Liberty Champion February 19, 2019

Men’s lacrosse opens season with 17-6 win

CPAC coming to LU March 1 A6

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VOLUME 36, ISSUE 14

LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA

Spotlight on nations LIBERTYCHAMPION.COM | TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2019 | LIBERTY UNIVERSITY

Design | Elizabeth Mallicoat

Liberty celebrates cultures from around the world Emily Wood ewood13@liberty.edu

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iberty University’s spring Global Focus Week offered a score of opportunities for college students to learn about life overseas and c o n tribute to missions around the world. With dozens of outreach organizations represented on Liberty’s campus, students were exposed to the common goal of meeting spiritual and physical needs across the globe.

Representatives from Compassion International and Christar epitomized the heart of Global Focus Week by making others aware of outreach opportunities to address poverty and hopelessness in an international setting.

The Compassion Experience allowed students to see life through the eyes of a child in an impoverished country. Visitors engaged in an audioguided tour of an accurate replica of the child’s living conditions. At the end of the simulation, visitors had the opportunity to select a child for

sponsorship.

Monica Foutty travels around the nation with the Compassion Experience, advocating for child sponsorship as a Go Rep for Compassion International.

“The goal (of the Compassion Experience) is to allow people to (set) foot in another world,” Foutty said. “A lot people in the U.S. might not be able to experience a third world country. This allows people to immerse themselves in another culture without leaving their culture. This also leads to more sponsors and more lives changed.”

The experience featured the true stories of Yanelly from the Dominican Republic and Jey from Kenya and showed how a Compassion sponsorship changed the trajectory of their lives, introduced them to Jesus and gave them the opportunity to receive a quality education. Compassion International equipped Yanelly and Jey with the means to rise from their impoverished upbringings. Yanelly has become a doctor and Jey a musician.

“What Compassion means to me is change,” Foutty said. “Compassion is change for the better and for Christ.”

A Compassion International child sponsorship proves that change is possible. Jey shared that he believed the story of his life was over when he ended up in child prison for stealing food, but through Compassion International, he realized that God writes the story of his life.

“People walk away from this experience seeing how blessed they are and seeing how God has given (them) so many benefits financially and how they can give back through that,” Foutty said.

A sponsorship of $38 per month provides meals, medical care, school fees, Bible teaching, counseling, tutoring and vocational training for a child in an impoverished country. Sponsors also have the opportunity to interact with their child through exchanging letters. Over 2 million children from 25 countries are currently in the sponsorship program.

See GFW, A8 Photography | Atang Agwe, Allison Heise, Grace Hildebrand, Lydia Poindexter, Jessie Rogers, Leah Stauffer, Mikaela Stiner

Students light a FUSE Undergrad-run club sports TV show airs first ESPN+ episode Will Evans wjevans@liberty.edu

“An entertainment variety show featuring club sports athletes and their lives,” was the pitch that kickstarted Liberty University’s new student-run television show: FUSE. FUSE began in 2018 when Liberty Flames Sports Network student workers decided they wanted to get more out of their college experience.

“It was time for a student-run show to happen on campus that wasn’t involved in classes,” Executive Producer of FUSE Jacob Crossman said. “It wasn’t mandatory. It was just for students who

wanted to do it.”

Crossman and his friends spent about five months crafting the concept of the show before taping a pilot last November. Once they had an idea for what FUSE would become, the recruiting process began.

“We don’t oversell it, we just say, ‘This is what we do,’” Crossman said. “Whether you have experience in the studio or not, whatever you want to do, we can make that happen.”

FUSE does not pay its workers, and there is no class credit involved. The show is simply for students who have a passion for television and building their portfolio.

“If you want to run a camera for

late night TV one day, you can do it for us, and it’s exactly the same feel,” Crossman said. “If you want to direct, you can direct for us.”

The staff at FUSE finds satisfaction in the quality of their content and performance. The show airs during the year round D1 Hockey broadcasts on ESPN+, a big milestone for a student production.

“I think there’s a sense of pride with FUSE, because you don’t have a teacher, you don’t have a supervisor. … It’s entirely student run,” co-host of FUSE Brhett Vickery said. “So, when we execute a show that’s able to be aired on ESPN+ … we did that ourselves.”

See TV, A2

Liberty

Byron places 21st in Daytona 500

Liberty University student and NASCAR driver William Byron was involved in a car crash during the 2019 Daytona 500 Feb. 17, leaving him unable to finish the race. With two laps to go, racing driver Clint Bowyer plowed into Byron’s stock car. Neither driver was severely injured.

Local

Amherst honors fallen state trooper

Amherst County is attempting to name the bridge leading into the town of Amherst from Route 29 in honor of Trooper Lucas Dowell, who was shot and killed Feb. 4, 2019 while serving a warrant. If the naming is approved, a sign could be installed as soon as the summer of 2019.

National

Illinois shooting victims memorialized More than 1,500 people attended a vigil Feb. 17 for the five Henry Pratt Co. workers who were slain Friday, Feb. 15 in Aurora, Illinois. Rev. Dan Haas of A Future and A Hope Foundation delivered a message of hope to the attendees.

Aurora Mayor Richard C. Irvin shared the city’s remorse for the shooting.

INSIDE THE CHAMPION

Content

Opinion

Football & Facebook seminar draws both students and alumni.

A6

Emma’s tips on how to show love every day of the year, not just Valentine’s Day. A4

Sports

Flames wrestling team heats up the spring season.

Feature

B2

What’s News

White Hart Café celebrates one year under new ownership.

B7

Content Opinion Sports Feature

A1 A4 B1 B7

content

A2 | February 19, 2019 | Liberty Champion

Partners with Park View

FACDA teams up with local nonprofit to make valentines and fight poverty Deanna Drogan ddrogan@liberty.edu

Over a chocolate fountain, the Liberty University Family and Child Development Association (FACDA) hosted its first meeting of the semester Monday, Feb. 11, and brainstormed ways to partner with a local organization.

The 60 attendees made valentines for children involved with

“

Park View Community Mission, a Lynchburg organization that, according to its website, “works to restore the lives of families and communities by building relationships and providing life-changing resources.”

On top of making fun valentines and enjoying delicious treats, attendees were encouraged to bring in gloves, mittens and socks to donate to the organization.

We wanted our members to be doing more than just making valentines. We wanted them to go out and buy something to bring here. I feel like it means so much more when you have to work for it.

— Madeline Ott

Photo Provided

SERVE — FACDA creatively served the community by making valetines.

TV continued from A1 The show is filmed in the Game On studio at the LFSN office.

Vickery said there are still plenty of opportunities for students who are looking to get involved and move their way up in the show, as long as they are willing to put in the work.

“The fact that most of our senior content producers are leaving and

“

a lot of our staff are seniors, there’s a lot of room for people who want to be talent, to be producers,” Vickery said. “But that doesn’t happen overnight. … You have to be passionate about it.”

FUSE aired its first episode in January, and Crossman said they are on track to complete one episode a month for the remainder of the semester. The date for the next show has not been announced.

If you’re interested in working in TV, you should do it. We’ll find a place for you.

“We wanted our members to be doing more than just making valentines. We wanted them to go out and buy something to bring here,” Madeline Ott, the club’s president, said. “I feel like it means so much more when you have to work for it.”

Two representatives from Park View Community Mission joined the meeting: Rachel Koenig, a former student in the Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) department, and Brittany Melvin, a community resource coordinator.

Melvin shared a bit about her testimony and how she came from a more secular position in banking to a career where she could serve the people around her. She also spoke about Jesus to the club.

“We love to focus on Christ in our meetings and to make that the reason why we love children and families,” Megan Schmidt, the club’s public relations officer, said.

Koenig talked about the poverty level in Lynchburg and shared ways to meet the needs of children in Lynchburg.

Though the group is only in its second year, it has tried to do a service project for Park View Community Mission each semester.

A part of FACS at Liberty, FACDA also seeks to provide opportunities for club members to network and provide opportunities for FACS members to network with each other.

“There are so many ways you can go with FACS,” Ott said. “I am thinking about being a school counselor. Some people want to be social workers, preschool teachers, all that stuff. It’s a really good way to network.”

At the club’s next meeting March 25, they plan to do a craft and talk about how to educate kids on the outdoors. The club’s last meeting of the semester will be held on April 15 and will be an internship fair where students from FACS will share about their internship experiences with the group.

— Jacob Crossman

02/20 - Sodexo Produce Stand

9:00 a.m. | Montview Student Union Tabling – Argo Tea 02/21 - Transformational Prayer Session and Training

9:00 p.m. | Rawlings School of Divinity Immersive Classroom 02/22 - Jennifer Howard Book Signing

2:00 p.m. | Liberty Barnes & Noble Bookstore 02/22 - School of Music RENEW Concert

6:30 p.m. | School of Music Green Room - 021 02/23 - Bethel Music Concert

7:30 p.m. | Vines Center 02/24 - Public Skate

4:00 p.m. | LaHaye Ice Center - Ice Rink 02/25 - National Eating Disorder Awareness Week Tabling

8 a.m. | Montview Student Union Tabling

SHARE WITH US

CONCERTS

CLUB EVENTS

Photo Provided

HANDCRAFTED — The valentines were made for children at the Park View Community Mission.

The meetings are open to anyone, however in order to officially join the club, members must be students in the FACS department.

For more updates on the club and to see some of the valentines made at the group’s recent meet-

ing, follow along with them on Instagram at @Liberty_facda and Facebook at @LUFACDA. DROGAN is the social media editor.

Photo Provided

EVANS is a content reporter.

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

the meeting.

Liberty freshman Justin Jacobs was one of the students involved in taping the first episode, and he is planning on sticking around.

“I’m a production assistant right now, so I just do anything they ask me to do,” Jacobs said. “But, I want to work my way up to maybe being a producer someday.”

Students who are interested in working for FUSE can email Jacob Crossman at jdcrossman@liberty. edu. More information about the show can be found on their Facebook page, @FUSEshowLU. “If you’re interested in working in TV, you should do it,” Crossman said. “We’ll find a place for you.”

CAMPUS CALENDAR

COLOR KEY:

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CARDED — Brittany Melvin (left) and Rachel Koenig (right) hold cards made at

CAMPUS EVENTS

@LUChampionNews

Liberty Champion

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libertychampion media@gmail.com

FUSE — The student-run TV show aired its first episode in January.

CORRECTION In the Feb. 12 issue, there was inaccurate information on the front page Lynchburg in “Breaking News.” Chad Knaus is Daily Bread Byron’s crew chief, not teammate.

His teammate is Alex Bowman.

In the Feb. 12 issue’s story “Breaking every chain” (B6), Jonathan Hickory’s quote implies that he went through with a divorce. The Hickorys did not follow through with a divorce.

content

Liberty Champion | February 19, 2019 | A3

Forensics going to nationals Seniors talk about their past, younger teammates look forward to the future Jacqueline Hale jrhale1@liberty.edu

The Liberty Forensics Speech Team competed in the last regional tournament of the season at Gaston Day School Feb. 8-9, bringing home 11 individual awards and clinching the third-place spot.

With 84 awards already under their feet, the team has two national tournaments on the schedule for March.

Sharpe, Evan Young, Lily Mathes and Kay Wills will be attending the National Christian College Forensics Invitational at Kansas Wesleyan University March 13-16.

Junior Peter Lundrigan will be attending

The forensics team is an organization of students who prepare and perform pieces of literature investigating matters of the human heart and covering topics they are passionate about. The Liberty University Forensics Speech Team competes against other schools in various speech events under three categories: platform speaking, oral interpretation and limited preparation.

Forensics can benefit students in all majors and career paths, as it teaches professional and public speaking skills and builds friendships and confidence. Senior Rebekah Sharpe laughed and said forensics “has forced me to learn how to walk in heels.”

AWARD — The team has over 80 awards under their belt as they walk into nationals.

