May 10, 2012
Vol. xxxVIVI, No. 13
An Associated Collegiate Press two-time national Pacemaker award-winning newspaper, serving as the voice of the students since 1922.
Riverside, CA | www.viewpointsonline.org
Riverside City College
Chasing the state championship The men’s track and field team at Riverside City College is gearing up to compete for the state title For a
sports story
see Page 14
Diego alvarez / staff photographer
Going the distance: Riverside City College men’s track and field team’s runner Yusef Merriweather sprints the final stretch of the men’s 4x400 meter relay at the Orange Empire Conference at Saddleback College on April 27. Riverside won the conference.
Lower math classes are being cut page 3
The road to learning English page 10
RCC women’s swim finishes sixth in state page 16
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News
Viewpoints student wins state writing award Samuel Finch, a Journalism student at Riverside City College, has won a prestigious award for a feature story he wrote for the college’s student newspaper, Viewpoints. Finch, the newspaper’s features editor, won a second place award in the category of Best Writing from the California Newspaper Publishers Association on May 5. Viewpoints was one of six community college newspapers to be honored at the association’s awards event in San Jose for professional and student newspapers. This is the first time that Viewpoints students won an award from the California Newspaper Publishers Association. “It makes me very happy to be able to contribute to the wall of awards that Viewpoints has,” Finch said. “It’s personally my first award for writing so it’s a big achievement for me.” Finch won for his “Riverside, meet the movement” feature story about the Occupy movement in Riverside. The story appeared in Viewpoints’ Oct. 20, 2011 issue in its print and online editions: http://www.viewpointsonline.org/features/riverside-meet-the-movement
California’s best poet visits RCC Juan Felipe Herrera, the poet laureate of California, is scheduled to speak at Riverside City College on May 22 in Room 122 of the Administration building at 12:50 p.m. Herrera is the author of many books including “Exiles of Desire,” “Calling the Doves,” “Mayan Drifter” and “187 Reasons Mexicanos Can’t Cross the Border.” The Herrera speech is open to RCC students, faculty staff and the Riverside community. The event is being hosted by the RCC Stay Classy Creative Writing Club.
Well-known poet meets the RCC community John Brantingham, a poet and author of “East of Los Angeles,” is scheduled to visit Riverside City College on May 17 starting at 7 p.m. in the Digital Library auditorium for a reading, question and answer and meet and greet session. RCC students, faculty, staff and the Riverside community are invited to the event, which is being hosted by Associated Students of RCC and the Stay Classy Creative Writing Club.
And the show goes on at RCC “The Crucible,” a Pulitzer Prize winning play by Arthur Miller, is scheduled to run at Riverside City College May 9-12 at 7 p.m. and at 2 p.m. on May 12 in Room 144 at the Quadrangle. The play is hosted by the RCC Theatre Department and it is directed by David Wayne Nelson. Tickets for the play are $10 for presale before May 10 but tickets are $15 for general admission following May 10. The show is rated PG and children less than 8 years old are not allowed to attend the play. Tickets can be purchased by calling 951-222-8100, online at www.landispac.com or at the Landis Performing Arts Center’s box office.
SAFE soccer tournament A soccer tournament is scheduled at Norco College on May 12. It starts at 7:30 a.m. with registration. The event is being held by the Student Alliance For Education Club to raise money for scholarships. Teams are limited to six players each, soccer cleats are allowed, each person has to pay a $10 registration fee and each person needs to be 16 years old or older. For more information on the event, contact the Student Alliance For Education Club at 951-251-4495 or at stafe.rcc@gmail.com
Cleaning up RCC A campus clean up is scheduled at Riverside City College on May 24 from 12:501:50 p.m., which will start at the steps of Martin Luther King Jr. Teaching and Learning Center. The event is being hosted by the Biological Sciences Club and the Sustainability Club. For information on the clean up, contact the Biological Sciences Club at rccbiosci@ gmail.com.
RCC students discuss religion The Well Christian Club is scheduled to host a forum on May 17 at the steps of Martin Luther King Jr. Teaching and Learning Center from 12-2 p.m. for a open question and answer session to give students a chance to discuss and question religion, God and other relevant topics to a panel of experts.
Allison Perez / Photo Editor
Student in command: Doug Figueroa, president-elect of Associated Students of Riverside City College, connects with RCC student Jacklyn Pangkee, as Figueroa attempts to unite the student body on campus.
New leadership among RCC students Doug Figueroa has a vision to have 100 percent of students represented in Senate Javier cabrera Editor-in-chief The results are in and the next president of Associated Students of Riverside City College is Doug Figueroa, who is already thinking of how to unite the student body at RCC. Prior to the election on May 1 and 2, Giovanni Aviña withdrew his name from the running for president of Associated Students of RCC because he was going through personal issues. Aviña told Viewpoints he pulled out of the race because he was going through a mid-semester crisis. He said he was mentally and physically drained and felt it was the right choice, for he was not in a position to lead Associated Students of RCC. Joey Reynoso, interim president of Associated Students of RCC, said this year’s election turnout was the lowest in 20 years, as only 221 votes were cast for the presidential election. All 221 votes were counted for Figueroa and his running mate, Miguel Bagsit, who is the elected vice president of Associated Students of RCC. The first issue Figueroa is going to address is the participation of students. “I think one of the issues is getting more student involvement,” he said. “Some of the challenges that we are facing is that we already know the cuts are going to be there; (the cuts) aren’t going anywhere in the next four to five years.” Figueroa said he wants the student leaders to rally together and put their heads together to figure out a solution for the students. “One of the things I see is that, even though the tutoring program is being cut, it is about getting students together to come up with a student led initiative,” he said. “It’s kind of a peer to peer support thing.” Another issue Figueroa said he wants to address is student advocacy. “There are so many bills that are being passed in Senate that we need to address,” he said. “Generally, we haven’t been too
involved.” Figueroa said Reynoso has been getting involved with shared governance, has been involved with his Senate and has been to the Legislator’s office in Sacramento, since Reynoso took over office in February after Jonathan Flike resigned as Associated Students of RCC president. Figueroa said he wants to build on the success and direction the previous two presidents of Associated Students of RCC did during their times. “I’m definitely going to learn from the past two presidents, Flike and Reynoso, and see what we can build from that, because becoming president isn’t about starting over; it is about continuing the things that we are doing good and changing them to be great,” he said. Figueroa said he has a vision rather than ideas. “I’m trying to get together a group of leaders to make up my cabinet, to make up the Senate that represents 100 percent of this campus, and that doesn’t represent just a small group or a small portion of the population,” he said. Figueroa said the majority of the students at RCC do not get involved with any extracurricular activity on campus. “My vision is to get feedback from everyone whether you are involved or not, and see where it lies,” he said. “It’s not about starting over as president; it’s about continuing doing what I’m doing, and it’s about representing 100 percent of the population regardless of what the demographic you’re coming from.” Figueroa said he wants each student at RCC to have a voice at the college. “One thing that I want to implement next year is having a president’s corner or a student’s speak corner where every week I give myself an hour where students can come in and talk to me about issues, whether its good or bad,” he said. “I think it’s about reaching out to the (students); that’s the only way we are going to solve things, is if we include everyone’s voice in it.”
