Students learn to lead at OSF conference LANE COMMUNITY COLLEGE’S
J. Wolfgang Wool News Editor
I N D E P E N D E N T, S T U D E N T- R U N N E W S P A P E R
2 .2 7 .14
V O L . 5 0 , N O. 1 6
NURTURING
STUDENT
FAMILIES
EUGENE JOHNSON / THE TORCH
Lane student Ashley Jackson greets her 3-year-old daughter, Rosalie Tean, after she spent the morning in the young 3’s classroom at the Early Childhood Development Center on Lane’s main campus.
College organizations supply resources to student parents
Penny Scott Reporter With approximately onethird of students being parents, or parents-to-be, Lane offers services, supplies and
support to help them make it through their schooling. “It’s reasonable to estimate that about 29 percent of Lane students enrolled in credit classes during Spring 2011 had children living with
them. This percentage is a little below other Oregon community colleges and also below community colleges nationally,” Lane Institutional Research, Assessment and Planning Director Craig
Taylor said. Ashley Jackson has been taking her daughter, Rosalie Tean, to the Lane Child and Family Center since Fall 2013. “It’s hard to imagine PARENTS ON PAGE 3
J. WOLFGANG WOOL / THE TORCH
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) answers questions from students during the closing remarks of the Northwest Student Leadership Conference at Portland State University.
Oregon Senator addresses students, debt J. Wolfgang Wool News Editor Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., provided closing remarks when the Northwest Student Leadership Conference ended Feb. 23 at Portland State University.
Merkley told students that he prioritized the affordability of education, seeing a need to increase Pell Grants and to subsidize student loans to keep the cost down. Merkley believes a study he has solicited will reveal that student loans will be a source of profit
for the federal government. “This is an attack on our aspirational society,” Merkley said. “That’s completely unacceptable. If anything, the loans should be subsidized facilitating the ability of student (to attend college).” Merkley spoke in favor of
the Pay it Forward program, a system that would finance college education to students on a pledge that a percentage of what they earned after graduating would be paid back into the fund. Merkley also spoke to MERKLEY ON PAGE 3
Lane sent 37 students to attend the 24th annual Northwest Student Leadership Conference at Portland State University’s main campus. The NWSLC ran from Feb. 21 to Feb. 23. Several schools from Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Alaska and Canada sent delegates to the conference. Lane’s delegation represented student organizations, such as the campus’ chapter of Oregon Student Public Interest Research Group and the student government. Other students were unaffiliated with any campus organizations. “Meeting new people from different schools, I was able to make (helpful) connections with the goals that I have for future terms here at Lane,” OSPIRG campaign organizer Sharlita Holmes said. NWSLC is an Oregon Student Association event, but it’s sponsored by its sister organization, the Oregon Student Foundation. The conference featured several workshops on a variety of issues, from effective use of social media to the understanding of racial justice to specific lobbying goals like banning bottled water. The workshops were taught by various organizations and attending schools, including Lane students and faculty. “One of the best ways to learn a subject ... is to teach it. It helps you become more critical of your own knowledge and how you present that,” ASLCC Sustainability Coordinator Michael Weed said. “Also, getting the feedback from those in the classroom was a really valuable tool.” Weed was co-presenter of two different workshops. OSA Lane Campus Organizer Brittany MacPherson said OSF reaches out to various organizations to submit plans, but does not select which ones will present. The Steering Committee, made up of students, makes the final decision. “They turn in a proposal online, then the Steering Committee, which is made up of OSA board members, will kind of look over all the workshop proposals and decide from there,” MacPherson said. MacPherson said it costs $105 per student to attend the NWSLC and Lane spent $1,040 for the hotel rooms. The 37 attending students were housed in a total of 10 rooms with two beds each. In addition to the workshops two documentaries were shown and the conference featured four key speakers, the final being Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., who delivered the closing remarks. OSA and the Oregon Community College Student Association also used it as a chance for their board members to meet.
