The Corsair - Issue 6 (Fall 2021)

2

CONTENT

News | pg. 3 Photo Story | pg. 4-5 Arts & Entertainment | pg. 6-7 Culture | pg. 7 Photo Story | pg. 8-9 Opinion | pg. 10 Sports | pg. 11

EDITORIAL STAFF ​​ Ashley Cox | Editor-in-Chief Shawnee Lightfoot | Managing Editor Gavin Quinton | News Editor Sarah Nachimson | Arts & Entertainment Editor Leonard Richardson-King | Culture Editor Katheryne Menendez | Opinion Editor Celso Robles | Sports Editor Maxim Elramsisy | Photo Editor Ezra Voss Melgar | Social Media Editor Rashno Razmkhah | Social Media Editor Aja Marshall | Multimedia Editor Jorge Devotto | Copy Editor

CORSAIR STAFF Jon Putman | Blake Thorton | Neil O'Loughlin | Grace Wexler | Marc Federici | Michael Beeson | Kerrington Dillon | Marlene Herrera | Brittney Ornelas | Josh Hogan | Narayan Pereda | Zipporah Pruitt | Anushka Soni | Aaliyah Sosa | Flynn Traynor | D.J. Hird | Evelyn Tucker | Giancarlo Otero Stoffels | Gladys Holdorff | Guadalupe Perez | Jibraeil Anwar | Margaret Delgado | Rebecca Hogan | Roxana Blacksea | Bryan Antunez

FACULTY ADVISORS Ashanti Blaize-Hopkins | Journalism Adviser Gerard Burkhart | Photo Adviser Sharyn Obsatz | Social Media Adviser

CONTACT Editor in Chief | corsair.editorinchief@gmail.com

SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram | corsairnews Twitter | the_corsair Facebook | thecorsairnews YouTube | thecorsaironline

WEBSITE www.thecorsaironline.com

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Traditionally we celebrate Thanksgiving with turkey, too much food, and ‘giving thanks’ for things that make our life a little bit better. I’ve had a lot of things happen in my personal life that make it hard to be grateful for everything that I have sometimes.

But I don’t let that stop me. As someone who is constantly preaching kindness and acceptance, I try to find one thing every day that I’m grateful for or I’m excited about. I truly believe it’s the little things in life that make living more enjoyable.

For me the little things are visiting friends, not being allergic to what I'm eating, and coffee (of course). While I’m not perfect at this, or always the most chipper, I try to think about these things emphatically and experience them in optimistic ways.

Gratitude is such a healing tool — it can pave the way for positive feelings that you didn’t know you had. When you live in gratitude, your life can change for the better. This week, we’re on Issue 6 of The Corsair, which is the second to last for this semester.

There’s a certain amount of sadness that comes with the second to last issue, but also a lot of gratitude. The semester has been bumpy, and a little bit rough at times, but I can honestly say that my team and I have grown together in the best possible way.

I am so thankful for the beings that make up The Corsair and all the hard work that they’ve put in these last few months. While every semester of The Corsair staff is special, I really think ours was something else. We all come from different backgrounds, different parts of Los Angeles and still, we’re all here together, working as a team.

The backbone of what we accomplish is the cooperation between every single individual on the team. Each member of The Corsair is aware of this and we try to practice it to the best of our abilities everyday to produce creative content for these issues.

While nothing is perfect, we’re pretty good at staying professional and talking things out. The Corsair is like one big family — sometimes great, sometimes not. But we are still here for one another, regardless.

Winter is coming and The Corsair will be dark for a few months then, but I’m looking at all of it with a grateful eye. The experiences this year are unmatched and taught me more than I can even begin to say. How to work with people, how to hold yourself accountable, how to remain humble and, most importantly, how to be okay with critiques and more voices than your own.

Being an Editor in Chief (as I’ve learned) requires a lot of humility and willingness to learn and put your ego aside. Thanksgiving rolled around fast this year and it’s already almost the end of the semester, and still I am focusing on gratitude. Happy Thanksgiving everyone and thank you for being a part of this semester with me.

