TCP; The new face of MMA in OC

This article originally ran at www.theclackamasprint.com. Too see the original, click here.

David Beasley, Sports Editor
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Volume 47, Issue 8
Sports

Oregon City was the end of the Oregon Trail in the early 1800s. Pioneers and frontiersmen traveled from across the country to take part in the economic hub of the West. Now martial artists and athletes from the city and surrounding areas can convene at a hub of their own. Pyramid Sports Training Mixed Martial Arts Academy is the newest addition to historic downtown OC.

Located at 1401 Washington St., the new gym brings a much needed diversity to the local martial arts community. Practitioners of all martial arts have a place they can exchange ideas with others and become more well-rounded combatants.

“I just want to give fighters a home,” said owner and head instructor Forrest Parkinson. “I want this to be a one-stop shop for mixed martial arts.”

Parkinson teaches the MMA class for adults, kids and young adults. He is a brown belt in Taekwondo and taught it for one and a half years. Parkinson taught Krav Maga for two and a half years. He also has wrestling and Jiu Jitsu experience.

His father Keith Parkinson is part owner of the gym along with Isidro Sanchez. Parkinson senior is a U.S. Olympic weightlifting coach; he worked with college and pro athletes on speed agility quickness, SAQ. Sanchez is a second degree black belt in Taekwondo.

Ryan Carr is also a black belt in Taekwondo and is a nutritionist; he will join the staff along with another certified BJJ instructor. Pepsi worked out a deal to sponsor the gym, helping with signs, donating Gatorade, waters and juice.

“Painting expenses were $6,000 over budget,” said Parkinson. “The last thing will be a platform [hanging] from ceiling for focus bags.”

Talesha Wood, Parkinson’s fiancé, painted the majority of the back rooms.

“We scraped the ceiling and sanded and spray painted, it was very hard,” said Wood. “Scraping was the hardest and keeping him [Parkinson] together. I knew one way or another he’d get what he wanted.” 

According to Woods, they had looked at three different places before deciding on this one.

“I’m excited about this place because I can start practicing self-defense,” said Wood. “We can keep it all family and friends and none of us are greedy. We’ve made so many new friends.”

Membership dues will start at $99 a month for regular classes and go up to $200 a month for fighters until they compete. Then training will be free. Punch card options are also available. The 80-year-old building has given them challenges as they wanted to be open Nov. 1. The new gym is already home to five local fighters, including two women.

“I want to give women fighters a place to feel comfortable and not be treated differently,” said Parkinson. 

Amateur female fighter Kacey Schreiber has a record of 3-0 and will fight for Pyramid. Amateur male fighter Jordan Carstensen has a record of 1-0 and will also fight for Pyramid.

Also fighting for Pyramid will be amateur Boxer/MMA fighter Jon Connors who has a record of 3-1in MMA and 4-0 in boxing. The training and curriculum will not involve testing, but instead will focus on performance-based rankings, much like Jiu Jitsu. Kajukenbo will have belt system. Curtis Frost Jr. is a U.S. Boxing coach who knows his stuff.

The gym has a very convenient amenity, a shower and also two bathrooms. They will also have lockers. Patrons can take a load-off in the lounge area, which features a couch and a TV.

Pyramid has a myriad of good equipment, including a great mat for grappling and a cage wall to practice against.

“If you train safe and smart, nobody gets hurt,” said Parkinson.

Carstensen works across the street at Spicer Bros. and saw the sign one day.

“The sign said Pyramid MMA,” said Carstensen. “I’ve had a little experience in MMA so I thought I’d check it out.”
Carstensen aspires to be an instructor some day.

“First fighting and see how I do and maybe coach,” said Carstensen.

He lists his strength as Jiu Jitsu.

“I need to work on my mentality for competing,” said Carstensen. “I had one fight, [won] 45 second TKO at the Washington Fisticuffs Gym event.”

He looks forward to his second fight.

With a good stable of fighters growing and qualified instructors available, the new gym has a bit to offer and if things go well it could turn into a local mecca of martial arts and sports training.

TCP; Cougar men finish fourth

This article originally ran at www.theclackamasprint.com. Too see the original, click here.

David Beasley, Sports Editor
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
Volume 47, Issue 8
Sports

Heart and perseverance catapulted the Cougars to fourth place in the men’s basketball tournament Thanksgiving weekend. The town of Mt. Vernon, Wash., hosted the Skagit Valley Cold Turkey Tournament.

Clackamas lost a close 84-87 battle against Northwest Indian College. They came back with an impressive 74-52 win over Tacoma Community College and finally a solid 82-71 victory against Wenatchee Valley College  for fourth place.

Score leaders in the Tacoma game were Tim Lott with 19 and Brandon Halter with 16. Grant Sitton grabbed eight rebounds and scored 11 points against Tacoma. Against Wenatchee, in the Cougars last game of the tournament, point leaders were Lott and Halter again. Lott hit 15 points and Halter 22. Ezekiel Martin snagged nine rebounds and scored 12 points.

Big Bend Community College took first place, defeating Skagit Valley College on Sunday. The Cougars moved to 4-2 in the season. They next face Clark College Saturday Dec. 7,  at 4 p.m. at home.

TCP; Cougars finish in Top 10 at NWAACC Championship

This article originally ran at www.theclackamasprint.com. Too see the original, click here.

David Beasley, Sports Editor
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
Volume 47, Issue 7
Sports

The regular volleyball season was over, but last weekend the Cougars kept swinging. The NWAACC championship was held at Mt. Hood Community College. The tournament featured 29 teams from the North west. Clackamas placed seventh in the competition.

Thursday, Nov. 21, the Cougars faced Shoreline for their first game of the championships. The game against Shoreline was an excellent example of the Cougars’ intensity and patience. Clackamas measured Shoreline’s attacks well and let the ball go when Shoreline hit it out. The game was one of attrition, so the Cougars patience really paid off. Set number one ended with a trio of well-aimed serves by Clackamas freshman Sierra VeraCruz. The Cougars 25th point ending the set was scored after a hard-fought long volley. The first set was 25-16.
Another long volley beginning set two cost the Cougars a point and Shoreline gained a slight edge with four points to nothing. Kiki Stonebraker started the comeback with a kill, and some inspiring teamwork brought Clackamas another point, bringing the score to 2-4.

Shoreline still held the lead at 4-9, then more Cougar teamwork put the points at 5-9 with a set by Alexa Toth to Bre Gibbons’ kill. VeraCruz continued the momentum with a couple of surprisingly effective back-to-back digs. Toth made great use of the second dig with a marvelous set over the net that scored. Clackamas kept catching-up at 8-9.

The set continued competitively with the score tied a few times. Stonebraker faked a spike and instead tipped the ball over the net, breaking the tie at 13-12. Shoreline ran ahead with a series of scores and was able to win the second set at 20-25.

Shoreline came back for the third set with three straight points, but Clackamas answered with three of their own to tie it up at 3-3. The Cougars held on to a good run, scoring four more before Shoreline was able to get a shot through. Gibbons fired right back with a kill earning the score of 8-4. Gibbons later powered another kill through to put the numbers at 17-13 in the Cougars’ favor. Another Gibbons power shot blasted through at 19-15. Clackamas stayed dominant in the third and won 25-18.

“Bre had like eight serves in a row,” said Stonebraker. “Stringing points together changed the momentum.”

A fourth set was played for the game, and freshman Hanna Olson scored the Cougars’ first point.

“The fourth game we got our momentum back up and when we had really good kills that got our momentum back up too,” said Olson.

It was a close set. The score reached 5-5 and a serve by Gibbons was sent back by Shoreline, meeting the great teamwork of Clackamas. The team’s perseverance gave Gibbons another opportunity to score and she landed another kill, gaining the lead at 6-5. Gibbons’ next score came from her following pin-point serve.

