Issue 3 Spring 2019 by The Rampage at Fresno City College

THE

RAMPAGE

The Student-Run Newspaper of Fresno City College

SPRING 2019 | ISSUE 3 | Feb. 27, 2019

MEET YOUR NEW ASG PRESIDENT PAGE 5

The third ASG president in this academic year, Marisol Valdivia, is a mother, a leader, and a first generation college student at FCC, Feb. 23, 2019. Photo/Hannah Lanier

NEWS

ENTERTAINMENT TSS Director Resigns Less than Two Months After Taking the Position

OPINION

Fresno Tattoo Expo Provides Platform for Expression

SPORTS

Open Letter to Once-Hailed Wesson Prosecutor

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THE RAMPAGE

The student-run newspaper of Fresno City College

STAFF Editor-in-Chief Tommy Tribble

News Editors Ben Hensley Tamika Rey

Art Director Ramuel Reyes

Sports Editor Ben Hensley

Entertainment Editor Peter Lopez

Opinion Editor Gage Carmichael

Assistant Opinion Editor Sarah Chavez

Social Media Editor Omari Bell

Reporters

Alberto Granados Alfredo Rodriguez Angel De Jesus Blake Evans Conner Stevens Derek Bullis Emily Perez Gisella Luna Hannah Lanier Kellie Clark Leticia Leal Ramon Castanos

Business Manager Tamika Rey Joanna Murrieta

Adviser/Instructor Dympna Ugwu-Oju

Tip Line 559-422-8262

Letters to the Editor editorial@therampageonline.com Corrections media@therampageonline.com

Any correction needed for an article should be brought to the attention of the staff of The Rampage. The Rampage is committed to accuracy and should be made aware of any mistake in an article that appears in this paper. Views expressed in the opinion pages are those of the individual writer and not of the newspaper. The Rampage is produced by students of the Journalism 11 A, B, C, D class.

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Adjunct Professors Work Multiple Jobs to Compensate for Their Part-Time Positions

Sue Klebold, Mother of Columbine Shooter, Urges Us to Listen

Gisella Luna | Reporter gluna@therampageonline.com

Spanish professor Yaneth Ramirez has been an adjunct professor for 12 years now. She is a mother and, despite her employment as an educator, has had to work part-time jobs to help support herself and her family. She did not choose to teach only part-time, and she is not alone. “There are way too many part timers or adjuncts that it doesn’t give the opportunity for full time positions,” Ramirez said. She said that if she had the opportunity to teach full time she wouldn't have to take on so many parttime jobs. “I also teach Spanish classes part-time at College of the Sequoias, and I work for another program called PK: Parents institute for quality education, working these jobs compensates for me only working part-time here,” Ramirez said. Even when a full time position opens up and professors have the opportunity to apply for it, not all are quite qualified or lucky. Ramirez was one of the unlucky ones. “Eight years ago there was a position that opened up here and I applied for it, but there were so many applicants I didn't get it.” Colleges hire large amounts of adjunct faculty members because they are much more flexible and cheaper to maintain than having full-time faculty, according to the study, “Does Cheaper Mean Better? The Impact of Using Adjunct Instructors on Student Outcomes” by Eric P. Bettinger and Bridget Terry Long. This makes life a little harder than it needs to be, according to Ramirez. “I would love to be a full timer and just be on one side of town, in one school, instead of having to drive back and forth to different jobs.” Just like regular faculty members, adjunct professors have to fulfill the basic

Angel Dejesus | Reporter adejesus@therampageonline.com

Christain Paulsen, left, a linguists adjunct professor with the humanities division and Julia Simpson-Urrutia, right, a English writing adjunct professor, inside the Writing and Reading Center. Jan. 26. Photo/Gisella Luna

requirements before they can teach, except they are not all guaranteed to teach full time. Some instructors prefer teaching only part-time, to make sure they have enough time for their other jobs. Adjunct graphic design instructor Katie McQuone Botello teaches a beginner video production class at one of Fresno City College satellite schools, located at Sunnyside High School. She is also a full time teacher of the same subject at the high school. This is Botello's second year as an adjunct has been dual enrollment with FCC for three

years. “I am adjunct because it's an opportunity for me to continue teaching what I love outside of my day time teaching hours,” Botello said. For professors like Botello, the option to go full time isn't one of their worries since they like working two jobs. “I don't think I would go full time because I love my high school position so much,” she said. “I would love to teach more classes and get involved with FCC more in the future.”

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I would love to be a full timer and just be on one side of town, in one school, instead of having to drive back and forth to different jobs.” -Yaneth Ramirez A spanish adjunct professor

students are teaching students through etc Leticia Leal | Reporter lleal@therampageonline.com

Fresno City College students are benefiting from the Extending the Class (ETC) program which holds weekly study sessions led by students who have successfully completed the course with the same instructor. An ETC Leader is assigned to a class at the beginning of the semester and often times sits in during lecture. The Leader also sends out tutoring schedule hours to the class via email. At each study session, ETC Leaders give students coursebased materials such as helpful study guides or worksheets that

help students engage with course materials. Maria Rodriguez, a first semester statistics tutor with ETC, said the program helps students learn new strategies for studying the course material. She said she tries to help her students by teaching them how to study and use their notes. Rodriguez said that becoming a tutor is a great opportunity to gain some experience for her future career in teaching. Mandy Campise, fourth semester biology student and a Rams volleyball player, said she has been juggling school and volleyball since the fourth grade. “I have always been a good

student athlete,” Campise said, “But when it came to this political science class I took my second semester, I was on the verge of failing.” She discussed the difficulty she was having in the course and explained that without ETC she probably would have failed. “My tutor explained lessons in a way I was able to understand,” she said, “and receiving the study guides prepared me for the exams.” Only 51 classes offered at FCC come with an assigned ETC Leader. These classes are listed on the FCC website. To qualify as an ETC Leader, a student must have passed the course they want to tutor with a

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B or higher and is enrolled in at least six units. Prospective leaders can download an application from the web page and submit it with a copy of an unofficial transcript, along with a class schedule and a faculty recommendation form. Kason Fite, two semester math tutor with the program, said he loves the great interactions he has with students. “Students know that you are the person they can always go to if they ever need help,” Fite said. “It’s a different relationship because they see you in class during lecture completing the same work.”