FRONT COVER Freshman defensive end Tannen Vagle (84) fights for a sack on a play where he forces a fumble in the endzone for a safety. Santa Monica College played West Los Angeles College on November 20, 2021 at Corsair Stadium in Santa Monica, California. (Maxim Elramsisy | The Corsair)

Editor-In-Chief Ashley Cox

NEWS

NOV. 24, 2021

Flynn Traynor | Staff Writer

3

Check Mate for Chess Park

T

he iconic beachfront park by the name of Chess Park was officially closed on Oct. 28 after the Recreation and Parks Commission (RAPC) unanimously voted to remove chess tables and benches from public access. Chess Park is a .29 acre plot of land mere feet away from the city’s iconic muscle beach and the Santa Monica Pier. This vote, taken at a town hall meeting, was in reaction to reports of stabbings, public drug use, and prostitution at the park. Chess Park is another public park that was recently closed because of the homeless epidemic in L.A. county. The park is frequented by chess clubs, and groups of children in the summer months. Over the years, the park has been subject to deterioration.

On Monday, Nov. 15, at 12:32 p.m., a concerned citizen called the Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) to report a man threatening pedestrians with a large metal pole at Chess Park.

As officers arrived on the scene, the suspect ran up the block. Before pursuing the man, the officers corroborated reports made about the park. SMPD officers cited rampant homelessness as the biggest issue at a family-oriented park.

Mark, a man who calls the streets of Santa Monica his home, spoke about

Maxim Elramsisy | The Corsair

Mark sitting in Chess Park in Santa Monica, Calif. on November 15, 2021. As he sits, he describes loosing his arm in an accident involving a train in Chicago.

the community that surrounded the park. “People from all over come down here to have a good time,” Mark said.

“Everyone is good to each other.”

Mark has been living on the city’s streets for the past 20 years. He first moved to Santa Monica from Chicago, following the death of his parents. “We knew they was closing the park for a while. They don't like us being here,”

Mark said.

While RAPC has deemed the park closed, seating and picnic tables are still accessible to the public as of Nov. 23. The park's closure currently affects the park’s namesake chess pieces. The chess pieces once at Chess Park are now locked behind a padlocked fence, unavailable to the public. The RAPC has voted to remove all public seating from

the park. No date has been set for the official closure of the park.

Roger Golden has lived on the streets of Santa Monica for the past two years, and described himself as moving from city to city as a nomad. “I am not technically homeless, I am home free.

My position was a conscious decision."

Golden said.

Golden shared that he frequents Chess Park. Regarding the deterioration he has witnessed take place in Santa Monica, Golden said, “the level of insanity that goes through that park is remarkable. Just sit in Chess Park for an afternoon and you will see.”

Golden blames the park’s closure on lack of enforcement in Santa Monica rather than the homeless population. “It is unfair to blame the homeless population when there is no effort to contain violent criminal acts,” he said.

At a public hearing on Oct. 28, the RAPC reported a lack of reduction in crime near Chess Park after requesting additional resources from local police including increased patrols.

4

P H OTO S TO R Y

NOV . 24, 2021

Maxim Elramisy | The Corsair

Recycling Coordinator Gwen Larned uses composted soil to fertilize seedlings in the Organic Learning Garden at on November 5, 2021.

Gwen Larned uses a woodchiper to grind foodwaste from the cafeteria and Bodega on November 5, 2021.

Ca Su Maxim Elramsisy | Photo Editor

G Maxim Elramisy | The Corsair

(L-R)Gwen Larned and volunteers Safira Alyah, Artem Kotchanov, and Skylar LyBrand harvest composted soil on November 5, 2021. The nutrient dense soil will be used to fertilize plants on campWWus and produce in the Organic Learning Garden.

lobal leaders held talks this month at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland highlighting sustainability and environmental leadership around the world.

In the United States (U.S.), the federal government is negotiating how to handle the growing threat of climate change, while balancing the short and long-term economic impact of shifting infrastructure to support more sustainability.

