Issuu

Hammond, LA

Februaury 23, 2021

S O U T H E A S T E R N L O U I S IA NA U N I V E R S I T Y

Lions Cross Country has historic weekend SYMIAH DORSEY Staff Reporter

The Southeastern men’s cross country team made history this weekend as they claimed their first ever conference championship on university record. Senior Shea Foster set an all-time Southland Conference record as he finished with a time of 22:41.16 in the men’s 8k race. On Sunday, Feb. 21, the 2020 Southland Conference Championship started and finished on Ned McGehee Drive. In the 56 years of the race, the Lions’ win was also the second largest margin of victory (77) in championship history. Five Lions finished in the top 11. Following Foster, senior Grant O’Callaghan placed fifth, senior Adam Cortez placed eighth, sophomore Bradley Makuvire placed 10th and senior Anthony Cordero took 11th. Foster was the first to Over the weekend Southeastern’s Men’s Cross Country team finished first place in the Southland Conference Tournament for the first time in program history. Shea Foster, senior distance runner, broke yet another school set a new record high in the record in back to back meets. Courtesy of Sports Information Conference since 2014, but what many may not know is injury last year. in July. With my knee injury—I they said I was going to be out told them, ‘You’re lying,’ and that he sustained a severe knee “I got in a bad car accident had surgery in September— for four months, no running. I I was right. I did whatever I see CROSS COUNTRY, pg. 6

The meet was held at Southeastern after the area recorded record breaking low temps on Mardi Gras day. Head coach of cross country, Corey Mistretta led the Lions to their first ever Southland Conference title in school history. After the season senior distance runner Shea Foster plans to attend Oklahoma State University to run Cross Country and Track and Field. Courtesy of Sports Information.

Heather Zumo opens senior season with no-hitter BRYNN LUNDY Staff Reporter

Senior pitcher Heather Zumo began her final season with the Lady Lions by throwing a nohitter against South Dakota in the Lion Classic tournament, allowing the team to secure the first win of the 2021 season. The Baton Rouge native transferred from LSU Eunice after the 2019 season, where she was an All-Region pitcher. She helped the Lady Bengals win a national championship, finished 20-2 with a 2.77 earned run average as a sophomore, and recorded 177 strikeouts as a freshman. Game one in the Lion Classic was the team’s first time playing in 336 days after last season was cut short. Zumo said it felt good to compete again, and she is looking forward to her final

season. “I feel like I have improved a lot within the past year or so, but I think being more aware of focusing in more and having a better mindset, and also just realizing this is my last go-round and just to compete more and give it my all every single pitch,” Zumo said. The state experienced recordlow temperatures the week of the opening tournament. Zumo explained how she stayed focused while pitching outdoors in the freezing weather. “Although it was really cold outside, I feel like I’ve never pitched in that cold degree weather before, but I think I just had to face adversity and fight through it even though it was super cold. Just keep my blood flowing the whole time and just really focused on hitting my spots, and I think I did that well,”

Senior pitcher, Heather Zumo pitched the seventh no-hitter in Southeastern history against South Dakota in the Lady Lions opening weekend series. The Baton Rouge native transferred from LSU Eunice after the 2019 season, where she was an All-Region pitcher. She helped the Lady Bengals win a national championship, finished 20-2 with a 2.77 earned run average as a sophomore, and recorded 177 strikeouts as a freshman. Courtesy of Sports Information. Weather

Tuesday H 70 L 41

Index

Wednesday H 73 L 55

Campus Life.................................2 Opinions.....................................3 A&E............................................4

Sports.........................................5 News..........................................6

Stay Connected With Us! Like and follow @lionsroarnews.

Volume 92, Issue 16 A Student Publication www.lionsroarnews.com lionsroar@southeastern.edu

Page 2 | February 23, 2021

The Lion’s Roar | Campus Life

It’s Crunch Time with Adam and Shea: How a love for sports led to lifelong friendship SYMIAH DORSEY Staff Reporter

