that throughout their first regular season matchup. The Lady Titans’ smothering defense forced 39 of those turnovers while themselves executing a comparatively smooth offensive gameplan.

Titan standout Mya India Thomas contributed four steals to this defensive onslaught.

Thomas also carried a heavy load on offense, leading both teams with 28 points despite her start on the bench. Thomas was not the only offensive contributor however, with four other Titans scoring in the double digits: Aolani Talamaivao-Calderon with 13, Megan Still with 15, Megan Fossen with 12, along with 14 for Kylie Guelsdorf who also tallied eight assists with some impressive playmaking down the stretch.

Despite what some fans might consider a surprising margin of victory, this high level of play did not seem to be a surprise to the coaching staff. Assistant Coach Jack Graves said that the team, “showed a level of poise tonight that was not unexpected,” adding that the coaching staff is, “very pleased with the level of effort and execution and overall just a very solid win.”

If the Titans can continue this level of play they will prove to be an imposing team to watch. Their dynamic offense coupled with an impressive defense will prove to be tough to match. Coach Graves explained that his team, “is capable of winning a lot of games and hopefully winning a Northwest Athletic Conference title.”

photo by Selina Scott / photojournalist

From left, Aolani Talamaivao-Calderon and Amanda Tobey face off while vying for a rebound during their Monday night scrimmage. In the first three games of the season Tobey has had three offensive and seven defensive rebounds.

stories that matter

Wednesday, November 28, 2018 theTorch // www.lcctorch.com

7

SPORTS ...continued from front page

New season, who this?

David Galbreath Reporter New head coach Joe White has jumpstarted Lane to a 3-0 run, but men’s basketball conference play will not open until early December when the games will likely become more competitive. Although three straight wins is impressive, these games have been promotional games to warm up for future challengers.

The season tipped off against Pacific University Junior Varsity Nov. 20 at Lane’s home court.

Starting guard Tarik Cool led the home team in points with 28, followed by Rodney Hounshell’s 25. Lane managed to sink most of their shots finishing with a 57.7 percent field goal average. The Titans showed they can play as a team with a total of 30 assists to Pacific University’s 10.

The Titans showed promise with 21 steals and 21 defensive rebounds, but were still called for 29 personal fouls. With a 27-point victory it did not seem like any number of fouls could slow Lane down. According to White a lot of this could be attributed to the excitement of the young season and finding their focus. Coming together as a team effort the Titans won 115-88.

After the season opener, the Titans beat Lane’s alumni 112-87. The team of alumni were comprised of players from the previous 15 years. “We are grateful for each and everyone of those guys who came out and played,” White said.

Titans won at home against Willamette Junior Varsity, putting up an onslaught of points. Lane outplayed their opponents 122-47 Nov. 26.

While as a team the players are focused on taking it “one day at a time,” many players have set personal goals to achieve this season.

“My personal goal is to be the defensive player of the NWAC,” Hounshell said. He is climbing to his goal currently at nine rebounds and six steals after the three opening games.

This will be Hounshell’s first season with the team after transferring from Western Oregon University. After last year’s losing record of 12-16 Hounshell looks to turn that around. “That’s not going to happen here, I’m all about winning,” Hounshell said.

Hounshell isn’t the only player with a mindset on winning this season.

“The goal is always to win championships,” Cool said. Cool is leading the team with 68 points after three games. Coming from Utah, a Division 2 school, Cool is having a great start to his first year with Lane.

“We were extremely unselfish throughout the entire night,” head coach White said.

White was pleased with his team’s coachability and ability to make adjustments as needed. “I thought guys were being really good teammates and I was real pleased with how engaged our bench was.”

This is Coach White’s first season as head coach, but second season with the team.

However, White is not new to the NWAC. Before White coached for Lane, he coached for three years as an assistant for Tacoma.

This is White’s first head coaching position. White shows up everyday with a high level of enthusiasm to the court that his players feed off of. “He’s more high energy, I think,” Cool said. “He just brings that every single day.” photo by Selina Scott / photojournalist

Lezjon Bonds blocks a shot from alumni Tyler Hollingsworth. Current and past Titans faced off during the annual alumni game on Nov. 24, with the 2018 Titans winning by a score of 112 to the alumni's 87.

photo by Selina Scott / photojournalist

photo by Jason Petorak / photojournalist

Tarik Cool dodges defender Tyler Coleman during the Titans vs. alumni scrimmage Nov. 24. Cool ended the game with 27 points; 11 of which came from his 16 free throw attempts. The Titans defeated the alumni 112 to 87.

Joe White, head coach, paces back and forth on the sidelines as the Titans play defense during the second quarter of the game against Lane alumni on Nov. 24. White served as assistant head coach during the 2017-2018 season and was promoted in the fall.

8

stories that matter

theTorch // www.lcctorch.com Wednesday, November 28, 2018

SPORTS The new playing field Northwest Christian University assembles first esports team

James Croxton Reporter Northwest Christian University is the first college in Oregon to offer Intercollegiate Varsity Esports.