The 2021 infrastructure bill, titled the Build Back Better Act, recently passed in the U.S. House of Representatives. It prioritizes using clean energy to reduce greenhouse gases. Some politicians like West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin are walking the line between environmental-

ism ergy that & th ener The cy (E (LFG ate m emis rene prod tion 17% alent more acco Los A one the taske

P H OTO S TO R Y

NOV. 24, 2021

5

Maxim Elramisy | The Corsair

Food waste, plant trimmings and horse manure mix to create a compostable smoothie for worms to eat.

Maxim Elramisy | The Corsair

Maxim Elramisy | The Corsair

Worms that convert organic waste fertilizer in campus compost bin on Thursday, October 21, 2021.

A Santa Monica College social work student carries a watermelon from the Organic Learning Garden to the Bodega food pantry.

Maxim Elramisy | The Corsair

ampus Models ustainability

and preservation of their state’s enindustry. “We must strike a balance acknowledges climate change exists hat fossil fuels are a vital part of our rgy mix” he tweeted on June 25, 2014.

Environmental Protection AgenEPA) suggests reducing landfill gas G) waste, which would otherwise cremethane (a potent greenhouse gas) ssions by using LFG as a source of ewable energy. LFG , which is a byduct of organic material decomposioccurring in landfills, accounts for of U.S. methane emissions, equivt to greenhouse gas emissions from e than 21 million passenger vehicles ording to the EPA. Angeles County has 10 landfills, about per million residents, according to county website. The landfills are ed with managing around 3 million

tons of waste produced by businesses, consumers and residents. A 2014 public-private partnership called RecycLA was established to facilitate agreements and mandates with the goal of creating more “efficient collection and sustainable management of solid waste resources and recyclables,” according to the L.A. Department of Sanitation website.

The first stated goal of the partnership is to reduce landfill disposal by 1 million tons by 2025. Gwen Larned, the Santa Monica College (SMC) Recycling Coordinator, is tasked with improving the sustainability of waste management on the SMC campus. Larned oversees the composting system which uses over 400,000 worms to convert 500 lbs of food scraps into nutrient rich fertilizer each week.

The fertilizer is used for landscaping around campus in places like the Or-

Neil O'Loughlin | The Corsair

(L-R) Lilina, an SMC student points out items that she wants while Bodega volunteer Chyna Tucker assists to collect and bag the food on October 27, 2021.

ganic Learning Garden. The fruits, vegetables, and spices grown in the garden are given to SMC students at the Bodega, SMC’s first centralized food pantry.This closed loop system takes waste from campus and uses it to produce a sustainable source for one of the nation’s preeminent food security programs. SMC’s practices of sustainability and waste reduction apply the EPA’s national guidelines on a community level.

Maxim Elramisy | The Corsair

A Santa Monica College social work student carries a watermelon from the Organic Learning Garden to the Bodega food pantry.

A R TS & E N T E R TA I N M E N T

6

NOV. 24, 2021

Cirque du Soleil Returns to L.A. Sarah Nachimson | Arts & Entertainment Editor Rebecca Hogan | Staff Writer

Top Left: Cirque du Soleil performer Kyle Cragle performs a handstand at the press event at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Calif. on November 10, 2021.

T

he COVID-19 pandemic paused Cirque du Soleil productions for 15 months.

Now, the famous Canadian based acrobatic company is back to tour the world, said Cirque du Soleil CEO Daniel Lamarre, during a press event on Wednesday, Nov. 10, at the Staples Center's Lexus Club in Los Angeles.

The event featured a sneak peak of Cirque du Soleil's production "OVO", which will open March 16, 2022 at the Microsoft Theatre in L.A. Live.

"OVO", said Lamarre, creates an artistic frame within nature to showcase the performers' talents. The production uses acrobatics and insect characters to emphasize how movement permeates life, even at its' origins. "Ovo means egg in Portuguese. Our director and composer [Deborah Colker and Berna Ceppas] were actually Brazilian," said Mike Newquist, Senior Vice President of Cirque du Soleil, regarding the show's premise and Brazilian music inspired soundtrack.

Cirque du Soleil has an internationally diverse cast of performers, three of whom acted out a short sampling of "OVO", and gave personal insight into their recent experiences.