Photo Provided

the Phi Kappa Delta National Tournament so that we can share a message that is unique at Hofstra University March 20-24, which in forensics culture.” will be the school’s first appearance at this Even when talking about the darkest tournament. subjects and stories, they try to find a light However, their successes go far be- to give a hope that secular schools tend to yond their results in tournaments. While leave out. their February performance closed out In order to share these messages, it is remany senior seasons, the win proved the ally all about the relationships they form seniors have passed along the torch to a with other teams. qualified group.

“Because we come in and just befriend Sharpe, an oral interpretation speaker, them, (other teams are) willing to listen to expressed excitement for the future of the us in a way they would never listen to anyone team, saying the seniors will be “leaving the else,” Lundrigan said. team in capable hands.”

The Forensics Team will be hosting events One of the newest members, Amber Lam- on campus for anyone interested in learning bie, placed first in poetry interpretation at more about the group.

Gaston Day School. This was only her secThe team also meets on Tuesdays at ond tournament with the team.

5:15 p.m. in Green Hall 1346, and all are Coach Denise Thomas said the team is welcome to join, regardless of major or “really a wonderful, healthy, strong com- experience. munity,” explaining how the students chalMore information about the team’s uplenge one another to grow as speakers and coming events can be found on its Facebook as children of God. She beamed as she said, page, @luspeech.

“I love watching it happen.”

“We do better as a family,” Lundrigan, a limited preparation and platform speaker, said in response to the successes of the team.

Team members use the platform to dis- HALE is a content reporter. cuss issues that are important to them.

This season, topics have included Amelia Earhart, the use of music and art to reach people with dementia, finding forgiveness and compassion in a divided nation, Dungeons and Dragons therapy, On Feb. 22 the and others. “(Forensics) gives me this team is hosting a fishbowl small window of time to tell debate, and all are welcome (the audience) that there is to attend and participate in Green just genuinely something out there that I would love Hall 1350 at 3:30 p.m. There is a mock for them to know about,” tournament at Liberty March 5, where Lundrigan said. team members attending nationals will Beyond that, the team feels they are able to be practicing their pieces. On April 12 the spread the love of Christ team will participate in a showcase in some unusual ways. In speeches, team members where team members will perform have been able to share gostheir favorite pieces from the pel messages. season.

Even if they do not directly state the gospel in their performances, Sharpe said the team is “encouraged to find pieces with truth and light

OPINION

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February 19, 2019

Why Disney is making

Live-action remakes Ryan Klinker rmklinker@liberty.edu

Like many movie fans, I was and will always be enamored with the animated films in Disney’s anthology. “The Lion King,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Peter Pan” and many others brought thrilling stories, lovable characters, and awardwinning music to VHS collections across the globe, and my family was definitely included.

I look back at the classic movies and realize how truly amazing they were. They have infiltrated the pop cultures of multiple generations like few others have, and I can still remember almost every lyric from their soundtracks. My parents have old videotapes of my sister and me dancing and singing to so many of them, but our favorite was always “The Little Mermaid”— mostly because my sister and I shared Ariel’s red hair color.

Today’s audiences have now found themselves in the odd predicament of revisiting these stories and seeing them through a live-action lens. The characters are there, the stories are nearly identical, and the familiar songs find their way into the scenes. But there is always something missing.

Sometimes, it is the song you used to sing every day as a 6-year-old, other times it is the simple charm of

a character’s appearance or voice, or it could also be the lack of the original “movie magic” and the creeping feeling that you’ve seen it all before.

Whether it is a notable omission — like this year’s “Lion King” leaving the villain anthem “Be Prepared” off the song list — or a minor tweak that only the most pedantic of fans would catch, there seems to always be a sour taste of dissatisfaction by the end.

While I’ve always had this opinion about the live-action remakes, the recent reveal of The Genie for this year’s “Aladdin” is the tipping point.

The shoes of Robin Williams are too big to fill, and I never expected Will Smith to be like the original Genie, but the combined CGI and real character makes me uneasy in its appearance alone. The character’s ever-evolving form throughout the original film lent itself to the medium of animation so well, and, unlike the anthropomorphic characters of “Beauty and the Beast,” he is meant to have a realistic human face, for the most part.

The question we keep asking is why Disney chooses to revamp every profitable entity, but the answer is just that — profits. Almost a guaranteed financial success, these films are a shoo-in for the studio, and now that they’ve started the trend, they won’t stop any time soon.

Before I garner the wrath of Disney fanatics, — a group I still consid-

er myself part of — I will say that not all remakes are going to waste, and it can be fun to breathe a little fresh air into the stories we know well.

“The Jungle Book” from 2016 and last year’s “Christopher Robin” were fantastic returns to their respective worlds, providing a new twist on the Hundred Acre Wood and creating a gorgeous, photo-realistic forest for Mowgli to explore.

In the end, I think it all comes down to the dichotomy of our expectations versus the final product that ends up on screen, including the balance between creating something new and holding on to the old. To my disappointment, “Beauty and the Beast” seemed to be a shot-for-shot remake of the 1991 original, but it also would have been inexcusable to remove the “Be Our Guest” musical number or the banter between the castle’s servants.

While they often seem unnecessary and are a surefire way to divide Disney fans, the live-action remakes can still do some good and remind us what our childhoods once revolved around. I don’t want to dissuade those who want to see each new release, but I’ll always be partial to the originals.

KLINKER is the photography editor.

Disease control Vaccinations are needed to eradicate diseases

Kelly Sobnosky ksobnosky1@liberty.edu

In light of the recent cases of measles across 10 states and a declared state of emergency in Washington state, vaccinations are in the spotlight once again.

The Center for Disease Control has confirmed these cases and said the disease is affecting those who either have not been vaccinated for measles at all or have not received the second dose. The CDC found that the vaccine is 97 percent effective when both doses are administered.

With over 50 cases in the state of Washington alone, non-vaccinated teens are beginning to consider receiving a vaccination once they become adults. Ethan Lindenberger, 18, is one such teen.

Lindenberger received national news attention when he received a vaccination af-

ter turning 18, even though his mother had never let her children be vaccinated.

He said his mother believes vaccines are a “government scheme.” However, Lindenberger now questions his parents’ decision and, having turned 18, has decided to get the vaccinations himself.

Lindenberger is not the only teen who is searching for answers. Others, such as Mayci, who has asked her last name not to be released, are turning to Reddit to find out for themselves if vaccinations are worth it.

It is important for young people who are not vaccinated as a child to conduct their own research and consider being vaccinated. While parents ultimately can make decisions for their children, scientific evidence shows that teens, and any youth who are not vaccinated, are being put at a greater risk of contracting not just measles, but a wide possibility of diseases.

Measles isn’t the only disease making a comeback.

The CDC has found a spike in the number of cases of polio as well.

“Polio was nearly … eradicated worldwide,” Dean of the School of Nursing at Liberty University Dr. Shanna Akers said in an interview.

“In fact, there was only a handful of cases over a decade period.”

According to Akers, the violent virus started making a comeback in the mid to late 1990s because some people in the 1960s refused to be vaccinated, allowing the disease to come back for another outbreak. These recent outbreaks have only increased in recent years.

These outbreaks stress the importance of vaccinations, especially at an early age.

An important factor to remember here is that vaccinations aren’t necessarily good for just the person vaccinated, but also for others.

NBC News said that herd immunity is when enough people in a populace are vaccinated against a certain disease, this can protect others who have not had the disease, as it can limit the chances the non-vaccinated individual has of coming into contact with the disease.

For example, according to Akers, all neonatal nurses must be immune to chickenpox. Once a person contracts chickenpox or is given a vaccination, they will never have the disease again.

Chickenpox does not mutate enough to allow individuals who previously contracted the virus or were vaccinated to contract the disease again.

These nurses are required to have the immunization because the newborn babies they work with do not have strong enough immune systems to effectively handle the virus and are at a greater risk of fatality if they do contract the disease.

In places other than hospitals with children, some individuals do not have access to vaccines for these diseases are at a higher risk.

But, if those around them have the vaccination, then the chances of those individuals contracting these diseases decrease.

Vaccinations exist to protect individual, and they also contribute to the eradication of certain diseases from the world, and that seems like a pretty good reward for a small prick in the arm.

Google Images

SMALLPOX VACCINE — According to the CDC, no case of smallpox has been reported since 1977 in Somalia, thanks in large part to the use of the smallpox vaccine.

SOBNOSKY is an opinion writer.

LIFE WITH

LOGAN Emma Smith esmith83@liberty.edu

We’d found a fabulous picnic basket at Goodwill a few days prior, and when the weather allowed, we shared a picnic in Peaks View Park. Our spread was simple — peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, bananas and pretzels.

Without me knowing, my then-boyfriend Josiah slipped a pint-sized spice cake into the basket, complete with homemade frosting.

Our first summer of dating, I was in Atlanta for an internship, and we exchanged letters for the three months I was away.

Two years later, I’m still sending him notes, even though he only lives two miles away (he’s worth the postage fee).

Junior year of college, textbooks overwhelmed my desk, and I told him I needed a bookshelf to keep them tidy. For my 20th birthday, he built a bookshelf to fit on top of my dorm desk (he’d conspired with my roommate to discover the exact measurements). Though I no longer live in a dorm, I still use the shelf to hold my books and other supplies.

When he’s sick, I bring him cough drops, and when we’ve had difficult weeks, we go to our favorite coffee shop, the White Hart Café, to talk and share something good to drink. Every day feels special with him.

Because of this, we’ve never celebrated Valentine’s Day with grand gestures. We’ve exchanged notes and gone out for coffee, but oversized stuffed animals and assorted chocolates are not part of our holiday. Because we show love and respect to each other every day, we don’t feel the need to overemphasize our affection on Feb. 14.

Now that Valentine’s Day is over, I’d like to offer a few ideas to help you make your significant other, friends or loved ones feel special every day of the year.

1. Be vocal in your appreciation — Let the people in your life know you are thankful for them or grateful for something they’ve done.

2. Write notes of encouragement — If writing to a significant other, express your love through short, sweet notes. If writing to a friend, let them know what you love about them and how they make your life better.

3. Check in weekly or daily — Check in with the people you love. You don’t have to spend 30 minutes talking on the phone. Just let them know you’re thinking about them.

4. Listen well — Often times, we think listening requires action. Sometimes, the speaker just needs someone to listen, someone to understand. Understand you don’t have to fix a problem just because it’s presented.

5. Make your time high quality — When you’re together, be sure you are sharing yourself, not just showing yourself. Limit distractions (i.e., smartphones) and focus on the one you’re with.

On Nov. 8, 2018, Josiah proposed while we were on a walk at the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park — a simple engagement.

This past weekend on Feb. 17, Josiah and I celebrated two years of going steady, and we can look forward to setting a new anniversary at our wedding in five months. Though we don’t share grand gestures, we express our love every day.

The steady flow of little things has built our relationship into what it is today.

Life with Logan will return Feb. 26.

SMITH is the A-section copy editor.

opinion

Liberty Champion | February 19, 2019 | A5

New socialistic agenda Like the first New Deal, the Green New Deal defies American capitalism Megan Snyder mesnyder1@liberty.edu

When Franklin Roosevelt introduced The New Deal in 1933, it brought economic reform and created jobs that combatted the Great Depression. Eighty-six years later, on Feb. 7, 2019, freshman congresswoman Alexandria OcasioCortez and Sen. Ed Markey introduced their new resolution “The Green New Deal,” modeled after the New Deal.

Unlike the New Deal, this new document functions more as a policy springboard than a policy proposal because it offers resolutions without actual programs to implement. While it is impossible to know the direction the Democratic Party plans to take with this resolution, what is evident is that The Green New Deal functions out of a socialistic economic framework and could only be implemented in America through socialistic economic ideologies.

The deal has been highly praised by prominent Democrats because it looks to cut down on energy consumption and offer answers to the problem of climate change. Since its release, many Democrats have supported The Green New Deal, including Senator Elizabeth Warren, who made it part of her platform in her run for president in the 2020 elections, according to Paste Magazine.

