No Man's Press Box

High hopes

2007-09-27T16:35:00.001-07:00

Just when people were beginning to worry if the football team's 2-0 record was too good to be true, it made just a little room for doubt with its 22-20 triple overtime loss to Golden West, Sept. 15.

But it shut the doubters up for a moment by reclaiming the Crosstown Cup against Long Beach with a 22-12 win last Saturday.

Hopes are surprisingly high for the team this year, following three consecutive dismal seasons. With virtually a new coaching staff and some impressive first-year players and returners, the team's giving good reasons for the optimism.

Offensively, the Falcons are doing well and it's no surprise. They have yet to score below 20 points in any game so far.

It always has impressive running backs and this season is no different. Lorenzo Goode seems to be most often used one, being that he leads the team in rushing and all-purpose yards, averaging 101.5 and 110.2 per game.

Junior Tivao, who does double duty playing running back and linebacker, leads the team in most touchdowns scored with three.

But defensively, the team needs a lot of work. Costly penalties, even in the games won, have hurt the team and may have been the main reason for it's lost the Rustlers.

It has over half the season, including a game against Fullerton Saturday, left to see whether it'll get Coach Mazzotta back to the winning ways he's used to, or whether we'll see another disappointing season.

Great balls of fire

2007-04-25T13:17:00.000-07:00

As the baseball and softball teams wrap up season play, each are on the way to one of their finest in recent history.

With both teams missing the the playoffs last year, the significant turnaround that these teams made has some talking even bringing a championship home.

But before they can do that, the teams have to prove themselves in the playoffs. A spectaular regular season dosen't matter if you don't win a title, or even get close to one.

The baseball team is currently 30-10 on the year and 16-5 in the South Coast Conference
South Division. For most of the year, the team has been ranked as one of the top two teams in Southern California and in its respective division.

It has alternated between the No. 1 and No. 2 spot throughout the season with Santa Ana. Up until yesterday, it was No. 1 in the division and in the state.

But three straight losses, two to El Camino and one to East L.A. yesterday, 6-2, put them down to No. 3 in the region and No. 2 in their division. L.A. Harbor, who the Falcons beat in smashing fashion this season, is now the division leader.

Players say that the ranking dosen't effect them, but if they lose tommorow, it will be very anticlimatic way to end the season. The Falcons will have to practice the things that got it this far, such as timely hitting, a strong defense and consistent pitching, to keep its season alive.

On the opposite end of the gender spectrum, the softball team is making serious noise as well. It finished the regular season 30-9-1 and finished second in the SCC with a 12-3.

Unlike the basebal team, it has not cooled off as the season down. Four of the team's last seven wins were won in less than seven innings. Coach Murray has always told the team to hold on to your lead and not getting too comfortable.

The team did have its bumpy roads during the season, but you can tell by their play that they heeded what Murray told them.

Ever since a March 8 loss against Pasadena,the team has been more proficient in gaining and keeping leads. If the team can practice those qualities, it'll definitley make more noise within the state.

Running for their lives

2007-03-21T12:38:00.000-07:00

Both the men's and women's track & field teams are looking to make their own mark after the individual successes of last year.

The women's team won the state title last year and was anchored by a heptathelete trio, none of whom returned.

The men's team had many of it's athletes graduate, become ineligible or move on to other sports.

But there are a few holdovers from the teams that have stepped up to excell in their individual races.

One being Tavonia Clay, who recently finished first in the 100-meter dash in 12.48 in the BakersfieldRelays last Friday.

Amanda Rosencratz, who placed fourth in the 400-meter at last year's state championship, has continued to excell in the 400-meter dash.

In the South Coast Conference All-Teams Invitational on March 8, she placed first in the with 400-meter dash with a time of 57.88 to help team finish second overall with 138 team points.

But the veterans aren't doing all of the work.

There are a few standout first-year players who have been showing that they're just as, if not more so, speedy than their more seasoned teamates.

Khandie Brooks (who graduated from my alma mater Dorsey High School in Los Angeles), has been a consistent runner in the 100 meter dash.

Rayneshia Pitts has become a speedy runner as well.

In the Bakersfield Relay, Brooks finished third (12.95) and Pitts fifth (13.27) in the 100-meter dash.

The men are in a similar predicament, though they don't have as much expectation to live up to as do the women.

According to team member Anthony Harbor, the men's 4x400 team is missing two of its normal runners. Even in that case, he felt that the team still did well in the Cerritos Invitational.

The team has a few notable returners including Harbor and Dennis Drisdom, who usually participates in the 800-meter run.

Harbor placed first in 400-meter hurdles with a time of 55.35 the SCC All-Team Meet.

Another is Genoa Dill, who has been doing well in the 200-meter run. He was also a wide reciever on the football teamin the fall semester.

A noteworthy first-year member is Daniel Clifford-Sorenson, who was the best runner on the cross-country team in the fall semester.

At the USC Trojan relay Invitational on Feb. 23, he placed third in the 3000-Meter Steeplechase with a time of 9.26.99 and was part of the 4x100-Meter Relay team that came in fourth with a time of 43.02.

Cerritos has always had great runners in the 100-meter dash and heptathalon. But the teams need to improve on its weak areas such as hurdles and relay races.

What's odd about both teams, is that in all of the prestigious heats, such as the 4x4 relay or 100-meter dash, those are the weakest areas.

Women's head coach Michael Allen said that one of the weakest areas for both teams are the realy races. He also mentioned that technical things, such as late hand-offs, could use vast improvement.

It's strong in its strong points, but weak in its weak points.

The team has the annual California Relays coming up this Friday and Saturday, in which it will face schools from all accross the state and in the process get to show off the new track placed in Falcon Stadium.

The teams should use this meet to get stronger and also get ready for state title in May.

Softball team finds fountain of youth

2007-02-28T21:29:00.000-08:00

As people grow from youth to adulthood, they go through seasons and periods of trying times and mistakes. Even with those experiences, some people always find a way to never lose their zeal for life and to rejuvenate.

