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sports
Issue 3 • Oct. 9, 2015 • deltacollegian.net
Football no longer pushovers BY ROBERT JUAREZ
rjuarez282@students.deltacollege.edu
PHOTO BY RICHARD REYES
Women score big in tourney BY RICHARD REYES richiereyes9180@gmail.com
After starting the season with some up and downs, the Lady Mustangs Water Polo team found its rhythm in the water by winning seven in a row, including four at the San Diego Mesa Tournament. “We didn’t have a lot of preparation because we had some conference games three weeks prior,” said Head Coach Nathan Varosh. “We were kind of just preparing for those, so everything for the tournament came out of those conference games.” The tournament ran Oct. 2-3. The team picked up its first win by dominating San Diego Miramar with a score of 13-2. In the second game, the women picked up 11 goals during the second and third periods to pull away from the Cerrito Falcons 15-4 “Friday night we went to dinner and we had a nice long meeting about being complacent,” said Varosh. “It was a great team bonding experience. I
think it all kind of clicked.” The ladies pushed aside Palomar College 16-9. The win set up a showdown with tournament host San Diego Mesa. “We were very positive going in. We started off our season really strong so far. I think that we have a lot of confidence in our abilities,” said Sophomore Lauren Plunkett. “Going in, especially in the championship game, we already won three games. We were really pumped.” “We knew we had a tough opponent,” said Dallyce Margion. “It was not going to be easy at all” After a back and forth game that needed overtime to determine a winner, the ladies were able to hang on and defeat the hosting team 9-8. Even with the victory, the team knows there are more games to play this season. “We know teams that we will be playing the next few weeks will be competitive just like Mesa,” said Margion. “We are taking that as we can work together by coming out strong, finishing strong.”
At 2-3 the Delta College Mustangs football season has seen much improvement from seasons past so far. However, inconsistency seems to be the team’s main flaw. After opening the season by upsetting the No. 20 ranked Santa Rosa College (3-2) on the road, the Mustangs then dropped back-to-back games to the College of Siskiyous (3-2) and American River (3-2). The team then shook up the California Community College Athletic Association rankings by stunning the No. 2 ranked team, the San Mateo Bulldogs. The player’s confidence was high going into last week’s game against the Butte RoadRunners (2-3) a team who had lost three of its first four games. “I feel like after that last win we really came together as a team,” said wide receiver Alec Von Alvensleben who has 21 receptions, for 308 yards and one touchdown.
“The locker room’s pretty live, it’s pretty upbeat, we’re feeling pretty good coming off a big win,” said running back Evan Owens. “We have to focus on the task at hand and that’s Butte.” Evans has done his part by putting up an average of 96 rushing yards per game while scoring five touchdowns. Unfortunately the Mustangs were defeated by the Roadrunners 34-19. After being tied at 13 at halftime, Butte scored 14-points in the third quarter and it proved to be enough. Delta’s quarterback, Arnold Kimball, completed 26 of 44 passes for 303 yards, two touchdowns with one interception. Owens rushed 18 times for 127 yards and scored a touchdown. Von Alvensleben hauled in six passes for 144 yards and a touchdown of his own. Delta will look to get back on track against the Chabot Gladiators (3-2) at Lawrence A. DeRicco Field on Oct. 17, with kick-off slated at 1 p.m.
Heat rises in Stockton
BY ANGEL GUERRERO deltacollegian@gmail.com
Professional hockey has been prominent in Stockton, California since 2005 when the Stockton Thunder of the East Coast Hockey League came to the 209. Ten years later and a new era will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Oct.10 in the form of the Stockton Heat of the American Hockey League and its inaugural season opener against the Rockford Icehogs at Stockton Arena. “I think that it’s really impressive that this city has embraced hockey as they have and I definitely think this is a hockey town,” said Brandon Kisker, director of broadcasting and media relations for the Stockton Heat. “The Thunder when they first came into the league, they led the league in attendance and there’s so many great places that the ECHL is in and it’s just so surprising to see that.” Fans are reacting positively to the transition from the Thunder to the Heat.The Heat who were known as the Adirondack Flames last year, are owned by the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League, sent 24 players to the NHL last year. The Thunder sent 25 in the team’s 10 years.
One of the things that may excite Stockton fans about this change over, is that a player could be playing in Stockton one night, and immediately be called up to Calgary playing in a game the next night, according to Kisker. One of the big upcoming event for the Heat, is competing in the first AHL outside game in two years on Dec. 18 at Raley Field against the team’s biggest rival, the Bakersfield Condors. In the Thunder’s decade-long stay in Stockton, the team compiled a record that consisted of 310 wins, 328 losses, 36 overtime losses and 46 shootout losses to go along with eight trips to the playoffs according to hockeydb.com. Stockton fan favorite Garet Hunt captained the Thunder for the final three seasons, and is currently taking part in a professional tryout in order to earn a spot on the Heat roster. “It’s just huge support, you know,” said Hunt. “They’re the reason I keep coming back yearafter-year. I love the city and they couldn’t be better to me, making me feel at home.” Heat Head Coach Ryan Huska said Hunt’s preseason performance is promising.
“He’s had two very good games, I can say that. He’s played really well right now. His first shift tonight, he had a big body check that got our bench going and then he followed up with a goal his next shift and then last night, it’s been documented how well he played last night so he’s done well,” said Huska. Fans of Stockton hockey will pay attention to the roster situation in regards to Hunt, but expect an understanding response either way. “I think our fans understand the game,” said Kisker. “I think our fans understand the business as well. I think that’s also one of the toughest things to understand, is the business side of hockey and the fact that some of your favorite players might get called up or traded.” What can the fans expect from the Heat in the inaugural season? “… I think they’re in for a real treat because this is just another step in the progression of growing the sport and growing more intelligent hockey fans because the American Hockey League is arguably the second greatest league in the entire world in terms of talent,” said Kisker.
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