Feb. 28, 2020 Collegian

Women’s basketball beats Seward County for title

Conference champs!

Page 5

The student voice of Hutchinson Community College

February 28, 2020

www.hutchcollegian.com

Another leap further, another year older

Being 4-years old and in college is unique experience

By Samarah Bailey Staff Writer

Birthdays are one of the few things people can always rely on to come around on the same day, year after year, without fail.

However, for some, this is simply not the case. According to thoughtco.com, roughly 205,000 of the 327.2 million people in the United States were born on Feb. 29. This means their actual birthday comes around only once every four years.

Hutchinson Community College sophomore Gelecia Cooper, from Norfolk, Virginia, is one of the few Americans with a leap year birthday.

Cooper was born in 2000, making her 4 in

leap years and 19 in regular years.

She doesn’t remember when she found out about her special birthday, but when she was born, she received some outside attention.

“When I was born, I was actually in a newspaper for [being] one of the first millennial leap year babies,” Cooper said.

Besides being featured in a newspaper, Cooper has found other benefits to being born on Feb. 29.

“I get really big discounts for certain stores and stuff because I’m like one of the few… it’s pretty cool,” Cooper said. “I feel special.”

Since Cooper’s birthday only truly comes once every four years,

she said she typically celebrates the date on both Feb. 28 and March 1.

Having such a rare birthday makes finding other people who share the same birthday difficult. However, Cooper says she does know one other person who shares her birthday.

“This boy named Ricky (is) like my birthday twin. We always tell each other ‘happy birthday,’ and he’s like 6 in leap-year years,” Cooper said.

Even though there is only a 1 in 1,461 chance of being born on a leap day according to thoughtco.com, Cooper was able to defy the odds, making her one of the few able to claim Feb. 29 as her official birthday.

Younger than her own children?

By Laci Sutton Staff Writer

It’s Leap Year, which means February has an extra day.

Leap years only happen every four years. The odds of being born on Feb. 29, are about 1 in 1,500. It’s estimated that there are 187,000 people that beat those odds. Those lucky few are called leapers, leapsters, and leaplings.

Hutchinson Community College student Trista Maichle is one of those, and she met with The Collegian for a Q&A. LS: What is your major at Hutchinson Community College?

TM: Health Information Management LS: When do you celebrate your birthday?

TM: When I was young we celebrated on February 28, then on the closest weekend, and now I only celebrate my birthday on February 29.

There is always confusion on non-leap year years which day to count as my birthday, February 28 or March 1. This made for an interesting 21st birthday celebration!

Photo by Bre Rogers/Collegian Hutchinson Community College’s Gelecia Cooper leaps for a basket during a home game against Seward County at the Sports Arena.

10 things you may not know about Leap Year Compiled by Caleb Spencer

Vol. 61 Issue 15

LS: How old were you when you fully understood what it meant to have a leap-day birthday?

Courtesy Photo HutchCC student Trista Maichle (left) dresses as Raphael from TMNT to celebrate her Leap Year birthday.

TM: I was in elementary school.

LS: Was it difficult to explain to your classmates?

TM: No. I have people that I haven’t seen or heard from in years that still get a hold of me on my leap year birthday. It’s an easy one to remember.

LS: Have you ever been made fun of or teased about having a leap-day birthday?

TM: Everyone thought it was great that

they had actually met or knew someone born on leap year. I was never made fun of. My older children loved when they were finally older than me. My younger children think it’s funny and can’t wait to catch up to me.

They love telling their friends.

LS: Do you count your age based on the leap years?

TM: Yes! Definitely.

I try to act my leap year age whenever I can get away with it.

1) Astrologers believe that people born on a leap year have special talents, such as burping the alphabet or painting like Picasso.

2) James Milne Wilson, the eighth premier of Tasmania, was born on a leap day and died on a leap day.

3) In Russia, it is believed that leap years bring worse weather patterns and a greater risk of death.

4) Anthony, Texas, is the self-proclaimed “Leap Year Capital of the World”.

5) Getting married in a leap year is considered bad luck in Greece.

6) Leap Day babies are called “leapers” or “leaplings”.

7) The odds of being born on a leap year are 1 in 1,461.

8) Four million people in the world are leap day babies.

9) Two families have had three children on leap days.

10) Frogs are a symbol for leap years.

Upcoming events

Feb. 28 — Softball vs. Hesston 2 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Feb. 29 — Leap Day Feb. 29 — Baseball vs. Coffeyville 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.

March 2 — Current Student Enrollment Begins March 5 — Baseball vs. Barton 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.

March 10 — Dillon Lecture Series - Byron Pitts 10:30 a.m. 11:30 p.m.

