The Advocate, Issue 15 - Feb. 10, 2017

the

advocate

Volume 51 Issue 15

February 10, 2017

Independent Student Voice of MHCC

Escaping the abysmal pit of debt PAGE 4

Take care of yourself this Valentine’s Day PAGE 6

Saints’ undersized wing asked to play big PAGE 8

Oregon compromised?

Tuition help in jeopardy

Student series: ‘Owl Eyes’ zooms out

PAGE 3

PAGE 4

2016 FIRST PLACE

General excellence Oregon Newspaper Publisher Association

OPINION

February 10, 2017

Editorial

FAFSA changes students need to know

As students, we all know that the cost of an education is not cheap. Tuition, books, supplies, transportation – the list of charges goes on and on, and there never seems to be enough money to cover it all.

If you have received any help in paying for your college, be it scholarships, grants or loans, you have most likely filled out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. The FAFSA is the online tool the government uses to help schools determine how much assistance, be it grants or scholarships, each student should be eligible for.

The way it works is, you log on to the FAFSA website and put in your personal information and tax return information from the previous year if you’re over 24, or your parents’ tax returns if you’re under 24. The school then determines what help you should be getting based on how much income et al. you or your parents claimed on taxes.

The reason this matters is, if you made $75,000 last year, you are probably going to have an easier

Web Photo

“... the U.S. D.O.E. has decided that instead of using last year’s tax returns, they will instead be using your 2015 tax returns.” time paying for school this year compared to someone who made only $18,000.

This is the way the government has done things for many years, and the process seems to have worked out well.

However, the 2017-18 school year is marked for significant change.

This year, the U.S. Department of Education (or D.O.E) has decided that instead of using last year’s tax returns, they will instead be using your 2015 tax returns.

According to the D.O.E., this was done to help streamline the process, helping people get their FAFSAs submitted earlier (you can now start them in October) and helping to improve accuracy. But as you might imagine, this brings the possibility of major downsides for people who have had some changes in their income since 2015. With the changes, FAFSA only counts 2015,

so if you made a lot that year but didn’t make much in 2016, it doesn’t matter – you’re still going to get only what you qualified for in 2015, and no more.

There is hope, though.

The D.O.E. says schools can make changes and include the newer year’s tax returns if they think it’s warranted. Mt. Hood and other schools across the nation will have to decide what they want to include, and how, to determine student financial aid eligibility, according to Christi Hart, MHCC’s director of financial aid.

Hart said it has always been the case that the school can make as needed adjustments after they receive a student’s FAFSA information. Usually, however, the adjustments aren’t actually made until after the majority of students have already received their aid, for example, in late October during the fall term.

She went on to say that there was not a specific date on which Mt. Hood will decide how it wants to proceed with financial aid for the 2017-2018 school year. There also is no set date for when students will know if the school has agreed to consider new tax information when assessing their aid eligibility.

Now, while this might not affect every student in a negative way, for those who are impacted, there can be a huge difference in how much money they are going to have available for school in the coming year.

Another potential problem, assuming the school makes adjustments to the students’ aid, is the delay in what those students need to know in order to plan before

the start of their term. If they don’t know how much money they are going to get by the time class begins in September, they don’t know if they will need a part-time job to cover their school expense or if they can devote all of their time to study.

The D.O.E. may have had good intentions in making this change,

“... you log on to the FAFSA website and put in your personal information and tax return information from the previous year...” but there are real concerns that these can leave students and parents frustrated when it comes to tuition.

Schools across the nation, Mt.

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Hood included, will hopefully find a way to help cover the people negatively impacted by this change, and able to enact its new process early enough in the school year so that students don’t suffer.

Students must make sure that they keep this in mind in the current, and any future, years that they fill out their FAFSA forms. This could potentially be a major hurdle they should watch out for.

Do you have an opinion on this topic or another? Send us your opinion and thoughts to: advocatt@mhcc.edu.

For more information, view the requirements in the gray box below.

the advocate Editor-in-Chief, News Editor Gloria Saepharn

Sports Editor Jamie George

Video team Cory Wiese

Assistant News Editor Kyle Venooker

Graphic Design Team Prisma Flores Seneca Maxwell

Ad Managers Joseph Frantz Sam West Carlena Ascensio Lisette Rodriguez

Contact us!

