Issue 6

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Band watch: The Color Wild’s future is ‘Brighter Than The Moon’

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Kevin Cortopassi | Guest Photographer

End of semester stress Students under pressure with finals around corner News, Page 2

Issue 6 Fall 2016 Student voice of CRC since 1970

Best of the best Top albums and films of 2016 Features, Page 6

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Calexit

If California secedes, it surely will fail Opinion, Page 9

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Hawks of the Fall Sophomores honored by their coaches Sports, Page 10

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December 1, 2016

>>News

Students face increasing stress during finals

By Andrew Flores aflores.connect@gmail.com With the semester coming to an end and finals soon approaching, stress levels begin to rise as Cosumnes River College students prepare to conquer their academic courses.

Though stress and anxiety are nothing new around finals week, students’ reasons for being under these grueling circumstances and how they manage to deal with them vary.

“During midterms and finals we see more students come in with stress management problems and inability to sleep,” said Campus Nurse Fran Koscheski.

“Some of them really fall apart.

They can’t sleep. They have all kinds of headaches and anxiety disorders.

Some of them have shortness of breath.

It’s all physical manifestations of their stress,” she said.

For many students, finals can be daunting. Courses that are academically challenging may put students in a bind where their final, which can constitute a significant amount of their grade, will determine whether they will pass or fail.

A failing grade can create negative consequences for students, ranging from disqualifying them from continuing classes in a series, affecting their financial aid, placing them on academic probation and temporarily halting them from transferring to a university.

Viviana Rios, a 19-year-old psychology major, said that she is trying to catch up on some of her classes before she takes her finals. She said she is nervous about her math class, which she has been struggling with since the beginning of the semester.

Though she tried to drop the class, it was too late and would have resulted in a W on her transcript. With this in mind, Rios’ only option is to study and prepare for her final with the hope that she will pass the class with a good grade.

“It’s like that point of this is you either get these units you’ve been working on for four months or you don’t.

The make it or break it point,” Rios said.

Another concern among students is the ability to retain the information learned in their courses. Some of the finals are cumulative, meaning that they test the student on everything that they have learned throughout the semester.

“When you’re going through the year, at most you have a test or an exam that’s over a small portion,” said 18-year-old music major Julius Field-Ridley. “It’s a different test than what you’ve been taking over the year and I think that’s where most of the stress comes from cause it’s this cumu-

lative thing when you have been taking tests on certain sections.”

“So you have to remember things from the beginning and you have to make sure you’re still polished on the stuff in the end. And so even if you did well on the first test there’s still a pretty good chance that you’ve forgotten most of that, which is what makes it so stressful,” he said.

Others become overwhelmed with the load of classes they are taking, especially if those courses are all difficult to understand and demanding.

Silivia Mohu, a 20-year-old biological science major, said that she struggles with balancing her difficult core classes such as trigonometry and chemistry.

“When you have to balance them on the same semester it gets pretty hectic because sometimes the work from one class spills over into another day, when you have to focus on a different class,” Mohu said. “That becomes really stressful because everything is piling up.”

Aside from academic challenges, students have their off-campus responsibilities to take care of. Whether it be from working long hours, raising kids, dealing with homelessness, having family issues or struggling financially, students are overcome with waves of stress and anxiety even before finals season has arrived.

“There is a lot of pressure for students. You have to get a major, you have to get done in two years, you have to graduate in four. All this pressure on a student. They don’t realize a student is complex nowadays,” said CRC Counselor Hoyt Fong.

A key aspect that students tend to struggle with is time management.

With everything happening in their life, Fong said that students must prioritize their time in a way that supports them and prompts them to success.

Courtesy photo | Information from the American College Health Association

problems that force them into taking various jobs. The need for money versus the need to succeed academically can strain a student’s time and increase their levels of stress periodically through the semester.

“Personally, I don’t get any financial aid so I have to work to have enough to even pay for classes,” Rios said.

“I feel like there is a lot of people who have to work and balance school and find time to study and come to class and everything.”

“Sometimes the work from one class spills over into another day, when you have to focus on a different class. So that becomes really stressful because everything is piling up.”

-- Silivia Mohu

20, biological science “For me, I am a mother of four so it’s challenging for me to find time, at home especially, to study, to read, to prepare,” said Bekki Oribello, a 40-year-old liberal studies major.

“I tend to find more time in between my classes while I’m on campus to go to the library and read or to get my work studies done. I think my biggest struggle is time, it really is and time management I suppose. I could be doing that a little bit better.”

Many students have financial

Though balancing life and college can be overwhelming, there are many ways students can prevent stressful situations and reduce the stress and anxiety that they may be experiencing.

Koscheski said that time management is a major key to preventing the buildup of stress levels. She also recommends that students stay well rested, eat healthy, stay hydrated, exercise regularly, listen to music, take vitamin supplements and limit caffeine intake.

Many students participate in their

favorite activity as a way to destress.

“I crochet. That’s what I do to manage my stress,” Oribello said. “It helps me to focus and relax and then I can better prepare for my studies.”

Resources on campus are another way that students can receive support for their stress and anxiety. Students can speak with a counselor who can lend a listening ear, provide them with additional resources to cope with their issues, and recommend them, in extreme conditions, to a mental health specialist.

“Here in counseling, our number one priority is crisis, so if the students is in crisis...we drop everything for that student,” said Fong. “We have an assigned crisis counselor in the morning and afternoon, evening. So we have that five days a week.”

“Everybody has stress in their life. How you manage it and how you control it is something that has to be learned,” Koscheski said. “Everybody has their own coping skills - some are healthy, some are unhealthy.”

Students can visit the Health Office for a safe space to destress or the Counseling Office for personal counseling.

Health Office OPS 126 (916)691-7584 Counseling Office L-200 (916)691-7316

thecrcconnection.com

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Ethics symposium discusses policing tensions

By Lola Chase lchase.connect@gmail.com Sacramento State and Cosumnes River College partnered to present the 11th Annual Fall Ethics Symposium.

This year’s topic was The Ethics of Policing.

The two-day symposium was broken into six sessions of speakers with different topics regarding policing.

CRC hosted the first day and Sac State held the second set of sessions.

The first session, titled Police Militarization and its Impact on Minority Groups, concerned the increasing militarization of community police forces across America.

Speaker Abigail Hall Blanco, a professor of economics from the University of Tampa, said she hoped that those who attended could come to understand how these issues with police greatly impact individuals of racial minorities and disadvantaged backgrounds. “[The increasing militarization] undoubtedly creates an ‘us vs. them’ mentality,” Blanco said. “You actually see this if you look at policing manuals, if you look at transcripts from their conferences. You’ll see that phrases like ‘battlefield’ are thrown out there instead of calling it their ‘community’, or their ‘civilians’ - they’ll refer to them as ‘enemies.’”

