Clackamas Community College, Oregon City, Ore.
Volume 45, Issue 18
Clacka The Clackamas Print
www.TheClackamasPrint.com
An independent, student-run newspaper since 1966
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Brad Heineke The Clackamas Print
Ovo’s cacophony of color seduces senses
By Joshua Dillen News Editor
“Ovo” is a definite splat in the face and swat to the brain that transports spectators into a festive and elegant bugtopia. It beautifully exposes a world of humor and irony juxtaposed with exquisite physical feats for a nonstop barrage of pure entertainment. Blowing the mind and stimulating the
senses is what Cirque du Soleil’s newest spectacle is all about. “Ovo,” at the Portland Expo Center until May 20, will definitely appeal to all, whether they like creepy crawly things or not. The one of a kind show brings the real sounds and feel of insects’ lives to circus goers via OVO-phonic music right into the audience. “Ovo” comes complete with a real live Cockroach Band that is an integral part of this exceptional gala
acted out by multi legged and winged performers! The insectinfused island sounds are amplified by six bass boxes installed under the stands. Spectators become completely immersed into the music and a cool new insect world. There is none of the ickyness usually associated with bugs. It’s almost indescribable how the show bombards the senses with the festive beauty and wonder of this crazy place inhabited by creatures of the night. The environment
in the tent is even scent controlled to make a magical and unforgettable performance that is sure to leave every one with a newfound admiration of this imaginary insect world. Of course, the performers and the unique experience they create lives up to what circus attending masses have come to expect from Cirque du Soleil worldwide. Their newest production comes complete with the antics of mischievous spiders, lighter than air crickets, ants who
almost juggle themselves, to fleas that confuse and titillate the eyes with their springy acts that flick themselves between each other. Humans are transformed and costumed with vivid colors and makeup that reshapes them into magical beings that tell a sort of love story. Please see OVO, Page 5
Clackamas track travels to Hayward Field By John Howard & Joey Fisher The Clackamas Print Each spring, the University of Oregon hosts the Oregon Relays, one of the largest and
Vets helping vets
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most prestigious track and field meets in the Northwest. This year, there was even more hype, as the preparations for the US Olympic trials are underway at Hayward Field. Massive new temporary stands loom over the south side of the stadium. While they were closed off for Saturday’s meet, their presence only
served to enhance the ‘big stage’ atmosphere that such a meet holds. “When you come to a place like this and a lot of these kids competed here in high school or always wanted to because they were out of state, I think it’s kind of a jaw dropping experience,” said Jerret Mantalas, Clackamas Community College
cross country associate head coach. “The Olympic trials are gonna be here, the best of the best are gonna be competing. It’s a pretty interesting dynamic, but we try to manage the chaos as much as possible and get out and compete and try to beat people.” Part of the chaos comes from the high profile feeling of the event,
with many of the top athletes in the country competing in the meet. Adding to that is the overall buzz of the Oregon campus, with its dazzling buildings, nationally known athletic programs and the rich history of the venue itself. Please see TRACK, Page 6
Buying green can’t save the planet?
Is it hot in here, or is it just him?
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2The Clackamas Print
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
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News
Joshua Dillen The Clackamas Print
Jerred Sundquist, president of the CCC Veterans Club, helps struggling student veterans with unexpected financial needs. He has worked to develop funding sources for the Veterans Club at CCC to provide discretionary grants to help GI Bill recipients in between benefit payments.
