Lariat WEDNESDAY, NOV. 30, 2016 // VOL. 49, NO. 6 LARIATNEWS.COM | FACEBOOK.COM/LARIATNEWS twitter.com/lariatnews | twitter.com/lariatsports
the student voice of Saddleback College since 1968
News. California's statue of limitations on rape // page 3
Opinion. Let's get spiritually high with Kundalini. Unleash your higher consciousness through meditation // page 6
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Life. Award winning violinist teaches master class // Page 5
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Online love sessions. Pros and cons of swiping left or right on dating websites
OPINION
Assisted suicide, Everyone has an opinion, including Catholic Church Mission Basilica
NEWS
Men's basketball shoot enough hoops to win against Palomar college
SPORTS
LIFE
Snap your fingers, and dim the lights. The English Department hosts putrid poetry event
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News
Assisted Suicide bill passes in California In July, many other important bills passed along side the change in age for smoking. DENISSE HOBSON OPINION EDITOR
The End of Life Option Act, also known as the bill that authorizes physicians to administer terminally ill patient's life-ending medication went into effect June 9 this year in California. Currently there are four other states in the country that have also permitted the option to their fellow state residents, who wish to end their life. According to Sen. Bill Monning in a statement earlier this year, it was something of a historic moment for California. “"It could indeed be a transformative way of giving them the option of a compassionate end-of-life process," said Sen. Monning. What this bill enacts in particular is that by law two doctors must come to a general agreement upon the state of the patient and whether they are a candidate to have help in an assisted suicide. Those patients must fit a requirement that doctors would have to diagnose would have six or less months to live. Following, patients would have to be able to sign for the medication 48 hours before the procedure, by which they then would be able to end their life. In San Juan Capistrano, at Catholic Church Mission Basilica, Adult Faith Formation Director Eileen Smith, says that for the church it’s not something that they necessarily stand by. For the church, assisted suicide can often times, as seen by a case by case scenario, be worst
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HEAR THE BELLS: Catholic church gets heavily involved when it comes to life and death. than suicide. Within the religion ideals, someone who takes their life away may be in a bad place in their life or mentally unhealthy, and therefore those individuals are granted a funeral, as they maybe didn’t feel they had a choice. “The church looks at that situation as being someone who under the mercy of God, we commend them to God’s mercy,” said Smith. “Usually if a person takes their life we’ll have a regular Catholic funeral mass for them, assuming that they were not well mentally.” However for individuals who are looking for help to end their life, it is not something the church can stand by as it is a conscious choice to go through with the procedure. “Because the Catholic church believes that all life is sacred and that everyone has the dignity of human life that it is morally wrong to take a life, even if that person is given an indication that their life is coming to an end,”
Smith said. Instead the church she says would offer palliative care in replacement for those wishing to receive assistance to end their life to relieve the suffering through other medical means. There have been instinces she says that when a priest is called upon to pray for those in the midst to end their life through doctor’s approval that there is a specific protocol. “Normally a priest who is in that situation would not be able to give the sacrament of the sick person because they are persisting in wanting to take their life,” Smith said. What a priest can do however is pray for them, and offer encouragements to not go through with the procedure. Consequently, the priest must also leave before the patient either take the pill or receives injections. For Smith, she works with all ages readying to enter the life of a Catholic. Her job as an Adult Faith Formation Director in-
cludes preparing them with their sacraments and baptism to fully live the Catholic lifestyle. Smith also works very closely with the families and a grief support organization that helps families that have lost loved ones who committed suicide, once a month. “When a young person is having issues to take their life, in my experience, I think the symptoms are there in the family at home,” Smith said. However a number of years ago, Smith recalls that a young student who she was working closely with in the church, gave no indication that he was contemplating suicide. To her disbelief, the young man did. “He was here one day Sunday, and the next day he took his life, so it was very tragic and from that point on i’ve been very aware, trying to keep up to date on what’s happening with the children i’m preparing for baptism in our religious ed program,” Smith said.
