The Union Vol. 77, No. 9

The Union

LA Sparks find new home

WNBA team enters into partnership with El Camino for events, practices

String of break-ins hit El Camino

By Raphael Richardson

El Camino College was the target of two different burglaries over the span of two weeks, campus police said.

The burglaries hit the Cashier’s Office in the northwest corner of the campus, and the south end of Marsee Auditorium.Police believe they are unrelated.

The most recent burglary at Marsee Auditorium ended with a man arrested after he stole items from an office.

Using a set of district keys taken from a previous theft in the auditorium on May 2, the suspect entered a lobby-area office and stole some items on May 7, El Camino College Police Detective Gary Robertson said.

By Johan Van Wier & Greg Fontanilla

TheLos Angeles Sparks will now call El Camino College’s gymnasium home which will be the new location for team events and practices for the foreseeable future.

Eli Horowitz, the Sparks’ assistant general manager explained his decision to choose El Camino as a host for the team.

“We started a great partnership with El Camino,” Horowitz said. “We have been welcomed with open arms and we’re excited to have this as our home.”

The Media Day event to announce the Sparks’ new location occurred on Thursday, May 4, and included a press conference, player interviews with various media outlets, a photoshoot and a basketball signing table for sponsors.

“This was an opportunity to introduce our general manager, head coach, and our players to the press,” Horowitz said. “But also having various stations around where the players film content for future games and social media,”

All current players for the Sparks participated in the press conference to talk about the upcoming season and training camp with the media.

Sparks’ forward Joyner Holmes told The Union the personal improvements she plans on making during the offseason.

“I am always trying to improve on my leadership and have a good presence for my team,” Holmes said. “And [also] touch up my three-pointer range.”

EBT card still not accepted at campus restaurants

Five years after inquiry, El Camino’s food vendor hopes to accept state food program by fall

By Brianna Vaca & Nindiya Maheswari

Students who qualify for food assistance cannot use their benefits at campus restaurants.

Currently, the Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card is not accepted at El Cappuccino

and Café Camino, operated by Pacific Dining, the food vendor for the two campus dining locations.

El Camino’s Basic Needs program helps low-income students and families enroll in the CalFresh Food assistance. However, students must go

off campus to use their benefits.

CalFresh Food benefits are accepted at most well-known grocery stores and some farmers’ markets.

CalFresh Food beneficiaries can receive up to $200 in an EBT card to use for groceries, snacks and pre-prepared meals.

Pacific Dining President Richard McMahon denied an in-person or phone interview because “the policy is to only respond to written requests.” SEE

He was then found by a patrolling El Camino police officer on campus the next night and was arrested. The stolen items were found on him. He was booked with the Torrance Police Department for burglary.

The incident comes a week after the Cashier’s Office was ransacked on April 28 just before 7 p.m. The burglar broke open the door to gain entry into the office and pulled out cash drawers.

A police advisory email sent to college students and employees three hours after the crime described the suspect as an 18-25-year-old man with short twists or braided hair, about 6 feet tall, wearing a black scarf, black long-sleeve shirt, black jeans and white Nike shoes.

The suspect also attempted to break into the safe, but could not get in. He was caught on a security camera leaving emptyhanded before police arrived.

As of May 9, police are still looking for the suspect, El Camino Police Chief Michael Trevis said.

“There’s no new developments as of today,” he said. “We’re still trying to identify this guy.”

Sparks players Joyner Holmes (left) and Reshanda Gray sign a set of basketballs during the Los Angeles Sparks’ media day press conference at the El Camino College gymnasium on Thursday, May 4. Raphael Richardson | The Union

Zamira Recinos | Special to The Union

Campus dining options need improvement

By Union Editorial Board

The Union’s Editorial Board believes the dining experience on campus can improve by offering more affordability and more variety in its food choices, including healthier options.

El Camino College provides two on-campus dining options: Café Camino and El Cappuccino. Café Camino’s menu consists of standard American cuisine, including burgers, sandwiches and fries. El Cappuccino’s offerings fare better due to its Starbucks and sushi offerings, but the choice in food for its regular menu is severely lacking and is not close to items that were initially pitched.