E-mail: advocatt@mhcc.edu Phone: 503-491-7250 Website: advocate-online.net

Assistant Photo Editor Davyn Owen

Advisers Howard Buck Dan Ernst

Photo team Porcha Hesselgesser Alex Crull Jessica Mitchell Fadi Shahin

Staff Writers Greg Leonov Brody Mathews Maddy Sanstrum

Twitter: @MHCCAdvocate Facebook: facebook.com/TheAdvocateOnline Instagram: @MHCCAdvocate #MHCCAdvocate

Associate Editor, Arts & Entertainment Editor Matana McIntire Assistant Arts & Entertainment Editor Megan Phelps Opinion Editor Donovan Sargent PA G E 2

Photo Editor Open Position

Glenn Dyer Logan Hertner

Mt. Hood Community College 26000 SE Stark Street Gresham, Oregon 97030

The Advocate encourages readers to share their opinion by letters to the editor and guest columns for publication. All submissions must be typed and include the writer’s name and contact information.

Contact information will not be printed unless requested. Original copies will not be returned to the author. The Advocate will not print any unsigned submission. Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words and guest columns should not exceed 600. The decision to publish is at the discretion of the editorial board. The Advocate reserves the right to edit for style, punctuation, grammar and length. Please bring submissions to The Advocate in Room 1369, or e-mail them to advocatt@mhcc. edu. Submissions must be received by 5 p.m. Monday the week of publication to be considered for print.

Opinions expressed in columns, letters to the editor or advertisements are the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Advocate or MHCC.

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Overzealous lawsuits, justice for none

Donovan Sargent the advocate

We’ve all heard about them at parties, seen a “news article” on Facebook, or received something in a chain email from a friend.

Whether it’s from coffee that’s too hot, a burglar suing because they hurt themselves trying to rob someone, or even a man suing a beer company because his cool refreshing drink didn’t make beautiful women materialize out of thin air.

Of course, I am talking about frivolous lawsuits. Overwhelmingly awful wastes of people’s time and money. Recently, I was reading some news and came across an article in the Oregonian about a woman in

Washington county who is suing the Salvation Army, not because they are an army, but because she hurt herself unloading her own donation.

The $60,445 claim was filed

by Ruth Stobbe-Moore, who had delivered a Brookstone massage chair that she and her husband had loaded into their truck at home for donation, When she got to the store, she was told by an employee to back up her pick-up to the off-loading area.

Then according to the suit, after waiting for however long she determined to be long enough, she decided enough is enough, it’s time for action!

So, does she peek in the back door and bellow out a simple “Yoo-hoo” to see if she can get a hand? Nope.

Does she walk back to the front of the store to tell the employee she’s good to go? Nope.

Instead she decides to channel her inner Xena, and She-Hulk the chair all by her lonesome onto the

loading bay. This feat of gymnastic prowess, and herculean strength consequently ended with the chair falling out of the back of her pickup and on top of her. The falling chair, which she thought she could sherpa on her own, turned out to be heavy enough to cause “severe and permanent injuries.”

Now, I am not intending to make light of her injury, I don’t feel it’s funny when anyone gets hurt, but what I found out next, made me laugh out loud, as well as die a bit on America’s behalf on the inside.

She sues not only the Salvation Army for among other things failing to tell her “that she should return at a later time bringing someone to help her move the chair.” But she’s also suing “John Doe” A.K.A. the guy who told her that donations are made around back!

It is a sad world we live in where this kind of suit is even picked up by an attorney, let alone allowed to make it into a court of law without a judge just laughing directly in the

“She decides to channel her inner Xena, and SheHulk the chair all by her lonesome...” lawyer’s face.

This is an another example of what has become all too common of a problem in modern american society, a lack of personal accountability.

Why should I take the blame for my own mistakes and faulty judgement if I can pass the buck to this charitable organization?

Rather than do what most people SHOULD do, and say “Well, I jumped the gun and made a mistake.”

We see people saying “Well yeah, I jumped the gun, but you didn’t tell me I could ask other people for help.”

This is a charity, and they

OPINION

obviously appreciate donations, and I imagine they have people there that are happy to help when they are available to do so. But it’s no one’s responsibility to come-a-runnin’ and be on your time table because you want to drop off a chair and you’re too impatient to wait for help.

Also it is absolutely ridiculous to blame the company because you couldn’t figure out that you could leave and come back later without being told.

I just hope that one day soon, people stop looking to make a fast dollar, and stop blaming everyone else for the problems you create entirely on your own.

In addition, I hope that no one shies away from donating to organizations like the Salvation Army because people have blamed them for their own misdoings.

Above all, I just hope that people realize that the only people who really win on these kinds of interactions are the attorneys and everyone else loses.

THIS

I BELIEVE Owl Eyes Alyse Roethe MHCC Student

As a child, I hiked with my uncle on occasional weekends. On these adventures, he would consistently point out obscure and interesting objects, things I’d completely overlooked in my rush to get to our destination.