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vol. 49, no. 6
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Bill Cosby alligations lead to law changes Lawmakers work on updating California statues for 2017 MEAGHAN CORKILL LIFE EDITOR
California has ended it’s statute of limitations starting Jan. 2017 for rape cases after Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation filed in the midst of sexual assault allegations against comedian Bill Cosby. Some of Bill’s victims are coming out 20-3o years after the crime was commited and judges are saying that there’s not enough evidence. Cosby has said his relationships with his accusers were consensual and is facing trial in
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PUDDIN’ PROOFS: Bill Cosby speaks out against his accusers
Pennsylvania on three felony counts of aggravated indecent assault. State Sen. Connie Leyva filed Senate Bill 813 amdending the penal code so that rape, forcible sodomy, and molestation of a child can be prosecuted, regardless of how long ago the crime
took place. Leyva praised Brown’s decision that goes into full affect after January 1, 2017. “It shows victims and survivors that California stands behind them, that we see rape as a serious crime, that victims can come forward and that justice now has no time limit,” she said. Leyva wants victims in the state of California to know “that they matter”. The new law will affect only sex crimes that take place next year or later and crimes that the statute of limitations has not expired by Jan. 1. The statute of limitations for rape is 10 years, unless new DNA evidence emerges later on. Sex crimes against minors must be put on trial before the victim turns 40. Many groups and associations argued the bill would dispropor-
tionately affect poor and minority defendants with little or no representation. However, supporters say the new law would help victims who are too afraid to report the sexual abuse to police until years later. Rape and sexual assault is usually committed by someone the victims know, which makes it harder for them to speak out, lawyers and advocates said. Shame, fear, and anxiety all come from the fact that the victims are wounded badly, but don’t have the confidence or support system they need until later in life. An executive director of the California Women’s Law Center said advocates have been urging for such legislation long before women spoke out against Cosby. “It is exciting for victims, and it puts perpetrators on notice,” she said.
Cuba’s Fidel Castro passed his prime NATALIA POURAZAR OPINION EDITOR
Fidel Castro was announced dead Friday night at 10:29 p.m. at 90 years old by his brother Raul Castro on a televised Cuban station. Castro is best known as the leader of Cuba who dominated the country’s nation for nearly five decades. “I say to the people of Cuba, with profound pain I come here to inform our people, our friends of America and the world, that today, 25 November, 2016, at 10:29 pm, died the chief commander of the Cuban revolution, Fidel Castro Ruz,” Raul Castro said. Before the death of this longlived chief commander, he was able to see the reestablishment of two nations for diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba. Many Cubans have mixed feelings about the death of their leader. Many left devastated by the death while others chanted in
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PUSHIN DAISYS: Fidel stands for his political agenda. the streets with profound glory over the decease. In Miami, the streets were filled with chaos and excitement from the Cuban community all along the streets of Little Havana. People gathered together, sung and explained how happy they were with the death of the
commander in chief. Many chanted the words “liberated” (freedom) for the hope of future Cuba and their nation. “This is a celebration, but in a way, not a celebration of a death -- but it’s a celebration, hopefully, of a beginning of liberty that
we are all waiting for, for many years,” one reveler born in Cuba told CNN. More than 260,000 cubans left there island between 1965 to 1973 too flee to U.S. according to CNN. While many Cubans in the states were excited over the death of Castro, others were left crushed. “The Cuban people are feeling sad because of the loss of our commander in chief Fidel Castro Ruz, and we wish him, wherever he is, that he is blessed, and us Cubans love him,” a young Cuban woman told CNN. Different memorials were held throughout Cuba on Monday and Tuesday for people to grieve and give respects to their former leader. Jose Marti Revelution Square in Havana hosted a public mass on Tuesday evening. Castro body was cremated and his funeral will be held Sunday Morning at Santa Ifigenia cemetery in Santiago de Cuba.