Her session explored the shift in domestic policing since the war on drugs and terror began in the 1970’s.

“Now in the age of social media and everybody having phones to record, I think we’re starting to see that a lot more people are observing problematic interactions with police officers and are starting to notice that this issue, which has been unfolding for decades, is really starting to come to the surface,” said Blanco.

Blanco said she found it important to hold the symposium for students, since they’ll be the ones driving the discussions for issues in the future.

“For college students especially, to be able to talk about and articulate this really uncomfortable issue, is a really critical first step towards how we can go about fixing them,” said Blanco.

She noted the only way to have a fair system is to evenly empower and constrain the police, which is difficult to do.

“I think it is possible but I think it requires some critical policy changes,” said Blanco.

The third session was titled Democratizing Police Accountability: The Role of Cognition.

Speaker Sanjay Marwah, assistant professor of criminal justice from California State University of East Bay, emphasized the importance of the people’s role in these issues and that it should not be treated as just an issue belonging to the police or the government, but one that all citizens are involved in.

“Awareness is the biggest thing.

We have to get away from the notion that politicians can solve all of our

Lola Chase/ The Connection

Professors led a discussion on tensions between police and the community on Nov. 21-22.

problems,” Marwah said. “I think we put the police distant from us, we’ve created these barriers, so I think citizens themselves should get more involved in terms of understanding and dialogue.”

He acknowledged tensions between the public and officers and encouraged both sides to be understanding.

“Treat them [police officers] as human beings. Figure out what is the problem,” said Marwah. “Citizens can be helpful in not trying to be judgemental themselves because they want

the police to be non-judgemental. You hear the extreme rhetoric and it seems one- sided.”

Marwah said he enjoyed the opportunity for the discussion on campus and that the board hopes to continue this event.

“I appreciate the dialogue and I think we learn a lot about the complex issue from having these discussions,” said Marwah. “It’s not a simple issue.

We don’t know everything and we don’t have easy fixes, but you know, maybe we shouldn’t have easy solutions.”

Classes must to align with major for financial aid

By Steven Bryla sbryla.connect@gmail.com Registration for Spring 2017 classes began on Monday for students at Cosumnes River College. But a new change to financial aid requirements can reduce the amount of aid students receive.

Students applying for financial aid will no longer receive financial aid for classes outside of their program of study.

Brendan James, a 20 year-old business major, said this would disadvantage students who want to explore multiple career paths and topics of study.

Students might also change their original majors after taking other classes, James said.

“I am a business major, but I am taking a journalism class and it is a lot of fun and I’m interested in it,” James said. “So I’m debating if I should change or not.”

Dean of Student Services and Enrollment Management Chad Funk is in the process of overseeing the system

that makes sure students at CRC are taking the right classes.

“It looks class by class and determines if courses that students are taking are directly applicable to their program of study,” Funk said. “If they are directly applicable to the program of study, then they will be eligible for financial aid.”

If students are going to be receiving financial aid and they register for a class that is not in their program of study, they will receive a notification in their eServices account.

“If a student does have a FAFSA on file with us and they are scheduled to receive some type of financial aid from us, there will be a message sent to them through the message center in eServices,” said Funk. “It will tell them this particular course does not meet the requirement for that program or study.”

Funk said students will begin receiving these messages beginning Monday after they register for spring classes. Funk said that the system had a lot of validation checks when they sampled it with information from the CRC Fall 2016 data.

There were 4,109 students at CRC who received the Pell Grant from the 2015 to 2016 school year. There were 15,217 students at CRC who received the Board of Governors (BOG fee waiver) from the state of California last school year, according to the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office.

For Fall 2016, Funk said approximately 950 students out of the 4000 students received financial aid.

One of the biggest changes for financial aid recipients is the time that students can start applying.

Students use to be able to start applying for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at the beginning of January annually, but now that date changed to Oct. 1.

“It allows for people to understand what is the most competitive aid package they would receive a little earlier,” said Funk. “The deadline for colleges for students to have their application in is by March 2, in order to qualify for many programs and get priority access to federal work study and Cal Grants.”

Funk said he advises students to sit down with a counselor and get a

student education plan to make sure they are taking the right classes.

Funk and his staff found that students were receiving financial aid without having a student education plan.

“I encourage students to follow the steps to success program if they haven’t done it yet,” Funk said. “You would go through the online orientation, taking the assessment test and then go in and see a counselor to create their Individual Student Education Plan.”

Business administration major Evan Bautista, 20, said the ISEP helped him determine what classes he needs to take to achieve his academic goal.

“The student education plan was beneficial for me,” said Bautista. “It made it easy to decide what classes to sign up for every semester and what was the best route for me take to get me where I want to go.”

Students wondering if they qualify for financial aid can go to the financial aid office in the Library building and apply in person, or they can go to the CRC website and click on the financial aid link for more information.

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Page 4

SAVE THE CRC takes a closer look at the electoral vote

By Jared Lee and Steven Bryla jalee.connect@gmail.com & sbryla.connect@gmail.com

DATE Career Services State Job Meeting

CRC Career services will be hosting an informational meeting outlining the process of obtaining a job with the State of California.

It will be today in Winn 102 starting at 2:30 p.m.

Networking Workshop and Seminar

The Student Senate and Clubs and Events will be sharing what they learned at the California Community College Student Affairs Association meeting about efficient networking tactics.

It will be today in Winn 106 from 12-1:30 p.m.

The Velveteen Rabbit

A classic story about the power of love, join CRC for the opening night of it’s play ‘The Velveteen Rabbit’ this Friday in the Black Box Theatre at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets range from $10$12, or half price with an unwrapped toy donation for Toys for Tots.

For more showtimes, visit CRC’s theatre webpage.

Russian Christmas Music Concert

Enjoy a night of Christmas music all the way from the Far North! CRC’s concert band and brass choir will be performing on Dec. 7 in the Recital Hall at 7 p.m.

RTVF Student Film Premiere

Work from the campus RTVF department is on display. The department will be screening this semester’s student-made short films.

It will be held on Dec. 8 in L-111 from 6-9 p.m.

Becoming the new President-elect is simple for a candidate; you need to receive 270 out of the 538 possible votes to win the election.

Many times though, the electoral vote is scrutinized and ridiculed.

In the 2016 election, the Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton won the popular vote while the Republican nominee Donald Trump won the electoral college vote.

However, the margin was much wider than in the 2000 election.