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May 10, 2012 | 3
RCC’s budget cuts affects math classes
Math 63 is among the group of basic skill classes to be eliminated due to budget cuts at RCC Javier Cabrera Editor in Chief Ashley Anderson News editor The surge of continuous decisions to cut and reduce classes are taking place at Riverside City College. The latest area to be affected are the basic skill math courses. As the college seeks to fill the gap to eliminate $2.68 million from its budget, the lower level math courses are being cut. Classes to be cut are Math 63 and 90A, 90B and 90C, these are the arithmetic courses that consist of being the lower level courses in math at RCC. According to data provided from the RCC Math Department, 26 percent of RCC students who take the assessment test for Math place into Math 63. “My concern is that I don’t know where (the students are) going to go,” said Rogelio Ruiz, the chair of the RCC Math Department. As reported in previous articles by Viewpoints, Cynthia Azari, president of RCC, said students will have access at adult school if remedial classes are not available at RCC. “Just as we are cutting, (adult schools are) cutting, so we’re not sure if (adult schools) have something for (RCC students),” Marc Sanchez, an associate professor of math, said. Geoft Pronovost, a tutor in the math lab at RCC, said he feels terrible about having students enroll into adult school to take their basic skill math classes. “A lot of the students here already have a lot of struggles whether that be family issues, financial issues, combination of the two or previous learning disabilities,” he said. “Most of the students, who test into those classes, already have difficulty or have not received the proper education before college.” Pronovost said he describes the idea to send students to adult school as a slap in the face. “(The college is) saying, ‘Hey you made it this far, (but) sorry.
Allison Perez / Photo Editor
Calculating to success: Briana Zabala, who is enrolled in Math 11 this semester, is one of many other Riverside City College students who started in a basic skill math class when she started at the college. We’re not going to give you the help that you need;’ You have to go through these other means,’” he said. “That’s not going to make the (students) feel very comfortable. If anything, it will discourage them.” Briana Zabala, an RCC student, was one math student to start at one of the basic skill math classes, but she managed to make her way into Math 11, which she is taking this semester. She said she feels the idea of having students go to adult school is unfair and inconvenient to them. “(RCC) already offers the classes and (the classes) help (the students) a lot, so taking (the classes) away is kind of like pulling the rug from underneath them,” Zabala said. Math 65 and 90F are the other math courses being reduced as the college looks to increase transferable math classes such as Math 11 and Math 12. Roughly 374 units have been cut from the Math Department since the summer session of 2009, and the cuts continue through this semester. The 374 units range between 90 to 125 math courses being cut in almost three years.
Allison Perez / Photo Editor
Practice: Henry Molina, a tutor at the math lab at RCC, teaches Kim Phillips a formula for her Math 52 assignment.
Although the college is slashing away the basic skill math classes to meet its reduced budget, Sanchez said there are still other remedial classes the department is holding on to. “We still have a place for (students),” Sanchez said. “We still have Math 65 but we are not increasing (the course).” The Math Department worries that students enrolling at RCC will be placed in remedial math classes. “My concern is that some (students) will place low in math but place high in English, so they can come here for English but not math,” Ruiz said. Zabala said high school students will be impacted by cuts to the basic math courses because she was a high school student who entered RCC seeking the basic skill math classes. “A lot of kids coming out of high school aren’t prepared,” she said. “Eliminating the lowest math would be really bad for anyone trying to transfer because the majority of students aren’t going to make it into the higher math classes right away.” Pronovost said the result to cut the basic skill math classes will change the dynamic of how students approach their college level math and science classes, because the basic skill math courses accommodate the college courses. “ I t ’s r e a l l y u n f o r t u n a t e because that’s the foundation to mathematics, and also how that translates into the science courses here,” he said. Pronovost said he recognizes the need for cuts to meet the reduced budget, but at the same time the basic skill math classes are necessary. “It’s not really fair to be able to provide adequate tutelage to students who may need it particularly in the basic math classes,” he said. Ruiz said RCC needs to provide more student services and tutorial services for the incoming students.
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Viewpoints Staff
EDITORIAL
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Javier Cabrera (951) 222-8495 viewpoints@rcc.edu eic@viewpointsonline.org MANAGING EDITOR Destiny Rivera 951-222-8488 managingeditor@viewpointsonline.org ADVERTISING MANAGER Leah Frost 951-222-8488 ads@viewpointsonline.org FACULTY ADVISERS Allan Lovelace Dan Evans NEWS EDITOR Ashley Anderson news@viewpointsonline.org
SPORTS EDITOR James Williams sports@viewpointsonline.org
FEATURES EDITOR OPINIONS EDITOR Sam Finch Amanda Rougeaux opinions@viewpointsonline.org features@viewpointsonline.org
official white house photo by pete souza
politics are hilarious: President Barack Obama appears on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon”
PHOTO EDITOR INSCAPE EDITOR Allison Perez Kayleigh Brown inscape@viewpointsonline.org photo@viewpointsonline.org
from Memorial Hall at the University of North Carolina on April 24.
Comedian in Chief
STAFF Gabriel Alvarado Diego Alvarez Brian Bash Monique Carrasco Amanda Charter Iliana Chavez Courtney Coleman Edward Diaz Sean Egle Itzel Farias Jeremy Fuerte Roberto Gonzalez Oscar Grover Daniel Haskins Jasmine Hoof Norihito Ikeda Jarred Jackson
Shawanda Kinsey Lizbeth Landeros Paul Ledesma Sean Maulding Fred McCarthy Audrey Mosley Susan Parker Alejandra Rodriguez Rafael Rodriguez Laith Salama Selenne Sevilla Luis Solis Na’Ilah Thomas Jonathan Vela Franco Villalobos Veronica Widman Alexis Wiest
When Franklin Roosevelt introduced his fireside chats in 1933, he probably never thought they would eventually lead to President Barack Obama “Slow Jamming the News” with Jimmy Fallon on his late night talk show. FDR using the radio to speak directly to the American public was revolutionary at the time. However, the 21st century requires a more media saavy leader. Therefore, regardless of what others would have you think, President Obama showing his light-hearted side on “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” is not the end of the republic. Beginning with Ronald Reagan, presidents have had a stronger presence on mainstream television. As social media has become more advanced, all politicians have had to learn to take advantage of different entertainment mediums to gain recognition and votes. It’s true Obama has taken the idea a step further by appearing on Fallon, singing Al Green and name dropping Young Jeezy at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. However, Obama is also the most pop culturally plugged in president, so for him as doing a comedy sketch with Fallon isn’t nearly as big a deal it would have been for Reagan. Of course the president is also smart and knows that coming off as more likeable and normal will set him apart from his Republican opponent. The decision to appear on Fallon in North Carolina in front of a crowd of college students to discuss the rise in student loan interest rates was 100 percent politically motivated. In that interview, Obama also answered questions about the Secret Service scandal, legalizing marijuana and
LETTERS TO THE
EDITOR
Letters to the editor should be kept to 250 words or less. Deliver letters to the Viewpoints office in the room behind the Assessment Building. Viewpoints reserves the right to edit letters for space and to reject libelous or obscene letters. Letters to the editor and columns represent the opinions of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect those of the entire Viewpoints staff, Viewpoints faculty advisers, student government, faculty, administration nor the Board of Trustees.
if the coming election will get ugly. Things he couldn’t or wouldn’t necessarily discuss with Brian Williams or Diane Sawyer. There is something to be said for the idea that the president should be above looking silly on a late night talk show and needs to exude an air of authority as commander in chief. However, just two weeks after his appearance on Fallon and one week after the correspondents dinner, Obama made a surprise trip to Afghanistan to greet troops and negotiate a treaty with Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai. In the new media age where voters are swayed by YouTube clips, talk show monologues and “Saturday Night Live” sketches, politicians must show that they can laugh at themselves. Several voters made it clear that Tina Fey’s Sarah Palin impression impacted their decision making. Democrats and Republicans are going to argue about everything all the time. It’s in their nature to disagree. So it’s no surprise that Republicans were among the first to complain about Obama’s recent display of his sense of humor. However, everyone needs to calm down and understand that the American people have always enjoyed seeing the human side of their leaders. They just finally have a president who’s willing to go along with the jokes and even make a few himself. Considering the current state of the world, no one wants a president who is never able to find the humor in the absurdity of being the leader of the free world. Even Roosevelt understood that.