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editor-In-CHIEF
Opinion
CLIFTON HANEY
EDITORIAL
Lane Community College’s student-run newspaper
STAFF EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Clifton Haney
MANAGING EDITOR Alyssa Leslie
NEWS EDITOR J. Wolfgang Wool
SPORTS EDITOR Jarrid Denney
A&E EDITOR
Laura Newman
REPORTERS
Taya Alami Jackson Dietel Crystal Gasser Cameron Hughey Tran Nguyen Chris Patrick Chris Piepgrass Penny Scott
COPY CHIEF Sean Hanson
COPY EDITOR Zack Bear
PHOTO EDITOR Eugene Johnson
PHOTOGRAPHERS Matt Edwards
Cartoonist Riley Webber
PRODUCTION MANAGER Byron Hughey
GRAPHIC ARTISTS Wes Fry Lynette Slape
Prioritize mental health for yourself, loved ones According to a 2012 report released by the Oregon Health Authority, the most recent available, suicide is the second-leading cause of death among Oregonians ages 15 to 34. The health authority also reported that Oregon’s suicide rate is 35 percent higher than the national average. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention reports suicide rates are highest in spring, peaking around April. At least 90 percent of those who choose to end their lives have a diagnosable mental illness at the time of their death, according to the foundation. Given those statistics, The Torch would like to remind its readers that it’s important to address concerns about mental illness as they arise. There is no shame in taking care of any medical condition. Just as we don’t look down
on someone with a physical injury for seeking treatment, those of us with these real and serious conditions need to feel comfortable seeking help, without stigma. If you are concerned about someone you know who may be thinking of selfharm, please reach out. Many of those in the midst of depression are incapable of actively communicating their problems or seeking help themselves. If you suspect someone may be considering suicide, please actively engage them in seeking help. Offer to go with them. Give them a ride. Should the person you’re concerned about refuse help, and you remain worried, Lane counselor Doug Smyth offers the following advice: “I would encourage anyone who believes a friend is actually going to harm themselves or
Warning signs of suicide • Talking about suicide — for example, making statements such as “I’m going to kill myself,” “I wish I was dead,” or “I wish I hadn’t been born.” • Acquiring the means to commit suicide, such as buying a gun or stockpiling pills. • Withdrawing from social contact and wanting to be left alone. • Having mood swings, such as feeling emotionally high one day and deeply discouraged the next. • Being preoccupied with death, dying or violence. • Feeling trapped or hopeless about a situation. • Increasing use of alcohol or drugs. • Changing normal routine, including eating or sleeping patterns. • Doing risky or self-destructive things, such as using drugs or driving recklessly. • Giving away belongings or getting affairs in order. • Saying goodbye to people as if they won’t be seen again. Source: American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
others to immediately contact the police, “who can immediately check on the person.” If you suffer from depression or have thoughts of self-harm, please reach out and get help. Talk to your friends and family, or use the resources below. Lane offers students counseling for any issue that may hinder them academically — including mental illness. According to the National Alliance for Mental Illness, the chances of successful treatment range from 60 percent to 80 percent when dealt with earlier — higher than the average success rate of 40 percent to 60 percent for common surgical treatments for heart disease. Below you’ll find a list for recognizing symptoms of depression and suicidal tendencies, as well as a list of resources to help those in need.
Local resources • Lane Counseling and Advising Center Building 1, Room 103 4000 E. 30th Ave. Eugene, Ore. Phone: (541) 463-3200 • White Bird Clinic 341 E. 12th Ave. Eugene, Ore. Phone: (541) 342-8255 or (541) 687-4000 during a crisis
National Resources • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 24-hour Helpline #: 800-273-TALK (8255) people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech disabilities:1-800-799-4TTY (4889)
WEB EDITOR Tenaya Smith
DISTRIBUTION MANAGER Patrick Blough
Higher None
NEWS ADVISER Paige Parker
PRODUCTION ADVISER Dorothy Wearne
POLICY • Letters to the editor should be limited to 300 words. • Guest commentaries should be limited to 500 words. • Please include the author’s name, phone number and address (for verification purposes only). • The Torch reserves the right to edit letters and commentary for length, grammar, spelling, libel, invasion of privacy and appropriate language. • The Torch reserves the right to publish at its discretion. All web and print content is the property of The Torch and cannot be republished without editiorial permission. • Up to two copies per issue per person of The Torch are free; each additional copy is $2.
CONTACT The Torch Lane Community College 4000 E. 30th Ave. Eugene, OR 97405 torch@lanecc.edu Riley Webber / THE TORCH
THE TORCH / Thursday, feb. 27, 2014
NEWS EDITOR
NEWS
J. WOLFGANG WOOL
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MERKLEY: US Senator answers questions
Active shooter procedure tested
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
alyssa leslie / THE TORCH
Students hide behind tables in Building 30, Room 121, during the Feb. 20 active-shooter drill planned by the Health Professions Division, Public Safety and college Emergency Planning Team. The drill is meant to assess attendees’ vulnerability and how timely participants reacted to the situation.