Struggling vets receive extra college money By Joshua Dillen News Editor Every drop in the bucket counts, especially when those drops are discretionary dollars for struggling veterans attending college. Free money will be available to these students to fill gaps in how their GI Bill monies are dispersed, beginning this summer term at Clackamas Community College. Oregon City Elks and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) have donated $6,700 to the Veteran’s Club at the college. Elks members Dick and Barbara Knudson donated $5,000. With these donations, the Pay It Forward Program has been established to provide grants to veteran students who need a little extra financial help. Veteran’s Club president Jerred Sundquist saw a need among fellow students in the club, one he had experienced himself. Late payments of benefits through the GI Bill would really affect a veteran’s financial situation when attending
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school, whether it be supplies, gas, lack of money or even food and diapers needed for their children. Besides the monetary frustrations, veterans have many other issues to deal with compared to nonmilitary students. Sundquist felt it was important to do his best to solve these issues and take on an active role to help his fellow vets — to give extra financial help during these crucial times. “An old military instructor of mine once said, ‘You make time for the things that are important to you,’” said Sundquist. “I could not have done this without the help of everybody here at the Veteran’s Club,” he said. “Their efforts took an idea and turned it into this great proposal to the Oregon City Elks that turned into an endowment that will pay veteran students every term.” Greg Myers, club adviser to the Veterans Club, with connections to key members of the Oregon City Elks Club and the VFW, helped coordinate the proposal that led to the donations for the
Pay It Forward Program. Myers is a reserve officer in the Marines and understands the potential financial plight that some students face with gaps in their GI Bill compensation. In spite of his education and the qualifications from his military career, he has experienced unemployment and struggled to make ends meet for his family during the nation’s past and current economic climate. “It’s been very hard for me. I realized how difficult it was for me,” Myers said, “but what about a kid who has no education and coming back from one tour who has a wife couple of kids like me? It’s even worse!” “It’s groundbreaking stuff when the students get together and are essentially turning ideas into action,” said Myers. “You don’t see that very often.” Sundquist expressed that the program never would have happened if not for the help of Secretary Tina Wecks and Treasurer Georgia Heimlich and their passion for making sure the program will continue to get the
fundraising it will need to grow. He explained that there will be enough money dispersed to help two students with a small grant at the beginning of summer term. Qualified students will be able to fill out an application that shows need and the most qualified will be awarded. Exact details of those needs are still being worked out as is the exact amount of the grant awarded to each student. With available funds that were willed to the foundation from a vet’s life insurance policy there was enough money to create an endowment that would make and payout
money indefinitely. According to Sundquist, there is more than $16,000 in the fund and it is still growing. Vicki Smith, development officer with the CCC Foundation is coordinating the administration of the endowment fund for the Veteran’s Club. She explained that the annual payment from the endowment will go into a Fund for Excellence that will provide quarterly grants to veteran students. “This is just one more way CCC is supporting its veteran students,” said Smith.
Editors
Writers & Photographers
Production Assistants
Contact Information
Editor-in-Chief: Brian Baldwin Copy Editor: Katherine Suydam News Editor: Joshua Dillen Arts&Culture: Isaac Soper Sports Editor: John William Howard Associate Sports Editor: Emily Rask
David Beasley Breanna Craine Joey Fisher Craig Hartrampt
Patrick Quinn Felicia Skriver Chris Taylor Steven Weldon
Photo Editor: Brad Heineke Web Editor: Anna Axelson Design Editor: James Duncan Ad Manager: Patrick Emerson
Adviser: Melissa Jones 503-594-6266
Christian Adams Mollie Berry Jaronte Goldsby Martin Gonzalez Harley Jackson Hicham Kerkour
Joey Nardin Darla Nguyen Ellen Niles Trent Noon Evon Trembly
chiefed@clackamas.edu copyed@clackamas.edu newsed@clackamas.edu aced@clackamas.edu sportsed@clackamas.edu photoed@clackamas.edu admgr@clackamas.edu webeditor@clackamas.edu
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Wednesday, April 25, 2012
The Clackamas Print
Author fields discussion with ‘Green Washed’ consumers
Courtesy of Ig Publishing
By Patrick Quinn The Clackamas Print Can we save the polar bears just by using our dollar differently? Kendra Pierre-Louis, author of “Green Washed: Why We Can’t Buy Our Way to a Green Planet,” would respectfully disagree. Last Wednesday, PierreLouis appeared at a book signing at Powell’s City of Books on Burnside, where she spoke briefly of her new book and its message before fielding questions from an eager and opinionated audience. The subject of this 224 page economic manifesto can probably be gleaned from its subtitle. “Green Washed” deals with the recent emergence of the
“eco-friendly” market and the myriad of products and commodities within it: aluminum water bottles, certified organic produce, the Toyota Prius, etc. Many Americans, Oregonians very much included, see these products as perfect solutions to the pressing issue of pollution or climate change or whatever, but Pierre-Louis’s book asks a different question, a sort of thesis that can be found right on the book jacket: “Although this green consumer movement certainly has many Americans consuming differently, it raises an important and rarely asked question: Is this consumption really any better for the planet?” The answer, according to the author, is a definitive “no.” At the signing, Pierre-Louis took time to discuss the hidden costs and impacts of many of America’s most favored and trusted planetsaving products. Aluminum water bottles, for example, are usually made from virgin material, fresh aluminum that had to be mined, shipped, processed, shipped again, processed again into bottle form, and shipped a third time before finally reaching your local sporting goods store. With this in mind, it’s
easier to see how the recent surge in the production of environmentally-sensitive things like the Klean Kanteen has become an environmental issue in and of itself. As the author sees i t ,
t h e problem has very little to do with what we’re buying. The real problem is the fact that we, as individuals and as a culture, are still viciously and constantly consuming. The previous statement, as Pierre-Louis would discover from the attendees in Powell’s Pearl Room, is one that raises more questions than it provides answers, and perhaps one that diehard g r e e n c o n s u m ers are not happy to hear. After opening the floor for questions, the patrons in folding chairs quickly took on the appearance of high-school debate team members. Hands shot up eagerly, and faces that were gently smiling not 20 minutes prior were now sporting looks of disagreement and disapproval.