Through a shared love for sports and a weekly radio show, two athletes have formed a bond that will live long after their time as teammates. Track and cross country runners Adam Cortez and Shea Foster are co-hosts of “Crunch Time Sports with Adam and Shea,” a KSLU talk show that goes live every Tuesday at 7 p.m. The 60-minute segment shows that Cortez and Foster are not only sports fanatics, but also best friends. Foster first met Cortez after a series of unfortunate events led him to Hammond. Previously a student at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, Foster suffered a broken kneecap that led him to believe he would never run again. He found Southeastern by chance after searching for scholarships. He said, “I had to look it up on Google, I didn’t know where Hammond was. I was honestly kind of nervous. I didn’t know anyone. I just came here for school, and after a semester I was like ‘man, I need to get back to do something I love.’” Upon joining Southeastern athletics as a walk-on, Foster said he found more than a team. He found a friend who pushed him to become a better runner. “I was trying to get back to running, and he was in tiptop shape. We went on our first 45-minute run together, and that was the first time I met Adam. Just talking to him, I

was like ‘holy smokes, I have a long way to go.’ From that point on, I was just trying to get in as good shape as him, and that just started our friendship,” Foster said. Foster knew Cortez as a good athlete, but as a communication major, Cortez also had a passion for media. After becoming the first student to ever manage music at the KSLU radio station, all that was left for Cortez to do was integrate his love for sports into the world of broadcasting. He decided to invite Foster along for the ride. “I knew I needed to start a sports show because I didn’t want to lose touch with what made me fall in love with broadcasting in the first place. Shea was the natural pick. I texted him and was like ‘hey man, do you want to start a show?’ and that was literally it. We just took off and every week it got better from there,” Foster said. Cortez admitted he was hesitant at first to let other people into his love for broadcasting. “It was really hard for me to let friends into broadcasting because I felt like that was my safe space. I could get beat in track and cross country, but I would not let anyone beat me in broadcasting. Selfishly, I wanted that to be my thing, but it is so much more enjoyable now because I share it with people I really love, and that bled into running as well,” Cortez said.

Track and cross country runners Adam Cortez and Shea Foster are co-hosts of “Crunch Time Sports with Adam and Shea,” a KSLU talk show that goes live every Tuesday at 7 p.m. The 60-minute segment shows that Cortez and Foster are not only sports fanatics, but also best friends. Symiah Dorsey/The Lion’s Roar Each week, Cortez and Foster fill their radio time slot with discussions they described as friendly banter. Whether it is NBA, NFL or NCAA, the two have always found something to debate. “We talk about sports, and we will argue all the time. It’s a healthy type of arguing. We’re always trying to convince the other person, and sometimes,

I’m like ‘oh wow, maybe he is right.’ It’s that competitive spirit we have, and it’s kind of our lifestyle. I think Adam will be one of the best ESPN broadcasters someday, if you ask me,” Foster said. Co-hosting a weekly show has been a growing experience for both athletes. Through his friendship with Foster, Cortez learned how to

prioritize his personal growth on and off the track. He said the lessons he has gained from Foster are lessons that will last him a lifetime. “Now it doesn’t really matter if I’m first or fifth, it matters if I’m maximizing what I can do and maximizing what I bring to the team. I definitely didn’t have that perspective before I met Shea. Our friendship

has made me a better person, a better teammate, a better broadcaster, and I think that will continue for the rest of my life.” For Foster, the bond is mutual. “I see Adam standing at my wedding one day. That’s the bond this has made. It’s more than being just another division one athlete, it’s real friendship.”

“Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” to run March 2-5 ELANA GUILLORY Staff Reporter

Next month the theatre department will bring life to a new performance based on a centuryold tale with a modern twist. They will perform “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” March 2-5 at 7:30 pm. Chad Winters, instructor of theatre, elaborated on the plot of this production. “The story is adapted from Robert Louis Stevenson’s novella, allowing our community to experience this ageless story in a new and fresh way. Glyn Maxwell has adapted the story for the stage with some fun twists. Unlike the novella, this stage adaptation has a strong female presence. In the original story Lady Gabrielle Utterson is Gabriel John Utterson, a close loyal friend of Jekyll,” Winters described. DeJuan James, a senior and elementary-education major, was cast as Jekyll. He agreed with Winters on the fun nature of the show. “I think that this new tale puts a fresh spin on the classic tale, and I believe audiences will really enjoy the direction that this story will take them. There’s atmosphere, there’s drama, there’s humor; a bit of something for everyone,” James said. Hayden Kimball, the psychology graduate student cast as Hyde, echoed a similar sentiment on the refurbished storyline. “It’s a new spin on a timeless classic. Everyone is familiar with the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. There should be an aura of familiarity among the characters, while also adding a whole unique experience for the viewer,” Kimball noted. Although COVID-19 precautions halted the start of rehearsals early on, James said it did not stop the six-member cast Next month the theatre department will bring life to a new performance based on a century-old tale with a modern twist. They will perform “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” from proceeding with the show. “Early in the process, some of March 2-5 at 7:30 pm. File Photo/The Lion’s Roar our cast and management team had to quarantine, so it took some