Other Democratic primary can-

didates have backed this resolution.

Sen. Corey Booker stated on the campaign trail that the resolution is “bold,” then likened it to achievements such as the moon landing in 1969 or defeating the Nazis in World War II. However, the backlash from conservatives has been just as strong.

The Green New Deal has been highly ridiculed by the right because of the power it gives to government in the economy.

President Trump compared the document to a “high school term paper,” while New York Times columnist David Brooks commented that it is “simply the government taking control of large swaths of the American economy, and that’s something I don’t think the government is capable of doing.”

The Green New Deal is flowered by idealistic notions and phrases that have caught the eye of the public because of its appealing nature.

The Green New Deal has five primary goals: to eliminate pollution, create millions of good, high waged jobs, invest in the infrastructure and industry of the United States, provide quality health care for all and promote justice and equality.

These concepts are popular with millennials and because of that, this legislation has done well with public opinion. Although these concepts seem to be reasonable in themselves, scholars have struggled with their implementation.

In the details of the document,

Google Images

FRESHMAN DEMOCRATS — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the representative who proposed the Green New Deal, is one of 64 new Democratic representatives who took office in 2019.

there is no concrete evidence of how these ideals will be achieved other than that America will move into a “10-year national mobilization” that will address the goals.

However, they are ultimately unachievable and would require the American government to reform substantial amounts of its policy by 2030. Harvard Post-Doctoral Environmental fellow Jesse Jenkins believes that is an unreachable goal. He later suggested to the World Economic Forum that “what we need to be targeting really is a net-zero carbon economy by about 2050, which itself is an enormous challenge.”

The Green New Deal also touches on several socialistic policies

that do not directly address climate change. The bill includes a universal health plan, education spending and a basic income to support those who are “unwilling” to work, according to the Boston Herald. The total cost of The Green New Deal has been estimated by the Manhattan Institute to be between $46 and $81 trillion dollars in the next 10 years.

The bill does not specify where that money will come from. OcasioCortez has proposed a 70 percent tax on wealthy Americans, but even that would not come close to financing the entirety of The Green New Deal. The Manhattan Institute report proffers that a value-added tax of 87 percent on everything

consumers buy would be able to pay for the low-end estimate of the total cost.

While the desire of the bill’s sponsors is to better the lives of Americans through the implementation of The Green New Deal, at its core it is an unworkable, unsustainable model engineered to get electoral support, not to generate real results. The undeveloped concepts within the resolution would have enormous repercussions, harming America’s economic stability more than it would help.

SNYDER is a guest writer.

Presidential precedent

The national emergency could lead to broad unilateral executive power Chad Wyle cewylie@liberty.edu

For the 60th time in American history, a president has invoked his power to declare a national emergency and make unilateral governmental decisions.

But this time is distinctly different from all previous national emergencies. On Feb. 15, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency to finish construction of a border wall on America’s southern border. By doing so, President Trump has called into question the constitutionality of national emergencies and set a potentially dangerous precedent for future use of presidential powers.

If President Trump is given unilateral power to build a wall, then there is an unlimited number of policies that a Democratic president could use his or her unilateral power to address.

While many Republicans believe the wall is important, they will not be nearly as pleased with the power this will give presidents of the opposition party.

NPR reported that in order to avoid a second shutdown in 2019, Trump agreed to accept the Congressional budget proposal that authorized $1.4 billion for the building of a wall. Immediately after signing the bill, Trump declared a national emergency that will reallocate another $6.6 billion

in military spending, giving Trump a total of $8 billion to build 230 miles of the wall.

Since the creation of the National Emergency Act in 1976, most national emergencies have imposed sanctions on foreign powers or limited trade, according to NPR. Other national emergencies respond to acts of terror or national disasters, such as following the Sept.

11, 2001, attacks and the swine flu outbreak in 2009.

This declaration seems different from those. Trump has repeatedly pointed to an “invasion” of drugs and migrants flooding through the border between Mexico and the U.S., characterizing it as a national emergency due to drugs, gang members and

Google Images

PHYSICAL BARRIER — The U.S. and Mexico border already has 650 miles of fencing, according to the BBC.

human traffickers crossing the border.

However, statistics from the United States Border Patrol show that the number of apprehensions made at the southern border have decreased since 2005. That year, there were slightly more than 1 million apprehensions. That number has steadily decreased in subsequent years. In 2018, there were less than 500,000 apprehension. However, the primary concern with the national emergency is not the situation at the border, but rather the power that the president has assumed by making this declaration.

Supporters of the president are understandably upset with the gridlock in Congress, which has debated immigration for a generation but have few results to show for it. Many Republicans admire President Trump’s willingness to act when others do not — that is part of what made him a popular presidential candidate.

However, to some legal scholars, this move seems like a step too far. For the first time, a national emergency is funding a project Congress had previously rejected. Although Congress eventually included around $1 million in wall funding in the final spending bill, they

had previously voted against several bills that included any funding for a border wall.

By creating additional funding, Trump has bypassed Congress to construct more of the wall.

Elizabeth Goitein, who works for the Brennan Center, oversaw a project examining all presidential uses of national emergencies. She concluded, “Congress has made it as clear as it can that it does not want the president to use funds for this purpose, so this is the president using emergency powers to thwart the will of Congress. That is very different from how emergency powers have been used in the past.”

Other legal minds agree with Goitein. California’s Attorney General, Xavier Becerra, announced he is working with other states to bring a lawsuit early next week, as is the American Civil Liberties Union. However, even if the order holds up in court, the ripple effect of this order will create new precedent for future uses of presidential power.

Due to the high potential for partisan gridlock beyond 2020 and 2024, republicans will be forced to wrestle with the fact that the same power that President Trump assumes here, if upheld, will transfer to all

future presidents. A Democratic President could use a national emergency to create stricter gun control and redirect funds toward climate change. When people oppose this use of power, these presidents will be able to point back to President Trump, showing how he is the one who enabled the executive to use this power toward policy-making.

“A Democratic president can declare emergencies, as well,” Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned. “So, the precedent that the president is setting here is something that should be met with great unease and dismay by the Republicans.”

The short-term benefit to Trump and his base may be vastly outweighed by the expansion of presidential powers and the consequences that will come from increased unilateral decisions.

The separation of powers is the very principle of the Constitution that all elected officials are sworn to protect. All Americans should be wary of an executive bypassing another branch, regardless of the policy they are implementing.

WYLIE is the opinion editor.

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CONTENT

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content

A6 | February 19, 2019 | Liberty Champion

Reporters return to roots

Journalists address students at sports reporting and social media conference Hattie Troutman hatroutman@liberty.edu

Journalism professor Deborah Huff watched her dream of hosting a sports reporting seminar unfold as students gathered in Green Hall Feb. 11-12 to participate in Football & Facebook.

The idea for the seminar surfaced when Huff wrote a paper for her graduate class on social media and how it has shaped the sports reporting field. As part of her paper, Huff reached out to her past students, who have made their career in sports reporting, to gain more insight on how they were using social media.

One of her interviews was with Bob Sturm, class of 1994. Sturm lives in Dallas and co-hosts a popular sports talk show on 1310-AM The Ticket, covers Dallas sports for the Athletic, a sports news website, and works for FOX Sports.

“While I was talking to him, (Sturm) said he would love to come back and talk to students some day and — ‘bing’ — the light went off, and I thought, ‘Okay we can make this happen. I don’t know how, but I am going to try my best to make it happen,’” Huff said.

Deb Huff | Liberty Champion

BASKETBALL — Students had the opportunity

to attend and report on a women’s basketball game.

Journalism professors Chris Underation and Amy Bonebright joined Huff in applying for an IlLUminate grant from Liberty’s Center for Academic Development.

“Thanks to the Illuminate Grant, my dream came true,” Huff said.

In addition to Sturm, Huff asked Rich Maclone, 1997, Victoria Wood, 2015, and Emily Brown, 2015, and asked if they could come share their knowledge of sports reporting and social media at the seminar.

“It’s not just print anymore, and students have to know that,” Huff said. “They have to be able to do it all.”

Huff wanted to offer an experience for students to see how reporters are adapting to the changing climate of sports reporting and using social media as a tool in their line of work.

Two evening sessions offered hands-on experience to Football & Facebook participants. At one event, students attended a press conference with Liberty basketball Coach Ritchie McKay and had to write the story by the next day. The other event included reporting on a women’s basketball game. Each event included the professionals advising the students on key points.

Journalism student Paige Frost attended the women’s basketball on Tuesday evening.

“Victoria let me use the camera,” Frost said. “She showed me the behind the scenes broadcast side of a sporting event. That was really cool.”

Throughout the seminar, there were several breakout sessions where each speaker shared their insight into the different avenues of the sports reporting they worked in, like radio, television and print.

“Topics for each session came from questions I asked in my paper. So, it was just very logical for me to have these be things we talked about in the seminar,” Huff said.

One of the events within the seminar was a Convo Select, which was a panel discussion between Sturm and Maclone talked about what it looks like to be a Christian in the world of sports reporting. Both speakers discussed how to use their platform to make an impact on their audience.

Allison Heise| Liberty Champion

CONVO — Rich Maclone (left) and Bob Sturm (right) spoke at Convo Select Feb. 11.

“If God has put you in a successful sports radio station, you have more purpose than a Cowboys football game,” Sturm said. “You are going to come in contact with people who don’t know the Lord or are in need.”

Another session led by Sturm was about Twitter and how to build a following. Sturm currently has 122,000 followers. During this session, Sturm gave practical advice to students on how to use Twitter for their advantage by following the right people and using their voice within the news outlet.

“Every day I am on (Twitter) reading the topics that are interesting to me,” Sturm said. “The more you get into, the more you have to follow, but fortunately the more you get into, the more opportunities there are on Twitter.”

Journalism student Peter Gooch said he enjoyed hearing from someone with a large following and learning how he got to that place.

“I learned more about what you need to do to come into your Twitter and (how to use) it as a resource,” Gooch said.

Since podcasts have become another avenue for sports reporting, Maclone led a discussion on his experiences in starting a podcast and the lessons he learned.

“I wanted students to see and sense that

you have to do the work to get the job and be prepared in all areas of reporting,” Huff said.

During the second day of the seminar, Wood and Brown led a session on what it is like to be in the “boys club” and how to get the door open. Wood works for the Roanoke station WDBJ-TV as a broadcast sports reporter and Brown is a print sports reporter for the News & Advance, Lynchburg’s daily newspaper.

“It’s a topic not covered in class, and we don’t talk about how to deal with a coach that doesn’t like women near his locker room or won’t let women talk to him after a game,” Huff said. “How do you handle that? I think they gave good advice on how to prepare.”

A full panel discussion on getting a job after college ended the sessions.

“You are not going to land your dream job on the first run,” Wood said. “You are not going to be prepared for that dream job until you go through some stuff first.”

Brown encouraged students to learn from experiences during different periods of their career while they are waiting on getting that dream job.

TROUTMAN is a content reporter.

A 'melon' ways to help kids Love Your Melon crew’s spring initiative helps raise awareness of leukemia Caroline Veater clveater@liberty.edu

Liberty University’s Love Your Melon crew, under new leadership, is looking forward to the “Be the Match” drive happening throughout the spring 2019 semester. The goal of this initiative is to raise awareness of leukemia, the most common form of pediatric cancer.

Jade Walker, a senior majoring in Family and Child Development, was recently appointed to head up the initiative for the spring 2019 semester. Walker hopes to get more students involved in this event than in previous semesters.

“Being able to … display the love of Christ to these people, even if not explicitly said, really shows the mission of Liberty and (Liberty's) Love Your Melon well,” Walker said. “You are showing them Jesus through service.”