Celena Maxwell hit the next shot after great team set-up. The score was 8-5, but the Cougars didn’t let-up. Maxwell tipped the ball over at 13-5 and Gibbons continued to serve. Maxwell scored again on the run with a great kill, securing 20-5 before Shoreline was able to score again.

“I think the fourth set was the best because we had really good energy and came out and showed them Cougar volleyball,” said Maxwell.

When Shoreline finally did rack-up a few shots, Clackamas viciously battled back with tenacious teamwork. The scoreboard read 23-10 for Clackamas and Olson landed a solid kill. The next point won the set 25-10 for Clackamas and effectively the match was theirs, winning 3-1.

They next faced Blue Mountain. Olson was pumped coming off the game against Shoreline, she said. “I can’t wait, it’s exciting to be here,” she added.

Blue Mountain played a flawless season, entering the tournament with zero losses.

“They’re a solid team but if we come out on fire we can get ‘em,” said Stonebraker. “Anything can happen here. Lower Columbia beat Spokane. We just have to come out ready.”

The Cougars needed strong resolve and faith in their team if they wished to be competitive against the league leader.

“Oh my gosh, it felt so good to win,” said Maxwell. “The last game was a good way to end. We’re gonna come out strong with good intensity.”

Returning to the court Friday morning Nov. 22, the Cougars dropped the game against Blue Mountain, losing 1-3. Clackamas started strong and they were able to grab a victory in the first set with 25-20, but Blue Mountain secured the following three sets 15-25, 20-25 and 15-25. Clackamas was down, but not completely out as they geared-up for the losers bracket. Blue Mountain went on to win the championship against Olympic on Sunday.

The Cougars played Chemeketa later Friday evening. Using great teamwork, the ladies of Clackamas won 2-0 with 25-11 in the first set and 25-19 in the second. The team advanced and looked to keep a winning streak as they faced Spokane Saturday.

Saturday’s match decided who moved on and who dropped out. It was a very close game, but Spokane emerged victorious with the Cougars losing 1-2. Clackamas started strong with 25-22. It was a fast-paced, intense game and the Cougars seemed to have the upper hand until the score was tied 21-21 and Spokane ran ahead with a vengeance. Set two ended in 23-25. The final set went to Spokane, 11-15. Clackamas was officially out of the competition and placed seventh.

The Cougars had some excellent moments throughout the tournament. Gibbons lead the team in kills with 14 against Shoreline, 12 vs. Blue Mountain,  nine against Chemeketa, and scored 13 on Spokane.

Sunday, Gibbons and VeraCruz played for the South Region’s first team in the All-Star matches. Olson played on the second team. The North All-Stars defeated the South All-Stars 1-2 with 22-25, 25-21 and 15-11. The South All-Stars also lost to the West All-Stars 0-2 in a couple of close sets with 19-25 and 23-25.

TCP; NWAACC soccer wraps up season

This article originally ran at www.theclackamasprint.com. Too see the original, click here.

David Beasley, Sports Editor
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Volume 47, Issue 6
Sports

NWAACC soccer season came to a close Sunday. Over the weekend, championship titles were awarded to teams.

Outstanding individual athletes and coaches were recognized and they took part in an All-Star match.

2013 NWAACC Women’s Soccer All-Stars from Clackamas were: South Region Coach of the Year Janine Szpara; South Region MVP Tori Roberts at midfield; Midfielder Claudia Flores; Defender Marci Haynes; and Keeper Melanie Trumbull. The Cougar All-Stars played for South-West in the 2-2 tie between North-East and South-West All-Star teams.

The winning women’s soccer team of the championships was Peninsula with a 2-1 victory against Edmonds on Sunday. Peninsula went undefeated in league this season.

Edmonds won their way into the final game with a victory on Saturday. That victory was a hard-fought, disappointing 1-2 loss for Clackamas. The Cougars subsequently placed third in the championships.

The ladies of Clackamas soccer are a classy and talented bunch. They were top in South Region and had an impressive season with 12-2-2 in league play. The Cougars have cause to be proud as they have proved to be one of the top teams in the league.

But luck was not on the Cougars’ side Saturday. The coin toss at the start of the game declared that Edmonds would kick off. The initial leverage of ball possession gave Edmonds a slight edge, putting Clackamas on the defensive early. Edmonds kept up the pressure.

Edmonds took a shot early in the first half that was deflected and went just wide, resulting in a corner kick. Shortly after, another Edmonds corner kick set up a header attempt that went over the Cougars’ goal.

A chill breeze and dark clouds rolled in momentarily, but the clouds passed and sun peeked back out. All-Star Claudia Florez attacked with a goal attempt that went over. The action flowed back towards the Cougars’ goal, Dija Kirkland took a hard fall while defending and a foul was called on Edmonds. Kirkland landed face-first outside the line and was down for a moment.

“She, like, kicked my ankle and I slid on the turf and twisted my ankle,” said Kirkland.

After the resulting free kick, Edmonds brought the attack back again, but Mecca Krutsinger tenaciously defended and deflected the ball. Then a corner kick by Edmonds brought a shot on goal, which Trumbull saved by smacking the ball away with both hands. Edmonds received another corner kick.

Edmonds sought another attack on goal and Trumbull showed how scrappy and resourceful she can be. With the pressure all on her, she saved multiple back-to-back, point-blank shots on goal. The Cougars used excellent teamwork and defense to stifle the attack. Trumbull was fired up. She yelled in triumph and pride for her team’s performance.

The Cougars picked up some momentum and started getting the better of the headers, defending and attacking. Towards the end of the first half, Marci Haynes showed solid defense as Edmonds attacked again. Then Edmonds shot, but it went over the goal.

The clouds returned and the sun was gone, dropping the temperature at 42 minutes on the scoreboard. As the first half neared its end, Tori Roberts took a great long shot that was just wide. It was 0-0 at halftime.

The second half began with an offside call against Clackamas. The play moved back toward Clackamas’ goal and a defensive slide tackle that looked like it hit the ball cleanly at first, was declared a foul, right outside the penalty box. Edmonds took an indirect free kick and managed to put together the first goal of the game. Clackamas was down 0-1.

Trumbull had a couple of really nice saves towards the beginning of the second half. The second attempt was a long shot that was set up by Edmonds, quickly driving up-line. On the offensive, Clackamas’ Marci Haynes intercepted and deflected an Edmonds’ pass and almost scored, but it went just wide. At 67:38 on the scoreboard, Haynes caught an assist from Roberts and scored after great teamwork and passing up-field. The score was tied 1-1.

“Tori crossed it and Marci shot and scored,” said Krutsinger

Trumbull showed more moxie and bravely challenged an attack by Edmonds, defending well. Then at 71 minutes on the scoreboard, Trumbull deftly saved a straight shot at goal. In an unfortunate turn of events, Carly Turner fouled while defending inside the Cougars’ penalty box. A direct penalty kick was awarded to Edmonds. Hannah Shouse took the kick and made it past Trumbull for her team’s second goal. Clackamas was behind 1-2.

“Defense was such a good effort, but when we messed up is when the goals happened,” said Krutsinger.

Shortly after Edmonds fouled just outside their penalty box at 75:16 on the board. Butler took the free kick straight towards goal. But Edmonds’ goalkeeper, Alecia Longsine, saved it. Tani Harr took another long shot later that was also saved. The Cougars were still battling, trying to attack and keep good defense. At 88:50 on the board, Kirkland showed more solid defense in front of the goal. A corner kick by Edmonds shortly after, turned into a shot on goal that was saved by Trumbull. Trumbull grabbed 11 saves throughout the game.

“I think it was really strong,” Flores said. “We fought all the way to the end, just couldn’t get a goal in, we couldn’t finish. We were fighting hard equally.”

The Cougars felt the sting of defeat as the match came to a close. Clackamas 1. Edmonds 2. Clackamas took third place. Edmonds lost to Peninsula Sunday and got second place.

“I thought we did good,” said Kirkland. “If we had done as good as we did against Spokane, we would have won. We tried.”

