Rams on the Road
Rams Ice Gladiators on Cold, Windy Day at Chabot

By Zuri Berry
Guardsman Staff Writer

After a close win over the Foothill Owls, the Rams returned to their winning ways two weeks ago beating the Chabot Community College Gladiators 48-10.

The Gladiators showed hints of competition early on and even led the game 10-7 at one point, but were decimated by a stifling Rams defense that forced three turnovers and seven punts.

The game was literally a breeze. In weather that was below 50 degrees players who wearing jackets over their pads could only describe the game as cold: "really cold."

Even with the cold weather, the game started off hot as City College's quick strike offense pounced first with quarterback Joseph Ayoob completing a touchdown pass to wide receiver Ruben Jackson.

Ayoob threw three touchdown passes and ran for another to lead the Rams in scoring.

The surprise sensation of the day came from running back Antwon Guidry who contributed over 100 yards in kickoff and punt returns and added an electrifying 78-yard reception for a touchdown.

Running back Tim Brown piled on 72 yards on 16 carries with two touchdowns to lead the running game.

Rams Cage Panthers for Ninth Straight Win

By Zuri Berry
Guardsman Staff Writer

City College Football blew out the Sacramento Panthers 48-0 this Saturday in an explosion powered by the strength of their defense.

Photo by Coleen Mackin Quarterback Joseph Ayoob threw 3 touchdown passes and gained 166 yards. Ayoob's performance this season playing in place of injured sophomore Jason Swanson, will most likely solidify his position as starting quarterback next season.

The Panthers, who came into the game ranked tenth in the state in offense with 468.1 yards per game, were held to only 83 yards total by the Rams.

The Panthers are now 2-7 overall.

Sacramento set the tone of the game with their first possession, managing to commit three penalties in four plays and having their punt blocked in the end zone for the Rams first points of the day.

Defensive end Isaac Watts made mince meat of the Sacramento's quarterback, sacking him four times for a net loss of 20 yards. Watts' pressure as well as two additional sacks from defensive end Justin Johnson wreaked havoc on Sacramento's once potent offense.

"The defense was outstanding," said Rams Head Coach George Rush. "I think they average, what, 500 yards a game and we held them under a 100."

Determined not to let the defense steal the show, running back Tim Brown rushed for 158 yards and two touchdowns while quarterback Joseph Ayoob threw for 166 yards and connected with wide receiver Marcel Love for two of his three passing touchdowns.

Quarterback Joseph Ayoob passed for 166 yards and three touchdowns connecting with wide receiver Marcel Love twice for scores of five and 14 yards.

"We cut down on stupid penalties, we ran the ball well...we need to throw the ball a little bit better deep, (but) when we put it all together it's gonna be a real big game," Ayoob said.

"We didn't have that many penalties this game," said Love, "We came out and executed a little better. When we execute we score."

The Rams are now 9-0 and set to match up against Butte College, the last team to defeat the Rams.

Butte, ranked seventh in the NorCal Conference, will pose a significant threat.

Men's Cross Country:
City Runner Blows Away Competition

By Tracy Held

Close calls, runaway leads and unexpected success marked the City College cross country team's experience at the Coast Conference Championships at Crystal Springs on Thurs-day, Oct. 30.

Jeffrey Gehringer beating out 66 other runners to win the men's race with a time of 22:08 for the 4.2 mile course. He finished with a ten second lead over the second place runner, Vicente Moreno, from Chabot College.

"I visualized the race in my mind with different possible scenarios so I wouldn't be shocked or surprised." Gehringer said

As a team, the Rams placed second and took home five All-Conference Honors.

Mike Sullivan (22:20) finished third for the Rams after barely losing out to Moreno in a dramatic battle for second place. For Sullivan, doing so well in the race was unexpected.

"Basically, I've been fighting to get back in shape this year," said Sullivan.

For most of the race, Gehringer hovered around eighth place behind runners from San Jose City College and Hartnell.

"I just told myself to be patient," Gehringer said, "One by one I started passing people, especially on the downhill."

As the two-mile mark approached, Gehringer started passing the Hartnell runners. He was about three seconds behind the lead runner from SJCC when they hit the downhill part of the track.