According to CNN, Clinton had 48.1 percent of the popular vote versus Donald Trump’s 46.5 percent. Clinton won the popular vote by more than 2 million votes, yet Trump won the presidency Some people, like Huff- business administration masince he won the electoral col- man, noted that the electoral jor, said that the electoral college vote. college vote may not always lege is essential to the election “I’m really mixed about reflect the popular vote. process. it [the electoral college],” said “It definitely distorts de“The electoral college Political Science Professor mocracy because you can win is a necessity for the United Elizabeth Huffman. the popular vote and still lose States,” said Kassis. “Like half “This is twice the dem- the electoral college vote,” the population is in concenocrats in recent history have Huffman said. trated counties, especially in won the popular vote, but However, Huffman also California or New York, so all have been denied the election mentioned reasons for which those people living in rural because of the electoral col- the electoral college vote is counties don’t get their voice lege.” useful, such as protection heard unless the electoral colThe electoral vote is com- against fraud. lege is there.” prised of the votes from indi“If you hacked Florida’s Kassis said that while the vidual electors in each state. voting machines, for exam- electoral college may not alIn most states, if the ma- ple, you could change the ways reflect the popular will, jority of a state votes for one vote count in Florida, but it is still vital to the country. candidate, all of the state’s it wouldn’t affect the vote “In the 2000 election, Gore electoral votes will go to that counts in other states,” said won the popular vote. In this candidate, which may not Huffman. election, Hillary won the popaccurately reflect the overall Huffman also mentioned ular vote,” Kassis said. popular vote. that the electoral college may “Obviously, it’s not a “The electoral vote high- help to balance out represen- very accurate reflection of the lights somepopular “The electoral college is written into our Constitution thing about vote, but our system of I think it and the Article [II, Section 1] considering how the government is a reflecthat most tion of the presidency will function. If we want to change that, it people don’t people in requires a Constitutional amendment.” recognize,” general.” said PsycholFraogy Professor zee said – James Frazee that the James Frazee.

Psychology Professor “We do not electoral live in a decollege mocracy á la helps to Athens, Greece. We live in a tation among the states, in- balance state representation representative republic.” stead of having the majority in the election.

The electoral college vote of the nation’s voting power “The electoral college decides who will win the vested in the more populous functions fine perfectly during presidential election. There states. this setting, which is to act as a have been examples - such as “Some argue that until representation for all parts of the 2000 and 2016 elections - we have an absolutely reliable our country, not just the popwhere the candidate who won way of estimating the popular ulous parts,” Frazee said. the presidency did not win vote, we shouldn’t rely too In the 2000 Presidential the popular vote, but did win heavily on it,” Huffman said. election, the Democratic nomthe electoral college vote.

Fahmi Kassis, 21-year-old inee Al Gore won the popu-

Courtesy Photo

lar vote over the Republican nominee George W. Bush.

According to the National Archives and Records Administration, Gore won the popular vote by more than 500,000 votes. Despite this, Bush won the electoral vote, granting him the presidency.

Huffman believed that there should be new methods for determining the the will of the people.

“We should investigate avenues, trying to reflect the popular will,” said Huffman.

While some people may not agree with the institution of the electoral college, it is something that has been embedded in the U.S. Constitution since the beginning of the country.

“The electoral college is written into our Constitution and the Article [II, Section 1] considering how the presidency will function. If we want to change that, it requires a Constitutional amendment,” Frazee said.

Frazee said that the electoral college should not be the focus of reform. Instead, people should focus on local elections and officials, as these are the things that directly affect people.

He said to remove the electoral college completely would require a change in principles concerning other instutions as well.

“If we take away the electoral college, then we should take away the rights of the courts to decide on popular votes as well.”

thecrcconnection.com

Page 5

>>Features

STEM provides women equal opportunities

By Abigail Babineau ababineau.connect@gmail.com Women who are interested in receiving science, technology, engineering and mathematics degrees may sometimes feel as if they are outnumbered by the large population of men that is dominating these fields.

STEM (Science, Technology, Engingeering, Mathematics) is a program at Cosumnes River College for students in majors revolving around STEM. Sarah Jones, a 20-year-old engineering major, said she thinks that women can sometimes feel outnumbered in majors that are dominated by men.

They also feel that once they graduate with a degree, some companies may not hire them because of the fact that they are women.

“I feel that women maybe feel as

if they couldn’t do a STEM degree, because men are usually the ones that fulfill these roles in society,” Jones said.

“But that is changing everyday and I hope that more women are able to see that they can do as well as any man in a STEM degree,” said Jones.

different science majors.

According to the National Girls Collaborative Project, in the year 2016, 35.2 percent of chemists were women.

This was the largest field that women worked in. The smallest field for women was mechanical engineer-

“It’s not fair sometimes that we [women] have to work twice as hard to seem that we are serious about the career that we want,”she said.

Some of the majors in the STEM fields at CRC are dominated by men, like engineering and technology, while others are not as dominated, such as

ing, where only 7.9 percent of them were women.

“Since my major is in science, there are a lot of women that are interested in that field and I do not have to compete with men so much,” said 22-yearold biology major Kimberly Smith.

“Women that are in engineering

or technology, I think they would have a harder time competing with men in those fields.”

“I think some women are interested in STEM degrees without even knowing, because they feel they as women may not be able to do the job or do not want to compete with men,” said Smith.

Despite the many challenges and setbacks, some women, such as 19-year-old mathematics major Ashley Williams, like the challenge of competing with men. She said that she is ready and willing take on challenge that comes to her.

“There is always going to be a challenge with any major that you pick, so don’t let challenges stop you from going after the degree that you want to pursue,” said Williams.

Williams offers advice to women, saying, “Don’t be intimidated by challenges, go after what you want and if it is what you’re supposed to have it will all work out.”

Holidays on a budget Winter events for less

By Andrew Maestas Downtown Ice Skating Rink Nov. 4-January, M-Th 2-8 p.m., Fri-Sat 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Sun 11 a.m.- 8 p.m.

St. Rose of Lima Park Skate - Admission: $12, Children 6 & under $6 Macy’s Theatre of Lights Dec. 1-24 6:15 p.m. and 7:45p.m.

Old Sacramento at Front & K St. - Admission: Free CRC Composers Ensembles En Film-New Compositions Dec. 2 12 p.m.

California State Capitol Museum 10th & L St. Sacramento Admission: Free 85th California Christmas Tree Lighting Dec. 5 4:30 p.m.

West Steps of the California State Capitol Admission: Free Jazz Band Concert Holiday Jazz Dec. 15 7 p.m.

CRC Recital Hall $10 Adults, $5 Students & Seniors, Children 12 & under free

Christmas Ideas

By LeShea Munoz Hide a bunch of small gifts (like pencils, or stickers) around the house and send the child(ren) on a personal scavenger hunt for their gifts.

Start your own new Christmas tradition! Make Christmas ornaments, Elf on a shelf, Hot cocoa bar or s’more’ bar.

Center your Christmas around family activities instead of gifts and goodies. Dollar Tree has Advent calendars to utilize and you can make a Christmas fun list. Let the kids do cheap Christmas crafts or use holiday printables available free online.

Decorate your tree with items you already have in your house. Use items like cranberries, popcorn (strung on thread) or paper scraps hung like garland.