Sue Klebold was welcomed by a full auditorium Wednesday, Feb 13. as she spoke on her book “A Mother’s Reckoning; Living in the Aftermath of Tragedy,” to describe her life in the days before, during, and after her son Dylan Klebold along with his friend Eric Harris killed 13 fellow students and injured 20 more on that fateful day in Littleton Colorado on April 20, 1999. Students, teachers and interested parents all filled the auditorium to hear her message of not just why this tragedy occurred, but how it might have been prevented. After, Sue took the time to speak with those who attended and signed copies of her book outside, while student Psychological Services distributed information to those interested, offering any support to those in need. She described the need for mental health awareness among communities, and how so many people continue in life with issues ignored. She described the relationships formed among her and the parents of victims, and the need for awareness, to prevent such events in the future. While speaking, Klebold took time to describe her son as a gifted, cheerful, well behaved, and what she understood to be an average teenager. On his way to a respectful college, she saw no signs of the events that would change the lives of so many across the country. “I could not believe that day, that Dylan, purposely would hurt anyone else,” she continued, “that whole day, I kept thinking this

has to be some mistake, that this was a prank that had gone wrong, I was seriously confused.” She recalled only one encounter with law enforcement she was aware of that would cause concern from any parent and may have sent her son into a state of depression, leading to his decision to act in the events of that day, and eventual suicide. “One thing that is difficult for us, when life comes so easily for us, and things start to break down, and all of a sudden we are struggling, especially true for those people, that they become quickly incapacitated and they don’t know what to do,” Klebold said, “they have grown up to be self reliant and everything should be easy, and then their world starts to crumble, and don’t know what to do, how to handle it, and don’t know how to act.” Though she tried to intervene and encouraged her son to seek counseling, that encounter was dismissed as a simple mistake that could have been made by any teenager his age. That encounter she believed, plunged her son into a state of depression, but showed no signs for her to be concerned for since he seemed on the road to recovery, and actually believed he was doing incredibly well in his progress. Klebold recalls her concern for her child as that of any other. And in the time before the events felt there was nothing to be alarmed about. When the events began to unfold, she was in a state of shock and disbelief, unaware her son would be capable of being responsible for such a tragedy.

Sue Klebold speaks about her book “A Mothers Reckoning” in the OAB auditorium on Feb. 13 to raise awareness for suicide prevention. Photo/Angel Dejesus

She searched over and over, trying to figure out what she could have done differently as a mother, trying to figure out the one event she believed could have changed everything. Not long after those events, a report was published by the Secret Service, estimating that 78 percent of school shooters were suicidal. “He had intended to die, he knew he was going to die,” Sue recalls after receiving a report from the sheriff ’s department detailing the investigation. Seeing the correlation between mass shooters and suicides she began her involvement in suicide prevention. “If we can stop

them along this path, then those who shoot other people can be reduced.” “When I look back at that had happened and all the opportunities I had to talk to speak with my son, I kept trying to look for that one a-ha moment where we said or did the wrong thing,” Klebold said. She shares her story because she had talked less and listened more. “When people are suffering, they need us to listen, they need to talk about what they are feeling,” she said. “As parents our first instinct when a child comes to you, is discount their feelings, and we have to all learn to talk differently to each other. I wish I had said

TSS Director Resigns Less than Two Months After Taking the Position Gage Carmichael | Opinion Editor gcarmichael@therampageonline.com

Nathan Zierfuss-Hubbard, director of Technology Support Services, has resigned from the position, effective Feb. 28, 2019 which makes him the third director to quit the position in less than a year. Zierfuss-Hubbard says that his resignation was not due to any conflicts between him and the Fresno City College administrators, but that he was returning to his former position at CSU Stanislaus with whom he had reached an agreement to telecommute.

“Information security is very different from technological services,” he said, referring to his duties at Stanislaus. “I’m a lot more comfortable with the information security position.” Zierfuss-Hubbard said that while his departure is voluntary, he was troubled by some details of the FCC job. “The resourcing here is not adequate enough to fit the needs on this campus in my opinion,” Zierfuss-Hubbard said. Then there is the issue of inadequate staffing for the TSS department, the lack of storage for equipment, and an absence

of in-depth planning on how to fix the technology problems on campus. “I don’t feel like there is anyone here that isn’t qualified for their position, but there just isn’t enough of us,” Zierfuss-Hubbard said. Zierfuss-Hubbard said he was also concerned about the inability to address students’ access and specific needs with the present state of the technology on campus. “I have seen better examples of help to students on campus,” Zierfuss-Hubbard said, adding that he was unaware of the issue

with the WiFi on campus and its shoddy connection, until an article in the Rampage detailed it. No one has been named to lead the TSS department. Zierfuss-Hubbard says that whoever takes the position of director of TSS should pay attention to the needs that exist before focusing on their own agenda. “Sometimes when someone is appointed a position like this, they try to break apart the system and reinvent it,” he said. “Knock out the old problems first, and focus on the maturing of the IT department before changing it.”

only one thing-tell me more about that,” she said. Klebold’s book has been translated to various languages and distributed around the world, as a message to those in need, touching lives as it goes. Klebold has dedicated all profits of her book to advocating for suicide prevention and mental health awareness. The National Suicide Prevention Hotline, established in December 2004, can be reached 1-800-273-8255, and continues to provide resources to those struggling with thoughts of suicide.

The department has had a revolving door in leadership since Don Lopez, vice president of instruction left the position. • Lopez was followed by Harry Zahlis, former Network Coordinator. Zahlis was temporary director of Technology from January 2016 to January 2018). • Dante Alvarado was appointed director of technology in January 2018 and lasted seven months. He was fired in August 2018. • Doug Schreiner, systems technician at FCC became temporary director of technology in August 2018 and September 2018. • John Bengtson, retired director of information services at the district office of the State Center Community College District served as interim director of technology from October 2018 to January 2019. • Nathan Zierfuss-Hubbard became director of technology in January 2019 and stayed in the position for two months.

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A New Direction for ASG, with a New Team Hannah Lanier | Reporter hlanier@therampageonline.com

In light of an unstable role of leadership in Associated Student Government at Fresno City College acting President Marisol Valdivia took control as chair, along with a new Vice President, Communications Officer and two new senators-who have all been sworn in within the last three weeks. While the semester is at a halfway point, ASG seems to be just beginning. With new members being sworn in and current members being granted new titles, ASG is headed in a new direction. Two new senators, one of which has just been named the ASG communications officer, were sworn in on Feb. 12. Senator Ruby Kaur was one of the two appointed, along with Senator Henry Evans. Senator Kaur was quickly nominated and unanimously voted communications officer following her first meeting after being sworn in on Feb. 19. While Evans, a construction management major, remains a senator and hopes to achieve a decent amount of tasks during his time in ASG at the benefit of the FCC student body.

“I want to make an impact on the school. I want to be a part of something,” Evans said. Meanwhile, past participants in ASG such as current Vice President Ana Munoz, have stepped down from their previous positions and embarked on new ones. Similar to acting Communications Officer Kaur, Vice President Munoz was nominated and unanimously voted vice president from her previous position as communications officer on Feb. 12. With the several changes in positions in ASG, the association is attempting to move in a positive direction. “We are getting a lot more done. We agree on everything. We work really well together,” said acting Trustee Carlos “Chuck” Rodriguez, who has been with ASG for going on three semesters. ASG Advisor Ernie Martinez, who has been advising since last semester, feels confident about the team that has been built and he hopes to focus on getting back on track with “mandated training beginning on March 19.” ASG plans to appoint another senator in their next meeting on Tuesday, March 6.