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Life
Wednesday, Feb. 30, 2016
Students celebrate putrid poems DENISSE HOBSON OPINION EDITOR
Sitting patiently in room 314, of the Learning Resource Center just before 3:30, a whopping amount of students enter to take heed of the English department’s reading of putrid poetry. The sign in sheet along spreads of the WALL literary journal are displayed on a table as students enter. There’s a certain vibe about the event, almost like being in a close and intimate cafe shop. Shoulders touching from the close proximity of sitting near one another, as a magnitude of interested Saddleback College writers, poets, and other curious Gauchos take their seats. A unison of students and faculty, finally tune in when Associate Professor of English Dr. Shellie Ochi enthusiastically begins the event. “I’ll start the poetry reading in just a moment, but first i’d like to introduce a couple of the guest in the audience,” Dr. Ochi said. Faculty of the English department, sit in the back and waive their hands as they are introduced, so students know whom to talk to after with any questions. Among the back sits English Composition Instructor Dr. Gina Shaffer, who is a faculty advisor to the literary journal the WALL. The WALL is an award winning high caliber publication put out every year that issues students poetry as well as narratives and art work. Unlike attending an event where William Shakespeare poetry is read, the object of the gathering is to read unintentionally bad poetry. Beginning from the “Melodramatic Breakups,” section of “Teen Angst,” a book that celebrates bad poetry, Dr. Ochi reads the poem called “Broken Love Misery,” to which a roar of laughter erupts from the room. She also reads some of her own poetry that she wrote at the age of nine, with titles such as “The Wind,” “Secrets,” and “Pictures.”
DENISSE HOBSON/LARIAT
ZIMMERMAN SPEAKS: He began the event by reciting poems from the worst poet in British history. Following English Instructor Dr. Ray Zimmerman is greeted by snaps of the fingers from the crowd like true to a poet’s introduction. He recites from the worst poet in British history, William McGonagall’s “The Tay Bridge Disaster” in a Scottish accent. A long poem, but one that got it’s point across to give an example of what horrible poetry can be written like. English Composition Instructor Suki Fisher’s reading of poet Jewel’s, “A Night Without Armor,” one that she confesses was given to her by students, makes her somewhat upset as Jewel grossed $10 million at the time of her released book in 1998. “I didn’t buy this by the way, my students bought if for me, and I would have thrown it away except they wrote me notes in it so I had to keep it,” Fisher said. She recites a poem called “Red Roof Boston,” from Jewel which contained absolutely no rhyming and boasted lines like “shaving my armpit,” showcasing what bad poetry sounds like. “So go out and buy it,” Fisher said. To which the crowd laughs at hearing the sarcasm in her voice and snaps their fingers at a job well done.