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A woman seated in the back, having raised her hand approximately 0.6 seconds after hearing the word “questions,” asked something to the tune of, “Well, what do you propose as a solution?” This timeless classic of a question, presented to every critic of consumerism and supporter of environmentalism at some point in their lives, sparked something like a discussion that w o u l d carry on for the remainder of the event and meander through spheres of e c o n o m y,
ecology a n d social justice. Pierre-Louis, admittedly nervous from havi n g to speak in public in the first place, provided clear, logical answers to audience questions, and did so at a ferocious pace. But to call this exchange a question and answer period would be lackluster, and more importantly, only true for the
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first couple of sentences; patrons would often swiftly and a little defensively provide rebuttals to whatever response had been given them. Calling it a debate would imply a stoic formality, and the word “argument” is only a step away from “shouting match.” Seeing the author field one barrage of questions after another, sometimes from individuals and other times from coalitions of two or three, was not unlike watching a fencing match. Each attacked swiftly and defended vehemently, but always stopped before any blood was drawn, which, in the end, turned out to be for the better; after running out of questions, members of the audience thanked PierreLouis for the riveting discussion and gradually took their leave without sticking around to buy a signed copy. The subtle, competitive atmosphere that had found its way onto the third floor of Portland’s largest bookstore had mostly evaporated, and while its arrival was sudden and quiet, it almost seemed inevitable. In a city with as many Prius taxis and New Seasons Markets as Portland, the suggestion that “buying green” isn’t enough to fully assuage the guilt of today’s conscious consumer is more than enough to warrant some discontent. “Green Washed” is available for purchase at Powell’s Books
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4The Clackamas Print
& Canemah Bluff offers beautiful flora, history
Wednesday, April. 25, 2012
By Isaac Soper Arts & Culture Editor
Name: Canemah Bluff Location: Off of South End Rd., turn left onto Fifth Ave; there will be signs for Old Canemah Park. Type: Groomed trails, wilderness Length: Multiple trails; total area of 158 acres Difficulty: Easy to moderate Equipment needed: Boots; compass recommended if hiking on old trails/off trail
Hidden in Oregon City, a town on the verge of suburbia, sits a 158 acre protected wilderness area known as the Canemah Bluff. In 2008, Native American artifacts and ceremonial sites were found by park workers in the area, which was used as a meeting place for members of many tribes around Oregon; between 30,000 and 60,000 members of various tribes; would come to the Bluff and fish the Willamette River together. There are many different types of wilderness in the location, including of course, the Bluff itself, along with ponds, dense forest, open fields and marsh lands. There are various trees in the area that are becoming rarer by the minute, such as the Oregon white oak or the Pacific madrone, both which are beautiful and unique trees. There are a few offshoots of the trail that are temporarily closed due to water saturation and mild flooding, but the new trail is very nice. The new trail begins at the Canemah Children’s Park (located at 815 Fourth Ave, Oregon City), and traverses through the large, protected areas that make up the
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Canemah Bluff area. The Bluff looks down upon the Willamette River. There are a plethora of beautiful wildflowers in the area, including the bright yellow Oregon sunshine, the upsidedown white fawn lily and the common camas. Apart from flowers, there are a wide variety of mushrooms and fungi that are very unique and magnificent in their own right. On the hike, we were able to find a lesscommon black jelly fungus and an elven saddle. Jelly fungus is an edible fungi, although considered by many to share the same taste as dirt (see story below). Many of the rocks and trees in the area have a thick covering of moss; in some spots we were able to find patches that were over four inches thick. There are multiple trails that are slightly overgrown that will provide good views “off the beaten path.” Be careful, there is some poison oak. Poison oak can be identified by its glossy oak-like leaf structure (that during warmer times of the year will turn from green to red). Its leaves are in bunches of three, “Leaves of three, let them be.” Apart from the cemetery trail, which heads to the Canemah Cemetery, there are loads of little trails that can provide fairly
Arts Culture
easy hiking for hours and hours. Unless it’s a really busy time of year, Canemah is relatively quiet, over a period of three hours; only four other people were seen, hiking on the main trail and the cemetery trail. Most do not associate Oregon City with “wilderness.” Canemah is that. Once you hike away from the children’s park, Canemah becomes a different world all together. Cool waterways, awesome trails and jutting rocks to climb on, beautiful wildflowers, twisting white oaks, Pacific madrones—almost human-like in appearance. Canemah is one of the best places by far in Oregon City.