The Cougars played a strong game and had an inspiring run this season that brought them to the semifinals. Overall, they grew as a team and helped each other improve individually. Here’s to another great season turned in by the Clackamas Cougars women’s soccer team.

TCP; Cougars squash sasquatch, head to semifinals

This article originally ran at www.theclackamasprint.com. Too see the original, click here.

David Beasley, Sports Editor
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Volume 47, Issue 5
Sports

Last Saturday the Cougars avenged a loss and earned a trip back to the site of that loss for the NWAACC Women’s Soccer Championship Semifinals.

Aug. 27 at Starfire Stadium in Tukwila, Wash., was the Cougars’ first game of the season. There they were defeated by Spokane 1-2.

“We played them in the beginning, but we are a whole new team and have stepped up to another level,” said Clackamas midfielder Tori Roberts. “We knew number three was gonna’ be tough, but we’re not a one-man team, we play together.”

On home turf this time, the Cougars defeated their Sasquatch rivals 2-0 at OC’s Pioneer Stadium in a wild and spectacular match.

“The first 12 seconds really set the pace,” said Roberts.

Indeed it did, as just 12 seconds into the first stanza midfielder Hope Butler scored a statement-making goal that
sent the crowd crazy with cheers for the Cougars.

“It was Tori that took a shot and I capitalized on it,” said Butler.

Spokane’s frustration showed early, their reaction after the first goal foreshadowed the atmosphere of the rest of the game. The Cougars continued to employ excellent teamwork and solid defense when needed, but they consistently attacked.

Melanie Trumbull put on another goalkeeping clinic with strong defends and brave sacrifice saves throughout the game. With four saves, this was Trumbull’s ninth shutout of the season. She has 58 saves total.

Spokane managed to make Clackamas a little impatient halfway through the first stanza. The hard teamwork by the Cougars momentarily became overzealous as they booted the ball forward instead of passing and setting up plays. But Spokane became too aggressive and with three back-to-back fouls, sent the action back towards their own goal.

Cougars defender Carly Turner and midfielder Tahni Harr each launched well-placed slide tackles in the first half, continuing Clackamas’ tenacious defense. On the offensive again at 34 minutes on the scoreboard, Roberts found herself in front of Spokane’s goal. Facing away from the goal with defenders closing in, she caught a nice pass and turned 180 degrees to shoot it through the defense, right at the goal. The spectacular shot was defended, but kept up the Cougars’ competitive pace and wowed the crowd.

Defender Marci Haynes continued the attack with a good header goal attempt off a volley from a corner kick by Butler. At 40 minutes, head referee James Shields had to issue his first warning to the already heated Spokane assistant coach Jeff Srock.

The game started getting rougher and more physical. A foul was called on Clackamas and as Spokane attacked, Haynes launched the ball back up field with a stiff boot. Spokane took a couple shots in the first, but the score remained 1-0 at halftime.

The Cougars continued the second half with more constructive teamwork, good use of headers and defense against headers. The Cougars won the headers in the air and prevented Spokane from getting useful headers.

A melee broke out in front of the Cougars’ goal. Trumbull had to fight hard for the save and defended well, putting herself in the line of fire.

With 63 minutes showing on the scoreboard, a foul was called on Spokane’s Brittany Bruegeman and Clackamas was awarded a free kick. The foul brought Spokane their first yellow card of the match.

Spokane attacked aggressively again with a battle in front of the Cougars goal, but the determination of Clackamas fended off the attempt. Spokane’s team and their fans in the stands were becoming increasingly upset with the referees.

The rage turned belligerent at 69 minutes as Srock began verbally attacking Shields and questioning his refereeing. The Spokane assistant coach would not back down and Shields issued him a yellow card. Srock relentlessly continued, so Shields issued him a red card, ejecting him from the game and the field.

“We knew it was going to be a hard game,” said Roberts. “The other team didn’t think it was playing fairly but we kept our composure and I think that’s why we won.” 

Spokane was visibly frustrated, but still competitive as the game continued with the Cougars in the lead. On the defensive, Clackamas forward Claudia Florez shot in with a clean, well-timed slide tackle. Shortly after she found another tackle, but fouled. Spokane made their way towards the Cougars’ penalty box and sent a shot towards goal that was deftly deflected by the head of defender Stephanie Corea. Shortly after, Trumball saved a Spokane corner kick.

The second half continued on with Clackamas still winning headers and consistently defending. Spokane was still vocally upset with the referee. The score in the second was almost a stalemate. Then a free kick awarded to Cougar defender Carly Turner set up a long header by Butler that sailed perfectly into Spokane’s goal. The stands exploded with cheering voices.

“We’ve actually been practicing that a lot, [free kicks] working on diagonal balls,” said Butler. “As far as this game goes, we applied everything we learned in practice. This was by far our best team game.”

With 90 minutes on the scoreboard, the official game time kept on-field was counting down. Another fierce battle in front of the Cougars’ goal ensued and Clackamas defended again. The game ended with Clackamas emerging as the victor.

“I feel great,” said Roberts. “Now we’re in the final four.” 

The Cougars play Edmonds at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Starfire Stadium in Tukwila, Wash., for the right to play in the final match of the NWAACC championship the next day at 3 p.m. Roberts predicts Walla Walla to be the team they will face.

“We were a lot more positive as a team,” Butler said. “As long as we play like we did today, we’ll do well.”

TCP; Seasoned Cougars vs. Newcomers

This article originally ran at www.theclackamasprint.com. Too see the original, click here.

David Beasley, Sports Editor
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Volume 47, Issue 5
Sports

Being a Cougar is something to take pride in. Friday night the men’s basketball team scrimmaged former members of CCC basketball, and the alumni proved once a Cougar always a Cougar in an exciting and competitive exhibition at Randall Hall.

The alumni team comprised former Southern region champions, NWAACC champions and players who continued college ball after CCC. Some were recently on the team and some graduated over a decade ago. The mix was interesting and entertaining.

It was a good game all around, but CCC’s current squad dominated the friendly match. The first half was CCC’s best, with quite a few useful defensive and offensive rebounds. The younger team showed their hard training and teamwork. Powerful plays by Tim Lot were some of the highlights during the first half, a slam-dunk being one of them. Anthony Russel of CCC scored the final shot of the first half with a three pointer at the buzzer. CCC was ahead 46 - 32.

In the second half the action was even more competitive as the alumni gained leverage with some spot-on plays. Some of the alumni team’s momentum was due to consistent three-pointers. They were able to accumulate 30 points out of 18 attempts in the second half. CCC seemed to still battle and put together great plays, but the alumni had a slight edge in the second.

The alumni garnered 55 points in the second half to CCC’s 50, an impressive comeback after the first half, but not enough to redeem it. CCC won 96-87 against the very game alumni.

Leading in points Friday night was alumnus Justin Steinke, earning 33 points with eight successful three-pointers out of 13 attempts. For the current Cougars, Mitchell Beckwith earned 18 points with two nice three-pointers out of three attempts. Beckwith was followed closely by Lott, who accrued 17 points including a couple of solid slam-dunks.

The last preseason scrimmage was a fun ice-breaker to foreshadow the 2013-14 season. The Cougars return to Randall for their first game of the season as they face Concordia University JV at 7 p.m. this coming Friday.

TCP; Cross Country finishes fourth in team results

This article originally ran at www.theclackamasprint.com. Too see the original, click here.

David Beasley, Sports Editor
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Volume 47, Issue 5
Sports

“That was probably the best race of my life, it’s tough to lose that close,” said second place winner Jorge Gil-Juarez of CCC.

Leading Cougar runner Gil-Juarez finished the men’s eight kilometer race first with a time of 24:20, but so did Daniel Schofiel of Spokane CC. If not for an untimely fall, Gil-Juarez may have edged ahead at the finish line, but the tumble cost him a few inches and Schofield broke through the tape first.