When I asked how in the world he could spot such simple yet beautiful things, his reply was always, “Owl eyes.” The trick he taught me was simply done by placing the sides of my hands against my face, palms facing out, and focusing my vision to include my palms. This posture would immediately widen my scope, and it taught me how to slow down and observe my surroundings with a broader perspective.

I believe that if everyone practiced this skill, our world would slowly become a better place. Our society is fast-paced and has been taken over by hurried lifestyles. We rush from place to place, heads down, our eyes often on our glowing 2-by-4-inch screens.

We immerse ourselves in our own lives and problems, and we forget about the difficulties others may be facing. This cultivates a culture

This I Believe From 1951 to 1955, Edward R. Murrow hosted “This I Believe,” a daily radio show wherein both well-known and unknown Americans read brief essays about their personal philosophies, their individual values, and the core beliefs that shaped their daily actions. where The first published people volume of these essays o f in 1952 resulted in ten choose copies i s o l a t i o n 300,000 sold, said to be because it surpassed only gives the most freedom to obsess by the Bible over personal issues or our own success, rather than to include people who are often overlooked, or to notice the beauty of our surroundings.

As I have grown, I have taken my “owl

Student Submissions

that year, revealing Americans’ deep need to define themselves and their values in a time of historical turmoil and uncertainty.

In 2005, National Public Radio resurrected the This I Believe radio essay and again invited Americans of all ages and perspectives to examine their belief system and eyes” write a brief personal s k i l l essay about one of to artheir core beliefs. eas other The Advocate is than hiknow inviting all ing.

I think of it readers to do more as “zoomthe same. ing out.” I received

this second bit of advice at another time in my life and it has become my mantra. After a stressed-out moment I was relating to my sister, as I talked about the way everything was making me

feel and how irritating people were, a smile crept across my sister’s face and she interrupted me with two words: “Zoom out.”

As soon as she said this, I began to feel my mental fatigue wash away as I realized my problems were actually quite minimal.

As time has gone on, whenever I catch myself getting bogged down by drama, details, or negativity, I remind myself of my sister’s words. Practice has taught me to realize that others’ lives are just as intricate as my own and if I simply take a step back and look at the situation with a broader perspective, I am able to understand and enjoy life’s fleeting moments of beauty a bit more.

I believe in the art of zooming out. The ticking clock of life pressures our minds to default to tunnel vision in order to achieve all that we believe necessary to be successful. But in doing this, we often obliterate mindfulness and miss out on all the good in our lives. My owl eyes have shown me that sometimes, strangers and oddly beautiful moments can become the best part of a day, but not unless we take notice of them. This I believe.

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NEWS

February 10, 2017

MHCC to decide what to do for Oregon Promise

Colleges face uncertainty when it comes to continuing legislation Kyle Venooker the advocate

Approved by Oregon state legislators in 2015, the Oregon Promise is a grant program that aims to help offset the costs of tuition at any of the state’s community colleges.

In order to be eligible for the grant, students require a 2.5 GPA in addition to a GED or a high school diploma earned within the past 6 months (so if you’re reading this now, you are not currently eligible).

For students who receive Pell grants and other financial aid, you can receive up to $1,000; for students who don’t qualify for federal or state aid, the program covers your tuition.

This has been excellent news for the roughly 7,000 students attending community colleges in Oregon this school year through the

Promise, which began functioning in 2016, including 602 freshman students who attend Mt Hood.

But there’s growing uncertainty as to the program’s future, according to state lawmakers who must resolve a major state budget gap – nearly $2 billion for the 2017-19 budget cycle – as they meet in Salem this winter and spring. As noted by The Oregonian, the Promise “could be one of many casualties of Oregon’s $1.8 billion revenue shortfall.”

What would the fallout look like for students currently enrolled through the Oregon Promise?

“Well, we won’t know until after students have registered for (Spring term),” said MHCC President Debbie Derr. It likely will take the legislators months more to agree on a revised budget, and whether to continue funding the Promise, and at what level.

“We will have to work with

students and we have not made an institutional decision about what we would do” should the Promise be discontinued, Derr said. Her hope is that Mt. Hood can step in to assist first-year students, perhaps using funds raised by the MHCC Foundation, so that they can

“We will have to work

with students and we have not made an institutional decision about what we would do” should the Promise be discontinued, Derr said.

continue studies, she said.

“We’re fortunate in that we have the Foundation and it would not be our expectation that students then

miraculously have to come up with tuition,” she said.