PARENTS: Grants, services available on campus CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 how such a big center can maintain such an intimate family atmosphere. The attention to detail by the staff and teachers is amazing,” Jackson said. She said staff and teachers put students’ safety and learning first. She receives the C. Campus Grant, which pays 80 percent of childcare to parents who qualify for the Pell Grant and who are enrolled for 12 credits per term. “The grant makes this all possible for me, and my GPA wouldn’t be what it is without the support of the center,” Jackson said. “The teachers harness the full education process, and there’s a seamless operation between staff members, teachers and all the classrooms. They consistently take the time give you whatever you need, and their advice is always insightful and tactful and is always spot-on,” Jackson said. The center provides opportunities for children to explore, discover and experiment with a wide variety of materials in
a safe and emotionally responsive environment. Lane parents in need of help can find it at the following places:
Lane Child and Family Center
“We adopt the philosophy that it takes a village to raise a child,” management coordinator Sue Norton said. The center has four classrooms for students 2.5 to 5 years old. “Our prices for child care are mid-ranged. However, there are special scholarships and coop opportunities where parents can work to offset the expense of childcare,” Norton said.
LCC Health Clinic
Provides a private area for breast-feeding and a place for mothers with morning sickness to rest. “We do everything we can to give pregnant students and mothers the help they need. We diagnose for pregnancy and refer women to community resources. Often,
students need a private place to pump milk. We have a private room they can use, and if that’s not available, we allow them to use one of our exam rooms,” Health Clinic manager Kathleen “Mona” Arbuckle said.
The Women’s Center Offers coffee, tea, free local phone calls, computer access, library, a lounge, support, advisers, career services, computer-tech support, bulletin boards with community and campus events, and services for students who are parents or pregnant. The Women in Transition program, which is part of the Women’s Center, assists single parents in becoming economically self-sufficient. “(The) Women in Transition community offers help with registering for classes, getting an L number, help with Moodle, MyLane and much more,” said Tina Holbrook, Women’s Center work-study employee.
FINANCIAL AID • Child Care Subsidy (talk to the Lane Family Center office) • Child Care Access at Lane Grant (CAL/CCAMIS Grant) • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families Child and Family Center: co-op option (helping out at Lane daycare sometimes reduces school and childcare fees) • Department of Human Services Child Care Subsidy • PAS (Parents as Scholars) Program makes school affordable for parents with young children • Oregon Student Block • Grant Child Care Subsidy • C. Campus Federal Grant (Pell Grant eligible requiring 12 credits) pays 80 percent of child care • Head Start of Lane County has multiple automatic qualifiers for parents Lane Child and Family Center: Bldg. 23: 541-463-5517 LCC Health Clinic: Bldg.18 room 101: 541-4635665 Women’s Center: Bldg. 1 room 202: 541-463-5353 Financial Aid: Bldg. 1: (541) 463-3030
Lane students testify before state legislators Taya Alami Reporter Lane student-lobbyists traveled to the Capitol to testify on behalf of a bill that would guarantee students’ access to voter registration Feb. 19. Senate Bill 1581 would require every institution of higher learning to give their school’s student government and any officially recognized
student group an opportunity to provide voter registration services on campus. Associated Students of Lane Community College Vice President Anayeli Jimenez and ASLCC State Affairs Director Sara Shepherd testified before state lawmakers. Associate Dean of Student Affairs Barb Delansky complimented Jimenez and Shepherd for their strong testimony,
which she said was particularly difficult due to grilling from an unnamed Republican state senator. “They represented well,” Delansky said. Shepherd said testifying before the legislator Feb. 19 was a considerably different experience for her compared to when she testified about financial aid disbursements earlier this month. “There was definitely some
grilling going on,” Shepherd said, “but we had answers.” Jimenez encouraged other students to lobby their representatives in the future. “It’s definitely an experience to speak out on behalf of students,” Jimenez said. The bill is sponsored by one state senator and six state representatives at the request of the Oregon Student Association.
students regarding the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Citizens United, and called the assembled students to action to oppose the implications of the ruling and demand transparency. “When you have these vast sums, both on the lobby side and the campaign side, you substitute a vision of ‘We the People.’ You cross out people and substitute powerful,” he said. Merkley also spoke in favor of labeling foods containing genetically modified organisms and reducing carbon pollution. After his address, the audience was allowed to ask Merkley questions. The first was posed by Associated Students of Lane Community College Sustainability Coordinator Michael Weed, who asked the senators to comment on the TransPacific Partnership, a trade agreement involving several countries bordered by the Pacific Ocean. “Here is my concern in a broad scale. When you create a trade circle that involves higher-paid, higher-enforcement, higher-environmental standards, with very low pay, very low environmental standards, very low enforcement, you can easily create a race to the bottom,” Merkley said. “I am certainly going to analyze it very closely when it comes out.” The second and final questioned posed to Merkley came from the Associated Students of Oregon State University Director of Accessibility Affairs Bryan Williamson. Williamson works on a campaign called Raise the Blue, which advocates for student accessibility to colleges. “Anything that you can possibly think of — accessibility is really something that can affect everybody. Able-bodied people, parents, students like you and I — even you, Sen. Merkley,” Williamson said. Williamson asked the senator to take the Raise the Blue pledge to address these issues, but Merkley declined. “Because I am not familiar (with the campaign), I will not stand up and take a pledge,” Merkley said. “It sounds tremendous and thank you for raising (awareness). I think it fits right in with my argument for the maximum opportunity for every American.”
