Lariat the student voice of Saddleback & Irvine Valley colleges since 1968
Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015
How the GI Bill benefits veterans at Saddleback
volume 48, issue 9
PIZZA PALOOZA 3
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Saddleback Police write out a ticket for one unlucky student driver
AARON MITZLAFF NEWS EDITOR
Students recquired to immunize at UCs by 2017 AARON MITZLAFF NEWS EDITOR
There are a growing number of veterans coming home from the war in Afghanistan and Iraq. Many of them are starting their college careers. Their service has earned them money for college, but many do not know what benefits are available to them. Saddleback offers personal counseling, including academic and financial counseling through the Veterans Education and Transition Services on campus. Before separating from the military, every service member must attend classes on base to help with the transition into civilian life through the Transition Assistance Program. This class discusses Veterans Affairs benefits, job placement and the GI Bill. However when former service members arrive on a college campus, most of them don’t know what to do to begin the process of receiving VA benefits through the GI Bill. “Saddleback does send an official representative to Camp Pendleton to [advise] active-duty military on academic counseling, the same type of counseling that is provided here,” said Jason Conway, an employee of the VETS Center. The information military personnel receive about the GI Bill in TAP classes is very general, due to the fact that many of the personnel will be going back to their home of record to start their college experience. It is up to each individual to research information on the veteran programs at their school of choice. California has the largest population of veterans in this country, according to the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s office. Saddleback College has around 500 veterans enrolled in classes either on or off campus. “379 veterans here are using the GI Bill, but their are some that are not using the GI Bill,” said Karen Miranda from the VA Benefits office. The VA Benefits office in the Student Services Center Room 208 is where veterans begin the process of getting their GI Bill started. “Most of the veterans hear about us through word of mouth,” Miranda said. “ They are usually not very knowledgeably on the steps to getting their benefits.” Saddleback’s veterans office has counselors to help each veteran through the steps. These counselors can be located on campus, at the VETS Center in the SSC Room 207. There’re two types of GI bills, the Montgomery Bill and the Post 9/11 Bill. Most of the veterans here use the Post 9/11 GI Bill, which pays for tuition, books and monthly housing allowance, or MHA. In order to get the MHA the veteran must be a full-time student. Veterans at Saddleback are generally pleased with their experiences with the VA services on campus. “It has been great so far, a much easier transition then I thought it would be,” said Zak Peel, 28, graphic design and photography. “They overpaid me once, and late payments are the only [other] problems that I have had.” New veterans now have more opportunities to receive a college education. “[New veterans should] visit the college and talk to the veterans counselor and other veterans that go to school,” Peel said. If you know a veteran that wants to enroll in college, tell them to contact the VA office at their college of choice.
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UH-OH: Many students aren’t aware of parking regulations at Saddleback that are grounds for a citation.
5 tips for ticket-free parking NIKO LABARBERA
PHOTO/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
Parking at Saddleback College can be costly if the rules aren’t precisely followed. Parking tickets are distributed by campus police on a daily basis, and finding one on your windshield can be as upsetting as receiving a bad grade, except it’ll cost you some cash. These tickets may be frustrating, but they are avoidable. Rather than reading all nine pages of parking and traffic regulations on the Saddleback police website, here are five of the most important traffic and parking regulations students should know. Section 411 of the parking guidebook states all vehicles shall be parked clearly within a designated parking stall. The terms to focus on are “designated parking stall.” All student drivers know what it’s like to be late for class and left scrambling for a parking spot. Although student drivers may find clever ways to park in
unmarked spots, those who do may be subject to a ticket. No student enjoys an orange envelope on their windshield. Section 412 states all vehicles shall be parked heading into a parking stall. Backing into a parking spot makes life easy when leaving school, but there’s also a good chance students will get a ticket for doing so. It doesn’t matter whether a driver is in an angled spot by the tennis courts or in parking Lot 10, expect a ticket if the vehicle is backed into a parking spot. Section 414 states no vehicle shall be left parked on campus after 11 p.m. or before 6 a.m., except by special permit. This may seem like a no-brainer, but for students who’ve ever contemplated leaving their car at the college while grabbing a beer with a buddy after a night class, do so with caution. If students leave cars after 11p.m. they will most likely be towed by the time they get back to school. Section 202 states no person shall
ride a skateboard, roller skates or roller blades within the confines of the campus. This may be a surprise many students. While this regulation may not be strongly enforced at Saddleback, students may want to get off your skate and walk next time you happen to be passing a school officer. Section 406 states no person shall stop, park or leave standing any vehicle in any area where the curb is painted red, regardless of whether or not the vehicle is attended. Many student drivers like to get to school early to stake out the parking situation. This usually occurs in the form of waiting in one’s car at the back of the parking lot until a spot opens up. While student drivers will most likely continue to wait in red zones to find parking, be aware that if campus police see this, they may write a citation.