Originally, Pacific Dining’s Food Service Manager Alexander Cook said El Cappuccino would feature smoothies, paninis, seasonal soups and a full Tex-Mex menu featuring build-your-own tacos, quesadillas and burrito bowls.

El Cappuccino has been in operation since the fall 2022 semester and does not feature any of the original promised food items.

Both dining options on campus offer no incentives for customers due to a lack of options and high prices without student discounts or Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) acceptance.

All colleges serviced by El Camino College’s contracted catering company Pacific Dining feature similar menus with the same prices without offering discounts or food assistance programs, including EBT.

In addition to a lack of variety, food on campus is costly when compared to local restaurants. For example, a “Classic Burger” meal without cheese at Café Camino costs $8.49, but McDonald’s on Crenshaw Boulevard offers a two-cheeseburger meal deal for the same price.

Neither Café Camino nor El Cappuccino offer student discounts or accept EBT cards. The Union staff reached out to Pacific Dining President Richard McMahon but were instructed to conduct the interview via email, which goes against The Union’s policy.

El Camino’s Financial Aid and Basic Needs Assistant Director David said the El Camino College district will be making a request for proposal with catering companies this year.

The Union’s Editorial Board suggests the district should seek out different catering alternatives to Pacific Dining because the company is at fault for the lack of food variety. Pacific Dining’s mission statement states the company caters to over one million customers yearly, including campus communities at Los Angeles Valley College and East Los Angeles College, in addition to El Camino.

In contrast to El Camino College, Compton College’s food programs offer students a free meal daily and a wider variety of options through a deal with Everytable food service. Similar to Compton College, Los Angeles City College offers fresh and free fruits, vegetables, beverages and snacks to all registered students through a community-funded program called “Food for Thought.”

This program shares similarities with El Camino’s Warrior Pantry program, which is also free for all enrolled students.

El Camino College officials should take both the successes and failures that other local community colleges encountered with their campus restaurants. By prioritizing variety and affordability, El Camino College can make its restaurants more appealing to the campus community.

To read more, visit the website at eccunion.com

EDITORS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Khoury Williams eccunion@gmail.com

MANAGING EDITOR Ethan Cohen managing.eccunion@gmail.com

NEWS EDITOR Ethan Cohen news.eccunion@gmail.com

ARTS & FEATURES EDITOR Brittany Parris af.eccunion@gmail.com

SPORTS EDITOR Greg Fontanilla sports.eccunion@gmail.com

COPY EDITOR Anthony Lipari eccunion@gmail.com

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Delfino Camacho SM.eccunion@gmail.com

MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Nindiya Maheswari MM.eccunion@gmail.com

OPINION EDITOR Igor Colonno opinion.eccunion@gmail.com

PHOTO EDITORS Ethan Cohen Greg Fontanilla photo.eccunion@gmail.com

STAFF

Eddy Cermeno

Jesus “Jesse” Chan

Khallid Muhsin

Samantha Quinonez

Kim McGill

Matheus Trefilio

Brianna Vaca

Raphael Richardson

Alexis Ponce

Renzo Arnazzi

Taylor Sharp

Reina Quevedo

Bryan Sanchez

Kai Martinez

Kae Takazawa

Erica Lee

Ari Martinez

Senior Staff Writer

Senior Staff Writer

Senior Staff Writer

Senior Staff Writer

Senior Staff Writer Staff Writer

Staff Writer Staff Writer

Senior Photographer Photographer Photographer Photographer Photographer Photographer Illustrator Intern Intern

ADVISERS

STUDENT MEDIA ADVISER Stefanie Frith sfrith@elcamino.edu

STUDENT MEDIA ADVISER Kate McLaughlin kmclaughlin@elcamino.edu

PHOTO ADVISER Nguyet Thomas nthomas@elcamino.edu

ADVERTISING MANAGER Jack Mulkey elcounionads000@yahoo.com

CORRECTION POLICY: The Union takes corrections and clarifications very seriously. If a correction is needed, email The Union at eccunion@gmail.com for all corrections and inquiries pertaining to a story.

EDITORIALS: Editorials represent the views of the The Union’s editorial board. Columns represent the views of the writer. Neither are representations of what the newspaper staff, other students, our advisers, faculty or the administration think.