The Torch / Thursday, feb. 27, 2014
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SPORTS EDITOR
SPORTS
JARRID DENNEY
Back in the swing Josh Blunt’s Titan squad has their eyes on a playoff spot after narrowly missing out last season
Jarrid Denney Sports Editor In 2013, a talented Lane baseball team missed a spot in the Northwest Athletic Association playoffs by just two games. Only six players returned from last year’s squad, and the Titans will have some big shoes to fill with the loss of South Region All-Stars, Shaun Boehm, Matt Taylor and Nic Coffman. However, thanks to the addition of a talented freshman class and several key transfer players, this year’s Titans have a chance to take a step forward from where last year’s left off. Lane head coach Josh Blunt said that the team will employ more small-ball play this season. “The one thing that we’re going to have this year, is we’re going to run really, really well,” Blunt said. “We were big last year, and physical. This year it’s kind of the opposite – which was the gameplan. To get faster in a wooden bat league.” The Titans will start the season on Feb. 28 when taking on Bellevue College at Wilsonville High School.
Pitching
Last year, the Titans were led by a top-heavy, star-studded pitching rotation that featured four NWAACC South Region All-Stars in Coffman, Colben McGuire and Jake Lessel, as well as Keynan Middleton, who was selected in the third round of last year’s
Major League Baseball draft. This year, the Titans boast a much deeper staff. “I think we’re ten-to-twelve guys deep on the mound this year, and oddly enough there is not a huge difference between our tenth, eleventh, twelfth guy and our first guy,” Blunt said. “I think that’s the strength of our pitching staff.” In the Titans’ first doubleheader of the season versus Bellevue Community College on Feb. 28, Blunt plans to start sophomore Parker Sherrell in the first game and sophomore transfer Jeff Hardy in the second. Sherrel pitched in 19 games for the Titans during the 2012 season before redshirting last year, and Hardy transferred from University of Nevada, where he threw just ten innings out of the Wolfpack’s bullpen during the 2013 season. “Hardy has some good stuff. I think that he could end up being our ace,” Titan sophomore shortstop Tucker Campbell said. “He’s a power pitcher. He’s got a good fastball and slider and I think he’s really going to step up and take over.” Eric Rauro, a sophomore reliever who pitched five games last year, is expected to jump into the starting rotation this season for Lane. Malik Evans, a freshman from Springfield High School is also expected to start for the Titans. Jared Priestly, a right handed sophomore who transferred from the University of Oregon after fall term, will start the season in the bullpen,
THE TORCH / Thursday, feb. 27, 2014
but could make big contributions as a starter when the Titans start South Region play later this spring. Jackson Bertsch, a freshman from nearby Pleasant Hill High School, will also begin the season in a relief role, but has the potential to play a big role for the Titans, once regional play begins, according to Blunt. “Personally, I think he has a chance to pitch at the Pac-12 level,” Blunt said. “Jackson’s going to be a really good draft pick at some point.” Bertsch threw 72 innings including four complete games during his senior year of high school, so Blunt decided to shut down Bertsch’s throwing training in the fall in order to give him rest and avoid injury.
“It might take a little while to get him going, but by the time we get to, hopefully, the NWAACC tournament, he will be the guy for us,” Blunt said. Freshman Travis Boggs will begin the season as the Titans’ closer. “He’s a guy who kind of surprised people,” Blunt said. “He’s a plus-athlete and he throws strikes.” Shane Quarterly, a right handed freshman, could also be in the mix for the closing role by the end of the season.
Catcher
No team in the NWAACC boasts a better duo of catchers than the Titans. Last year’s starter, Cody Chagnon, has graduated, but the Titans will replace him with freshman Kyle Beam and
sophomore Colby Rice. “In my seventeen years of coaching, this is the best tandem of catchers I have ever had,” Blunt said. “It’s pretty rare to have a Division I and Division II caliber catcher on the same team at this level, it just doesn’t happen.” Rice played at Western Nevada College last year and has already committed to play at the Division II level for Western Oregon University next season. Although Beam doesn’t have the college catching experience that Rice does, Blunt said that he has more upside offensively. “He’s an unbelievable player,” Blunt said. “Kyle will be on a draft board coming up soon.” Blunt has not declared who the starting catcher will be, and said that starting duties
EUGENE JOHNSON / THE TORCH
Lane sophomore first baseman Jarren Goddard warms up in the batting cage before the scrimmage against UO club baseball team Feb. 23.