A black jelly fungus grows on a branch of an Oregon big-leaf maple tree.
Wildman goes native, searches for local sustenance
Food is an important part of a balanced diet. Other than grocery stores, fast food restaurants and dumpsters, there are in fact, other ways to find food. Look out your back door. Do you see any weeds? What we commonly call weeds are in fact native plants. Quite a few of these native plants are edible, and in many cases, quite tasty. Throughout the year, finding food in the wilderness can be relatively easy to impossible. As I entered the woods on the outskirts of town, I tried to find some of the basic edibles. For me, that includes plants that I know are edible, without my guide, such as the common dandelion, the blackberry and the wild carrot. A few dandelions were found, though the slightly bitter taste of the petals and the leaves left me unsatisfied. Blackberries were no more than thorny vines; the
to mild lettuce and the petals had a unique but satisfying taste as well. Being the first large amount of wild edibles I had found on my search, I collected a few bunches of the plant. Some wild plants can be eaten raw, and some must be cooked, for instance, the infamous stinging nettle, a plant that when brushed up against makes you really itchy until you take a shower. Yes, it is a good idea to have some gloves to harvest the plant. If you do come into contact with it, another wild edible, the dock, has the remedy. Just mash up the dock’s leaves and rub the juice on the site of contact, and the sting will subside. As much as I enjoy eating mushrooms at home, without a detailed guide, I didn’t even consider eating the different fungi that I’d seen. Those who may be interested in harvesting wild mushrooms (the edibles, not the psychedelics) should look for an in-depth guide on what exactly to look for. If you eat a mushroom that isn’t edible, you will most likely die. If you do plan on going out in the woods (or in your neighbor’s weed-ridden yard) to procure some wild edibles, make sure that you purchase a guide to properly identify the plants you are going to consume. If you’re not 100 percent sure it’s edible, do not eat it. There are many edible plants that can
easily be confused with deadly ones. In the case of the wild onion and the death camas, though they look very similar, the death camas is, you guessed it, deadly. Other plants that are easily confused are the wild parsnip (also called cow parsnip) and the poison hemlock.
I assume you can guess which one is toxic. Finding only a few edibles in the woods, due to my lack of knowledge and practice, I still left the forest with a feeling of satisfaction, though the refrigerator looked pretty good once I got home.
The Oregon grape displays its vibrant yellow flowers after a warm Spring rain. The fruits of the plant will be edible by Summer.