Senators Ruby Kaur, left, and Henry Evans, right, are sworn into office in the FCC Senate Chambers on Feb. 12, 2019. Photo/Hannah Lanier

Participants Reminded of History in Rites of Passage Ceremony Tamika Rey | News Editor trey@therampageonline.com

Blake Evans | Reporter bevans@therampageonline.com

Fresno City College students and staff participated in FCC’s annual Rites of Passage ceremony, a part of the Black History Month celebration, on Feb. 21. The event, hosted by the campus’ Strengthening Young Men by Academic Achievement (SYMBAA) and Idile programs, provided a chance for African-American students and faculty to hold a conversation about the black experience. The 2019 theme-This Too Shall Pass-focused on helping participants find mechanisms for coping with adversity. Kehinde Solwazi, instructor of African American studies, explained the benefits of the rites of passage to African Americans. He said it was an opportunity to reconnect with rituals they had lost because of slavery. Following Solwazi’s introduction, the men and women were separated into different rooms, to hold separate conversations. Dympna Ugwu-Oju, jour-

nalism instructor, explained the separation. “Traditionally, male and females go through different types of ceremonies in Africa,” Ugwu-Oju said. “There’s no way to get away from it.” In the women’s session, several black female staff members shared their stories of loss, struggles, but ultimately, triumph and success. They encouraged the students to stay strong, no matter the situation. Ugwu-Oju suggested focusing on, “what’s important to you and use that to lead you.” Ria Williams, adviser to the SYMBAA and Idile programs which are designed to emphasize the achievement of African American students, said she was was determined to create a, “place for young women to talk about their space and life. This will help you overcome obstacles.” The participants anonymously wrote their concerns -- suicide, broken relationships, fears -- on a piece of paper which were drawn from the pool and discussed. “When dealing with anxiety, identify the source,” said Ms.

Keys, a therapist with Psych Services. Venita Lee spoke about the sudden death of her husband and how she was able to receive her masters in psychology after overcoming addiction and losing him. “Life has to keep going,” Lee said about moving forward despite one’s strife. Williams said she gave up her power when she, “allowed others to dictate how she lived her life. I encourage you to look at who you are and love yourself with the best love you’ve got.” Keys told participants to, “Water ourselves or we will die,” and to be mindful of self, not suicide. Professor Solwazi and Rodney Murphy, coordinator of SYMBAA, led the men’s discussion with a focus on family. “Classroom begins with the family,” Solwazi said. “And we need to have a conversation about black families without fathers.” Solwazi said one of the largest obstacles facing the black community is the lack of strong family structures. “Black men have to be the leaders of the family,”

he said. “If you want to destroy black people, break black families,” he said, citing welfare payouts that applied only to fatherless homes and mass incarceration. Solwazi also said the society is engineered to weaken and break the family structure. “Take the father out of the household, and now sons don’t see why they need to be present fathers themselves,” Solwazi also said. “We’re in a state of war,” he said. “When we came out of slavery, we built our own towns. What happened?” “Nearby Allensworth was one of those towns,” Murphy said. “If we had been left alone, we’d probably be the second most powerful racial group in the country after white people,” Solwazi said. “We can not allow the destruction of black communities to happen again,” Solwazi said. The discussion also touched upon issues of the criminal justice system. Though the 13th Amendment legally abolished slavery, Solwazi says, “the prison system is just a form of modern

day slavery.” Solwazi points out how the proliferation of drugs helped put black men in jail. Gender and the concept of masculinity was another topic in the discussion. Murphy said, “We, as black men, can’t adopt sexist ideology towards our women, as some have.” Murphy explains that women shouldn’t be seen as lesser than, “Men and women share a bond and should work as a team.” Murphy also explored the lack of male role models in black communities, citing the single mother homes and female-centric elementary school systems. “The lack of role models leads to false manhood” says Murphy. Solwazi said, “Every elder looks at his community and asks, what is the future for my community?” In the closing ceremony, participants stood in a circle, holding hands and spoke positive affirmations aloud. Most whispered encouragements; others merely uttered, “I love myself.”

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COVER STORY

therampageonline.com The third acting ASG president in this academic year, Marisol Valdivia, looks to implement change at Fresno City College on Feb. 23, 2019. Photo/Angel Dejesus

The Time for Change: The Makings of a New ASG President Hannah Lanier | Reporter hlanier@therampageonline.com

To many onlookers, Marisol Valdivia, the newly elected president of the Associated Student Government at Fresno City College, is walking into an untenable position. She is the third leader of the student government this academic year. Her two predecessors both left under difficult circumstances; Christopher Washington−who is serving a jail sentence for dissuading a witness-and the other, Angela Van Gilder-who verbally resigned rather than face a removal hearing only three weeks ago. The organization is facing increasing scrutiny and low morale. But for Valdivia, ascent to the presidency is a culmination of her hard work and a realization of her dreams. Despite the stigma that has been placed around ASG and her position as President specifically, she is determined to succeed and redirect the organization to its original goals. Throughout her life, most of her career endeavors required the ability to lead others, providing her the required experience to lead ASG today as their president. “I never really considered myself a leader,” she said. “I was always nominated or asked to be a leader by those around me.” Marisol Valdivia is a 43-yearold business major, Central Valley native and single mother of three daughters, ages 24, 22 and 20, who all attended Fresno High School and are currently on the path to attending University of California colleges. She grew up in Fresno’s neighboring town of Salinas, where she attended Alisal High School. Throughout her school days, Valdivia worked several jobs

where she quickly fell into a routine of prioritizing work. Contributing to a working team is something that Valdivia quickly became familiar with. One of her first jobs involved working a booth at the local swap meet, where she was awarded more responsibility than her older co-workers due to her prominent leadership qualities. “At my first paycheck job, I had more duties than my peers had. I was running booths by myself. I have just always been trusted with things like that,” she said. Valdivia credits her personal experience of growing up in a single parent household, where her mother raised her and her other four siblings, for her embedded leadership characteristics that strengthen her ability to lead the ASG. Valdivia, a first generation college student, has become an advocate for education. Her family struggled in a one-parent household, so education was not priority, and Valdivia never felt encouraged. “We only ever went because it was the law. We probably wouldn’t have gone otherwise,” she said. School was more of a chore than a privilege throughout her adolescence. Valdivia’s family-her mother specifically-was born in Mexico and later decided to move to the United States where Valdivia was born and raised. She recognized that the two most important legacies she wanted to leave her children were the importance of education and remaining rooted to her Hispanic culture. She turned her childhood disinterest in education into motivation to provide her children the best possible

opportunities. She chose to move to Fresno so her daughters could attend the bilingual school Sunset Charter. One of the moments in her life Valdivia is most proud of is working for the Salinas City Elementary School district, her daughter’s district. This was yet another position where Valdivia was granted a leadership role as a result of her active participation in her daughter’s schooling: PTA president. Nevertheless, every leader experiences both success and failure. For Valdivia, one of her biggest regrets in life was not attending college as soon as she graduated high school. Instead, she decided to get married to her high school sweetheart, who she met at the age of 15, and start a family at the age of 18. By the time the single mom decided to return to school, it was after all three of her children were in school themselves. “My kids were in elementary school. That was also when I was PTA President, I was running a business, and a full-time housewife. I don’t know how I did it,” said Valdivia. While she was only attending college part-time, it did not work out the first time around. She is now back for her second time and has every intent to finish what she started. She plans to eventually move on to Fresno State University to earn her BA in business with a minor in accounting. Valdivia’s motivation is to set an example for her children rather than live through them, “to do it [graduate] herself.” Valdivia initially joined ASG as a senator during her first semester at FCC, later becoming