Do “Christmas Pajamas” pictures instead of pictures in fancy clothing to save money on outfits. Make them funny or extra serious just to change it up.

Do something for others: Take Christmas cookies or other homemade gifts to the elderly in a nursing home or maybe a lonely neighbor.

Page 6

Decemeber 1, 2016

The Weeknd follows up with another hit album

By Andrew Flores aflores.connect@gmail.com Coming off his top-charted album “Beauty Behind the Madness” a little over a year ago, Abel Tesfaye, also known as “The Weeknd,” has released his third studio album: “Starboy” LP. The album, which was released digitally and on streaming services Nov. 25 and in CD form on Nov. 28th, is set to reach the No. 1 debut on Billboard’s 200 Chart and has shattered Spotify’s record for receiving the most streams in a 24-hour period.

Despite its early success, “Starboy” lacks the originality and uniqueness that was present in his three self-released mixtapes: “Thursday,” “House of Balloons” and “Echoes of Silence.” His raw, dark, drug-induced melodies that pivoted him to stardom dwindles as he embraces a more pop-esque type of music.

The album starts of with “Starboy,” a teaser track that was a hit, followed by the darker yet up-beat “Party Monster” and ends with a “Daft Punk” assisted EDM slow jam that is sensational.

The album is similar to

“Beauty Behind the Madness,” but remains slightly distinctive as it incorporates various elements, including upbeat synthesizers, slow jams, disco,1980s electro-funk and EDM. Though “Starboy” shifts into a mainstream mix of R&B and pop, the content in his lyrics are consistent with The Weeknd’s persona. His angelic voice sings about sex, drugs, women, love and fame.

“Heaven in her mouth, got a hell of a tongue/ Devil on my lap and a cross on my neck” on “Ordinary Life,” and “I just won a new award for a kid show/ Talking ‘bout a face numbing off a bag of blow/I’m like goddamn bitch I am not a Teen Choice” - referring to a Nickelodeon award he received for “ I Can’t Feel My Face” - on “ Reminder,” show these trends.

“Starboy” features a small number of artists on a selected group of tracks. “Stargirl Interlude,” featuring Lana Del Rey, has a unique sound with a slow tempo that pairs the two artists well, whereas “Sidewalks,” featuring Kendrick Lamar, is a decent track but nothing exciting.

The strength of the album

is dependent on tracks that fuse 1980s electronic, funk and disco into its slow tempo rhythm.

The tracks “A Lonely Night,” “Die For You,” “I Feel It Coming” and “Secrets” are a tribute to what makes “The Weeknd” a phenomenal artist and shows a glimpse of the iconic star that he can become.

“Starboy” is a solid album that has a little bit of everything for everyone. Though it falls short from his previous albums, it is redeemed with the tracks that exemplify “The Weeknd’s” strengths. Those looking for songs that are reminiscent of “Trilogy” will be disappointed, but fans who are open to “The Weeknd’s” embracing of mainstream pop stardom will be content with the album and its hidden gems.

Score out of 5 stars For more TV reviews, visit thecrcconnection.com or follow the Connection on Twitter @crcconnection

Courtesy Photo

Entertainment of the Year Top Albums

The Life of PabloKanye West Hip Hop.

My WomanAngel Olsen Garage Rock.

Top Films

Blonde-

Frank Ocean R&B

Zootopia

The Witch

Family/Comedy. PG.

Mystery/Horror. R.

Deadpool

Swiss Army Man

Blackstar-

David Bowie Art Rock.

Action/Sci-Fi. R.

Comedy/Drama. R.

PAGE 7

THECRCCONNECTION.COM

The Color Wild:

A look into a Sacramento synth pop band

By Ashley Navarro anavarro.connect@gmail.com For an upcoming band, practice is extremely important, and watching local band The Color Wild not waste a second of their time together as they immediately migrate into a designated room of a family home, it is clear the band is focused and determined to achieve nothing less than greatness.

The band is composed of the three Crosson brothers, who were previously in a band called Cheating Daylight: Jesse, 22, plays keyboard and sings; Kyle, 20, takes the primary singing role; and Jaden, 17, plays drum, as well as the addition of friend Josh Hansen, 20, who plays guitar.

“We’ve been playing music since we were young,” said Jesse. “We just wanted to do something that was different from the music we were playing before and we wanted to make music that would make people feel good and dance so that’s why we started The Color Wild.”

Being a completely different project from the previous that started about a year and a half ago, The Color Wild has shaped the band to be how they envisioned it to be.

“When we started writing music it was a little bit more on the rock side of things,” said Jesse. “It’s shifted in terms of what we think is important as far as expressing ourselves through our music.”

The band describes themselves as “alternative synth pop,” Hansen stated. The band gathers influence from a wide range of music they enjoy, including synth heavy or guitar driven music, 80’s pop, jazz and even classical.

“We just take it all and make something that people could enjoy and get down to,” said Jaden.

Although it is clear the band is the top priority, everyone has busy schedules to juggle, including having jobs and attending school.

“We’ve definitely got managing it down to a science,” said Hansen. Hansen is an engineering major, as well as a music major, who works on top of that.

Jesse is currently getting his master’s degree in voice at California State University, Sacramento. Kyle has a job working for a real estate company. Jaden is finishing up his senior year of high school and stays involved in student government,

while also having a job.

Although the workload for each individual member can be time-consuming, it doesn’t make a dent in how much effort they put into the band.

“It’s not too challenging to balance life with the band because we have such a strong support system making life 10 times easier for me and I’m sure the guys as well,” said Jaden.

The work ethic of the band has seen great payment. In September, the band joined the lineup in one of Sacramento’s newer festivals, City of Trees. The festival included high profile bands, such as Panic! at the Disco and Weezer.

“The experience was a blast,” said Kyle. “It was awesome playing with the bands we grew up listening to.”

With the help of Artery Foundation, which they are signed to and being managed by Andrew Roesch, this opportunity of performing live has been one of many.

Performing in front of an audience can

seem anxiety-ridden to some, but The Color Wild speaks of it with ease.

The confidence the band has as a whole radiates when speaking to them. It is clear they truly love playing music and cherish every opportunity they get.

“If you are doing it for the first couple of times it is nerve-racking but besides that once you get past those nerves, you don’t want to waste too much time being nervous,” said Jaden. “You want to spend all your time performing, having a blast and enjoying giving people certain emotions that they can’t find anywhere else.”

Along with the opportunity of playing live, the band has had radio play in the Sacramento area.

It should be noted how well they work together and all have the same mindset to get things done. When it comes to writing the music, everyone in the band has input to help transform and mold it into the final outcome.

“We have written some pretty cool

things that we never necessarily would have came up with a year and a half ago,” said Hansen.