SPORTS
5
Titan’s roster #
g of things EUGENE JOHNSON / THE TORCH
will most likely be split in half, depending on who the Titans’ starting pitcher is each game.
Infield
Sophomore Jarren Goddard will be the Titans’ starting first baseman, and Blunt said he expects him to have a humongous year. Goddard was the Titans’ backup catcher last season and hit two homers and drove in 12 runs in just 52 plate appearances, all while adapting to the difficulties of playing catcher at the college level. “I sat down with Jarren in June and said, ‘hey, we need to make the transition to get you over to first,’ and he did so without hesitation. It’s paid off huge for him,” Blunt said. Goddard said that the position swap has made things easier for him in the batter’s box. “Playing first makes it a lot easier to focus on my at-bats instead of calling the game behind the plate.” He said. Sophomore Isaias Zerufael played in 15 games last season, mostly at shortstop, but he’ll be sliding over to second base this season. “He’s just a nice, steady, everyday player,” Blunt said. “I think he’s our best base runner and he’s made some nice jumps offensively, although we don’t really need him to hit.” Campbell, a sophomore transfer from Linfield College will be the Titans’ everyday shortstop this season and will also fill a huge leadership role for a team with few returning players.
“He is the type of guy that you want to touch the baseball,” Blunt said. “He’s just such a steady player and he’s not flashy by any means.” Blunt said that Campbell could be hitting in the fourth or fifth spot in the Titans’ lineup this season. With the Titans’ double-play combination set in stone with Zerufael and Campbell, sophomore Eric Long, a shortstop last season, will be making the move to third base. Long is a solid defensive player who made some big plays when called on last year for the Titans, although he hit just .130 in 23 plate appearances. However, Blunt said that Long made great strides in the offseason, specifically in the weight room, and is slated to be the Titans’ everyday leadoff hitter this season.
Outfield
The Titans return no starting outfielders from last year’s team, but have a familiar face who will provide a huge boost this season with sophomore centerfielder Spencer Smith. “He should be one of the top two or three players in the NWAACC this year,” Blunt said. “Spencer would have been our first or second best player last year. He’s one of the only kids I’ve ever coached who maximizes every second of every day.” Smith played for the Titans during the 2012 season and was named an NWAACC Southern Region All-Star, before using his redshirt year
last season while he was taking classes at both Lane and University of Oregon. “Having a guy like Spencer is huge,” Sherrell said. “Being a third year guy, he brings a lot of energy to the group and just that team structure we need.” The Titans will platoon players in both of the corner outfield spots. Darin Nelson, who transferred to Lane after playing last season at Linn-Benton Community College where he hit .235 in five games, will split time in left field with freshman Forrest Garcia. Blake Montague, a third year player who was a starting infielder for the Titans in 2012, will fill the right field spot, along with Robert Strys, a sophomore who played football at Linfield College last year.
Designated Hitter
Name
B/T
Pos.
Yr.
1
Forrest Garcia
L/L
OF/LHP
Fr
2
Tucker Campbell
R/R
INF
So
3
Isaias Zerufael
S/R
INF
So
4
Chris Neifert
L/L
LHP
R-So
5
Darin Nelson
S/R
INF/OF
R-Fr
6
Alex Torres
R/R
OF/INF
R-Fr
8
Spencer Smith
L/L
OF/RHP
R-So
9
Kyle Beam
R/R
C
Fr
11
Robert Strys
R/R
OF
So
12
Erik Long
R/R
INF
Fr
13
Blake Montague
R/R
INF
R-So
14
Peter Davis
R/R
RHP
So
15
Shane Quartterly
R/R
INF/RHP
Fr
16
Travis Kelley
R/R
RHP
R-So
17
Jackson Bertsch
L/R
OF/RHP
Fr
18
Parker Sherrell
R/R
RHP
R-So
20
Kyle Watson
L/L
INF/LHP
Fr
21
Malik Evans
R/R
RHP
Fr
22
Travis Boggs
R/R
RHP
Fr
23
Beau Uealand
L/L
LHP
So
24
Jared Priestley
R/R
RHP
So
25
Colby Rice
R/R
C
So
EUGENE JOHNSON / THE TORCH
Titans huddle up before a scrimmage against the UO club baseball team on Feb. 23.
Upcoming games Feb. 28
Bellevue
at Wilsonville HS 3:00 p.m.
Mar. 1
Centralia
Eugene, OR
Mar. 7
Lower Columbia
at Longview, WA 3:00 p.m.
Mar. 8
Lower Columbia
at Longview, WA 11:00 a.m.