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“We don’t have very much time to make a big difference, but you can start a framework that those to follow can see and go off of. -Marisol Valdivia ASG President

a delegate and recently named ASG President. As ASG President, Valdivia encourages community and student involvement and overall seeks to be an advocate for the FCC student body. “I want what is best for everybody. I want to see school spirit and involvement. I want to prioritize my fellow students and be able to be their voice,” she said. Although students’ time at FCC is relatively short and time in ASG can be even shorter, Valdivia still seeks to leave a notable legacy. “I would love to see a huge turn around [in ASG] after everything that has happened. I want everyone to have a positive experience. I want to leave it in a better condition than I found it,” explained Valdivia. Mostly, Valdivia would like to

take control of ASG in a way that has been neglected in the past. “I would like to implement a protocol that will provide guidance to ASG members that is easy to follow,” said Valdivia. There are various plans that the new ASG President has for the student lead government. President Valdivia stressed the idea that although her time in ASG might be short, “We don’t have very much time to make a big difference, but you can start a framework that those to follow can see and go off of.” Marisol Valdivia is planning to run again for ASG President in the upcoming fall semester, and hopes to keep a majority of the strong team that has been built around her.

6 ENTERTAINMENT

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2.27.19 ENTERTAINMENT 7

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Fresno Tattoo Expo Provides Platform for Expression Tamika Rey | News Editor trey@therampageonline.com

The orchestrated band Fresno Philharmonic warms up in the WIlliam Saroyan Theatre for “To Brahms with Love” directed by Rei Hotoda on Feb, 24, 2019. Photo/Sarah Chavez

Fresno Philharmonic Gives Love a New Sound With ‘To Brahms with Love’ Sarah Chavez | Asst. Opinion Editor schavez@therampageonline.com

Rei Hotoda lead the orchestration for the Fresno Philharmonic band in the William Saroyan Theatre, directing 70 musicians to perform songs written by classical geniuses, Richard Strauss, Wolfgang A. Mozart, and Johannes Brahms on Feb. 24. Hotoda, a winner of many prestigious awards such as the 2006 Taki Concordia Conducting Fellowship, is now the newly

appointed music director of the Fresno Philharmonic. Her inaugural 2017-2018 season as music director has brought more attention by introducing a unique sense of art which aims to appeal to younger and older audiences simultaneously. Rei Hotoda has decided to bring “To Brahms with Love” to the William Saroyan Theatre shortly after Valentine’s Day to perform enchanting classical songs depicting love. Richard Strauss’ “Don

Juan, Op. 20,” was the musical rendition of the incomplete text “Don Juan,” written by Nikolaus Lenau. The performance portrayed themes of love, loss and revenge. Moments of innocent love then thunderous intensity painted a clear picture of the personal battles that the classical rendition was written for. The second showing was Mozart’s “Piano Concerto No. 25 in C minor, K. 491.” It consists of 28 solo keyboard concertos

which was different for his time, as was many aspects of this concerto. Mozart often thought outside of the box when it came to creating new shows. He did this by including the piano, oboes, and clarinets in unique and dramatic ways. Joyce Yang was the lead pianist introduced in the second performance playing the 28 solo keyboard concertos. Yang captured the true essence of Mozart, of the emotion he longed to describe. Captivating

performances kept and maintained the attention of the entire audience bringing them to their feet and applause. The third and final performance was Johannes Brahms’ “Symphony No. 2 in D major, Op. 73” which was his second symphony. The instruments that were outlined the most were the reed woodwinds and the pizzicato cellos. Within three movements the music became gradually more enthusiastic than the last.

Ronda Kelley Presents Body Temple at FCC During Black History Month Tamika Rey | News Editor trey@therampageonline.com

“Man is the backbone, the Creator. God is everywhere and dwells in the body,” Ronda Kelley, a Fresno City College Art Instructor, began to convey her message about, “Body Temple,” to the audience, Tuesday February 12, 2019 in the Library Conference room for Black History Month. The event was geared at giving a perspective of self-care by utilizing different aspects of expression such as art, as Kelley does. She used different elements of nature to draw attention to the commonality in all living things, such as how the hexagon

is a commonplace shape seen everywhere around us. “We come here in the flesh to workout life lessons in learning how to love through various experiences and situations,” Kelley said. She went into how an unexpected hospitalization helped her reach a new place within herself. During this time meditation and regeneration was Kelley’s main focus. “If harmony is not happening, cells move towards the disease,” Kelley said. Kelley then led the audience in a breakdown of what the ankh means. The ankh is an Egyptian hieroglyphic symbol that represent the word for "life.” She explained how the head

of the ankh represents the womb, “an inny; receiving and intutitive,” and the shaft of the ankh is like the penis, “an outy; giving and logical.” The outward arms of the ankh are, “what’s produced when the two come together,” Kelley said. Kelley then correlated that to how the flower shape is also prevalent in nature, as seen when a zygote begins to divide. “It’s like a universe within a grand universe,” Kelley explains in regards to the symbolism seen throughout the galaxy. Kelley had many different forms of art to display that were of her own work. One was called “Healing at Crossroads,” which helped her deal with a bout of

shingles she had in her left hand. During this time she had a conscious awareness of food as a living entity and thus slowly became a practicing vegan. Kelley explains, it has made her feel much healthier and push towards a healthier body temple. Professor Kehinde Solwazi, an Afram studies instructor was among those in attendance. He found the artwork beautiful and felt she did a great job at the, “blending of the natural universe; [it’s] like life itself.” Auguste Kouadio, also an Afram professor here at FCC asked Kelley her advice on, “How to reconcile this far removed presence of self?” “Embrace yourself as much

as possible… Look in the mirror, and kiss yourself,” Kelley suggested. “The hot stuff is in your genes and you must remind yourself to love your reflection.” Jarred white, a sophomore kinesiology major was visibly moved by the presentation. “I’m thankful for it. This was something I really needed because I’m going through a lot.” Shardae Oliver, a sophomore business administration major at FCC was also able to take from the presentation. “It is very inspiring how you [Kelley] educate others using art. Your art is appreciated.”