time for us to all to be together in the same room, but once we got there, we hit the ground running,” James explained. Kimball added that patience has been of the essence while rehearsing with protective COVID-19 gear. “We have to wear face shields at rehearsal, which makes things that are normally taken for granted very difficult. Even with the shields, our voices are still muffled, and so hearing cue lines is quite challenging, especially when off stage waiting for a cue. However, everyone has been so patient, and we’ve gotten used to it to the point where that isn’t a problem anymore,” Kimball said. Kimball said receiving the role of Mr. Hyde fulfilled one of his lifelong dreams and was a great way to finish his Southeastern career. “This my last semester as a student here at SELU, and I’m such a big fan of the story I just had to audition. When I found out I got the part of Mr. Hyde, it was a dream come true because he was always on my bucket list of roles I wanted to play. Plus, I get to work with some amazing individuals. It’s a great way to cap off my six year run as a student here,” said Kimball. James added that he looks forward to working with his castmates regularly. “My favorite aspect of this show, as with other shows I’ve done, is getting to work with such an amazing cast. Seeing them every day makes it easier to want to give 200 percent every time,” said James. Kimball left a message of gratitude for the production. “I’m so happy to be a part of this. Mr. Hyde is a dream character for me, and I’m blessed to be on this journey with some great castmates, crew and an awesome director. Come see the show March 2-5. You won’t regret it,” concluded Kimball.

Opinions | The Lion’s Roar

February 23, 2021 | Page 3

Sia’s new movie “Music” is boring and offensive I’m not sure what Sia was using when creating the idea for her new movie “Music,” but it certainly wasn’t her head. Pop singer Sia co-wrote “Music” -- a tone-deaf film about a now Hannah Juneau sober woman Staff Reporter named Zu (played by Kate Hudson) who finds out that her grandmother died, and she must take care of her autistic half sister Music (played by Maddie Ziegler). Common critiques of the movie are that Ziegler plays an autistic character when she is not autistic, and it is not played well. I agree with that. While I have no personal experience with autism other than a friend from elementary school, Ziegler’s interpretation of autism was uneventful. She constantly made sounds, and her mouth was wide open for the majority of the movie as she made strange facial expressions. From my understanding, that is not how an autistic person acts. While I did appreciate the intended plot of the movie, I wish Sia would have casted someone else to play Music.

Throughout the entire film, Music cannot express herself with words, so she often drifts into an imaginary world where she is running through a cotton candy land away from a man dressed as a shaggy dog. She is seen wearing giant headphones, and her hair is in braids. I like the concept of Music using music to cope with her autism and to create a fantasy world in which she is dancing and singing along to the song she hears, and I like the idea that she brings other people into that world whenever she looks at them -- forming a music video inside of her head. What I don’t like about that, however, is that anytime the music begins to get serious, it will switch to Music dreaming about the cotton candy land while a random poppy song by Sia plays. The only consistently good thing about the movie, in my opinion, would have to be Hamilton actor Leslie Odom Jr. He plays an African character named Ebo who understands Music’s troubles and shares his culture with her and Zu. The only songs I truly enjoyed hearing were his songs because he has a wonderful voice, and the visions were beautiful. I loved

hearing him sing next to Kate Hudson, and I definitely looked up from my phone when I would hear him play the piano or sing a tune. While there were some tear-

jerking scenes near the end of the movie, I’m not sure if everyone would cry -- I’m just an emotional person. Overall, I am not a fan of

the movie, but the music is fine. I’m mainly just extremely disappointed in Sia for thinking this depiction of autism was okay and even more disappointed to find

out her response to the criticism was “watch the movie before you decide you don’t like it.” Well, I watched the movie, and I didn’t like it.

Madam CJ Walker: The world’s first female millionaire Louisiana-born Madam C.J. Walker made way as the first Black, female, self-made millionaire, in the heart of a time where it didn’t seem possible. Born on Elana Guillory Dec. 23, Staff Reporter 1867 from previously enslaved parents, Walker had to build herself up from scratch. She was the first child in her family to be born free. Walker’s mother passed away in 1874 and her father in 1875, when she was only 7 years old. As a result, Walker moved in with her sister and an abusive brother-in-law, which she later escaped from by marrying at 14. Walker worked as a washerwoman in St. Louis after becoming widowed. The job allowed her to make enough money to send her daughter to

school. Walker experienced a series of hair loss and other scalp ailments, which led her to create a hair care routine that worked

for her. Through developing her own system, she turned her hair care routine into a business to help people like her. With shameless self-

promoting, grit and determination, Walker grew her business. She employed 25,000 American women to go door to door and sell products