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Landscape design closes 81 parking spots around campus Parking in Lots 9 and 10 of Saddlebck College was more difficult than usual in early February due to the closure of parking spaces to accomodate landscaping meant to aesthetically improve the college NIKO LABARBERA
PHOTO/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
Why were 81 parking spots closed in Lot 10 a few weeks ago? That’s the question many student drivers may have been asking themselves when they got to school and saw caution tape lining the outside of parking Lots 9 and 10. This was due to new landscape designs which began on Tuesday, Feb. 10. While the shrubbery surrounding Lots 9 and 10 acted as a good natural barrier, it wasn’t the most aesthetically pleasing display of plant life. Contractors began excavating the area surrounding parking Lot 10 on Tuesday, which resulted in 81 spots being temporarily closed. Lot 10 returned to normal after Tuesday, but Lot 9 experienced 23 closures on Wednesday as excavation continued. The shrubs are gone and parking is back to normal, but when landscaping continues prepare for the parking lots to experience more traffic. No definitive schedule is in place for future landscape designs, though more parking closures are to be expected throughout the semester. The closures create a more difficult than normal parking situation for student and staff drivers. Some drivers
risk parking along the empty red curbs to get to class, while others try squeezing into the unmarked spaces below the Fine Arts Building. Second year photography student Noah Garrett parked off of campus to avoid a possible ticket and the chaotic parking lots. “The parking lot was crazy that day,” said Garrett. “It made more sense to park on the street and walk.” Campus police are aware of these
student struggles. They know when parking is scarce and that student drivers will park anywhere to get to class on time. Parking in makeshift spots may get drivers out of the parking lot quicker, but there’s a good chance they’ll find a ticket waiting for them when they return. nlabarbera.lariat@gmail.com
The University of California passed a policy that would make it mandatory for all students enrolling in 2017, to have their immunization shots, or their registration will be suspended. Documentation of this must be shown before students are allowed to attend classes at these universities. The recent outbreak of measles has bought an awareness of immunization and vaccines to Southern California as well as the entire country. The University of California is now taking steps to stay ahead of the issue. The mandatory immunizations will be done in three phases. “Immunizations save lives and I respect any organization’s requirements,” said Saddleback College student Charleton Aguirre, 23, astrophysics. “Since you are not required to attend Saddleback, I feel it’s not that out of line for them to ask for such things.” This policy was put in place to give all universities in the UC system a baseline on immunizations. Each university can make their own policy as long as they hit the minimum requirements. They would also be able to speed up the process and start the mandatory immunizations earlier than 2017. The immunizations that will be required in 2017 are hepatitis B, TB screening, measles, mumps, rubella, meningococcal, varicella a.k.a chicken pox, tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis a.k.a. whooping cough. The three phases start with awareness and end with the application and implementation of these new policies. This policy is news to many university students. Those who know are displeased that there’s going to be a pretty big list of vaccines that will be required, “mostly due to the cost,” said Spiros Antzoulators, a UC Davis student. The required immunizations for the UC system are covered by the Affordable Care Act, according to HHS.gov. Some students at these universities already get some immunizations. “I always get my vaccines every year before I start school,” Antzoulators said. “I don’t want to risk my health or the health of others.” California State University, Fullerton, also has requirements dealing with immunizations, but they are not nearly as extensive, according to the CSUF’s Student Health and Counseling Center. Students are required documentation of immunizations on hepatitis B, measles and rubella. These documents are not required until a student’s second semester and they will not be able to register for those classes until documentation has been shown.