The Commerce Building at the Fresno Fair grounds was packed with multiple vendors Saturday Feb. 17, and Sunday Feb. 18 for the 14th Annual World Famous Tattoo Expo. Music was heard before you reached the Chance entrance. Many vendors were in attendance lining the walls with an array of people who displayed their decorated bodies in a vast range of colors and pieces that represent expression and art to them. “There were more people on Saturday last year, and this year there were more on Sunday,” said Samara Sucley piercer for Electric Body Mod, a piercing only shop based in Visalia. “We do feel like the expo boosts our sales,” Sucley said. Desiree Raydeen, a model for Electric Body Mod, explains, “We do a lot of advertising. Then on the first day of the expo we get ready to do live piercings,” said Raydeen.

The model goes around with their fresh piercings and it draws the crowd in. People also watch the piercers insert the hoops into the model’s back. This takes two piercers working simultaneously and it usually takes about 10 – 20 minutes per ring. “People see the rings and get excited,” Raydeen said. “We are an all-female shop and I think that helps too.” On the other side of the building, Amanda G., a tattoo artist for True Love Tattoo, based in Berkeley, CA, inked a taco on the right ankle of client Monica Madrigal as Madrigal’s wife, Jackelyn, looked on. “People come in wanting to get all kinds of things tatted. My job is to make it look good,” said Amanda G. “I like her new tattoo,” Jackelyn said. Madrigal didn’t wince as Amanda moved her pen very gracefully across her skin. Many people were there well after closing on Sunday, still getting ink work and just vibing with one another.

Desiree Raydeen models a piercing, Sunday, Feb. 17. The tattoo expo uses models like Raydeen to showcase body modification. Photo/Tamika Rey

How Tetris 99 Stacks Against The Competition Peter Lopez | Entertainment Editor plopez@therampageonline.com

The gaming world has been graced and blessed with a battle royale game worthy of everyone’s time. No, it’s not the terrible and incredibly outdated-looking PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) or it’s piggybacker, albeit much better than the inspiration, Fortnite. The game at hand is called Tetris 99, which is a freeto-play game for the Nintendo Switch, and it’s quite possibly the best battle royale game to date. Much like the 1984 classic, Tetris 99, developed by Arika and

published by Nintendo, released on Feb. 13 and has players stacking and matching a variety of iconic shapes to a nuanced version of the original Tetris song. There is a slight twist to the antiquated formula, however: Aside from placing and matching blocks together, one must defeat 99 online competitors at the same time, creating a last-manstanding atmosphere. Like previous installments from within the series, players are given the chance to quickdrop puzzle pieces in an effort to speed things up, while another option allows you to swap alternate shapes should you wish to play something different. And the longer you stay alive, the more likely you are to increase

your player rank which ultimately pits you against more skillful opponents. This is where the real fun begins as you’re more likely to play against very skillful, seasoned, Tetris players which makes game sessions fly by extremely fast. Should you be lucky enough to make it to the top 10 bracket, a trance rendition of “Flight of the Bumblebee”, originally composed by Rene Leibowitz, distractly plays in the background, increasing the tension within the atmosphere as it’s generated to sidetrack your thinking process. These particular instances will have your palms sweating and will likely cause you to make a mistake or two.

8 OPINION 2.27.19

CAMPUS VOICES Gisella Luna | Reporter gluna@therampageonline.com

What are your thoughts on Fresno City College?

Emilio Aldana Theater Major

I like the feel that everyone can be themselves and have their own type of thing.”

Daryl Ilagan

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Check Your Mental Health Before You Wreck Yourself Hannah Lanier | Reporter hlanierww@therampageonline.com

It is that time of the semester-the make it or break it point. It is time to decide if that extra class is really worth the lack of sleep, no social life, and overall misery. Well, if any of these describes you, it is time to check in with your mental health. Yes, mental health, and the constant struggle with it, is a widespread epidemic on college campuses-and it is time to normalize the conversation about it. College is a time to discover and develop independence -who do you want to be, who have you been thus far? The inevitably bumpy journey of self-declaration comes with many failures, broken hearts, and discouragements. During this era of hardship, priorities tend to shift in unpredictable directions, and everything that you once knew is now different. I have lived this experience, and it felt inescapable. Along with being a full-time student, working a part-time job and

doing an internship, I am also writing for the Rampage. I began to feel so overwhelmed to the point of having little to no motivation to partake in anything that I previously enjoyed and loved. In a very short time, I became a person that I did not recognize. My life became messy and disorganized, both mentally and physically. I soon realized that the environment that I was allowing myself to be in was also playing a role in the state of my mental health. Instead of questioning everything that was going onwho I had become and why I felt nothing-I just passed it off as an unfortunate side effect of growing up and change. I was wrong. The lack of drive, carelessness, and overall disinterest in almost everything were all glaring red flags reflecting my struggling mental health. I had no history, nor has anyone ever modeled the need to check on one’s mental health. In fact, when I was growing up, mental health was to be considered nothing other than in

relation to someone with a diagnosed mental illness. That was wrong. Mental health includes the condition of a person’s emotional and mental well-being. Think of it as tending to a sprained ankle. While the injury may not be publicly noticeable, you know that you tripped over that step and that the pain is very real. There is a stigma around mental health, in which the entire month of May is dedicated to breaking with the #breakthestigma. Nevertheless, mental health, and the staggering reality of people who struggle with it and do not understand it, cannot be reduced to a month of catch phrases followed by a hashtag. While this hashtag that represents awareness of the topic is appreciated for its notable work, it is time to have the conversation in an everyday setting. Check up on each other, friends and strangers. Ask someone how they are doing. Ask if they are checking in with themselves. Checking in on mental

health can be anything from discussing your mental state with a professional to catching up with a friend over a cup of coffee. Struggling with mental health is nothing to be afraid of or to worry about. The struggle with mental health happens in the most severe situations, as well as a result of a minimal action. There are no specific guidelines to taking care of your mental health. All a person can be expected to do is be aware of their mental state: what affects their mood, are they developing healthy relationships, are they in an encouraging environment, and so on. Most importantly, how you feel matters. So if you feel like you are not doing okay, and you happen to get lost in this especially busy point in the semester, look around because you are not alone. It is a reality for everyone and what better place to connect with someone who is on the verge of a breakdown than the most stressful place itself: college.

Criminology Major

“I don’t like the use of marijuana on campus, but I like the affordablity of the tution.”

The YouTube Algorithm Supports Sexist and Racist Geek Channels Ramon Castanos | Reporter rcastanos@therampageonline.com

Addylene Garcia

Liberal Studies Major

“I feel like this school is a really good school where people can come and start their higher education”

Pedro Gonzales Business Major

“The parking here is horrible but I can’t complain much about it because I don’t park inside the school I park on the outskirts.”