The song that has been surfacing on the radio is called “Brighter Than The Moon” which will also be featured along with a handful of others in an EP that they plan to be released sometime in the next few months.

Kyle recommends first-time listeners to listen to the song because “It kinda tells you what we sound like as a band in one song.”

On top of an EP release, the band is in the works of gathering ideas for a music video.

“It’s going to be a big year, 2017,” said Jesse.

On Dec. 5, The Color Wild will be opening for Against the Current at The Boardwalk in Orangevale.

The listen to some of the band’s demos in preparation for their EP release, go to thecolorwild.com.

Left photo courtesy of Kevin Cortopassi; top and bottom photos by Stan Smith | The Connection

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December 1, 2016

>>Opinion EDITORIAL

Real media outlets are hurt by fake news Many who have taken a class on media, have seen the film or have learned about Stephen Glass, a former writer for The New Republic in the 90s who is notorious for having fake stories published.

Recently, fake news stories are on the rise and they are spreading like a wildfire through social media. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg confirmed that the social media site is working on a way to combat fake news stories, but it’s going to take a while before they are able to make significant changes to reduce it..

But in the meantime, many people continue to respond to these stories as if they are factual, without verifying them before they react or share them on social media.. These stories are often politically slanted, with a focus shifted towards a conservative audience.

During an interview between fake news writer Paul Horner, and The Washington Post, Horner said he believes that he may have helped Donald Trump take the White House. Further along in the interview Horner said he makes of $100,000 a year, nearly twice the amount of money the average journalist makes.

Many are calling on Facebook to start hiring their own fact-checkers, to delve into the fake news stories and remove the ones that they deem uncredible. But Facebook shouldn’t be responsible for having to fact check the stories shared on its site, that should be up to the user.

Allowing someone else to tell you what’s true and what’s not is alarming, especially when it’s Facebook. If Facebook had fact-checkers, then they are a step closer to becoming a place for people to obtain news.

All of these fake news stories and sites only deepen the divide between the media and the public. There are already enough reasons as to why some people have started to lose faith in the media.

As we have seen, people on Facebook are pretty impressionable, and news feeds constantly stream new links and posts. it would almost be impossible not matter how many fact-checkers Facebook employed to factcheck everything flooding the site. If Facebook hired fact-checkers how would someone know whether or not something was fact-checked or even if someone looked into it fully.

With that amount of content to fact-check it would be overwhelming leading to half-assed fact checking.

With all this in mind we urge you to start doing fact checks on your own accord, and to not obtain news from anywhere that it is not credible. Make judgments for yourself, we live in an age unlike any other where everyone with an internet connection can start doing research on almost any topic they want.

So before you share a post about a news story, check first to see if what you are sharing comes from somewhere and someone credible.

Agree? Disagree? Let us know at connection.crc@gmail.com or thecrcconnection.com Scan this QR code with your smart phone to submit a letter to the editor.

HAWK TALK Do you find news on social media sited to be reliable?

Compiled by Lola Chase Photos by Joe Padilla

Mazie Vega 18, criminal justice

No, everything with the politics between Trump and Clinton, everyone has different opinions from different sources and each have biases within it. On Facebook everything I see I don’t trust. Sometimes I look at hem but I don’t completely believe it. I would rather go to CNN, not Facebook or Twitter.

Joe Shipley 30, economics

“No, I don’t use social media. If I’m looking for news, it depends on what it is. If it’s a left-wing topic, I’ll look on a rightwing website and vice versa. The biggest problems with social is that everyone thinks they know what’s going on, so they mass spread information that isn’t always true, so it can be a bit rough to decipher accurate information.

Samantha Lee 19, biology

“No not really, sometimes it’s a trend thing so I only look at it if it’s Huffington Post or New York Times, not Wikipedia or just any Google article. I would Google to look for information on certain topics normally.”

Matthew Moberly 18, film

I find it reliable half the time, but I know I can’t really trust the internet. I have judgement based on my friends and popular opinions of what I see. I don’t tend to use other sites because everything’s just corrupt so I don’t really trust anything else online.

thecrcconnection.com

Page 9

California will not succeed if it secedes

By Alejandra Morales amorales.connect@gmail.com The concept of California seceding is not new, in fact, it’s quite common. In 2012 after Barack Obama was re-elected, those unhappy with the results wanted California to secede from the United States. But as it was then, the concept of secession is not a smart one for the country and state.

In 2012, California needed up to 25,000 petition names in order to be viewed and receive a response, according to the Huffington Post. But California garnered around 1,100 electronic signatures, which resulted in no early steps toward a possible secession.

It was the best possible result, because if they had seceded, the nation would have not been in good standing.

In 2016, talk of seceding is at a rise again following the presidential election results. While it’s understandable that people want to separate themselves from the image of Donald Trump, the reality of succession is a much more troubling one.

Proponents of a California secession, investors in Silicon Valley, proposed to divide the state into six separate states, according to The Huffington Post. If it was to secede which in their mind would allow poor parts of the state to get more help because they would be better heard by smaller local governments. But the problem with

this is the extreme income inequality in California alone. Not only would there be income inequality in California but the state would have a make it yourself mentality instead of we are in this together mentality, according to Huffington Post.

The idea to divide California into six separate states comes from Tim Draper, an american billionaire investor ,who wants to clearly divide the state into rich and poor regions, stated in the Huffington Post. Larry Gerston, professor of political science from San Jose State University, said that if this was to happen it would widen the gap between education, incarceration and wealth that are greater than they were 25 years ago, according to the Huffington Post.

Also an issue is that not all residents living in California agree with opposing Trump, because in some regions it was heavily recorded that they were rooting for him.

Another problem with this is that people have a false image of how much California could actually defend itself if it was by itself. According to the Sacramento Bee, if the state was to go back to a sovereign nation before 1850 it would have to carry a lot of burdens with Medicare for the elderly, and provide an alternative to Social Security payments. How in the world does the new sovereign nation of California expect to pay for a military, and the answer to that is if it was to try to

get a new military it would have to spend $100 billion and most likely the state would not pay for that. California alone pays for 12 percent of the military of the $800 billion the U.S. spends on defense.

“If this was to happen it would widen the gap between education, incarceration and wealth that are greater than they were 25 years ago.”

This causes problems because then the rebellious state would then turn to the other states for military defense when it just tried desperately to separate from them and become independent.

All this aside getting to a place where the state could actually secede would be extremely hard and also take a long time. There a lot of complicated factors that would need to take place in order for the state to even be recognized as an independent nation. According to NBC News, California is the country’s most populous state making up a large portion of the population.

If it were to become independent it would be the 35th biggest country but as mentioned it would be extremely hard to get there.

In 1869 Texas also tried to secede in a trial called Texas Vs. White and this trial suggested that there were two ways for a state to leave the union: through a revolution or consent of the other states. Also in order for California to secede it would also have to amend the constitution meaning that legislatures of two third of the states would have to consent to the secession.