Canadian, Svetlana Delous, started with Cirque in late 2017. In "OVO" she plays the vivacious Red Spider, an acrobatic character. During the COVID-19 performance shutdown what she missed most was performing as a team.

"It's one big family that relies on each other," Delous said.

Kyle Cragle, from the United States, has worked with Cirque as an acrobat and makeup artist since 2016. He often plays "OVO"'s Dragonfly character, which is a hand balancing act. During the shutdown he began creating his own costumes. "I took the time in quarantine to learn how to sew, get creative, learn some new wardrobe skills," Cragle said.

Brazilian-born Wellington Lima, a 20 year veteran of Cirque, plays a cricket in the trampoline-wall act of "OVO".

During the break in production, he coached other performers, and worked as an Uber driver in Las Vegas. Being a driver helped him fill the void caused by missing interaction with live audiences and provided him the opportunity to meet new people and feel connected to the public.

Downtown Los Angeles was the location for Cirque du Soleil's first performance outside of Canada. Cirque then moved to Santa Monica Beach, setting up their performance tents next to the pier 12 times between 1987 and 2014.

Dan Beckerman, CEO of Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), lived in Santa Monica for 10 years and said, "The

Top Right: Cirque du Soleil performer Wellington Lima stands by at the Staples Center.

Bottom: (L-R) Cirque du Soleil Senior Vice President Mike Newquist, Wellington Lima, Cirque du Soliel President and CEO Daniel Lamarre, AEG CEO Dan Beckerman and Svetlana Delous pose for a picture.

Jon Putman | The Corsair

first time I ever saw Cirque, actually, is when they were there."

Cirque will now return to Southern California, calling the Microsoft Theatre a home-away-from-home. This was made possible through a partnership with AEG, according to Beckerman.

"We are very happy that we are finally able to welcome full capacity live au-

diences back to our shows," Beckerman said. He explained that they've worked with state, county and city authorities regarding implementation of mandated health measures.

Acrobats twisting through mind-blowing feats, costumes that enhance the imagination, and an audience experience at full capacity, sets

the scene for the timeless and beautiful world of Cirque du Soleil's "OVO" — now calling the Microsoft Theatre its home.

A R TS & E N T E R TA I N M E N T

NOV. 24, 2021

7

Deep Dish Cut Into "Licorice Pizza" Zipporah Pruitt | Staff Writer

A

young woman named Alana Kane (played by Alana Haim) with mousy hair falls in love with Gary Valentine (played by Cooper Hoffman), a teen actor on the silver screen, in Santa Monica College (SMC) alum Paul Thomas Anderson’s new film “Licorice Pizza.”

Gary and Alana's love-hate relationship begins with a meet-cute on a high school picture day. Gary tries courting Alana with his unique charm as Alana interrogates him to prove why she should give him a chance. Gary, a smooth-talking child actor without much luck, keeps himself busy with other endeavors in ‘73.

Alana finds herself strangely drawn to him and helps him with work. Both characters, unsure of their own futures, look for the best direction suited for them.

Possessive Alana and overbearing Gary find each other’s personalities at odds, but they always come together again like a pendulum.

At a Friday, Nov. 19, press conference for “Licorice Pizza,” writer-director Anderson compared the story to a screwball comedy, like films back in the 1930s. He cited Hollywood producer Gary Goetzman, a former child actor, as inspiration for character Gary Valentine.

Anderson shared that Haim and Hoffman, newcomers to acting, performed

Illustration by Naomi Ruiz | The Corsair

well among industry veterans such as co-actor Bradley Cooper. Both leads pulled off captivating performances by honing their craft, knowing their lines, comfortability with each other, and concentrating over the 65 days of shooting.

Anderson explained that Alana’s real-life relatives portray her family in “Licorice Pizza.” The rest of her sisters in

band HAIM, Danielle and Este, and parents Donna and Moti all use their real first names in the film.

As an SMC alum, Anderson developed his creativity in years he spent at the school. “Santa Monica College saved my life. I was introduced to two of my favorite films at Santa Monica College,” he said.

