Undefeated (again): Rams overcome halftime deficit to win conference championship

BY HUBERT HUANG
Editor

PHOTO BY COLEEN CUMMINS / GUARDSMAN

Perhaps Cal should spend some time convincing wide receiver Ruben Jackson to join Joe Ayoob in Berkeley next year.

The two are proving themselves a formidable pair.

With 39 seconds showing on the clock and a defender draped on his back, Ayoob threaded a pass to Jackson, who fell over the goal line to provide the winning score in a 20-15 comeback victory over Foothill.

For the second time in two years, the duo connected in the waning seconds for the championship’s game-winning touchdown.

“I’m not gonna cry,” Jackson repeated twice, his eyes visibly glazed.

The dramatic victory capped off an undefeated regular season that saw the Rams overcome halftime deficits in its final two games after not trailing for a single second of any prior game.

It also crowned the Rams as the 2004 Nor Cal Conference Champions and earned them a chance to defend their Northern California Championship at City College on Dec. 4 in a rematch with Fresno, who the Rams defeated 26-16 earlier in the season.

Still, it was visible to all in attendance this was far from the Rams’ finest performance. Foothill was fresh off a 64-6 loss to Butte, who the Rams defeated by 32 points earlier in the season.

NATHAN WEYLAND / GUARDSMAN

By executing a ball control scheme that included a record 48 rushes by Alan Webster, Foothill controlled the clock and kept the vaunted Rams’ aerial attack from scoring a single point in the first half.

“This was one of the bottom three games we’ve played all season; maybe the bottom one game, but it’s the number one game for character,” coach George Rush said.

Trailing 9-0, City College was visibly motivated for the second half. Using a variety of wide receiver screens to Jackson, the Rams moved the ball effectively and scored two touchdowns to take a 14-9 lead.

And when the Rams took possession with just over six minutes remaining, it appeared City College had finally wrestled control from their challengers. But when Ayoob’s pass was deflected at the line of scrimmage, directly into the hands of a Foothill linebacker at the 15-yard line, the momentum changed.

The calm on the Rams’ sideline came to an end. The entire team gathered near the Rams’ 25-yard line, some on their knees praying, most with their eyes fixed on the defense, as they valiantly tried to keep Foothill out of the end zone.

But when Webster dove over the pile for a 1-yard touchdown rush, the Rams’ offense knew the game was theirs.

With less than two minutes to play, Ayoob calmly guided the Rams down the field, keeping the Foothill defense off-balance by mixing up his throws to Jackson, Maurice Purify and Angelo Jeffrey.

“Take Rube on the out and up one time and it’s a wrap,” defensive captain Desmond Bishop said to his teammates.
Only 80 seconds later, Bishop was proved right.

“When people play City College, it’s like their championship game. They always bring their best,” Bishop said.

e-mail: sports@theguardsman.com

Rams Take Next Step: Men and women qualify for the state meet

BY HUBERT HUANG
Editor

PHOTO BY NATHAN WEYLAND / GUARDSMAN

The men’s and women’s cross country teams roughed the hills of the challenging course, placing third and qualifying for the state championships, to be held in two weeks.

They competed against the top teams in Northern California.

But medals and plaques tell only a small part of what transpired on this sunny Saturday afternoon in Belmont.

Cathryn Guevarra poured ev-ery ounce of energy into running the race of her life, and upon breaking the finish line, she collapsed.

“I just couldn’t stand anymore,” Guevarra said. “I was cramping up the last 300 yards, and when I got to the finish I couldn’t hold it in anymore.”

Officials had to carry Guevarra out of the finishing area to prevent her from being trampled by other runners.

In finishing 11th in a personal best of 19:51, Guevarra helped the team jump from eighth last year to third in 2004. Her performance is even more impressive considering her regular training was broken up by a trip to the Philippines to attend a wedding.

“I like performances like that where you know they gave it their all,” track coach Doug Owyang said.

Cross country coach Tony Kauke was pleased, too. He leap-ed off the ground as soon as the women’s results were announced, and continued to pump his fists and run in a small circle for the next couple of minutes.

Tara Hillier ran her usual solid race to lead the women’s team by finishing sixth in a time of 19:37.

On the men’s side, Kenny Sparks continued his recent strong running by finishing fifth among the 100 strongest runners in Northern California. Samuel Burkholder, who continues to improve every week, finished a dozen places behind Sparks at 17th.

It was also the effort of Gus Gibbs, who had far from his best day, that allowed City College to achieve its highest place in al-most a decade.

As Gibbs climbed the short, steep hill at the one-mile point, his expression was already visibly strained, his teeth clenching with each breath. Yet over the next three miles, he only surrendered a few spots, and managed a 20th place finish.

“This is a sport where you learn more about yourself than some other sports,” Kauke said. “It’s easy when you’re feeling good.”

After a second straight strong meet, the men’s team has set their aim squarely at conference champion Hartnell — who has defeated the Rams by one and five points in the last two meets — at the state championships.