Students who participate in “Be the Match” will be entered in the national bone marrow database, which is used to match potential donors to those struggling with leukemia. The date of the event has not yet been announced.

“

hope for the children battling cancer. In a recent study, the American Cancer Society reported that approximately 16,000 children are diagnosed with cancer every year in the U.S. Meanwhile, only 4 percent of annual federal cancer research funds are dedicated to studying pediatric cancer.

Walker explained that the process to find potential donors is simple – participants are only cheek swabbed.

“People get freaked out because they think of a giant needle in their spine,” Walker said.

Even though the odds of being a match are low, Love Your Melon finds it important to make more people aware of the widespread suffering of leukemia.

Liberty’s Love Your Melon crew is three years old and has had many opportunities to minister to families in the Lynchburg area who are going through the journey of pediatric cancer.

Throughout the school year, the club has tables where students sign cards or make care packages for children in the community who are battling cancer. Sometimes, the

Being able to ... display the love of Christ to these people, even if not explicitly said, really shows the mission of Liberty and (Liberty's) Love Your Melon well.

You are showing them Jesus through service.

— Jade Walker

By selling beanies and starting over 800 on campus crews, the Love Your Melon brand has raised awareness and funds for pediatric cancer research, as well as provide

club gets the chance to have a play date with a child and remind the child and their families that they are cared for and not forgotten.

The club also hosts weekly

Photo Provided

TEAM — The 2018 crew hosted a banquet night and arranged a play date with a local leukemia fighter as well as meeting weekly. meetings on Tuesdays.

“We also try each meeting to highlight a kid we are working with or have worked with in the past, give updates on where they are with their diagnosis and pray for them,” Walker said.

The crew has recently won awards for their community involvement. Last spring, the crew put together a banquet night with the help of the Ronald McDonald House to provide some of the local families dealing with pediatric cancer with a chance to relax, enjoy spending time together, and most of all, be treated like normal families.

“If you have ever talked to a parent with a child who is … battling cancer, their number one request is to be treated and talked to like they are normal,” Walker said.

Even though members receive CSER credit for participating, they do not view it as the main rea-

son for doing it.

“Yeah, it’s an apparel business, and yeah you get CSER, but to me it’s so much more than that,” Walker said. “It’s about the opportunity you have to really help and minister to these families.”

Membership on the crew is capped by the Love Your Melon organization at 30 members and, due to some members recently graduating, there are a few slots open for the spring semester. Students who are interested in joining Liberty’s Love Your Melon Campus Crew can contact Walker at jnwalker1@liberty.edu.

To stay up to date with Liberty’s Love Your Melon Crew, students can follow the group on Facebook at @lymlibertyu or on Twitter and Instagram as @lym_lu.

VEATER is a content reporter.

Photo Provided

MELON HEADS — LU LYM tabled in DeMoss and the Montview Student Union throughout the semester.

content

Liberty Champion | February 19, 2019 | A7

LUNA talks poverty Liberty University United Nations Association hosts first meeting Madison Hirneisen mghirneisen@liberty.edu

By 2030, 167 million children worldwide will live in poverty. Liberty students in the Liberty University United Nations Association want to change that.

Around 30 members of LUNA assembled in the Jerry Falwell Library Scholar’s Lounge for its first official meeting Feb. 11 to discuss the topic of poverty.

“I want this club to not only be called the United Nations, but I want it to feel and look like and act like the United Nations,” club president Leea Collard said.

Under the direction of Faculty Advisor Edna Udobong and Collard, members met to discuss the United Nations Sustainable Development goal of “No Poverty.” Collard began the meeting with a United Nations video regarding the issue of poverty around the world.

“Poverty has many forms, but no borders,” the video said.

Collard shared that the World Bank estimates by 2030, 167 million children will live in poverty if the world does not take action to improve health and education. To further emphasize the impact of this statistic, each attendant at the meeting had a placard at their seat with the name of a

country. Collard organized a simulation where participants representing the country on their placard would stand if 50-90 percent of their population lived on less than $3.90 a day.

By the end of the simulation, every attendant was standing, representing nations where the majority of the population lived under the poverty line.

“

We must recognize the endemic cycles of poverty around the world and in our own nations and come up with comprehensive solution — Leea Collard

“While we should not feel guilty about the blessings that we have been given, we must put our blessings into perspective,” Collard said. “We must recognize the endemic cycles of poverty around the world and in our own nations and come up with comprehensive solutions.”

According to Collard, LUNA members will meet twice a month and assemble for

local news

Making changes Lynchburg school funds to be reallocated Emma Smith esmith83@liberty.edu

Lynchburg City School Board unanimously approved the reallocation of $1.2 million Feb. 5 to fund maintenance and facilities costs as well as purchase new marching band uniforms for the two high schools in the district.

“First of all, this is not asking for an increase in our existing budget. I’m not asking for an increase. We are just asking to reallocate (money) to other needs,” LCS Chief Financial Officer Anthony Beckles said at the Jan. 15 school board meeting. “Secondly, you will say, ‘Well, how did these funds arrive?’ For example, when we budget payroll, we budget everybody being 100 percent. ... People leave, and by the time they leave, we replace them, and you have a gap there.”

Additionally, Beckles said when employees leave, a lower-salaried employee

two different types of meetings: “engage” meetings and “go” meetings. The Feb. 11 meeting was the first of many engage meetings, where members will meet together to discuss and learn about a different United Nations sustainability goal each month. According to Collard, a speaker with expertise in the specific sustainability goal will be present at the engage meeting to give stu-

may fill an open place, which gives LCS the opportunity to reallocate some funds. The total amount reallocated from salary and benefits operating accounts is $1,235,000.

Beckles described the funds as going toward “onetime expenditure items,” which include new boilers and rebuilt chillers at Linkhorne Middle School, new security cameras at Sandusky Middle School, other maintenance and facilities items, a disaster recovery backup server, vehicles for social workers, and band uniforms for E.C. Glass and Heritage high schools.

The $1.2 million only makes up 1.22 percent of LCS’ $97.6 million operating budget for the 2018-19 fiscal year.

“It’s a small amount, but it can cover the items that we currently need,” Beckles said.

The largest portion of the reallocation — $573,000 — will go toward facilities and maintenance costs. News &

Advance reported that the rebuilding of Linkhorne Middle School’s chillers was scheduled for the 2021 fiscal year. However, crossing major items off LCS’ “to-do” list will help both the city and the school board.

The next largest amount — $538,000 — will be dedicated to information technology improvements such as the backup server, replacement of the school district’s phone systems, and the conversion of student records from microfilm to electronic images, among other items.

“We rely heavily on working technology in our buildings, so having a backup is a necessary and responsible plan of action should we need it,” Cynthia Babb, communications coordinator for LCS, wrote in an email. “This would improve LCS by ensuring we have backup in the event (of something shutting) down the main site. Disaster planning and backup recovery are best practices for organizations that rely heavily on information technology and electronic resources.”

Smaller budget items include two new four-door sedans for LCS social workers, totaling $40,000, and band uniforms for the high schools, which will cost $84,000. The current band uniforms for the two high schools in the district are 13 years old and need replacing, according to Babb.

The next Lynchburg City School Board meeting will be held March 5 at 5:30 p.m. in the LCS administration building located on Court Street.

Emma Smith | Liberty Champion

MEETING — The Lynchburg City School Board convenes the

first Tuesday of each month at the school administration building on Court Street.

SMITH is a copy editor.

Learning from LCS Several Liberty University School of Education students are paired with LCS teachers every semester for their student teaching hours.

This semester, 17 Liberty students are assigned as student teachers in LCS: history (3), music (2), English (1), math (1), elementary education (8), special education (1). and family and consumer sciences (1).

Information from Liberty's School of Education.

dents a more in-depth perspective.

Udobong was the featured speaker at the meeting Monday. Secretary and Co-Vice President Mary Catherine Morris read some of Udobong’s many accolades before she spoke, highlighting that she is a Harvard Law graduate and two-time Fulbright grant recipient.

Udobong began by explaining the extent of poverty all over the world. Udobong enlightened students in attendance to the way poverty, particularity hunger, effects all areas of life, including education.

“Poverty comes in different forms,” Udobong said. “Education is one of those.”

Udobong also touched on the impact of poverty on a child coming to know Christ.

According to daunting statistics from the World Bank, a child born in the world’s poorest nations has a 1 in 6 chance of dying before their fifth birthday.

“Before the age of five, the rate of mortality is very high,” Udobong said.

Udobong then discussed a practical way to fight against poverty through Fulbright grants. The Fulbright U.S. Student program provides opportunities for recent graduates and graduate students to conduct research,

study or teach English in another country. Udobong explained that students have the opportunity to serve in more than 140 countries all over the world through the Fulbright program.

According to Udobong, recipients of a Fulbright grant have the opportunity to make a real difference for people all over the world who are affected by poverty. During her time serving, she shared that she valued not only being able to research and teach English, but also the opportunity to share the gospel with those around her.

Udobong finished her presentation explaining resources available to students who are interested in applying for the Fulbright scholarship and her willingness to help students through the application process.

Following Udobong’s presentation on the Fulbright, Vice President Josh Christiansen explained the club’s service project for the month. For the month of February, the club will be volunteering in the Lynchburg Habitat for Humanity storehouse Feb. 21 and 22. According to Collard, LUNA’s vision is to start by meeting needs in the local community before looking abroad.

“If you don’t extend your helping hand to your neighbor first, then don’t hop on a plane and try to help somewhere where you don’t understand the culture,” Collard said.

“Serve your own first, then serve others. I think that is just integral.”

Each month, the club plans to serve with a different global nonprofit that has a local office in Lynchburg. During the first meeting of each month, the club will focus on a new Sustainable Development goal. Then in the second meeting of each month, the club will begin serving in a local nonprofit that corresponds with that goal.

Going forward, Collard is looking forward to seeing how students in the club will be able to work and serve together.

More information on the club can be found on their Facebook page, @LibertyUNA.

HIRNEISEN is a content reporter.

content

A8 | February 19, 2019 | Liberty Champion

KJ Jugar | Liberty News Service

VINES — Hillsong New York led worship in Convocation and Campus Community Feb.13.

Allison Heise | Liberty Champion

CONVO — The Helms School of Government hosted a Convo Select Feb. 18.

GFW continued from A1 Group sponsorships allow frugal college students to financially commit to a monthly sponsorship.

Go Rep. Rachel Baker co-sponsors 11-year-old Jeanpool from Ecuador with three of her friends to decrease the cost.

“Compassion is an opportunity to disciple children that you would never get to meet in any other capacity,” Baker said. “It really is carrying out the Great Commission. You can either spend $2,000

on a mission trip, or you can change the life of a child for $400 a year.”

Global Focus Week also integrated the G5 Spain initiative through Christar’s Refugee Supply Store.

Christar and LU Serve formed a partnership this year with the goal of loving the nation of Spain and serving its refugee population.

The Refugee Supply Store is a new venture for Christar, and their first Refugee Supply store was during Global Focus Week.

With around 167 refugees en-

Allison Heise | Liberty Champion

SHOPPER — Students purchased items that will be given to refugees in Spain.

Jessie Rogers | Liberty News Service

HILLSONG — Students worshiped with Hillsong NY Feb. 13.

Leah Stauffer | Liberty News Service

HOME — Students represented their home countries during the Parade of Nations Feb. 15.

tering Spain each day, there is a need for clothing and daily essentials. The supply store allows customers to buy items that will directly go toward the refugee population.

Over spring break, a team of Liberty students will distribute the supplies purchased for the supply store to refugees in Malaga, Spain.

Bethany Coffey and her husband graduated from Liberty University and began a life on the mission field. Coffey is now in her 30th year of ministry with Christar where she serves as a Community Care Coordinator. Coffey loved serving Muslim countries overseas, but she realizes there is also a mission field in the States.