12:00 p.m
George Fox JV Eugene, OR 1:00 p.m. Mar. 15 The Titans have plenty of Treasure Valley Eugene, OR 1:00 p.m. Mar. 21 options to fill their designated hitter slot. Sophomore Konner Reddick was second on the team in batting average at .323 last season and spent most of his time at first base and as pitcher. This season he will fill a greater role on the mound for the Titans, but Blunt can still keep one of his strongest bats in the lineup by dropping him in the Designated Hitter slot on days that he doesn’t pitch. Blunt said that Kyle Watson, a left-handed freshman from Thurston High School, EUGENE JOHNSON / THE TORCH will also get some at-bats in Lane sophomore infielder Blake Montague slides safely to third base the Designated Hitter role. in a scrimmage against UO club baseball team on Feb. 23. The Torch / Thursday, feb. 27, 2014
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SPORTS EDITOR
SPORTS
JARRID DENNEY
Grudge match Titans will face Highline for fourth time this season Jarrid Denney Sports Editor For the second season in a row, the Lane women’s basketball team will finish the regular season as runnerups in the NWAACC South Region. Although they had a chance to finish tied for first with the Umpqua Community College Riverhawks, the Titans’ hopes of a regional championship were dashed after a 64-63 loss to the Chemeketa Community College Storm on Dec. 22. Lane Head Coach Greg Sheley knows better than anyone that a regional championship isn’t necessary to win an NWAACC championship; his team was crowned champions last season despite finishing second in the South Region. “Winning the region doesn’t mean anything for the tournament other than the fact that you’re able to say that you’re a champion,” Sheley said. “But we’ve won the tournament as a two-seed a couple of times.” With a successful regular season behind them, the
Titans, 22-6 overall, now have their eyes set on their firstround matchup with Highline Community College on March 1 in Kennewick, Wash. They enter the tournament having won three of their last five games, and will face a Highline team that finished third in the NWAACC West Region with a 19-9 record. The Titans have already faced the Thunderbirds three times this season, and have beaten them twice. “There is a little animosity between the teams already. Last time we played them there was a little frustration between both teams,” Sheley said. “So I think this is going to be a very interesting first game.” The Thunderbirds average 67.1 points per-game, and are led by a duo of 5'10" guards in Victoria Elleby and Jada Piper. Each averages about 14 points per game. Lane will be without starting sophomore guard Tori Mahaffie for the entire tournament. Mahaffie suffered a season ending leg injury when she landed awkwardly after jumping for a rebound in the
Titans’ Feb. 17 victory over Mount Hood Community College. Although she doesn’t yet know the exact diagnosis of the injury because the swelling in her knee is too severe to perform an MRI, Mahaffie said she believes it is a torn ACL. “The first couple of days it was really hard to deal with,” Mahaffie said. “But I’ve kind of come to grips with it, and I’ve realized that I have to be here for the team still. So I can’t really mope around too much.” Mahaffie is the Titans’ second-leading rebounder and fourth-leading scorer, and has been one of the Titans’ top defensive players this season. She leads the team in both steals and blocks. She was also a contributing player on last season’s championship team, and has filled a leadership role for this season’s Titans team which features nine freshman. “I’m just continuing to encourage them and help them out, especially with this crazy tournament that’s coming up,” Mahaffie said.
EUGENE JOHNSON / THE TORCH
Lane sophomore guard Tori Mahaffie will miss the entire NWAACC tournament due to a knee injury she suffered in a game against Mount Hood Community College on Feb. 17. Mahaffie led the Titans in both steals and blocks so far this season.
Lane sophomores go out with a bang
Alex Sattley and Zach Kirshbaum combine to score 56 points in their last game as Titans Jarrid Denney Sports Editor Already eliminated from playoffs contention, the Lane men’s basketball team had a chance to play spoiler when the Titans took on the Chemeketa Community College Storm on Feb. 22 in Salem. The Storm entered the game locked in a fourth-place tie with the Mount Hood Community College Saints, and needed a win over the Titans to keep their playoffs hopes alive. Lane gave their best punch, and Titans sophomores Alex Sattley and Zach Kirschbaum delivered two of their strongest performances of the season, combining to score 56 points. However, Chemeketa sophomore guard Bryce White proved too much to handle, and the Titans fell short in a 98-85 loss in their last game of the season. “He’s a Division I player,
Alyssa Leslie / THE TORCH
Lane sophomore forward Zach Kirschbaum slams home two points in the Titans’ first matchup of the season against the Chemeketa Community College Storm on Jan. 25. Kirschbaum scored 30 points in the Titans’ Feb. 22 loss to the Storm.
there’s no doubt about it. The rumors are that he’s probably going to go (Divison I) after
THE TORCH / Thursday, feb. 27, 2014
this year,” Lane head coach Bruce Chavka said. White, who leads the North-
west Athletic Association of Community Colleges South Region in scoring at 27.81
points per-game, exploded for 32 points on 11-of-12 shooting, along with eight rebounds. White led five Chemeketa players in double-figure scoring, and the Storm received 52 points from bench players, as opposed to just four from the Titans’ bench. Kirschbaum scored 30 points on 12-of-18 shooting and Sattley contributed 26 points and shot 10-of-20. It was each player’s last game in a Titans uniform. “We just figured it was the last game of the season, so we just gave it everything we had,” Kirschbaum said. “It definitely helps when (Sattley) scores like that. It made it a lot easier for me.” Freshman forward Dale Baker added 16 points and six boards, and freshman point guard Dyrall Goods chipped in nine points. The Titans end the season 12-16 overall, with a 5-9 record in NWAACC South Region play.