For the softball team, a youthful spirit may be just what it has needed to win.

After losing its first three games of the season, it has gone on to win eight straight and one tie.

With a team comprised of all first-year players, it is certain that Head Coach Kodee Murray will experience inconsistency with her young team.

Even within some of the team's wins, there have still been some imperfections. Coach Murray has been quoted as saying the team has made "dumb" mistakes and has shown their inexperience in things such as errors like missed catches, pitchers throwing too many balls and not enough strikes,etc.

But ever since a 5-2 win against Riverside on Feb. 2, the team's been on a quest to prove that youthfulness dosen't equal inexperience.

The streak continued with a one run win over Santa Ana on Feb. 20, keeping the Dons scoreless. The Falcons have gone from being shutout in two of its three losses (against Bakersfield and Ventura), to shutting out other teams.

One of the emerging stars is Jessica Navarro , starting pitcher and sister of former Falcon standout Joanna Navarro . In her role as a starting pitcher, she has shown that she has a rocket for an arm. She also pitched two straight shutouts, one of them in a 2-0 win against Golden West on Feb. 16.

But her strengths aren't limted from the pitcher's mound; she's been a force from behind the plate as well. In the win against Riverside (the one that started it all), she hit a two-run homerun. She also leads the team with a batting average of .500

Another of the young stars is catcher Nadine Garcia, who's right behind Navarro with a batting average of.462.

The team will try and keep its winning streak going by playing three straight road games starting tomorrow against Moorpark. Afterward, the team will be playing a double header this Saturday at College of the Canyons against the aforementioned Cougars.

Later on that day, the team will be matched up with Fullerton once again. The Falcons lost to the Hornets in its second game of the season. The two teams will match up twice more in back-to-back games on March 24 and 25.

With its newly found rejuvenation, the Falcons will hope to avenge the loss and hope to keep it going throughout the remainder of it's regular season schedule and maybe even into the post-season.

Getting served

2007-02-10T14:49:00.000-08:00

Tennis season is underway, both in the professional ranks and at Cerritos.

But over the years, the teams at Cerritos have struggled somewhat. Not so much as with the ability to win games, but for off-the-court reasons.

With recruiting problems and not enough money to fund the team last season, the women came close to canceling the season until the team was blessed with some charity from the Bookstore accross the street from campus.

The men's team decided not to compete in last year's regional playoffs in regard to the athletes' individual schedules and to concentrate on schoolwork.

This year, both teams are looking to go further. While the women have started with two straight loses, the men however have won two straight.

Both are returning a few key players from last year and both have some impressive first-year members.

The men are led by the Wonder Twin duo of the Vachirajongkols. Individually, they may not be the absolute best, but when they "activate" their wonder twin powers, they are a force to be reckoned with.

Jackie and Jefferywere both 1st team All-SCC last year and are the best double players. Jeff is in the No. 1 singles slot with his other half followed closely behind at No.2.

Against Mesa College last Thursday , Jeff won 6-2, 6-1 and Jackie, 6-0, 6-2.

The women have Asha Badal, No. 5 singles player. She may be the Falcons' own version of Serena Williams.

Sonia Gutierrez got a 6-1, 3-6, 6-4 win in the #2 singles match against Orange Coast last Thursday. She is one of the first-year players to look at for the rest of the season.

According to women's coach Rosana Chatman, the team has to work on its footwork and consistency. I'm sure that the men have work on the same factors.

Next Tuesday, the men will try to do what the women could not; defeat Saddleback. The women lost 6-3 to the Gauchos on Feb. 1.The women's next game is against Glendale on Tuesday.

This season, may monetary difficulties not stop the tennis teams from reaching their full potential.

Wait now, score later

2007-01-31T18:21:00.000-08:00

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

2007-01-18T12:41:00.000-08:00

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.

Let it all 'fall' down..... (Women's sports fall semester wrap-up)

2006-12-31T14:41:00.000-08:00

Many of the women's teams decided that they weren't going to be overlooked compared to its male counterparts.

In fact, some of them had better season records but were stopped short of going for the championship by teams that were slightly better.

Water Polo:

Of all of the teams in the fall semester, this one had the biggest improvement. From barely missing the playoffs last year, to setting a school record for most wins in a season (28-3), these ladies came a long way.

Among the many accomplishments were being seeded no. 2 in So. Cal during the playoffs and beating conference-rival Long Beach for the first time.

But its record-breaking season came to an end with a playoff upset at the hands of eventual state runner- up Golden West .

Despite the upset, coach Sergio Macias and the ladies can be proud of a season in which so many expectations were exceded and records were broken.

Volleyball:

A late season surge of winning eight straight games was not enough to keep it from a first-round exit from the playoffs thanks to Golden West (yet again, a Cerritos defeat at the hands of the Rustlers!!).

After starting the season, 1-5 (not including pool play) the team found motivation to stick through close games and not blow early leads. Losses against Mt. SAC stopped the team from taking the conference crown, placing the team second.

Unlike some teams, there wasn't just one person who was the "do-all, be-all" player. There were several players who each had different specialties.

On the season, Jennifer Espinoza had a team leading 283 kills, Terri Del Conte led with 43 aces. Bridgette Enriquez led the team with 338 digs and Le'Sauna Johnson led the team in blocks and blocks assisted.

Teamwork at it's finest!

But in order to get further next year, it must hold on to leads in crucial games

Soccer:

So much promise, so much potential! This team had the talent to rival its male counterparts and take it all. Unfortunately for the Falcons, Santiago Canyon had other plans.

It's record 17 straight wins (including the two playoff games) and 22-2-0 couldn't save the team from a 7-0 trouncing.

What happened, what went wrong?

It's hard to pinpoint what exactly happened. The only answer is that the team finally met its match. The women have to take this as a learning experience so they can go all the way next year.