“I rolled my ankle at the end,” said Gil-Juarez. “My legs just gave out, it was a fast race.”

The NWAACC Cross Country Championship race took place at Lewisville Regional Park last Saturday along the banks of the East Fork Lewis River. The waves of runners resembled the rushing river as they followed the flow of the current. Teams maneuvered around the bends and adapted to the varied terrain of the course. The caravan of athletes seemed an unstoppable force of nature.

Race fans were grouped around the start to kick off each race with loud cheers. As racers circled the loop they again passed by fans who loudly encouraged the athletes. The loudest, most frantic cheering was at the finish line when the first few runners neared the end.

The Cougars help each other through each race as a team. Using team strategy, they group together and keep a close pace to give each other confidence and pace the trail correctly.

Courtney Repp was proud of the teamwork the women’s team was able to accomplish throughout the season and at the championships.

“We all did really good as a team, all the girls did really good,” said Repp.

Repp finished first for Clackamas and 16th in the race with a time of 20:04. She also received the week three NWAACC athlete of the week award.

The terrain of the course was a challenge to some of the competitors as there were a few injuries. The ground was moist and varied from grass to gravel or pavement.

“It wasn’t an easy course, it was muddy, bumpy and holey, kinda’ twisted my ankle at the beginning,” said Repp.
“But it was easier than when we ran it earlier this season.”

Jessica Mildes of Spokane CC placed first in the women’s 5 kilometer race with a time of 17:51. Freshman Kira Norton followed closely behind Repp; she finished second for Clackamas and placed 32nd with a time of 20:44.
Also close-after was Clackamas’ Jessie Hansen, scoring 35th with 21:01.

“Jessie Hansen had a pretty good race, she looked good today,” said Cougar cross-country director Keoni McHone.

Kylee Johnson earned 39th with 21:21. Grace Klovski placed 49th at 22:16. Falisha Aho got 58th at 23:03 and Allison Pugsley earned 60th with 23:21, finishing 7th for the Cougars.

“It was alright, it was a hard race, it wasn’t easy,” said Repp.

At noon, an hour after the women’s race began, the men were off. After the first bend in the trail Cougar Badane Sultessa was at the lead of the pack with only one runner in front of him.

“After the third mile the other group took off,” said Sultessa. “Our plan was to work together, but right when the race started we got separated.”

The men’s eight kilometer race was a grueling fast pace. Clackamas’ runners struggled to stay ahead. The cold weather and the pressure of NWAACC championships were factors to be considered for the racers.

“Everyone is nervous, you kind of have to use those nerves to your advantage,” said Gil-Juarez.

Sultessa finished second for the team and sixth in the race with 24:45. Third across the finish line for Clackamas was week six NWAACC athlete of the week Bake Benthin, who finished 14th at 25:16. Austin Peila placed 22nd at 25:40. Danny Robertson earned 25th with 25:53. Jackson Baker was 27th in 26 flat. Scott Schmitt came in seventh for the Cougars and 45th out of the 68 placing runners at 26:37.

The Cougars men’s team placed third in the championships, the women placed sixth. As a whole, the men and women ranked fourth in the combined result.

“The season was really good,” said Sultessa. “The team was the best I ever had, better than last year.”
Sultessa earned the NWAACC athlete of the week award for week eight. Also awarded an NWAACC athlete of the week title was Gil-Juarez for week one. Gil-Juarez was happy with the cross-country season, but like many others he is now getting mentally geared-up for track pre-season training.

“Cross went amazing this year and if track goes well too I might think about going to Oklahoma State,” said Gil-Juarez. “They have a good animal science program and a good steeplechase program. Steeplechase is my event.”

Also eying track season is Sultessa, who runs the 800-meter and 1500-meter races in track. Even though he is an outstanding distance runner, he prefers a firm, consistent track over bumpy, winding trails.

“My focus is track,” said Sultessa. “Everybody takes two weeks off, then we start practicing for track.”

Head coach Kaitlyn Reid has lead the Cougars through a very successful season of cross country. She was awarded head coach of the year honors at the Southern Region Championships. On home turf the Cougar men’s team won and the women took sixth.

“We had a really good season,” said Repp.

The NWAACC championship was a close race, but the Cougars remain dominant in the Southern Region.

TCP; The red filters through

This article originally ran at www.theclackamasprint.com. Too see the original, click here.

David Beasley, Sports Editor
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Volume 47, Issue 3
Sports

Thursday night was an intersquad exhibition.  Each team was coached by an assistant coach. Navy Coach Bret Born vs. Scarlet Coach Rich Vigorito.

The Scarlet team won 22-21.

At 125 Josh Johnson defeated Jared Cash (Dec.)

125 Stevan Knoblauch defeated Kamron Day (Dec.)

133 CJ Palmer pinned Urmas Yanis.

“I pinned him,” said Palmer. “I like Urmas. It’s gonna’ be a rough season wrestling allot of D1 guys, they do this for four years, they got allot more time.”

141 Peter Shea defeated Jordan Brewer (Dec.)

141 Lawrence Otero defeated Robbie Rizzolino (Dec.)

141 Daniel Leonard defeated Jared Sublet (Dec.)

149 Kenny Martin defeated Dylan Holcomb (Dec.) 10-4.

“It feels good to wrestle this first match, it’s been a while, I felt like I was able to maintain a good pace,” said Martin. “It’s a new experience, I was kinda’ nervous, I heard this was a good school to go to, I feel like it’s done me justice so far, I feel like I’m in the best shape of my life right now.”

157 Eleazar DeLuca defeated Elijah Taylor (Dec.) 6-3.

“I have allot of things I need to work on, so it was a good match to open-up what I need to work on,” said Deluca. “Coach Rhoden’s a really good guy, all the coaches have a killer mentality, they want to win and I really like that.”

157 Nikko Veltri defeated Brandon Davidson (Major Dec.) 13-4.

165 Kyle Bateman defeated Tyler White (Dec.) 8-2.

174 Dustin Harris defeated Kolby Mays (Dec.) 6-1.

184 Adrian Salas defeated John Morin (Dec.) 5-1.

197 Dustin Johnson defeated Ihoughwama Odigizuwa (Dec.) 8-7.

The  Cougars head wrestling coach Josh Rhoden comented on the evening.

“I thought it was pretty good, we got areas we can improve in, most of them it’s gonna be a little shock to the system so we got some adjustments to make, but overall it was pretty good,” said Rhoden.

The Cougars will compete against  NAIA Simpson University in Redding, Calif. next Saturday.

The first home competition will be on Nov. 9 against Division 2 Simon Fraser University in Randall Hall at 5 p.m.

TCP; Clackamas Volleyball beats the Storm

This article originally ran at www.theclackamasprint.com. Too see the original, click here.

David Beasley, Sports Editor
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Volume 47, Issue 3
Sports

Last Wednesday the Cougars volleyball squad brought down their opponent the Chemeketa Storm.

The match was a competitive fray of defense and offense with a few long-winded volleys.

Bre Gibbons played a very active game with some solid blocks, well placed tips over the net, 12 kills and 17 digs.

Taylor Balkan served an excellent scoring ball in the second set, she had 20 assists throughout the game.

Megan Minke got her hands on a few really nice plays in the third set.

“It feels good to be playing in the middle again. Getting a kill in the middle is more intense and fast paced than the outside,” said Minke. “I think that were starting to get back in the groove, were on the uphill. Hopefully the goal is to win NWAACCs and to come out on top in league.”

Hannah Olson set up some good plays from a couple nice serves, she had 10 kills and some good tips over the net. Chemeketa attempted to return one of her serves in set three, but it was blocked by the double wall of  Gibbons and Minke.

“I have a hurt shoulder right now, so it was pretty good, it was one of my better games,” said Olson. “We are working really well together, it’s nice to have a team that gets along.”

Chemeketa tried to come back in the third, bringing the score dangerously close at 24-21, but the Cougars won the third set and the game was theirs at 25-20, 25-15, 25-21.