LETTERS AND GUEST COLUMN POLICY: No more than two guest columns from the same person will be considered for publication or online use in the same semester, and 60 days must elapse before a second column is published. Guest columns should generally run 300-450 words. Letters to the editor should generally run no longer than 200 words. All columns and letters are subject to editing for length, grammar and style. They must be free of libel and in good taste. Publication or rejection of any column is at the sole discretion of the editorial board.

The Union is an award-winning, nationally recognized publication that prints on designated Thursdays by Journalism 11 and 14 students at El Camino College, 16007 Crenshaw Blvd., Torrance, CA 90506, and is free to the student body and staff. The Union publishes daily online at eccunion.com.

Hungry?

Here’s what to eat on campus!

By Nindiya Maheswari

It’s lunchtime and students are on the hunt for tasty and affordable food at El Camino College. With Café Camino extending its hours and El Cappuccino being the newest addition to campus dining, students can try different cuisine within walking distance from their classes.

The prices for food can be expensive at both restaurants but if students choose to buy food on campus, here are the top five items to try at Café Camino and El Cappuccino.

All prices are subjected to a 9.5% Los Angeles County sales tax.

Café Camino is located next to the Humanities Building and is open Monday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. El Cappuccino is located next to the bookstore and is open Monday to Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

1. Great American Grilled Cheese at Café Camino

The grilled cheese costs $4.95 and has 498 calories. It’s one of the cheapest items at Café Camino. The bread is grilled until golden brown and American cheese is melted together with your choice of wheat, sourdough or white bread. Cafe Camino’s grilled cheese is soft, buttery, rich and cheesy. It’s a no-brainer for students who are on a budget.

Anyone can order a full breakfast meal at El Cappuccino for $6.29. Sitting around 540 to 608 calories, the Warrior Starter comes with two scrambled eggs, three pieces of bacon or sausage and fried potatoes. The eggs are fluffy, the bacon and sausage are well-done and the potatoes are crisp.

A grilled burger patty with bacon and American cheese costs $7.99 and has 746 calories. A piece of lettuce and a slice of tomato is added as well. The burger is flavorful but the size is quite small. It does not come with any sides and students need to add condiments themselves.

Café Camino’s Meal Deal is a fulfilling meal with a drink that costs $8.49, and it ranges from around 920 to 1047 calories. The Meal Deal includes a classic burger with a grilled beef patty, fresh lettuce and sliced tomato served with crispy french fries. The burger does not come with cheese, but students can pay an extra 99 cents to add their cheese of choice.

My personal favorite. The Bacon Ranch, costs $9.59 and has 901 calories. It comes with a well-marinated grilled chicken breast, bacon and a slice of provolone cheese melted on ciabatta bread. Lettuce, tomato and ranch are added as well. Everything on the sandwich, from the chicken to the bread, is very tasty. It’s a big, creamy, and fulfilling sandwich.

Students enter El Cappuccino near the bookstore on May 10. Students can order the Warrior Starter for $6.29 from 8-11 a.m. El Cappuccino is open Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Anthony Lipari | The Union

@nindiyamaheswa1

Pacific Dining Manager Mario Guerrero (left) helps Kevin Solis (right) prepare a sandwich at Café Camino to prepare lunch orders on Thursday, March 24. Photos by Nindiya Maheswari

2. Warrior Starter at El Cappuccino

3. Bacon Cheeseburger at Café Camino

4. Meal Deal at Café Camino

5. Bacon Ranch at Café Camino

A life full of joy and laughter

El Camino badminton and former soccer coach John Britton dies at 70

By Joshua Flores

Rather than being a day of mourning, the memorial held for late El Camino College coach John Britton acted as a celebration of his life, achievements and impact.

Britton, the longtime badminton and former men’s and women’s soccer coach at El Camino who was named South Coast Conference Coach of the Year in 2014, died of a heart attack on Tuesday, April 11.

He was 70 years old.

Family, friends and colleagues gathered at the American Martyrs Catholic Church in Manhattan Beach on Saturday, May 6, to celebrate Britton's life.

Monsignor John Barry, a pastor at the church, was a close personal friend of Britton.

“John Britton was a man who embodied joy and that came out in laughter,” Barry said. “He was the kind of man who would say ‘Think about your troubles, put them into a strong box and then close the lid, sit on it, and laugh.’”