All photos by Isaac Soper The Clackamas Print
By Isaac Soper Arts & Culture Editor
wild carrot (also called Queen Anne’s Lace) couldn’t be found. The Oregon grape, identified by its holly-like spiny leaves, was flowering which means it’s fairly bitter but edible berries would be in season soon. “Soon” was not soon enough; I was on a quest to fill my stomach and hunger was setting in. I walked further, deeper into the woods, seeking something palatable to eat. I looked down to see the white flowers and distinct leaves of the wild strawberry. The flowers meant that there would be no pickings though. As I stood, I saw the thorny stems of the wild rose, of which the leaves, petals and buds (known as rosehips) are all edible. There weren’t any rosehips or petals yet, but a few young leaves made a quick snack. I had to search for something more filling; I came upon some ostrich ferns. The young coiled heads of the ferns (commonly called fiddleheads) are edible if boiled in water. With only a pocket knife and a water bottle, the possibility of boiling fiddleheads was nil. Giving up on my prior knowledge and opening my guide, I started to search for some of the plants I wasn’t as used to. Looking down at some interesting mushrooms, I noticed a large patch of wild violets, which have heart-shaped leaves and five-petal yellow flowers, both of which are edible raw. The leaves tasted similar
The Clackamas Print 5 & Ovo: Human-insect hybrids infest Portland
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Continued from Page 1
The beginning acts include a striking red spider with a white head dotted with black insectile marks. She moves across the stage in an arachnid’s dance of curious exploration. She has and covets a baby sized glowing egg with love and gentle guarding fierceness. Then the egg is gone. Her expressions are as close to the bug like glances of its head and eyes that a human performer could ever achieve. The view from the second row premium seat gives an intimate view of her delight and beauty as she performs her intro. As the opening performances progress, the lights dim to reveal new scenes and variations in the light and fog levels as groups of ground and air dwellers reveal themselves to an already enthralled audience. The funny Master Flipo, an ambiguous old guy, is the obvious leader of the bugs and trouble making as they come, gets the whole community of bugs worked up into an introductory
performance. It gives the audience a taste of the different kinds of creatures and their amazing and impossible seeming feats of tumbling and gravity twisting stunts. This dance fades into the dark regions of the stage as the light dims. A dragonfly, in a shiny blue and winged outfit performs amazing feats of balance and contortion that seem to go on forever and never ceases to amaze. Several bugs start to almost materialize out of the growing and thickening fog and start to dance. The music and routine seems almost like Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” for a few moments. The bug world unfolds in a story of their miniature society as magnified and presented by the incredible production. A rotund and cooing ladybug that exudes delight and airy happiness fall in love with a stranger. The strange bug has all the inhabitants intrigued and curious about a huge egg he has brought with him. The stranger is a comical and crazy fly-like
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
bug that falls for the lady bug. It’s a romance that has its trials and tribulations. Like a movie review, this one will not reveal the ending of the show. Some highlights of the performance that gained more applause included a diablo slinging firefly that had four of the flying weights going at once after a few failed attempts. A spider contortionist that bent herself and balanced in ways that made the audience gasp and another who was a master of the slack rope were favorites. The trapeze show by the flying scarabs was spectacular in spite of more than a few falls. Forgivable, since it was the first performance at a new location. Slapstick comedy and audience participation by the stranger and Master Flipo had the crowd roaring with laughter. The bizarre was represented by a dancing creature called Creatura who seemed almost to be a dragon caterpillar. The erotic was acted out by a high altitude and spinning metamorphosis of a cocoon into a butterfly from
long fabric curtains that ended in an almost copulating dance on the stage of two butterflies after a dizzying and gravity defying display of love and play. During their act, a huge flower that is part of the set extends and opens up as they seem to climax. The experience is accentuated by a sweet floral smell that fills the air. A trapeze performance by grasshoppers is a very dynamic presentation of tumbling and gravity defying wall walking. Cringes and covered faces were abundant as they bounced inches from colliding or seemed as if they would fly off the stage. Shows are
All photos by Brad Heineke The Clackamas Print
Top: The cast of Ovo takes a final bow. Left: Crickets bounce towards the audience. Right: “Hustle of the Bouncing Fleas” stacks skill on strength.
at the Portland Expo Center Wednesday through Sunday and some Tuesdays until May 20. The show starts at 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 5 p.m. on Sunday. There is a 4 p.m. show on some Thursdays and Friday and Saturday. Check www.cirquedusoleil.com for specific weekly information. Depending on seating the price is $143.50 for premium seating and $43.50 for the worst seats with options in between. Students, seniors, and military all get discounts: $130.50 for premium seating and $40 cheap seats. Children, ages 2-12, cost $104.50 for premium and $33 for basic seating. Parking is $8 at the Expo Center.