Cross-Country:

The team finished seventh place in the state title and rivaled the success of the men's team by winning two invitationals, the Riverside Invitational and the Crystal Springs Invitational.

Jessica Azarte and Angelica Negrete were just a few of standout runners. Just like the men's team, many of the runners were first year athletes. If they return next year, they could capitilize on the win and place even higher in the state.

Let it all 'fall' down.....(Men's sports fall semester wrap-up)

2006-12-30T23:58:00.000-08:00

This fall semester, there were teams who exceeded expectations and experienced letdowns. Other teams kept streaks alive and others broke them. While some teams had a resurgence, for others it was the "same old, same old" season. Let's take a look at some of them.

Cross Country;

Though the team itself did well, there was one sprinter who stood head and shoulders above the rest.

Daniel Clifford-Sorenson not only established himself as the best runner on the team, but also as one of the best in the state, placing first in five tournaments. He placed fourth in the state match, thus earning a spot on the All-American team.

As a team, it had several good tournaments including the Fresno Invitational and Crystal Springs Invitational. The team placed first in both invitationals, respectively.

With several returning athletes, including Clifford-Sorenson, planning to come back next fall, this team could make a possible run at the state title.

Wrestling:

Being the only school to send 12 athletes to the state championship, the wrestling team definitley made its presence known this season.

Though only one of those twelve would win his respective match and move to the final round, the fact that those players made it says enough about the stellar season that the wrestling team had.

The team placed fourth in the state with 101.5 points.

Carlos Alaniz, 133-pounder, dominated once again, winning the state title in the 133-pound division. Two others, 285-pounder Brandon Doran and 125-pounder Jason Carrillo also competed for a state title in their weight classes. However both lost.

Though the season was an overall good one, the wrestling team still never got over the hump of defeating Santa Ana in the regular season and playoffs.
In order for Cerritos to be more of a contender for the state title in '07 it must dethrone the Dons.

*For a season wrap-up of men's soccer, visit the previous entry .

Football:

The team's 3-7 season was really no different than others. It was inconsistent and lost close games. This makes it the third straight losing season for Coach Mo and the other players.

Cerritos' football team reminds me of the Raiders . Once upon a time, both were respectable teams now are just a "shell" of its old past. Season after season, both start out with so much promise. But you can never build your hopes up too high because you know in the end, you're going to be let down and the team will give you three and four win seasons.

Despite its up and down season, the team did have a few highlights. As always, the team had a bunch of players make the all-conference team. It also had some high scoring games, including one against West L.A. in Sept. when it scored 50 points against the Oilers.

Water Polo:

The team's conference arch-rival Long Beach ended not only its nine game winning streak in Sept., but it would also end its entire season with a 13-5 defeat in the second round of the regional playoffs. The Vikings went on to win the state title.

The Sept. loss seemed to take out confidence from the team. From that point on, it would go on to become inconsistent. It interchanged wins and losses, losing three straight in an Oct. tournament at Citrus College .

Though it finished 19-11, this season was a dissapointment for the team, considering consecutive appearances in the state championship the two previous years.

*The next entry will be a season wrap-up of women's fall semester sports.

"Socc-ing" painless for men

2006-12-12T11:57:00.000-08:00

Victory has never before been as thrilling for the men's soccer team as it has been this season.

The team reached its season long goal of winning a state title by defeating Taft College , 1-0 last Sunday in the state championship game at Fresno Pacific University.

This is the second time in three years that the Falcons have made it to the state title, but the first time in school history that it has won.

It finishes the season 20-3-5 after losing the first two games of the season to Golden West and Fresno City . The Falcons defeated the aforementioned Rams in the regional final 1-0.

It also got revenge on Santa Ana, who defeated the Falcons the last time it reached the state championship in 2004, defeating them 1-0 in the second round of the regional playoffs.

Throughout this season, the team's strength has been its defense. All four playoff games were shutouts, making it nine games where the Falcons have stopped the opposition from scoring.

Artiaga told www.ccsoccernews.com "Our defense shutout four of the best teams in the state. It goes beyond our three defenders and goal keeper. All 11 of our guys plays defense. That's something we emphasize as a team."

Infielder Juan Huerta scored the game's only goal in the 35th minute.

The playoffs have been Huerta's time to shine. He only scored two goals this season, but both were the most crucial to the Falcons' season.

He also scored the goal that defeated El Camino College and sent Cerritos to the final four.

If he, along with other freshmen including defender and tournament MVP Esuebio Alvarez returns next year, the team can possibly make another run at the state title.

Starting Over

2006-11-29T14:14:00.000-08:00

New hopes and a fresh start are both in store for the men's basketball team.

It dosen't really have a choice but to regroup since it has only one returning player from last year's team and he only averaged about a point a game.

What's odd is that the team was in a similar predicament around this time last year, with only one sophmore returning then.

At the end of last year's season, it seemed pretty optimistic that some of those players would return and would be able to make a run for the state title this season.

But due to ineligbility, transfering to another school, among other reasons, those players decided not to suit up this year, leaving the Falcons to have to start all over again sooner than it wanted to.

Losing key players like Aaron Thompson, Brandon Nevens and Brandon Ivery is definitley going to have an effect on this team. In the aforementioned players , the team lost it's leading scorer, assist-giver, and rebounder.

This year's team and last year's do have several things in common. Both teams had one player returning from the previous season. Both won its first game and lost its second.

In spite of this, the current team isn't dwelling on the mistakes and what-ifs of last year.

First-year players have stepped up and are taking charge of the team.

One of those players includes guard Demetrius Turner . He's been putting up big numbers including 28 points in the team's most recent loss agains L.A Trade-Tech. He's been averaging 18 points a game so far. So far he's the only player averaging double figures.

Though each member gives his own contribution when on the floor, other players to watch for are Jerrell Elder, Clyde Thomas and Authur Clark.

The team's next game is tonight at its home gym against Orange Coast College at 7 p.m. It should be an easy win.

