By Bontã Hill
The Guardsman

Sophomore guard Bennie Rhodes goes hard to the basket against a Cañada defender during the Rams' vicotry on Jan. 22 at the Wellness Center. RAMSEY EL-QARE / THE GUARDSMAN

The men’s basketball team showed no ill effects from their overtime loss to rival Ohlone College and snapped their two-game losing streak on Jan. 22 against Cañada College.

City shook off their mini-funk and dusted the Colts 82-52, jumping out to an early lead and cruising to their 18th victory this season. The number three-ranked team in the state improved its record to 3-2 in Coast Conference play and 18-3 overall.

Sophomore Calvin Douglas, who has been solid offensively since his return from injury, led the Rams with 15 points, including three from three-point line. After the game, he said that his team wasn’t down after their tough loss Jan. 20 against Ohlone.

“I’ve been getting shots in after practice and that’s been translating over to the game,” Douglas said. “We’ve just been motivating each other to get back on track.”

“Calvin has been dialed in lately,” head coach Justin Labagh said. “He’s been chomping at the bit since he recovered from his blood clot. Now he’s back on the court and taking advantage of this opportunity.”

A 14-0 run midway through the first half put the Rams up 36-18 and the Colts never recovered. Sophomore guard Jarred Pengal’s three-pointer right before the first half buzzer put the  Rams up 43-23 at halftime.

The Rams were never threatened the rest of the way, and Labagh had a chance to get everybody on his bench some playing time. Pengal led all bench players with nine points.

However, Labagh knows his team can get better in all phases of the game. He intends to emphasize ball handling and defensive communication in the upcoming practices.

“We’ve got to get back to taking care of the basketball and not throwing the home run pass,” Labagh said. “Defensively, we have to talk a little more, and we’re really working on that in practice.”

Still, the reigning Coast Conference champions remain motivated and know that its defense and ball handling will carry them back to the playoffs.

“We have a deep squad and  can match up with any team top-to-bottom,” Pengal said. “Defense is really vital for our team. It’s our blood flow. We know our defense is what wins us games.”
City College won’t take the court again until Feb. 3, when they host Chabot College at the Wellness Center, with tip off at 7 p.m.

In the meantime, the Rams will have plenty of time to work their kinks out and get ready for what is shaping up to be an exciting and grueling second half of league play.

Softball season to be canceled

The Rams softball team will be forced to forgo its 2010 season due to the team’s failure to meet roster requirements. A combination of injuries and academically ineligible players has left first year head coach Jack McGuire’s team below the minimum of nine eligible players on roster. All indications point to the Rams being able to field a team for spring 2011.

Tennis nearing season opener

City College women’s tennis team will open its season on the road against Diablo Valley College on Jan. 29 in Pleasant Hill at 2 p.m. The Rams will then host the Fog City Invitational, which will be held on Feb. 5 at City College. Modesto  Junior College and Santa Rosa Junior College will attend the three team meet.

Inaugural swim season set to begin

The Rams women’s swim team will have the first meet of its inaugural season at the West Valley Relay Invitational on Feb. 6. The meet begins at 10 a.m. in Saratoga at the West Valley College campus.

Head coach John Vanoncini expresses confidence in his sophomores, new talent

By Estela Fuentes
The Guardsman

After finishing last season with a record of 15- 24, the City College Rams baseball team is looking forward to showing the Golden Gate Conference why it deserve to be part of the conversation in Northern California’s second-ranked conference.

“Four of the teams in our conference are ranked in the top 20, so it’s going to be an uphill battle,” John Vanoncini said, as he begins his tenth season as Rams head coach. “However, I think we’re up for the challenge.”

Having lost All-Conference player Barney Evans from last season, the team will boast a sophomore-heavy 2010 line-up. These players will bring to the team both experience and talent as they head toward the season opener.

One of the returning players expected to contribute heavily this season is pitcher Eric Lara, who has already signed a contract with George Washington University, a Division 1 school. The Rams also have All-Conference pitcher Jared Freitas and outfielder Roger Fonseca, who boasted the second highest batting average on the team last season.

“I really don’t think about numbers. I just try to do my part and help the team win,” Fonseca said.

Freitas expressed confidence in the added experience and depth of his team’s offense.

“I just expect the whole team to actually work together and produce runs as a team,” Freitas said.

Vanoncini and his players will be keeping an eye on this seasons’ newcomers, who are expected to bring great athleticism to the team. Infielder John Abreu, a transfer student from Eastern Arizona Junior College, will be donning the Rams’ uniform for the first time, as will Ryan Demello from Hawaii. Vanoncini sees Demello possibly being the team’s pitcher to start off the season. Freshman catcher Mark Johnson is considered one of the biggest offensive additions to this year’s squad.