like Walker’s Wonderful Hair Grower, Temple Salve and Glossine. A beauty school was then started by the entrepreneur, and she made many contributions to different philanthropic organizations. Madam C.J. is courageous in that she relentlessly pursued what she believed would, and did, help millions of Black women across America. Not only did she help women with her products, but she also provided jobs for thousands of women and inspired them to pursue their dreams despite obstacles. “She established clubs for her employees, encouraging them to give back to their communities and rewarding them with bonuses when they did,” according to History.com. “She donated generously to educational causes and Black charities, funding scholarships for women at Tuskegee Institute and donating to the NAACP,

the Black YMCA and dozens of other organizations.” Madam C.J. left a legacy that still inspires millions of women across the world. Her story serves as a reminder that with perseverance and faith in oneself, anything is achievable. She was the first female millionaire in the world, and without any professional experience, was able to market and brand herself. Her great-greatgranddaughter, A’Leila Bundles, believed that she intentionally empowered women through her business. “In the process, it wasn’t just about building a business, it was about empowering women,” Bundles said in an interview with NBC. “And that legacy of empowering women, educating women, helping them to become economically independent is something that became legend in the Black community.”

Our freedom of expression gives us the duty to make a difference On Feb. 26, student journalists everywhere get to celebrate and advocate for their freedom of expression in the form of published news media on campuses around the nation. Brynn Lundy The theme Staff Reporter for this year’s Student Press Freedom Day is “Journalism Against the Odds.” It will be of the utmost significance for student journalists after enduring almost 365 days of unprecedented circumstances, hardships and pushbacks. Last March, The Lion’s Roar, being one of many, halted its weekly printing and distribution of newspapers after the campus experienced a mass exodus due to the pandemic outbreak, and we have yet to revive that routine. In many ways, the paper has flourished. We have shifted our focus to our online publications at lionsroarnews.com, our social media presence, and the

promotion of our app, College News Source. We have gained traffic on our digital platforms and overall grown our audience. The reason we were able to continue our processes, write about the myriad of experiences throughout the community, address every story idea we felt was newsworthy is because of the freedoms we have as student journalists to produce publications in the interest of and as watchdogs for the student body. The reason I am able to write this opinion piece and publish it online free from censorship and for all of campus to see is because of student press freedom laws. While our staff has not experienced targeted censorship when writing about hard-hitting news and holding the university and community accountable over the past year, other high school and college newspapers across the country have had to deal with such issues. The Student Press Law Center addressed one incident last June

when student journalists from Ohio State University were forcefully confronted by police while lawfully covering a protest in Columbus. The SPLC, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education and the College

Policies and Procedures The Lion’s Roar is the official newspaper of the students of Southeastern Louisiana University. It has been in continuous publication since 1937. Submissions and letters to the editor are welcomed, but the editor of The Lion’s Roar reserves the right to edit all submissions for grammar, libel and available space, or refuse publication without notification. Submissions must include the author’s full name and either phone number, e-mail or other contact information (not to be published). Faculty and staff members should include their title and department. Students should include their classification and major. By submitting an article for publication, the author understands that the submission will be edited. Organizational News space is provided at no charge as a courtesy for university recognized Greek and Student Organizations. The space of such articles is limited to 150 words. Submissions of this Organizational News must adhere to the same polices as other submissions or letters to the editor, but must also include the name of the organization.

All views expressed in The Lion’s Roar are those of the author or, if unsigned, those of the staff of The Lion’s Roar. These views should not be interpreted as the views of the administration, faculty or students of Southeastern Louisiana University. A single issue of The Lion’s Roar is free. Additional copies may be purchased for 50 cents in the Student Union suite 1303. Annual mail subscriptions are $35 within the continental U.S. The Lion’s Roar, in its print form, and associated online or digital versions, are designated public forums. Student editors have the authority to make content decisions without censorship or prior approval. The Lion’s Roar also defends the rights of student journalists relative to freedom of speech and press as stated in Amendment I of the Constitution of the United States of America. The Lion’s Roar is published through the Office of Student Publications, part of the Division for Student Affairs. It is published weekly during regular semesters and monthly during the summer semester.