The happenings around campus

Blue Dragons weekend forecast

Friday — High: 57 Low: 32 Saturday — High: 65 Low: 50

Sunday — High: 67 Low: 39

Inside Scoop

Opinion: Page 2 - Emily Fehrman writes about deciding between transfering and the real world Campus: Page 3 - Computer connections event slated for Wednesday Sports: Page 6 - HutchCC routs Allen County in Region 6 opener

Opinion

Page 2

The Hutchinson Collegian The Hutchinson Collegian is the official student newspaper of Hutchinson Community College.

It is created by the Newspaper Production class each week during the academic year, except for when school is not in session, or during final exams. Copies may be found on campus Friday mornings, or in Shears Technology Center, room 207.

Our newspaper is printed by The Hutchinson News.

Staff

Editor In Chief Tabitha Barr Campus editor Jared Shuff Opinion page editor Emily Fehrman Sports editors Adam Kolb and Bailey Pennycuff Social Media Coordinators KJ Ryan and Shea Hubbs Online Web Master Aaron Strain Editorial cartoonist Kristin Anguiano Staff members Samarah Bailey, Emily Branson, Jake Brown, Rachel Lyons, Bre Rogers, KJ Ryan, Caleb Spencer, Laci Sutton, Leslie Grajeda Adviser Brad Hallier

Letters to the editor

The Hutchinson Collegian welcomes letters to the editor.

Letters must include the author’s signature, address and phone number.

The Collegian reserves the right to edit letters for style, legality and length. Letters may not exceed 300 words. Send letters to hallierb@hutchcc.edu.

On the web

Visit our web site at www. hutchcollegian. com Our e-edition can be viewed at www.issuu.com

Social media

Facebook: The Collegian Hutchinson Community College Twitter: @HCC_ Collegian Instagram: the_ hutchinson_ collegian SnapChat: hutch_collegian

Nondiscrimination statement

Hutchinson Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, age, military status, sexual orientation, or any other protected category under federal, state, or local law, or by college policy. The following person has been designated to monitor compliance and handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies (www.hutchcc. edu/equity): Jake Gunden, Coordinator of Equity & Compliance 1300 N. Plum Hutchinson, KS 67501 (620) 665-3500 equity@hutchcc. edu

Harvey Weinstein is not just a disgrace, he’s a rapist

The Hutchinson Collegian Friday, February 28, 2020

10/10 would recommend @teachers

Our view It has taken too long, but Harvey Weinstein has finally been found guilty of third-degree rape and first-degree of criminal sexual assault. Unfortunately, he was acquitted of the two most serious charges that could have sentenced him to life.

He didn’t get the full punishment he deserved, but the victims finally got some form of justice. He will be in custody until March 11 where he could face 25 years in the New York State Prison.

This was a big step for the #MeToo movement. The movement against sexual harassment and sexual assault has finally made people pay for trying to hold power over others. It has brought attention to many areas that went unchecked and it continues to open up the conver-

sation.

After the verdict was given, Weinstein and his attorneys were ridiculous in their actions and words. One of his attorneys, Arthur Aidala, said that they are going to appeal the verdict and telling the courtroom that they were handling the case very wrong. He also praised Wein-

stein for being “unbelievably strong” and that he took the decision “like a man.” Some news outlets have also called him a “disgraced producer.” There is so much wrong with those statements and I hope that someday they understand their stupidity.

He is not strong. He is not disgraced.

He is a coward, a liar, an abuser, a rapist. The phrase “like a man” is laughable and punchable all in one.

He is no man. He’s a rapist.

That is what he will be known for and should be known for.

Harvey Weinstein is a rapist. He deserves every piece of hell that is coming to him.

The excitement & impending doom of graduation The time has come for Hutchinson Community College sophomores to get their applications for graduation done, and decide if they’re moving onto a four-year college or jumping into the real world.

But let’s try to keep a level head and not completely lose our minds.

With the end of the semester rapidly approaching, I’m sure many of us are feeling something relatively similar. For me, it’s a mixture of excitement, pride, dread, relief, and a hint of fear. OK, maybe a little more than a hint of fear.

You would think that with graduation getting closer that the levels of anxiety would dwindle, but instead, mine just increased.

However, I do feel for the students who came their freshman year and had a difficult time adjusting to the campus atmosphere.

They’ve finally gotten used to campus and its students, have a good feel of the school, finding comfort in the normality that comes with the regular school year.

Being afraid of change, in your surroundings and/or people, is perfectly normal.

Having to pick up a new daily routine, make new connections, and if needed, moving into a new place or state, are all major stressors.

When I was graduating high school, I was ecstatic just thinking about moving out and going to college. Absolutely couldn’t wait for it. Now, I’m graduating from our lovely college, and all I can think of is how I can’t wait to get out of here.

For some reason, I had the audacity to get two associate degrees, and yet still have no clue what I want to do for the rest of my life.