The thought of all this having to take place makes it seem that secession truly is not worth it because California would have to start paying a lot on its own and that will be troubling for a portion of the nation that can simply not afford those finances. Another worrying fact is that these big investors and money makers seem to pushing for the state to be a nation knowing that they will earn financial gain from this and not caring who they leave behind.

According to NBC News, California as the nation’s sixth largest state, it already carries a lot of the burden because it is the economic engine of the nation and one of the largest provider of the federal budget. So having to deal with expenses on its own could crumble the nation because it does need the help of the other states to stay afloat.

Overall the idea of becoming an independent nation sounds like an amazing idea until you pay attention to the facts and jot down the finances that California would need to pay in order to sustain itself.

This season give to those in need directly

By Andrew Maestas amaestas.connect@gmail.com Almost everyone has a holiday memory that they hold dear, whether it’s the first time unwrapping a present from Santa Claus, or the time shared in the warmth surrounded by good food and family. Those are memories we treasure in our heart if we are fortunate enough to have them. But many people are not so lucky. Instead, they are spending their holidays alone, cold and hungry.

This year, I urge you to reach out and to make a difference, personally.

Not by just donating to the nearest Salvation Army bell ringer but to those that you witness without a place to call their own. It does not have to be of monetary value. Anything that you could spare, whether a pair of shoes you only wore a couple of times, or a jacket that you have had in your closet for the past couple of seasons.

Helping a neighbor should be a value that we all practice year round, especially as the winter and holidays abound. The warm, special holidays remind us to give. However, there are some people who are given nothing, not even a look, not even an acknowl-

edgment that they exist. Instead, these people are talked about as if they are a plague on the city.

This holiday season, it is time for all of us to notice those who are less fortunate than some, whose faces say, “life has been hard on me.”

Last November, I was driving from the mall and saw a man at a stand selling corn with mayo, cheese, and chili.

I pulled over and asked the man how much for an elote. I remember looking at him as he prepared my food. I could see that he was cold, despite the sweater he had on. So I asked him if he would like a pea coat. I went to retrieve it and gave it to him. I explained that the coat was taken to the dry cleaners and I didn’t need it anymore. I remember how happy he became when I handed him the coat. His smile said it all and his cheeks were like a cinnamon red and in his eyes, you could see a glow. I remember telling him to stay warm as I wished him a Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas.

While at a gas station, I saw a young man sitting down, leaning against a wall. He had a jacket and shorts on. I was saddened at this sight for I could see my breath in the air it

was so cold. I drove up on the other end, got out of my car and asked to see if he was okay. I remember him saying that he was just trying to survive and stop using drugs. Unfortunately, I didn’t have any spare sweats or pants, but I had a Quicksilver jacket that I offered to him for his legs. He accepted the jacket and when I handed it to him he immediately spread the jacket out on his legs and said, “Thank you so much, the jacket is so warm.” I didn’t leave him after I gave him the jacket. I stayed and conversed; he shared with me he was 26 and wanted to be away from drugs. I felt so sad; I wish I could have done more, but I knew in my heart I did what could.

That is all I am asking of you, to give what you can. I encourage everyone with spare pea coats, jackets, sweaters, blankets, a pair of socks and extra clothes that aren’t worn or needed: put some clothes and food in your trunk and bless someone. Instead of donating to the Goodwill, go ahead and just give to someone you see and make a difference right then and there.

Be the change you want in the world.

Bless someone with a warm meal and perhaps a conversation. Look in their

eyes and let them know they matter and aren’t forgotten. They aren’t strangers; they are our neighbors.

They are someone’s son or daughter; they are the veterans from war; they are someone’s parent struggling with life-stealing addictions. They are human and shouldn’t be treated any differently than how you would want to be treated if you were in their shoes.

We should not judge people in less fortunate circumstances, but love and look after them. Life can turn on anyone fast, so be thankful for all you have and take care of those who may not have as much. Sometimes we may want to help, but don’t know how and that is okay.

This Christmas season let us help our fellow neighbor. Let us love in ways we can. This year, volunteer at a shelter, Salvation Army, a food bank or Loaves and Fishes. You may never know the impact you may make on someone’s life, so go and make someone’s winter a bit warmer and brighter.

Let us love our neighbors.

As Musician Paul O’Neill once said,“by helping a neighbor or even a stranger to know who needs help, you need only just ask.”

Page 10

December 1, 2016

>>Sports

Sophomores recognized for leadership, work ethic

By Matt Johnson mjohnson.connect@gmail.com As the 2016 fall athletics season comes to a close, a few Cosumnes River College athletes were recognized for their general excellence.

Athletes who demonstrated tremendous work ethic on and off the field and were committed members to their athletic families were recognized.

Among the athletes recognized was women's soccer player Anna Ottley.

The sophomore forward, majoring in liberal studies, was recognized by head coach Cesar Plasencia for her dedication to the team, academics and the work she puts in and role she plays as a sophomore.

For Ottley, the recognition held special meaning because of her own personal goals and focus on hard work.

"It means a lot!" Ottley said. "I've always strived to work hard in everything I do."

"I also know that being on a team means that you are like a family and I would never leave my team or any of my teammates behind," she said. "So it means a lot knowing that my coach recognized that."

The sophomore lives by the motto of always giving your best and it's something she applies everywhere she goes.

"I've always been taught to give 150% in anything that I do whether it's soccer, school or a job," Ottley said.

"Being there for my teammates is just as important because if we're all there for each other, then our team chemistry is that much better, which means we'll perform better on the field."

Ottley, who has a cumulative 3.76 GPA, learned to balance her schedule in high school as an AP student and athlete.

"It's definitely a challenge but playing soccer over the years and taking AP classes in high school," Ottley said. "I have learned how to manage my time to make sure that I get everything done that I need to help maintain a good GPA.

Matt Johnson | The Connection

Courtesy Photo: Felicia Stewart

Hannah Norris Sophomore - Middle Hitter 3.2 GPA - Major: Agriculture Business

Anna Ottley Sophomore - Midfielder 3.76 GPA - Major: Liberal Studies

"Being there for my teammates is just as important because if we're all there for each other, then our team chemistry is that much better, which means we'll perform better on the field."

Another athlete recognized was Hawks volleyball player Hannah Norris, nominated by head coach Kari Post.

“I chose Hannah because she has a great work ethic," Post said. "She’s one of the best competitors on our team and one of our most valuable players as well as academically."

"She has done amazingly. She has a 3.5 for the semester and a 3.2 overall which is a great accomplishment.”

Norris, a sophomore middle hitter, was appreciative of the recognition from her coach. "It makes me feel really appreciated that all my hard work hasn't gone unnoticed," Norris said.

She hopes the work she put in made a difference for others as well.