The Cougars head coach Kathie Woods was impressed by her squad’s hard work so far this season.

“Were ranked seventh right now, were 24-10,” said Woods.

Dressed as the Harlem Globetrotters, the Cougars competed over the weekend at the Mt. Hood Dorian Harris Halloween Classic.

The Cougars won on Friday against Edmonds and Tacoma.  They won again against Columbia Basin.

In the semi-finals the Cougars lost to Olympic College and placed third in the Halloween Classic.

The Cougars play SWOCC Friday in Coos Bay at 6 p.m.

Wed Nov. 13 at 6 p.m. will be the last home game.

TCP; Cougars walk on water

This article originally ran at www.theclackamasprint.com. Too see the original, click here.

David Beasley, Sports Editor
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Volume 47, Issue 2
Sports

The sun was shining on OC’s Pioneer Stadium last Wednesday afternoon. The Clackamas women’s soccer team beamed just as brightly with a 3-0 win against the Lakers of Southwestern Oregon Community College.

The Cougars attacked often, but couldn’t find clear shots. No. 4 Khadijah Kirkland made her way up-field early in the game and sent a nice cross in front of the Lakers goal but it went out. The Cougars continued to attempt offensive plays but the Lakers' goalkeeper Cassidy Crandall defended well. Crandall snatched a straight shot from No. 2 Hope Butler in the opening stanza.

Early in the first half, the plays were aggressive, but lacked set-up. Janine Szpara, the Cougars' head coach was on it, she instructed the team to use better tactics.

“Guys, stop running forward all the time, switch!” shouted Szpara.

Butler drove forward and passed to No. 8 Megan Luckenbach who found the ball right in front of goal. With the first of her two attempts at the beginning, Luckenbach shot, but Crandall denied the score. No. 17 Claudia Flores took two consecutive shots during the first half. The first attempt was halted with a save by Crandall and the next went just barely too wide. Later, Flores had a third attempt with a long shot, but it went too high.

After a foul by the Lakers, No. 5 Marci Haynes took a free kick for the Cougars that lobbed over the defense, but Crandall defended the follow-up. Shortly after, No. 11 Tahni Harr found herself in position to launch a long shot that missed, just barely too wide of the Lakers' goal. Goalkeeper Melanie Trumbull’s voice rang out clear from the opposite side of the field as her team marked-up for the Lakers' goal kick.

“Get to the ball first, you better get that ball first,” yelled Trumbull.

No. 20 Tori Roberts hustled in response to of Trumbull’s rallying cry. Roberts struck her third and best goal attempt of the first half. It was a solid shot, but went just wide and hit the outside of the net. After the Lakers next goal kick, No. 19 Olivia Thoroughman drove the ball to the penalty box, but Crandall stepped-up and defended the Lakers' goal aggressively.

The Lakers were able to take the action back to the Cougars' side of the field. Trumbull defended the resulting attack. The Cougars regained the offensive and towards the end of the first half, No. 9 Stephanie Corea struck a nice shot, but the tenacious Crandall saved it. The Lakers' goalkeeper seemed to home-in on everything the Cougars tried to slip past her. Crandall aggressively intercepted a pass to No. 10 Hristy Prado, then another long shot by the Cougars.

Although the Cougars controlled most of the first half, the Lakers' defense was enough to keep the score 0-0 at halftime.

At just 00:36 into the second half, No. 24 Taija Channel scored the first goal of the game.

“I didn’t play the first half, so I wanted to come out strong and make an impact on the team,” said Channel.

That was all the impact the Cougars needed to pick up steam. They were ahead, but continued to press forward retaining a tight hold on the 1-0 lead in the second half. Corea took another impressive shot, but Crandall saved it again. Flores stayed savvy as she attempted a couple more shots in the second half. Flores received a spot-on pass for her last attempt and Crandall just barely managed to save it.

The Cougars were still on the attack. At 69:00 on the official time, No. 12 Mecca Williams assisted a pinpoint shot by Butler for the second goal of the afternoon.

“Mecca did a really nice diagonal ball which was what we talked about at half,” said Butler. “Taija had a first-touch (to Williams) which allowed me to split the defense.”  

Still hungry for points in the final minutes and using smart positioning, Butler ran the ball towards the goal but Crandall defended. The Cougars still commanded a dominant lead of 2-0. Roberts had three goal attempts in the second half and at 89:00 on the clock, she assisted an excellent open shot on goal by Luckenbach. Her shot scored and the Cougars finished out the game with a 3-0 victory over the Lakers.

“I saw Tori, she gave a good ball right in the air to me, I took a good first-touch that set me up for the goal,” said Luckenbach. “There was a defender on my right side so I had to battle to get in front of her. The whole right side of the goal was open, so I took the shot.”

Last Wednesday was not only a convincing win for the team, but the ninth shutout this season for goalkeeping magician Trumbull. Crandall of the Lakers managed to grab 10 saves. The Cougars were still top of the South region after Wednesday’s game and they continue to build momentum towards an NWAACC title shot. Butler offered insight into their journey towards playoffs.

“We need to apply what we do in practice to games,” said Butler.

TCP; CCC produces new legends of the fall season

This article originally ran at www.theclackamasprint.com. Too see the original, click here.

David Beasley, Sports Editor
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Volume 47, Issue 1
Sports

Amidst the busy bustle of autumn, new beginnings have given shape to CCC’s 2013 fall sports season. With so many new recruits added to each of the Cougars’ fall sports teams, this season promises a fresh experience.

Volleyball

The Volleyball team acquired 11 new players for the season. The team has a record of 3-2 in NWAACC league and 21-8 this season. They are ranked third in south region.

Cross Country

Cougar cross country picked up seven new men and seven new women this season. The team competed in a few recent events. Sept. 7 was the Clark XC Classic NWAACC Preview in Battleground. CCC competed against Spokane, Clark, Everett, Highline, Lane, Mt. Hood, Olympic and SW Oregon. Two Clackamas runners finished the men’s 8000 meters ahead of the rest. Jorge Gil-Juarez was first with a time of 26:03 and Jackson Baker came in second at 26:04.

Clackamas competed against Mt. Hood on Sept. 21 at the Oak Knoll Loop in Independence, Ore. Jorge Gil-Juarez finished the 8000 meters first out of all NWAACC competitors with a time of 25:06.15.

CCC hosted the annual Mike Hodges Invitational this past Saturday. The Cougars placed four men in the top five of the 8000 meter race against Spokane, Clark, Highline, Mt. Hood and SW Oregon. Pake Benthin finished first at 26:19.54, Jackson Baker was second with 26:19.77, Jorge Gil-Juarez came in third at 26:19.97 and shortly behind was Scott Schmitt in fifth at 26:28.03. CCC men placed first as a team and the women placed fourth.

Soccer

CCC women’s soccer gained eight new recruits this fall. The soccer team is 8-1-1 in NWAACC league and 8-3-1 this season. They are the top team in the south region and are second in league points, tied with Walla Walla.
“We’ve had a few good games, the girls are doing really well,” said Miriam Coto, assistant coach. “Pretty much half the team is returners, we’ve got a good freshman class too.”

Non-Fall Sports

CCC’s winter and spring sports teams have also been gearing up for their respective seasons.

Wrestling

The wrestling team has been active as they ready for their first scheduled events. Navy & Scarlet, an exhibition, will be at home on Thursday Oct. 24 starting at 7:30 p.m. Saturday Oct. 26 CCC will host their 30th annual Takedown Tournament which is open to the public. All ages and weight classes are eligible. Registration begins at 8 a.m., a takedown clinic will be offered between 9:30-10:30 a.m. and the competition starts at 11 a.m.

Basketball

The women’s and men’s basketball teams have been hard at work preparing as well.
“We worked out two to three days a week during the summer,” said the men’s head coach Clif Wegner. “This is our first official week of practice.”