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DUDE, WHERE’S MY SPOT: Construction equiptment was brought in when crews began landscaping around certain parking lots starting Feb. 10, causing the closure of 81 parking spots.
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 25, 2015
Opinion
LARIATNEWS.COM
Lariat
ampus comments
“Saddleback’s student-run newspaper since 1968” Editors-in-Chief Emilie Christensen Amarah Eden News Editor Aaron Mitzlaff Opinion Editor Jonathan Anson Life Editor Makaila Ho Sports Editor Nick Nenad Photo Editor Nicholas LaBarbera Staff Writers Dominic Ebel Capper Durham
Olivia Morales, 18, communications
stance, this image can still be found inside the Student Services Center overlooking the front entrance doors.
Of Gauchos and Administrators
Continuing problems with the college’s mascot hide a bigger problem JONATHAN ANSON OPINION EDITOR
FOR THE RECORD
The Lariat is committed to accuracy. To reach us, call 949-582-4688 or email us at lariateditor@gmail.com. Please specify if you are referring to content from the newspaper or online.
CORRECTIONS “The 10 sports news events from break” on the front page referenes Jake Long when it should say Kyle Long. The last issue’s “Campus Comments” gave incorrect information regarding the third student from the top. The student is Brenna Miller. She is 19 and is currently studying for a degree in nursing.
If you ever walk around Saddleback College you’ve very likely encountered the Gaucho, Saddleback College’s mascot. He still resides in places like the gym, athletic centers and the Student Services Center. Though innocent looking and cutely illustrated, the Gaucho is a part of an ongoing controversy and fascinating history. A quick deductive look should answer why. The Gaucho, rather than looking like an actual gaucho, looks like a bandito. The little fellow’s image is very ethnically insensitive and historically inaccurate. Students brought the issue to the Academic Senate in 2010, said Kenneth Brady, the Secretary of the Academic Senate. After much deliberation, senate
members voted to pass a resolution to ban the image from use. The motion was passed and the Gaucho was removed from campus. But Gaucho images continued to linger. Students noticed, and filed another petition for removal. As reported by the Lariat, on Nov. 5, 2013, the Associated Student Government and the Consultation Council repeated their vote to reiterate their position to ban the Gaucho. Unlike last time, the Gaucho has stayed up. English instructor and Academic Senate Secretary Kenneth Brady, is at a loss to understand what the holdup has been. He even nicely offered to “donate a gallon of paint or a bottle of white out” to help get rid of the image. Dan Walsh, the President of the Academic Senate, was at a loss to explain it too. What they are both sure of is that the image is offensive to multiple cultures. For that reason alone, they both agree, the image should be removed. If that’s true, why is the image still up? It’s now February and the Gaucho still remains up despite it no longer being allowed on campus. There’s been no set
date for removal and no direct attempts at erasing him. Practically nothing has been done to remove the Gaucho. That’s where the real problem lies. The continuing debate over the Saddleback Gaucho is hiding a blatant failure of the college administration to do one simple thing: finish what they start. Students and teachers, no matter the college, are entitled to proactive administrators who can act. That’s not what’s happening at Saddleback College as this debacle over the Gaucho shows. As reported last year by the Lariat, the Academic Senate voted, starting next semester, to ban the use of cigarettes, both tobacco and electronic. The ban will be campus-wide at both Saddleback College and Irvine Valley College. That should make a number of questions pop up. Chief among those questions should be this one: if the school can’t swiftly accomplish their goal of removing an image campus-wide, how can they be expected to do the same with cigarettes, or any other issue for that matter? janson.lariat@gmail.com
Riley Copeland, 21, business administration
Jonathan Anson/Lariat
LET ‘ER BUCK: Despite a campus-wide ban, images of the Saddleback College Gaucho can still be seen. For in-
“I think it’s a horse.”
Chrystal Chao, 18, biology
The Lariat is the student newspaper of Saddleback College and Irvine Valley College. It is an independent, First Amendment, student-run public forum. One copy of the Lariat is free. Additional copies may be purchased for $1 at the Lariat newsroom located in LRC 116. Letters to the editor are welcomed. Please limit them to 200 words or less and include a name, valid email address and signature. All letters are subject to editing by the editorial board. Unsigned editorials represent the views of the Lariat’s ediorial board and do not represent the views of Saddleback College, Irvine Valley College or the South Orange County Community College District.