— Anna Ottley Women's soccer forward "I really hope my efforts have made a difference not only to myself, but also to my teammates on and off the court," she said.

Post spoke to Norris's commitment to the team every single day, the effort she always gave and her versatility to play multiple positions for the team.

“She came to practice ready every single day. She was not only able to outperform her teammates, but she went after every ball and played two different positions," Post said.

"She was never unwilling to play another position and take over more responsibility," she said. "With that attitude, she was able to work hard to get to the best she could."

To be recognized for her work ethic especially, carried special meaning for Norris.

"Work ethic is very important to me, I think being a hard-worker is one of my best traits," she said.

But it was even more meaningful for her to be recognized as a good teammate.

"Being a teammate is more important to me though," she said. "I care so much for my team and I would do anything for them."

In her sophomore season, Norris has navigated a busy class workload with practices and games.

For Post, it's important to her that her players remain focused and perform academically, so she likes the progress Norris has continued to make this season.

“Volleyball is not the most important thing in the world, but progressing academically is going to help her in the long run,” Post said.

Norris, an agriculture business major, is taking 19 units this semester with health, history, statistics, agriculture business and philosophy class.

With a schedule that includes five classes, nine hours of practice each week, four-hour games with warmups and film study, in addition to studying six hours in the study center and four at home, it's all about managing time for Norris.

"It's all about working hard and time management," she said. "I always keep in mind my goals and knowing I can achieve them helps me keep my priorities in line."

These are lessons that Norris has worked to teach younger players who she works with to put them in better position to succeed, now and in the future.

"When I coached my 12's and 16's, I always tried to enforce that you don't only play for yourself, you're playing for your team," Norris said.

"It creates a sense of unity upon them, and along with always working hard, they will succeed," she said.

While the season is over for both athletes, the traits bode well for success in the future.

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Hawks’ soccer team downed in shutout, playoff loss to Falcons

By Matt Johnson mjohnson.connect@gmail.com It was a crushing loss for Cosumnes River College as they were knocked out for the second year in a row by Folsom Lake College in the Northern California women’s soccer junior college regionals on Nov.22.

The Hawks were dropped by the Falcons 2-0 and eliminated from the postseason in what was an extremely physical, high-intensity game.

Throughout the game, no red cards or yellow cards were handed out. The physicality and numerous collisions added to the playoff tension between conference opponents.

“I thought the referee didn’t do a good job of controlling it early, and consequently, the girls got into each other a bit during the game and ended up in the tussle there at the end,” said Hawks head coach Cesar Plasencia.

This was the third meeting between the Hawks and Falcons. The teams split road wins earlier in the season. It also was a rematch of last year’s second round playoff game, which Folsom Lake College won in double overtime.

It was a physical game with takedown tackles going back and forth as the refs let it play on. The first half was a stalemate, with both teams exchanging shots on goal and hard tackles in the conference playoff battle.

Both teams had shot on goal opportunities throughout, but open shots just went wide of the mark or were deflected by both goalies.

As the clock hit the 60’ mark, Falcons sophomore forward Hannah O’Donnell cracked open the game and gave Folsom a 1-0 lead.

Shortly after, Folsom Lake extended its lead when sophomore midfielder Karina Torres scored on a penalty kick.

After the quiet first half, the Falcons were able to pick up the quicker style of play and counter against the Hawks’ style in the second half.

“We played the ball faster, quicker and we just found their style of playing and just went through them,” said Folsom Lake defender Mia Evans.

As the final seconds wound down, the emotions of the game reached the tipping point.

A late push by a Falcons player along the sideline seconds before time expired, led to

Editor in Chief: Matt Johnson News Editor: Courtney Fong Features Editor: Ashley Navarro Opinion Editor: Tyler Santana Sports Editor: Matt Johnson Photo Editor: LeShea Munoz Faculty Adviser: Rubina Gulati Staff: Abigail Babineau, Kaelyn Blizzard, Steven Bryla, Lola Chase, Andrew Flores, Jared Lee, Andrew Maestas, Alejandra Morales, Rachel Norris, Joe Padilla, Stan Smith, Julie Wallinger

The year in sports: An emotion rollercoaster

By Matt Johnson mjohnson.connect@gmail.com

Matt Johnson | The Connection

Sophomore defender Taylor Gomez’s head drops after Folsom Lake College Falcons took a 2-0 lead on Nov. 22

words being exchanged and then pushing and shoving.

More players rushed the field as officials ran into the fray to separate players.

It was a crushing end to the Hawks season, but both players and coaches were proud of the work and effort the team put in this year.

“I’m very proud at how far we got this year and the results we got,” said sophomore forward Andrea Story.

“Even though the last game wasn’t in our favor I think it just adds a new fire under the freshman’s butt, cause now Folsom will be their new rival.”

As the team huddled up after the game, the coach let his players know once again he was proud of the work they have done this season.

“Keep their head up. Proud of their effort, proud of our season and start preparing for next year,” Plasencia said.

The Hawks end the season with a 10-9-5 record, 7-6-3 in the Big 8 Conference, and made the playoffs for the 10th year in a row.

The Connection is an award-winning newspaper published bi-weekly by the Journalism 410 & 411 media production class. Editorials and opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the students, staff or faculty of CRC or Los Rios Community College District.

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2016 was a memorable, dramatic year.

It also served as a year in sports full of every emotion, demonstrating why people love sports so much and why the emotional ties to it are so strong.

There was happiness.

It started in February when Peyton Manning took the field for the last time in Super Bowl 50.

In his 293rd NFL game, Manning walked off the field victorious with his second Super Bowl ring.

For footballs fans who watched Manning, one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history, it was the perfect ending to his career and they were able to enjoy it.

There was pride. The 2016 Summer Olympics rolled around and it presented people across the world, a chance to cheer on their nation’s best Olympians and root for them to return home with gold medals.

It was meaningful for United States, who watched with pride and togetherness as the U.S. won 121 medals and witnessed swimmer Michael Phelps become the most decorated olympian of all time with 28 total medals.

But the sports world was also hit hard by loss.

These were just a few of dozens of former athletes, both young and old, who the world lost in 2016.

The deaths of sporting legends, from football coach Buddy Ryan and legendary women’s basketball coach Pat Summitt, to former boxer Muhammad Ali were painful losses.

But the most impactful for me, the one that brings tears as the words are written, was the death of Miami Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez.

A young man, who risked his life as a teenager to make it from Cuba to the U.S. with his mom. A man who was everything to the Mi-

ami community, who played with passion and flair that so resembled the community and people, was lost.

There was sorrow. I never had the pleasure to meet him, but I fell in love with his story when he was drafted out of high school and as time went on, he became my favorite athlete in all of sports.

The loss of an athlete just at the early stages of his career hurt, but the loss of a young man who overcame so much, gave so much and lived with the rare passion for life and all things, was heartbreaking.