The only player from last year's team guard Lawrence Robinson , has been seeing limited minutes so far. When he has played in the games, he's made a limted contribution. His play is very similar to that of last year, when he started half of the games yet averaged only 2.1 points and 1.9 rebounds a game.

Maybe his "experience" will cause him to see more playing time and to make a greater contribution. But that will be Head Coach Gary Cain's desicion.

If the Falcons want to get farther than last year's second-round playoff exit, then the team is going to have to be more consistent on defense and not send up so many prayers known as missed three pointers.

The team should have no problem getting through league play starting in Jan. 07, being that the South Coast Conference doesn't provide much competition, except for L.A. Southwest and conference rival Long Beach

The Falcons stand deadlocked at 3-3 and have gone back and forth between losing a game following a win so far.

While this can be attributed to the newness of the players and each member getting adjusted to each other, the inconsistency can not continue when league play starts. If it does, the Falcons are doomed to repeat an early playoff exit if their wild play dosen't stop the team from getting there.

WrestleMania; Falcon Style

2006-11-02T14:29:00.000-08:00

Let's get ready to ruuuuumbllllllleeee!!

Wrestling at Cerritos has always been a well-respected sport. It has definitley been one of the more consistently winning teams. In eighteen years the Falcons have won seven titles, it's most recent coming in 2004.

This season is no different as the team is off to as the team has a 6-2-1 record. There are always individual players who outshine and this season is no different as well.

The Falcons have its own version of Kurt Angle in Carlos Alaniz. Has the best personal record in 18-2. He's pretty much dominated every wrestler he's came against.

After redshirting last year, Alaniz comes back with a vengance. So far he has been ranked no.1 in the state in his the 133- pound weight class and is destined to win state in his weight class.

Another player to watch for is Brandon Doran. In between this season and last year's he lost 33 pounds and grew an inch!
Despite the weight loss, he still competes in the 285-pound competition.

Other players to watch for are Jack Porter and Louie Adelo.

However, as a team, it's toughest challenge has come from Palomar College and Santa Ana College . Palomar has been neck-and-neck with the Falcons as far as titles won in the last couple years.

Santa Ana, Palomar and the Falcons have the third through fifth in the state respectively.

Throughout this year, the Palomar and Cerritos have traded wins and losses. Palomar defeated them Sept. 16, 22-15. Since then, the Falcons have won every match.

The team met in the SoCal duels with a 26-12 Cerritos win. On Oct. 25, the teams also met and Cerritos came out the victor with a 27-7 win. It's certain that the two teams will face each other in the playoffs.

But despite the odds in favor of the Falcons taking it all, there are still some flaws. The team's weakest weight divisions are the 157 and 174 pound divisions. If the team wants to win state, then it will have to get stronger athletes in those divisions.

Though individuals such as Alaniz and Doran will win regional and state competition in their respective divisions, the team as a whole needs to become stronger to add another title to the wrestling legacy the Falcons have.

Socc-her, Socc-him

2006-10-12T22:25:00.000-07:00

This season both the men's and women's soccer teams are off to great starts. Both have played tough competition, some of who are the best teams in the state and the Falcons are among the list.

If they aren't, then they should be on everyone's list as teams to watch.

Tommorow, both teams will travel to cross-town rival Long Beach City College in which will definitley be good games.

The women, who are ranked no. 6 in the state, are 12-1-0 overall and 4-0-0 in conference play and currently on a seven game winning streak.

The Falcons have made drastic improvements from their 2004 season going from 2-7- 3 to 19-3-2 last year to its current record, the team has constantly been on the rise to greatness.

So far, its only loss came from Yuba College , who are ranked no. 4 in the country.

Leading scorer Monica Cedillo has scored nine goals in total games this year.

Another player to wach is Nancy Gutierrez .

During the summer Gutierrez was a starter on the Mexican National Team and played in Russia in the FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup.

The Mexican team finished in Group C, but lost to Brazil

Though she isn't playing as strong of a role as she did last season scoring-wise for the Falcons, she still remains a contributer with a total 5 goals and 3 assissts so far this season.

Though I have yet to attend a women's game (shame on me, I know!) I soon plan to behold the greatness that is the Cerritos women's soccer team. I assume that the women's games are well attended, because of the sport's polularity of soccer, but also, unlike Cerritos' other futbol team, the soccer teams litterally kick balls!!

When I attended the Mt.SAC game, there were about 40 people there. Some were in the stands, others were standing up behind the gate. There were even some accross the field in the parking lot

Meanwhile, the soccer team of the male species was on a 10 game winning streak until a loss against Mt. Sac put its record at 7-3-3 overall and 1-1-2 in league play.

But the men may be without forward Joshua Meyer , who was injured in the game against Mt. SAC. In the games he's played so far, Meyer has scored a combined 22 points, 6 asissts and 8 goals.

But Meyer himself is not the team. Other players have contributed and picked up the slack. Some of those include Jose Diaz, Andy Rico, and Bryan Alvarez.

Rico had his first hat trick in a 5-1 win against L.A. Harbor on Wednesday.

Cedillo, of the women's team, accomplised the same feat against an even weaker women's Harbor team. Cerritos won 4-0.

Though the feat was accomplised against lowly L.A. Harbor, who frankly, sucks, a hat-trick is still a hat-trick no matter who it's scored against.

The women, in its 12 year history, have yet to defeat the Vikings. Last year they were in a 1-1 tie, until the Vikings scored three straight goals.

While the teams have outstanding records now, will they repeat the early playoff exits of last year?

Both teams are capable of reaching regional championships and maybe even state. They are full of potential and promise and it would suck to see them out of the playoffs so soon.

With over half of their respective regular seasons almost done, crunch time is coming. Both teams have a strong chance at winning the confrence. The South Coast Confrence dosen't have as much competition, with the exception of Mt. SAC , so these next games should be (they'd better be!!) easy wins.

What's polo got to do with it?