Viewpoints’ editorials represent the majority opinion of and are written by the Viewpoints student editorial board.
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Viewpoints is a public forum, First Amendment newspaper. Student editors have authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval. © 2012 by the Viewpoints staff, Riverside City College, 4800 Magnolia Avenue, Riverside, CA. 92506-0528. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without permission of the Viewpoints Editor-in-Chief.
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Dreams of success are threatened Jasmine Hoof Staff Writer The economy is nowhere near what it used to be and for that, we are all suffering. Thousands are losing their jobs and resorting to work in fast food restaurants just to bring an income. People who have been getting jobs such as these are usually educated, have a degree and spent a good amount of time and effort to be successful, only to have it stripped away due to lack of funds and exceeded expenses. So where does that leave our fresh ripe graduates? Well, to put it simply, we’re out of luck. Unless you’re in a field that is high in demand, there’s really not much out there. The most important thing employers ask for is experience, and when you’re up against someone who has been working in that business for 30 years and just lost his or her job due to layoffs or a company going under, the chances of getting that job are going to be pretty slim. With the economy like this, people are willing to do anything to have a job and pay the bills.
Not only that, but most of these people have families to support and it becomes a priority to make money fast and at a steady rate. Not only does this affect teens and graduates, but also people who were managers, supervisors or high-up in their company in the past. Now all of these people are resorting to lower pay and downsized jobs to stay afloat. Unfortunately, students have to choose their career path according to what’s going to give them a steady job. Before, career paths were based on factors: what’s going to make me a lot of money, and what do I like to do? Now it’s about what is going to make me money period, be it selling clothing or working in the drive through. Doing what you love is no longer an option for most at this point. Most careers that we want to do are low in demand, or scarce to find, let alone keep. No student should have to fear not finding a job in their field straight out of college, or at all. I should know; I’m a victim of this horrible economy. My dream job is no longer an option and due to the low demand I was forced to change my path into something I enjoy, but I will never have a true passion for. My initial choice, like others, has now just become a dream, or in my case, a hobby. Luckily, I was
alejandra Rodriguz / staff photographer
Empty pockets: Students and graduates are less likely to get the job of their dreams causing empty pockets and empty dreams. able to change my position before I received any type of degree. Though some people are not so lucky and are forced to battle for a job or resort to working dead-end jobs in retail or fast food in order to make money and pay back loans taken out for a useless degree in this economic recession. For some, they make the choice to go back to school to receive credentials for a career they can actually have a successful chance of getting a job and keeping it.
It doesn’t look like anything is going to change in the near future, so, for now, we have to focus on what path is the smartest choice and will give us a job that will support us, and eventually our family. Every year, less and less is being taught to future college students about doing something that you love and more about the types of careers that are in high demand. As the economy goes, so do
careers, and some aren’t even an option anymore. Those who are still in school are sacrificing hopes and dream jobs just to replace them with something they would have never given a second thought to. But for those that are too late, they are resorting to low income opportunities and have to work with what they can get. It’s a sad truth that young prospering students, are forced to swallow.
Many Americans are unhappy with the welfare system
Amanda Rougeaux Opinions Editor Federally funded and governed U.S. welfare began in the 1930s during the Great Depression. The system was put in place for families and individuals in the Great Depression who were having trouble with income. Welfare systems differ from country to country, but welfare is commonly provided to individuals who are unemployed, those with an illness or disability, the elderly, those with dependent children and veterans. A person’s eligibility for welfare may also be determined by means testing or other conditions. Welfare was put in place to ensure that every American citizen has a chance at the American Dream. Many Americans are unhappy with the welfare system. Citizens claim the system is abused and flawed. Welfare has received a bad reputation in regards to what it stands for. In this economy, welfare is a
life-saver to some. While others feel it is a burden to be supporting others as well as themselves. Since it is a federally funded program, the money for welfare recipients comes out of the taxes paid to the government. Therefore, money for welfare is indirectly taken out of our paychecks. It would be a different story if there were different, more suitable requirements for receiving welfare and temporary assistance for needy families. For instance, before receiving any type of federally or state funded assistance, people should have to undergo some sort of test, along with a background check. The test should consist of different questions about the applicant’s future goals and a reason why they feel they should receive assistance. Although giving tests and background checks may be a good idea, some people might feel that these precautions are an invasion of privacy and refuse. I am certain to receive welfare one must undergo certain related precautions, but I feel the provisions already in place should be reformed to ensure United States citizens fair assistance. Many accuse welfare of not encouraging work or education. This is not completely true. Even if a measure was put in place so that recipients had to have a job or acquire one with-in so many months of receiving the
first welfare check, many people would lose their assistance due to lack of education or lack of open positions. Most welfare recipients are immigrants and refugees who have come to America uneducated or with little to no money. This makes it hard for them to acquire and hold a job. “Thirteen years after welfare reform, the share of immigrantheaded households (legal and illegal) with a child (under age 18) using at least one welfare program continues to be very high. This is partly due to the large share of immigrants with low levels of education and their resulting low
incomes—not their legal status or an unwillingness to work,” said Steven A. Camarota of the Center for Immigration Studies. Though some receiving welfare may be undocumented immigrants, this is not what is hurting the welfare system. Since the Temporary Assistance for needy families bill was passed, less and less people are on welfare or temporary assistance. A way to reform the system would be to give adult education alongside welfare assistance to help boost the chances of obtaining a steady job and one day being able to support themselves. Children are required to go to
kindergarten through grade 12, whether they are supported by welfare or not. So why should the adults who receive welfare be any different? Of course, they cannot go through kindergarten and up but they should be able to go to an adult school to obtain a General Education Degree while they are working or applying for jobs. Though the temporary assistance reform has helped some, others are finding it harder to receive welfare or assistance. A little more reform, compromise and polishing should make the welfare system better than it has ever been.