His tragic death taught us many things, but most importantly was that we all could live life with a little more passion and joy because we have just this one and it’s too hard to stay anything but happy for too long.

As the year wound down, sports had the moment it needed most.

Joy. In early November, the Chicago Cubs snapped a 108-year drought when they won the World Series in extra innings of Game 7.

For Cubs fans young and old, relief and joy had finally come. The curse of Steve Bartman’s fan interference in Game 6 of the 2003 National League Championship Series, was forgotten.

Sports fans in general, had a moment to smile and see a historic streak end, young men and a city celebrate.

2016 brought out the emotions in all of us. Happiness, pride, sorrow, joy and everything in between.

It perfectly captures why we love sports. Like relationships, it takes us through the ups and downs, twists and turns of the emotional rollercoaster and we live for the ride.

Through it all, we remain devoted to sports and all it brings us and brings out of us.

Here is to you 2016, we look forward to sports in 2017.

Page 12

December 1, 2016

Slow start dooms Hawks in 58-53 loss to Eagles

By Jared Lee jalee.connect@gmail.com The Hawks women’s basketball team lost a close game to the West Hills Lemoore Eagles on Nov. 22, 58-53.

The game was slow in its start, with no points made during the first two minutes of the game, despite several attempts by the Hawks.

Then, just over two minutes into the game, Cosumnes River College head coach Coral Sage called a timeout.

“I just needed to get the girls refocused. I felt like we were not really checked-in, and wanted to get them settled down,” Sage said.

“We were missing a lot of layups and just kind of being afraid of attacking the glass. I wanted to get them refocused on what the gameplan actually was.”

After this, both teams began to find success with their shot attempts. The first quarter ended with the Hawks leading 12-7.

The second quarter offered significantly more action than the first, including the Eagles’ forward/center Savannah Pates leaving the game with an injury.

The first half ended 29-23,

Stan Smith | The Connection

The Hawks women's basketball team huddles up with head coach Coral Sage early in their game on Nov. 22

with the Hawks maintaining the lead.

Sophomore guard Jasmine Chapman, who finished with 11 points and three assists, said that in the future, the team needs to make sure that they get the early lead.

“We have to start the game and the second half strong.

You can’t start slow because you’re up by 10,” Chapman said.

“You’ve got to come out and be the first to hit it.”

The Hawks were much

more vocal at the start of the second half, calling out to each other across the court.

Sophomore guard Gina Ingravallo, who finished with 10 points and four assists, was happy with the communication between the team members.

“I knew my teammates had my back,” Ingravallo said.

“I could always hear them.”

In the third quarter, the Eagles began to play at a faster pace, with the Hawks trying to keep up. The Hawks played

well defensively, but the third quarter still ended in a tied game at 39-39.

“Defensively, we did fine. I mean, we kept them to 58 points, which is a pretty solid defensive game,” Sage said. “It’s just offensively, we couldn’t get going.”

The game was high in fouls, with both freshman forward QuoQuese Jackson and sophomore forward Akila Britton fouling out of the game with five personal fouls each.

Two other Hawks play-

ers, Daija Ward and Nayani Gordon, ended the game with four personal fouls each.

“The fouls really hurt us tonight,” Sage said.

“So many girls in foul trouble that we didn’t really have a lot of options when it came time for subbing.”

The fourth quarter was extremely close, with the score tied at 50-50 when there were just over four minutes left to play.

In the last four minutes though, the Eagles began to pull away, ending the game 58-53.

Sage said she hopes the team will be able to use this loss as motivation for the future. She also feels good about the team moving forward.

“Never quit. That’s our biggest thing,” Sage said.

“Never give up, never quit, whether you’re up 20 or down 20.”

“We’ve just got to deep coming out swinging and do what we do best.”

The Hawks will play against Moorpark at Santa Ana College on Thursday at 2 p.m.

It will kick off a busy month of December, where the team will play in three tournaments.

Sophomores reflect on their final seasons as Hawks

By Matt Johnson mjohnson.connect@gmail.com For sophomore athletes at Cosumnes River College, the last season as a member of the Hawks can mean a lot of things.

From a chance to step into a leadership role to being a part of a program for two years, it provides a plethora of memories and experiences for players.

Now as they look back on their time with the Hawks, there are a lot of positives that have made the experience great.

"The thing I'll take from being a part of the Hawks program is the friendships I have made," said sophomore middle hitter Hannah Norris.

"I have made some great friends from last year's team, as well as grown so close to our small team this year," she said.

Norris, who has played

volleyball at CRC for two years, has gone through the ups and down.

Being on a team that in two seasons went 13-40, including an extensive conference losing streak, it has taught her how to stick with things through the down times.

"I learned to persevere through the tough times," Norris said. "It would have been easy to give up during our losing streak, but pulling out that win showed that never giving up helps you to succeed."

That perseverance and continuing to work towards success led to it all finally paying off.

In her final home game, where she and other sophomore volleyball players were recognized on sophomore night, the team snapped its 66game conference losing streak.

It was a special moment for her and her teammates that will go down as one of her greatest memories in her time

with the volleyball team.

"Sophomore night was amazing, we finally took a win and it was the best feeling I've experienced," Norris said. "It's like we all clicked at that exact moment, and we dominated Modesto in three winning sets."

Being an experiened player also means players often are asked to step into more of a leadership role.

It's something sophomore midfielder Anna Ottley said she took on this season by providing positive examples for her teammates.

"I really tried to lead by my actions of working hard no matter what and showing dedication by making every practice and game," Ottley said.

The women's soccer forward enjoyed her time with the Hawks and the things she took away from it.

"My biggest takeaway would be the confidence I've

gained in my game," she said.

While the storybook victory in a player's final game with the team is ideal, it doesn't often turn out that way.

For Ottley and sophomore forward Andrea Story, a playoff loss was a tough way to go out, but they'll always be appreciative of their teammates and coaches.

"It was hard knowing that this was it for me and the team," Story said. "I had great respect for everyone on the team including the coaching staff."

That moment when an athlete realizes their time with the team is over can come in different moments, like for Norris, who didn't have that feeling until, "I didn't have to show up for practice the next day. I didn't really know what to do with myself now that I have a lot more free time."

As sophomore athletes move on to the next chapter of their lives, they provide some

positivity for the future of their respective teams.

"Our new coach, Kari Post, will definitely help this program succeed. With her coaching skills and the assistants she chose, I have grown to be such a better player," Norris said.

"I can only imagine what having more time with the coaching staff will do for other players," she said.

They usher in the next wave of sophomores with words of advice.

"There's no reason to never give less than 100 percent in practices or games," Norris said. "Because it will only make you a better player and person in the long run.

For Ottley, the message centered on taking in each moment and never losing focus.

"Embrace it all and enjoy every moment, don't let the little things get in the way of your goals and the teams goals," she said.