But here’s the thing – it’s OK to not have everything figured out. Life isn’t supposed to be perfect or have a set-in-stone plan or path to be followed. Sure, that would be ideal, making all of our lives a lot easier. But that’s just not how this stuff works.

If you’re stressing, my best advice is to try and see that you aren’t alone in these fears. It will find a way to work out, but

don’t forget that you still have to put in the effort. Go see a career counselor or talk to your advisor for some pointers to try and help you get things figured out. You may not know what your calling is, but that doesn’t mean you won’t find it.

Columnist

Emily Fehrman Emily Fehrman is a Pretty Prairie sophomore studyingJournalism. She is the Opinion Page Editor.

A college student’s eating habits I thought I had a pretty good handle on what I ate during my college years, but recently I’ve been making some pretty interesting choices for meals. I have a weird relationship with food anyway, as I’m either starving all of the time or not hungry at all.

It’s hard knowing when and what to eat when my stomach can’t decide anything.

As your typical college student, I have a busy schedule that makes eating at a decent time hard to do. Between work and school, I’m deciding whether I need food or I need a nap. I usually have neither because I’m studying or I have other obligations that come first. And lately, my life has been more hectic than usual with finding something to eat while eating at an acceptable time.

I admit that I am more spoiled than most college students. I am fortunate enough to still live with my parents, and they actually still want to feed my hangry self.

Recently though, I’ve been dog sitting constantly and am finding the cold, hard truth that food is expensive as hell. Having

a house practically to myself is quite nice.

I don’t have to share one bathroom with three other people and I can walk around in my pajamas without the look of shame finding me. But finding food to eat that’s not junk food can be a challenge, especially for someone like me who can’t cook to save my life. No joke, I can’t even make mac and cheese without the water boiling over.

Frozen foods and pasta have become my best friends. I can plop it in the oven or the stove, watch a YouTube video, grab my food and start homework while I stuff my face.

Honestly, I am incredibly tired of pizza.

It’s good, but it’s not something I want to have five out of the seven days of the week.

Too much cheese. And if you think I’m joking about eating anything I can find, one night I literally had microwaved corn for dinner. There is video proof.

For breakfast, I may or may not be eating Girl Scout cookies. They won me over and I’m not ashamed.

Don’t even get me started on my coffee

addiction to Scooters. I have to limit myself to one drink a week. I swear I have a problem, but there’s no way I’m giving it up. I am spending way too much on overpriced drinks, but I don’t care. So if anyone wants to give me a gift card to Scooters, I would greatly appreciate it.

I know it’s not healthy, but I’m already a potato. Might as well make it fun.

Columnist

Tabitha Barr Tabitha Barr is a Nickerson sophomore studying Media Communications and Production. She is the The Collegian’s Editor In Chief.

The Hutchinson Collegian Friday, February 28, 2020

Campus

Page 3

Tutors take time to chill Tech employers set to present

By Rachel Lyons Staff Writer

Photo by KJ Ryan/Collegian Maria Santos and Ben Pankratz are campus tutors. Work keeps tutors busy, but they find time to hang out.

By Emily Branson Staff Writer

When it comes to college classes, students can be left feeling like they have no idea what they’re doing.

Whether it’s staring at an algebra problem with a befuddling look, or getting discombobulated in the periodic table. However, at Hutchinson Community College, there is a group of tutors that is dedicated to helping students with their classwork. These tutors are located in Rimmer Learning Resource Center and spend many hours each week tutoring students.

“I work about 21.5 hours a week here,” said Maria Santos, Belém, Brazil sophomore. “My schedule is pretty fun. I have individual tutoring by appointment, and then I also work in the math lab.”

This semester has been busy for the tutors, which leaves little time for outside activities.

“This semester, it has been crazy,” Santos said.

“Usually on exam weeks, we have a lot of people.

Students come in and get help to make sure they understand everything before they take their exams.”

Despite the fact that the tutors spend much of their time helping out their peers, they have spent quality time with each other outside of work.

“We all built snowmen after the tutor training that we had Feb. 12,” Santos said. “It was snowy and it

was my first time building a snowman, so it was very fun. I really like the tutors that we have this semester.

We have a lot of fun.”

Building a bond like this between coworkers is crucial to having a positive work environment, and the tutors have accomplished that.

“We are very close this semester,” Santos said.

“Since we see each other very often, we all try to maintain a good relationship. If there are good relationships, it reflects the way you are going to work.”

This feeling seems to be mutual throughout the Rimmer tutors. Ben Pankratz, Inman sophomore, also said he feels like the connections through tutoring make him feel more at home with his job.

“I think there’s a really good camaraderie here,” Pankratz said. “In all of my jobs that I’ve worked, I’ve always looked for that camaraderie. I’ve really found that here with these tutors.”

A team that has good chemistry and communication results in higher morale and an overall more enthusiastic and encouraging environment for everyone involved.