Media Association wrote a letter urging the university’s president to take a stand for student news media and also sent a copy to the chief of police. Incidents like this occurred in abundance last year and continue

Staff Editor-in-Chief - Gerard Borne, Jr. Office Assistant - Ashlyn Harris Graduate Assistant - Alyssa Larose Administrative Assistant - Gemma Carter Coordinator - Lorraine Peppo Director - Dr. Lee E. Lind

to happen. SPLC.org says “only 14 states have laws protecting student press freedom.” SPLC describes the jobs of student journalists as an essential service because they provide information and act as a voice for

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communities. The SPLC protects and defends student journalists from unconstitutional censorship and other behavior, but we should also be fighting for ourselves. Issues such as these do not only affect the students who are on publications’ staffs. The entire campus community is impacted. When a student outside of staff reaches out to the publication seeking to get an important story out there and administrators attempt to prevent it, that is when lines are crossed. The Freedom of Expression is not exclusive to “adults,” people out of college, professionals, etc. We have a voice too, and we deserve to be heard. We deserve to help others be heard. We must not compromise our own integrity to protect reputations. It may get complicated, but we should keep fighting. If you are dealing with attacks on your freedom of expression, keep publishing stories your campus community deserves to know. You are doing Telephone Numbers 985-549-3527 (newsroom) 985-549-3842 (fax) 985-549-3748 (advertising) 985-549-3731 (Student Publications)

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Page 4 | February 23, 2021

The Lion’s Roar | Arts & Entertainment

Wearable arts fashion show seeking models, designers and crew members

Professional costume designs and assitant professor Christine Cook displays her design from an independent project titled ‘The Light Box’. She plans to submit a new design for the Wearable Arts Fashion Show. Courtesy of Christine Cook/The Lion’s Roar SYMIAH DORSEY Staff Reporter

The search for the next Alexander McQueen is on as the university revs up the runway for its latest contemporary fashion show. Hosted by the Department of Visual Arts + Design, the Wearable Arts Fashion Show is set to take place on March 18 in the Vonnie Borden Theatre. The event is still welcoming new participants to model, assist in production or even design a creation of their own. As a prize, the top three looks will be presented in the Contemporary Art Gallery. Christine Crook, faculty advisor for the show, said she is enjoying her second semester on campus as assistant professor of costume design and makeup technology. According to Crook, the fashion show is an opportunity to not only integrate different art disciplines but also to diversify student engagement. “I’m seeing that there can be a disconnect between all of the various studies and artistic disciplines in our department, and this is a way to invite community and connection between disciplines that might not be normally interacting. Also, it’s a way to invite

other students who may not even be studying art or fashion,” Crook said. The Wearable Arts Fashion Show made its university debut in 2019 at the Contemporary Art Gallery. Although campus closure prevented last year’s production from occurring, senior art major Nathaniel Britton is determined to bring the runway back to life. As creative director, Britton said he looks forward to seeing the show come together. “We have such incredible designers from the art department, really intelligent people who have a great eye for art and fashion. We have so many people from different backgrounds all over the school, it’s just so many people bringing their own take on what wearable art is. It’s going to be magical,” Britton said. Britton plans to submit his own design for the show, which will also serve his senior thesis. He described what the term “wearable art” means to him. “It is a mix between fashion and visual arts. You can take the route of where your base is visual art and you incorporate fashion into it, like taking a sculpture and making it wearable. Or, you can take fashion and elevate it using art concepts. It’s so open, and that’s what makes it so electric,” Britton said. As a professional costume designer, Crook also looks forward

to submitting a new design of her own, a design that incorporates the use of old discarded wigs from previous university plays. Crook described wearable art as abstract and conversational, allowing designers to address real-world topics in expressive ways. “With wearable art, there is so much room to be abstract and poetic or even create a political message. I know there are some artists creating pieces that are reflecting on the pandemic, sexual assault and some other deeper issues. Art really has this wonderful way of being able to create awareness and conversation,” she said. Britton believes this is an event students and members of the community will not want to miss out on. “It’s a rare event. Some people may never experience something like this again. It’s such a collaboration of visual art and fashion and modelling—so many bits and pieces go into putting on this event. It’s not something you see every day, so I just think it can be a really great experience to anyone who wants to participate,” he said. Those interested in participating in the Wearable Arts Fashion Show are encouraged to contact Britton at nathaniel.britton@ selu.edu.

SGA and MISA to honor Black History Month in Exhibition ELANA GUILLORY Staff Reporter

In honor of the 51st Black History Month, students and faculty at the university are invited to participate in an artistic exhibit of African American Culture. This month, the Office of Multicultural and International Student Affairs and the Student Government Association are collaborating to organize “Exhibiting African American Culture.” The exhibition will be held on Feb. 24 in Student Union rooms 2202, 2203, 2204, 2207 and 2208. According to Brendan Daigle, SGA coordinator, “Attendees can expect to see visual and performing art created by African Americans and/or with African American culture as the subject matter. There will also be a speaker presenting on the topic.” Multicultural and International Student Affairs Programming Specialist Kourtni Harris came up with the idea to host the exhibit. She described why she decided to make it a reality. “I originally came up with the idea, but I was able to fully execute everything with the help of the Student Government Association and Multicultural and International Student Affairs. I wanted to give our students and campus a visual representation of what African American Culture is along with a talent portion and a guest speaker,” Harris said.