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Inscape
Earth’s mightiest heroes assemble stephanie Holland Senior staff assistant “A demigod, a super soldier living legend who kind of lives up to the legend, a man with breathtaking anger management issues, a couple of master assassins” are how genius billionaire Tony Stark describes The Avengers to their nemesis Loki. These descriptions are The Avengers at their most basic. They don’t tell the full story of “Earth’s mightiest heroes.” For that, fans have been packing theaters to see the long awaited movie “The Avengers.” Consisting of Iron Man, C a p t a i n A m e r i c a , T h o r, Hawkeye, Black Widow and The Hulk, “The Avengers” has been in the works since the final scene of “Iron Man” when Nick Fury informed Stark about The Avengers Initiative. Beginning with midnight screenings on May 4, moviegoers turned out in massive numbers to see the final product. The film opened with a ridiculous $207.4 million, the biggest opening weekend ever. Box office success aside “The Avengers” is just a really well-made movie. From the story to the acting to the special effects, it’s as close to a perfect movie as comic book fans could have hoped for. In the film the heroes must fight off an invasion
marvel studios / walt disney pictures
Keeping Watch: (From left) Jeremy Renner, Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson co-star in “The Avengers.” spearheaded by Thor’s evil adopted brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston). This is the extent of plot synopsis the studio has allowed out as all other aspects of the movie have been a closely guarded secret. With each film in the franchise Marvel has established origin stories for the main characters, allowing “The Avengers” to
jump right into the fight to save Earth. However, before they can fight off their enemies the team must learn to coexist. These disagreements provide for some of the film’s best action sequences as Thor and Iron Man have an epic battle that displays the best of both heroes’ abilities. All the actors from the origin films are returning, including
Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, Chris Evans as Captain America, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow and Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye. Also returning are Samuel L. Jackson as S.H.I.E.L.D., director Nick Fury and Clark Gregg as Agent Coulson. The one major change is that Mark Ruffalo replaces Edward Norton as The Incredible Hulk. While fans were initially wary about the change, Ruffalo delivers the film’s strongest performance, adding a new dimension to Bruce Banner’s dual personalities. It also helps that the actors are not competing against one another for attention. Every actor gets ample time in the spotlight and then supports the others when it’s their turn. As great as The Avengers come together as a team, no superhero can reach his full
potential without an amazing villain, and Hiddleston’s Loki is gleefully evil. The genius of Loki is that while he is 100 percent crazy, his belief that he is justified never waivers. This provides for some chilling scenes between he and his brother Thor, as well as an especially great showdown with Black Widow. Hiddleston could easily take Loki over the top but he never fails to show the vulnerability and inferiority complex that is underneath Loki’s schemes. With an all-star cast of superheroes and villains this big, a director with experience in the comic book/fantasy genre is required, and “The Avengers” has that in spades with Joss Whedon. Whedon has already firmly established himself in the See
avengers on Page 9
marvel studios / walt disney pictures
the one that started it all: Billionaire genius marvel studios / walt disney pictures
fight for earth: Chris Hemsworth is Asgard demi-god Thor and Chris Evans is Captain America, two of the strongest members of The Avengers.
Tony Stark/Iron Man prepares to destroy Loki’s ultimate weapon.
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Inscape
Marvel Studios / Walt Disney Pictures
Assembled: (From left) Black Widow, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye, The Hulk and Iron Man prepare to defend the Earth.
avengers Continued From Page 8
genre and with fans with his hits “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Firefly” and “Serenity.” His choice as director of “The Avengers” instantly put any lingering doubts about story and continuity to rest.
The major challenge of any comic book film is the tightrope of satisfying long time loyal fans while also appealing to viewers who haven’t read every issue of “The Avengers.” Whedon accomplishes this feat in spectacular fashion, staying true to the characters’
established history but also providing plenty of new moments. He also crafted an extremely funny script. “The Avengers” is one of the funniest action films to come along in awhile. There were several laugh out loud
moments during the climatic battle scene and the team’s first meeting is just hilarious. The strength of the story makes the action sequences even more enjoyable. The final battle is full of special effects that so seamlessly weave into the
film, viewers forget they’re not real. From top to bottom “The Avengers” works on every level. Moviegoers from eight to 80 will enjoy the action, comedy, emotion, effects and acting. Plus, they have Hulk.
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Features
A new language, a new life Javier cabrera Editor in chief A typical schedule for a student at Riverside City College can be as simple as attending classes, participating in extracurricular activities and for some, holding a part-time job, but for one RCC student, the schedule is complex. Belinda Eisert, an English as a Second Language student at RCC, is one student with a hectic schedule. An average day for Eisert consists of juggling the demands of six children, a marriage, a fulltime job and, on top of everything else, taking 12 units this semester to learn English. Eisert is in her second semester at RCC and is enrolled in four ESL classes this semester as she works toward mastering English in hopes of one day becoming an interpreter. The idea to learn English began four years ago for Eisert when she moved to the United States from Peru, following a divorce from her previous husband. She made the bold decision with the intention of offering her six children a better life. “I thought ‘if you want a better life for your kids, you have to set an example,’” she said. Eisert traveled multiple times between Peru and the U.S. working
to provide for her children before making the ultimate decision to permanently relocate. “(The change) was very hard because I came here before my kids,” she said. “I was without my kids for three years.” The motivation to learn English came from the difficulties she faced in holding a job as a nurse assistant. Eisert needed a license to continue working as an assistant, but the classes to earn such a license were only offered in English. Eisert was only allowed to work up to three months without the license before she was let go and sent off to find another nurse assistant position. She began her quest to learn English by attending classes in adult school, where she felt she was making little progress. “I studied (at the adult school for) only 10 months,” she said. “I didn’t feel comfortable with my English because I didn’t understand almost anything at work.” When Eisert decided to make a change for a better opportunity for the quality of education by enrolling at RCC, the reaction from her friends was not encouraging. “Some friends told me ‘don’t do that because you don’t speak any English (and) you will get frustrated then you will throw in the towel,’” she said.
Despite the concerns of her friends, Eisert followed through with the change and she has not looked back. “I didn’t know if it was good or not but I did it,” she said. “I think it would have been better if I had come straight here, because the education here is better.” Eisert has been pleased with the quality of education RCC has given her that she has made the steps to enroll her oldest daughter for the fall semester. Her daughter, Andrea Eisert, a senior at Arlington High School, is looking to become a doctor once she begins her higher education at RCC. Belinda said she feared her children would not be able to achieve their goals because they are still struggling with English. “They felt they were prisoners because they didn’t have friends who spoke Spanish,” she said. “It’s been a year and a half now so they feel better because they now have friends.” Belinda said her children have learned a valuable lesson since making the move to the U.S. “They know that the life in the United States isn’t easy at all but we have a lot of opportunities that we didn’t have in Peru,” she said. “You can work, you can study and you can have a good life, but you have to be responsible.”
allison perez / Photo Editor
Staying on top: Belinda Eisert studies for her ESL classes in between breaks as she continues to learn English.
