Owls Claw at Rams, Rams Charge Back to Win 17-7
Rams face their first challenge of the season and come out on top

By Zuri Berry

In the first adversity Rams football has had to deal with this season, the Foothill Community College Owls kept the Rams down but not out. The Rams came back from a halftime deficit to beat the visiting Owls 17-7 last Saturday.

Photo by Rosalind Kwan Defensive tackle Lloyd Talakai (59) sacks the Owls quarterback.

The Rams football squad has been used to winning by a margin of 30 plus points by halftime, but instead the scoreboard was in favor of the Owls 7-3 with the Rams on the verge of losing their first game of the season.

Behind a bend-but-don't-break defense, the Rams launched a third quarter comeback that resulted in their only two touchdowns of the day.

"I feel good because this is the first time we ever had adversity because we are usually just blowing people out," said quarterback Joseph Ayoob, who replaced starter Jason Swanson in the first quarter.

The Owls managed to match the Rams intensity in the first half by controlling the clock.

They rushed 17 times for 70 yards and took advantage of a costly Rams turnover converting it into the first points of the game. An Owls defender intercepted a pass by Swanson and returned the ball 29 yards to the Rams 1-yard line.

On the next play, the Owls ran the ball in for their only touchdown of the day.

Swanson, plagued by a nagging shoulder injury left the game and was replaced by freshman Joseph Ayoob.

The Rams offense was stifled by penalties in the first quarter, but a field goal by kicker Darius Ghoddoussi put them on the board making the score 7-3 Owls.

After a scoreless second quarter, the Rams came out ready to run, and run they did as tailback Tim Brown piled on 110 yards rushing in the second half.

"It was getting to the point where we're blowing out people," said Brown, "Were not cocky but this kind of puts us in our place letting us know that we can't just go out there and expect people to roll over."

On the first drive of the third quarter Brown rushed the ball three times including a weaving and cutting 26-yard touchdown run sure to make the highlight reel.

The Rams then drove down the field to cap their scoring with a quarterback sneak by Ayoob

The win against the Owls was their seventh this season and second win in their conference.

Women's Volleyball: After losing the first match, Rams win three straight to win the game

By Marlon Lumang

After their win against Cañada Community College last week, Coach James Untalan said the Rams are coming together and working better as a team.

Photo by Jorge Parada Fale Seumaala (8) delivers a spike to Cañada.

"We just closed it out," said sophomore Alvina Chea, who scored the winning point in the third match to put the Rams ahead for good.

That match was definitely the turning point in the game with the Rams taking a 2-1 lead and going on to win the next two matches and the game.

Although they lost the first match, the Rams played strong defense and had some good blocks. Lau Malepeai scored on a strong spike and Chea scored twice in a row but Cañada won 31-29.

Cañada scored the first three points in the second match and the Rams seemed to be losing communication.

They missed some blocks and had a few turnovers, but found their game and after Fale Seumaala picked up a point on a serve the score was 28-26 Rams. The second match was close but the Rams pulled ahead and won. Cañada would not win another match after that.

In the third match, Fale Seumaala scored points on two serves in a row putting the Rams up 9-6. Later, Cañada scored five points in a row, going up 27-22.

After that, the Rams tightened up their defense. Lou Malepeai picked up a point tying the game 29-29. After a few exchanges, Chea scored the winning point putting the Rams up 2-1.

The fourth match started fiercely. The Rams tightened up their defense and looked more aggressive. Chea scored three points on three serves putting the Rams up 10-4. The Rams won the fourth match 30-24.

Opinions are like...
Better Athletes Through Modern Sports Chemistry
Let athletes take any drugs they want

By Todd Levinson

A lab in Burlingame with high profile clients like Barry Bonds and Raiders monster freak show Bill Romonowski, has recently been implicated in a steroid scandal that is rocking the sports world.