The exhibit will feature visual art from students at the university. “The exhibit will be art from our Southeastern students. The art will be displayed in different forms such as paintings, digital design and sculptures. Everything will be based on African American Culture,” Harris added. Registration will be available via QR codes that will be on event flyers, as well as through a link that will be on the organizations’ Linktrees. Daigle described who can submit pieces to the exhibition, and how they can submit their pieces. “African American visual artists or artists who have pieces with African American culture as a focus can contact us if they are interested in having their art featured in the exhibit,” Daigle said. According to Harris, many people have assisted in creating the exhibit; including Mattie Hawkins, Brendan Daigle, L’Oreal Williams, Darnell Butler and Madi Sunde. “People should attend the event to gain some knowledge about the many creative contributions of African Americans and to enjoy the art and performance,” Daigle said. For more details, students can get in touch with SGA and MISA via Instagram (@southeastern_ This month, the Office of Multicultural and International Student Affairs and the Student Government Association are collaborating to organize “Exhibiting African SGA, @southeasternmisa) or via American Culture.” . Photographer Name/The Lion’s Roar email.

Sports | The Lion’s Roar

February 23, 2021 | Page 5

Baseball blows out Mississippi Valley State in opener

In their season opener, the Lions baseball team completed a sweep across three games against Mississippi Valley State Feb. 20-21 at a home game at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni FIeld. The doubleheader game on Saturday saw the Lions win the series with scoring 26-0 for their first game and 23-0 for their second game. The Lions completed their sweep Sunday, scoring 17-0. In the first game, starting pitcher Trey Shaffer did not give Mississippi Valley batters a chance, striking out 12 batters in the first five innings - all but clinching the win. On the offense, almost every Lion in the starting lineup earned a hit. For their last game, the Lions remained strong on both offense and defense with starting pitcher Grant Upton gaining five no-hit innings and six Lions having multi-hit performances on the offensive. Lions head coach Matt Riser said he thought his team did very well for their season opener and praised the Mississippi Valley State team for still being able to come out and play even when faced

with harsh weather conditions throughout the week. “I thought we pitched well and played good defense and hit and run base well. It was good to finally play someone else,” said Riser. “Kudos to Valley and their men, they had a rough week with the weather, it’s been iced over and snowed over and we have been outside all week but they have found a way to get down here and made sure the guys played, so it was good to see them.” Even though their season was cut short due to the pandemic last year, the Lions had held a series of intrasquad scrimmages and trained all of the fall semester. Riser gave his thoughts on how this prepared his team for this season. “We got to identify the new pieces coming in, I think the returners obviously did a good job of starting to learn to assist and the time that they had off they did a good job of not just standing there stagnant, they made sure they were ready for the fall and kudos to our administration and North Oaks making sure we were safe and able to get back on campus and be as normal as possible,” Riser said. The Lions gear for their next game against the University of Arizona Wildcats Thursday, Feb. 25 at 7 p.m.

Lady Lions Tennis squad defeats LSU-Alexandria 6-1 in home opener

The university women’s tennis team claimed its first home victory with a 6-1 non-conference win against LSU Alexandria on Feb. 21. Shattering a three-match losing streak, the Lady Lions (2-3) swept the Generals in all three doubles matches and five of six singles matches. The match counted as an exhibition for the Generals. The Lady Lions’ domination began early in the doubles round, where sophomore Putri Insani and junior Ximena Yanez earned a 6-0 win on the No. 1 court. On No. 2, sophomore Flory Bierma and freshman Annemart Kleijn also soared past their

opponents 6-0. Junior Katya Cornejo and freshman Polina Sleptsova finished the sweep in the No. 3 spot with a 6-1 victory. After starting her match flustered by the six mph winds, Insani regained her composure and fought harder for the team. “I feel like I was struggling in my early game because I was kind of overwhelmed by everything. Yesterday, I was playing a higher-paced match, and today it was really windy and it was all a different pace than yesterday, but I am happy I was able to overcome it. I was proud that I could come out of the struggle. We were pretty loud and pretty aggressive today, so it was a good match,” Insani said. The team achieved similar success in the singles