During the mass, Barry talked about Britton’s outgoing personality, his dedication to coaching and athletics and, most importantly, his love for his family and the catholic faith.

Barry encouraged those in the church and virtually attending from Scotland, Britton’s homeland, to smile and not be saddened by the loss of life.

Barry said this is because God simply decided he had a good race and it was his time to ascend to heaven above, referencing biblical scripture, 2 Timothy 4:7.

“I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith,” Britton’s daughter Jaymie Britton read just prior to Barry’s message.

Bill Beverly, another close personal friend of Britton, said he always appeared to be enjoying himself, no matter what he played.

“The thing about John no matter what he played, as competitive as he was, he always looked like he was having fun,” Beverly said. “He just brought a joy; He brought a joy to coaching, he

Police Beat

By Ari Martinez

Department

Wednesday, April 26, unspecified time A glass door was vandalized at the Chemistry building. This case has been resolved and closed.

Friday, April 28, 4:42 p.m.

The Bookstore Cashier’s Office was ransacked by a 18-25-year-old man. This case is currently under investigation.

brought a joy to playing, he brought a joy to family time.”

During the final commendations, words of remembrance were spoken by Britton’s son Andrew, who although deeply saddened by the loss of his father, reminisced on the fond, sometimes embarrassing and always cherished memories.

He said the chefs in heaven are cooking up a storm of liver and onions, sardines on toast and beans on toast, a reference to some of his father’s favorite foods.

“He loved life, he lived a good life, he didn’t let things get in the way that maybe other people would, like his prosthetic,” Britton’s wife, Traci said.

Traci told The Union the story of Britton’s prosthetic and about his workhorse personality expressing that Britton would do whatever it took to get things done.

“He told me when we went to get it he said ‘I’m gonna walk out of that room,’ and I laughed at him because I thought nobody does that” Traci said. “But he put it on, he walked on the rails a few times, and he walked out that door, no help, no assistance. That was John.”

Traci described her husband as someone who loved everybody, who lived life with happiness and was always smiling.

According to Traci, Britton was someone who could talk to anybody and create a connection whether it was through jokes, sports or just being himself.

“John made the best of his life, with the little things that he had happen,” Traci said. “He just didn’t let it get in the way of living his life. He loved his family, he loved me, his kids, his grandkids, they were the apples of his eye.”

Saturday, April 29, 12:26 p.m.

An unspecified individual was detained for vandalizing a door handle and trespassing. The suspect was released.

Tuesday, May 2, between midnight and 5:07 p.m.

A backpack was reportedly stolen at the auditorium. This case is still open and under investigation.

Thursday, May 4, at 8:13 a.m.

A wall near the Life Science and Physics building was vandalized. Case is open.

Monday, May 8, at 11:33 a.m.

A man was detained for burglary of various items at Marsee Auditorium. This case is still open.

A photo of John Britton is displayed alongside some blue and white flowers inside American Martyrs Catholic Church in Manhattan Beach on May 6 for his public memorial service hosted May 6, the colors of the flowers represent Britton's native Scotland. A reception took place after the memorial mass on the same church grounds. Joshua Flores | The Union

Many frinds and family attended the memorial for John Britton on Saturday, May 6, at American Martyrs Catholic Church in Manhattan Beach. Joshua Flores | The Union

Information courtesy of the El Camino College Police

The Union publishes police beats online with each newspaper release.

Sparks basketball team eyes successful future season

Another forward for the Sparks, Reshanda Gray, said getting the opportunity to play in the EuroCup Women’s League for OGM Ormanspor has allowed her to improve her skills on the court.

“For me, going overseas to Turkey was hard for me in a good way because of the amount of players in the league,” Gray said. “Facing new competition every game was a good opportunity for me.”

Gray is now back playing for the Sparks.

The Sparks are looking to bounce back after failing to make the playoffs last season. The past two seasons were the first time the Sparks have missed the playoffs in backto-back seasons since the 1997-98 season.

With the departure of old coach and former Lakers star

Derek Fisher last season, coach Curt Miller is pushing the Sparks to have a bounceback season and win.

Miller won coach of the year in 2017 and 2021 while he was with the Connecticut Sun, placing high expectations for the upcoming season with a new coaching regime entering.