6The Clackamas Print
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
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Sports
TRACK: Cougars compete well in Eugene
Continued from Page 1
The biggest difference between this meet and most others is the sheer number of people. While many track meets might draw a few hundred on a good day, the Oregon Relays has thousands in attendance, and they aren’t shy about making themselves heard. “The atmosphere is definitely different from most meets,” said Brandon Sherier, who ran a personal best in the 800 meter run, and finished second just behind teammate Badane Sultessa. “Most meets it’s just your parents there or a few people in the stands and here, it’s full of people that all love track.” The roar of the crowd may have contributed to several highlight performances by
Clackamas athletes, including the one-two finish by Sultessa and Sherier and a win in the 1500 meter run by Sultessa. The Cougars also saw huge improvement in the long jump by AJ Dickson, who jumped 22-07 for the second best mark in the NWAACC. “Our men’s 4x100, I think one of them said they ran almost a full second faster than they have all year,” said Mantalas. “They ran really, really well and competed really, really well. They were in the hunt at least going into the last exchange and were in the hunt with some pretty damn good teams.” Cougar Open The Oregon Relays weren’t the only track and field event
happening on Saturday. Clackamas also hosted a meet of their own, one that according to head coach Keoni McHone, is one of the few destinations for athletes other than the meet in Eugene, and provides a good event for those not attending the Relays. Because of the number of Clackamas athletes down south, Clackamas didn’t have much of a presence at the Cougar Open, which is held at Oregon City High School’s Pioneer Stadium. Much of the meet was dominated by Warner Pacific College, Concordia University and Corban University. Warner Pacific had an outstanding show in the men’s high jump with Treavone Bowie taking first place with a height of 1.90 meters, followed by Connor Hart of Warner Pacific with a height of
1.85. The men’s shot put and hammer throw are where Concordia really shined, and they took both first and second in both of those events. Jacob Ybarra of Corban took first in the men’s triple jump with a jump of 13.20 meters and Jordan Hatfield took second with a jump of 13.02. Other than a few strong showings by Concordia and Corban, Warner Pacific was the team to beat as they took first place finishes in a majority of the other events. The most exciting event of the day was watching Ahrlin Bauman of Bowerman Athletic Club and Cesar Perez, unattached, compete in the men’s 1500 meter run. Bauman had the lead for the most of the
race until the last stretch. That’s where Perez caught him and managed to take the lead for the win. For Clackamas, the highlights came in the women’s 1500 meter run and the women’s hammer throw. Caitlyn Lewis won the women’s 1500 with a seasonal best time of 5:15.67, and sophomore Katie Higgins won the women’s hammer throw with a mark just shy of her seasonal best at 46.62 meters. Up next for Clackamas is the Pacific Twilight, which will be hosted at Pacific University on April 27-28. For full times and stats of both the Oregon Relays and the Cougar open, visit www.TheClackamasPrint.com.
John William Howard The Clackamas Print
Joey Fisher The Clackamas Print
Top: Kyle Vuksich participates in the 400 meter run with his flowing locks. His 2012 season best is 49.95 seconds, which was achieved at the Oregon Relays in Eugene.
Left: Ingrid Bergmann shows her pole vaulting skills, placing third with a height of 2.45 meters at the Cougar Open. She tied her personal record.
Softball wins three of four at NWAACC crossover By John William Howard Sports Editor
Fourth-ranked Clackamas Community College softball continued their success this season, winning three straight games at the NWAACC crossover tournament in Yakima, Wash. before falling to Walla Walla Community College on Sunday afternoon. Clackamas (20-8, 8-1 south) now sits atop the southern region standings. On Saturday, their first match was against Pierce College. Things started out slow for both teams, as neither team scored until Kimmie Courneya hit a home run to put Pierce on the
board. From there, Clackamas starting pitcher McKenzie Marshall pitched a shut out, only giving up two more hits, and striking out seven batters. The Clackamas bats came alive in the bottom of the fourth inning, getting five runs to give the Cougars a 5-1 edge. Two innings later, Clackamas put the game away with six runs in the inning, capped by a home run by Tasha Silvius for a final score of 11-1. The hurried tournament schedule didn’t give much time to celebrate, as Columbia Basin College was ready and waiting to start the next game. This game was much tighter,
with Clackamas a close contest behind another highlight performance from Silvius, who batted in two runs and scored another of her own to give the Cougars the 3-0 victory. From there, the pressure turned up as Clackamas moved on to face fifth ranked Bellevue College in their last game of the evening. Things got even tenser as the offensive numbers continued to dip and the pitching improved for both sides. Clackamas managed only one run, but it was enough to dispatch Bellevue 1-0 to stay perfect in the tournament. Sunday didn’t fare so well for the Cougars, as their next oppo-
nent was Walla Walla, a team that has gone 27-5 so far this season and sits above Clackamas in the poll at third. Walla Walla buried Clackamas early, scoring three runs in the first and six runs in the second to make it a 9-1 lead for the Warriors. At that point, to many it might have seemed like things were lost. However, the Cougars didn’t get their heads down. “We kept a positive attitude knowing that we had a lot of game left,” stated freshman Delaney Johnson. “We weren’t going to give up because we wanted to play to the best of our ability.” Clackamas made a push in
the fifth inning when Marshall hit a home run to bring in three scores, but Walla Walla added another run in the top of the seventh inning to end the Cougars’ unbeaten streak at nine games by handing them a 10-4 loss. While the loss drops them to 20-8, they have still only lost to a team ranked below them just once, and that was the second game of the preseason. They’ve won 14 of the last 16 games, and twelve times so far this season have outscored their opponents by at least eight points. They will next play on April 25 vs. Chemeketa Community College.