“I don’t remember the professor’s name,

but I saw ‘Out of the Past’ and ‘Sweet Smell of Success.’”

Anderson shared how, at eighteen years old, he applied for film school but got rejected, and had no clue on what to do with his life. He enrolled at SMC, and found his creative direction as he worked simultaneously. It was the right place for him, after graduating high school, and helped him find footing in life outside protection of his parents.

Anderson explained he simply recreates settings from his past and uses what is still available today. “Licorice Pizza” is set in his home, the San Fernando Valley, because he cares about the location. “It’s with great pleasure that I get to write a film like this, and then go find the location,” he said. “Either I wrote around a location that I know exists, or I've written to my memory.”

In “Licorice Pizza,” it is refreshing to see two inexperienced leads, Haim and Hoffman, pull off such emotional, charming, and hilarious performances in a natural way that compels audiences. The film satisfyingly depicts the trials and tribulations of young love.

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) releases the film in limited run for Los Angeles and New York City on Nov. 26, then nationwide on Christmas Day.

C U LT U R E Guadalupe Perez | Staff Writer Rebecca Hogan | Staff Writer

Boss Women at SMC

T

hanks to unique and innovative ideas initiated by female business developers, consumers have access to many products and services created by women.

Female entrepreneurs have blazed trails which have opened doors for other women worldwide to curate their own business ideas.

Students at Santa Monica College (SMC) are not new to the world of entrepreneurship. Kennedy Zimet, a communications major at SMC, is the owner of Custom Candy Creation's, a candy business that uses a 3D printer to create candy in the shape of logos, names, and even selfies. Her inspiration came from a documentary she watched with her mother.

“We were watching a documentary about rich kids in Dubai and their birthday parties, and this kid had something similar [a 3-D birthday candy],” said Zimet. That's when Zimet decided to start a candy business with her mother.

After two years of running Custom Candy Creation’s Zimet has learned, “As women, we have to work ten times harder … for either our male counterparts or

Guadalupe Perez | The Corsair

The 'Looksy Bracelet', a leather bracelet with a built in mirror created by female entreprenrur and Santa Monica College (SMC) student, Lee Lucas

potential clients to really take us seriously and see that we mean business,” said Zimet.

At times, being both a business owner and a student has been a struggle for Zimet. “I just had to get really good at creating a good system to make sure that I can balance the two …at first it was a challenge.” said Zimet.

Lee Lucas has an SMC associate's degree in business and is currently working on a bachelor's degree in User Experience

Design at SMC. She created The Looksy Bracelet, which features a built-in mirror, allowing consumers to quickly glance at themselves while on the go.

Lucas, a singer-songwriter, thought of the business idea one night before going on stage with her band, “I was trapped on stage and there was no way to go to the bathroom and I’m like I need to check myself.” said Lucas. She wished she could see her reflection with the flip of a wrist.

She faced obstacles in product devel-

opment.“ I had never developed a product or anything before...I had a lot of hurdles around trademark infringement, people using my name without my consent, so I had to fight quite a few trademark infringement cases, and I had to do it myself. It took over my life.” said Lucas.

Madeline Derujinsky, a photography major at SMC, explained how she had to modify practices at her freelance photography business to overcome recent obstacles. “I’ve had to change the way that I book [clientele] because obviously, COVID is an issue,” Derujinsky said. “My studio is in my home, so I have to be very careful.”

These changes actually created growth in Derujinsky’s business. She started working in product photography instead of booking live models. “I’ve thrived during the pandemic. I just grew in a different aspect,” Derujinsky said.

Derujinsky shared her advice for aspiring female entrepreneurs. “Do it. You won’t regret it, and when you follow your passion you’ll find that every single thing in your life will fall together,” she said.

“You can’t make big rewards happen if you don’t take big risks.”

S P O R TS

8

Nov. 24, 2021

Jon Putman | The Corsair

Corsairs wide reciever Tariq Brown (10) catches a pass against West L.A. on Saturday, in a make-up game delayed due to a COVID-19 outbreak. Brown leads the Pacific League with 93.8 recieving yards per game.