CBS Los Angeles sports anchor Jim Hill was in attendance for Media Day conducting interviews with several Sparks players, including Nneka Ogwumike and her sister Chiney.

The longtime sports anchor believes the Sparks can have a successful season.

“It’s a tough sport, but they can handle it,” Hill said. “I enjoy watching them perform and I look forward to them having a successful season this year, that’s for sure.”

New summer math program to prep students for chemistry

By Raphael Richardson

The Scientific-Math Academy will help students interested in chemistry improve their math skills needed to take majorspecific classes.

The original Math Academy program, free for all El Camino students over the summer or winter sessions, is designed to help students gain the skills to pass their math classes.

The free course lasts for four weeks, from July 17 to Aug. 10. Students who complete the course can get a free graphing calculator from the college. However, additional El Camino faculty were interested in the program.

“There was … interest brought by the chemistry faculty that some of our students are lacking the mathematical skills to do their labs,” Dean of Mathematical Sciences Marlow Lemons said.

Lemons said that they thought it was a great idea to be able to add to the Math Academy, by creating a Scientific-Math Academy.

Chemistry professor Soshanna Potter generated the initial interest from the chemistry faculty.

“When I heard about the program that … the math department is running in one of our STEM success meetings, I got excited about [it], ‘could we offer a similar academy for

Pawsitive Vibes

Furry friends bring comfort to college chaos. Therapy dogs, hosted by the Active Minds Club, unleash happiness on El Camino College’s campus, easing stress and spreading joy one wag at a time. El Camino will host the therapy dogs at the Library Lawn on Wednesday, May 31, for the final time this semester.

Cafés do not accept food program

The Union’s official policy is to only engage in interviews in person or over a phone/Zoom call.

students going into chemistry classes?’” Potter said.

Potter said chemistry requires a bit of knowledge of math to effectively understand and goes deeper than just chemicals.

“We think of chemistry as being like the fun chemical reactions, like fireworks, or we imagine mixing chemicals together and explosions happen … but a big part of chemistry is also applied math,” Potter said.

Potter wants any student coming into a chemistry class to take the course over the summer.

“I think that any student who’s coming into any of our classes … should review math, especially if it’s been a while since they’ve taken math classes,” she said.

The new academy will offer mathematical training to help students take the Chemistry 4, 20 and 21A classes, which Lemons said require some math skills.

Lemons said he hopes to see students enroll in the course.

“It’s an opportunity for any student with any background to be able and come and get the skills that are needed so that they’ll be successful,” Lemons said.

McMahon said in an email statement that Pacific Dining is hoping to complete the process to accept EBT by the start of the fall semester.

Henna Jivraj, a student worker at the Basic Needs Center and a recipient of CalFresh Food benefits, said the Warrior Pantry is an alternative for students to get food due to EBT not being accepted on campus.

“Since EBT is not used on campus, the pantry is one spot where students have access to a lot of fruits, vegetables, snacks, drinks … all that stuff,” Jivraj said. “We try to supplement with students and as long as you are a student enrolled in classes you can get snacks.”

Financial Aid and Basic Needs Assistant Director David Brown said during the process of requesting proposals from food vendors the college asked Pacific Dining about EBT being accepted on campus. That was in 2018.

“They said that they were currently in the process of getting that approved and this was prior to the pandemic,” Brown said. “And ever since then we still haven’t seen it actually pan out.”

Furthermore, Brown and his department are trying to bring Everytable’s vending machine on campus to accommodate vegan, vegetarian, kosher, keto and halal diets.

Everytable is a food vendor

whose mission is to make fresh, nutritious food more accessible by providing pre-packaged meals at a discounted price in lower econmic areas

Strategic Partnerships

Manager for Everytable Tracy Luu said their select stores

Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon, and 3-5:30 p.m.

Compton College offers a free meal for every student and staff through its contract with Everytable, which caters to restaurants on campus.

Compton College’s community relations director Heather Parnock confirmed in an email to The Union their contract with Everytable was extended for students to get one free meal per day “through the 2023-2024 academic year.”

For employees at Compton College, the free daily meals end June 30.

accept EBT through the Restaurant Meal Program but not the vending machines.