Youtube is the most popular video sharing site used, and it is one of the factors that made geek culture popular. However, Youtube continues to suggest videos that promotes racism and sexism to the the geek community--attaching incendiary ideas to popular properties like “Star Wars,” Marvel, DC and other nerd culture related topics. Many of those videos support gatekeeping, which is to exclude minorities and women to be part of geek culture. Geek channels of this type complain that women and minorities are ruining the nostalgic properties of their childhood. Another complaint of theirs is how Disney or Hollywood is shoving feminist propaganda down their throats, and even that these major corporations support white genocide--a neo nazi conspiracy theory. Many of these types don’t realize that Hollywood doesn’t have any political agenda. They have many directors and actors who are conservatives that are still working with Hollywood like Clint Eastwood, Bradley

Cooper, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Kurt Russell and many more. Hollywood’s main purpose when making films is to make money and try to get as many people as possible into the movie theaters. Those channels target the people who enjoy female-led and minority-led films regardless of their quality. When “Black Panther” or “Wonder Woman” came out certain YouTubers tried to put down the films’ cultural importance, and why certain people feel important to them. One of their other complaints was that “Black Panther” supports White genocide. Those Youtubers miss the point when T’Challa condemns Killmonger’s actions twice in the movie. The reason why “Black Panther” is culturally important is because it shows Black culture in a positive light. It’s the first Afrofuturism movie many mainstream viewers will be exposed to. Ryan Coogler was the first Black director to helm a Marvel movie. It is a huge opportunity for Black Americans. The problem with gatekeep-

ing YouTube channels is that they encourage the behavior to harass people who work on the movie. A Youtuber, named Dishonoured Wolf, encouraged his fans to harass the actress who played Rose in “The Last Jedi” because she is a “fat Asian bitch.” The actress left social media because of all the harassment that she deals with from the fandom, according to Variety. Youtube still allowed Dishonored Wolf and other similar channels on the platform. The reason those types pop up on your home page is because of the Youtube algorithm, which has two ways of processing. The first is Youtube’s Candidate Generator which has millions of videos but will select a few based on what the viewer watches the most. The second is Ranking Filler, which narrows the number of how many videos that you possibly like, and then it will be recommended on your homepage, according to Mat Pat, who hosts the popular YouTube channel Game Theory. This is the reason terrible videos are recommend on our YouTube homepage.

Those gatekeeping channels exploit the Youtube algorithm. Many young people who watch these videos or similar types will believe that what they are saying is the truth about feminism and minorities ruining movies. Those YouTubers help indoctrinate viewers into extremist views of women and minorities, potentially radicalizing young people. Many of those gatekeeping channels fit what YouTube wants because they support channels that make longer videos, and videos about topics that are currently trending, which is why they don’t plan to get rid of controversial YouTubers anytime soon. The only thing I can say is not to put down other people that like a movie because it has a woman or minority lead. I highly recommend trying to understand other cultures around you, and why this movie is culturally important to those groups of people. The audiences should educate themselves about how the film industry works and how movies are made.

2.27.19 OPINION 9

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Open Letter to OnceHailed Wesson Prosecutor: Your Bias is Showing Tamika Rey | News Editor trey@therampageonline.com

Most residents from the Fresno and surrounding areas remember the high profile case of Marcus Wesson. Wesson, the mass murderer who was convicted of nine counts of first degree murder in 2005, because jurors concluded although he hadn’t fired any shots, he had convinced his children to enter into a murder-suicide pact. These children died. All nine of his children. Among these children were grandchildren he had also fathered. Gaining him 14 counts of rape and molestation. Gross. Let me reveal to you something more gross. The then Chief Deputy District Attorney, Lisa Gamoian was for the People of Fresno County. Gamoian is currently sitting behind a judge's desk, judging people. But do we want Gamoian judging us? In the Wesson trial, it was found that he fathered a number of his grandchildren with his own children, again with the incest. Barf. Gamoian questioned Wesson’s wife, Elizabeth Wesson while on the stand as to whether or not she knew of the incest. As I read through transcripts, I imagined the scene in my head. Elizabeth on the stand and Gamoian yelling at her as Elizabeth cries. I've been there, but as Gamoian sat at her bench. Gamoian seems to ignore certain elements of her cases. “I feel like she didn’t take both sides into consideration,” says James Lollis, a former FCC student. “She didn’t even question all of the witnesses I had,” said Lollis. She didn’t question my witnesses either. She ignored their official credentials as a mandated reporter and said she wouldn’t hear her testimony. I’ve felt the same degree of scrutiny from Gamoian, as she would bark things at me from her bench such as, “I’m solely focused on you,” and, “there is no trial,” during my proceedings.

Gamoian has since left family law, and now sits unbecomingly and judgingly behind another department bench. Well in the fine words of Guillermo Diaz, an actor from The Chappelle Show, “Wrap that gavel up, B.” Gamoian grilled Wesson’s wife while she was on the stand, but when I presented her with undeniable evidence she, “wouldn’t hear me

committed with me as a child. If this weren’t her true intentions, why did we get punished for telling? And why did she make the comments, “If dad doesn’t want you to talk about it, don’t talk about it.” Talk about what? Child molestation and how much it makes me justifiably angry? But wait. Is it premature to assume Gamoian is pushing an agenda set

“

in the fine words of Guillermo Diaz, an actor from The Chappelle Show, ‘Wrap that gavel up, B.” on those matters.” What does that mean? I’m assuming, “What she just said.” Because she sure as h-e double hockey sticks didn’t hear much I had to say. When I explained to her why I had become so angry that my kids’ dad had knowingly taken our children around my abusive mother, she sent me and my children bawlng all the way to a creepy visiting agency. No we weren’t hitting three pointers, we were crying uncontrollably. Gamoian had victim blamed me for exposing my mother when I revealed the heinous actions she had

on grooming me into a society that adopts the abuse of children as status quo, when she so intently wanted to know why Elizabeth Wesson didn’t report what was going on with her own children? No, it’s not premature to assume. I gave her CPS reports, visiting agency reports, police reports, failed drug tests from the other party, multiple certificates and completed self-initiated programs from myself, prescriptions for meds for the children from doctors that dad had refused to keep handy at their schools, and so on and so forth.

And yet the other party in my case has completed not one single court-ordered program or self-initiated program, otherwise. Children haven’t taken lightly to Gamoian’s actions either, exclaiming at the supervised agency, “Yay! I’m glad your mom is dead for what she did to you,” and “this is why we have to come here.” That, and they are also under the impression I, “took too long to sign up,” referring to why it had taken months from the time I last seen Gamoian peering at me behind her bench, to even see my children at that creep-place agency. I’ll assume that idea was something suggested to them by their dad, kind of like a murder-suicide pact. Gamoian also seems very adamant about that particular agency. No matter how hard my children and I fought to stay at one agency, something even suggested by a Fresno County Behavioral Health Counselor because children need stability even in their physical surroundings, she forced us to go to that particular one. But I’m no weirdo extreme. I’ll never believe it’s all right to rape, molest or murder children. But most importantly, I in no way feel it is the best interest of a judicial figure to ignore the fact that it should be common knowledge that you should never blame the victim. No child ever sits around provoking anyone to harm them. People who victim blame focus on the victim and bark at them grudgingly and unapologetically, highlighting their strong bias that the victim somehow should have tried to “get out.” Would you blame the Wesson child for her horrific diary entries? I wouldn’t blame her ever. Well Gamoian, if people are telling you something, whether you want to listen or not, sometimes you have to hear from all sides. I’m going to make sure someone hears us.