“Everybody is just exceptional in helping each other out,” Pankratz said.

“It goes a lot deeper than just coming to work every day, I really appreciate that about this job.”

On Wednesday, Hutchinson Community College will host its Second Annual Computer Connections.

This event, featuring Chad Kropf and Holly Duskin (Data Center Inc), Scott Hobbs (Hutchinson Regional Medical Center), Glen Acheson (Hutchinson Community College), Brian Yocam and Kris Sauer (Intrust Bank) as keynote speakers, aims to allow students to hear from local computer specialists about the field.

Acheson, Assistant Director of Information Technology Services - Systems at Hutch CC, said “A business needs all kinds of people” because of a lack of information about computer-related fields.

“Naturally, there are thousands of jobs that go unfilled in (the) technology (industry), starting salaries in the field are high as a result,” Acheson said.

An associate degree in Networking, with additional Cisco Certifications, is marketable outside of the Hutchinson and Wichita metropolitan areas.

However, the recipient must be willing to commit to continuing education about new programs and industry standards as they arise. Earning an associate helps students develop the fundamentals, and the mindset necessary to succeed in the workforce for years.

Following the four presentations, students will have about 30 minutes to network with the professionals and among themselves.

Matt MaGee, HutchCC computer science associate professor, said the companies represented at this event have hired HutchCC graduates from the Computer Support Specialist, Web Development, Networking, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or Management Information Systems. Companies have also hired grads with a CompTIA A+, CompTIA Net+, CompTIA Security+, Cisco CCNA, CCNP, CompTIA Linux+, or CompTIA Server+ certifications.

Jillene Cunningham, MaGee and Jackie Long have organized this event, and additional can be obtained by emailing computers@hutchcc.edu. Presenters will be available until noon for questions.

Computer Connections

Wednesday, March 4 10:20-11:30 AM Justice Theater, Shears Technology Center Free to all HutchCC students Area employers will speak about necesssary skills for computer majors seeking careers.

Campus

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By Jordan Arheart Staff Writer

Staff writer, Shea Hubbs’ Daschund puppy, “Blue”.

Adulthood Adventures: Becoming a mother

By Shea Hubbs Staff Writer

First, no I didn’t give birth, which sounds terrifying.

For women that have, you’re awesome. I did, however, become a mother to an adorable dachshund puppy.

My boyfriend and I had been wanting to get a dog for a long time, and when we saw him our hearts exploded. On Feb. 15, my life changed forever.

I hadn’t been a dog mom before, so this was all new to me. When we went to get him, my heart started to race. I was nervous, scared and more excited than I’ve ever been. I started shaking when I went to pick him up for the first time. He was so small I thought he would break.

But I held him close to my chest and kissed his head. My heart was attached from that moment.

Now came the thing that I had been struggling with since I knew I was getting a dog. What was his name going to be?

I asked my friends and family for suggestions, but nothing felt right. It wasn’t until my boyfriend, Isaac, and I went to the pet store for toys and food. I was carrying the puppy in the store when a sales associate came up to us and made a comment about how he looked “blue.”

The puppy had gotten a bunch of shots that day, so it was understandable why he looked down.

But when she said that, Isaac and I gave each other a look. When we got into the car, it was an easy decision. “Blue” was his name. We were so excited that we had named him.

Our excitement went down when we tried going to sleep. I thought I had everything planned.

I’d done the research, gotten all the best toys, food and treats. But we couldn’t stop Blue from barking. Of course, I knew a puppy would bark, but I wasn’t prepared for him to be up all night long.

The first night I didn’t get more than two hours of sleep. Blue wouldn’t stay asleep unless he was in bed with us. It didn’t matter what we did, he wouldn’t sleep. Over the next few days, we tried a few different ways of getting Blue to bed. Websites said all different things. Don’t let them eat before bed, don’t have lights on, tire them out, don’t let them nap a lot.

I did all of these and he wasn’t having any of it.

I was so sleep deprived it started to take a toll. I was grouchy with Isaac and my coworkers, my eyes were constantly puffy, I cried more times than I can count, and I was starting to lose my mind. He just barked all night, endlessly.

I was getting hopeless.

I had gotten this dog and couldn’t even get him to stop barking. I was wondering if I had made the right decision. Was I ready for this? But I didn’t give up. I talked to a trainer at one of the local doggy daycares, and with her advice, I got Blue to sleep more and more each night. He still has work to do, but we’re making progress.

Then I got to thinking.

I thought about my mom and sister. Both have raised more than two kids, mostly alone. If this is how it is with a puppy, I can only imagine the toll it takes on a mother with an infant.

I called my mom and told her about everything that was happening and she just smiled. She knew more than anyone how I was feeling, and now I can say how much respect I have for her and all the mothers out there.

