by Timothy Weisberg | Sep 1, 2011 | Blog, Student Voice published stories-Fall 2009
Aerial view of EF4 tornado that ravaged Tuscaloosa, Ala. on April 27, 2011.
The University of Alabama is expecting close to 130,000 people in or around Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Ala., turning the college town into the Birmingham-Tuscaloosa metropolitan.
Everyone in Tuscaloosa remembers April 27, albeit a dark memory. On that day earlier this year, the exuberant college town turned into a horror flick, as an EF4 tornado tore through the city, killing 50 people, including six students.
This a part of a series of tornadoes that struck other parts of Alabama and parts of Mississippi. According to a USA Today report, more than 7,200 homes and business completely destroyed, or about 12 percent of Tuscaloosa’s fragile infrastructure.
Posts mark memorials of where lives were lost, the city in shambles. But for the state of Alabama, and particularly Tuscaloosa, this Saturday marks a new beginning: college football.
“The most important thing about Sept. 3 is that for a few hours, we’re able to take our minds off of what happened on April 27,” Tuscaloosa mayor Waltor Maddox told the USA Today.
Whether by the grace of a higher deity or just blind luck, if luck was even on Tuscaloosa’s side, the campus went untouched.
A mile-and-a-half wide tornado ripped through the town, came dangerously close to Bryant-Denny Stadium, but did not touch any part of the University of Alabama.
Dark days will pave way for brighter nights when the Crimson Tide hosts Kent State this Saturday.
“It’s not going to help the cleanup; it’s not going to help rebuild. But it is going to create a positive spirit to help people continue to do that,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said.
Typically the man behind the curtain of humanitarian efforts, even Saban was out with his wife, Terry, helping at shelters and searching the rubble for possible survivors.
A No. 2 Crimson Tide team returning nine starters on defense may not completely numb the pain, but Saturday and the next Saturdays to come will provide a fix that the loyal fans need.
Because even an EF4 tornado with speeds up to 190 mph can’t stop this narcotic for the Alabama faithful. Roll tide!
by Timothy Weisberg | Jan 15, 2010 | Student Voice published stories-Fall 2009
Photo by David Lopez
Published on December 4, 2009
Tim Weisberg
Sports editor
The Ventura College Pirates were knocked off their ship and forced to jump into the sea of elimination, joining the other eighty-four teams that were dealt the same fate in Friday’s CCCAA State Final Four.
The Pirates women’s soccer team (19-4-1) certainly battled their way to the State Final Four, winning two games in overtime during the first and second round to put themselves in position for a trip to state semifinal.
Pirates head coach Steve Hoffman believes that the journey itself is something to be proud of, and to have the ability to make it this deep into the playoffs.
“I tell these players it’s the journey that counts, it’s not necessarily the destination,” he said. “We’ve had a great journey and lost to a very, very good team at home.”
However, the journey the Pirates embarked on soon ended when they were knocked out of their first State Final Four appearance in the program’s 14-year history with a 3-0 loss to Consumnes River College Friday morning.
The Pirates were able to control the ball movement early, on a couple of great feeds from midfielder Jazmarae Strozier to forward Alyssa McDonald. Despite some close looks, the Pirates were unable to capitalize offensively, which proved to be the weak focal point.
The Hawks (16-4-4) soon controlled the tempo of the game, and the Pirates even got a lucky break when goalkeeper Adilene Pimental went for a ball out of the box, leaving an empty net open for the Hawks. A Hawks’ forward headed the ball in, only to have it bounce off the top post.
Despite dodging a bullet, the Hawks’ offensive push proved to be too much when freshman forward Dani Arellano slipped a shot past Pimental in the 35th minute to give the Hawks a 1-0 lead.
Trailing 1-0 at halftime, the Pirates could not find an offensive rhythm, and the Hawks continued to control possession. The Pirates started to play choppy, getting a yellow card inside the box in the 72nd minute.
The Hawks’ Madelyn Roberts then converted on the penalty kick, to put the game out of reach at 2-0.
Sophomore midfielder Arrianna Fragoso added insult to injury with a meaningless goal in the 86th minute.
Hoffman mentioned how difficult it was to win on the road, and how his team has struggled to win away from home in the playoffs the past couple of years.
“My team has lost every road game in the playoffs,” he said. “It’s very hard to win on the road.”
The Pirates relied on Strozier throughout the year offensively, but the Hawks defense was able to shut her down.
Strozier might have not been able to help the Pirates offensively, but she remained proud of her teammates’ deep run this postseason.