“The thing I tell everyone is that if you’re interested in missions, you need to be involved right now,” Coffey said. “Don’t think by getting on an airplane and by flying across the ocean, you’re going to wake up a missionary. You need to be reaching out to internationals right now. God has brought the world to America.”

Visit Compassion International’s website for information on how to sponsor a child. Check out LU Send for more information about the G5 initiative or how to assist the refugees in Spain.

Lydia Poindexter| Liberty Champion

SONGS — Events featured music from various nations, like Spain, pictured above.

“

Compassion (offers) an opportunity to disciple children that you would never get to meet in any other capacity. It really is carrying out the Great Commission. You can either spend $2,000 on a mission trip, or you can change the life of a child for $400 a year.

— Rachel Baker

WOOD is a content reporter.

Lydia Poindexter | Liberty Champion

TALK IT OUT — Participants at GFW spoke with missionaries from around the world.

Lydia Poindexter | Liberty Champion

LIKE THE REAL THING — The Compassion Experience was set up in the New Furnace Lot near Commons 3.

SPORTS

February 19, 2019

B1

spring fever

Lashing Central Florida Men’s lacrosse wins 17-6 in home opener John Nekrasov ydnekrasov@liberty.edu

The men’s lacrosse team opened its spring season with a thumping 17-6 win over University of Central Florida Saturday, Feb. 16, lashing in seven goals during the second quarter as the Flames rapidly outpaced the Knights.

Dominating throughout Saturday’s game, the Flames outscored the Knights in every quarter, putting 10 goals past UCF goalie Christopher Cacciatore in the first half alone. In his first regular season game for Liberty, transfer sophomore attackman Thomas Pinel spearheaded the Flames offense throughout much of the first half, scoring four of Liberty’s second-quarter goals.

With 2019’s new recruits, including Pinel and freshman faceoff specialist Cole Jankowsky, getting their first regular season experience for the Flames, Head Coach Kyle McQuillan was impressed by their determination to perform.

“I think overall our freshmen class is very, very

ing quarter.

Restoring the Flames two-goal lead after J.D. Brady scored for UCF at 7:19, junior midfielder Derrick Esh lashed in his first goal out of his eventual tally of five to make the score 3-1, with the Flames starting to demonstrate their offensive depth.

“It definitely was a ground-breaking game

strong — guys like Cole and Pinel that I think are going to make an impact right away,” McQuillan said. “But I think there are a lot of guys behind the scenes who have been able to push guys in practice, and there’s been a lot of competition that’s gone on for starting positions. ” From the first faceoff, Jankowsky demonstrated the value he adds to the Flames, winning each of his faceoffs in the first quarter and kickstarting an authoritative Flames performance that would ultimately seal a win by an 11-goal margin.

Aided by Jankowsky’s efficiency, the Flames got off to a roaring start, scoring two rapid-fire goals within the first five minutes as UCF struggled to get a meaningful touch of the ball in the open-

j u s t to see where our offense is at,” Esh said. “We tried to get up by as much as we can, get our second and third strings in and just get them a lot of experience because we do have a solid offensive group and we want to be able to use everyone on the field at any time, so we can have as many legs as we can.”

Going into the second quarter, the Flames hit their stride in offense, outscoring the Knights 7-1. After a highlight reel of first-half goals, including a rasping shot by Pinel into the bottom left corner of Cacciatore’s goal, the Flames walked off the field at halftime up 10-2.

Though a commanding lead can sometimes lead to complacency, the third quarter saw the Flames continue to add to their lead, scoring three goals to the Knights one.

However, the Flames struggled to stay disciplined throughout

Ryan Klinker| Liberty Champion

DASH — The Flames led the Knights throughout the entire game.

the quarter, going a man down on three separate occasions, an issue that Coach McQuillan plans to address moving forward.

“We can sit in here and we can blame the refs for not calling the game that we wanted, but at the end of the day we just have to be more disciplined,” McQuillan said. “(We) just looked really sloppy on the offensive side of the ball from start to finish. We have to stay out of the penalty box — I know it was our first game of the season, . . . so there’s definitely going to be some rust, but there was just a little bit too much.”

The fourth quarter saw the Flames score four, but they conceded three as they continued to give up penalties in a defensively sloppy end to the game. As the game drew near its final score of 17-6, freshman midfielder Logan Cahill scored one of the highlights of the game, blasting a right-handed shot past the goalie from a couple yards outside the crease.

See LASHING, B2

FYI The Flames will play their next home game Saturday, March 2, at 4:30 pm against UCONN.

Freezing Delaware Men’s hockey defeats Delaware in twogame weekend series 7-5 and 4-1 Paige Frost pmfrost@liberty.edu

Tyler Davis | Liberty News Service

BUCKETS — Myo Baxter-Bell racked up 11 points against the Bisons.

Retaking the top Basketball defeats No. 1 Lipscomb 74-66 Peter Gooch pgooch1@liberty.edu

The Liberty University Flames needed someone to put out a fire.

On the road against ASUN Conference powerhouse Lipscomb University Wednesday, Feb. 13, the Flames had let their 16-point second half advantage evaporate to a single possession lead.

With under 90 seconds left, Liberty senior guard Lovell Cabbil started to pen-

etrate the Lipscomb defense before kicking it out to junior guard Caleb Homesley.

Homesley quickly swung it to a wide-open Darius McGhee in the corner.

A 5-foot-9 freshman, McGhee cocked and unloaded.

Splash.

The three-pointer sealed the Flames’ 74-66 victory, which snapped an 11-game winning streak and a 19game conference winning streak for the Bisons. It also served as revenge after Lipscomb came into the Vines

WE’LL SEE YOU AT THE GAME W. Hockey Liberty

Adrian

8

2

Center and throttled Liberty, 79-59, in front of their home fans Jan. 27.

“I am a little emotional because that was a hardfought (win) and our guys really battled,” Flames Head Coach Ritchie McKay said.

“The way we lost to them last time was so bad and that was deflating to our guys. I knew this was going to be hard, and we were tough mentally and physically.”

See RETAKING, B2

Baseball vs.

Wake Forest February 19 @ 3 p.m.

Baseball vs.

Delaware February 22 @ 3 p.m.

Softball Liberty Texas A&M

4

2

When the Liberty Flames men’s hockey team got onto the ice, the crowd roared with excitement. On Friday and Saturday night Feb. 15-16, the Flames played against the University of Delaware in games filled with nonstop anticipation.

Liberty has played Delaware before this season, and the previous games were close, so before this game started, the Flames knew they needed a tight defense and to be their best on the ice. As the first period started, it was filled with tight defense on both teams, neither giving up a goal easily.

“Emotions were running high,” Head Coach Kirk Handy said. “We have to find a way to channel those in a better direction so we can challenge them.”

Along with emotion running high on both teams, there were about 13 separate penalties given out

just to the Flames over the course of the game. Handy said this is where his team let Delaware back in the game by using them to their advantage.

Junior Brock Thompson played a good game Friday night, scoring three goals

See FREEZING, B2

Allison Heise | Liberty Champion

CARVE — The Flames earned 13 penalties in one game.

Softball vs.

Wright State February 22 @ 5 p.m.

M. Lacrosse

and multiple assists. He did not let Delaware win without a strong fight, and he finished with the last shot in the third period bringing the score to 7-5 in Liberty’s favor.

Hockey vs.

Adrian February 22 @ 7 p.m.

M. Hockey

W. Lax vs.

Elon February 23 @ 1 p.m.

W. Lacrosse

Liberty

UCF

Liberty

Delaware

Notre Dame

Liberty

17

6

4

1

14

10

sports

B2 | February 19, 2019 | Liberty Champion

Pinning down nationals Wrestling team wins NCWA national tournament 28-18 John Simmons jasimmons2@liberty.edu

The Liberty men’s wrestling team accomplished something previously unaccomplished in club wrestling on the weekend of Jan. 25 and 26 in Mesquite, Nevada.

The Flames became the first team to repeat as champions in the annual NCWA Duals Tournament, engineering a dramatic come from behind, 28-18 victory over second seeded The Apprentice School. It was the second time that the two rivals had met in tournaments this year, with the other encounter being a consolation matchup Jan. 11 and 12 at the Virginia Duals.

Head Coach Jesse Castro was elated with the Flames win and saw the tournament victory as milestone achievement for the program.

“I’m very pleased with the result,” Castro said. “It has been a goal of the coaching staff for the past three years.”

Liberty’s upperclassmen served as the catalyst for the thrilling comeback. With the Flames trailing 15-0, sophomore Chad Cantrell won his matchup with Apprentice’s Tristan Mabe at 149 pounds with a 10-5 decision. Consecutive wins by juniors Andrew Burgette at 157 pounds and Jeremy Mosely at 174 pounds brought Liberty within 1814, and Liberty did not surrender another point.

Castro gave high praise to the consistency of his upper to middle weight class wrestlers, which also include Austin Amos and Jeffery Allen.

“The upper to middle class has been the bread and butter of our lineup,” Castro said. “From

149 (pounds) on up, we’re hard to beat.”

Amos and Allen did their fair share in contributing to the outcome for the Flames.

Weighing in at 197 pounds, Amos defeated Dan Henson 6-1 and gave Liberty its first lead of the match at 21-18. Allen followed that win with a 14-2 decision over Ross Graham, which clinched the team title for Liberty with a final score of 28-18.

Freshman Carter Ellis was thrilled once he saw Allen get the final pin to officially win the tournament, but he said the team made it a priority to display proper sportsmanship after obtaining the team title.

“We really made a point as a team to not over celebrate at Nathan Spencer | Liberty News Service that time because the dual wasn’t over even TEAMWORK — The wrestling team participated in a 24-hour workout challenge Fall 2018. though we had (it) at that point,” Ellis said. or club with the work ethic that tournaments. their wining ways as the season “We really wanted to make it a is ingrained in you the first few Castro said the legacy that these winds down. Their next event will point to not gloat and to be the best weeks in wrestling,” Ellis said. wrestlers have left will have posi- be a duals meet at Coker College Christian (testimony) we could be “We’re always pushing each other tive repercussions for the program Thursday, Feb. 14 in Hartsville, ... and not take all that glory upon to do better.” moving forward.

South Carolina. ourselves.”

The success that the Flames “When a program establishes While Ellis said Liberty attempt- enjoy is a result of many hours of a level of success, the individual ed to display adequate sportsman- grueling training, and the stan- that establishes that momentum ship, he enjoys the hard work that dard is set by upperclassmen like carries on with it a legacy to the the Flames put into their tourna- Cantrell, Amos and Allen. They new players,” Castro said. “When ments, and the results they got have been mainstays for the wres- done correctly, it can be reprobecause of that hard work and their tling team during their time here duced ... and you have a recipe for a teamwork. and have been pivotal in its suc- winning program.”

SIMMONS is a sports “I’ve never been a part of a team cess in the duals and in other The Flames hope to continue reporter.

RETAKING continued from B1

Allison Heise | Liberty Champion SLICE — Junior captain Brock Thompson has played hockey for 18 years.

FREEZING continued from B1 “Josh Hamilton and Quinn Ryan put me in a good spot and helped me get those goals,” Thompson said. “They always set it up and I was just in the right spot. …We needed on at the end, and Quinn put it in a good spot, and it was a good play.”

The second period was where things in the game got dicey keeping not only the fans, but the players on their toes as well. The vuvuzelas helped keep things loud and kept pushing the Flames to make this a good game for the fans.

Throughout the multiple penalties in the second, the tensions stayed high as many players got 10 minutes in the box for misconduct. The team finished strong and did what they could to score and to keep the game in the Flame’s hands.

“Brock had a really strong game for us,”

Handy said. “Brock’s a goal scorer and he’s shooting a lot, and that usually makes it a positive thing for us. Bochinski’s been a consistent player for us, and we need those guys to play well.”

The Flames brought home the win, even through the high tensions and all the penalties given out on both teams, but the Flames were missing many players due to injury.