I know having a puppy and baby are nowhere near the same, but the feeling of being responsible for a defenseless being is a big deal. Feeding it, bathing it, potty training them, and loving them when they don’t understand how exhausted you are. It’s a big deal to do either.

No matter how much you think you’re ready, there is always something you won’t be expecting. But take it one day at a time and you will reach the day where you miss it all. Even the crying... or barking.

The Hutchinson Collegian Friday, February 28, 2020

Two Title Fights: UFC Review

March 7 folks. Mark that day down in your calendars. Two of the greatest UFC middleweight fighters of this era are throwing down in Paradise, Nevada. Israel “Stylebender” Adesanya and Yoel “Soldier of God” Romero are meeting up in what’s going to be one of the biggest clashes of the year at UFC 248.

Israel is coming off of a title bout win against Robert Whittaker, in which Adesanya won the contest by knockout in the second round and became the middleweight champion of the world.

This will be his first title defense. The win against Whittaker improved his record to a whopping eighteen wins and zero losses.

Yoel is one of the older fighters in the UFC organization being 42 years old. Being that old, you wouldn’t expect him to pack a big punch but let me tell you; it’s like being hit by a train.

Romero can knock any and everyone out at any time during a fight.

Yoel’s record is sitting at a nice thirteen wins and

four losses, with two of those losses being title bouts.

Both fighters have a unique style. Romero is primarily a wrestler, earning a silver medal in the freestyle competition at the 2000 Summer Olympics.

Israel is a world-class kickboxer.

One major difference between the two fighters is their height and reach.

Yoel stands at 6-foot-2 while Israel is 6’4”. The reach is the most drastic change between the fighters. Yoel has a reach of 73.5” while Israel has an outstanding reach of 80”.

This fight is going to

be one for the ages, with many people tweeting about it and looking forward to the amazing bout between the two.

Notable others fighting in the UFC 248 card are Sean O’Malley v. José Alberto Quiñónez fighting in the Bantamweight division, and finally, in a UFC title bout, Weili Zhang v. Joanna Jedrzejczyk. This fight is one of the biggest cards this year.

With it being so early on, no one can really tell, but it might have the chance to be one of the top cards of the year.

Only two other cards can rival this one, those being UFC 247, which

featured one of the best fighters of all time, Jon “Bones” Jones fighting Dominick “The Devastator” Reyes.

The only other card this year that can compare was UFC 246, which marked the return of one of the bestknown fighters in the game: The “Notorious” Connor McGregor. In that fight, he faced off with Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone and finished him 40 seconds into the first round. Out of those three cards, UFC 248 is by far the most interesting because it has fights outside of the main card that people are interested in.

A leap year birthday

By Jake Brown Staff Writer

Having a birthday on Leap Day is unique. People see it as a kind of mystical day. It only comes around once every four years. It is a wildly different sort of thing to have been born on a Leap Year and have the birthdate be the Feb. 29.

All of this said, with the help of some staff members at the college, The Collegian was able to find an employee who was born on the date. Sue Wegerle is a member of the community and Hutchinson Community College as she works closely with HutchCC as the Site Coordinator for the Volunteer In-come Tax Assistance.

When asked about celebrating on the years that there is actually a Feb. 29, she said, “The family usu-ally plans something for actual birthdays.”

Wegerle also said her husband takes her out on every Feb. 29. To go along with this, she said that years that don’t leap, she celebrates on both Feb. 28 and March 1.

Wegerle will be celebrating her 19th birthday this year.

It is remarkable to think that someone so young could have seen so much in history, which makes sense as Wegerle has been around for 76 years overall. Seeing the original “Twilight Zone” television shows from the 1950s. Witnessing the first man on the moon in the late 1960s. A time when “Tears for Fears” was popular in the 1980s. A weird 1990s involving “Vanilla Ice.” All of this, and still such a young age. That is truly remarkable.

Campus

The Hutchinson Collegian Friday, February 28, 2020

Sports roundup: Women’s basketball wins conference championship

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Puzzles

Puzzle 1 (Easy, difficulty rating 0.29)

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Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/sudoku on Wed Feb 26 17:43:18 2020 GMT. Enjoy!

Photo by Bre Rogers Collegian The Blue Dragon bench celebrates during the Saturday’s game against the Seward County Saints.

By Adam Kolb Co-Sports Editor

The Hutchinson Community College women’s basketball team showed resiliency in their winner-take-all battle for the Jayhawk West title with Seward County on Saturday at the Sports Arena.

Abby Ogle scored 15 points and added nine rebounds and seven assists, as the Blue Dragons routed Seward County 78-62. Brooklyn Betham hit 7 of 9 shots and finished with 14 points and six rebounds. Makayla Vannet and Sasha Francis had nine points each, while sophomore Gelecia Cooper chipped in seven points and a game-high 10 rebounds.