Sports
The Clackamas Print 7
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
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All photos by John William Howard The Clackamas Print
Left: Freshman Mehgan Angel hangs a history filled poster on the wall of the gym chronicling most of Woods’ seasons.
Above: Coach Cathy Woods cheers after pulling off a first round upset in the 2011 championship tournament.
Alumni gather to honor beloved coach, mentor, friend By John William Howard Sports Editor Early on a Saturday morning, Randall Hall usually stands still and silent, devoid of its typically bustling activity from hoards of passing students. It’s on such days that old memories, ghosts of a time long past, begin to echo in the empty hallways, across the barren floor and up abandoned stands. They recall the rich history that the building has, and whisper stories of defeat, heartbreak, drama, learning, victory, success and progress. The people who have walked its hallways and run its floor have gone on to lead lives of their own, occasionally returning to pay respects to their past. However, the quiet murmurs of the past were drowned out by the building of new memories last Saturday, when droves of volleyball alumni grouped together to share in something they all loved, playing volleyball. The gym was filled with bright shirts of many colors, and on the wall with a large
volleyball painted on it hung a sign with bold letters on it saying, “Once a Cougar, always a Cougar.” Looking around at the players here and there, the proverbial phrase adorned nearly every neon green, pink and yellow shirt. The ladies wearing them were as diverse as their eye catching colors. The ones in dark blue tie-dye were familiar. For the most part, they played volleyball together in the fall, wearing the red, white and blue Clackamas colors. A few faces were new, but at least recognizable. The same couldn’t be said for the rest of the players on the floor. The team across the net looked to be in their mid 20s and older, and several of the members from the team on the far side of the room appeared to have broken well into their 30s, yet they were all grouped together with the same smile on their faces, as though they’d returned home once again. As more players began to trickle in and games began to finish, a few of the attendees grouped together to catch up, telling sto-
ries from their past year and reminiscing their time playing at Clackamas. Perhaps the veteran of them all, Chrissie Lewis, was the oldest alumni to participate, having played in 1987-88, just four seasons after current head coach Kathie Woods was hired. According to Lewis, none of it would have been possible without Woods herself. “The whole root of it is Kathie. Just her dedication, her value that she puts in us, her confidence that she puts in everybody,” said Lewis, who has maintained a relationship with Woods ever since graduation. “I think that’s what makes it. That’s what makes you feel good about coming back and supporting her.” Lewis said that there were many alumni members who would have attended but now live too far away or had too many responsibilities to make it. Some, however, went through a lot of trouble to be there to play for Woods once again. “This is my volleyball fix,” said Samantha Hennessy Schreiner, who played on the 2004
NWAACC championship team. “I’m a new mom, so I haven’t had time to play, but it all comes back. It’s like you kinda just pick up where you left off, and it’s a great feeling.” Woods’ emotions wavered for a few moments when she heard the loving words from her former players and looked out over the court at all the faces that she knew by heart. “They’re a blessing. They’re my blessing and this is by far my most important day of the year for coaching. For me, this is why I coach,” said Woods. “I tell my girls, I go, ‘I’m gonna be moving around talking because, think about it, I’m the only one in the gym that knows everybody, that knows everybody and I want to talk to everybody to make sure I say hi and see how they’re doing.’” Woods also talked about the importance the alumni tournament had for her current players, saying truthfully that the turnout and the family atmosphere spoke volumes of the tradition of Cougar volleyball.