2006-09-23T13:41:00.000-07:00

Why is the sport called Water Polo?

I have no explanation, but the sport itself is very interesting.

It's a hybrid between swimming (obviously),soccer, basketball, ice hockey, rugby and wrestling.

So since Swimoccerrugwrestball is too long of a name to call a sport, the creative inventors of the sport decided to name it water polo.

I still have yet to figure out where the polo part in "water polo" comes in.

If that's not enough, the two teams at Cerritos (men's and women's) are actually good at the sport!!

The men's team is 5-1 and are ranked fifth in the state. The team lost its first game against Golden West in the Ventura Tournament Sept. 8 and haven't lost since.

The women are 9-1 fourth in the state

The way that both of these teams are playing now, both might reach state finals. Both team have more than half of the season to play. So we'll see in the end.

Watching history

2006-09-19T18:08:00.000-07:00

I know this has nothing to do with Cerritos athletics, but I watched and attended the greatest baseball game of all time, last night!!! Four back to back homeruns including a 2-hit homerun by Nomar Garciapara to end the game!! I've never seen anything like that before!!

I and a few staff members of the paper went, but I'm sure we all didn't know we'd have a chance to witness history.

And the best part was, not only did I get to watch one of the greatest games in baseball history, I also got a free blanket and free 10 chicken wings from Hooters because the Dodgers scored 10 runs and won the game.

It was so surreal!! I can't even describe it in words. Because of that, I'll let the L.A. Times say it for me.

L.A. Times Dodger blog of the game

Game summary

"Killing" time while watching volleyball

2006-09-15T16:19:00.000-07:00

Last week was my first time attending a volleyball game of any level. I watched the teams of Cerritos play Citrus and it was quite an experience watching the women of both teams play. I never knew that volleyball was that intense.

The most exciting part is seeing how long can the players keep the ball in play.

Watching the look on the players faces as they miss the ball or get a kill (more on that later) is priceless.

Even though the Falcons lost that game, it was nonetheless entertaining on both ends.

They're 1-2 now but it is still very early in the season to predict on how the rest will play out. But despite the loss, some good ground was gained. Well, for me at least.

As a result of attending this game, I have now found a new sport to enjoy. I do so for a few reasons. I also learned some new terminology. Here are the most commnonly used phrases (all defnitions are from wikipedia);

*Kill; When a team attacks the ball and the defending team is unable to play the ball successfully.
*Dig; diving in order to prevent the ball from hiting the ground (there are several types of digs.)
*Ace;When the ball is served to the other team, and it lands in court with no one touching it;

How cool are these nicknames? I'm down to play any sport in which you get to "kill" the ball!!

I wonder why the school dosen't have a men's volleyball team?? Has there not been enough interest?

While it would be cool for Cerritos to have one, I'm not sure if I'd attend every game.

As interesting as volleyball is, it would probably contrast with my manhood to watch tweleve guys run around the court in kneepads and thigh-high shorts.

So for now I'll just watch the ladies

It's the start of football season as we know it......

2006-09-05T13:14:00.000-07:00

And I feel fine!!

TheNFL starts on Thursday with the Dolphins facing the defending champion Steelers (The Steelers have my pick to win!!).

The NCAA kicked off its college football season last weekend as hometown universities USC and UCLA trounced their opponents in expected fashion.

But amidst all of the excitement that football season brings, there usually isn't much to get happy about when it comes to the team at Cerritos. In terms of popularity, the football team is one of the most attended sports on campus.For the past few years the Falcons have finished their seasons with mediocre records.

The Falcons lost to Moorpark College Saturday night,17-10

Was this game the start of what could be another inconsistent season for Cerritos?

I hate to jump the gun on this one, but it may be. After finishing 4-6 last year and 3-7 in 2004, it looks as if they are looking to keep their losing tradition alive.

Despite the loss there were a few bright spots. Cerritos has always had good running backs and this year is no exception. Rylon Thomas rushed for 86 yards on 26 carries and scored the first touchdown of not only the game but of the season.

The question remains if whether the Falcons will bounce back from the loss to give a consitently winning season, or will this year the same as others?

The Falcons will have nine upcoming games, including one against West L.A. College this Saturday, to decide.

This One Was A Doozee

2006-07-12T17:08:00.000-07:00

This year's MLB All-Star Game was one of the most uninteresting ones that I've watched in a long time. Not only was it one of the lowest-scoring games in All-Star history, it was also one of the shortest, being 2 hours and 33 minutes.What also sucked was that Dodger Nomar Garciapara didn't get any playing time.

However it did have it's rare exciting moments. The most memorable being the top of the 9th inning when Micheal Young of the Texas Rangers hit a two-run triple with two outs to go. Another being when Vladimir Guerrero of the Angels hit a homerun off of Dodger and National Leauge starting pitcher Brad Penny in the 2nd inning. Other than that, Penny had a relatively good game, striking out three straight batters (among them Derek Jeter and Ichiro Suzuki) at the top of thr 1st.

If Trevor Hoffman from the Padres had been able to close the game and secure the win for the national league, it would have made up for the overall boringness of the game. It would have been nice to see a change of pace and see the National League have home-court advantage during the World Series.Ever since that format was started four years ago, the American League has gone on to win each All-Star game and that year's World Series.

The All-Star game proves every year just how dominate the teams and players from the American League are. It seemed as if things were going to change, but we won't know until the World Series.

....Got 'Til It's Gone

2006-07-10T13:04:00.000-07:00

The World Cup ended yesterday with Italy's 5-3 win over France. The sad part is that I didn't get to watch it. In fact I didn't watch too many games during the month-long tournament. The only game that I remember watching the most was the U.S. v. Italy game, which ended in a tie.

Now that the series has finished, looking back at it, I wished I would have watched more games. The broadcasts just conflicted with my schedule...either I was out, at school, or if I was at home I'd be watching something else. Hopefully ESPN Classic will broadcast reruns of some of those games, so I can see them for myself.