10 SPORTS 2.27.19

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Rams Fall Short Despite Late Inning Comeback

Rams Women’s Team Looks to Heat up Heading into Playoffs Ben Hensley | Sports Editor bhensley@therampageonline.com

Derek Bullis| Reporter dbullis@therampageonline.com

The Fresno City College baseball team dropped their second straight game, this time against Cabrillo College on Feb. 23, 2019. “Fresno City is always a great team. Coach Scott and these guys are one of the best teams in the state. We were hoping to play well and we played pretty well,” said Bob Kittle Head Coach of Cabrillo College of ten years about the Rams after Saturday's game. Starting pitcher Kohl Simas pitched five innings against Cabrillo’s Trent Walker. Both pitchers battling the first few innings not giving up any runs on minimal hits. It was a neck and neck game at the start with the first five innings. The Rams threatened Cabrillo early, leading off the bottom of the first with back to back singles and a bunt, moving runners to second and third with one out before Walker retired the next two batters. While Simas was on the

mound he gave up no run, off of two hits and three walks also earning himself five strikeouts. The Rams scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the fifth when Noah Perez grounded out to third base advancing Chet Allison to second and sending Travis Moore home. Going into the top of the sixth inning Eddie Rios was sent in to make an early relief of Simas after an arm injury on a throw in the fifth inning. Rios pitched for 1 1/3 innings giving up three hits and two earned runs to Cabrillo. Mikell Chavez relieved Rios in the eighth inning, and gave up another four runs on four hits to Cabrillo, extending Cabrillo’s lead to 6-1 going into the ninth inning. The ninth inning Jack Reitsma went in to stop the Cabrillo offense, but in the inning gave up another two runs on three hits, extending the lead to 8-1. In the bottom of the ninth, Rams lead off batter Josh May singled and Adrian Gutierrez was walked putting two batters on

base. It was Jake Newman’s triple hit out deep into center field that sent home both May and Gutierrez. That began the Rams attempted comeback in this final inning. Jacob Topete singled home Newman, bringing the score to 8-4. Ryan Greenlee belted a double into right field and Noah Perez walked putting runners on every base. With bases loaded with two outs on the board Rams’ slugger and sophomore third baseman Ian Ross stepped up to the plate. The FCC crowds excitement however was short lived when Ross hit a grounded out to third to make a force out on the play and to end the game. “They will be in the playoffs Fresno is a good team,” said Coach Kittle. He hopes to see the Rams again in the playoffs later this season. The Rams have just two more games before opening up conference play with their first game away against Taft College on Freshman pitcher Katir Prieto fires a pitch towards the plate during the Rams’ 8-4 loss to March 5 at 2 p.m. Cabrillo College on Feb. 23, 2019. Omari Bell/Photographer

Rams Basketball 2019 Playoff Brackets CCCAA Men's Basketball 2019 Northern California Regionals

Feb. 27

Mar. 1‐2

Mar. 9

Mar. 13‐17

Mar. 9

Mar. 1‐2

Feb. 27

Round 1

Quarterfinals

Regional Finals

Advance to State Finals

Regional Finals

Quarterfinals

Round 1

(1) City College of San Francisco (27‐1)

Sat.

(16/13) Cosumnes River (16‐12) Wed. (17) Lassen (16‐1)

(2) Fresno City (25‐3)

Sat.

(8) Cabrillo (20‐7)

Sat.

Wed. (7) Yuba (24‐4)

(18/19) West Valley (14‐14)

Fri.

(9) Canada (21‐7) (5) Coll. of the Sequoias (20‐8)

(10) Columbia (21‐7) (3) Gavilan (26‐2) Sat.

Fri. (12) Los Medanos (18‐10) (13/16) Butte (15‐12)

(15) Sacramento City (15‐13)

Sat.

(19/18) Merritt (17‐11)

Fri.

(4) San Joaquin Delta (22‐6)

(11) Las Positas (21‐6)

*Original seed listed to right of final seed (Rule 2.3.1.2.2), if applicable

Feb. 27

Round 1

(16/15) Shasta (14‐11)

Mar. 1‐2

Mar. 9

Round 2

Round 3

(1) Diablo Valley (27‐1)

Mar. 13‐17

Mar. 9

Mar. 1‐2

Feb. 27

Advance to State Finals

Round 3

Round 2

Round 1

Sat.

Wed. (17/18) Mission (16‐10)

CCCAA Women's Basketball 2019 Northern California Regionals

(8) Sacramento City (19‐10)

Fri.

Sat.

Fri.

(13/14) Solano (17‐8)

(15/16) Santa Rosa (11‐14) Wed. (18/17) Lassen (16‐11)

(2) Merced (26‐3) (3) San Joaquin Delta (23‐5)

Fri.

Sat.

(10) Coll. of the Siskiyous (18‐7)

Sat.

(9) Chabot (20‐9) (5) City College of San Francisco (22‐3)

(12) Fresno City (18‐11) (4) Coll. of the Sequoias (26‐3)

(7) Cabrillo (18‐4)

Sat.

(14/13) Reedley (15‐12) (6) Sierra (21‐7) Fri. (11) Skyline (20‐8)

*Original seed listed to right of final seed (Rule 2.3.1.2.2), if applicable

Playoff Bracket Images Courtesy of CCCAA

Photo Illustrations by Ben Hensley

contest 90-55 against the Merced Blue Devils. The Rams started the week with a record of 18-9, heading into their final home matchup against the Reedley Tigers. The Rams were able to jump

Penelope Kastsaridis puts up a three in the Rams’ game against the Reedley Tigers in their game on Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2019. Ben Hensley/Photographer

out to an early lead over the Tigers despite a very physical matchup that ended with numerous scuffles on the floor for the ball without whistles. When the whistles did blow however, they came in bunches. Sophomore guard Jerrene Richardson accumulated four fouls before the second half began, handcuffing the Rams into playing with rotations that did not include Richardson on the floor. “They played really hard,” head coach Alex Fletcher said of the team following the disappointing loss, which saw the Rams lead 34-30 heading into halftime, before falling victim to a relentless second half comeback from Reedley. A bright spot the Rams can definitely take moving forward was the performance of freshman guard Jordyn Brown. Brown posted 12 points in the contest, including going two of five from three-point range, and six of eight from the free throw line – all of which vast improvements over her season averages. “I thought Jordyn played great,” Fletcher said of Brown’s performance. “She really battled. When they’re playing one-on-one like that you just gotta go in and draw contact.” Saturday, Feb. 23 the Rams played second ranked Merced College, losing by a score of