Cole Gammer, Josh Fricks, Sam Carlson and Zechariah Roberts were all missing in action on Friday night on the ice due to different injuries.

“There were parts of our game that were sloppy,” Handy said when discussing the smaller team. “We just have to tighten it back up.”

The Flames will play again on Feb. 22 and 23 against Adrian College.

FROST is a sports reporter.

Allison Heise | Liberty Champion FACEOFF — Junior center Quinn Ryan leads the team offensively.

Following their victory against Lipscomb, Liberty traveled to play the University of North Alabama Saturday, Feb. 16. Behind Cabbil’s career-high 30 points and five three-pointers, the Flames avoided a letdown with an 80-70 triumph.

“I knew after the Lipscomb game that it was going to be way harder than our guys thought, and North Alabama played really well at home,” McKay said. “They are a young team that never says die. I am proud of our guys’ effort because it is hard to win on the road in any league.”

It was a monumental week for Liberty men’s basketball, which tied a program record with the victory over North Alabama marking their 23rd of the season. The Flames previously won 23 games in a season in 1997 and 2009.

Liberty has three games remaining on their regular season schedule, plus the ASUN Conference tourna-

LASHING continued from B1 After last season’s trip to nationals, Liberty’s opening victory was a promising start to a year where the Flames hope to make nationals again and win the SELC division.

The team next plays at East Carolina University Saturday, Feb. 23 for their first game on the road this season.

Though Saturday’s game was a strong reminder of Liberty’s potential this season, junior attackman Elijah Britton knows the team needs to

ment and possibly the NCAA tournament, to add to their win total. They have prevailed in 13 of their last 14 games, starting with a road win over Pac-12 opponent UCLA Dec. 29.

Liberty has started to take notice of the team’s success, with students and faculty sticking around after the weekly Campus Community service to view the game versus Lipscomb in the Vines Center.

Fans were thrilled as the Flames jumped out a doubledigit halftime lead before extending the advantage to 45-29 early in the second half. They were relieved and overjoyed after McGhee delivered what may be considered the most important shot of the season to put the Flames up 67-62.

Three nights later, Cabbil dominated, as he combined with Homesley and junior forward Scottie James to score 54 of Liberty’s 80 points. James also grabbed 14 rebounds to go along with his 11 points, while Cabbil added four assists and

continue to grow as a unit.

“Obviously there’s a few things we need to work on as a team. It’s the

three rebounds. “(Cabbil) was special tonight on both ends of the floor,” McKay said. “(I am) happy for Lovell and he finds a way to get buckets.”

Cabbil, who hit eight of 10 field goals, will be looking to continue his hot shooting streak in Liberty’s next contest, on the road against North Florida (12-16, 6-7 in the ASUN) Saturday, Feb. 23.

After that, the Flames play their final home game of the regular season versus Kennesaw State University (5-22, 2-10) Tuesday, Feb. 26. The game begins at 7 p.m. and will include “Senior Night” festivities honoring Cabbil, senior forward Keenan Gumbs and senior guard Zack Farquhar.

“We need you guys to be there, be loud and pack it out like always,” McGhee said to fans in a video posted on the team’s Twitter account after the Lipscomb win.

GOOCH is a sports reporter.

first game of the season, so there’s a lot of stuff we can learn.

UCF played well — I think it was just a good first game to

see where we were,” Britton said.

NEKRASOV is a sports reporter.

Ryan Klinker | Liberty Champion SHOOT — Junior midfielder Derrick Esh scored five goals.

sports

Liberty Champion | February 19, 2019 | B3

Rising with the ASUN Lady Flames basketball team recovering after rough start Benjamin Craft bcraft2@liberty.edu

The Liberty University Lady Flames basketball team is a historically successful program with one of the winningest coaches in women’s basketball.

But none of that mattered to start this season.

Nobody was looking at the fact that they only have had one losing season under Head Coach Carey Green. Their opponents do not care that they finished in second place or higher 18 times in 19 years in the Big South under Green.

This is the Lady Flames inaugural season in the Atlantic Sun Conference, and the team did not start anywhere close to expectations. By Jan. 12, Liberty found itself with a 4-12 record, including losing the first three games in conference play.

The low point of the season was when they opened conference play by losing to the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles by 18 points.

The Lady Flames are a team led by a coach who owns a 71 percent career winning percentage. To put this number in perspective, that is a higher career winning percentage than Kelly Graves, the coach of the number three overall Oregon Ducks. Despite this, Liberty did not begin to find its success until Jan. 15 when they defeated Kennesaw State.

This win gave the Lady Flames the confidence they needed to rattle off five consecutive victories. After this streak, Liberty elevated itself to fourth in the conference and was on an upward trajectory. Redshirt sophomore forward Emily Lytle believes the change is largely due to team chemistry.

“I think our chemistry has improved a lot,” Lytle said. “We’ve been getting a lot more assists and less turnovers. That comes from team chemistry.”

All winning streaks must come to an

Jacob Couch jtcouch@liberty.edu

end, and Stetson would defeat the Lady Flames Feb. 5. Liberty would also drop their next game, a rematch against FGCU 65-64 Feb. 9. However, perspective is everything, and nobody understands this more than sophomore forward Bridgette Rettstatt.

“Yeah, we lost (to FGCU), but I think we gained a lot of confidence from that,” Rettstatt said. “It says they’re number one in the conference, but we’re right there with them. We can beat them.”

It shows growth in the Lady Flames that they have gone from being defeated by FGCU, a team that is undefeated in conference play, by 18 in their conference opener to only losing by one point in their most recent Liz Fitch | Liberty Champion matchup. After that loss, Liberty won AIM HIGH — Redshirt sophomore Ria Gulley scored a career-high 17 points against Lipscomb. its next game against Lipscomb by 14 points Feb. 12.

Lytle was a crucial contributor in this most recent win, as she has been during this entire 6-2 stretch. Lytle is averaging an impressive 17.5 points per game during the stretch and has established herself as a player to watch every time Liberty takes the court. She has proven the ability to single-handedly put Liberty ahead in games, as in their most recent game against Lipscomb she began the game by scoring the first 13 points of the game.

The Lady Flames have come a long way since dropping their first three games of conference play. They are not quite back to their standard ways, but they are starting to look much more familiar.

CRAFT is a sports reporter.

This past weekend I watched the newest startup professional football league, the Alliance of American Football (AAF).

The league is comprised of eight teams with the majority of them residing in cities that do not have a professional football team such as Orlando and San Antonio.

AAF rules are similar to the NFL except for a couple of small tweaks such as no kickoffs and only five defensive players being allowed to rush the passer.

Over the last several decades there have been multiple professional football leagues that either attempted to compete with the National Football League (NFL) or at least try to generate enough excitement to attract a sizable following. NFL Europe, the United Football League and the United States Football League are some of them.

All of these leagues have one thing in common: failure. The NFL’s dominating presence was the primary reason for their extinction, but I believe there were other factors that played in as well.

Football fans generally want to feel as if they are watching something that carries a rich history and is strong enough to continue without their support. A league has to prove itself before it can begin to demand hundreds of dollars for tickets and jerseys.

A league must stand the test of time.

The only other football league in the world that is legitimately secure in its future status is the Canadian Football League (CFL). Canada football’s championship game (the Grey Cup) has been played for over 100 years. Even though the NFL is recognized as the highest tier of professional football due to the population size of the United States, football in Canada has been going for a longer period of time and is recognized as having players who are just as talented as the NFL’s.

The CFL is a league that has it’s own country behind it without the threat of another Canadian league attempting to overtake it.

Liz Fitch | Liberty Champion

CONTESTED — Sophomore Bridgette Rettstatt averages seven rebounds per game.

The AAF will have the pressure of one of the world’s most successful professional sporting leagues (NFL) overshadowing its efforts.

Whether or not the AAF is going to display longevity and defy the path that other United States startup leagues have attempted will be interesting. Overall, I think the AAF does have a fighting chance.

Without the sizable crowds that the NFL boasts, less than $80,000 per year for the players salaries’ and low team store sales, the chances of longevity look bleak.

But with the teams primarily starting up in NFL vacant markets, the season being played in the NFL offseason and the players having high caliber talent, the future begins to brighten.

Time is the only legitimate answer that can be given as to whether or not the AAF will last. If it does last, then it will be the first 11 vs. 11-man professional football league in the United States to withstand the overwhelming dominance of the NFL.

COUCH is the asst. sports editor.

sports

B4 | February 19, 2019 | Liberty Champion

Two-timing Adrian

Women’s DI hockey defeats Adrian College in weekend series Christian Weaner crweaner@liberty.edu

Liberty women’s hockey entered the LaHaye Ice Center at 10 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 15, as the second ranked team in the ACHA. Sixteen hours later, they left the building winners of two straight games over number one Adrian College and prepared to defend their national championship.

The Lady Flames came into the weekend series with the top-ranked Bulldogs knowing a lot was on the line. Liberty’s only loss of the season came on the road against Adrian, a 3-1 defeat Oct. 26 in Michigan. “(The team) didn’t need much motivation from (the coaches),” Chris Lowes, Liberty’s Division I women’s hockey head coach, said. “ … There were countless reasons this was a big game for us and the girls were fired up.”

After a narrow 5-4 victory Friday night, Liberty came out of the gates firing in Saturday afternoon’s second matchup. Five minutes into the opening period, freshman Grace Machholz assisted on a goal by forward Danica Polson to give the Lady Flames the early advantage.

Later in the period, the Lady Flames and Bulldogs went back and forth, scoring three goals in 24 seconds of play.

Adrian College’s Nicole Paradis tied the game at 1-1 before Shelby Bradford scored 12 seconds later to put Liberty back ahead by one. Eleven seconds after Bradford’s goal, Celina Clark shot the puck off the back of Liberty’s goaltender Nadia Rupoli and into the back of the net to even the score once again.

Liberty answered back with goals by forwards Shannon Fehr and Alex Smibert to give the Lady Flames a 4-2 lead at the first intermission.

“We definitely wanted it more than (the Bulldogs),” Senior forward Lauren McDonald said, of the back and forth first period.

“We would step it up, but as soon as they scored we found some inner strength be-

cause we knew we wanted it more and we knew we had to respond.”

Other than the consecutive goals allowed in the first period, Rupoli held the Bulldogs scoreless for the final 50 minutes of play. Adrian had pressure around the crease all game, but Rupoli stood her ground to keep the puck out of the net for the final two periods.

“The last half of the game (Rupoli) was big for us,” Lowes said. “A couple of those (shots) bounce through and it’s a different game. … (It was) very encouraging and a great way to finish the season for her.”

Following the four goals allowed in the first period, the Bulldogs would bring in their backup goalie Kalysta Coulter. The Lady Flames welcomed Coulter by scoring six minutes into the second period when Vanessa DeMerchant found a streaking Bradford, who finished off her second goal to move the lead to 5-2.

Adrian had an opportunity to get back in the game when defensemen Emily John and Clarissa Tipping were simultaneously called for penalties, giving the Bulldogs a 5-on-3 advantage and a chance to cut into the Liberty lead. Rupoli stepped up with several key saves to help the Lady Flames kill off two full minutes of a two-man advantage, stifling the Bulldogs power play unit.

“I can wholeheartedly say we wouldn’t have got the win without Nadia,” McDonald said. “I can probably count at least seven times the puck should have went in and she bailed us out.”

Rupoli finished the game with 52 saves to earn her 18th win of the season.

After carrying the three-goal lead into the second intermission, the Lady Flames kept swinging in the final period against their rivals. It was DeMerchant who was on the receiving end of a pass from Bradford and she buried the puck and the Bulldogs hopes for a comeback into the goal just 20 seconds in to the third period.

Liberty tacked on two more goals in the period and finished off Adrian by a final score

of 8-2 on Senior Day. “For the last home game, it was probably the best outcome we could possibly have,” McDonald said. “We came up with an 8-2 win against a first-place team, so leaving on a high note, you can’t do much better than that.”