Santa Monica College Corsairs freshman Sophia Lawrance (6) celebrates with teammates after scoring the point on a kill shot on November 10, 2021. The Corsairs would fall to Santa Barbara College 0-3 to close out the rest of their regular season with a record of 1211.

Jon Putman | The Corsair

Athletic Plays Top Shots of Hot Shots

Maxim Elramsisy | The Corsair

Sophomore goalkeeper Yosemite Cruz (30) prepares for a penalty kick shootout. The Corsairs played against El Camino College in a California Community College Women's Soccer Southern California Regional Play-In game on November 18, 2021. The game was a 1-1 tie after overtime and the El Camino won 5-4 on penalty kicks. (Maxim Elramsisy | The Corsair)

S P O R TS

Nov. 24, 2021

9

Maxim Elramsisy | The Corsair

Maxim Elramsisy | The Corsair

Maxim Elramsisy | The Corsair

Freshman defensive end Tannen Vagle (84) fights past a lineman for a sack. Vagle received Second Team All -Conference honors.

Freshman shooting guard Rohan Birch (11) drives to the basket as Santa Monica College played against East Los Angeles College at Corsair Gym in Santa Monica, California on November 20, 2021.

Freshman cross country runner Tegan Arega prepares to travel from Santa Monica, Calif. to the California Community College State Championships in Fresno, Calif. on November 19, 2021. Arega finished the race 39th with a time of 21:-6.7.

Santa Monica College Corsairs freshman wide receiver Gunnison Bloodgood (12) leaps over a West LA defender as he attempts for the crucial first down against West L.A. last Saturday at Corsair Stadium. Bloodgood earned All Conference Second team honors. The team finshd the season with a record of 3-6, earning 11 First Team All Conference player awards including quarterback Sam Vaulton who leads the league with 279 passing yards per game.

Jon Putman | The Corsair

O P INIO N

10

NOV. 24, 2021

Building Back Better Means Free Community College Sarah Nachimson | Arts & Entertainment Editor

O

n Monday, Nov. 14, Biden signed into law a historic bipartisan 1 trillion dollar infrastructure bill which the administration coined the “Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.” However, the plan which the house passed was a significantly smaller bill than the administration had initially proposed. In the name of compromise, lots of ideas originally included in the bill were slashed to appeal to hesitant right-wing politicians. One measure cut, days before the bill passed, was free community college tuition for all across the country. That policy, which Biden promised throughout his presidential campaign, is a measure the administration should include in the upcoming “Build Back Better Act” if the president would like to truly build back America better.

Santa Monica College (SMC) student Miguel Gomez, like many others in the community college system, has benefitted immensely from the helpful programs that the institutions offer. At SMC, all full time students are lucky to receive free tuition if they pass all their classes each semester. “College is like, really an alternative for a lot of students who, let's say, a four year is too expensive for," he said in reaction to the infrastructure bill cutting out free community college tuition.

SMC offers various supplemental programs to help students interested in advancing themselves professionally. These include Adelante and SMC Scholars for those who would like to transfer to a four year institution, work studies for those interested in earning extra cash, and Center for Wellness and Wellbeing for those who need some extra personal care.

Making community college free at a national level can help students across the country access these same, extreme-

Marc Federici | The Corsair

A portion of the Santa Monica College Library remains empty on the SMC main campus grounds on Thursday, October 21, 2021 in Santa Monica, Calif.

ly helpful programs that those at SMC already use. Any eligible person, say in Arkansas or Oklahoma, should be able to have the same educational benefits as SMC students without having to pay thousands of dollars a semester.

Plus, free community college was one of the most emphasized promises of the Biden campaign. President Biden's wife, Jill Biden, is herself a community college professor of English. That personal connection is what Biden cited as a reason his administration saw free community college tuition as a priority.

The Biden Administration's approval

rating has tanked recently, with a Nov. 18 Quinnipiac University poll reporting favorable view of the Biden Administration at just 36 percent and disapproval at 53 percent. If Biden wants his own Democratic Party to have any sort of victory in the 2022 midterms and retain the presidency in 2024, then he should stop backpedaling on promises he made when campaigning.