A League Of Their Own

2006-07-06T19:12:00.000-07:00

According to the Press Telegram, former Major League Baseball All-Star Jose Canseco will be playing professional baseball in the Los Angeles area. However, it won't be for the Dodgers or the Angels.

Canseco will be playing for the Long Beach Armada, a minor leauge team in the Golden Baseball League. He'll be playing his first game on Friday.

Here's the URL for the story; http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_4017282

Before being traded to the Armada, Canseco played one game with the San Diego Surf Dogs, another team in the GBL. According to the article, he requested to be moved to a team closer to Los Angeles, hence the trade.

One wonders if this his attempt to get back into the Major Leagues, or is he just playing because he loves the game? That reminds me of a year or two when Dennis Rodman was playing for the Long Beach Jam to try and get back into the NBA. But I digress....

The Golden Baseball League is an independant baseball leauge that has teams based in the West Coast, in states such as California, Arizona and Nevada. It isn't affiliated with the MLB or with the Minor leagues. Sounds very interesting!

Before reading the article, I didn't know Long Beach had a baseball team!! After doing some further research (thanks Wikipedia!) I found out that Fullerton also has a team in the GBL, called the Flyers. They play their home games at Goodwin Field on Cal State Fullerton's campus.

I'd like to go to one of their games in the future to not only see what the league's about, but to support local talent. Is there anyone who wants to go with me? If so, let's make a date!!

California Draftin'

2006-06-30T15:35:00.000-07:00

There were a few players from the L.A. Area who had their names called in the NBA Draft on Wednesday. The most notable being UCLA star Jordan Farmar, who was drafted by the hometown Lakers with the #26 pick. Farmar spent his prep days at Taft High (Woodland Hills), where he won City Player Of The Year and helped his team win the City Section Title in 2004.

Farmar's a good player and the Lakers are in need of a true point guard. They'll make a good fit provided Phil Jackson gives him some playing time. I'm sure it'll happen, but how many minutes he'll get on the court will remain to be seen until the season starts. Everyone knows how Coach Jackson gives rookies any play time. Maybe with Farmar, that'll change.

Another player with So-Cal roots that was drafted in the first round was Marcus Williams,who was picked #22 overall by the New Jersey Nets.

He played basketball at Crenshaw High (L.A.)for his 9th through 11th grade years but transfered to Oak Hill Acadamy in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia, a private school known for sending several players to Division 1 schools every year. They are consistently ranked among the top high school basketball teams in the country.

He played college ball at the University of Conneticuit and was on the 2004 NCAA championship team, though he got little to no playing time during that season. This past season he was the starting point guard at Conneticuit.

I got to see Williams play during his days at Crenshaw when he played against my alma-mater Dorsey High. I went to a few of the basketball games, and he was always their standout player.

Other players with So-Cal roots who had their names called were Ryan Hollins, Hassan Adams and Bobby Jones.If you've followed So-Cal prep and college basketball within the last five years then these names are familiar to you. All were drafted in the second round.

Former UCLA center Hollins picked up by the Charlotte Bobcats at #50.

Adams, a former prep standout at basketball-powerhouse Westchester High (L.A.)was drafted in the second round by the Nets 54th overall. He played college ball at the University of Arizona for all four years.

Jones played college ball at the University of Washington and high school ball at Dominguez High (Compton) for his 9th-11th grade years and Long Beach Poly High his Senior year. He was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves at #37, but was traded to the Philedelpia 76ers shortly after.

Someone who I was expecting to see get his name called was Aaron Aflalo, current UCLA standout and former Centennial High prep star. He origianally sent his name in the draft although he never hired an agent. He decided to stay in college for an extra year. Good for him and for UCLA also!

A Hot Game

2006-06-21T12:44:00.000-07:00

Well, it looks like Dwyane Wade has signified his place as the best player in the draft of 2003.

On the NBA's biggest stage, he played his best through most of the seires and carried his team to a championship and earned a well-deserved Finals MVP award.

Dallas had no answer for him. Not to mention they made silly mistakes and role players (Stackhouse,Howard, Daniels,etc.) didn't play consistently. Then there's the refs,

I'd go so far as to say that Miami didn't win the series but Dallas lost it....Dallas flat out choked!! Just like the Lakers and Clippers did in their respecitve series. But I digress.....

I wanted the Mavs win the series, but it didn't happen. That's fine because they will be among the top teams in the Western Confrence for years to come.

It was good to see veterans like Alonzo Mourning and Gary Payton get championship rings, even though they didn't earn them! But it was basically D-Wade's show.

This was a great game 6 to end a great hard-fought series. Thus ends an incredible NBA season.

Now I'll have to resort to watching StreetBall and the WNBA to get my basketball jones!!! Nothing wrong with that though!

Ready For Some Futbol?

2006-06-13T17:34:00.000-07:00

I've never been a huge fan of soccer,but I have the utmost respect for the athletes who participate in the sport. It's funny how soccer is recognized all over the world as a popular sport, but yet here in America not as much prevalance is given to it.

I'd go so far as to say that the results in the World Cup are proof of this. The team representing the U.S. lost yesterday against the Czech Republic, 3-0. I wanted to see the game yesterday, but it came on while I was in class.

They play Italy next, and Italy is considered to have one of the best soccer teams in the tournament. Should the U.S. lose, then they'd be out. The game is this Saturday at noon. I'll schedule it in my plans to watch it and see what happens. Even if they do lose, I still would like to watch the rest of the World Cup to get an insight into the sport from a worldview. I'm not sure what other country I would root for though.

By watching World Cup games, I'll grow a greater appreciation for the sport as a whole. Profesional soccer is on a break because of the World Cup. The Fall semester at Cerritos is approaching, and along with American football, Futbol (or soccer as we know it) will be starting then. I'll be looking forward to watching both the men and women's teams play.

Did The Lynx Read My Last Entry??