The 27-3 Blue Dragons won their first Jayhawk West crown since 2017 and 10th conference title overall, the sixth under head coach John Ontjes.

Hutchinson went 19-2 in conference play.

The Blue Dragons earned an opening-round bye for the Region 6 tournament, which begins Wednesday. The Blue Dragons will begin play in the tournament quarterfinals Saturday in Dodge City against either Dodge City or Cowley, both of which beat Hutchinson this season.

Women’s track – Sophomore Sheila Too earned national indoor qualification for the Blue Dragons on opening day of the 2020 Region 6 Indoor Track and Field Championships at Pittsburg State University’s Plaster Center.

Too placed third in the 5,000 meters, with

a personal record of 19 minutes, 00.92 seconds.

Too is the first Blue Dragon individual to qualify for the indoor national championships next month in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Too remains at No. 2 on the Blue Dragon all-time 3,000- meter performance list.

Also, Hutchinson Community College sophomore middle distance runner Gabby Collins set a personal record and qualified for nationals in the 1,000 meters on Saturday. That performance paced the Blue Dragons to a fifthplace finish in Region 6, and a third-place team effort the Jayhawk West standings.

Men’s track – For the fifth consecutive indoor meet, sophomore Andrew Kibet broke a school record.

Kibet led a strong showing by the Blue Dragon middle-distance runners to a fourth-place team finish on Saturday at the Region 6. He finished second in the region and captured a Jayhawk West title in the 600 meters with a time of 1:20.0, the second-fastest time he has posted in the event this season.

The Blue Dragons amassed 82 points in the regional standings.

Hutchinson finished third in the Jayhawk West final standings, scoring 120.5 points. The Blue Dragons have 14 qualifiers for the NJCAA Indoor Championship, which will be March 6-7 in Lynchburg, Va. Softball – The softball

team exploded for 26 runs and 25 hits, including four home runs, as the Blue Dragons swept Northern Oklahoma-Enid on Saturday at the Enid Softball Complex.

Taylor Allery, Maryssa Rollin, and Kylee Dunn all homered in Hutchinson’s 13-2 rule-run victory in five innings in the first game. Ashley Wilson, Ullery and Rollin combined for 10 runs as Hutchinson pulled away late for a 13-5 victory in the second game.

The Blue Dragons improve to 9-3 overall and are waiting for their home opener, which is slated for 2 p.m. Friday against Hesston College at Fun Valley.

Baseball - The baseball team extended its winning streak to six games in a row and completed a 4-0 weekend swing through Texas on Saturday.

Sophomore Zach Firmature struck out a career-high 10 batters in six strong innings to lead the Blue Dragons to a 6-1 victory over Northeast Texas in the first game of a doubleheader at Fort Worth Christian High School. Freshman Jenner Steele and Luke Sartori completed a big weekend with a combined five hits and seven RBIs as Hutchinson held on for a 9-8 win over the Eagles in the second game.

The Blue Dragons improve to 9-2 overall.

Hutchinson plays at Coffeyville on Thursday and then plays its home opener at 1 p.m Saturday against the Red Ravens at Hobart-Detter-Field.

Photo by Bre Rogers/Collegian Lauryn Mapusua runs the ball down the court against Seward County.

Just flippin’ out

Photo by Bre Rogers/Collegian Kaitlyn Livas flips during a Dragon Dolls dance at Half-Time on Saturday at against Seward County.

Track

• Continued from Page 6

The extra help from Riggs has impacted Hillabrand’s season so far, and he intends to continue his improvement.

“I’ve started off this season with quicker times than I did last year.

Last year I PR’d at nationals, which is what we aim to do, so I’m right on path with that,” Hillabrand said.

“Each meet, I’ve been two to three seconds ahead of where I was before which is what I’ve been wanting to do. I just need to keep steadily improving.”

The team’s workouts can be exhausting at times, yet, Hillabrand’s personality seems to lighten the workload by mentally pushing himself and

his teammates.

“People tend to get down at practice when we’ve got like three sets of this, three sets of that, four of these and then a tempo, and I’m like ‘Come on guys, get up. You think this is hard?’ I’m always just keeping them going and not letting them get too down on the workout,” Hillabrand said.

A culture like this is vital when running with such potential. Naturally, teammates start to bond and strong chemistry formed.

“We have a pretty good group to train with. We’re all so close; pretty much a family. We know where everyone’s at and we’re always looking to out-do the other person. It’s just a really great group of guys to train with,” Hillabrand said. “Having that team competition definitely helps everyone, all around.”

Sports

Page 6

The Hutchinson Collegian Friday, February 28, 2020

Hillabrand in the headlines

Photo by Nathan Addis/HutchCC Sports Information Hutchinson Community College sophmore Brett Hillabrand runs at an indoor track meet at Wichita State University

Sophomore runner adds depth to track team

By Bailey Pennycuff Co-Sports Editor

The Hutchinson Community College men’s track and field team has headlined every week, since the beginning of the indoor season on Jan. 18, by breaking records.