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Features
Photography runs in the family Allison Perez Photo editor With a growing passion for photography, mother and daughter Roxanne King and Roxy OrantesKing are inseparable in every way. Both are students at Riverside City College and are working toward a certificate in photography through RCC’s Photo Program. They also work closely in the real estate business. They started at RCC taking miscellaneous classes together and landed in photography, which led them to be in the Photo Program. “It was my idea to take the (first) class, but it was a mutual decision to take them all,” OrantesKing said. Orantes-King’s experience in photography prior to RCC influenced their decision to start the program. “I went through the photography program in high school,” OrantesKing said. Mother and daughter have had their ups and downs of constantly working together but they make the best of the situations thrown at them. “It’s a little complicated because you have someone else to work around their time,” OrantesKing said. Both mother and daughter enjoy the time they spend together at home, at work and in class. Even
diego alvarez / Staff Photographer
inseparable: Roxanne King (right) and her daughter Roxy Orantes-King enjoys a trip to Big Bear Lake with the Riverside City College Photo Club.
though it gets hard at times, they continue to help each other and work together. “Last semester it worked out great because we were using teamwork for printing in the dark room,” Orantes-King said. “While I was exposing she was putting them through the chemicals.” They chose to do all their class assignments together from
the start, and because of this, they were able to watch each other grow as photographers. During the process they have realized that their styles of photography are very different. “I like taking pictures of people and animals. Something that has a carbon footprint,” Orantes-King said. “(My mom) just likes taking candid shots of stuff.”
Because of their differences they are able to bring together their photos as a package. “When we have done event p h o t o g r a p h y, s h e d o e s t h e group scene, taking pictures of everything, and I go take pictures of individuals,” Orantes-King. “At the end we’ll end up with very complementing styles.” Along with being members
of the Photo Club, Orantes-King said it’s not just the experience of taking a good photo that keeps them in the program. She said it’s the people they have met. “Other students and their reaction toward my mom and I has been the best part,” Orantes-King said. “My mom is the mother hen to all the little chicks.” Diego Alvarez, who is a photographer for Viewpoints, is a friend of Orantes-King and her mother in the Photo Club. “They are active and dedicated members of the Photo Club,” Alvarez said. Orantes-King doesn’t want to use her photography as a main source of income but enjoys the experience of covering events. “I find (photography) very interesting and very rewarding, not for the money but for the actual job,” Orantes-King said. King on the other hand said she hopes to use photography in any way she can, even as a career. “For me, it’s something I would like,” King said. “At my age, it’s something that I would like to do by myself, for me.” Both mother and daughter hope that photography will continue to be a hobby. They have decided that if a photography business between the two of them ever became possible, they wouldn’t hesitate to take the opportunity.
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Celebration evokes mixed emotions Courtney coleman Staff Writer The Riverside City College D a n c e P r o g r a m ’s l a t e s t performance, “Celebrate Dance,” showed May 3-5. The show invited the community to join in a celebration of dance and the performing arts. The performers were excited to be a part of the presentation. “This is by far one of the best performances I’ve been in,” said dancer Kenji Maddox, “It’s very different from what I’m used to.” The show was different indeed. It started off with costumed dancers taking the stage, single file, via contorted movements.
The characters each dancer portrayed ranged from a swimmer to a colorful jester, all chaotically dancing about. The chaos continued for a few minutes until the curtain was drawn to reveal a neon-lit screen, the perfect backdrop for these creatures to express themselves through dance. In an artful scene, the dancers stripped off their costumes, stripping their identities along with them. Of course, one identity was left in all of them. Beneath what makes them unique is what unites them: their love for dance. They celebrated that love, illuminated only by the colorful
Kendell Mays / Special to Viewpoints
Expression: Ericka Jenae Brown pours her heart into a solo for the “Celebrate Dance” performance.
screen behind them. But this was about as celebratory as “Celebrate Dance” got. The rest of the show was filled with contemporary dances portraying the sorrows of love, a warning to respect Mother Nature, and other serious issues. In one scene, performers danced seductively to a series of monologues focused on rape and abuse. Not expecting the show to be for mature audiences, some viewers ushered their young children out of the sanctuary. Marina Orth, one of the recital’s ushers, hoped that the show would help the audience find “the inspiration to become a dancer.” The performance was definitely inspiring in the sense that its messages of faith, love and loyalty touched the heart. Hopefully the performance inspired viewers to appreciate dance as well. After all, the performers did a superb job at nailing dance moves that required both power and skill. Seeing such passion in the dancers was sure to awe the audience. Even so, the performance lacked a show of classical dance techniques alongside the contemporary ones favored in the recital. Sometimes dance is elaborate, like a perfectly synchronized ballet. Sometimes dance is as simple
Kendell Mays / Special to Viewpoints
Performing: (Left to right) Levi Ryan, Carla Areneda, Megan Fowler, Eunice Estrada, and Hillary Ledbetter showcase their hard work and talent on stage. as wiggling around with joy. While “Celebrate Dance” made sure to showcase how dance can be used to convey a message, the lack of classical techniques may have caused it to miss the mark helping the audience appreciate dance in every form. The show closed with what finally felt like a celebration as all the performers danced and clapped down the aisles to an upbeat song. Perhaps it was just the title of
the show that was wrong. Instead of “Celebrate Dance,” perhaps “Dance Speaks,” or something along that line would have been more appropriate. Aside from a title that didn’t seem to fit with the content and the fact that some of that content was too dark and dreary for the audience it was reaching, “Celebrate Dance” put on a good show. Let’s hope it was enough to prove to viewers that dance is an art, and a beautiful one at that.
Vi ew p o i n t s E n t e r t a i n m e n t C a l e n d a r May 11
May 12
May 13
MOVIES EVENTS EVENTS “Dark Shadows” Inland Empire Reggae Mother’s Day brunch at EVENTS Roots Music and Arts Mission Inn at 11 a.m. New Play Festival at Festival at NOS Event Cen“Motown Motor City UC Riverside at 8 p.m. ter from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Revue” at (also May 12, 17-19 African Fashion Show at Center Stage Theater in at 8 p.m.) Grier Pavillion in Riverside Fontana at 2-5 p.m. “The Crucible” at RCC at 2 p.m. (through June 10) Quadrangle 144 at 7 p.m. “Sense and Sensibility” Mother’s Day buffet at (also May 12 at 2 p.m. and at LifeHouse Theater in San Manuel Indian Bingo 7 p.m.) MOVIES Redlands at 2:15 p.m.MOVIES and and Casino at 10 a.m. “Fame” “Fame” 8 p.m.
May 16
May 17
May 18
at 7-8:30 p.m. Lake Elsinore Storm vs. Inland Empire 66ers at Lake Elsinore Diamond at 7:05 p.m.
An Evening of 1940s Big Band Music at Ontario Museum of History and Art at 5:30 p.m.
All the Glitters: Rockin Women in Burlesque at CSUSB Student Union Event Center at 6-11 p.m.
“Surrogates” “Surrogates” “Pandorum” “Pandorum” “All Shook Up” at “All Shook Up” at EVENTS EVENTS MOVIES Landis PAC Landis PAC David Spade at Ontario Rammstein at Honda Center “Battleship” Alejandra Guzman at Alejandra Guzman at Improv at at 8 p.m. “The Dictator” Pechanga Pechanga 8 p.m. (also March 27) Espinoza Paz at San Manuel “What to Expect When Norm McDonald Norm at hereandnow Theatre Troupe Indian at Bingo and Casino at McDonald You’re Expecting” Irvine Improv Irvine Improv at UCR Watkins Hall 7:30 p.m. EVENTS
May 14
May 15
EVENTS Tim Lamb at Lake Alice Saloon & Eatery at 9 p.m. Watercolor From Within: Painting the Essence of Nature Workshop with Barbara Nechis at Riverside Art Museum from 9 am. to 4 p.m.