Everytable serves students in nearby schools including CSU Dominguez Hills, Santa Monica and Compton Colleges.

In comparison, Compton College offers multiple affordable food options on campus.

Among those options is the Tartar Pantry which is similar to the Warrior Pantry, but available Mondays through

Parnock also confirmed the Everytable cafeteria would start to accept EBT at the end of this current semester.

Brown said El Camino College’s Basic Needs including the Warrior Pantry are working to expand access to healthy food on campus and CalFresh EBT for students.

“We’re advocating for [students],” Brown said. “We really want to get the best options that are out there available on campus for students to take advantage of.”

Reina Quevedo | The Union

→ EBT FROM PAGE 1

Compton College Students have a variety of choices for a meal before their next class because of Everytable’s nutritional food system and steadfast takeout service. Taylor Sharp | The Union

“We hope to complete the process by the start of the fall semester.”

— Email from Richard McMahon, Pacific

Dining

It’s all about

Between school, work and a personal life, Uzair Pasta is learning how to juggle it all

By Eddy Cermeno

U zair Pasta does not shy away from his Muslim heritage.

He proudly wears it on his sleeve.

Every Monday through Saturday at 7:30 a.m., Pasta attends the Institute of Knowledge in Diamond Bar, California for his religious studies.

In this religious community, Pasta along with other students, practice reciting passages of the Quran to their teacher along with learning about Islamic knowledge and history.

Pasta’s parents moved to the United States about 30 years ago from Pakistan and wanted

him to have a balance of both his Muslim and American identities.

Something Muslim parents urge their kids to do is to dedicate themselves to memorize the entire Quran.

Growing up, Pasta began the process of reciting passages.

However, he found it was something that he necessarily did not want to do.

From that point he would start and stop with his recitals.

It wasn't until after he graduated from West Torrance High School that Pasta started memorizing the Quran for himself and his religion instead of just doing it for his parents.

In addition to his religious studies, the 19-year-old business

administration major also attends El Camino College where he has become a part of other communities.

Currently, Pasta is involved throughout El Camino and is the Director of Finance for the Associated Students Organization, Co-President of the forensics team, and Muslim Student Association President.

“I knew there were a lot of opportunities at El Camino and I wanted to make sure that I had all the best chances I could get so I applied to everything,” Pasta said.

The transition to student government was easy for Pasta as he was also in student government at West Torrance.

“I’ve always been interested in policy and advocacy so it was just a natural thing for me to lead and want to come to ASO,” Pasta said.

Once he was elected to the Director of Finance position he had to learn how to be more analytical and deal with managing numbers and budgets.

Pasta believes all the time he spends in his extracurriculars feeds into one another and benefits the different skills he uses in each.

“Because I’m in speech and debate I can articulate my thoughts in ASO and because of my position in finance I’m able to look at the details and understand them which helps a lot in the case building for debate,” Pasta said.

One factor in Pasta’s decision to join the El Camino forensics program was his sister, Saher

Pasta, who is a former El Camino student and was in the program around 2006.

Saher said that her brother has always been “a hyper-active talker and good studier” with confidence since he is always eager to speak.

“Our parents were both debaters and public speakers,it’s in our blood,” Saher said. When Saher was in the forensics program she recalls receiving a lot of discrimination in debating events due to the fact that she was one of the few Muslim women to be on the team.

Saher said she is “living vicariously through Uzair” with his successes as part of the debate team and is glad that he does not have to deal with the adversity and resistance she had to go through.

“The fact that he’s out there is because of his values, character and integrity,he’s a hard worker,” Saher said.

El Camino forensics coach Brittany Hubble has been in the position for eight years and believes Uzair to be one the her favorite students that she has ever coached.

“He always wanted me to criticize him as much as possible because he was so determined to get better,” Hubble said.

Hubble said Pasta is “very eager, outgoing, and always fun to be around” and has learned a lot from working with him.

“Even just the way he asked questions, he forces me to think outside the box in that collaborative process, so I feel a

lot more confident in coaching speeches,” Hubble said.

Pasta is very thankful for all his peers and coaches that have taught and guided him to become a better orator and be proud of his achievements as part of the forensics program.