When Senate Bill 81 was approved in 2015, the Oregon Legislature stipulated $10 million a year to fund the Promise. While Gov. Kate Brown’s budget proposal has set that same amount, $20 million for the next biennium, many education advocates believe the number should be higher.

According to the Eugene RegisterGuard newspaper, “state education officials now believe that the program will leverage around $14 million in federal tuition aid this school year.”

Derr said she believes the Promise funding “should be at $40 million” for 2017-19.

Critics of SB 81 point to the fact that the Oregon Promise primarily benefits students who are not eligible for financial aid, and as such, can theoretically afford tuition

without relying at all on state dollars.

Still, one of the positive “byproducts” of the Promise is a large reduction in student borrowing for college costs, “which is happening for 7,000 people across the state,” said John Hamblin, executive dean of student development for MHCC. Hamblin is an excellent resource for students who may have questions about Oregon Promise. Legislative advocacy is another option for concerned students. Students are encouraged to contact the authors of the bill, state Rep. Mark Johnson (R-Hood River) and Sen. Mark Hass (D-Beaverton), as well as Rep. Chris Gorsek (D-Troutdale), an MHCC instructor.

Ultimately, however, “We’re assuming that everything’s going to be fine, [though] we’ve got some work to do at the Legislature,” said Derr.

Paying for college: student leaders have tips Kelly Bernardino ASG President

Scholarships

“Educating yourself on how to apply for scholarships, what a good scholarship application looks like, you know, just getting out there and having that thirst for knowledge and learning.

And asking questions and being proactive about your finances.”

Savings

“I’ve been saving since I was in middle school.

Even if you save just a little bit, it adds up. You know, you watch what you spend. Try not to

Anna Mar

ASG Director of Finance Avoid loans if you can

“Personally I believe that no one should be able to pursue a higher education for a better future and then leave the college in a situation where they’re worse off than where they started.

The biggest advice I would give to anybody is that just because you’re qualified for a loan doesn’t mean you should take it. There’s nothing wrong with taking three years or four years of community college rather than just doing the two years – as long as you’re not putting yourself in a worse situation when you leave.”

PA G E 4

spend on fast food, even though I do that a lot. It’s a struggle as a college student, but that’s one of the things I would recommend. “

Resources

“Seeking out resources. If you are able to, we have things like SNAP benefits, we have a lot of resources on campus. Barney’s Pantry is something that is really useful. You’re allowed in there three times per week; you’re allowed a microwavable meal item and a snack item and two toiletries. “

Opportunites on campus

“Just getting involved. My first year here I definitely relied a lot on scholarships, but sometimes scholarships only last a year. My

Scholarships

“You will never qualify for a scholarship if you do not apply. If you do not know how to apply, go to the tutoring center – they will help you write your essays.”

Orientation

“Do attend orientation. Meet with your adviser and set up your education plan. That way you are only taking the classes you need and spending less money.”

College Success class

There is a class, a College Success class. I did not take that class because I did not know about it, but if I had a do-over, I would. Every student should take it before they take any other class, because

second year at Mt. Hood I was involved with student government and that has its own benefit; it has tuition wavers, so that’s how I paid my way through. Those, of course, are through ASG, but we have SOAR. And then getting involved with other organizations, like Transiciones and TRIO, and those (others) connect you with scholarships or matching programs. They have MCSP and that’s a matching program; it’s a 5-to-1, so for every one dollar you save, you get five in return.

But that’s only available t h r o u g h those programs, TRIO and Transiciones.”

G

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PA

FAFSA

R

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L

this is CO all the information you can find in that class.

They tell you how to pay for your school, how to deal with the financial aid.

FO

A VAL I RV IDE U S GU

The financial aid itself, FAFSA: Again, you don’t know whether you qualify or not unless you apply. So, do apply. Apply as early as possible, you don’t have to have your tax records – you can just guess and then fill it in later.”

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Board okays another attempt at GO bond

NEWS

$75 million proposal adopted for May 16 ballot Greg Leonov the advocate

It’s on, again: Mt. Hood will place a $75 million general obligation bond measure before MHCC District voters on the May 16 Special Election ballot.

On Wednesday, the Mt. Hood Board of Education agreed to move forward with a downsized bond proposal, one year after voters rejected a $125 million GO bond measure by a 55-to-45 percent count.

The vote was five members in support of the bond with only Tammie Arnold against it. At-large board member Michael Calcagno did not attend the meeting.

“I think it is critical that we have a bond so we can pay off our debt and erase that ($)2 milliona-year payment,” said Susie Jones, the Board chair. “I (also) say that it is the moral responsibility of this board to provide a reasonably

safe environment on our campuses for our students and staff and community, and I think that MHCC has not kept up with safety standards and needs.”