DVD “One For the Money” “The Grey” “Chronicle” “Albert Nobbs” MUSIC “Rise of the Fenix” Tenacious D “Glee: Season Three-The Graduation Album”
May 19
May 20
EVENTS 21st Annual Old Riverside Foundation Vintage Home Tour at Old Riverside Foundation Vintage Home Tour from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. “Caribbean Nights” gala at Riverside Convention Center at 6-10 p.m.
EVENTS Primavera in the Gardens at UCR Botanic Gardens Information Center at 2-5 p.m. Sondheim Unplugged at Back to the Grind in Riverside at 7:30 p.m. Lake Arrowhead Film Festival at Lake Arrowhead Resort and Spa at 10 a.m. (May 18-20)
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Tigers sprint toward state title
a leap of 46-11 1/2, and Austin Woods was victorious in the pole vault with his own personal best of 15-9. The Tigers took the top three spots in shot put, with Moises Ramos coming in first with a launch of 49-9. Andre Evans won the discus with a toss of 154-6. Tigers’ sprinter Kenny Jackson was also recently named the Conference Track Athlete of the Year. After the win, the Tigers track coach Jim McCarron was named the Conference Men’s
Track Coach of the Year for the sixth consecutive season. McCarron has led the Tigers to their sixth straight conference title including this season and has the team ready for its fourth state-title run in the last five seasons. The men’s track and field team also has qualified at least one athlete in every event at the Southern California Prelims on May 5, which is something the Tigers’ track team has never done before. The women also won the conference title, winning back to
back Orange Empire Conference Championships. The Tigers scored 205 points to edge Orange Coast College’s 172 and had four athletes win conference titles. “The ladies really stepped up and showed some heart,” said coach Damien Smith. “I am very proud of this group of young ladies.” Amy Hop finished the pole vault in a tie for the conference title with a leap of 11-feet, 11 3/4 inches. Her jump tied the conference record, and the jump also broke the
Riverside school record that she had set earlier in the year. Jessica Giacoletti won the triple jump at 5-5 1/4. Her jump was a personalbest in the event. Jessika Byrd threw a hammer 178-4 1/4 to beat Saddleback’s thrower Elizabeth Tepe. Tepe had set a national record in the hammer throw, and was heavily favored to win the event. Byrd’s throw was not only good enough for a school record, but she also set a new conference record. Riverside scored first and second place finishes in the 100 meter. Brittney Osborne ran a time of 12.16 to become a conference champion. Tigers teammate Camille Williams, was second as she ran a personal-best time of 12.29. Breyonna Arnwine became a two-time conference champion in the 400 meters, setting a season best time of 56.67. The two women’s relay teams easily won the 400 and 1600 events. The Tigers women’s track and field team had athletes qualify for 15 of the 21 events at the Southern California regional prelim meet at San Diego Mesa College on May 5. Smith was also selected as the conference’s women’s track and field coach of the year. RCC is competing in the regional championships in San Diego on May 12 to qualify for the state championships at Cerritos College on May 19.
batsmen and struck out seven to improve his record to 4-2 in his first complete game of the season. Mejia did run into trouble in the eighth inning when East L.A. had the bases loaded after a pair of walks and a batter was hit allowing them to reach third base for the first and only time during the game. The Tigers play their first game of the Super Regional on May 11 against the second- seeded team of the playoffs, Rio Hondo Community College. The Tigers are confident they have what it takes to go on to state by the end of the weekend. “Any team that’s in the playoffs should feel confident they can take it all,” Andy Rojo, the associate head coach, said before the playoffs. “I don’t know if they do but, we’ve had that history that has shown we can go all the way.” Also in the Super Regional are the No 3-seeded Santa Ana College and the No. 11-seeded Cypress College. No. 1 seeded Orange Coast College will host the other Super Regional in Cost Mesa. Also in those playoffs are
the No. 4-seeded Mt. San Antonio College, the No. 5 seed Glendale College and the No. 9 seed El Camino College. The Tigers are on a three-game winning streak, which began with a win in their last game of the season to secure a spot in the playoffs. After their 4-1 victory over Saddleback College on April 26, head coach Dennis Rogers received word that the Tigers were selected to take part in the playoffs. Trailing 1-0 after four innings, the Tigers tied the game in the fifth as Grady Espinosa hit a double down the left field line and eventually scored off of an infield out hit. The Tigers then scored three out of four runs in the sixth inning to put the game away with Ricardo Rodriguez hitting a tworun home run. The win pushed Riverside to an 18-18 overall record reaching the .500 mark which has been the traditional standard for teams from the Orange Empire Conference to be selected for the playoffs. The Tigers felt a sense of urgency as they prepared to play their last
game of the regular season. “We told the team we decided to wait till the last game and it pushed the envelope a little bit,” Rojo, said. “We told the players we controlled our own destiny… It was a little nerve wracking to be honest waiting to go to the last game but we knew that if we would have won one game in the last week we would have been in.” The Tigers selected Blake Burrell to be their starting pitcher. He struck out four and walked one earning him a season record of 6-0, a conference record 4-0, and a spot on the all-conference team. “We had our number one pitcher go in and we felt like he was going to give us the best effort and we were able to pull through it in the end,” Rojo said. Rodriguez and outfielder Ryan Garvey were also selected to the all-conference team. The Tigers struggled to play consistently throughout the season never earning more than a four game winning streak. Despite this, the eyes of the Tigers are now focused on playing their best baseball in the playoffs and their moral has picked up.
“It’s literally a fresh start,” Rojo said. “We tell our players who have been struggling through the year that it’s no big deal, no matter what your average is or era is, it doesn’t matter. Everybody is 0-0 come playoff and it’s really about mentality and executing the plays in the game… there’s a sense of excitement to see how far we can go.” The Tigers first loss of the season came against East L.A., and fittingly, their first opponent in the playoffs is East L.A. They are confident they have what it takes to secure the two wins needed to advance into the next stretch of the playoffs. “Any team that’s in the playoffs should feel confident they can take it all,” Rojo said. “I don’t know if they do but, we’ve had that history that has shown we can go all the way. This is a real cliché thing in sports but we have to take this one game at a time. Let’s take care of this Saturday, that’s where our focus is. Once we get to Sunday, let’s see what happens and let’s see after this weekend if we have been rewarded with another week of baseball.”
Fred McCarthy Staff writer
Riverside City men’s track and field team won its sixth consecutive Orange Empire Conference track championship on April 27. The men’s team defeated the rest of the conference, finishing with 352.5 points. Second-place Orange Coast finished with 163 points. A total of 13 different Tigers won conference titles, which included two relay winning teams. “The guys made a statement today that they are ready for the postseason, and a run at the program’s fourth state title,” said coach Jim McCarron. Yusef Merriweather ran a time of 10.59 seconds in the 100 meter to win the conference title. Fellow Tiger, Kenny Jackson, finished second with a time of 10.66. Jackson (21.09) would get his revenge later on Merriweather (21.16) in the 200 event to take first place. In the 800 the Tigers finished first second and third. Bennett Harris ran a 1:56.81 to win the title. Mikey Davila won the 1,500 with a time of 3:58.86, barely edging out Orange Coast runner Hugo Guitterez (3:58.93). Both men’s relay teams easily came in first place to add to the winning spirit. Jerrell Moore won the high jump while setting a personal best of 6-feet, 9 1/4 inches. Spencer Gray won the triple jump with
Diego Alvarez / staff photographer
Full Speed: RCC athlete Yusef Merriweather (second on left) won the conference title in
the 100 meter dash with a time of 10.59 seconds. Kenny Jackson, Louis Martin, and Anthony Carradine also represented the Tigers during the same race.