After going to 30 competitions, he has won more than 20 trophies, over 100 medals, and about a dozen certificates. With all his personal success, Pasta wants others to know that winning is not all that matters.

To read more, visit the website at eccunion.com

Business administration major Uzair Pasta,19, plays a game of "Mafia" at the Social Justice Center on April 5. Pasta's work with the forensics team has garnered him more than 20 trophies, over 100 medals, and about a dozen certificates. Khoury Williams | The Union

El Camino Muslim Student Associaton President Uzair Pasta volunteers at the Eid al-Fitr prayer event on the morning of April 21. Over 5,000 Muslims from the South Bay and Los Angeles area gathered to celebrate the culmination of Ramadan. Renzo Arnazzi | The Union

Let’s Dance

Professors and students choreographed three nights of dancing for the Spring Advanced Dance Concert from May 5-7 at Marsee Auditorium. During Act One, guests witnessed various pieces choreographed by dance students Brian Helm, Janae Morris and Julisa Carbajal. Professors Daniel Berney, Liz Hoefner Adamis and Jonathan Bryant choreographed pieces as well. The dance department will be holding their Choreography Showcase at the Campus Theatre on June 1 and 2, starting at 8 p.m., showcasing dance genres including ballet, hip-hop, jazz and modern.

By

Brianna Vaca

Students dressed in bright, colorful and sparkly outfits dance to “Like ah Boss” by Machel Montano during the dress rehearsal for the Spring Advanced Dance Concert on Wednesday, May 3.

Top photo: Student dancer Julisa Carbajal leaps during her solo piece “A Lullaby for Dad” at the dress rehearsal for the Spring Advance Dance Concert on Wednesday, May 3.

Middle photo: Dancers of the “Duree de vie” by Jonathan Bryant lean back as Janae Morris (left) turns her arms in a clockwise formation at the dress rehearsal for the Spring Advance Dance Concert on Wednesday, May 3.

Students reach in different directions during Liz Hoefner Adamis’ piece “Into the Aionp” at the dress rehearsal for the Spring Advanced Dance Concert on Wednesday, May 3.

Above photo: Women of the “Asylum” dance piece choreographed by Janae Morris lift their legs in the air while being held by the men at the dress rehearsal for the Spring Advanced Dance Concert on Wednesday, May 3.

Left photo: Guest choreographer Hector Luis Rivera joins students on stage for a dance circle during his piece, “Bambula” at the dress rehearsal for the Spring Advanced Dance Concert on Wednesday, May 3.

Warriors advance to second round of playoffs

No. 11 seeded El Camino College overwhelms No. 14 Mt. San Jacinto College

By Raphael Richardson

The El Camino College Warriors baseball team swept the Mt. San Jacinto College Eagles 13-3 in Game 2 of the California Community College Athletic Association Baseball SoCal Regionals at Warrior Field on Saturday, May 6.

After a mellow first inning, the Warriors’ second baseman Brendan McAndrews singled through the right side at the top of the second inning, allowing center fielder Elijah Tolsma to score igniting the Warriors’ offense.

At the top of the fifth inning, outfielder Dylan Knowles hit a grand slam to right field with infielders Connor Meidroth, Jaedeyn Edwards and McAndrews filling the bases, scoring four runs and sending the crowd wild.

Knowles said that his grand slam helped whip up the team’s morale.

“It was really relieving. It’s been a rough past month stats-wise, but that’s just baseball,” Knowles said. “Sometimes you do everything you can do and

just don’t get rewarded. So [you] just gotta keep being aggressive.”

The sixth inning was just as rewarding for the Warriors, with Tolsma, Edwards, McAndrews and infielder

Patrick Stark all adding to the board with four runs.

In the sixth inning, the Eagles recorded one run to break the shutout. Eagles’ outfielder Andre Torres doubled to left field, helping secure a run.

The Warriors allowed Eagles infielders Garrett Teunissen and Kyle Serna to score two back-to-back runs.

The Eagles’ performance disappointed both their players and coaches alike.

“Well, 13-3 is not how you want to go out,” Eagles catcher Gavin Copeland said. “Just stay with it, just keep preparing and keep grinding and hope the ball rolls your way.”

Eagles coach Jake Hansen

was thankful for being able to participate but expressed disappointment with the game’s outcome.