Normally for the men’s team, those headlines are for distance runners Andrew Kibet and Sylvestre Kibarar. Last week, sophomore Brett Hillabrand got to see his name in the headlines too.

In the Region 6 championship last Saturday in Pittsburg, Hillabrand had a personal record in the 1,000 meters with a time of 2 minutes, 32.46 seconds. This is the third fastest in Blue Dragon history, and he also placed fifth in the race.

Not only that, but Hillabrand also performed well in the mile. He placed third

while earning a season-best time of 4:21.61.

Additionally, Hillebrand was the first leg of the 4-by-800-meter relay. The relay placed third in the nation with a time of 8:02.03.

“We had a pretty good meet. Not just because of the records, but we had a lot of personal bests and seasonal bests. Overall, it was a pretty productive meet,” Blue Dragons coach Robert Spies said.

Lately, the Kansas weather has not been exactly weather-permitting. However, Spies finds ways for his team to get the workouts they need.

“Distance runners have a little easier path through the cold and stuff because they can still train through that. But when you’re a high-intensity sprinter, thrower, hurdler or jumper, it makes it almost impossible,”

Spies said. “In long jump, it feels like your skin and bones are cracking off when you try to do it. Cold weather makes it difficult for all involved, but distance has a little bit of an easier pathway.”

Hillabrand, who hails from Omaha, Neb., has made a smooth transition coming to Hutch. He got to know assistant coach Justin Riggs in the fall during cross-country season.

“Coach Spies has a good hold on the program here – I like everything he’s been doing,” Hillabrand said. “Coach Riggs has put in new warm-up stuff for this season, and he’s also helped me with my form a lot.

He’s a sprint specialist, so I know he can help me out there, finishing races.

See Track, Page 5

Athlete of the week (Feb. 16-22) Tor’e Alford, women’s basketball

The week: Alford was instrumental in helping the Blue Dragons to a pair of wins, which Alford helped them clinch the Jayhawk West title. First, in a win at Barton, Alford poured in a season-high 24 points, including going 7 of 9 from 3-point range. She added five assists, three steals and three rebounds with just one turnover in an 86-67 win. Then in a winner-take-all game with Seward County, Alford had 19 points, five rebounds and two blocked shots in a 78-62 win.

The season: Alford, a freshman from Derby, has had a sensational year, despite injury.

She’s averaging 11.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists a game for the Blue Dragons, while shooting 42.1 percent from 3-point range.

Blue Dragons rout Allen County in Region 6 opener

By Adam Kolb Co-Sports Editor

The Hutchinson Community College men’s basketball team squared off against Allen Community College in the Region 6 opener on Wednesday night at the Sports Arena, and picked up a 92-64 victory over the Red Devils.

The final score may have been lopsided, but it didn’t start out that way.

The teams were trading basket after basket in the first minutes, before the Blue Dragons got on a run, and finished the first half with an eight-point lead.

The second half was the key, as Hutch outscored Allen 49-29, and finished with a 28-point win.

“We played better defense in the second half,” head coach Steve Eck said. “We started better second half, got rebounds and went on the fastbreak.”

The Blue Dragons improved in that second half, and the stats are there to prove it. Not only did Hutch outscore

its opponent by 20 points, but the team also lowered Allen’s field goal percentage from 37.5% in the first half to 34.4% in the second half. The Blue Dragons also had nine steals, had eight blocks, and created 14 turnovers.

Tyler Brown led the scoring for the Blue Dragons with 21 points, while Josh Baker added 18 more. Clarence King also had a solid game all around.

He finished with 16 points, four assists, a couple steals, and a block.

“I was just seeing the gaps they were giving me, and I was attacking them early,” King said. “I was just trying to be productive on attacking the rim.”

The Lawrence native averages 6.6 points per game, so this was a big scoring outburst in a big win for the team.

The Blue Dragons will advance to the Region 6 quarterfinals, where they will play at the United Wireless Center in Dodge City on March 1 against Jayhawk East champion Cowley.

Photos by Nathan Addis/HutchCC Sports Information Hutchinson Community College’s Clarence King looks to drive to the basket during a Region 6 playoff game against Allen County on Wednesday at the Sports Arena

Blue Dragon sports schedules, results. All home games, events in caps.

Baseball

All dates doubleheaders unless indicated Feb. 8, at Northern Oklahoma-Enid, W 10-0; W 1-0 Feb. 14, vs. Crowder at Edmond, Okla., L 9-2; W 15-4 (7) Feb. 15, vs. NE Oklahoma A&M at Edmond, Okla., 12:30 p.m. L 15-9 Feb. 17, vs. Labette at Pittsburg, W 10-3; W 7-4 Feb. 21, vs TCS at Melissa, Texas, W 5-2; W 18-4 Feb. 22, vs. North Central Texas at Fort Worth, W 6-1; W 9-8 Feb. 27, at Coffevyille, 1 p.m.