Dean of Liberal Arts Kevin O’Connor maneuvers up front to read his putrid poetry from Mark Twain’s novel “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn,” a poem called “Ode to Stephen Dowling Bots,” about a boy who fell down a well and drowned. “Sometimes putrid poetry deals with love, amor, and death, those are two dominant themes in bad poetry. It’s a fascination with love and death,” said O’Connor. It nears the end, as English Composition and Oxford Study Abroad Program Instructor Jennifer Hedgecock introduces the last foul poem. “They actually do have contest and that’s a contest to find out who can write the worst possible love poem ever, and actually the winner of that award was from last year,” said Hedgecock. A poem titled “Worst Love Poem,” which posses lines such as “I love stalking you,” and “I know where you live,” displayed the horribly written efforts of a love poem. “Sometimes to understand what bad poetry is, it’s really helpful to know that good poetry is,” Hedgecock said. Giving clues towards a poet that not many people knew she
even wrote, Hedgecock invited students to guess who it was. “They actually really encouraged her to try writing, they’d seen her work and they’d seen her writing from much of her adult life,” Hedgecock said. But before anyone can guess, Hedgecock recites the poem and finally someone in the crowd guesses the right answer. Marilyn Monroe. A sea of claps emerge to conclude the putrid poetry read by faculty, and students then begin to disperse in the room, meeting others alike. Amongst the crowd is 19 year old Garrett Falke an English and Journalism major student. “I don’t really know what bad poetry is, because i’m not really familiar with poetry, but to know a little bit about what bad poetry is so i don’t write it is good” Falke said. To Mariam El Hasan, 19 who majors in Comparative Literature, she was happy to attend. “I love to study literature because what it captures is the emotions and the history of the world. I especially have a passion for studying literature from the past. I’m in class that’s studying Beowulf and the romantic era and that I think there’s a lot you can learn from literature,” El Hasan said. “Bad poetry is the best kind of poetry because it’ll make you laugh and poetry that brings out the happiest and saddest emotions are typically the best,” El Hasan said. Instructor Jennifer Hedgecock believes that an event like this really helps and welcomes students to come and build upon a community together. “It obviously emphasis writing but i think it’s to get away from the academic part of it and enjoy part of the fun part of what writing is. And what could be better than putrid poetry, really bad writing,” Hedgecock said.
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vol. 49, no. 6
Violin students get a master class DENISSE HOBSON OPINION EDITOR
Canadian violinist Iryna Krechkovsky visited Saddleback College on Nov. 18 to give violin students a master class. The class was held in the Fine Arts building where violin students Berett Phillips, Ryan Fogal, and Jose Garcia Velasquez received a first-hand appraisal from Krechkovsky. Phillips led playing the cello, in which Krechkovsky gave the first critique of the evening, lending her support to his performance. “Students often think classical music has to be boxed in,” Krechkovsky said. After Phillips finished his performance, Krechkovsky said she really thought he could improve on the type of character that Phillips portrays while playing the cello. It was a point she made also that he should extend his arm more as it is the breath of the cello. “Your kind of a walk in the park,” Krechkovsky said. Following Phillips’ performance, Fogal also playing the cello, stepped up to the front of the crowd to present his talents on stage. Fogal began his performance by closing his eyes, in which Krechkovsky declared that it showed the kind of emotional violinist he is. She also commented that he was able to withstand the nature of the dramatic song, in a way that was expressive from the soul. “To keep the overall shaping of the piece,” Krechkovsky said. “Everything is more clearly heard.” If there was something that she thought Fogal should focus his attention to, it’s that he needed to prioritize his speed, as it was narrow. Her question was
also about the kind of character a fast narrative vibrato means and how he could adhere to it. What Krechkovsky spoke upon Fogal’s performance, was also that he needed to ask the questions of how each phrase are different from the one he played before. Because for her, it’s important that each phrase, is uniquely different in order to make the music feel alive. For Fogal, he mentioned that at times his fingers get stuck in a position that makes it hard to fully play each phrase at it’s best. For that, Krechkovsky indicated that she too has the same problem at times. “Fingers get into this weird habit and you just have to untangle them,” Krechkovsky said. To close off the master class, Jose Garcia Velasquez appeared on stage last, this time playing the violin. For Velasquez, it was a different kind of critique from his fellow stringed classmates. She more so focused on the technique of particularly his index finger placed on the bow, something she said was causing for the sound the violin echoed. Both Berett Phillips and Ryan Fogal mentioned after the master class that it was a great learning experience for them both. “It’s one of those things where you’re nervous all day, and then after it’s done you feel good about yourself,” Phillips said. “I’m really glad that we do these at Saddleback because Yorgos always knows these super prestigious people, that teach you a lot.” For Fogal in particular there was a great knowledge he underwent from the master class. “It’s always a great opportunity to perform in front of an audience and getting some great feedback is always great to get better as a musician,” Fogal said.