“We’re proud of what we have accomplished and how far we got this time,” Strozier said, “…and just bring it back next year and come out stronger.”
by Timothy Weisberg | Jan 15, 2010 | Student Voice published stories-Fall 2009
Photo by Jeffrey Farrar
Published on November 28, 2009
Tim Weisberg
Sports editor
Moorpark College received a little taste of their own medicine, failing to advance to their first State Final Four berth since 1994, in a 1-0 loss to Santiago Canyon in the regional final Saturday afternoon.
The Raiders ended their perfect season while seeing the Ventura College Pirates, the same team they tied in a game Nov. 6 to clinch the Western State Conference title, advance to the State Final Four with a win over San Bernardino Valley College.
No. 1 seed Santiago Canyon (20-0-2), the 2006 state champions, advanced to the State Final Four for the third time in four years with a win over the Raiders.
Santiago Canyon will play San Bernardino Valley College this Friday in Sacramento with a chance to advance to the state championship. The time is still to be determined.
by Timothy Weisberg | Nov 29, 2009 | Student Voice published stories-Fall 2009
Published on November 26, 2009
The Southern California Regional Playoffs have been full of wild finishes this season. The Raiders completed another dramatic finish when they beat No. 5 seed Cypress College 4-2 on penalty kicks after the game ended in a draw 1-1 Tuesday afternoon at Moorpark College.
The Raiders’ season was dwindling away until Ashley Cheney got an opportunity for a free kick in the 78th minute, her free kick was headed into the back of the net by Raider Kendall Dreyer, who has had a reputation this year for her late-game heroics.
Her last-second goal at Ventura College Nov. 6 to tie the game gave the Raiders their second WSC crown in three years.
The Raiders (16-0-4) converted on all four of their penalty kicks after regulation to advance to the So Cal. Regional Finals against the top-seeded Santiago Canyon Hawks (19-0-2) this Saturday at 2 p.m.
The winner will earn a berth to the State Playoffs on Dec. 4-6.
by Timothy Weisberg | Nov 26, 2009 | Student Voice published stories-Fall 2009
Published on November 19, 2009
The Ventura College women’s soccer team has always had a great soccer program. They have won 12 out of the last 14 Western State Conference championships.
Some say it would be a soccer dynasty in the WSC, but head coach Steve Hoffman thinks otherwise.
“No,” he said. “Just a solid program.”
It has been a solid program to say the least, despite the Moorpark Raiders retaking the throne as WSC champs this season. The Pirates (16-3-1, 8-1-1 WSC) were eliminated from title contention when they tied the Raiders on Nov. 6 with two games left in the season.
Even though they did not take conference, the Pirates are the No. 2 seed in the Southern California Regional Playoffs, set to face No. 15 seed Antelope Valley (16-3-0) at the Ventura Sports Complex Saturday night at 7 p.m.
With such a high seed, Hoffman believes his team can fulfill their season-long goal: a trip to the State Championship.
“Our schedule is very, very good,” he said. “It gives us a chance to move forward.”
by Timothy Weisberg | Nov 20, 2009 | Student Voice published stories-Fall 2009
Published on November 19, 2009
The Oxnard College men’s and women’s cross-country teams earned a berth in the state championships, set to be held on Nov. 21.
The Condors’ women’s team finished 14th overall as a team in the Southern California State Championships at Mt. Sac on Nov. 7.
Cynthia Navarro led the womenl, finishing 14th with a time of 18:52.0, and earned a championship medal in the process. Teammate Liz Robles followed right behind her, finishing 47th, with a time of 19:59.0.
Gene Sharp, women’s cross-country head coach, believed that both the men’s and women’s strong work ethic and commitment to success helped them qualify for state championships.
“I believe that both the men’s and women’s success was driven by hard work, dedication, and perseverance by the key members of these teams, and I am very proud of their progress,” Sharp said in an e-mail.
Sharp also mentioned how qualifying for state made a strong statement about how far this program has come.
“This is only the third time in my 12-year tenure that both teams qualified for the state championship,” he said. “I think this states that OC cross country is alive and well.”
The men’s team followed suit in the State Championships, finishing 12th overall. Isidore Herrera led the men, finishing 24th with a time of 21:31.0, and Caser Lopez followed, finishing 40th with a time of 21:57.0.
Despite the team qualifying for state, Sharp would like to see the team improve the times they had at Championships, as wanting to see strong performances from Navarro, as well as from Herrera on the men’s side.
“I would like to see our teams improve above their So Cal performances, and individually I hope to see Isidore Herrera and Cynthia Navarro finish in the top 14, earning All-State Honors.”