Feb. 29, COFFEYVILLE, 1 p.m.

March 5, BARTON, 1 p.m.

March 7, at Barton, 1 p.m.

March 10, Cowley (1), 2 p.m.

March 12, at Seward County, 1 p.m.

March 14, SEWARD COUNTY, 1 p.m.

March 19, BUTLER, 1 p.m.

March 21, at Butler, 1 p.m.

March 24, at Rose State, 1 p.m.

March 26, at Pratt, 1 p.m.

March 28, PRATT, 1 p.m.

March 31, at Cowley (1), 2 p.m.

April 2, GARDEN CITY, 1 p.m.

April 4, at Garden City, 1 p.m.

April 7, at Seminole State, TBA April 9, at Cloud County, 1 p.m.

April 11, CLOUD COUNTY, 1 p.m.

April 16, STERLING JV, 1 p.m.

April 21, at Redlands (1), 1 p.m.

April 23, COLBY, 1 p.m.

April 25, at Colby, 1 p.m.

April 28, REDLANDS, (2), 2 p.m.

April 30, at Dodge City, 3 p.m.

May 2, DODGE CITY, 1 p.m.

Basketball, men

Feb. 1, at Seward County, W 68-67 Feb. 5, at NW Kansas Tech, L 105102 OT Feb. 8, GARDEN CITY, W 82-68 Feb. 10, PRATT, W 75-51 Feb. 12, at Dodge City, W 71-64 Feb. 15, COLBY, L 76-63 Feb. 19, at Barton, W 96-91, OT Feb. 22, SEWARD COUNTY, W 67-47 Feb. 26, ALLEN COUNTY*, 92-64 March 1, vs. Cowley at Dodge City*, 1 p.m.

*-Region 6 Tournament

Basketball, women

Feb. 1, at Seward County, W 72-70 Feb. 5, at Northwest Kansas Tech, W 75-53 Feb. 8, GARDEN CITY, W 103-61 Feb. 10, PRATT, 75-41 Feb. 12, at Dodge City, L 69-55 Feb. 15, COLBY, W 53-38 Feb. 19, at Barton, W 86-67 Feb. 22, SEWARD COUNTY, W 7862 Feb. 29, vs. Cowley at Dodge City*, 3 p.m. *-Region 6 Tournament

Golf

March 9-10, at Luc Chap Classic, Lubbock, Texas March 23-24, at TAMUC Lion Invitational, Trophy Club, Texas March 29-30, at Jayhawk Conference Tournament, Manhattan April 13-14, at Jayhawk Conference Tournament, Newton April 20-21, at Jayhawk Conference championship, Wichita

April 27-28, at Region 6/District 3 Championship, Wichita May 12-15, at NJCAA National Championship, Odessa, Texas

Softball

All dates doubleheaders unless indicated Feb. 9, vs. Allen County at Wichita, W 19-1 (5); W 9-0 (5) Feb. 11, at Friends JV, L 12-4 (5); W 13-5 (6) Feb. 15, at North Central Texas, W 11-7; L 7-6 Feb. 16, at Murray State, W 7-2; L 8-2 Feb 19, at Oklahoma Wesleyan JV, 11-1 (5); 10-0 (5) Feb. 22, at Northern Oklahoma-Enid, W 13-2; W 13-5 Feb. 28, HESSTON, 2 p.m.

Feb. 29, NORTHERN OKLAHOMA-ENID, 1 p.m.

March 4, at Colby, 2 p.m.

March 7, at Butler, 2 p.m.

March 11, BARTON, 2 p.m.

March 14, at Garden City, 1 p.m.

March 17, BETHANY JV, 2 p.m.

March 21, INDEPENDENCE, 2 p.m.

March 25, at Pratt, 2 p.m.

March 28, NORTHWEST KANSAS TECH, 4 p.m.

April 1, BUTLER, 3 p.m.

April 4, at Dodge City, 1 p.m.

April 5, SEWARD COUNTY, 1 p.m.

April 8, at Barton, 1 p.m.

April 15, PRATT, 3 p.m.

April 18, at Independence, 2 p.m.

April 23, STERLING JV, 4 p.m.

April 24, at Bethany JV, 6 p.m.

April 28, at Fort Scott, 2 p.m.

Track, indoor

March 6-7, at NJCAA Championships, Lynchburg, Va.

Track, outdoor

March 21, at Emporia State April 3-4, at Friends University April 8-11, at K.T. Woodman Classic, Wichita April 16-18, at KU Relays, Lawrence April 18, at Tabor College April 25, at Southwestern College April 30-May 1, at Region 6 Championships, Arkansas City