Despite the rough weather conditions in January, which forced Vanoncini to move practice indoors, his players’ momentum has not been slowed as they approach opening day. This season will be challenging, but the team feels ready to compete for a conference crown.

The Rams will open their 2010 season Feb. 4 on the road against Laney College. With a revamped lineup and leadership from his sophomores, Vanoncini is confident that his team can come out on top of the Golden Gate Conference.

By Bontã Hill
The Guardsman

Ladies and gentleman, I’ve got three words for you — Happy New Year. I hope everybody out there who actually wastes a moment of their life reading this had a great one.

Mine was okay, but the rumors circulating around the Ocean campus about whether the Cooler was coming back caused me to develop a case of insomnia. With a full load of classes, being sleep deprived is not one of my goals.

After having many heated discussions on whether the Water Cooler should return to The Guardsman, I finally bribed newly appointed editor-in-chief Alex Emslie into giving me five more months of fame.

Although I didn’t put this on my list of New Year resolutions, the Cooler has been filled with the coldest water yet to be served. I’ll be here with you all for the next five months, going through the stress of exams as well as watching the beautiful flowers blossom this spring.

Oh yeah, and I’ll continue to talk about that thing we call sports. I’ll try my best to quench your thirst this semester.

Idiot of the Week
It’s been about a month since we last spoke, and an awful lot has happened. Tiger Woods has supposedly been admitted to a sex addiction rehab clinic somewhere in Mississippi. There was the crumbling of the proposed mega fight between Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao and Mark McGwire’s pitiful admission to using steroids during his 70 home run season in 1998.

Those three stories are all fascinating, but you only get the ink when you really do something absurd.

Did you happen to hear the news about Washington Wizards point guard Gilbert Arenas? If you haven’t you will now.

Arenas, the team’s franchise player who, just before the 2008-2009 season, signed a six-year deal worth $111 million, brought in four unloaded guns into his team’s locker room and has been suspended from NBA action indefinitely without pay.

Arenas and teammate Javaris Crittenton had unloaded guns in the Wizards’ locker room during a Christmas Eve argument regarding gambling debts. Supposedly Crittenton had a gun in the locker room that WAS loaded.

What makes the erroneous act by Arenas mind boggling is the fact that, during the pregame warm-ups to a game against the Philadelphia 76ers, he pretended to shoot his teammates with guns.

That’s smart, especially with the U.S. attorney’s office and D.C. metropolitan police investigating.

Not only is it against NBA rules to bring firearms inside an arena, but it violates D.C. ordinances as well. It also doesn’t help when you don’t have a gun license, which just happens to be another violation.

Now, if their was money owed to somebody, is it really that tough to scrap together some change and pay? I mean, Arenas has a $100 million contract. Is it really worth being stripped of playing the game you love and losing endorsement deals?

Apparently for Arenas it was, and his idiotic actions made him a unanimous choice to become a member in the Idiot Hall of Fame.

Misc…
Watching another football season come to a closure hurts as much as my roommate continuing to believe that JaMarcus Russell will be a star quarterback for the Oakland Raiders.

In saying that, Super Bowl XLIV is here, and it will pit the  Indianapolis Colts against the New Orleans Saints. Nope, that’s not a typo, the Saints are going to the big show for the first time in franchise history.

These aren’t your granddaddy’s Saints. They throw out an offense that can score on any given play. I’m still putting my money on Peyton Manning.

He’ll have two weeks to break down a mediocre Saints defense and thus will hoist his second Lombardi Trophy. Colts 34-20 to win their franchise’s third Super Bowl.

ERIC SUN / SPECIAL TO THE GUARDSMAN

By Bonta Hill
Sports Editor

The City College women’s basketball team won the Comet Classic Championship game at Contra Costa College on Dec. 5 with a 70-56 win over Laney College.

Sophomore point guard Brittney Allen averaged 18 points in the tournament and won the Most Valuable Player award. Also, sophomore guard Marlee Rice (center) was named to the All-Tournament team. This was the third straight year the Rams have won the Comet Classic and the fourth time in five years. City College, ranked first in Northern California and sixth in the state, opened the tournament with a 22-point victory over Merritt College. The Rams followed that up by beating Diablo Valley College 69-62 to get to the championship game. The women’s team will look to keep their five-game winning streak going this weekend when they take part in the Santa Rosa Junior College Tournament Dec. 10 to Dec. 12.

Chancellor Dr. Don Q. Griffin presents the City College Rams football team with the 2009 Hawaiian Punch Bowl Trophy on Dec. 5 after their 59-0 win over American River College. RAMSEY EL-QARE / THE GUARDSMAN

By Bontã Hill
Sports Editor

With three weeks to get over the disappointment of not playing in the state title game, the City College football team showed no effects of it as they dismantled American River College 59-0 on Dec. 5 in the 2009 Hawaiian Punch Bowl.