Passing up the next available opportunity to “protect against

“We can’t wait for the next wave of cammpus shootings to address our safety needs.” harm” would be equally irresponsible, Jones said. “We can’t wait for the next wave of campus shootings to address our safety needs,” she said.

However, Arnold opposed the

new bond effort, saying it comes too soon after the last attempt.

“I would rather put my time and energy into something that I know we would have a really good shot at.

I don’t think we have a good shot at May,” Arnold said. “I don’t think we’ve built enough momentum… we don’t have the strategy, we don’t have the plan, we don’t have the finances, and we sure don’t have the time and energy for passing it.”

Also on the May 16 ballot will be three of the Mt. Hood board positions. They include Zones 1 (currently held by Jones), 2 (held by Jim Zordich) and 4 (held by Sonny Yellott).

Already this week, two new candidates have filed paperwork for the contest.

Diane McKeel, recently retired Multnomah County commissioner, has filed for the Zone 1 seat.

Annette Mattson, government affairs/public policy specialist for Portland General Election, has filed

for the Zone 4 position.

Also discussed during the board meeting – picking up for meetings

“While no acrossthe-board budget reductions are expected, another $2 per credit tuition increase could be likely.” canceled by poor weather in each of the past two months – were planning for MHCC’s 2017-18 operating budget and a prime slot in a new Rockwood community hub.

MHCC’s financial officer Jennifer DeMent presented a

Business Management Program

budget planning overview. “This year, we don’t anticipate allocating any additional general fund dollars” from the Oregon Legislature, she said. While no across-the-board budget reductions are expected, another $2 per credit tuition increase could be likely, she said.

Meantime, Mt. Hood plans to get classroom space in a “Rockwood Rising” office building planned to be built in Rockwood. The classrooms will house entrepreneurship and business courses.

To see who has filed for MHCC board seats: http://bit.ly/2kNW7yd The next MHCC board meeting will be: March 8.

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

February 10, 2017

Experience the love of self-care this holiday way, depending on what you listen to. Look at some beautiful photography; there are some amazing photographers here in the area, as well as at MHCC. Some are on Instagram. Bring your nose into it and smell some fresh air, or fresh, handmade body scrub.

Touch yourself! By that I mean maybe a little foot massage or shoulder rub, to help relieve the tension you could be feeling from built-up stressors. The little things in life help you appreciate life’s experiences, and some of these activities can help you reduce any stress you have.

Resolution reminder Also, here’s a friendly reminder that you might have made some new year’s resolutions last month.

Are you sticking with them? Have you been physically active today?

Megan Phelps the advocate

So, Valentine’s Day is next Tuesday, and I feel it’s appropriate to let you know something. The current marketed version of Valentine’s Day is about love, generally romantic love, but why not show yourself some love?

I don’t mean romantically love yourself, I mean do some self-care activities with which to appreciate yourself. But, hey, do what you want.

Don’t be afraid to take care of your own wants and needs; here are a few options for you to treat yourself this holiday.

“You are the creator of your own destiny and the choices you make today will affect your life later on.”

Must-have treats If you’re into delicious desserts, like I am, I’m going to let you in on the best cake and chocolate mousse that I know of in the area. They’re located in New Seasons grocery stores in the area, where they have a delightful spread of natural food – but really I only go there for the dessert.

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Their signature thick, multilayered banana cake is too good to pass up. It has just the right amount of sweetness and creaminess! If you’re into rich, chocolate, creamy goodness, I recommend the chocolate rum mousse, shaped in a perfect circle with a crumbly crust and a dollop of thick whipped cream.

These desserts are ginormous, so you will likely consume them over several days. Or, you can share your scrumptious treats with a special person in your life.

Aromatic body care Personally, this cold weather has me missing summertime sunshine.

So, if you want a homemade product to take you to the tropics, I suggest

going online and searching for body scrub recipes. I found mine on Pinterest. I recently made a coconut-lemon-sugar scrub that smells delightful and takes my skin to another level of softness it hasn’t had since I was a baby! The recipe is fairly simple; all you need is some granulated sugar, coconut oil, and a lemon. I melted the coconut oil first, and added it to the sugar and lemon zest. A lime works aromatic wonders, as well.

Trust me, your skin will thank you. You will be left smelling divine and your skin will have a beautiful glow.

Since I’m a poor college student, I’m into at home do-it-yourself

Photos by Megan Phelps

ABOVE: A visual of the decadent New Seasons desserts. Are you salivating yet?

UPPER LEFT: Homemade all natural coconut-lemon-sugar scrub. Can you smell the tropical oasis?

treatments, so ladies and gentlemen, I encourage you to do whatever makes you feel good about yourself.