"Coach emphasized to attack on the downhill," Gehringer said. And that's exactly what he did.

Gehringer closed the gap on SJCC with Sullivan right behind him. Close to the three mile mark, Gehringer made his move and passed the SJCC runner.

"San Jose suddenly dropped at the third mile," Sullivan said, "I was thinking, what just happened?" Sullivan was now in second place for the moment. Meanwhile, Moreno, who would wind up taking second, was back in ninth place. Hartnell and SJCC started slowing down.

"I started picking it up," Moreno said, "I started passing everyone one by one."

Moreno picked up so much speed Sullivan had no clue what was coming.

Moreno "just flew right by me," Sullivan said.

Coach Kauke still feels that Sullivan had a breakthrough performance, but for Gehringer, the victory was bittersweet.

"Coming in first place was great," Gehringer said, "but it didn't feel satisfying because we didn't win as a team."

JC's a Stop on Hard Road to the NBA

Guardsman Staff Writer

Overlooked by many basketball fans is the astonishing route taken by NBA stars that make it to the big show.

For many it begins in junior college gyms across the nation.

Roughly 40 players this season have played for a two year school at some point in their college careers including NBA stars Sam Cassell, Keon Clark, Bobby Jackson, Latrell Sprewell and Ben Wallace.

Although no player drafted this season made the jump from a JC to the NBA, the league has had seven players forgo a Division I school and head straight for the big time.

"If a player has talent," said men's basketball coach Justin Labagh, "It's not much different than a player leaving after his sophomore year at a Division I school."

City College alumni Derrick Tarver averaged twenty points a game last season playing for Akron in the tough Mid American Conference.

At 6-4, 210 lb., Tarver could catch the eye of NBA recruits if he has another good season.

Returning shooting guard Jamal Holden is using his two years at City to "develop my leadership, mental and all around skills."

Colorado State is one of the many schools pursuing Holden.

Freshman forward Harry Brown's eyes light up when asked what he planned to do after two years at City College.

"I want to be in a position to play at whatever school I want," said Brown .

Women's Cross Country:
Fully Equipped Team Back in Action
Place High at Conference Meet

With the return of injured runners, the Rams show they can keep up with the best placing third in their conference and receiving All-Conference Honors.

By Tracy Held
Guardsman Staff Writer

Ivy Truong, City College's leading female runner, finishing tenth at the October 30 Coast Conference Championships, walked away from the race with a mixture of pride and shock.

Truong finished the 2.95 mile course in 20:32, almost a minute faster than she ran at the same course two weeks earlier.

Overall the women's team placed third.

"I had more of a plan worked out in my head," Truong said.

Workouts running hills helped her endurance on the course, as did having someone to compete against.

"It's a whole lot easier to have someone to beat," Truong said, "Running with girls who were faster pushed me to run faster."

Coach Tony Kauke's advice came in handy, too. Kauke told her to "trust your fitness." The coach said she has been practicing so much that she must be better by now.

Truong repeated this mantra during the race and seemed to relax, running without worrying.

Truong's 10th place spot, two ahead of last year's finish, earned her All-Conference Honors.

This was the first race this season that the women had a full team. Injuries and scheduling conflicts had kept runners from competing in previous races.

Kineta Wong (finished 18) improved her time on the course from 22:25 to 21:48 and Karen Allegro (finished 30) improved her time by 22 seconds. Monica Soto (21:34) finished in 16 place and Teresa Weaks (23:57) finished in 26.

"It was nice to get the championship phase of our season started with our best team performances of the year," Kauke said.

Cross Country:

Crystal Springs Invitational

The men's Crosscountry team placed third out of twelve schools behind College of the Sequoias and Hartnell College at the October 18 Crystal Springs Invitational hosted by the College of San Mateo.

Eight runners completed the 4.20 mile men's course, with Jeffrey Gehringer leading the pack yet again, placing 11 out of 98 runners.

On the women's side, Ivy Truong continued to take charge placing 18 out of 54 runners in the 2.96 mile women's race.