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Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016
Opinion
Kundalini leads spiritual awareness I’m getting higher with a little help from my friends DENISSE HOBSON OPINION EDITOR
It’s 4:30 a.m. in a lightly dimmed space at a Kundalini session who, a women dressed in all white sits at the front of the crowd. All eyes are on her as the young and old await for her to chant the first mantra to tune in. She takes a deep breath in and out. The crowd follows into the Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo chant for about seven minutes. Following this is the Yoga Kriya, which is quite the most difficult part of morning Sadhana, because it extends for about 45 minutes. Relentless high levels of breathing in and out, enlarging your lungs to be stretched full of air. If you walk out of a CorePower Yoga session sweaty, expect the Kriya session to knock it out of the park, because you’ll end up both sweaty and, if it’s your first time light headed from the intense forms of breathing. After the Kriya, follows a resting, to which then transitions into an hour of chanting mantras such as, Waah Yantee, The Mul Mantra, and Guru Ram Das Chant. All chants are essentially prayers to the higher universe, in which you’re being trained to experience your creator in all forms through your mind. The beautiful thing about Kundalini, is that it’s an avenue to grow spiritually without involving religion. Often people mistake those two concepts, and people are hesitant to spirituality. Being a young adult, religion may seem like swallowing medicine you hate taking but have to for the sake of getting rid of the
JAIME RAMOS/FLICKR COMMONS
DEEP BREATH: People get together to focus on themselves and find their inner self. constant nagging of parents. However, the unleashing of higher states of being through meditation has transformed a new generation to harness the power within. Sitting in on a Kundalini session is a serious mental and bodily challenge. It’s difficult enough to wake up for a 9 a.m. class, nonetheless falling asleep after a long night before. But the reason why the morning prayer is so pivotal is because it’s considered as the ambrosial hours of the day which are the two and a half hours just before sunrise.
results. Your world is quieter. It’s easier to meditate and concentrate before the hustle and bustle of the day begins,” writes Khalsa. Kundalini was brought to the United States by Yogi Bhajan an elite spiritual teacher, to which he focused on the ideology that we all have seven energies in our bodies which we can awaken by Kundalini yoga. Essentially it’s difficult to grasp at first, however recognizing that our bodies are made up of energy and we have the power to not only heal ourselves but those around by raising our vibrational frequencies, it can then begin to “Your world is quieter.” make sense. It has already Shakti Parwha Kaur Khalsa Author of “Kundalini Yoga” caught the attention of many, as every year Author Shakti Parwha the Kundalini Yoga and Musical Kaur Khalsa of the best selling Festival Sat Nam Fest is held in Sikhism book titled “Kundali- various parts of the world. Ceni Yoga: The Flow of Eternal lebrities such as Oprah, Russell Power,” peels back the layers of Brand and Miranda Kerr have sadhana to give readers an un- all been lovers of this form of derstanding. meditation. “The energy you put into For anyone looking to your sadhana gets maximum change their life in a spiritual
manner, Kundalini is the way to go. At first it may take some time to get used to, and it’s important to mention that it can be done at any times of the day. If you’re familiar with the law of attraction, Kundalini is in line with that philosophy as well. What you vibrate from within will vibrate back at you. Be the love that you want to receive. If one is looking for an abundance of success, then by making small amounts of daily success like saving that extra $10 in your savings, can manifest into $10 million in the future. Speaking from experience, it works and if more of young adults students tried it, maybe they’d realize that the source of love is the love from within. “Sadhana is nothing but where a disciplined one, with love, talks to one’s own soul,” says Yogi Bhaja. “Is nothing but where one cleans his own mind. Sadhana is nothing but where one prepares for the day to become kind and compassionate for everyone, including the enemies.”