Softball and Baseball

Both CCC’s softball and baseball teams have been keeping busy, practicing and playing non-league games. The baseball team was proud to have some star players shine last month at Lower Columbia in Longview, Wash.

“Seven of our guys were selected for the sophomore showcase All-Star game for NWAACC,” said Robin Robinson, head baseball coach. “Four of them have been heavily recruited since.”

The Cougar baseball team will play seven weeks of fall ball.

TCP; Cougar volleyball team digs deep

This article originally ran at www.theclackamasprint.com. Too see the original, click here.

David Beasley, Sports Editor
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Volume 47, Issue 1
Sports

Wednesday vs. New HopeThe stars seemed to align over Randall gymnasium last Wednesday evening, when CCC’s volleyball team defeated the New Hope Christian College Beacons in a non-league match.

The Cougars came out strong from the start. Early in the first set, No. 11 Kiki Stonebraker, drove down a powerful spike to put the team at a 3-0 lead. Stonebraker is one of only two sophomores out of the 12 team members.

“I’m the only returner, it’s brought a completely new chemistry and it’s refreshing,” said Stonebraker.

The game was fast paced and the Cougars commanded the lead. No. 14 Courtney Lofton scored with a nice spike and brought the score to 8-6. With another highlight, No. 3 Megan Minke launched a well-placed spike earning 12-8 over the Beacons. The Cougars won the first set 25-13.

In set two, the Cougars started strong again and kept the lead, using great communication and teamwork. The Beacons hit quite a few outs and the Cougars used good judgment letting the ball go out. The Cougars dominated 25-10 in the second set.

“I feel like we improve every day. Practices are intense, it’s really important for a championship NWAACC team. We have a solid group of girls who work really well together,” said No. 2 Taylor Balkan.

Set three started more even and the Beacons stepped it up. But the Cougars picked up more steam and grasped the lead. It was a very close set. A hard-won Cougar spike after a long volley brought the score to 11-9. The match became more competitive in the third and the Cougars took their first three time-outs. The score read 19-16 at the last TO. The Beacons fought hard but the Cougars finished 25-19 in set three and won the match.

“It was fun, we’re really thrilled with the season so far,” said head coach Kathie Woods.

The Chemeketa Tournament in August was a rude awakening for the Cougar volleyball team as they endured a 1-4 in the competition. The team has been very active since their first games. They have had ample time to figure out how to fight as a team.

“We had a slow start but now we are 21-7, 3-1 in league,” said Woods.

The Cougars squad gained momentum in their second tournament of the season, taking home four wins to one loss at the Spokane Falls Tournament. They went on to remain undefeated throughout September.

“For me, the highlight of the season was the Spokane tournament,” said Balkan. “We learned to play together; it was a fun learning experience for everyone.”  

The Cougars’ only loss since the Spokane Falls Tournament came Oct. 2 against Linn-Benton. Wednesday night’s win gave Clackamas confidence for their next game, a league match against top regional rival Mount Hood Community College.

“It’s really awesome; we’re on fire this year,” said Stonebraker. “We had a 15 game winning streak until Linn-Benton, but we’re back on track and ready for Hood on Friday. It’s gonna be a good game.”    Friday vs. Mt. HoodIn association with cancer awareness month, Friday marked the annual Diggin’ Pink event. The fund raiser and proceeds from the game benefited pets with cancer, diabetes and other illnesses.

“Diggin’ Pink is huge for us,” said Woods. “We raised $2,300 last year. We’re over $1,000 as of today [Oct. 11] and we are raising money all of October. Go to the athletic office to donate.”

Friday night was for fighting as the Cougars and Hood battled it out for regional supremacy. It was a rose-tinted evening as both teams sported pink jerseys in honor of cancer awareness. The Cougars even had pink shoelaces and spotted animal-print shorts.

“We call them Cougar shorts; they went well with the theme of tonight,” said No. 10 Hanna Olson.

While the Cougars were behind for much of the game, they had some nice plays and remained competitive. The Randall bleachers were full, the crowd was big. The team played well together often. One of the individual successes was Olson’s great block towards the end of set one, putting 16-20 on the scoreboard.

The Cougars suffered a hard- fought loss as set one ended in a close 21-25. They came back stronger in the second set. They gave Hood a run for their money, but even with the loud cheers and support from the Clackamas fans, Hood was able to steal the win for set two. The Cougars looked like they had a chance to win it after a great serve by Stonebraker, making it 22-24. They had great momentum, getting closer at 23-24, but were edged out 23-25.

After the second set of the Diggin’ Pink match, 2012 CCC volleyball alumna Annie Cook read a tribute in memory of coach Woods’ beloved pet dog Cougie and told the crowd about the fundraiser for animal cancer support and cancer awareness. The Cougars were down but not out; they still had desire to win. The third set was by far the most exciting and intense.

“It’s a big match for us, so we had to give it our all,” said Olson.

And they did. They managed to slide ahead on the scoreboard taking a 7-6 lead. There was a back and forth battle, with Hood getting the better of an epically long volley for 7-8. The Cougars later gained an 11-9 lead.

“I thought we played well, but inconsistent, we fought hard,” said No. 13 Bre Gibbons.

The fighting continued as Hood came back with a vicious five point lead in the remainder of set three. The game ended in a clear win for Hood at 19-25 of the third. The Cougars are now 3-2 in NWAACC league, but also an impressive 21-8 season total.

There is much to come from the championship-minded CCC team and the next home game is a league match against Chemeketa. The Cougars defeated Chemeketa before their match against New Hope and look to repeat that performance.

TCP; Cougars remain top in region

This article originally ran at www.theclackamasprint.com. Too see the original, click here.

David Beasley, Sports Editor
Chris Browarski, The Clackamas Print
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Volume 47, Issue 1
Sports

Cloudy fall weather was not able to drown out the character of the Clackamas women as they donned bright pink jerseys in honor of breast cancer awareness month. Last Friday afternoon, in a match at Oregon City High School’s Pioneer Stadium, CCC Cougars tied Lane Community College Titans. Clackamas No. 4 Khadijah Kirkland is pleased with their teamwork.

“It was our best game so far, especially as a team,” said Kirkland.

It seemed that the hard-fought, stalemate battle didn’t discourage, but brought out the competitive spirit in the Cougars. Clackamas has been successful this season, but they still see room for improvement as they continue to learn to work together. One of this season’s freshmen, No. 17 Claudia Flores, is excited about this opportunity.

“I think it’s a really good experience starting out as freshmen,” said Flores.

While the match remained scoreless through 90 minutes of play, both sides looked competitive as the top two teams in the South region squared off. The Cougars started off the first half eagerly with two shots on goal. Lane also had a couple of nice shot attempts early that were saved by Clackamas goalkeeper Melanie Trumbull.

Assistant coach Miriam Coto commented on Trumbull’s perseverance.

“Melanie works really hard, she’s really intense. We kind of have to tranquilize her sometimes, but she’s a good egg,” said Coto.

Clackamas continued their aggressive attack with eight shots in the first 45 minutes, four of them very close, but stopped by Lane’s goalkeeper Samantha Schoene. At halftime the score was still 0-0.

Early in the second half Lane took a wide shot that missed its mark. On the latter of two consecutive corner kicks, Clackamas’ No. 23 kicker, Tani Harr, had a nice shot on goal that was denied by Schoene. As tension rose with the back and forth battle, the Cougars attempted a goal, but were forced back to defense. Lane fouled on their attempt at goal, receiving a yellow card. The following free kick by Clackamas sent the action back up field.

“We played hard,” said No. 9 Stephanie Corea. “[It was the] first team we actually had competition against.”

At 63 minutes on the scoreboard, the sun suddenly emerged and Corea took a good shot at Lane’s goal. The Cougars were awarded a couple of free kicks towards the latter half of the game. On the second kick, No. 2 sophomore Hope Butler lobbed a shot towards goal from center, which sailed over Lane’s defense. It just barely missed, going slightly too high and over the goal. Lane attacked and attempted a long goal but missed.