“I think it is a Hispanic cowboy.”
“It’s like an Indian or something.”
Nicholas Sutton,, 24, criminal justice
Faculty Advisers MaryAnne Shults Tim Posada Instructional Assistant Ali Dorri Phone: 949-582-4688 Email: lariateditor@gmail.com Web: www.lariatnews.com Address: 28000 Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo CA, 92692
Do you know what a gaucho is?
“I believe it is a Mexican cowboy.”
Charlotte Stiles, 19, business
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“Is it a horse or something Mexican?”
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Life
LARIATNEWS.COM
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 25, 2015
3
Step ‘Into the Shade’ exhibit for figurative art Yu Ji, artist and professor, showcases his art at the Saddleback College Art Gallery
Interscope records
SMOKE + MIRRORS: Imagine Dragons new album was released Feb. 17.
AMARAH EDEN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Yu Ji’s “Into the Shade” exhibit in the Saddleback College Art Gallery presents an urbanized portrayal of a mix of inner-cities in America. Ji is an artist who works as a professor at the Cal State University, Long Beach. As a studio painter, Ji persevered through Mao’s Cultural Revolution from 1966 to 1976 and received an opportunity to study at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in China. These circumstances led to his success not just in the U.S. but globally as well. His urban depictions feature racially mixed physical forms in confined spaces. There is a strong psychological presence resting within his contrasts of charcoal. The relationship between the figures in his art serve as a visual metaphor, where emotions intersect in unlikely settings. It is abundantly clear that Ji is depicting a deeper meaning in each art piece. His artwork concentrates on the cultural observations he has made throughout his life. The weight of self-expression rests in the eyes of his human representations, each carrying their own demeanor. The city dwellers in his drawings all have an exclusive persona that feels so real. However, all of his portraits
Beyond ‘Radioactive’ pop songs Imagine Dragons “Smoke + Mirrors”
★★★★ CAPPER DURHAM STAFF WRITER
Amarah Eden/Lariat
SHUSH: Yu Ji stands in front of his piece “Shush,” a figurative place where quietness can be found away from the city. are figments of his imagination. Remarkably, all of his figures are projections from his mind. He works on multiple pieces at a time, making small sketches first and then composes them together over time. In describing the significance behind his drawing “Shush,” Ji commented on how the figures in this piece were “lost in their own moments as individuals,” even though they were close to each other in proximity. Ji explained how the two fe-
The relationship between the figures in his art serve as a visual metaphor, where emotions intersect in unlikely settings. males in the drawing were beside a fire escape, and the tote bag labeled “shush” was creating a quiet space in the loud city. In his pictorial compositions it is easy to make speculations on the meaning of each piece. Like a picture book without words, the audience is left to use their imagination to delve
into what each piece means. Some portraits in his drawings are ghost like, where others have a more prominent and pronounced presence. While his artwork is realistic and life-like structurally, there are idealistic and romantic perspectives that wouldn’t make sense in our physical world.
Pizza is the best, and these local DIY pizza shops prove why MAKAILA HO LIFE EDITOR
It’s 2015, pizza is no longer just any ‘ol meal, but an obsession. The trends of pizza-loving and DIY projects have been combined to create a new craze: do-it-yourself pizzerias. Within 10 miles of Saddleback College, two create-your-own pizza business have opened since 2013. Being able to spend less than $8 on a full-sized pizza with unlimited toppings can (and has) turn any college student into a DIY pizza fanatic. Opening in November of 2013 and located at the forever growing Irvine Spectrum, Pieology was the first local ‘personally inspired pizza’ restaurant. Employees specialize and prioritize in valuing the customer. The employees’ attitudes mixed with the inspirational quotes that adorned the walls made for a very pleasant vibe. I would go back just for that. Pieology also offers vegan cheese and gluten free options, and as a side dish, they are well known for their cinnamon strips. On July 24, 2014, the Mission Viejo food court was blessed with the presence of Blaze Pizza. The locally based company prides itself on their
photos by makaila ho
BLAZE: Pizza lovers flock over to Blaze Pizza to create their own personal masterpiece.