Do what makes you happy That may be making yourself your favorite home-cooked meal, taking a nice bath, or just being active.

There are plenty of opportunities to experience the beautiful world we live in, especially here in the scenic Pacific Northwest. There are also great deals here on campus in the MHCC cosmetology department.

We will be doing a makeover story soon in the Advocate, so stay tuned to find out more about the amazing talent and beauty deals here at Mt. Hood.

Experience your senses Other options for self-care include indulging all of your senses.

Listen to some uplifting music; it can alter your mood in a beneficial

Have you drunk enough water? How has your diet been? Recognize your habits and debate if they are healthy, or if you want to make a change in your life. It’s never too late to start; it’s okay to fall off course, as long as you get back to it eventually.

You are the creator of your own destiny and the choices you make today will affect your life later on.

So, pay attention to, and be good to, yourself.

Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be about couples, it can be about loving yourself this way. It also can be about showing the other people in your life how much you care and appreciate them.

Appreciate the life you have now and indulge in life’s little pleasures and wonders. Most of all, appreciate who you are and take care of yourself.

SPORTS

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Saints men lose emotional game to Chemeketa Team falls one game back of NWAC playoff spot Jamie George the advocate

The Saints men set high goals this basketball season, with hopes of reaching the NWAC’s final four.

Now, it appears they might not even make the playoffs.

Wednesday night, Mt. Hood fell to the Chemeketa Storm, 84-78. The loss dropped the Saints to 4-6 in division play and 10-10 overall. They now sit in seventh place in the South Division, one game back of fourth place, with six games remaining in the season.

The Wednesday game was key for the Saints. Had they won, they would be tied for third place with Chemeketa, Southwestern Oregon, Clark, and Portland – and would trail second-place Clackamas by only half a game. But that’s not how the game went.

The Saints got off to a great start, as they led 25-17 midway through the first half. Mt. Hood was hitting most of its shots and it looked like a game they might be able to run away with.

Then things began to turn, and the Storm outscored Mt. Hood by 10 points in the final eight minutes of

Photo by Davyn Owen

The Mt. Hood men currently sit one game back of fourth place in the NWAC South.

the half to grab a 39-37 lead going into the locker rooms.

In the first six minutes of the second half, the Saints kept it close, trailing by no more than six points.

But Chemeketa continued to play strong, and were hitting outside shots consistently. After another six minutes, Mt. Hood trailed by 15 points, 71-56.

The Saints tried to turn it on with just eight minutes remaining.

They looked to their long-ball game but couldn’t find their shot. With just four-and-a-half minutes left, the

Storm led 77-61.

That’s when the Saints appeared to find their rhythm, but it was too little, too late. Saints guard Elijah Fuller (who led Mt. Hood with 21 points) hit a three, then a midrange fadeaway to pull the game to within nine with two minutes left.

And with 45 seconds remaining, the Saints came up with a big steal and hit a layup to pull within five, at 81-76. But after that, the Storm hit their free-throws and walked away with the win.

It was clear by the defeated look

Winterhawks ride hot streak Logan Hertner the advocate

After the excitement of riding a seven-game winning streak, the Portland Winterhawks saw it come to an end this week.

The Hawks beat the Seattle Thunderbirds 4-3 in a dramatic shootout on Saturday, then fell to the Spokane Chiefs, 6-5 Wednesday night.

The weekend win over the Thunderbirds brought Portland to 29-21-1-2 overall in front of a sellout crowd of 10,947 at the Moda Center.

Seattle put up an impressive 54 shots on goal, compared to only 39 shots by Portland. But somehow, someway the Hawks found themselves in position for the game-winning goal in the seventh round of the shootout, made by Alex Overhardt as he found the back of the net.

Before that, both teams had

four power-play opportunities and were unable to cash in on any of those chances.

Luckily the man in the net for Portland provided the help that the Hawks needed. Goalie Cole Kehler saved all seven shots in the shootout and overall made 51 saves on the 54 shots the Thunderbirds fired on net.

Overhardt led the way for Portland overall, with the game-tying goal late in the third period, an assist and finally, the game-winner in the shootout.

The Hawks are clearly hitting their stride and it had been somewhat of a surprise – they are making a late run at the playoffs and have got themselves in position to make something happen, once there.

On Wednesday, after a tight battle with the Spokane Chiefs, the winning streak came to an end.

The narrow loss brought the Chiefs within nine points of the Hawks in the Western Hockey League’s playoff wildcard race.

Portland started the game with a goal in the first five minutes, but minutes later the Chiefs tied it up.