“When we had the three weeks off we knew that we wanted to finish the season off strong,” quarterback Darius Bell said. “At the end of the day we’re competitors, and we know we’re not losers, so we handled business.”

The Rams defense held the Beavers to 135 total yards, and their offense jumped out to a 42-0 lead by halftime. Bell led the offense with 279 passing yards with four touchdowns, and also had 12 carries for 55 yards and another touchdown.

The Beavers, who came into the game with a 6-4 record, proved what many believed: They had no chance playing on the same field as the Rams, who finished with a total 610 yards.

The play of the day came in the second quarter when Bell found receiver Anthony Amos for an 80-yard touchdown to put the Rams up 28-0.

Amos, despite getting held on the play, caught the pass at the forty yard line, dragged a defender for another 20 and juked a couple more Beaver defenders before reaching the end zone.

“Darius saw the coverage come down so he called an audible with the play call,” Amos said. “While I was running, the defender kind of pulled my jersey, but Darius put the ball where I was able to catch it.”

This season, City College overcame many obstacles as the Rams had to deal with the death of offensive lineman Ricardo Antonio Colina II, who was shot and killed Aug. 19, as well as the recent illness of offensive line coach Jack McGuire, who was unable to be at the game.

Nevertheless, the Rams won their 17th conference championship in 20 years. City College finished with a 10-1 record, and their performance left no doubt the team will finish the season with a top-five ranking nationally.

“It’s a credit to our staff, our players and it says a lot about the rich history of football in this school,” said head coach George Rush. “Our team never lacked effort and I am really pleased about how they played this season.”

While every member on the team got a chance to play, many sophomores began to reflect on their great season as well as their careers coming to an end.
Sophomore defensive end Frank Gaines talked about the values he’ll take away from this successful program.

“The defensive coordinators basically taught us how to respect each other, that’s what all the coaches have shown me about caring, and not just on the field, but in life too,” Gaines said.

The Rams 2009 team closed another chapter of great football here at City College — a book that will certainly be adding more pages in the future.

Rams' starting pitcher Eric Lara. TRISTAN CRANE / THE GUARDSMAN

By Aaron Turner
Staff Writer

Although only in his first season at the collegiate level, Rams pitcher Eric Lara has a bright future waiting for him. The freshman out of Balboa High School in San Francisco has already signed a letter of commitment to George Washington University in Washington D.C.

Lara, who was scouted by schools such as Purdue, Cal Poly, and the University of San Francisco, talked about why he ultimately went with George Washington University.

“They were the most serious about me,” he said. “They offered me the scholarship, so if they want me, then that’s where I’m going to go.”

Although the San Francisco-born student will be far from home, he appeared very happy to be joining George Washington’s program next season.

“I’m just excited. It was always my dream to play at a four-year school,” Lara said. “Plus, if they want to pay for it, then I’m going,” he added with a laugh.

Lara is also excited to be playing at a program that has had a handful of players reach the major leagues.

The signing is the earliest since Rams head coach John Vanoncini has been at City College. To him, it was just one of many for City College’s baseball program.

“We have 90 percent of our guys sign with four-year schools,” Vanoncini said. “So we work really hard to not only find places for guys to play, but also find a place that will fit the best with them.”

The George Washington Colonials, who play in college baseball’s Atlantic 10 Conference, will definitely provide stiff competition for Lara. George Washington University finished tied for seventh place in the conference last season with a 26-29 record overall.

Vanoncini also had plenty of praise for his freshman pitcher who he expects to be a key part of his pitching rotation.

“I think Eric is just going to get better and better each year,” he said. “I told the coach at George Washington that I think he will be even better than he will be here. Eric seems like he steps up his game when there is even stiffer competition, and he is still figuring out how good he can be.”

By Bonta Hill
Sports Editor

Happy Holidays to all of you who are still hurting your eyes to read my ink. This is the last issue of the semester so please, bear with me for another five minutes before you use this to wash your windows or for emergency toilet paper.

My Thanksgiving was good, but not great. I lost in the 23rd edition of the famed Blue vs. Green flag football “Turkey Bowl” game at Rossi Park. My record in that game dropped to 0-5-1.

What hurts even more is my roommate was on the winning side, leading to another year of harmless banter between us. Here comes another twelve months of me hearing about his two catches for 20 yards.

He also happens to be a die-hard Raiders fan. Watching them get smacked around by the Dallas Cowboys made my day a little better. There’s nothing like a quiet Raiders fan.

Of course, what I was anticipating most was the food. God knows, as college students we live off of pizza, dollar menus and the roach coach. Any opportunity to get a home-cooked meal — with leftovers — will always be a good day in the life of Bonta Hill.

Idiots of the Week
Welcome to the big time, Alan Davis and Benoit Roussel. These two boxing judges are now entering the Idiot Hall of Fame and should feel honored. Their decision to score a draw in the lightweight title bout between Ali Funeka and Joan Guzman was straight up absurd.