customer service and fresh ingredients. “We make our dough fresh everyday,” said Lyra Jackson, one of Blaze’s pizza-olos, or pizza chefs. “We’re trained to engage with our customers on a personal level,” said Taylor Smith, another pizza-olo. Blaze offers gluten-free options and freshly-made lemonades. With the options of ‘Original’ and ‘Blood Orange’, the lemonades, which contain no artificial sweeteners, are a popular drink selection. A new batch is freshly made three times a day. Their lemonades are refreshing and flavorful without that tangy pucker-your-face touch. The blood orange had more flavor if you’re looking for something sweet. It tastes like a popsicle in the middle of summer. The most unique feature of Blaze pizza is their involvement with its neighboring SAUCEY: Pieology’s hawaiian pizza is a college, Saddledelicious mouthful. back.
Throughout the school year, this pizzeria offers specials to students. Keep your eyes peeled for upcoming specials (*Hint Hint* pie day). The newest pie-making restaurant opened its doors just
“This is the best tasting pizza I have ever had. I really think it is!” Christopher White two months ago in December of 2014. The Pizza Studio offers a unique element by presenting a wide selection of crusts. “We have six crusts and we can cook your pizza in just two minutes,” said Levi Garcia, shift leader. This location also has the unique factor of offering a selection of bottled alcohols. With the selection of four wines and five beers, it becomes a great hangout for friends or a date. Instead of cooking their pizza in a large ovens like most others, The Pizza Studio bakes their pizza in a double con-
vection, allowing for a shorter wait for their customers and an evenly-cooked pizza every time. Pizza Studio offers the widest variety of crusts, while Blaze has the most cheese and topping options and Pieology offers a bigger variety of sauces. With all the options it can sometimes be hard to choose the perfect pizza. Recommended by the pizzamakers themselves, no more than two meats and four/five toppings should be put on a pizza in order to keep it from getting soggy. One of my personal favorites is a Hawaiian BBQ style from Pieology. You start with the crust of your choice, then add red sauce, light mozzarella cheese, onions, pineapple, cilantro, artichokes, and spinach, then top it off with chicken and ham, and finalize the masterpiece with drizzled BBQ sauce. After roughly five minutes of baking in large wood oven, your ‘kustom’ pizza is completed. When taking the first bite your taste buds experience a perfect balance of sweet and tangy.
Ji blurs the lines of reality in his artwork and takes his audience into a contemporary metropolis where there are no boundaries. The Chinese native offered advice to aspiring student artists. “If you truly love art and enjoy the labor of love, keep working on creating a solid foundation and exploring different mediums,” said Ji. “While in school you can develop a foundation that otherwise wouldn’t be available.” ahernandez.lariat@gmail.com
Noticing the cilantro flavors mix in with a powerful addition to the slice. The pizza is thin crust, cooked to a crunch. “This is the best tasting pizza I have ever had. I really think it is!” said restaurant patron Christopher White, 13, after indulging in a slice. If you’re looking for a less sweet option, another favorite off-menu item is a spicy chicken and garlic option at Blaze Pizza. They offer a spicy jalapeno inspired red sauce, and if you’re daring you can adorn your pie with solely that as a base. If you’ve got a more sensitive palate, I would recommend the original sauce mixed with a little bit of the spice red. They offer fresh ungraded mozzarella, so, of course, that is my cheese of choice. For toppings, oregano, olives, whole toasted garlic cloves, basil, and olive oil. Within 180 minuets, the perfect pizza will be removed from their fiery oven and your name will be called. Because I mixed the sauces the pizza wasn’t too hot, just had a little kick. The pizza was thin crust, but not crunchy, it was the kind of soft where you needed two hands to eat it, one for the crust and one to guide the section of the next bite into your mouth. The garlic cloves added a very creamy and unique flavor. If you like garlic but aren’t as enthusiastic of whole cloves, they also offer minced garlic as an alternative. The pizza was zesty and full of deeper and more sophisticated flavors than a typical pizza. The service was amazing, the pizza was delicious, and the drinks are refreshing. With their college specials, I am bound to make a pit stop at these restaurants in the future. amarah.apple@gmail.com