Results:

Men's Team

1. Sequoias (22:14.14)

2. Hartnell (22:43.36)

3. CCSF (22:50.76)

11. San Mateo (24:53.65)

Women's Team

1. Diablo Valley (20:51.09)

2. Hartnell (21:20.63)

3. Montery Peninsula (21:37.30)

Men's Individuals

Jeffrey Gehringer, 11, 22:29.84

Hector Hernandez, 15, 22:39.20

Mike Sullivan, 19, 22:52.32

Women's Individuals

Ivy Truong, 18, 21:27.76

Kineta Wong, 24, 22:25.76

Karen Allegro, 40, 25:45.66

By Todd Levinson

Nearly fifty years after he played his last game, 68-year-old Lew Flores was digging through reels of microfiche at the City College Rosenberg Library, searching for articles on the 1956 City College baseball team.

Photo courtesy of Lew Flores All the surviving members of the 1956 baseball team (above) were at the reunion.

Decades have passed since that season when a rag tag group of local players came together and made an unexpected bid for the state championships.

For Flores, a left-handed pitcher on the team, the memories from that season were still strong as was his desire to have a team reunion.

The team didn't make it all the way to the state championships in 1956, losing to an undefeated Cal-inga in the regional semi finals, but what brought the remaining members of the team back together was about more than wins and losses.

"It was just a great group of guys," said Flores, "At the reunion everyone spoke about friendships."

All 16 surviving members of the team attended the reunion.

"The turnout proved that we all really did care for each other," wrote catcher Ken Dito in a letter to Flores," it wasn't just another team."

In 1956, most of the team had never played together before but a few of them had played against each other in high school.

"Guys that had never played together just jelled as a team," said first baseman Roger Ferrari, 65, who went on to sign with the Cincinnati Reds farm team after he left City College.

"We had no recruits," said Frank Williams, 56, "We were a legitimate local baseball team."

"It was the finest team that City College baseball has ever had," Ferrari said.

The team did have a strong season that year. They went 11-3 during the regular season, winning the Big Eight Conference. Pit-cher Bob Bandettini, Cat-cher Ken Dito and Ferrari were all named to the Big Eight All-Star team. Short stop brad Le Mire led the conference in hitting.

But individual achievements weren't important then or now.

"I had a great time riding the bench," said Williams, "We were wise cracking bench jockeys that even had the opposition laughing."

Seeing all those old faces brought a flood of emotion and memories for everyone.

"Those kind of things can be kind of boring," said Le Mire, "but I didn't want to leave in the end."

The only team member that didn't make it to the reunion was Glen Buckawatz, who died in 2002. Buckawatz's wife said he often mentioned the team.

"I was all choked up that day," Flores said.

Opinions are like...
No-Win Situation for Karl Malone
Winning a championship ring will lose him respect

By Todd Levinson

It seems strange to see Karl Malone in a Lakers jersey. It's just wrong.

Photo courtesy of www.sport-gallery.com Karl Malone (pictured playing for his former team, the Utah Jazz) hopes joining the Lakers will get him a championship ring.

A player like Malone, who in the twilight of his career is in better physical condition than many rookies entering the league, should not think any less of himself because he has never won a championship.

Still, Malone left his longtime spot on the Jazz to join the Lakers, a team that already has Shaq and Kobe, two future NBA Hall of Famers, all because he wants a championship ring.

Even if the Lakers do go all the way this season Malone doesn't really win.

The fact that Malone joined a stacked team just takes away from the accomplishment.

Although the Lakers aren't the defending champions, their opponents will play them like they are. If the Lakers can't stand up to the constant scratching and clawing from every team that wants to see them lose, Malone looks like even more of a failure if they don't win the championships.

Kobe and Shaq were able to lead their team to the NBA title. Malone and his old teammate, All-Star point guard John Stockton was not.

Without Stockton, who retired after last season, it's hard to blame Malone for wanting to leave the Jazz, . The Jazz are now in what crappy teams like to refer to as a "rebuilding stage."

Malone would earn a lot more respect if he attempted something similar to what Michael Jordan tried with the Wizards; be the kind of leader that makes a marginal team into a better one.