Terry Madden, Chief Executive of the United States Anti-Doping Agency that tests athletes for drug use, told the SF Chronicle, "I know of no other drug bust that is larger than this that has involved the number of athletes we have involved."

Until the USADA was tipped off on what to look for, THG a steroid, was undetectable in USADA blood testing.

The USADA will re-examine old blood tests and any Olympic hopefuls who test positive for THG will be barred from competition in the 2004 Olympics.

It's not fair that athletes will not be able to represent the United States in the Olympic games because they used performance-enhancing drugs. Cheating to get ahead is the American way.

This country has a huge double-standard when it comes to drug policies; sports are no different. Thanks to modern sports chemistry, the line between sports supplements and performance enhancement is a blurry one.

It's ok to shoot Cortisone, a steroid that the body produces, into an injury. But shoot up a horse steroid and you're a cheating criminal.

According to the USADA downloadable wallet card of prohibited substances, cocaine, hash and marijuana are prohibited substances in "certain circumstances."

Heroin, however, is a big no-no. Apparently, it's a real big performance enhancer.

My opinion is that all drugs should be legal and this applies to drugs used by athletes too.

People say drugs give athletes an unfair advantage, well what better way to level the playing field than allowing everyone to use them?

People love sports because inhuman feats are part of the attraction. What's more inhuman than pumping yourself full of chemicals until your testicles shrivel and your breasts enlarge?

Free and unencumbered drug use would make all sports more interesting and exciting.

Disagree?

Had it not been for sports supplements, Barry Bonds and Mark McGwire would most likely not have been able to break the single season home run record (unless the ball was juiced, but that's another column).

Football: 1948 Champions Relive Glory Days
Old friends and teammates gather for 55th reunion barbeque

By Zuri Berry
Guardsman Staff Writer

The 1948 National Championship Rams made their way back to City College of San Francisco for their second reunion since 1956.

Photo by Rosiland Kwan Members of the 1948 National Champion team reunited for the first time since 1956.

In a collaboration between head Football Coach George Rush and 1948 player Walt Jourdon, the old ball team was back. Greats such as NFL Hall of Famer Ollie Matson, alumnis Burl Toler and Roy Giorgi and for-mer Rams coach Grover Klemmer were present to celebrate their 55-year anniversary of their 1948 junior college National Championship.

It was a happy and beautiful day that began with a barbeque and tailgate party followed by the City College Football 17-7 win against visiting Chabot College. The day was topped off by Anita Greer, President of the City College Board of Trustees, presenting each player and coach with commemorative plaque for their contributions in the 1948 championship year.

"Us old guys feel really good being out here with you," said Jourdon, "Wish we could suit up and get out on the field with the young guys today."

Jourdon was found carousing the barbeque hanging with his old partner in crime and roommate Burl Toler. They enjoyed themselves as they recapped the years they've missed and spoke at great length of the good times they experienced while at City College.

Toler, who went on to play for the USF Dons, did not make it to the NFL due to a knee injury but has had an illustrious career all his own. He was the first black official for the NFL work-ing three Superbowls and was Principle of Benjamin Franklin Middle School for several years.

His son went on to play football for the California Golden Bears and currently his grandson, Burl Toler III, plays for the Bears now.

Toler strolled the sidelines before the football game talking to the players and repeating the same message.

"If you're going to work, work hard, even if it's house work," Toler said, "It's like if you're going to mop, make sure you get the corners."

Football: NorCal Champions Play Less Games Than SoCal Champions
When teams meet at state title bout, Southern California will have played two more games than Northern California

By Todd Levinson
Guardsman Sports Editor

When Northern and Southern California square off in the state's junior college version of the Superbowl, the Commission on Athletics California Championship, one team will have played two more games than the other.

Northern and Southern California coaches voted and adopted different methods for determining the Regional Champion that will go on to play in the State Cham-pionships.

In Northern California, the Rams' region, one post-season game determines the Regional Champion that will then play in the state title bout.