“We are going to beat Hartnell,” Burkholder said.

e-mail: sports@theguardsman.com

SCOREBOARD

Men's Basketball

The number 10 ranked team in California got off to a rocky start in their season opener with a 79-69 road loss to Hartnell. The Rams started quickly, jumping out to a 14-point lead in the first half, but couldn’t hold the advantage after halftime. A foul-plagued defense, rebounding and turnovers were too much to overcome. The Rams’ starting backcourt, Zach Brown and Harry Brown, seemed a bit daunted by a raucous Hartnell crowd. In an effort to jumpstart the team’s performance, freshmen Ishan Robinson and Jarbarry Moore will move into the starting lineup for game number two. Ike Count, who needed stitches following a head-to-head collision, should be fully recovered in time for the Rams next test against Monterey Peninsula. — Hubert Huang



Women's Basketball

The lady Rams are off to a strong start, winning three of their first four games. After starting the season with a win over San Mateo, the Rams traveled to Southern California for the Pasadena Tournament. After defeating College of the Desert in the first game, the Rams suffered their first setback, falling to Chaffey, the 13th ranked team in Southern California. The Rams kept the game close, but a 10 minute scoring drought in the second half allowed Chaffey to build a lead they would not relinquish. The ladies finished on a high note by soundly beating Moorpark, the 15th ranked team in Southern California, 75-60. The Rams placed third in the field of eight, and Nia Reate-Galarza earned All-Tournament honors for her play. — Hubert Huang

Volleyball

After finishing the first round of conference matches with a quick defeat of Hartnell in three consecutive matches, the ladies headed into the second round of conference play with a 2-3 record. The second round of matches got off to a disappointing start as the Rams were defeated by both Chabot and Cañada, but they were determined to redeem themselves against Monterey Peninsula. After losing the first match, setter Lin Pei Chin won the second match with an amazing jump serve. With great team defense and consistent execution by outside hitter Jazmin Pratt, the team picked up the victory in the final match, 15-7. — Alvina Cheah

Soccer

Despite a strong season finish that saw the Rams defeat De Anza and Mission, and tie fifth-ranked Evergreen Valley twice, the Rams finished just outside the 12th and final playoff spot. The Rams finish the season with a 9-5-5 mark overall and a 3-2-3 record within the conference, while outscoring their opponents 30-13. Individual standouts included keeper Gabriel Lopez and striker Yuen Ma. Lopez ended up with the third lowest goals-allowed average in California at under 0.7 goals per game, and with 11 goals and 25 points, Ma finished 21st in the state in goals and 27th in the state in points. — Hubert Huang

Bigger and Better: Rams courting championship season

BY MARLON LUMANG
Staff Writer

PHOTOS BY ANTONELLA FABIANI AND MARKETA KROUPOVA

After losing in the second round of the Northern California regionals to eventual state semifinalist College of Sequoias last season, the men’s basketball team finished the season 23-6.

This team has the potential to be better.

Despite the disappointing end to the season, it was an impressive accomplishment for an undersized team whose rotation was comprised almost entirely of first-year players.

“Leadership won’t be a problem this season due to a few returning sophomores,” Coach Justin Labagh said.

Size shouldn’t be a problem for the Rams either, not with 6-foot-9-inch Lex James and 6-foot-10-inch Sebastian Taulbe patrolling the paint. James led the entire state with an astonishing field goal percentage of nearly 83 percent and added nearly three blocks per game.

Other key returning players include 6-foot-3-inch Ike Count, 6-foot-6-inch Harry Brown, 6-foot-6-inch Juma Kamara and 6-foot-two-inch point guard Zach Rand. Last season, Kamara shot 61 percent from the field, while Brown averaged a double-double.

As a group, they should be able to compensate for the loss of leading scorer Johnny Bryant, who transferred to the University of Utah to play under renowned coach Rick Majerus.

The experience they acquired from last season should be a big plus for the team. Even though they haven’t played their first official game, the team is already proficient in running the offense.

However, because there aren’t many teams that can match up with them athletically, they are very comfortable playing an up-tempo game as well.

The team has already set the goal of winning their conference, qualifying for the state tournament and reaching the final eight.

“I think that we have great chance of going to the championship this season because of our talent and size,” starting point guard Zach Rand said. “If you watch the team, everybody has an intricate part in what we are trying to do.”

The team should benefit from the sophomore’s leadership and experience in running the team.

“Last season the rams weren’t making any outside shots,” Courts said. “This season we have both in and out game.”

Labagh expects their toughest competition to come from Ohlone and Chabot. He’s not worried about other teams, but rather that the Rams handle their own responsibilities.

“If this team plays together this season, they have the ability to win a state championship,” Labagh said.

e-mail: nlumang@theguardsman.com

Fast Break

BY MARLON LUMANG
Staff Writer

In anticipation of their first game on Nov. 9, the women’s basketball team was already getting fired up at practice sessions.