round. Insani put forth a 6-3, 6-0 victory on the No. 1 court, freshman Ariadna Perez earned her first collegiate singles win with 6-3,6-0 score on No. 6 and freshman Teodora Mitrovic secured the team win with a 6-2,6-4 victory on No. 3. The other singles matches went to three sets. “We had really good body language, and we were really positive. I felt that we fought really well today, and I think we’re all just excited to get the season started for conference play,” said Assistant Tennis Coach Dalina Dahlmans. Dahlmans said the team will prioritize conditioning as they prepare for the Southland Conference schedule. “We’ve been working really hard on conditioning,”

she said. “I think we can always improve a little bit more to get them as fit as we can before we start our first conference match because we know those will be long matches and long weekends ahead, so conditioning is our top priority.” Despite multiple schedule interruptions with postponed and cancelled games, Dahlmans believes the team is closer and stronger than before. “It honestly brought us closer because we’re all in this together at this point. Unfortunately, we cannot change what is happening in the world, but we can prepare ourselves as best as possible to get back right at it when we’re fit again,” Dahlmans said. The team will close out its pre-conference schedule on Feb. 23 as they travel to UL Lafayette for a 6 p.m.

Page 6 | February 23, 2021

The Lion’s Roar | News

Editorial

Put a freeze on crushing Cruz’s Cancun trip Over the past week Republican Texas senator Ted Cruz took a family trip to Cancun, Mexico and received a lot of hate from the public for doing so during a historic winter storm in his home state. The Texas senator was caught leaving on Gerard Borne Wednesday, Feb. 17 Editori-in-Cheif and received a lot of heat from both sides of the political spectrum. Social media backlash came after most of Texas was out of power during the hard freeze. When asked about the situation Cruz claimed, “I was just trying to be a good Dad.” Cruz later came out and claimed it was a mistake and claimed that he has a “Big responsibility” in Texas and should have had second thoughts about the situation. In my eyes I agree with Cruz in that

being there for his home state was a big responsibility and he should have had second thoughts on the trip, but on the other hand I don’t have much of a problem with it at all. Putting emotions and feelings to the side and looking at the facts, Cruz was evacuating the state because of the bad weather and conditions that were on its way, but most people did not see that. People saw that he was leaving Texas for dead and heading on a beach trip. As a man one of your many responsibilities is to provide and protect for your family, and Cruz was also ultimately doing that. Did it look good on his behalf that he was going to Cancun in particular? No, but whose place is it to judge where someone evacuates to. During Hurricane Katrina my family and I evacuated to Destin, Florida, should my family be persecuted for doing the same? No, not at all, my Mom and Dad were doing

the one thing that every parent should do, protect their family. I would have done the same thing if I was in Cruz’s situation. Although I do not oppose Cruz’s decision, I see why the people of Texas were upset with their senator, he shouldn’t have left the state during the historic winter storm. Also on the other hand, if he would’ve stayed in Texas what could he have done to stop the storm or make things better? In my eyes it’s the same fashion as a hurricane, you know bad weather is coming so leave to a safer area. Cruz ultimately flew back to Texas the following day on Thursday where he apologized. Everyone makes mistakes, so why crucify Cruz for this mistake when he came back and fixed things. The man apologized for his mistakes and now its time people forgive him and we move on from

In this image from video, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, walks to check in for his flight back to the U.S., at Cancun International Airport in Cancun, Mexico, Thursday, Feb. 18, 2021. AP Photo/Dan Christian Rojas this minor infraction. every father should do the same as he At the end of the day it did not look was protecting his family. particularly well on Cruz to skip town while his state was suffering, but as

Gun store operator says shooter refused to unload

METAIRIE, La. (AP) — A shootout that left three people dead and wounded two more at a Louisiana gun store and shooting range began when a customer refused to unload his weapon, an operator of the store said. The Jefferson Parish coroner said 47-year-old Herbert “Noah” Fischbach, of Jefferson, 59-year-old Veronica Billiot, of Belle Chasse, and 27-year-old Joshua Jamal Williams, of New Orleans were killed in the shootout Saturday afternoon at Jefferson Gun Outlet in Metairie. Sheriff Joseph Lopinto previously said the shooter initially struck two people inside, and then several other people — whether employees or store customers — opened fire on the shooter, both inside and outside of the building. Lopinto said two other people also were hit by gunfire and were hospitalized in stable condition. Michael Mayer, an executive at the gun outlet, identified Williams as the shooter. He told The Times-Picayune/ The New Orleans Advocate that Williams entered the store in the New Orleans suburb on Saturday with a loaded firearm and was asked to unload by a

compliance officer. Mayer said Williams “became agitated by the request and pulled his gun out of his pants and started firing.” He said employees and customers returned fire and “eliminated the threat.” Mayer also said he was limited in what he could tell news outlets as the investigation is still ongoing. Herbert Fischbach’s wife Nancy also confirmed that he was one of the three killed. She said Fischbach was a