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Sometimes swiping (right) is wrong If our kids ask, we did not meet on Tinder NATALIA POURAZAR OPINION EDITOR
Jack and Sally meet after many years of being single. Sally went through a divorce and lost all hope in finding the right one. After a few years, Sally decided it was time to try online dating, after her single friends convinced her it can be more than fun and games. Sally met a few nice boys and eventually met Jack. They hit it off and are still in a relationship to this day. More than 40 million people today are using online dating websites to find partners. According to Match.com, 44 percent of adults are single and looking for a partner, friend or companion. Online dating is a booming success in what today’s day and age style of getting to know someone may mean. Learning their interests and finding out if one’s physical appearance meets your standards is one of the perks of these social media sites specifically dedicated to meeting people. Today, millennials have become fascinated with the idea of swiping left when one doesn’t do you justice, and swiping right when their looks caught the best of you. Is online dating the new orange? Keeping in mind that orange is the new black. This online trend has become common in the youth of today. While one must wonder how do you meet people when you have a busy schedule? This is the key. Today, about 15 percent of U.S. adults have reported to have used and downloaded mobile dating apps available according to Pew Research Center, which has nearly tripled since 2013.
NATALIA POURAZAR/LARIAT
VIRTUAL DATING: Apps, such as Tinder, have made matching and communicating with people around you much easier. Connect to Facebook and start swiping. Online dating has your back. However, are there only perks that may come with online dating? That can’t be true, because everything has its flaws whether one wants to believe it. Pros 1) There is a site for everyone. While you may be looking for a casual hookup, or a marriage proposal, different sites have a booming effect of producing satisfaction in different relationships individuals may look for. Different sites to choose from range from Tinder, Bumble, Okcupid, Match and Zoosk, etc. 2) Access of online dating is simple. You create an account, many of which are free. Then you fill out your profile and let the site do the rest of the work. Automatically you have been accessed by hundreds of potential partners. Now you have the the choice to choose a person based on their looks, orientation and lifestyle. 3) While communication for most people might be what makes a relationship or breaks it, online dating allows a safe and convenient interaction. Which means you may get to know
someone, and understandhow they react to certain things based on how they interact with you through a site. You may also figure out whether one truly sparks an interest in the same topics as you oppose to just a physical attraction. 4) Availability and lack of time is one of the struggles many people have due to the fact of a conflicting schedule. Which is why online dating once again has your back. It is 24 hours, at any time of the day you can swipe through your phone and meet people when is convenient for you. On average, Tinder users spend up to 77 minutes a day swiping through options according to Huffington Post article. 5) Everybody is doing it. You’re not alone. Based off of my observation, at least three out of five friends are successfully using online dating as a source of getting to know someone. Cons 1) While there may be a site for everyone, everyone may not be meant for the site. Many people can become overwhelmed by the choices or even confused. Shopping for partners can be similar to the struggle of window
shopping. While an outfit may look good on the mannequin, it does not mean it will look good on you. A site/app may just not fit you like it does for another. 2) While the access to online dating may be simple, it does not mean everything is factual. With the ability of the being able to fill out your height, weight, color and interests, it also gives you the ability to lie about it. Everything you read does not guarantee that is was written honestly. 3) Face to face interaction is the real key to communication. Social media allows you to put on an act of who you want to be or the way you want to be perceived. While one’s communication may be great through text, or just the very opposite, it leaves one wondering if this is how they will act in person. 4) Online dating can start to feel like a job. You can become addicted to interacting with a partner based on looks and lifestyle making yourself become shallow. Looks aren’t everything, and different interest can be what makes a new relationship so interesting. 5) Just because everybody is doing it, does not mean it is meant for you. While three out of five friends may be succesfully using a dating site to meet people, it does not necessarily mean they are meeting good people. Online dating does not give you the opportunity to have a real first impression. Majority of the time, the first impression is how “hot” you look in your profile picture. Whether dating sites work for you or not, at the end of the day what is meant to be will be. If online dating does become a ritual part of your life, make sure it eventually leads into your offline life too. Essentially the goal of online dating is to open the door of an offline relationship and eventually swipe right on the “right” partner.