“The team has a chance to do well in the postseason games, but I want them to concentrate on just working as a team right now,” coach Jamie Wong said.

After reaching the second round of the conference playoffs and compiling a 24–5 record, the Rams are eager to start playing again and try to improve on last year’s results.

The Rams have seven players returning from the 2003 squad, including All-Conference point guard Nia Reate-Gala and honorable mention All-Conference swingman Marie Tomasulo.

“I think we will be a good team this season because there are a lot of sophomores coming back which is the main core of the team” Marie Tomasulo said.

Standing at 5 foot 4 inches tall, Reate-Gala averaged 2.8 steals per game. Coach Wong describes her as a terrific defensive player. Tomasulo, the team’s second leading scorer, averaged calculated risk.”

10 points and five rebounds per contest. Also returning is Rachel Jung, one of the top three-point shooters in the state in 2003.

They are all hard working contributors who are expected to compensate for the departure of Monique McNealy, the Rams’ leader in points and rebounds a year ago.

Even though the season has yet to begin, Coach Wong already sees great chemistry between the players. She was especially impressed when the team showed the initiative to start preparation for the upcoming season during the summer. On their own, the team organized training sessions to ensure that they’d be prepared for the upcoming season.

“We are looking at the big picture and working hard in practice; the games will come easy,” Tomasulo said.

The sophomores will be boosted by the addition of three outstanding freshmen this season. Trisha Alaba from Sacred Heart Academy, Pernisha Battle from Westmoor, and Ramona Vae from Jefferson bring a variety of skills to the team and are expected to make a big contribution to the squad.
“I think this team is more well-balanced this season,” coach
Wong said.

e-mail: mlumang@theguardsman.com

Inside The Uniform: Part 6

BY MILES HARWELL
Staff Writer

PHOTOS BY RODGER OCON / GUARDSMAN

At 7:30 a.m., Desmond Bishop enters the South Gym to start his weight training. He is still waking up and his eyes look as if they want to close.

As Bishop opens the door to the locker room, warm air and the stench of sweat envelops him. “That’s the smell of hard work,” he says.

After all the time he spends in the gym playing at City College, he hardly notices the smell anymore.

Bishop throws on a white T-shirt, white shorts and red and white Nike tennis shoes. While others have special workout attire, Bishop isn’t so choosy about his wardrobe. It doesn’t matter to Bishop, because the clothes are going to smell the same way in the end: sweaty, filthy and reeking of body odor.

As soon as he enters the weight room, Bishop heads directly to the bench press. While some players stop to chat with teammates, Bishop greets them by slapping hands but barely breaks stride while making his way to the weights.

When he reaches the bench press, Bishop sits down, takes a breath, and begins the first of eight sets at 275 pounds. In the early going, Bishop lifts the weights at a quick but comfortable pace. His facial expression hardly changes. The weight barely bothers him.

By the seventh and eighth sets though, he struggles to get the weight up. His muscles tighten. His relaxed expression is replaced by a grimace. He grinds his teeth together and softly groans.

“Get that weight off you,” spotter Alex Toeaina and other teammates yell at him.

As he slams the bar back on the rack, his expression quickly transforms to a smile. He knows he’s finished, for now. He takes a deep breath, and is greeted by an array of hand slaps from teammates.

In between exercises, Bishop and teammates talk about a combination of subjects — girls, sports, class and their upcoming opponents.

On this particular day, they discuss Philadelphia Eagles’ wide receiver Terrell Owens imitation of Baltimore Ravens’ linebacker Ray Lewis’ celebration routine.

“T.O. did it tight, but it’s still Ray-Ray’s dance,” Bishop says.

Several players attempt to imitate the dance, squatting on the ground, shaking their upper bodies, flapping their arms like wings, as Lewis does when imitating a raven.

The fun is short-lived though, as Bishop quickly returns to business.

Finishing his last set, Bishop sits down on the bench to catch his breath. Bishop’s once dry T-shirt is now drenched with sweat. Slowly, Bishop walks to the water fountain, breathing heavily. He drinks from the water fountain for a good 10 seconds.

He leaves the gym satisfied with his efforts, walking tall despite the fatigue — at least until his next workout tomorrow.

e-mail: mharwell@theguardsman.com

Rams' Star Performer

With the Rams offense sputtering, City College turned to its smallest receiver, Ruben Jackson, to start moving the chains. When the game finished, the 5-foot-10-inch, 180-pound Jackson had collected 14 receptions for 188 yards — and the game-winning four-yard touchdown pass with 39 seconds left in the fourth quarter. While Jackson certainly isn’t the biggest football player, he may be the fastest and most elusive. Instead of throwing the ball downfield, the Rams threw a variety of short passes and simply let Jackson create. No matter how many times the Rams went to Jackson, there was nothing Foothill could do to keep him from getting loose after the catch.