Wait now, score later

One of the greatest things to watch in sports is to see a team come back from a deficit to win the game.

While thrillers and miracles do happen in sports, is it possible that teams (either directly or indirectly) sabotage games?

When a team plays haphazardly for one part and then out of nowhere comes back to win, what happens when every game is played that way?

The baseball team seemed to follow that pattern last weekend. In its three wins against College of the Canyons, Rio Hondo and Glendale, the Falcons fell behind within the first three innings.

But when the fourth inning came, the team decided to play serious baseball and put some points on the board.



It was as if the baseball team decided to play Superman every game; with different players being the leaders who rally the team from behind.

While it is understood that it takes time to get warmed up and adjusted to the style of the other team, this should not be made at the expense of losing points and/or eventually games.

Sometimes, the first pitch or first inning can decide an entire game. Do the Falcons plan on experimenting with this "let's not play hard until the fourth inning" phase for the rest of the season?

It shouldn't; one doesn't always have to learn things the hard way. It should not take a crushing defeat for them to learn that lesson.



Though it currently stands undefeated (3-0), it may be a matter of time before the team loses. When and how, within the games in its remaining schedule will remain to be seen.

Still, it's safe to say that the baseball team wants to win as many as possible and get a good winning streak going.

But it can't do that by playing lackadaisical and waiting until almost halfway through the game to show a strong effort.

The Falcons need to wake up and take each game seriously, unless it wants to repeat the scenario of last year and have its chances at making the playoffs come down to the final games of the season.

Injuries cause women to step up

When losing its leader(s), the situation can either bring out the best or worst qualities in a team.

It can be a motivational factor by causing other members to step up and fill in for the lost one. But if no one accepts the role of leading the team, that can be its downfall.

This season, the women's basketball team is in that predicament. It lost two of its starters, last year's leading scorer Maltressa Neely and guard Anna Conrad, to injury early in the season.

After starting 3-0, the team lost three straight games after the injuries. It appeared that the team wouldn't recover.

It has taken some adjusting, but the rest of the team is learning how to move along. It is learning how to communicate and play together. The responsibilites of carrying the team have spread around and caused it to not be so dependant on one player.



Among those who have stepped up include forward/center Genesis Lewis. She grabbed a career-high 18 rebounds in the team's win against Long Beach . She has been one of the more versitile players for the Falcons; driving the ball up court one play, the next play grappling for a rebound, and dipping low in the post on another one.

A returning starter from last year and All-SCC team member, guard LaTrina Payne has also increased her role by being the team's floor general and leading scorer.

Other noteworthy contributors include Jaquita Payne, Shontay Delpit (who has stepped up as a starter) and Tiffany Wilson, among others.

As the team gets further into league play, everyone will need to contribute both defensively and offensively.

It remains to be seen if the team as a whole will step up and reach for higher expectations or crash and burn.