The Biden Administration still has opportunities to deliver on their promises of creating free community college at a national level. Although the “Infrastructure Investment and Jobs

Students enjoy a conversation on Santa Monica College campus on Thursday, October 21, 2021 in Santa Monica, Calif.

Act” cut free community college, they can still pass another bill specifically including it. If Biden wants the best lives for young Americans, and to truly build back America better, he should fulfill his promise to give Americans free community college education in the ambitious “Build Back Better Act.” Students across the country, not just at schools like SMC which already offer free enrollment, should receive that extraordinarily beneficial education at no charge.

Neil O' Loughlin | The Corsair

S P O R TS

11

NOV. 24, 2021

SMC Loses to West L.A. in Last Game of Season

Celso Robles | Sports Editor

Katheryne Menendez | Opinion Editor

O

n Saturday, Nov. 20, the Santa Monica College (SMC) Corsairs lost to the West L.A. College Wildcats after a tense battle for bragging rights on the Corsair Field. The teams initially scheduled the football matchup to take place on Saturday, Oct. 2. The game was postponed after six SMC players tested positive for COVID-19 the week prior.

Subsequently, the rivalry game was rescheduled to close the fall season.

Before kickoff, SMC Defensive Line Coach Charles 'Buck' Andrews spoke on the meaning of Saturday's rivalry game.

"We feel that we're fortunate to [play] this game...we almost lost the opportunity to play against each other,” he said.

Coach Andrews was optimistic about the rescheduled Nov. 20 game.

“We're all looking forward to coming out and doing the best we can," he said.

The Corsairs were unable to start off strongly, and fell to an early 21-3 deficit with 3:24 remaining in the first quarter.

West L.A. secured a lead after scoring three rushing touchdowns on their first three possessions. Both teams traded one touchdown each in the second quarter, making it a 28-10 score at halftime.

After the first half, SMC aimed to climb out of the hole they dug themselves in, but could only put up nine more points. The West L.A. Wildcats added two more touchdowns to the scoreboard, making the final score 4219.

Despite the loss, the Corsairs fought hard, giving their all for a game that was meaningful to many as the last together this season. Sophomore wide receiver Tariq Brown, who scored SMC's final touchdown of the season with 6:15 remaining in the fourth quarter,

Jon Putman | The Corsair Corsairs sophomore runningback Hassan Biggus (32) runs through the row of SMC players as sophomores are announced for their final game against West LA College on Nov. 20, 2021 at Santa Monica College. Biggus recieved All Conference First Team Honors.

explained that this was his final football game playing with the Corsairs.

"We only had seven sophomores, but we had a real bond going with the team and seeing that end is sad but everyone is going off to better places,” he said. ”I'm going to miss these guys.”

Sophomore defensive back Ja'Fari Thomas also reflected on the fall season and what the future holds for him and his team. "I'm just grateful to complete a football season at the age of 24

and still have a year to come back at the JUCO level," said Thomas. "I'm just ready to get back to work, really."

While the fall season has now concluded, Head Coach Kelly Ledwith still plans to find ways to improve the SMC football program in the upcoming off-season. According to Ledwith, COVID-19 created barriers for the team as the time spent training earlier in the spring, and numbers of players allowed to practice in a group, was very limited.

“We want to get more players in after COVID shortened recruiting season," Ledwith said. "Getting back to a full training cycle, and getting these guys physically prepared this off-season will be a big emphasis.” Ledwith also noted that the team will heavily focus on improving their technique.

The Corsairs end the season with a 3-6 record, and the team plans to put in extra work this off-season for more success next year.

Jon Putman | The Corsair

Maxim Elramsisy | The Corsair

Corsairs sophomore runningback Hassan Biggus (32) evades defenders against West LA College on Nov. 20, 2021 at Santa Monica College. Biggus recieved All Conference First Team Honors.

Corsairs sophomore Tariq Brown (10) catches a touchdown pass Nov. 20, 2021 at Santa Monica College.