“This is a bitter taste… [it’s the] first time this program has been here in a lot of years,” Hansen said. “Obviously love the feeling of being able to get here, but now it’s time to prepare, getting all through of May and everything like that.”

Neither side earned runs after the sixth inning with the

game ending in the Warriors’ favor in the bottom of the ninth inning.

El Camino coach Nate Fernley was proud of the Warriors’ performance during the game.

“I thought we did a really good job of coming out early offensively and putting some runs on the board, which took some of the pressure off,” Fernley said. “I thought we played a really solid game against a good team.”

The Warriors’ win over the Eagles in the regionals playoffs allows them to advance to the Super Regionals, which takes place from May 11 to 13.

“We got a tournament coming up next week,” Fernley said. “So Monday we’ll do a practice, get some scatter reports of some opponents and off we go.”

El Camino will travel to Saddleback College on Thursday, May 11 to face no. 2 ranked Glendale at 11 a.m. for CCCAA’s Super Regionals in a double elimination game.

Distance runner qualifies for track and field state championships

Numerous sprinters, distance runners, hurdlers, field events, relay teams advance to SoCal Regionals

By Greg Fontanilla

Several El Camino College track and field athletes advanced to the California Community College Athletic Association’s Southern California Regional Finals after competing at San Diego Mesa College in preliminaries on Friday, May 5.

On the women’s team, Ami Jacobson qualified for the state championships, which will take place on May 19 and 20 at Modesto College in the 10,000-meter run after recording a personal best of 38 minutes and 58 seconds, putting her in the El Camino all-time record books in fifth place.

Lincoln Marschall, one of the top hurdlers in California, took first place in the 400-meter hurdles, clocking in at 52.67 seconds, advancing to the SoCal Regional final.

In the men’s 400-meter relay team consisting of Anthony Taylor, Jaylen Allen, Xerxes

Reamer and Marschall finished first in the third heat, recording a time of 41.26 seconds.

Their time landed them third overall for the event, in which the winner from each heat, plus the next six best times advanced.

The mile relay quartet of Marschall, Reamer, Taylor and Yuto Tamada clocked in at 3 minutes and 15 seconds, finishing second overall in the event.

Freshman Alyssa Matsuzaki crossed the finish line at a minute and 4 seconds, claiming a second-place finish in the 400-meter hurdles, extending her season into regional finals.

Middle-distance runner Rania Gomaa finished third overall in the 800-meter run, finishing at 2 minutes and 17 seconds, and will also advance to the finals.

Other qualifiers for the men included Taylor and Izak Giacchetto in the men’s 110-meter hurdles, James Neely in the 800-meter run, Tamada in the 400-meter dash, Michael

Ihemeje in the triple jump and Nathan Albers in the shot put.

Nathaniel Smith and Chinedu Adolf did not compete at prelims, but will be throwing in the finals in the javelin and discus, respectively.

Also joining Gomaa and Matsuzaki for finals are Sequoia Gonzales in the 5,000-meter run, Makayla Nored in the hammer throw Alexis Pitts in the 100-meter dash, Haidee Lopez in the 10,000-meter run, and the women’s mile relay team of Matsuzaki, Gomaa, Kaile Reavis, and Jailah Robinson.

El Camino qualifiers will return to San Diego Mesa College on May 12, starting at 10 a.m. to compete in regional finals.

@gregfontanilla

El Camino College’s right fielder Dylan Knowles celebrates his grand slam against Mt. San Jacinto College with his teammates during CCCAA SoCal Regionals at Warrior Field on Saturday, May 6. El Camino defeated Mt. San Jacinto 13-3, and will advance to Super Regionals on Thursday, May11. Ethan Cohen | The Union

Sports editor Clay Fordham of the The Mesa Press contributed to this report.

Lincoln Marschall anchors the 400-meter relay team during SoCal Prelims on Friday, May 6 at San Diego Mesa College. Andres Armenta | The Mesa Press

James Neely, right, during a SoCal Preliminaries race on Friday, May 6 at San Diego Mesa College. Neely placed third overall in the men’s 800-meters, and will advance to SoCal Finals which will take place at San Diego Mesa College on Friday, May 12. Andres Armenta | The Mesa Press