before the Students showcase original designs at OC Fashion Night // photo essay by Natalia Pourazar
S
addleback College fashion department hosted its inaugural OC Fashion Night Nov. 17 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. in the first floor of the BGS building. The night was dedicated to students, faculty and alumni to showcase the students work and talents they have achieved throughout the semester. Students were able to show off their favorite fashion pieces and spoke to guests about the amount of work put into the pieces, the fabrics used on each design and their inspirations that contributed to the pieces. Diana McGroarty, fashion and merchandise director, was very happy with the works of the students and the amount of representation brought from each class. “We are presenting work from all of our classes from merchandizing to all of the design classes,” McGroarty said. “We try to do a representation of each class. Everything on the walls, the designs and the fashion show video was set up by our students.”
Tayliss Forge displays four designs insprised by victorian & steampunk designers. Many of her pieces are costume based.
Lheela Saberi showcased six of her designs ranging from corsets, eveningwear and knits influenced by Japansese deisgners.
“We try to do a representation of each class. Everything on the walls, the designs and the fashion show video was set up by our students.” Diana McGroaorty
e catwalk fashion & design director
Haili Jaramillo showcased her “femme du diable” glove insprised by dominatrax (left) and The Dapper Evil Queen (top right) inspired by lady villians. (Bottom right) The Lady Hatter is 99 percent hand sewn.
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Sports
Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2016
Gauchos edge out the Jaguars Saddleback Men’s Basketball takes third at Palomar Tournament FILIP PEJCINOVIC NEWS EDITOR
The Saddleback Gauchos had a close game with the Southwestern Jaguars at the Palomar Tournament, ending the night with a winning score of 60-52, and third place overall. Saddleback started the game off with a slight disadvantage, missing some three-pointers but staying in the game by getting consistent layups. Saddleback’s T.J. Shorts and Southwestern’s Richard Grove, both sophomore guards, used their ball control skills to score plenty of points throughout the game, consistently coordinating with their respective teammates. At the buzz of the 30-second shot clock, the players went back to their coaches to get feedback and information on future plays. After the break, the Gauchos picked up the pace and landed some memorable three-pointers. Southwestern freshman guard Iman Chatman-Dixon caught the Gauchos’ rebound and immediately returned it as a layup, outrunning anyone who tried to defend him. Chatman was called for his third offensive foul, and Saddleback regained possession. Shorts received a pass and made a layup and successfully scored. On the rebound, Grove, who outmaneuvered Saddleback
Keep an eye out for next semester’s Lariat coverage of the following spring sports:
LARIAT FILE PHOTO
JUMPING INTO TOURNAMENT PLAY: Saddleback Gauchos men’s basketball team cur-
rently stands second in conference play after eight games, heading into the Riverside Tournament followed by the Bill Brummel Tournament later in December. and made a two-point jumper, supported Southwest’s offense. Toward the end of the second quarter, the Jaguars’ 6-foot-6 freshman forward Emilio Arellano held up the Gauchos offense with an offensive foul, hitting Gaucho Caleb Thomas’ hand as he went for a layup. Thomas’ foul shots went in one after the other later, returning the favor when he fouled Grove, who missed both his free-shot throws. At halftime, the Gauchos were sweating with Southwestern tailling behind them by a narrow one point lead, 27-26. Chatman stole the ball away during one of Gauchos’ offensive
plays and soon after Devonte Evans and Edward Winslow got into a jump ball concession. Saddleback’s freshman guard Devonte Evans and Southwestern’s forward Edward Winslow got into a jump ball concession and Chatman-Dixon gained possession, putting the ball into the grip of Southwestern’s Arellano, who missed his layup shot. Soon after, the Gauchos’ freshman guard Justin Faison made two back-to-back baskets. On the second shot, Shorts helped him score in a smooth play they coordinated together, almost as if it were choreographed. “We threw it to him and he made it in,” said Andy Ground,
Saddleback Gauchos head coach. Just before the final buzzer, Southwestern landed a three-pointer, but it wasn’t enough to take the victory, ending the game in Saddleback’s favor. The Saddleback Gauchos are now second in the Orange Empire Conference standings, behind Riverside College, with six wins and two loses so far this season. The Gauchos will face the Jaguars again on Dec.2 in the gymnasium at 5 p.m. Next up are the Riverside Tournament at Riverside College on Dec 6-10, followed by the local favorite Bill Brummel Classic tournament Dec. 15-17 before the holiday break.