Flores had a nice shot at about 78 minutes that was saved by Schoene. Lane No. 20 Maddi Barton kept the Cougars on their toes with two back-to-back long shots from center. One barely cleared over the goal at 90 minutes on the scoreboard.
As the referee signaled the end of the match, the score remained 0-0. Lane took two shots and had seven saves in the second half. The Cougars struck eight shots and no saves were needed.

“Even though it was a tie, we felt like it was a win in our hearts,” said Flores. “We want to win playoffs. We’re going all the way.”

Throughout the game, two yellow cards were issued to each team. The Cougars forced Lane goal keeper Schoene to make 11 saves total, showing their struggle scoring was not due to lack of effort on offense. Cougar goalkeeper Trumbull collected three saves of her own, for her eighth shutout of the season. The team is off to a great start towards a successful run at the playoffs.

“We’re excited to win NWAACC,” said No. 12 Mecca Williams.

Friday’s match put the Cougars’ record at 8-1-1, they remain the top team in South region and second in NWAACC league. It provided both women’s soccer teams with their first tie of the season and broke the Cougars’ six-game winning streak. It was the first non-winning game at home this year.

Their next game will be Friday, Oct. 16, 2013 at 1 p.m. at the OCHS Pioneer Stadium against Southwestern Oregon Community College Lakers.

TCP; Technique of the Week: double leg takedown

This article originally ran at www.theclackamasprint.com. Too see the original, click here.

David Beasley, Associate Editor
Wednesday, June 05, 2013
Volume 46, Issue 24
Arts & Culture

The Clackamas Print features a step by step breakdown of techniques from different sports. Players and coaches give their experienced advice and explain the developmental process of building competitive tools. This week former Clackamas wrestler Beau Roberts explained and demonstrated a double leg takedown with Leonard Daniel.

TCP; Fire science degree goes up in flames *WEB EXCLUSIVE*

This article originally ran at www.theclackamasprint.com. Too see the original, click here.

David Beasley, Associate Editor
Wednesday, June 05, 2013
Volume 46, Issue 24
Arts & Culture

Students will no longer be able to get an associates degree in fire science at Clackamas.

CCC’s Wildland Fire Science program helps students get seasonal jobs in wildland fire­fighting and can lead to work in forestry or park service. The program will still offer the one year certificate and other career pathway certificates, but not the complete two-year associates degree.

The two-year fire science associate’s degree includes environmental regulations, physical and mental preparedness, supervisory and leadership training. CCC is a certified training site recognized by Pacific Northwest Wildfire Coordinating Group, the Oregon Department of Forestry and National Forest Service. The highly experienced program instructors are certified by National Wildfire Coordinating Group.

Fire Science and Wilderness Instructor Tom Laugle had a lot to say on the departure of the associates degree program.

“By getting rid of the second year, it causes us to violate our memorandum of understanding that certifies us as a national training center. The memorandum of understanding is with the federal state representation that allows our students to be recognized in all 50 states,” said Laugle. “In the second year, there are classes that help them advance their career. By doing away with the second year they will have to find the classes elsewhere.”

He also said that he was never directly told or consulted about cutting the two-year degree and believes the decision was made by Truesdell, Lundy, or Wilton. College President Joanne Truesdell commented on the college’s decision to cut the associates degree, which at the moment is only a suspension good for up to three years.

“We're assessing the courses based on the course-taking patterns of the degree. When you have only six people graduating it may not be the two year degree that is needed, but the classes individually,” said Truesdell.

The College Advancement Department’s Marketing Manager, Janet Paulson, did not seem to believe cutting the two-year degree will have a negative impact on students.

“We are seeing that companies are hiring students with the one year degree,” said Paulson.

However, Laugle believes that it will have a negative impact based on real student stories. The affordability of the program also helps students pay their way through the whole two years without financial aid because the first term or two gives them the ability to work in the field before finishing the degree and make money. He uses two recent students as an example.

“One made $15,000 as a seasonal fire fighter, the other made $12,000 because of the second year and the class offerings that allowed them to advance their career. It’s pretty common with the students, being able to pay their way without financial aid. One objective was to make the highest level of courses available,” said Laugle.

According to Truesdell, the cut is due to budget shortfalls, recommendations from the budget committee and a need to confront “sharper decisions.”

“We determined that wild fire two-year needed to be requested to be suspended. The college has a normal program assessment process. In our situation with the budget there are sharper decisions to confront,” said Truesdell. “If we hadn't suspended it this year, it could have been next year. Those are the kinds of things that, over time, change.”

Paulson added:

“We're constantly adjusting to economy and the community.”

According to Laugle, the decision to cut part of the program due to budget concerns doesn’t make sense, and that the cuts could negatively impact the budget further.

“This decision was made without ever consulting us and has nothing to do with money. No explanation at our level. We’re financially sound. We are making enough money to cover other programs,” said Laugle.

Laugle also says there is an extremely negative reaction from the students, and went on to quote one of them who said, “I came to Clackamas because of the Fire Science program and I’m not going to be able to complete my degree in just one year.” Laugle went on to say what students will have to do now.

“They will have to get the second year from other community colleges, or hope to get on with the state. Private contractors are going to have to pay huge sums of money to bring in instructors to certify their employees. The students lose their seasonal advancement and their ability to stay off financial aid, find training elsewhere or they won’t be able to easily advance their career,” he said. “They came because of the reputation of the instructors and the quality of the program. Vets under the GI Bill are finding themselves in a similar situation. They’re not being able to complete their degree in the teachout year.”

Another concern is that cutting the two-year degree will affect the program's ability to train the National Guard during fire season.

“I don’t think the administration even knew that we were called out to train the Guard. Those classes in the second year will no longer be available, but we will be able to train them for specific fire line training drills when called upon,” he said. “We do plan, regardless, to teach those classes that come under FEMA and HLS because that is plain and simple community service.”

Laugle stated that many others are dissatisfied with the decision as well. He has had to field phone calls from upset students, including a former student moving from Silverton district to the state fire marshal’s office. Laugle was unable to answer why the second year was closing and referred him to the advisors. He also believes that the state fire marshal’s office will have a lot of questions.

“Beth Millican, the administrative assistant, put in her retirement. She’s so disgusted and they’re not replacing her. Now the department has to figure out how they’re even going to function without such a valuable asset,” said Laugle.

Laugle is very surprised that the decision was made to remove the department chair in January, along with the the second year degree being done away with.

“I was working in the most sound, best run program and it was, until January, in my opinion the best place to work and certainly the best place that I have worked in my 20 years at Clackamas,” he said.

The one year certificate and classes that will continue to be offered will provide the community with excellent training opportunities. The program will continue to be taught by highly qualified individuals and the absence of the associate degree shouldn’t discourage future students from enrolling in the classes. It is a proven excellent starting point for a variety of careers in the field.

TCP; Roseland crowd witnesses seismic event

This article originally ran at www.theclackamasprint.com. Too see the original, click here.

David Beasley, Associate Editor
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Volume 46, Issue 22
Arts & Culture

The always dependable Full Contact Fighting Federation hosted another thrilling night of combat sport. Saturday night’s Rumble at the Roseland number 71 attracted a stampede of fight fans, emerging from all around the Portland Metro area and beyond. The venue was bursting at the seams with exuberant supporters of the Northwest mixed martial arts scene. The roar of the crowd was ever present throughout the night, a constant reminder of the scale and importance of this competition.

The fourteenth fight of the night was the 135 pound Lightweight Championship: Brent Messineo versus current champ Journey Newson.

Both fighters began with fast boxing.

“Journey, Journey!” chanted the crowd. The fighters exchanged strikes and Newson attempted a spinning kick.