Believe it or not, Imagine Dragons has not released a studio album since the very popular winner of the 2012 Billboard Music Award for Top Rock Album, “Night Visions,” produced by Interscope Records, featuring classics such as “Radioactive” and “Demons.” I’m pleased to announce that they have stepped out of hiding, and they are most certainly still relevant. Their latest album, “Smoke + Mirrors,” self-produced and released Feb. 17, premieres 13 originals that will slowly send you into a different dimension. The journey begins with “Shots,” a tantalizing compilation of electronic beats, an angelic chorus, a few killer guitar licks and a simple yet catchy drumbeat. Next, “Gold” uniquely uses stylistic transitions to evoke a variety of moods from elation to depression. Then, lead singer Dan Reynolds will slowly serenade you, in “Smoke and Mirrors,” a soothingly slow paced track that leads you deeper and deeper into a tranquil state as the song plays out into “I’m So Sorry,” which stays true to the album’s diversity in style. “I Bet My Life” successfully transcends between that classically crisp studio sound to a concert feel. Onto “Friction,” which presents an almost tribal sound the band has made their own, infusing the modern with the ancient in a unique alternative experience. “The Fall” is an epic conclusion to their latest work of art. As the seasons change so follows the hypnotic notes of every song. The album as a whole is well thought out and quite enjoyable. Not to mention how amazing the cover turned out: a black backdrop, hands tied up with what appears to be some sort of gold rap releasing a robin. Although it is still extremely early in the year, there is definitely a strong possibility for a Grammy nomination. Congratulations Imagine Dragons! cdurham.lariat@gmail.com
Imagine Dragons, “Smoke + Mirrors,” Feb. 17 release ALBUM ONE-SHEET
Line Up: Alexander Grant aka Alex Da Kid writer and producer, Dan Reynolds vocals and percussion, Wayne Sermon guitar, Ben McKee bass, Daniel Platzman drums Label: Interscope
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Sports
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 25, 2015
LARIATNEWS.COM
Saddleback wins conference Gauchos finish strong and look forward to being a high seed in the upcoming playoff tournament NICK NENAD
SPORTS EDITOR
The Saddleback Gauchos men’s basketball team finished off their season in winning fashion, defeating its last three opponents and capturing the Orange Empire Conference championship for 19th time in school history. The Gauchos ended up with a 28-2 overall record and a 11-1 conference record, only losing to Riverside City College in conference play. They also won their last seven games to end an amazing season. Saddleback started out by crushing Fullerton College on Feb. 10. The Gauchos started out badly and trailed 8-2, but pressed on the gas pedal and ended up going on a 34-10 scoring run, leading at halftime 46-24. After the break, Saddleback continued its offensive onslaught and won the game by the score of 88-57. Sophomore guard Andrew Bournes scored a team high of 19 points and freshman guard Dusty Baker led the team in rebounds and assists with five of each. This win gave Saddleback a share of the OEC championship. Next up, the Gauchos conquored the only team that had defeated them in conference
play, Riverside City College, 69-56. With this win, Saddleback clinched the OEC championship outright and solidified themselves a high seed going into the playoffs. Baker scored an outstanding 24 points in the game, leading the team in scoring. Baker’s running mate Bournes also had a big day, scoring 19 points. Head coach Andy Ground was happy about his team’s effort, but thought that they should have played better the first time around against Riverside. “I am glad that our guys had the fortitude to step up and play much better than they did the first time around,” said Ground. “We should have beat them twice.” Saddleback ended its season on a great note, beating Orange Coast College 92-69. It was only the fourth time the Gauchos had scored 90 or more points in a game this season and was Saddleback’s home finale. Ground explained what he thinks the journey to the upcoming playoff tournament, will be like this season. “It’s going to be a difficult task, there is a lot of good teams out there and we just have to take it one game at a time. You have got to have luck and skill and your guys have to make baskets and defend it well to
Saddleback Sports Information
CHAMPS: Freshman Dusty Baker gets high-fives from his teammates before a game. Saddleback will seek to be successful in this year’s playoff tournament. and possibly win their third state championship. beat those teams,” Ground said. “It’s a difficult road to travel, to be honest, but I think we have a chance and I believe we are as good as anybody and have as good an opportunity as anybody else in the tournament.” With Saddleback’s size in the post, having two 7-footers, you would think they would have an advantage both offensively and defensively.