RCC advances to super regional tournament Jeremy Fuerte Staff Writer
Riverside City College baseball won two of three games in the series against East Los Angeles College the weekend of May 5. With their two wins the Tigers advance to the four-team doubleelimination Super Regional playoff rounds. The Tigers won their first playoff game against East L.A., dropped their second, but came back to win the third with a commanding score of 8-0. In the final game, Riverside scored one run in the second, two in the third and sixth innings and three in the eighth. After getting only nine hits in the first two games, the Tigers offense exploded. Led by catcher Jacob Rogers who broke the game open with a two-run double down the left field line, four players had two hits apiece. All together, the Tigers had 13 hits and zero errors. Tigers starting pitcher Jordan Mejia went the distance in Game 3 throwing 118 pitches and 72 strikes. He allowed only two singles, had two walks, hit two
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Sports
RCC moves on to the Super Regional Tournament James Williams Sports Editor
Baseball
Men’s Swim and Dive
Fastpitch
Women’s Swim and Dive
Men’s Tennis
Season Record Season Record Finshed in sixth Finshed in a three way 20-19 30-12 place at the State tie for tenth place at the Conference: Conference: State Championships Championships with a 12-9 17-4 total of 247 points with a total of 115 Next Game: Next Game: points May 12 vs Rio Hondo May 11 vs Saddleback 3 p.m. in Whitter 4 p.m. at College of the Canyons
Women’s Tennis
Season Record 14-7 Conference: 17-3 Next Game: -
Season Record 16-2 Conference: 10-0 Next Game: -
The Tigers have advanced to the fastpitch Super Regional Tournament after defeating the Citrus College Owls, two games to one in a best two out of three game series at the Evans Sports Complex. Michelle Daddona, Tigers fastpitch coach, said, “I thought that we made some good adjustments coming back to win two games on Sunday while having to be the visitors.” The Owls opened the series with a victory over the Tigers in Game 1 by the score of 2-1 on May 5. Owls’ pitcher Devin Dean pitched a complete-game, allowing only four hits in her game one performance. Two of the four hits Dean allowed came in the second inning from Sarah Vasquez and Tylar Hyatt for back-toback singles. Dean then hit Tigers catcher Ingrid Williams with a pitch which loaded up the bases. Vasquez managed to score a run from third base after a ground out by Kylee Dattilo to tie the game at 1-1. The following day, the Tigers returned the favor by defeating the Owls, 2-1, in Game 2. The Tigers’ victory forced the series to a third game. Half an hour after the completion of Game 2, because of CCCAA rules, the third game of the series between the Owls and the Tigers was played. The Tigers took the victory against the Owls, 6-4, to win the series with two straight wins. “It felt like we ended the weekend strong and hope to carry that into super regionals,” Daddona said. The Tigers will be playing Saddleback College in the tournament at the College of Canyons on May 11.
Men’s tennis wraps up season after the regional tournament Swimming/Diving March 2
vs. Orange Coast 1 p.m.
March 9
vs. Chaffey 9 a.m.
March 10 vs. Chaffey 10 a.m. March 23 vs. Saddleback and Fullerton 2 p.m. April 6
vs. Palomar 1 p.m.
April 13 April 14
March 27 RCC 5 Cypress 2 March 29 RCC 2 Fullerton 4 March 30 RCC 9 Fullerton 5 RCC 8 Santa Barbara 4 April 4
RCC 9 Victor Valley 0
Feb. 3
RCC 9 Imperial Valley 0
Feb. 6
RCC 9 Fresno 0
Feb. 10
RCC 4 Palomar 5
Feb. 14
RCC 9 Antelope Valley 0
Feb. 16
RCC 6 Glendale 3 RCC 9 Mt. San Jacinto 0
OEC Dive Championships at El
April 5
RCC 8 Cerro Coso 3
Camino 10 a.m.
April 10
RCC 11 Golden West 2
Feb. 28
RCC 8 Cypress 1
April 12
RCC 2 Golden West 3
March 1
RCC 8 Irvine Valley 1
April 14
RCC 4 Irvine Valley 6
March 6
RCC 7 Fullerton 2
April 17
RCC 4 Irvine Valley 6
March 8
RCC 8 Saddleback 1
April 19 State Championship at East Los April 20 Angeles 9 a.m. April 24
RCC 1 Orange Coast 3
March 13
RCC 7 Orange Coast 2
RCC 4 Orange Coast 3
March 20
RCC 7 Cypress 2
RCC 3 Saddleback 5
March 22
RCC 9 Irvine Valley 0
April 26
RCC 4 Saddleback 1
March 27
RCC 7 Fullerton 2
May 5
RCC 0 ELAC 1
March 29
RCC 8 Saddleback 1
May 6
RCC 2 ELAC 1
April 3
RCC 7 Orange Coast 2
May 6
RCC 8 ELAC 0
April 17
RCC 1 Santa Barbara 5
May 12
RCC at Rio Hondo 3 p.m.
April 19-20 Orange Empire Conference Final
OEC Dive Championships at El Orange Empire Championships at Riverside 9 a.m.
April 28
Women’s Tennis
Feb. 2
Feb. 23
Camino 11 a.m. April 21
Baseball March 22 RCC 5 Santa Ana 13 March 24 RCC 1 Cypress 4
Men’s Tennis Feb. 2
RCC 2 Desert 7
Feb. 9
RCC 9 Victor Valley 0
Feb. 10
RCC 8 Palomar 1
Feb. 11
RCC 0 UC Riverside 9
Feb. 14
RCC 7 San Diego City 2
Feb. 23
RCC 1 Mt. San Jacinto 8
Feb. 28
RCC 9 Cypress 0
March 1
RCC 5 Irvine Valley 4
March 6
RCC 9 Fullerton 0
March 8
RCC 4 Saddleback 5
March 13
RCC 9 Orange Coast 0
March 15
RCC 8 Mt. San Antonio 1
March 20
RCC 8 Cypress 1
March 22
RCC 5 Irvine Valley 4
March 27
RCC 8 Fullerton 1
March 29
RCC 4 Saddleback 5
March 30
RCC 6 San Diego Mesa 3
April 3
RCC 8 Orange Coast 1
April 5
RCC 9 Paradise Valley 0
April 17
RCC 0 Ventura 5
April 19
OEC Finals
April 20
OEC Finals
April 26
Ojai Tournament
April 27
Ojai Tournament
April 28
Ojai Tournament
April 29
Ojai Tournament
May 3
Regional Championships
May 4
Regional Championships
May 5
Regional Championships
May 11
CCCAA State Championships
May 12
CCCAA State Championships
Fastpitch
April 26-29 Ojai Tournament
March 9
RCC 6 Saddleback 12
May 11-12 CCCAA State Championship
March 14
RCC 2 Cypress 1
March 16
RCC 4 Santa Ana 5
March 20
RCC 6 Antelope Valley 2
March 21
RCC 6 Orange Coast 5
March 23
RCC 10 Golden West 0
March 24
Bakersfield Tournament
March 25
Bakersfield Tournament
March 28
RCC 3 Fullerton 0
March 30
RCC 3 Santiago Canyon 2
April 3
RCC 1 Cypress 3
April 4
RCC 5 Saddleback 4
April 6
RCC 1 Mt.San Antonio 3
April 12
RCC 5 Santa Ana 2
April 16
RCC 10 Orange Coast 2
April 17
RCC 2 Palomar 0
April 18
RCC 6 Golden West 4
April 20
RCC 10 Fullerton 2
April 21
RCC 5 Bakersfield 3
April 23
RCC 2 Ventura 4
April 23
RCC 2 Mt. Sac 4
April 25
RCC 7 Santiago Canyon 2
May 5
RCC 1 Citrus 2
May 6
RCC 2 Citrus 1
May 6
RCC 6 Citrus 4
May 11
RCC at Saddleback 4 p.m.