By the end of the first period the game was tied at two goals apiece.

The second period was the lowest scoring, seeing just one goal scored by each side.

The third period started with a huge goal from Skyler McKenzie, briefly giving Portland a 4-3 lead.

The excitement of the goal lasted for less than three minutes, though, as Spokane responded with three straight goals to take a 6-4 lead. Near the end the Hawks scored one more time, with less than two minutes remaining, but that was all she wrote.

So, the win streak is dead but the loss in no way will kill the season.

It’ll be interesting to see if the Hawks can turn it back on, and go on a new winning streak.

Their next game is at 7 o’clock tonight against the Chiefs again, in Portland.

on Mt. Hood players’ faces that they knew how important this game was.

It almost felt like déjà vu to a week ago when they fell to Clark College in a tough 71-69 contest. The games themselves were played much differently but the importance of the games and the disappointment after were eerily similar.

Wednesday’s loss followed a victory on Saturday over Lane College, 80-77. It was big win in keeping their postseason hopes alive.

Mt. Hood isn’t completely out of the playoff picture, but will need all the dominoes to fall in its favor.

The Saints play first-place Umpqua at 4 p.m. Saturday in Roseburg, in a

must-win game. They come back home on Feb. 15 against Clackamas, now a game-and-a-half ahead of them. After that comes a game against last-place Lane and one against Linn-Benton, tied with the Saints for seventh place.

To wrap their season, the Saints play PCC and Southwestern Oregon, who both currently hold a one game lead on them. It obviously won’t be easy, but if they go on a late winning streak, they could still find themselves in the NWAC championship tournament.

Just a reminder: Tom Brady led the Patriots from down 28-3 to win the Super Bowl.

If you missed it...

Minor league baseball in the rookie-level Gulf Coast League and the Arizona League will be trying out a new rule for baseball this year. They will start every extra inning with an automatic runner on second base. The rule is being implemented as a way to help speed up baseball games. Depending on how it goes, the MLB may want to see the rule implemented at the major league level.

On Sunday, the New England Patriots won the Super Bowl over the Atlanta Falcons in overtime, 34-28. The Patriots trailed 28-3 with three minutes left in the third, and shocked everyone by coming back. No team had ever come back from down more than 10 points to win the Lombardi Trophy.

With Sunday’s win, Tom Brady set the NFL record for most Super Bowl wins by a quarterback, winning his fifth. He passed Terry Bradshaw and Joe Montana, each with four.

High schooler LaMelo Ball, the brother of star UCLA freshman Lonzo Ball, scored 92 points in a game Tuesday night.

Maybe even more amazing, he scored 45 of his points in the fourth quarter alone. He finished the game having shot 37 of 61 from the field. Not a bad day for a sophomore in high school.

- Jamie George

High school point guard LaMelo Ball

Web photo

PA G E 7

SPORTS

February 10, 2017

PROFILE

Saints injuries allow Curtis to get physical Jamie George the advocate

As if freshman year of college basketball isn’t tough enough, try adding on playing a position you’re not built for.

Due to injuries, Saints freshman guard Nyah Curtis is in that spot right now. She stands at just 5 feet 8 inches, but she’s taking on the load of playing down low right now for Mt. Hood.

Curtis is third on the team in rebounds.

The Saints have just seven healthy players, while four are down with an assortment of injures. Two of them are their main post players, Allison Primeau and Katlin Farris. The other two are guards Alexa Mulford and Chloe Cummins.

Without Primeau or Farris, the Saints have looked to Curtis to take over the post position.

Head coach John Hawley expressed the importance of Curtis to the team.

“Nyah is definitely playing out of

position,” Hawley said. “She’s not a five (a center/post)... really not a four (power forward), either. But she’s having to play both of those positions for us this year.

“She’s accepted that, and hasn’t complained about it. She’s learning those positions and is playing the three (small forward) for us, as well,” he said. He praised her for how well she’s dealing with the challenge. “In practice, she’s always engaged, always wanting to learn and being positive for her teammates.”

Fortunately, this isn’t anything new for Curtis.

She grew up in Northern California and has been playing basketball since before kindergarten. Her aunt, Sage Romberg, has played a large role in helping her learn the game. With her aunt being just six years older than her, she’s always aspired to play just like her. And for good reason: Her aunt received a full-ride scholarship to play at Washington State and then played two years in Spain as a 6-foot forward.

Because of that, Curtis learned the game from a post’s perspective. Due to her height, she’s always been considered a wing. But she found herself playing forward a lot at Arcata High School, because her team was well stacked with guards.