“Basketball is a game of match-ups,” Ground said. He explained that on the offensive side of the ball they have an advantage, but when it comes to defense, many teams have big men that can shoot from the perimeter and his big men can’t get out to cover them. As far as seeding for the upcoming playoff tournament
goes, coach Ground said hebelieves that his team will be a high seed. “I think we will be two, that’s my guess, but we could drop to three,” he said. With a seed that high, the Gauchos will have home-field advantage in their first game, but this does not matter to Ground as he says that being the home team has not favored
them in the past. “I used to think it did but I don’t anymore because we always play well on the road,” Ground said. “Our worst games the past few seasons have been at home.” The Gauchos find out their seeding and who they play on Monday, Feb. 23. nnenad.lariat@gmail.com
UPCOMING SPORTING EVENTS THURSDAY - IVC
FRIDAY - IVC
SATURDAY - IVC
THURSDAY - SC
FRIDAY - SC
SATURDAY - SC
Start Time: 2 p.m.
Start Time: 12 p.m.
Start Time: 12 p.m.
Start Time: 2 p.m.
Start Time: 2 p.m.
Start Time: 12 p.m.
Baseball: vs. Fullerton Tennis: vs. Riverside
Men’s Start: 2 p.m. Women’s Start: 2 p.m.
Men’s Volleyball: vs. Palomar Women’s Badminton: Grossmont Tournament
Start Time: 10 a.m.
Baseball: vs. Riverside City
No other events
Baseball: vs. Santa Ana Tennis: vs. Cypress
Men’s Start: 2 p.m. Women’s Start: 2 p.m.
Softball: vs. Santiago Canyon Swimming & Diving: at Fullerton
Start Time: 1 p.m.
Baseball: vs. Cypress Track & Field: at Fullerton
Start Time: 1 p.m.
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DICED: Freshman pitcher Domnique Key, is in the stretch position, ready to throw a pitch with a runner on base. Saddleback defeated El Camino Compton Center, 6-1 on Saturday.
Key pitching outing leads Gauchos to win Saddleback wins its fourth straight game enroute to conference play NIKO LABRABERA PHOTO EDITOR
The Saddleback College baseball team defeated visiting El Camino Compton Center Tarters 6-1 on Saturday at the Doug Fritz Field in Mission Viejo to improve their nonconference record to 10-2 this season. Freshman pitcher Domnique Key commanded the mound, pitching seven complete innings and allowing zero earned runs. Key struck out four ECC batters and allowed no walks enroute to his second win of the season. Freshman John Sheaks was called from the bullpen to relieve Key in the eighth
inning and Sophomore Trevor Charpie got the save in the ninth. Dominant pitching contributed largely to this Gaucho victory, which extends the team’s winning streak to four games. “I felt like it was a great game for us,” said Key. “Everyone contributed to the win whether they were on the field or in the dugout.” The Gauchos’ offensive play was similarly strong, but not in the strikeout department. Saddleback compiled 10 hits on the day, but fanned 11 times to three Tartar pitchers. The Gauchos were able to get runners on base in key situations and rally when needed. Freshman third baseman Dallas Dey singled with two outs in the third, which was followed by a double to right field by freshman shortstop
Colby Schultz. Both runners scored after an RBI single to right by freshman designated hitter Jared Donahoe, which got the Gauchos out to an early 2-0 lead. The Gauchos scoring would continue in the fifth when Cole Stanton doubled to start the bottom half of the inning. After a wild pitch, a few singles and a sacrifice fly, the Gauchos were able to end the inning scoring three runs off of three hits. Saddleback’s final run was scored in the eighth thanks to another twoout rally, this time started by Stanton, who singled to left field and drove in Sophomore Casey Worden. Saddleback hosts two conference opponents this week beginning Thursday, Feb. 26, at 2 p.m. against Santa Ana College, and Cyprus College on Saturday, Feb. 28 at noon.
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