2006-06-02T17:17:00.000-07:00

After I posted a few days ago about how I don't care too much for the WNBA, because of the lack of excitement and scoring, the Minnesota Lynx broke the record for the highest score in a game on Wednsday.

They beat the L.A. Sparks by a score of 114-71. In the process they got their first win of the season.

The Lynx were led by rookie guard Seimone Augustus, who scored 26 points. It's way too early in the season, but she's my pick for Rookie Of The Year.

What a way to win! Getting your first win of the season by dismantling one of the premier teams in the WNBA.

In case you were wondering, I didn't watch the game. That's what I get for not caring to much for women's basketball huh?? I missed history.

But I'm looking forward to watching more women's games, to see how the season goes. I'll be looking to see if there will be anymore 110 point games. Or maybe 90 point games.....80 points at least! C'mon ladies, I know you can do it!!!

Plenty Of Basketball To Go Around.....

2006-05-31T13:24:00.000-07:00

If I hadn't have flipped to ESPN 2 during a timeout of the Suns-Mavericks game last night, I never would have known that the WNBA started its season already.

I also wouldn't have known that Chicago has an expansion franchise named the Sky. They played the L.A. Sparks last night and lost by 11.

Basketball is my favorite sport to play and watch. I like to watch basketball at all levels (college,pro,high school,etc.)

However, I'm not the biggest fan of the WNBA, or of women's basketball in general.

Not because I'm a sexist pig, but women's basketball isn't as exciting as the men's game is, to me at least.

There are too many low scoring games; not because of good defense, but because some of those women just can't shoot!! The final score of the Sparks-Sky game was 64-55....that's a third quarter score in an NBA game, or even a halftime score if the Suns are playing! I don't think I've ever seen a WNBA game where a team reached 100.

This season marks the 10th year anniversary of the WNBA. I was visiting the official site for the league and was looking at some interesting facts over its history. I noticed how many teams had come and gone over it's years. Some moved to other cities (like the Orlando Miracle moving to Conneticuit and becoming the Sun,etc.).

With the NBA season wrapping up, I'll be paying more attention to the women over the summer. While there may be some good games and be exciting in its own right, nothing beats the NBA.

Go Pistons and Mavs!!

Spring Semester Sports Wrap-Up

2006-05-26T19:56:00.000-07:00

Being that the Spring Semester has ended, it's time to do a quick recap on some of the grand and not-so-grand events during the semester for the Cerritos sports teams.

Highlights;

- The women's track and field team winning the state title;

After coming within two points of doing so in 2005, the women went for the gold this time around, Led by the heptathlete trio of Jacqueline Taylor,Tatyanna Ricks and Katie Black, the team earned its second state title in school history. Taylor is considered to be one of the best heptathletes in school history. There's no doubt in that.

- Maltessa Neely;

She was hands-down the standout player for the women's basketball team this year. In her freshman season she averaged 16.8 points and 10.8 rebounds, categories in which she led the team. She also had an 80% free-throw percentage and was second on the team in assists with 2.0.

There were several games where she was the only player who scored in double figures. Her stats also earned her a spot on the All-South Coast Conference South Division 1st team. If she comes back next season, hopefully she can lead the Falcons further into the playoffs

- Paul Tse and Hanna Anzai reaching state finals in swimming;

The lone representatives from the teams of their respective genders earned All-American honors and competed in three events each. Anzai won a medal for placing sixth in the 100-yard freestyle.

Out of the three events that each athlete competed in, they reached the championship round in two of them. With each competition, they improved on their times. That shows determination and to go out and give each competition your best, win or lose. If only every athlete, professional and amateur, had that attitude...

Disapointments;

- Brian Tollette allegedly leaving the men's basketball team before their second-round playoff loss to Ventura College;

Though the circumstances behind Tollette's departure are unknown, it still had a negative effect on the team as they entered into the game. I'm very sure it was hard for the team to try and focus on the game when they had off-the-court issues to deal with.

It is worth noting that in Cerritos first round game against Bakersfield College, Tollette had arguably his best game of the season, scoring 13 points and getting 17 rebounds, a season-high for him. Maybe he knew that it would be his last game, so he went out and gave his best performance. No one really knows but the man himself.

The basketball team, which only had one sophmore on the team last semester, looks very promising for next year. If they all return, the team can make a serious run for the divisional title and maybe even the state title.

- The baseball team failing to make the playoffs for the second year in a row;

What made this season so dissapointing was the fact that the team performed much better than last year.Though they finished with a winning record (27-17 overall, 16-8 in league) and came very close to gaining a playoff spot, the team's inconsistency throughout the season caught up with them.

- The women's basketball team losing both games to its hated rival Long Beach City College;

Anytime a team loses to its rival once in a season it's always a big deal. Doing so for the first time in 19 years makes it a bigger deal. But losing to that same team twice in a season adds insult to the injury.

After years of blowing out Long Beach, the tides turned somehow.The women's team lost at home on Feb. 15, 54-42 and 51-40 on Jan. 25 at Long Beach's gym. That would tell you that the games were not as close as they should have been.

Maybe next season will start another 19-year winning streak for the Lady Falcons.

Champ Dethroned

2006-05-18T15:16:00.000-07:00

Last week, I posted news about Justin Gatlin breaking the 100m world record. It seems that after review, the judges made a timing error. At the time of the event, the judges said the time was ran in 9.76secs. But after some reviews, they said that the actual time was 9.766, which would round up the time to 9.77. That means, that he still shares the record with Asafa Powell of Jamaica, who broke the record in an event last year.

The two record-holders may meet up at an event in England next month. Some sources are saying that because of the weather conditions in the town of the event, that they should wait until another event to see who'll break the record first. But both of the runner's agents deny the rumours, so we'll see what happens. I know I'll be paying attention!