And that was okay with her; actually she preferred it. For Curtis, the game of basketball isn’t about how much you score, but how hard you get to work. And she finds that when she gets inside the post she has to work harder and get physical, just

the way she likes it.

Curtis laughs that her size can definitely hurt her, playing inside. “It can be tough, I can get bounced off of some pretty big girls, sometimes,” she said. But she added, “I’ve always been one of the more aggressive players… and I know the physicality isn’t anything I can’t handle.”

Despite her passion to work hard down low, her numbers don’t necessarily jump out at you as being dominant. She’s averaging just shy of four rebounds per game, and under five points. But over the past five games she’s averaging seven rebounds, and six points. And Wednesday, she scored a season-high 14 points in a tough 60-55 loss to Chemeketa.

Curtis knows she isn’t a stat machine, but she brings something else to the court: heart. She says,“I like to play defense and bring energy to the floor. I just love to play, to run up and down the court, no matter what.”

And as the Mt. Hood women struggle to deal with injuries, Curtis has taken on a role not many 5-foot 8-inch girls have. But she’s taking it as a challenge, which is one of the things she loves about basketball.

“The best part of basketball is getting to be competitive, and it brings out my motivation,” she says.

Because of how much she enjoys being physical, she said if she could be any position on the court it would be post. But she adds a stipulation: “If I could chose, and I was five inches taller I’d be a post.”

Right now she’s enjoying the opportunity, but knows it isn’t the

Photos by Davyn Owen

Curtis scored her season-high 14 points against Chemeketa in Wednesday’s loss.

long-term plan. She says, “I’ll take this time to be aggressive.” With that, she expects to be a wing next year for Mt. Hood.

Until then, it’s just motivating to watch an athlete work as hard as she

can in an unfair situation.

The next time to see Curtis battle on the court is Saturday, in Roseburg.

The Saints face off at Umpqua Community College at 2 p.m., hoping to break their nine-game losing streak.

Oregon Ducks continue their recent dominance Logan Hertner the advocate

Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene was often a place where the Oregon Ducks basketball team carried the crowd, but now it seems to be the other way around. The place is jumping this season.

Oregon’s current success on the court is nothing new. I’m not sure if many have noticed the success this program has had, so let me crunch some numbers for you: Since Dana Altman took over as the men’s basketball coach in 2010, the Ducks have won 175 games and lost only 67 (through Feb. 4). He has taken the Ducks to four straight NCAA national tournaments, resulting in PA G E 8

two Sweet 16 spots and last year’s Elite Eight appearance, in which they lost, 80-68, to the Oklahoma Sooners who were led by playerof-the-year Buddy Hield.

Now, in Eugene and throughout the nation, the Ducks are being recognized for a certain player, by the name of Dillon Brooks. Brooks has brought lots of attention to the Ducks squad after hitting the gamewinning shot vs. then-No. 2 UCLA just two months ago, and last weekend Oregon defeated thenNo. 5 Arizona by an impressive 85-58 score. The nearly 30-point victory for the Ducks definitely turned some heads around the nation.

Brooks has led the way for

Oregon this year, averaging 14.4 points, 3 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. His numbers have dropped, though, as he averaged 16.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists last year. That could be because of the fewer minutes he has been playing this year, however – he has been limited because of how many blowout wins the Ducks have had. He averaged 32.8 minutes last year, but has only averaged 22.5 minutes per game this year. Is it safe to say that if he played as many minutes as he did last year, he would have drastically better numbers? Would the Ducks win by even larger margins than they already are?

Brooks had his best game of

the year on Jan. 30 against the USC Trojans when he put up absolutely outstanding numbers. He scored 28 points, shot 9 of 10 from the field, 6 of 6 from the free-throw line, and 4 of 4 on 3-pointers. So, 90 percent from the field, and 100 percent from both the 3-point and free-throw line. What is crazy is that he did all that while adding three rebounds, three assists and two steals, while playing only 24 minutes.

Brooks is definitely a playmaker and a big threat to any opponent who has to step on the floor with him, let alone the man guarding him all game long.

Matthew Knight Arena is becoming a place to reckon with and is starting to get recognition as

one of the toughest places to play in the Pac-12. Just last year, Oregon saw its worst per-game attendance since 1992. Only an average of 6,209 fans strolled into the arena to watch a Ducks team that finished second in the Pac-12 and would go on to the Elite Eight – which is a great accomplishment.

There are many reasons why the attendance has struggled: Parking was a concern, ticket prices were higher than they are now and Oregon was still pretty much known as a football school.

All until the Ducks just had their worst football season in 10 years – so now I truly believe the basketball program is getting the recognition that it deserves.