“Journey, Journey!” chanted the crowd again as round 2 started. More striking exchange with Newson picking shots and Messineo being aggressive, sneaking fadeaway kicks after punches. Newson attempted another spining kick after some good punches. More fast strikes by both. Round 3 continued with the crowd chanting louder. Newson kept up the good strikes and evasion, Messineo stayed with the gameplan of good kicks with a few more this round. Newson exploded with a fast takedown right as the horn sounded the end of round 3.

“Let’s go red!” the crowd chanted at the opening of round 4. Newson landed a spin kick this time, to the head. Good exchange and more footwork by Messineo while Newson occupied the center of the cage. Newson attempted another spin kick, then takedown attempt.

Round 5 inspired more chants and continued with standing strikes. Newson came out very aggressive and landed an excellent spin back kick to Messineo’s stomach, then during a takedown attempt, picked him up and slammed him gaining top control and launching punches until the horn ended the final round. The crowd erupted with cheers, Newson climbed the cage and pointed to chanters.

“Newson, Newson, Newson!” they chanted. Defending his title for the fi rst time, Newson wins via unanimous decision.

”I gotta get back to my Jiu Jitsu game, the boxing’s good obviously,” said Newson about the match.

For the fifteenth fight the crowd was treated to a tremendous performance by exceedingly talented fighters in the Women’s 125 pound Flyweight Championship. Katie Howard 5’5” of Girls Gym versus current champ Emily Corso of Alive MMA. Round 1 opened with punches to clinch against the cage. Corso set the pace with a single leg takedown, but Howard defended with solid grappling to gain a reversal, then Corso attempted an armbar from bottom and Howard used good top control to defend the armbar.

Fans whistled and hollered from the balcony between rounds as the ring card girls signaled round 2.

Corso immediately grabbed another single leg takedown, Howard defended on the bottom with punches. As Corso postured up punching from top, Howard kicked straight up to the face, catching Corso hard, but Corso passed the guard of Howard to gain top mount position. Rolling around to Howard’s back, Corso attempted a choke and punches from back control until the end of round 2. Corso entered round 3 with a huge smile. Howard snapped out a precise trip takedown after a brief exchange, but Corso reversed the position. Howard shot another up-kick at Corso which gave her leverage for a reversal.

Corso’s cornerman loudly urged her to underhook Howard’s left arm. She gained her feet and attempted a single leg. Howard defended until the end of round 3. Round 4, Corso fought hard for a double leg takedown and got it. Corso threw punches in half guard. Grappling, Howard used good defense until the end of round 4.

Round 5 Corso shot for a single leg attempt and against the cage pulled it off landing on top. Howard reversed the position. Corso defended from bottom with an armbar and forced a reluctant tapout from Howard. Corso retained her title in one of the most exciting and technical fights of the night.

“I’m very happy about the takedowns. That’s what I wanted. She’s got some nice up-kicks though. That was seriously the best fight anyone has given me,” said Corso.

She also commented on her successful takedowns.

“I’m not a wrestler originally, so it’s getting really exciting for me. I trained wrestling, boxing, Jiu Jitsu and kickboxing. My game plan was not to keep her standing, to take her to the ground. I started doing wrestling 1 year and a half ago with Jonathan  Osborne, a very good wrestler. Corso praised her opponent.

“I have utmost respect for her, she came at me all 5 rounds, she’s smaller than me.”

Katie Howard is indeed a talented combatant; her amazing prowess will continue to draw a crowd of martial art connoisseurs whenever she fights. Her inspirational speed and technique solidify her as a top female competitor. Fight fans look forward to her next bout, as well as Corso’s next title defense.

First up to fight, Tyree “X-Man” Fortune of Alive MMA retained the Heavyweight belt against Russell Tunes of Impact Jiu Jitsu. Tunes was overwhelmed by the champion and succumbed to defeat 4 rounds into the championship fight.

The place was packed, it was a full house and the momentum of the night was building. Fight number three really put the “Rumble” in the Roseland, Super Heavyweight Steve Sigo Jr. of Team Quest verses Toalima Elisara from Pinole, CA was a barn buster from the moment the behemoths were unleashed. Bombs and haymakers were the techniques displayed by both lumbering gentleman, until the referee stepped in at 1:06 of round 1. Sigio Jr. won via technical knockout. The crowd went wild with whistles and screams.The second fight of the evening was a competitive back and forth three round split decision. Bantamweight David Magliane lost his prior two fights at the Roseland,  the first to notable Clackamas Community College wrestler Urmas Yanis. Magliane, of LA Boxing, won the split in Saturday’s battle against Jeremiah Cole.

The fourth battle of the evening was fought between 155 pound lightweights Justin True from Bend, OR and Nicholas Martin of Team Quest. With a well employed triangle choke, True appeared to choke Martin unconscious just as he tapped out.

Match five, Sean Reay versus Jordan Van Barringer, pit Kung Fu against Muay Thai. The 170 pound welterweights fought hard until one landed a hard punch knocking the other out.

Fight six was Travis Burril of Rise Above MMA versus Muay Thai fighter Jay Sluman. Lightweight Sluman won via a vicious punch knockout. Travis was out cold...and he was still out for a long time. A minute passed before Burril showed any signs of movement. The crowd applauded as he regained his equilibrium.

“Keep wrestling in the Olympics please.” said Johnson after the match.Fight seven brought Michael “Gumby” Delgado out to face Daniel Dieringer in the Welterweight division. Delgado displayed very smart grappling on his way to win via choke tapout. The eighth exhibition of the event featured Lightweight Darin Verhoest and Jadon “Gator” Johnson, an Afghanistan veteran. Johnson won via choke tapout right before the end of round one, at 2:56.

The ninth fight was a Welterweight match. The crowd was very excited as wrestler Chris “Little Sister” 

Williams stepped into the cage against a striker from Hillsboro, Hiroyuki Tetsuka. During the intense Fight ten saw Welterweight Jeramy Burford conquer Scott Baker.scuffle, Williams attacked with a head butt, which is illegal in MMA competition. The fight was stopped by the referee who took away one point for an intentional head butt. Had the fight gone to decision, the loss of a point would affect the score a great deal. However Tetsuka was victorious anyway, with an armbar tapout.

The eleventh match was for the vacant Light Heavyweight Women’s Championship 

title; Mindy Stalnaker of Octagon MMA vs BJJ and Judo expert from Impact Jiu Jitsu Hillary VanOrnum. The two imposing women grappled in standing position vying for control until VanOrnum managed a trip takedown and forced a technical knockout via strikes at 1:56 of round one. VanOrnum was awarded the belt for the championship.

“It was awesome!” said VanOrnum of the fight.

The big dudes came out for the Super Heavyweight title match in fight number twelve. Wrestler Ricky Alcaraz, the 3 and 0 champion, 321 pounds versus towering 6’ 9” 306 pound Seaside resident Casey “Big Cat” Lunzman. Alcaraz launched two takedowns beginning round one, succeeding with the second gaining top control and attacking Lunzman’s arm with a figure four key lock attempt. Lunzman defended with a reversal to gain side control. Round two started with standing clinch grappling. Alcaraz managed another takedown and fired punches at Lunzman who defended and almost reversed position with a triangle lock attempt and punches from the bottom. Alcaraz attacked with more punches from top, but Lunzman defend with an armbar attempt. Round three Alcaraz slipped and fell after a wild punch. Down, Lunzman controlled Alcaraz from the top launching strikes until the referee intervened. Lunzman won becoming the new champ.

Fight thirteen for the 185 pound championship was between Jose Rodriguez and John Simon. Simon scored some nice takedowns throughout the tough 5 round battle. Jose capitalized on a takedown of his own in round three accompanied by strikes from the top. Round 5 was an exciting exchange of strikes ending with a punch by Simon knocking Rodriguez out cold. Simon retained the Middleweight belt.

The closing fight of the night, match sixteen, was a 3 round Middleweight battle. Rod Jaques prevailed against Daniel Pihi via unanimous decision.