In less controversial news, congrats to the Cerritos women's track & field team, who won their second straight Southern Cal. Championship last weekend. Sherrelle Dilworth and Yasmin Webb earned first place finishes in their respective competiions. Dilworth ran the 100m in 11.91 while Webb finished the 400-meter in a time of 1:01.56. For the men's team Joshua Muwwakkil took first place in the long jump and earned second place honors in the triple jump.

Both teams will send members to the State Championships at Bakersfield College on tommorow and Saturday. Good luck to all of them, and let's hope that they earn some high rankings!

True Colors

2006-05-15T15:54:00.000-07:00

Does any college have official school colors anymore?

Cerritos' colors are supposedly blue and white. But depending upon the team, the shade of blue on the uniform ranges from navy blue to royal blue to powder blue. Some teams' uniforms have traces of gold or yellow.

Most of the teams uniforms are navy blue and white (football, baseball, softball, women's basketball, both tennis teams, among others.).

But then there's the men's basketball team, whose uniforms are powder blue and yellow. The soccer teams of both genders are royal blue and white. The track & field teams uniforms are navy blue and gold.

What's with the incohesiveness with the school colors? Can we pick a color scheme and stick with it?!!

Granted, this is not just happening with Cerritos' sports teams.

Even at UCLA, the supposed school colors are powder blue and yellow. Most of their sports teams wear the color scheme, but then why does the football teams' visiting uniforms have navy blue and gold on them?

But at USC, the colors are "cardinal" and yellow. Now they have it together over there! All of the teams' uniforms fit within the color scheme. Now if only we could get Cerritos to follow the same format.....

I guess some schools are a little more lenient when it comes to establishing official school colors, and others are more restrictive. Maybe it's just a blue thing; notice both UCLA's and Cerritos' school colors have shades of blue and shades of yellow, or maybe it's a public vs. private school thing. Who knows?

The bottom line is, if a school is going to have official colors, then every team should be wearing the same colors. Otherwise, let the teams wear whatever colors they feel like!

The Human Cheetah

2006-05-12T12:34:00.000-07:00

If any of you remember watching the 2004 Summer Olympics, then I'm sure you heard the name Justin Gatlin mentioned frequently. The track and field star gained popularity then by winning a gold medal in the 100 meter race with a time of 9.85.

That was his best personal time until today, when he broke not only his personal record but the world record earning him the title as "The World's Fastest Human".

At the Qatar Grand Prix (Qatar is a Middle Eastern country located by Saudi Arabia, in case you didn't know.I didn't know before I looked it up!), he ran the 100m in a time 9.76. The previous record was a time of 97.7, held by Asafa Powell of Jamaica.

Now Gatlin's next goal is to break his own record! "If I continue to stay focussed on my work I can do 9.72, 9.73. But now I can say I am the fastest man on earth," he said in an interview on Yahoo.com.

A 9.72!!! Do you know how fast that is? If any regular track star ran the 100 m in 10.00 flat, that would be a personal accomplisment in itself.

In the competition Gatlin ran in, the second place runner Nigeria's Olusoji Fasuba set an African record with a time of 9.84 (Yay for Africa!! Those are my people!!!)
Shawn Crawford (10.08), the Olympic 200 metres champion, was third in the race. So Gatlin was smokin'. I know he can break the record.

I wonder if any of the runners on the track and field teams at C.C. can compete with Gatlin. Today starts the Southern California Regional Championships, which will be held at Mt. San Antonio College throughout the weekend. The men's team has 11 competitors while the women's team is sending 15 competitors.

I'm pretty confident that our athletes will place among the top. Some noteworthy athletes to look out for include Jacqueline Taylor,Meryl Follosco, and Sherrelle Dilworth for the women's team. For the men's team look out for Joshua Muwwakkil, Lyndon Wyse, and Deangelo Mingo.

Who knows, the competition might prove that Cerritos has its own futue Justin Gatlin(s) in the midst!

Dodger Blue, Falcon Blues

2006-05-10T23:53:00.000-07:00

Tonight, I went to my first professional baseball game and I'm pretty sure it won't be my last. I went to Dodger Stadium with fellow staff members to watch the Dodgers play the Astros (from Houston, in case you're not a baseball fan). The Dodgers won 9-6, in a game in which the Astros should have never scored. For a better game summary compete with quotes from players, click the link......
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Staying on the topic of baseball, the team from Cerritos failed to make the playoffs for the second year in a row. Their loss to Orange Coast College by a score of 4-3 on Tuesday, eliminated them from playoff contention.

Even if the team had advanced, they would have been seeded #17 out of 18 spots. More than likely they would have been eliminated in the first round, unless they pulled off a miracle game.

Also, another staff member suggested that I write about my views on Barry Bonds. I'll do so in a future blog. When, I don't know, but be sure to look out for it.

The Story Behind The Blog Name

2006-05-10T14:33:00.002-07:00

It's partly inspired by an incedent that happened between the Sports Editor and the baseball coach. The Sports Editor was covering a baseball game and wanted to go inside the dugout, to hear the baseball team's gameplan and hear them cheer on their fellow players, I guess. She had done this with the softball team and their coaches had no problem with it. However, when she asked the baseball coach if she could sit in with the baseball team, the coach gave her this stone-cold look as if to say "What kind of question is that?".

I also thought about the sporting events I've covered and how there are no press boxes at any of the stadiums. Whenever I've had to cover a sports story, I would just find a spot in the bleachers, place my notepad on my lap and take notes there. Some of those bleachers can be uncomfortable after sitting in them for anywhere from an hour to three.

I considered this blog my press box, where I post thoughts about athletics in my own time and be comfortable. I just thought I'd let you all know, in case you were inquiring.

Introduction

2006-05-09T21:28:00.000-07:00

I've decided to write a sports blog for the student paper at my school. I'll be posting about sporting events in the professional world, and also athletics at Cerritos College. As of now, I can't think of a topic to write about, but I'm sure I will shortly. When I do, it'll be posted. If anyone has suggestions on what my first topic should be, let me know. All suggestions are greatly appreicated.