With the victory, the Lady Flames finished their season series against the Bulldogs with a 2-1-1 record. Liberty defeated Adrian in the ACHA national championship

Flames athletics have busy weekend away

This past weekend was an event-filled sports weekend for Flames athletics.

The Lady Flames lacrosse team is 2-1 following their first three games of the 2019 campaign.

The Lady Flames traveled to Winthrop Friday, Feb. 15 and defeated the Eagles 10-5 before returning to play Notre Dame in Lynchburg. The Fighting Irish topped the Lady Flames 14-10.

The Lady Flames will play Saturday, Feb 23 at home against Elon at 1 p.m.

Liberty’s baseball team opened the 2019 season with a three-game series in South Carolina. The Flames defeated the

Gamecocks 6-5 Friday, Feb. 15. The Gamecocks came back strong on Saturday and Sunday, besting the Flames by a combined 16-9 score in both games.

The Flames will kickoff their home opener Tuesday, Feb. 19, at 3:30 p.m. against Wake Forest.

The Flames softball team has struggled at the beginning of their 2019 season. The team won its season opener 13-3 against BYU in Mexico. After its opening victory the Lady Flames went on a scary four-game losing streak before bouncing back by winning three out of their next five games.

The Lady Flames will play Friday, Feb. 22, at 5 p.m. against Wright State in Lynchburg.

COUCH is the asst. sports editor.

Kevin Manguiob | Liberty News Service VICTORY — The Flames won their season opener over South Carolina.

WEANER is a sports reporter.

Allison Heise | Liberty Champion CRUSHED — The Flames defeated Adrian College by a combined score of 13-6 in two games this past weekend.

other sports recap Jacob Couch jtcouch@liberty.edu

game in 2018 and will look to defend that crown in March.

“Our girls will go in (to the postseason) confident,” Lowes said. “I think we are going to be a dangerous team. I wouldn’t bet against us.”

Peter Gooch pgooch1@liberty.edu

As football and the memories of another New England Patriots Super Bowl victory continue to fade from everyone’s minds, sports fans have been able to shift their focus to baseball and the glorious hope of spring training.

But the optimism that usually surrounds the arrival of spring training is regrettably low this year, and it can be linked to something more pressing than pace of play, performance-enhancing drugs or any of the other complaints that typically try to explain the game’s declining popularity.

As most teams now have their full rosters present at spring training complexes across Florida and Arizona, several superstar-caliber baseball players remain without a team, continuing a tired stalemate that has exhausted excitement and drained interest in the MLB. Atop the list of unsigned free agents is Manny Machado and Bryce Harper, both 26-year-old perennial all-stars who have slugged 359 home runs over 14 combined seasons in the big leagues.

Not only is it a bad look for baseball as teams prepare to begin a season with some of their most marketable stars sitting at home with the rest of us, but it is also incredibly disappointing for fans who had been anticipating this offseason for over three years.

Beginning in 2015, when Harper was putting together an MVP season with the Washington Nationals, people began talking about where he might go and if his next contract would be $400 million or more.

But fast forward to 2019, and spring training has begun with Harper joining Machado, closer Craig Kimbrel and starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel as definitive difference-makers who remain unsigned.

There are signs that deals may get done, at least for the top two options, before

Opening Day games Thursday, March 28.

Harper and the Philadelphia Phillies have been going back-and-forth all offseason, with the latest report from MLB Network insider Jon Heyman said talks have intensified and a long-term deal for Harper will get done.

Heyman also reported that Machado has been offered an eight-year, $250 million contract from the San Diego Padres.

The fact that Machado, as well as Harper, have not yet come to an agreement with any of the handful of teams that have courted them is, quite honestly, pathetic.

Owners should shoulder some blame for seemingly becoming more interested in turning a profit than they are in funding a winning franchise over the past two winters.

Their unwillingness to make serious commitments to deserving stars remains a greedy power play based on the unfounded belief that long-term contracts are immovable and spell imminent future financial doom.

(Need proof that the belief is unfounded? Giancarlo Stanton was traded three years into a 13-year, $325 million contract, while Robinson Cano traded this offseason in the midst of a 10-year, $240 million contract.)

However, getting albatross contract offers has not been a problem for Harper or Machado.

They both seem set on ballooning their pride by one-upping the other superstar free agent by getting a contract that is longer or has a higher average annual salary.

They also seem fixed on squeezing as much out of these owners as possible.

But how much money is going to be enough?

While the same arguments could be made of the owners’ in not offering another $25 million or so to solidify the players’ signings, it is ultimately Harper and Machado who have more to lose, as they could potentially not earn any salary for their amazing athletic abilities.

The owners will still be making money regardless of whether one of the superstars join an MLB roster.

Harper and Machado should finally accept the hundreds of millions of dollars being offered by the Phillies and Padres.

It would excite those two fanbases about their 2019 World Series chances and reinvigorate MLB fans after a highly-anticipated offseason that was as boring as the Super Bowl.

GOOCH is a sports reporter.

sports

Liberty Champion | February 19, 2019 | B5

450 victory club Head coach earns 450th win, Lady Flames roll past Lipscomb Bisons ers throughout the 19 to 20 years here.”

Overall, Green appeared more proud of the performance from his players, rather than his It is not often that the significance of a number of wins. coach’s 450th win is eclipsed by his players.

Lytle shone brightest in the first half when Tuesday, Feb. 12, the Lady Flames achieved she scored 19 points over nine minutes of just that in their 74-60 victory over the Lip- play. Her 16-point first quarter performance scomb Bisons. was a new school record, surpassing her origLiberty Head Coach Carey Green celebrat- inal 14-point fourth quarter performance at ed his 450th , but the milestone was outshone Chattanooga in late November. by redshirt sophomores Emily Lytle and Ria Lytle established her dominance early in Gulley. the game, scoring 13 points in the first three Green said the record was not something minutes of play off of three 3-pointers and two he had been counting on, but a blessing jump shots. Then, after three Lipscomb free nonetheless. throws and a layup from Liberty sophomore “I guess at this age, you should count every forward Bridgette Rettstatt, Lytle racked up milestone you can,” Green said. “I am cer- yet another 3-pointer to pull the Lady Flames tainly blessed and I wasn’t aware of (the wins) ahead to a commanding 18-3 lead. until yesterday. … Any milestone or anything The early charge ahead was just what the of any significance in life is usually a combi- Lady Flames needed to fuel them, especially nation of several people investing, and that’s with senior captain KK Barbour out on a onecertainly my family, my wife, and some great game suspension for violating team rules. assistants and obviously some great ball play“It was hard to not have (Barbour) out there, but we’re excited to have her back next game,” Rettstatt said.

Liberty’s early lead also nearly became its hubris. The Lady Flames stopped pushing as hard, comfortable in their stillyoung lead.

“I think the lead definitely kind of lulls you to sleep a little bit,” Liz Fitch | Liberty Champion Rettstatt said.

SHOOT — Redshirt sophomore Emily Lytle broke her own school record “You’re like, with 16 points in the first quarter. okay, this is 20 Emily Baker egbaker@liberty.edu

points, this is comfortable, they can’t come back. But obviously we let up a little bit and they came back, but nothing too major. Nothing we couldn’t handle.”

The Lady Flames lead gradually slipped away throughout the second and third quarters as their momentum stagnated and Lipscomb gained traction.

Liz Fitch | Liberty Champion Lipscomb soon caught DRIVE — Redshirt sophomore Ria Gulley scored a career-high on and stifled Lytle’s 17 points. shooting game for the rest to the line for two. of the game. She managed The victory was Liberty’s sixth conferto earn eight more points for a total of 24, but each shot was heavily contested by the Bisons. ence win, pushing ahead to a 6-5 conference Once Lytle was locked out, Gulley broke record and a 10-14 record overall. For Lipthrough. But one player’s breakthrough was scomb, the game was not quite so bright. The not enough for the Lady Flames to maintain Bisons have lost 20 of their last 21 games, their large lead, even as Gulley scored a ca- with victory over Jacksonville University days prior to playing the Lady Flames. reer-high 17 points in the second half.

Despite a rough start to their season, the Almost as suddenly as the Lady Flames claimed the lead, Lipscomb crept up right Lady Flames are slowly scraping together behind them. What was formerly a roomy a better record and better conference play.

17-point lead cinched into an eight-point lead Their higher level of play is all down to player interaction, Lytle said. at the beginning of the fourth quarter.

“I think our chemistry has improved a lot,” “They shoot the ball very well,” Green said.

“It was with quality players they got that lead Lytle said. “We’ve been having a lot more asback, and we were rushing our offense. It was sists and less turnovers, and I think that comes bad poison for us, what we were doing on the from having chemistry on the team.”

The Lady Flames earned a close 61-57 vicdefense and what we were doing to our oftory Saturday, Feb. 16 when they traveled to fense opened the door.”

Gulley kept up the pace, despite the ever- North Alabama. The game featured a careerincreasing pressure from the Bisons, and high 25 points from Rettstatt and took LibRettstatt and Lytle followed close behind her. erty to a 7-5 record in conference play.

Liberty will next travel to take on North The three of them were Liberty’s only scorers for the fourth quarter, Gulley leading the way Florida Saturday, Feb. 23. The Lady Flames will not return to the Vines Center until Tueswith seven points.

As the clock ticked down below two min- day, Feb. 26 when they host Kennesaw State utes, the Bisons sealed the Lady Flames vic- at 5 p.m. tory. Lipscomb racked up three fouls in a row in an attempt at stopping Liberty, sending Rettstatt to the line for four points and Gulley BAKER is the sports editor.

sports

B6 | February 19, 2019 | Liberty Champion

a week to remember

DOMINANT — The Lady Flames are 29-1-3 on the season.

Allison Heise | Liberty Champion

Allison Heise | Liberty Champion

SHOT — The Lady Flames crushed Adrian College in a two-game series.

Allison Heise| Liberty Champion

HARD STOP — Junior defender Garrett Nelson flies down the ice for the puck in a game against Adrian College.

Liz Fitch | Liberty Champion

LAY UP — The Lady Flames had two players, Ria Gulley and Bridgette Rettstatt, break career-high point totals.

Ryan Klinker | Liberty Champion

CLUTCH — The Flames lacrosse team is 1-0 on the season.

Liz Fitch | Liberty Champion

RESILIENT — Redshirt sophomore Emily Lytle attempts a 3-point shot against Lipscomb.

CLUTCH — The Flames lacrosse team defeated UCF 17-6 Saturday, Feb. 16.

Ryan Klinker | Liberty Champion

feature

fashion S P

Liberty Champion | February 19, 2019 | B7

Jewel of LYH

White Hart Cafe celebrates one year of new ownership and vision under Daniel Coco Nate Montgomery nimontgomery@liberty.edu

The White Hart Café, a favorite downtown Lynchburg study destination for students, recently celebrated one year under new ownership.

Daniel Coco and his wife took the responsibility of owning a coffee shop and café knowing full well how hard it could be.

“I’m not just some investor that is trying to turn this place for a profit,” Coco said. “This is my life.

This is my dream and my passion.”

When Coco took over the business, he had a vision for what the café could be, and he has been working tirelessly for the last year to turn the White Hart into a jewel of Lynchburg.

“The first change that I made was to start sourcing better green coffee for roasting,” Coco said. “Also, we’ve started to pay more attention to the roasting process and to the staff training process.”

His changes to the work environment have not gone unnoticed by the employees either. Hayden Nielander, who oversees the roasting of all the coffee

at the White Hart, has worked for the White Hart for the last year and a half and said she has appreciated the changes in the coffee quality especially. “(Coco) dedicates a lot of time to being here at the shop, to making sure the coffee quality is there, and he really cares about the people that come into the shop,” Nielander said.

Long term, there are some changes Coco would like to make, both to the shop itself and to the coffee roasting process.

“We’ve been putting everything we make back into the business,” Coco said. “We’ve made renovations and replaced equipment that needed replacing.”