Before a Southern Cal-ifornia team can advance to the State Championship, it will have to go undefeated in a three round play-off, competing in two more post-season games than the Northern California team.

"It was their decision," said Rams Head Coach George Rush about the extra games, "I don't think it makes a difference."

Southern California coaches chose to play extra games because an eight-team playoff gives more teams a chance to go to the State Championship and also allows more room for error during the season.

In Northern California, with only one game to decide the Regional Champion, competition is much tighter.

Last year, the Rams had a 9-2 season record but didn't make it to the Regional Championship game.

"We didn't want to scratch and claw our way (into one Regional Championship game)," said Joe Early head coach at Palomar Comm-unity College in South-ern California.

Early said a team with a 9-2 or 10-1 record should be able to compete for the state title.

The way the two regions set up their conferences had a lot to do with the decision to adopt different formats for the post-season.

The 35 Northern Califor-nia teams are divided into six conferences based on ability. The top two conferences are NorCal, which includes the Rams, and Bay Valley. Ideally, these two conferences have the 12 best teams in the region.

The NorCal and Bay Valley Conference Champions play each other to go to the state championship.

To save money and reduce travel time, the five Southern California conferences are grouped by location. Schools that are close together are grouped in conferences that have six to nine teams each.

Because the conferences have nothing to do with how good teams are, competition can be lopsided. Rush said this gives many Southern California teams "inflated" records.

A decent team in a weak conference may have the best record in the region but may be far from the best team.

The southern California playoff, which includes all five conference champions, means teams must prove themselves against the best, despite their record.

Despite the added chan-ces for injury in those two extra games, Early said, "it will give teams more of an incentive to play."

Fred Baer, president of the Northern California Football Coaches Assoc-iation, said, "it's a benefit to have those two weeks of rest that Northern California teams will have in the post-season.

"Teams really go head to head and get banged up," said Baer.

Soccer: Rams Bogged Down by Crowded Defense

By Todd Levinson

Defense was the name of the game as Cañada community College crowded their backfield with defenders, clogging the Rams offense in a 0-0 tie at Balboa Park Boxer Stadium.

Photo by Coleen Mackin The Rams battle for positioning in front of Cañada's goal.

"They had ten guys on defense," said Assistant Coach Nik Charalaghi, "They came here trying to score one point."

The Rams played tough, stopping fast breaks and allowing few good shots on goal.

Early on the Rams looked patient offensively. They worked the ball through a maze of Cañada defenders and found some open shots but just couldn't score.

"We had our chances," said Charalaghi, "As time progressed, we got frustrated."

In the second-half, the Rams played with less precision and still couldn't make good on the few fast break opportunities they had.

"I think we could have done better finishing wise," said goalie Chris Sandoval.

Men's Basketball: New Coach Pumped for New Season
After internship with Bobby Knight at Texas Tech, coach returns to re-invigorate Rams

By Ben Schneider

Even though only two players are returning from last season, Coach Justin Labagh is enthusiastic about his first year at the helm of the City College Men's Basketball Team.

Labagh, who could be mistaken for a young player himself, said he wants to "get the program back to what it used to be."

Last year the team went 19-14 and didn't make it to the playoffs. In the 1999-2000 season, when Labagh was Assistant Coach, the Rams only lost one game in their conference.

Labagh brings a lot of youthful energy and an impressive resume to the Rams. Labagh left the Rams last season to intern under Head Coach Bobby Knight at Texas Tech. He sat behind the bench every game and was in on coaches' meetings, film sessions and practices.

As a member of the Cal Bears from 1995-1997, Labagh played in the 1997 NCAA Sweet Sixteen against a North Carolina Tarheels team equipped with NBA All-Star Vince Carter.

This year the coach says the Rams will be running a motion offense with a focus on execution and movement without the ball.

"We will need to recognize what the defense gives us and adjust as the game develops," Labagh said.

Defensively, he believes in strict man to man pressure and will enforce a full court press and half court trap.