“It means that we’re a family,” said 2011 standout Taylor Richardson. “All these girls have been through what I’ve been through. No one else can relate to having two years with Kathie Woods. She’s the stickler of the NWAACC, the old fashioned, hard working coach. We have to be solid in academics, in our social life, on the court. Everything is school, volleyball and life. All these girls have had to be held up to that standard that I have, and so it’s an automatic sense of family.” In a few years as time passes, Richardson and her teammates, like so many of their predecessors will make the trip back home, connecting with their peers and bringing joy to their coach’s heart. “To see my alumni, to see how they’ve grown, to meet their families, to see what they’re doing and to make sure that they’re happy. This is what it’s all about,” said Woods, “and it means the world to me. Every year I want more and more. I love it. I just love it.”
Model student is the picture perfect athlete By Emily Rask Associate Sports Editor
and my grandpa is a retired firefighter, it is something to continue doing.” Buchanan is not currently serving as a firefighter and hasn’t done any training. He has taken related classes and an EMT class. To him, firefighting is different than what he had imagined it to be. “I don’t really know what I’m getting myself into. Not all firefighters can save everyone’s lives, so I would have to live with that if I couldn’t save a life. It would put a damper on that [job],” said Buchanan, who shared that he thinks being a firefighter is admirable. “It’s good to think about others before yourself because in class they’ve been talking about [how] doing something is better than nothing in emergency situations.” Buchanan’s story suggests that anyone can be anything they want to be, all it takes is a goal and the motivation to reach it. From baseball player, to model, to prospective firefighter, Buchanan has great potential to reaching his dream.
Photo courtesy of Jake Buchanan
There are many athletes at Clackamas Community College, but Jake Buchanan, pitcher for Cougars baseball stood out with his “posing” background. Buchanan is a model for Abercrombie and Fitch and an aspiring firefighter. He started his baseball career when he was four years old, his earliest memory of baseball being when he hit the ball, but ran to third base instead of first. Despite the early mishaps, he continued playing all the way through high school. A graduate of Aloha High School, he decided to continue baseball at CCC and plans to move on to a school in Kentucky or Corban University in Salem. Throughout high school Buchanan wrestled and played football, but after enrolling in college, decided to focus on baseball; although he is redshirting this year to recover from a shoulder injury. For many, jobs are hard to find. Others, like Buchanan, walk right
in to theirs. “I got recruited,” said Buchanan. “I was walking around looking for a job and just got offered a position.” What Buchanan landed was his first modeling job for Abercrombie and Fitch, with whom he had his first shoot. “I had to take pictures with my shirt off,” said Buchanan. “It was interesting. I was still nervous but I knew the photographer so that made me more comfortable.” Modeling is something Buchanan mentioned he would like to continue doing as a career, and it has influenced the person he is today. “It makes you more comfortable and confident with yourself,” said Buchanan. Baseball and modeling aside, public service seems to run in Buchanan’s family, and growing up, he shared a dream job with thousands of other kids. “It was always between a cop and firefighter,” said Buchanan, “but then in high school I decided that since my uncle is a firefighter
Jake Buchanan balances more than most, as he is a college baseball player, a model for Abercrombie and Fitch and an aspiring firefighter.
8The Clackamas Print
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
sportsed@clackamas.edu
Sports
All photos by John William Howard The Clackamas Print
Winterhawk fans cheer on the team after a goal during the first period. Nearly 8,000 people were in attendance.
Marcel Noebels, a Winterhawks forward, faces off against Aspen Sterzer and Austin Madaisky of the Kamloops Blazers. The Hawks shut out the Blazers 2-0 in the final game of the series.
Next Game: Wednesday, April 25 at the Rose Garden, 7 p.m. Portland takes on the Tri-City Americans in game 3 of the Western Conference Championships. Hawks lead the series 2-0. Winterhawk goalie Mac Carruth defends the goal post alongside defensive player Derrick Pouliot. The Hawks’ defense was crucial to the win over Kamloops.
Hawks send Kamloops Blazers back to Canada, eh? Advance to Western Conference Championships