special effects specialist and an armorer, who supervised weapon usage on film sets. Nancy Fischbach said her husband had been working at the gun shop because of COVID-19 restrictions on the film industry. She believes he died helping people inside the store. “He helped people,” Fischbach said. “He bent over backwards for everybody...he Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives: ATF investigators look at would not hurt anybody unless evidence at the scene of a multiple fatality shooting at the Jefferson Gun Outlet in Metairie, La. Saturday, Feb. 20, 2021. A person went into a gun store and shooting range in a New Orleans suburb and fatally shot two people Saturday, causing they did something wrong.” customers and staff to open fire on the shooter, said a sheriff. The shooter also died. AP Photo/Matthew Hinton

CROSS COUNTRY

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could. I was going to treatment four to five times a day. It wasn’t pretty, but I ended up starting to run again in like 16 days. I still have some problems, but it’s way better than not running,” Foster said. Foster described the moment he was able to share the victory with his loved ones. “It was awesome. For it to be at our home course in front of everyone who has been along this journey with the team, and my mom and my sister came to watch, along with a lot of people who have just seen all of us grow as runners and as people, it was really cool just having that moment with everyone I care about,” he said. Foster ran back to cheer on his teammates as soon as he crossed the finish line, according to his teammate Cortez. “Shea talked in his interview after the race about how even though he finished and won and broke all these records, when he finished nothing really mattered except ‘Where are my teammates?’ He just won the Conference, and the first thing he did was turn around and check where all of us were,” Cortez said. Cortez said he felt confident in his team’s ability to win, but that did not make the moment any less special. “We talked last week about how if we just did what we were capable of doing, we were going to win. There was a weird calmness in it. It didn’t really sink in until I went home and I was looking at the results and holding the trophy. It was pretty special, especially going out as a senior. Our team has struggled so much in the past, and to do it with that group of guys, it was pretty special,” Cortez said. With the championship under their belt, Foster mentioned the team might have a shot at nationals. “This was something that meant a lot to all of us. We sacrificed a ton. It might not even be our last race. There’s word going around that we might have a chance to make it to nationals as a team,” Foster said. Next in his journey, Foster will continue running and pursue his master’s degree as he transfers to the University of Oklahoma. He said his Hammond family will always have a place in his heart. “Southeastern is one of the best things to ever happen to me. I didn’t think much of it when I first came here. The group of guys we have on the team—it’s truly amazing. Yeah, we were trying to win, but when you have that much fun, it doesn’t feel like a job. You’re just there with the boys,” Foster said. Cortez reflected on his past four years on the team, sharing similar sentiments to Foster. “We’ve been running together for years, and we’ve put so many miles in and we’ve failed over and over again and set these high goals, and just doing it as a senior, it was really poetic. It was one of those moments that I’ll look back on fondly for the rest of my life.”

Shea Foster, senior distance runner. courtesy of Sports Information

today. “I think everybody is so uplifting and positive and we all work together as a team, and it just pushed everyone else a bit more,” she said. Zumo has another year left of school but will not be returning to the team next season. As a transfer, Zumo said she was initially nervous about joining the team. Now, she considers the softball program family and encourages future Lady Lions to enjoy the experience. She said, “Any advice I would give to anybody is definitely take the chance if you have the opportunity, and statistically, I think Southeastern is such an awesome school. Especially the softball program, the coaches are so welcoming.” Head softball coach Rick Fremin said Zumo closed out the final game of the shortened 2020 season against Appalachian State. While the game was a loss for the Lady Lions, Fremin said she pitched a good game. “If you go back and look at the stat-line against App State, she was lights out. She did a real good job, and I just told her, you need to pick up right where you left off, and so she did,” he said. The sixth-year head coach said Zumo has grown into her role as a leader on the team over the past year. He looks forward to seeing her lead the staff and seeing how the other pitchers learn from her this season. “I think she’s become more mentally tough and I feel that she’s more of a leader, become more outspoken, and with her being a senior, we need that from her. I was not surprised that she was able to throw the no-hitter shutout there against South Dakota on Thursday in the opening game because that’s what’s expected of her,” he said. Not only will Zumo be a weekend starter in conference games this season, Fremin said she received recognition from the Southland Conference this week. He said, “She’s been in a lot of innings this past week, and not only did she get the no-hitter, but she got Pitcher of the Week in the Southland Conference. Hopefully that can continue and other people can recognize her accomplishments.” ZUMO

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