Sports
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NWAACC Basketball Tournament Preview MARCH 1-4, 2014, TOYOTA CENTER, KENNEWICK, WASH.
WOMEN’S REGIONAL CHAMPIONS / BY JACKSON DIETEL WEST
EAST
SOUTH
NORTH
PLAYER TO WATCH
Clark Community College Penguins (23-3) (15-1)
Columbia Basin Community College Hawks (23-4) (13-1)
Umpqua Community College Riverhawks (21-6) (10-2)
Bellevue Community College Bulldogs (19-7) (12-1)
The Penguins dominated the Western Region this season. Their 15-1 conference record was the best in the NWAACC this season, and the Penguins finished the season 23-3 overall, closing the season on a six-game winning streak. The Penguins have a young group, with seven freshmen on the roster. However, three sophomores on the team average more than double digits in scoring. Sophomore Brooke Bowen leads the team with 17.50 points per-game and eight rebounds per-game.
The Hawks used their high scoring offense and suffocating team defense to win the East Region with a 13-1 record in regional play. The Hawks are tied for third in the NWAACC in offense this season, averaging 80.5 points per-contest while shooting an NWAACC leading 34 percent from the three-point line. The Hawks look to freshman Courtney Nelson to score the ball. Nelson has attempted a team leading 278 shots this season and averages 13.48 points per-game. Columbia Basin has held opponents to 58 points per-game, which was best in the NWAACC this season.
The Riverhawks won the Southern Region this season, by one game over the Lane Community College Titans. The Titans and Riverhawks were both tied in the standings with one game remaining heading into the Riverhawks’ final game of the season on Feb. 22 versus Mt. Hood community college. Freshman shooting guard Ashil Payne is fifth in the NWAACC in scoring at 18.56 points per-game. Payne scored a conferencebest 53 points versus Portland Community College on Feb. 1.
The Bulldogs are least likely to win the NWAACC title, according to win-loss statistics. However, statistics don’t win championships, and the Bulldogs will look to continue their success from Northern Regional play, in which they went 12-1 this season. The Bulldogs rely on team continuity rather than individual stats. Their leading scorer sophomore point guard Airashay Rogers is the only player to average over double digits with 11.28 points per game. However, seven Bulldog players average six points per-game or better.
Riley Holsinger 5’10” sophomore point guard Community Colleges of Spokane Holsinger leads the conference with 22.48 points per-game, and has broken the 30-point mark six times this season. She also is third in steals with 3.19 per-game, eleventh in assists with 4.15 per-game, and fourteenth in rebounds with 8.26 per-game. Holsinger has filled up the stat book all season, and will try to lead a Spokane team that finished fourth in the NWAACC West Region to their first ever conference championship.
MEN’S REGIONAL CHAMPIONS / BY JARRID DENNEY WEST
NORTH
EAST
Clark Community College Penguins (24-1) (16-0)
Whatcom Community College Orcas (18-6) (11-3)
Treasure Valley Community College Chukars (18-8) (11-3)
Portland Community College Panthers (19-9) (10-4)
At 23-1, the Penguins own the best record in the NWAACC this season, with their only loss coming from Peninsula Community College on Nov. 26. They finished a perfect 16-0 in the NWAACC West region. The Penguins will depend heavily on sophomore forwards Sean Price and Colin Spickerman; each averages approximately 19 points and nine rebounds per game. Clark is the NWAACC’s most efficient three point shooting team this season, and 6’5” sophomore guard Max Livingston is their biggest threat from the perimeter. He leads the NWAACC with 75 three-point field goals this season.
The Orcas finished the season 17-6 overall and ended in a three-way tie for first place in the NWAACC North Region with a regional record of 10-3. Whatcom is led by the NWAACC’s second-leading scorer, sophomore guard Kyle Impero. Impero averages 29.86 points per game and has scored 22 points or more in all but one game this season. Impero is supported by a trio of players who average double-figure scoring, including sophomore point guard Alex Duncan, who leads the team in assists with 113.