The school’s team of gamers will compete in Overwatch, a team-oriented, multiplayer, first-person shooter video game, for the first year. They will then play League of Legends, a multiplayer online battle arena video game, during the second year.

Taylor Lind was hired as the Head Coach for NCU Esports in April and the signing of its first four gamers was announced a few months later in an NCU website news article.

First, Tyler Chase, or ShockMaster#1960, a Sheldon High School graduate, is a Master level Overwatch player - 3811 SR - and has been at the Grandmaster level previously.

Second, and also a graduate of Sheldon High School, is Jacob Gates, Goldfish#11872, another Master level Overwatch player at 3503 SR. The third player announced was Josh Sims, Pendragon#1772, currently a Platinum level in League of Legends; formerly Diamond level among the top 4 percent of all League of Legends players. He

illustration by Quentin Piccolo / illustrator

will play a support role on the Overwatch team. The last player announced is Alex Daraban, IAMSMARTALEX, a recent Portland State graduate. He has previously attained Grandmaster status and is currently a Master level player at 3900 SR. He will also play a support role on the Overwatch team.

The Overwatch ranking system is based on the gamers’ Skill Rating, or SR, which

begins at 1 and can exceed 4000. The higher the number, the higher the skill. It can either go up or down after each match based on individual performance, the difference between each team's average SR, and the number of wins on a given map. In perspective, a Platinum player will have an SR between 2500 and 2999. The next level up is Diamond with an SR between 3000 and

3499. A Master level player will have an SR between 3500 and 3999. A Grandmaster, at the top, will have an SR of 4000 or higher.

Jared Keeth, an NCU alumni, was later hired as an assistant coach and sometime between the early-July announcement of the first four gamers and the present, three more were added to the roster. Gabe Hansen, also a graduate of Sheldon High School, has joined the Overwatch team. Yet another Sheldon High School graduate, Bretton Lloyd, followed and joined the team. The third recent addition, Mike Hoffman, a graduate of Newton North High School in Newton, Massachusetts has also recently joined the Overwatch team.

Head Coach Lind, according to his bio, “has been heavily involved in the esports world for nearly a decade, first as a competitive Halo 3 player and more recently with Satellite Gaming.” He’s credited this experience with “[helping] him to develop his vision for what a collegiate program can become.” According to his online bio, Assistant Coach Keeth “has been a longtime gamer, switching from console to PC gaming over the last few years [specializing] in multiplayer games where he prefers support roles.”

While there are no plans currently, there is the possibility of introducing additional games in the future. There are, however, plans to build an on-site gaming arena.

The team does not have any scheduled matches currently on their website.

Titans tussle in Tacoma Lane volleyball falls early in NWAC championship

photo by Marek Belka / editor in chief

Meagan Briggs gives an emotional hug to Kara Standridge during the final moments of the game against Linn-Benton Roadrunners on Nov. 7 in Albany.

Trayse Riggle Reporter Lane’s Volleyball season came to an end following two hardfought losses on November 15.

Going into the playoffs, Lane was ranked third in their division and had won four out of their last five games. They faced the Walla Walla Warriors, who came in second in the East Division.

The two teams played earlier in the season with Walla Walla coming out on top 2-0. Lane hoped to get redemption this time around.

In the first set, Lane came out hot with a 6-4 lead, but Walla Walla quickly responded by taking a 7-8 edge. They maintained this lead throughout the game, ending with a score of 19-25.

The second set started the opposite, with Walla Walla taking a quick 7-4 lead. Lane came back and gave themselves a 16-15 advantage but, following a kill by Walla Walla’s Morgan Ness, the Warriors regained control of the momentum and inevitably the set, winning 16-25.

With their backs against the wall, Lane needed to win the third set to keep their hopes alive. Late in the set, the Warriors only needed one more point to end the game with a 16-24 lead when Warrior Ocean Bryan’s block error fueled a momentum shift. Lane continued to get four unanswered points, which narrowed the lead to 20-24. After a service error, Lane lost the third set to conclude the game with the Warriors taking the first three sets.

Lane played again later that day against the Tacoma Titans. This was the teams’ first matchup this season.

Lane needed to win this game or their playoff hopes would be dashed. Coming in with little to no knowledge of this team created an extra challenge for Lane to combat.

Tacoma came out strong with a 19-9 lead in the first set. Lane came back and shortened the lead to five with a score of 23-18. Despite Lane’s 9-4 comeback, Tacoma took the first set 25-18.

Lane started the second set aflame, jumping to a quick 6-3 lead. Soon after, Tacoma regained their rhythm and ended up winning the set 25-17 and the game 2-0.

Lane is happy with their 9-5 conference record, an incredible improvement from last year’s 4-10. They lose five sophomores but are still hopeful as they look into next season.