During the fight, which was broadcast live on HBO Nov. 28, these judges could only have been doing one of three things: checking their Facebook page on their mobile phones, getting ready to hit the mean streets of Quebec City, or sipping Hennessy, Ron Artest’s drink of choice. Last week Artest admitted to drinking Hennessy during the halftime of NBA games early in his career.

Funeka, the South African trying to claim his first world championship, dominated Guzman. Watching the bout, I was waiting for the referee to stop it — it was that one-sided.

How Davis and Roussel came up with a tie baffles me. You would be confused too if you’d seen Guzman’s face afterwards. I try to refrain from using cliches, but a blind man could see that Guzman was getting handled rather easily.

When the decision was announced, you could see even Guzman was shocked.

Funeka’s loud-mouthed promoter Gary Shaw and the HBO broadcasting team Bob Papa, Max Kellerman and Lennox Lewis — possibly the worst announcer to touch a microphone — ripped these judges apart and deservedly so.

With boxing having a great year and great promise for big fights in 2010, the sport cannot afford slip-ups like this. Davis and Roussel, these clowns, should be suspended for six months.

Part of the punishment should be watching the fight 100 times and having to explain again and again how the hell they came up with their decision.

Back to Artest for a minute; he should be one of the board members for the Idiot Hall of Fame. He probably has more qualifications than any sports figure out there.
What Davis and Roussel did though, trumps Artest this week. And that’s saying a lot.

Misc.
Staying on the boxing hype, Roy Jones Jr. got knocked out in the first round by some guy named Danny Green. Roy, time to hang the gloves up, please. You have nothing else to prove.

The super bowl of boxing is set for March 13, 2010. I can’t wait to see Manny Pacquiao fight Floyd Mayweather.

To switch gears, any thoughts on Tiger Woods? This column isn’t big enough for me to discuss that situation. I’ll just leave you with one word: WOW!

On a more positive note, a bright spot in the Bay Area sports landscape has been Stanford running back Toby Gerhart. This beast leads the country with 1,736 yards rushing and 26 touchdowns.

He probably won’t win the Heisman Trophy but he should at least get what’s owed to him and be honored as one of the top five players in college football this season.

Rams freshman forward Hamilton Chang (center) goes high for a lay up over Dons defenders during the Rams' 94-75 victory over De Anza College on Dec. 5 at the Wellness Center. RAMSEY EL-QARE / THE GUARDSMAN

By Aaron Turner
Staff Writer

Two weeks after their victory over College of the Sequoias in the Fresno City Tournament championship game on Nov. 21, the Rams beat De Anza College 94-75 on Dec. 5 at the Wellness Center.

Sophomore forward Da’Ron Sims led the scoring attack for City College with  20 points as the Rams (7-1) turned a high-scoring, yet sloppy, performance against the visitors from Cupertino.

After jumping out to an early lead during the first half, the team went into halftime leading comfortably at 45-29. They were forced to play a man down as freshman forward Jon Williams left the game with a lip contusion.

Turning to his reserves, Rams head coach Justin Labagh was able to get a spark from the bench when freshman forward Hamilton Chang stepped in for the missing Williams, chipping in 11 points in a strong backup effort.

Sophomore guard Chibuzo Emeka  was also able to provide solid defense off the bench to help City College maintain their lead.

“We don’t win that game if not for Hamilton and Chibuzo,” Labagh said. “It’s difficult the position they’re in, but they contributed when they needed to contribute, and I can’t say enough about those two.”

Early in the second half, De Anza took advantage of the Rams’ loss of size, going on a scoring surge to cut the lead down. Midway through the half, the lead was whittled down  to 58-49. However, that would be the closest the De Anza Dons got.

Sophomore guard Steven Brown widened the lead to 66-51 with a couple key buckets from beyond the arc. An ensuing 10-3 run would put the Rams in control with only five minutes left, shutting the door on any thoughts of an upset.

After the game, Da’Ron Sims spoke about what he felt had been a sloppy victory.

“You practice like you play,” Sims said. “It’s all about focus and we had been off all week. We just need to make sure to always stick to the game and prepare for every game.”
Labagh shared similar sentiments about his team’s performance.

“I don’t think we should have given them more than 30 points,” Labagh admitted. “We’ve got to work on our help-side defense and our movement on offense. Our mentality can’t be to simply outscore everyone. That’s not going to win us a championship.”

The Rams will get a chance to improve when they head into the San Jose City College Classic, which will tip off on Dec. 10 in San Jose. City College will take on Alameda College in the opening round.

Follow the men’s basketball games streaming live at www.justin.tv/ccsf_basketball.
Both home and away games will be available with no charge.
For more information, contact the basketball office at (415) 239-3401.