The Chukars finished on top of the NWAACC East Region this season with an overall record of 17-8 and ended the regular season strong by winning their final three games. Treasure valley is a balanced, efficient scoring team. They are third in the conference in assists with 489, and four Chukars average 11 points per game or better. Sophomore point guard John Fletcher has spearheaded Treasure Valley’s attack this season, and leads the team with 17.89 points and 2.88 assists per game.
Three teams tied for first place in the NWAAC South Region, but the Panthers emerged as region champions and have earned their first trip to the NWAACC tournament in school history. Portland is led by a duo of freshman guards, Josh Turner and Warren Edmonson, who average 16.30 and 15.82 points per game, respectively. The Panthers are fifth in the Conference in rebounding.
SFS
SOUTH
PLAYER TO WATCH Brendan Westendorf 6’6” sophomore shooting guard Big Bend Community College Westendorf is the NWAACC’s most explosive scorer. He leads the conference with 30.19 points per game and has scored 54 points twice this season, including a Dec. 14 performance versus Shoreline Community College in which he shot 20-of-22 overall and 7-of-8 from three-point range. Westendorf turned heads at last year’s tournament with multiple 30-point games. to their first ever conference championship.
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The Torch / Thursday, feb. 27, 2014
8
A&E EDITOR
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
LAURA NEWMAN
Laura Newman / THE TORCH
UO senior Lauren Lebien (front) speaks with Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art associate curator Danielle Knapp about Kara Walker’s artwork for an assignment.
Art exhibit walks all over history Kara Walker rocks the Jordan Schnitzer Museum
Laura Newman A&E Editor The work of a widely known contemporary African-American artist is displayed at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art through April 6. Emancipating the Past: Kara Walker’s Tales of Slavery and Power includes work from a variety of different mediums, but her style is recognizable and distinct. Typically, she uses stark black-and-white silhouette pieces. “The medium that Kara Walker chooses, which is this 19th-century Victorian silhouette, what is usually this sterile, very composed, black outline – mainly profiles, things you’d give to your grandmother, or things you made in elementary school for Valentine’s Day,” museum Communications Manager Debbie WilliamsonSmith said. “But one of the most powerful things about this medium is it really allows the viewers to fill in the blanks with their own assumptions.” The gallery is filled with several different examples of materials and mediums Walker uses. Black silhouette steel cutouts depict miniature scenes. Faces are painted over enlarged copies of “Harper’s Pictorial History of the Civil War,” and at the end of the gallery is a room in which a puppeteered video plays con-
tinuously on a loop. All of these pieces still incorporate Walker’s bold signature style. “Even as you’re walking through, and what you think might be a white person or what you think might be an AfricanAmerican person — is it really? She’s using the silhouette to kind of play on the story,” Smith said. “It’s allowing the viewer to tell a fairly horrific tale of our past through this beautiful medium.” Walker’s art addresses racism, misrepresentation of the past, violence and sex, among other provocative topics. “Expect to let go of all your perceptions, your assumptions, and let the art talk to you,” Smith said. “I think the subject matter is horrific. I think the artist uses sexuality as an exploration of that.” North Eugene High School counselor Aura Solomon was in awe of Walker’s work. “It’s brilliant. She is very brave. I need to attempt to be as brave,” she said. “I came here planning to bring high school students later on. I am struck by Kara Walker’s brilliance and talent and courage to depict these images.” While Solomon thinks it’s important for high school students to visit this exhibit, she said she would need to receive special permission from the school and the students’ parents, due to the
THE TORCH / Thursday, feb. 27, 2014
Laura Newman / THE TORCH
Kara Walker’s Emancipating the Past exhibit lines the walls at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum. Her show has been up since Jan. 25 and will continue through April 6. .
graphic nature of some pieces. “How do we successfully teach an accurate viewing of history if something like these beautifully disturbing, violent and sexual images are our history?” Solomon said. The nature of this show demands a specific type of viewer. “I think that the film especially is geared toward an older audience,” Smith said. “In our tours, we’re really steering it to the high school level and not middle school. There’s some content geared for older audiences.”
Retired English teacher Jane Muchalli learned about Kara Walker through a PBS documentary and was very excited to hear her exhibit was coming to Eugene. “It’s about black and white history. Be ready to experience it,” she said. The museum encourages the on-lookers to document and share their experience through the exhibit. “We always have ways to give feedback in the museum and we’re really trying to focus on ‘what are you thinking?’ and
‘what are you feeling?’ ” Smith said, motioning to notebooks on the gallery table. “‘Powerful’ is the word that I keep hearing the most,” she said. “Hopefully, through the programs that we’ve created, we’re able to have some great conversations about race relations in our country.” In one of the guest books, one anonymous visitor wrote, “Profound! To be confronted with my own bias. Wow.” This exhibit is free to all Lane faculty and students with valid school identification.