90-55. After dropping their first meeting with Merced 81-65 on Jan. 30, 2019, the Rams hoped to bounce back and finish the season with an upset victory over their conference rival Blue Devils. The Rams were only able to get one player to score in double figures, as freshman guard Penelope Kastsaridis put up 10, paired with six rebounds on the night. The Rams trailed 27-44 at halftime on the way to a 90-55 loss. The loss dropped the Freshman guard Jordyn Brown rises above the defense for a shot Rams back against Reedley on Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2019. to fourth place Photo/Ben Hensley in the Central 22-3 San Francisco City College Valley Conference following Reedley’s 76-33 win on Bulls on Friday, March 1 2019. Saturday over Porterville College. Heading into the playoffs, the 12 seeded Rams are 18-11, and will travel to face the five seeded

Rams Close out Perfect Conference on Sophomore Night cstevens@therampageonline.com

Wed. (6) Santa Rosa (21‐7)

The Fresno City College Women’s Basketball team wrapped up their season on Saturday, Feb. 23 in disappointing fashion, dropping their final

Conner Stevens | Reporter (14) American River (15‐11)

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The Fresno City College Men’s Basketball team successfully finished their regular season play by going undefeated in their dominating 92-68 win over Reedley College this past Saturday Feb. 23. Besides a slow start in the opening minutes of the game, the Rams were able to play all around good basketball on both sides of the ball. FCC was successful at not allowing any easy points in the paint to the opposing Tigers, while also minimizing damage from outside the 3-point line. Sophomore Jared Small came off the bench and was a force in the key as he led the way defensively with a team-high three blocks on the night. Small also had a good night offensively, shooting 57 percent from the field and going 2-4 from outside to give him 13 points for the game. The Rams defensive scheme also did a great job at keeping Reedley off balance as they looked uncomfortable

throughout both halves. FCC kept high pressure on the defensive side as they racked up 10 steals over the course of the game, led by sophomore Guard David Rico, who had three. The offense for the Rams would come mostly from the work of 6’10, 245 pound sophomore Forward Ethan Richardson who made easy work of Reedley inside the paint. Richardson led the team

“

I like the direction that the team is headed” -Ed Madec FCC Men’s Basketball Head Coach

in scoring with 21 points while shooting 75 percent from the field. FCC also had substantial help on offense from sophomore Guard Carl Snyder who shot 5-11 from the field while also drilling three 3-pointers from outside the arc in the second half, Snyder would finish the night with 13 points. “I think we lost a little focus because it was sophomore night,” Coach Ed Madec said after the game responding to the Rams’ slow start on offense. “I knew we would settle down and get back to who we are and play fundamental good solid basketball.” Madec appeared to be right regarding the confidence in his team, as they would go on a 26-5 offensive run after being down 8-4 in the early minutes of the game. “Overall I like the direction that the team is headed,” Madec said. With the regular season over the Rams now have to wait and see what seed they are given. With their perfect 16-0

Freshman Guard DeRonQuez Wynn throws it down late in the fourth quarter in FCC’s 92-68 win over Reedley College Saturday Feb. 23 . Conner Stevens/Photographer

Conference play to go along with an impressive 25-3 record, it would seem almost inevitable that they receive a top-3 seed. The Rams are currently ranked third in the state and second in the northern region, according to

California Community College Athletic Association. The Rams will open up playoffs on March against the winner of the round one game between Sacramento City College (15-13) and West Valley (14-14).

12 SPORTS 2.27.19

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Rams Bounce Back Following Tough Weekend

Rams’ starter Eddie Rios fires a pitch to the plate in the Rams’ 5-3 win over Yuba College on Feb. 26, 2019. Ben Hensley/Photographer Ben Hensley | Sports Editor bhensley@therampageonline.com

Ian Ross homered, Chase Prieto doubled and the Fresno City College Rams baseball team got back to their winning ways against Yuba College in an impromptu afternoon matchup on Tuesday, Feb. 26. The Rams came into the game scuffling, having dropped their last two games, 4-2 on Friday, Feb. 22 against Santa Rosa, and 8-4 on Saturday, Feb. 23 against Cabrillo College. “We needed a win. We scheduled them to get a win,” Rams’ head coach Ron Scott said following his team’s 5-3 victory

over Yuba College on Tuesday afternoon. Neither team had a game scheduled for Tuesday, however with rain the forecast both in Fresno and in Yuba City, the squads decided to square off on the diamond. Freshman pitcher Eddie Rios started the game off strong with five of the first nine outs being recorded via strikeout. Rios pitched into a bit of trouble in the top of the fifth, with a leadoff walk to Yuba’s first baseman Tareeq Hardin. Yuba catcher Austin Locke then sacrificed Hardin to second, who scored when the next batter,

center fielder Aidan Gums singled to center. It appeared the cycle would continue when the next Yuba batter advanced Gums to second with another sacrifice, but Rios was able to strike out Keith Walker to end the inning. The Rams kept fans on the edge of their seats until the bottom of the sixth inning, when with two outs Rams’ catcher Noel Bustos singled on a weak ground ball to the shortstop. Chase Prieto then doubled to left on a ball that kept carrying and carrying. By the time Yuba left fielder Blake Estabrook chased it down, Bustos had rounded third and slid home on a close play at the plate, tying the game 1-1. The two-out scoring continued when the following four Rams’ batters all singled, three of which drove in one run each, pushing the Rams in front 4-1. The seventh inning started shaky for the Rams as Rios hit the leadoff batter Daniel Hale with a pitch. Two batters later, Yuba’s Aidan Gums doubled home Hale. Designated hitter Keith Walker was the final batter Rios faced, allowing a double which drove home Gums. Rios was replaced by freshman pitcher Mikell Chavez who struck out the final batter to end the inning. Ian Ross led off the bottom

of the seventh inning by belting the first pitch he saw high over the left field fence, extending the Rams’ lead to two runs. “I was just looking [for a] fastball,” Ross explained. “I was a little late on the first two at bats, so I just decided to get the head out and make something happen.” Mikell Chavez started the eighth inning the same way Rios began the seventh - by hitting the first batter he faced. This time however the Rams would stifle the scoring threat, retiring the side without a major scoring threat. The final inning was unique, as coach Scott utilized the bullpen, calling in a new pitcher to face each of the final three batters for Yuba. “Tried to get them an inning, get them on the mound ‘cause it’s

supposed to rain all weekend,” Scott said of his ninth inning bullpen management. “Saavedra needed to feel good about himself, and then [Darren] Jansen is like a closer for us.” With the win, the Rams improve to 11-5 on the season, snapping a two game losing streak over the past weekend. “We’re a good team,” Ross said of the Rams. “Our pitching usually keeps us in the game, and as long as we start hitting, we’ll be fine the rest of the season.” The Rams will now go on the road for one final non-conference game against Contra Costa on Feb. 28, before opening up conference play on the road against Taft College on March 5. The next home game will be against Taft College on March 7 2019 at 3 p.m. at Euless Park.

Chase Prieto takes his cuts against Yuba College on Feb. 26, 2019. Ben Hensley/ Photographer