Track & Field ■ Tennis ■ Swimming & Diving ■ Softball ■ Baseball ■
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vol. 49, no. 6
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Cross country makes history KATIE GROAT PHOTO EDITOR
KATIE GROAT/LARIAT
3, 2, 1 : Freshman Sierra Pilarski hit the ground running in her first year on the Saddleback College cross country team.
Saddleback College cross country competitor Sierra Pilarski helped make history this year as the team placed fifth at the state championships in Fresno on Nov. 19. Cross country is a competitive sport where participants race through open-air courses for a strenuous distance. “We had state in mind at all of our meets,” said Pilarski, 19, a freshman psychology major. “We tried different strategies out at each meet leading up to state to see what would get us the best out come on the day of state.” The women worked hard practicing six days a week, depending on their race schedule, pushing each other the entire time to be the best they could be.
“As a team we all had so much dedication to do our best this season for each other,” Pilarski said. “We tried our hardest to make each day as fun and exciting as it could be in order to get the outcome we wanted in the end.” Pilarski has been competing in cross country for ten years including her time competing for the Saugus High School varsity team. She began her sport career when she was 9 years old, her mother signer her up for track and then cross country. “The best thing about cross country is the positive outlook it gives you on life and the dedication you get for your team,” Pilarski said. After making Gaucho history, most of the cross country team will continue competing for the Saddleback Track Distance team this upcoming 2017 spring season.
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ERIKA BERRY
Taco Bell Love Affair MACKENZIE QUINN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
It was another late night, juggling work, school and trying to maintain some sort of social life, when I decided to go back. I knew what happened each time I went there and I knew exactly how I felt after but I guess I was hoping that he had changed. Driving up I felt my heart speed up, feeling as if there was some hope for us after all and that we could go back to how we used to be. I would learn later that there was no hope. My friends always told me it was a toxic relationship but, they liked to see me happy so they supported my decision. I was on the phone with my best friend, Erika Berry, when I
pulled through. “You’re there again,” she sighed. “Didn’t you learn from last time.” I told her that he had changed, that he would never hurt me on purpose and it was just a mistake. Hearing the disappointment in her voice, she just told me to be careful. As if I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. I ordered my version of a Major Munchie Meal™: two chicken quesadillas, a mexican pizza, two hard shell tacos and a large Mountain Dew. A flip had switched in my brain and I couldn’t control myself, I just go crazy around him. Heading home I held him in my arms; we kept each other close in the luke-warm California night.
Five minutes after entering the house and I already had his wrapper off. Leaving his protective layers on the ground behind us as we become one in bliss. We only spent at max 45 minutes together but it was the
the bathroom looking for water or anything that would sooth my aching soul. How could he do this to me after everything we had been through together. Curled into a ball on the bathroom floor, I cried as I felt that feeling I knew all too well caused by Taco Bell betrayal. I felt used and cheap. Thrown away like the wrappers on my chicken quesadillas. It was a cold cruel mystery this game he and I played, and I always was the one getting burned. But it didn’t matter how many times I got hurt, I knew I would end up going back to him. Going back to us and, inevitably, going back to the bathroom pains.
Leaving his protective layers on the ground behind us as we become one in bliss. best 45 minutes of my life. It was not long he was gone before I started to feel that pain in my chest. A feeling I knew too well. Heartburn. The pain started coming in waves. I struggled my way to