Other long-term goals include a possible renovation.

“We want to build a dedicated roasting space here, and if not here, we hope we can expand to a different location, but that is a really long-term goal,” Coco said.

One of the biggest changes Coco is most proud of is the arrival of their new pastry chef Faith Marinelli.

“She is absolutely shredding it — she is incredible,” Coco said. “What she does is an art form, and it’s creative. She bakes with a passion.”

Like many other coffee shops, The White Hart offers both gluten free and vegan food options, but according to Coco, there is something unique about their food options.

“They don’t taste vegan — they taste like pastries,” Coco said. “Other places that offer gluten free or vegan options just aren’t as good. She is a crucial part of the success of this business.”

In addition to bringing in new staff and sprucing up the coffee, the shop also received a face-lift in the form of a new paint job.

The White Hart has also been seeking out performers and live talent to perform at the café. They hold weekly shows and open mics for people to come out and enjoy the coffee and music.

Coco says the past year has been chaotic and filled with change but there is nothing else he would rather be doing.

“It has been a wild ride to be honest, but most definitely the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done,” Coco said.

photo provided

BREW — Coco pays close attention to coffee quality.

MONTGOMERY is a feature reporter.

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Avoca

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434-369-1076 info@avocamuseum.org www.avocamuseum.org

how

reparations

Victoria Nelson vfnelson@liberty.edu

With trends like chokers, bobbed haircuts and full denim ensembles on the rise, the 1990s may very well be making a comeback.

Well, so are the 1970s.

And the 1950s.

And the 1920s.

“Fashion Unfolded: A Glimpse into the High-Class Fashion of the Decades” is the theme of Family and Consumer Science’s 12th Annual Fashion Show April 6, and designers are already busy making their vintage masterpieces.

These outfits take months to complete. Not only do the designers have to conjure up fresh takes on classic outfits, they also have to design each idea on paper and create a pattern — and all of this is before the needle hits the thread.

“Physically creating (the outfit) and going from the idea to the pattern is very hard,” Wendy Watkins, a fashion design major, said. “However, the tricky part is making sure it happens.”

These designers have no time to slack off. Brie-Anne Kemper, who is also a fashion design major, knows that although she has sewn about one quarter of her garment, she still has a long way to go before the model can walk.

However, she said sewing is the easiest part — what takes the most effort and mental strain is making sure the audience is impacted by her design. Not everyone was born with a sharp eye and quick finger like she was. Though her design must be creative, it must also be easily understood by spectators.

“It is strange coming up with an idea that people who do not understand fashion can see,” Kemper said. “It has to be under-

stood without needing an explanation because I will not always be there to explain it. It is all about interpretation.”

The stress, though taxing, is actually a blessing in disguise.

Kemper credits the time crunch with helping her to work under strict deadlines and still make the best product she can.

Watkins also mentioned that the show “pushes you to challenge yourself in your ability to sew and as a designer.” It has thrown her out of her comfort zone and forced her to think outside the box, fostering skills that will propel her into a career where she will not always have a mentor to advise her. Some problems, she said, you need to figure out for yourself. That is how you learn.

That is how you grow.

“When you do not know something, you have to look it up or find someone who knows it, or find a different way to do it — or figure out the skill you need,” Watkins said.

These designers are just two of many grateful for the opportunity to showcase their skills and potentially show off to future employers. The fashion show is vital to students in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences.

“It gives us an outlet to show that we are not just advice-givers,” Kemper said. “Fashion is more than an expression. It’s an art form. Works of art are going down this runway. When we are able to showcase our talents and abilities, we have more confidence in what we are able to do.”

The annual FACS fashion show will take place Saturday, April 6 in the LaHaye Event Space. Tickets can be purchases in advance online.

NELSON is a feature reporter.

FEATURE

B8

February 19, 2019

A slice above the rest

Daughters and Sons owner describes his culinary background and inspiration Francesca Walker frwalker@liberty.edu

I

taly, France and San Francisco.

Daughters and Sons founder and owner Jason Arbusto pulls elements from these cities and his own culinary adventures to bring his Sicilian pizza to 5th Street.

When asked why he wanted to live in Lynchburg, according to Arbusto, he was “looking for a small city in the south to settle in. Somewhere more like where I grew up.”

Arbusto was born in Virginia, and he went to high school in Lynchburg, but he moved around a lot because his family was in the military.

At first, Arbusto was wary about returning to the area. The last time he was in town, there was not a lot happening, but things have certainly changed since 96’, Arbusto asserted. With the city putting in a lot of effort to make 5th street a success, Arbusto felt it was a good place to start his business.

Since he already had relationships with many people in the area, Arbusto and his wife Virginnie (whom he met in France) decided to plant roots.

Arbusto grew up around fresh food, and his family did not eat out much. His parents owned a farm and ran a farm stand. So, while other children were selling lemonade for a few cents, Arbusto was making a few dollars selling zucchini bread from a recipe his grandmother had given him.

This early infusion of food as a way of life stoked his love for good cooking and the satisfaction that comes from selling it.

Despite this foodie upbringing, Arbusto originally thought he wanted to become a doctor, lawyer or perhaps follow in his family’s footsteps and go into the military.

He always loved to travel and cook, so after some time and soul searching, he decided to become a chef.

He knew that being a chef could lead to something big and sustainable for him.

“It’s not like (food) is something that can be out sourced,” Arbusto said with a chuckle. “And if you’re going to do anything, you may as well aim for the top.”

So, that’s just what he did.

“I read an article when I was in culinary school about this one chef,” Arbusto said.

“And then when I graduated, I was like, ‘Somehow, I’m gonna work for this chef within five years.’”

Arbusto soon set out to fulfill this goal.

“When I went to France, I did some basic training and I was on a tourist visa, and I was only able to stay for three months,” Arbusto said. “I met a Corsican boxer in a bar and became friends with him, and he said ‘Well, before you go, come spend a couple weeks with me in Paris with my family.’ So, I did that.

And I was like ‘I have to stay. I love Paris.’ I fell in love instantly — the cityscape and the culture — and made my resume up, went to all the best restaurants in Paris: all the 3 Michelin star restaurants.”

He knocked on all the doors, but all he heard was “You don’t have an apartment. …

You don’t have a work visa. You can’t work here.”

“I ended up at this chef that I was talking about (from the article in culinary school), this one very famous chef and he said, ‘yeah, well you can’t work at any of the restaurants right now, but we’re opening a cooking school,’” Arbusto said.

“

If you’re going to do anything, you might as well aim for the top.

— Jason Arbusto

The chef was looking for someone who was bilingual, and offered Arbusto a month of trial.

He ended up working with the chef after 90 days. From there, the chef sent Arbusto

Francesca Walker | Liberty Champion

SICILIAN — Arbusto’s pizza was inspired by Old World European flavors. to work at his famous restaurant in Monaco – the second-best restaurant in the world – and traveled all over Europe.

While you might think that Arbusto discovered the recipe for his Sicilian style pizza while in France, it was actually inspiration from France, Italy and San Francisco that combined to bring Daughters and Sons unique pizza. Sicilian style pizza is becoming more and more popular in the U.S., according to Arbusto, and he wanted to continue the trend by bringing this style of pizza to the growing community in Lynchburg.

The freshness he grew up with as a child is brought back in every area of Daughters and Sons menu. The dough goes through a fourday process which makes use of two separate refrigeration methods to create Daughters and Sons signature crust. What gives the dough its special consistency is the longer fermentation process for the Italian flour mixture, which proofs for two days in the chilled basement of the restaurant before put through another process.

According to Arbusto, despite the thick-

ness of the dough, its light and airy on the inside while crisp on the bottom. At the restaurant they also make their own sauces, and even the sausage.

When trying to come up with a name for his new restaurant, Arbusto had a few ideas.

Originally, he wanted it to sound gritty by calling it Arbusto & Sons, but he only has one son, Axel. However, he does also have a daughter, Esme. He also wanted it to feel like a family restaurant and thus the name “Daughters and Sons Pizza” was born.

“At the end of the day, it’s all about family and providing for them,” Arbusto said.

Arbusto has done a lot of charity work for various nonprofits, churches in the area, as well as Liberty University. Arbusto is also a managing partner for the Craddock Hotel on Commerce Street in Downtown Lynchburg and is a member of the 5th Street CDC. Daughters and Son’s Pizza (@dspizzava) is open Thurs – Sun from 11a.m. – 8p.m.

WALKER is a feature reporter.

Small Batch Barbecue

Karaoke Students show off at themed karaoke Feb. 15 Rachel Kauderer rkauderer@liberty.edu

Students sipped hot coffee and munched on doughnuts while enjoying the festivities at Valentine’s Karaoke Feb. 15, hosted by Student Activities.

Throughout the evening, there was a variety of song selections performed by the students, everything from Plain White T’s, “Hey there Delilah,” to “Hopelessly Devoted to You,” from Grease the musical.

Sarah Matherly, a sophomore in Liberty’s Education program, came out to share her love for singing, as well as her past musical experiences through participating in vocal lessons.

“I took voice lessons when I was younger,” Matherly said. “I heard about this event last year and thought it would be a lot of fun to come out and sing ‘Love Story’ by Taylor Swift.”

Karaoke night was not just for the singers around campus. According to Liberty student Noah Chafin, watching his fellow students perform was just as fun.

“There wasn’t a whole lot to do on campus tonight so, I thought I would come out and listen to people sing,” Chafin said There were multiple people cheering on their friends for moral support,

playing Valentine’s Day games, and show. Student Activities had stushowing up for the free coffee and dents fight for one another’s hearts doughnuts. by asking them a series of romanCaitlyn Stupi, a senior in Liberty’s tic questions. This game allowed Graphic Design program, expressed students to get to know more her appreciation for the overall atmo- about each other and was all in sphere. She loved how Student Activi- good fun. ties decorated the event space in ValStupi considered the evening a entine’s Day decor and provided the success. goodies and refreshments for students “I am glad I reached out to a couple to consume while watching singers of my friends to have them come with perform. me to this event,” Stupi said. “We “There was a really great turn- were all excited about the opportunity out and a lot of the people seem and ended up having a great time.” very excited to support their friends singing,” Stupi said. KAUDERER is a feature reporter.

“It was a really welcoming and inviting crowd.”

Like many students at the event, Stupi does not have any singing experience. She valued the courage of everyone who participated.

“I don’t have experience with singing, although I wish I did,” Stupi said.

“Anyone who is able to get up on stage tonight I completely admire them because that is something I would never be able to do.”

Student Activities provided students with individual valentines and incorporated some prize giveaways.

Winners of the Valentine’s Day games were awarded gift cards to restaurants in the Lynchburg area.

Allison Heise | Liberty Champion One of the most popular games of the night was a blind date game SING — Students perform for peers.

Clayton Dykstra cdykstra1@liberty.edu

Lynchburg barbecue lovers have a new option as of last November — this time in the less restaurant-rich area of Rivermont. Small Batch is making its presence in an old meat shop on Bedford Avenue, the same block as newly added Golf Park Coffee Co. Texas natives nesting in the college town may find a familiar taste at Small Batch, as the head chef, who identified himself only as Waylon and “headmaster” brings a barbecue style that is native to his Texas origin.

“A melting pot of traditional and new” is how Waylon described the preparation of the meat.

Small Batch allows orders

for big parties and has accommodations for heavy traffic nights. In addition to their seven meat options and classic sides, they also have salads and gluten free options for their bready menu items.

The high contrast décor looks less like a barbecue pit and more like a modern restaurant. The theme is in the details with garage doors as windows and bottles as light fixtures. The look and feel differentiates it from other barbecue joints in Lynchburg.

Small batch is located on Bedford Avenue and is open seven days a week.

DYKSTRA is a feature reporter.

Allison Heise | Liberty Champion

SMOKY — The restaurant specializes in Texas barbecue.