May 3-5
Regional Championships
Track and Field
March 9-10 Ben Brown Invitational at Cal State Fullerton March 14-15 Conference Multi-Championships at Saddleback March 16-17 Aztec Invite at San Diego State March 22-23 Riverside Open March 30
at Orange Coast and Santiago Canyon at Orange Coast 2 p.m.
April 10
Regional Heptathlon and Decathlon Championships at Cerritos 8 a.m.
April 11
Regional Heptathlon and Decathlon Championships at Cerritos 8 a.m.
April 14
Mt. SAC Relays at Mt. San Antonio 8 a.m.
April 20
Conference Prelims at Saddleback 10 a.m.
April 27
Conference Championships at Saddleback 10 a.m.
May 5
Regional Prelims at San Diego Mesa 9 a.m.
May 12
Regional Championship 9 a.m.
May 19
State Championship 10 a.m.
Norihito Ikeda Staff writer
The top level tennis players from college conferences gathered in the Southern California Regional May 3-5, hosted by Irvine Valley College. Four of the Tigers players, who advanced into quarter finals in the Orange Empire Conference, entered in the Regional. Jordan Gobatie and Ramazan Nureev were seeded in both singles and doubles matches. Nureev won the first set against Sean Robles from Fullerton in singles round of 32, but he lost the other two sets. Gobatie won against Andrew Lieu from Mt. San Antonio in the singles round of 32, but he lost against Saddleback player Ales Modry in the round of 16. Theo Arruda and Aliaksandr Pesniak lost in the single round of 64, so no player of the Tigers advanced into the State tournament. Before the regional, the Tigers competed in the conference tournament on April 19-20. “This is a nice reward for them for the work that they have done,” Jim Elton, the coach of the Tigers, said. “They played at the top of the line up all year. They got conference tournament.” Pesniak entered the conference tournament as the No. 13 seed, won his match against No. 1 seed Lance Dugan, from Irvine Valley, in the singles round of 16. “Aliaksandr had a good win. He beat the No. 1 seed to make into the quarter final,” Elton said. Arruda defeated Orange Coast player Pat Wright in the singles Round of 16. Gobatie, the No. 1 player for the Tigers, and Nureev also advanced into the Regional. The Tigers had four singles players and two doubles teams who advanced into the Regional. “They earned the right to compete as individuals in the Regional,” Elton said. “It is good for them.” The high level players attended in the regional tournament. “Jordan will probably be seeded about No. 10, so he is going to have to beat a top eight player,” Elton said before the Regional tournament. “He is going to have to hold his spot against the lower ranked players.” The top eight players will advance into the state tournament. “Eventually he is going to have to hopefully pick off a player, a top eight seed to get their spot in the state tournament,” he said. Four members of the Tigers’ team also participated in the Ojai tournament on April 26-29. Gobatie advanced to the Round of 32 in singles, but lost against Ramon Martinez from Foothill College. “That was a tough match for him. Ramon is a good player,” Elton said. “It was unfortunate for Jordan that he had a match with such a strong player early in the tournament.”
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16 | May 10, 2012
Sports
Women’s swim ends with a splash
James Williams Sports editor Riverside City College women’s swimming and diving team finished sixth overall with a total of 247 points at the swimming and diving state championship meet at East Los Angeles College on April 28. The Tigers were also one behind before Sierra College, which finished in fifth place in the standings. “I think our team did great I would never complain about my team, I love my coaches, I think they do great with the girls talent,” Andrea Antonissen, Tigers’ swimmer, said. “I don’t care if we came in dead last or first, I have the best team in the state and I know I do.” The Tigers had eight swimmers qualify for state and compete at the meet. Antonissen led the way for the Tigers, winning all three of her individual events, including the 50-yard, 100, and 200 freestyle. Antonissen set a RCC record in the 100 free, with a time of 51.04 seconds. “Andrea’s 100 freestyle turned out just to be a magnificent swim, probably the swim of the meet in my opinion,” said David Almquist, woman’s swimming and diving coach. Antonissen led the 100 free with a one second lead after
50 yards and won with a 1.85 second time difference between her and second-place finisher Abby Puczkowski from Ventura College. At the end of the state meet, Antonissen was honored as the women’s Co-Swimmer of the Year for winning first place in all three of her individual races. “(Almquist) and I, we knew she could do it,” Sarah Quinte, assistant coach of the women’s swim team, said. “She is a phenomenal talent and athlete, and it is really cool to see that she is so proud of herself because she really deserves it.” Santa Rosa swimmer Alexandria Holland was also named women’s co-Swimmer of the Year after she won all three of her events as well. Antonissen also won the 200 yard freestyle in a close finish with a time of 1:54.37. San Mateo swimmer Miya Oto finished second behind Antonissen by just .58 of a second. “I think going into every race I was a little worried. I mean these are the top girls in the state that you’re going against, and of course I feel pressure from them,” Antonissen said. “They are all great athletes, but I know my better is better, than their better and I know when I am in that pool I’m going to do my best to win.” Tigers’ swimmer Kamaehu Alboro competed in the 50 yard
backstroke, 100 yard backstroke, and the 100 yard individual medley. “I was really proud of Alboro. She is only a freshman and placed second in the 50-yard backstroke and second in the 100-yard backstroke, that is wonderful for a freshman,” Almquist said. Alboro came in a close second place with a time of 27.89, just behind Santa Monica swimmer Julianne Allison, who won by .09 of a second. “I felt I did really well especially being a freshman. It is my first year back after not swimming for two years,” Alboro said. “Just coming in and doing so well, getting second in California is a big step up from getting first in Hawaii.” Alboro led the first 50 yards of her race during the 100 back, but Santa Monica swimmer Michelle Liu took over the race. During the last 50 yards, Liu took the win the race with a time of 58.30. Alboro finished in second place .71 of a second behind Liu. “I th in k th a t is a g r ea t accomplishment for her, she came from Hawaii and for her to come all the way over here, make friends, learn a new team, learn a new coach, I think she did a wonderful job,” Almquist said. Prior to the state meet finale, the Tigers finish the 2012 season in second place in their conference.
Allison Perez / Photo Editor
MVP: RCC swimmer Andrea Antonissen was named women’s co-Swimmer of the Year at the swimming and diving state championship meet after winning three events at East Los Angeles College on April 28.