SUB-PAR STATE OF AFFAIRS FOR SOCCER

BY MARCO GUTIERREZ AND DAN VEREL
Staff Writer and Editor

Kentaro Futushima makes a heads-up play against Hartnell. FELIPE JUNQUEIRA / GUARDSMAN

Both of City College’s soccer teams are facing several challenges this year en route to seasons of sub-par status.

Injuries and team communication are among the many problems the Rams have endured, men’s head coach Adam Lucarelli said. The team’s overall record is an unimpressive 4-9-3. The Rams remain mediocre in conference play, with a 2-4-3 record thus far.

“For several reasons, we’re not doing as well as expected,” Lucarelli said. “Due to injuries and some discipline problems we’re playing below expectations.”

Sophomore Mike Trueman elaborated on his team’s shortcomings.

“We don’t keep our intensity up for 90 minutes,” he said. This season the Rams have typically fallen behind in the first half of games, and are then forced “to play catch up.”

“We’ll dominate the second half, but that’s not enough,” Trueman said.

Defense has been an issue as well. About 80 percent of the goals scored against the Rams have come on free kicks, an indication of an undisciplined defense.

“There’s been a lot of fundamental mistakes,” Trueman added. “People aren’t marking their man on defense like they should.”

“We’ve been waiting for that second-half turnaround, but it hasn’t happened yet,” sophomore Yuen Kiyomura said. “When we do get it together, we have a lot of intensity.”

As for the women, a different criterion applies. In the first-ever season of women’s soccer at City College, the Rams have struggled to come together as a team.

Head coach Cassandra Cunningham said organization has been difficult.

“The biggest challenges have been teaching them how to become a team, bringing them together,” Cunningham said.

Their overall record of 3-9-4 reflects such difficulties. Cunningham said this year is one of establishing standards for the program, and hopes to have a successful team in the next year or so.

Forward Lucia Olson noted a marked improvement throughout the season.

“We’re getting better as the games’ have gotten tougher,” she said.

Suffering similar setbacks to the men’s team, cohesiveness played a big factor for the women early in the season.

“I think now we’ve changed from a group of individuals to a strong team,” Olson said.

From a technical standpoint, defense was initially the Rams’ biggest shortcoming, but that too, has improved gradually.

“We’re learning from our mistakes, and we take that and apply it to the next game,” team captain Matesza Cheatham said.

Emma Larkin, also a captain, pointed out the struggles of a young team.

“We were a very difficult group to start out with, but we’ve come a long way.”

e-mail: mgutierrez@theguardsman.com, sports@theguardsman.com

FRESHMAN 'BACK LEADS RAMS RUSHING ATTACK

BY MILES HARWELL
Staff Writer

Against the Butte Roadrunners, Tyreece Jacks rushed for 69 yards on 17 carries despite facing coverage from multiple defenders. PHOTO BY FELIPE JUNQUEIRA / GUARDSMAN

When the ball hits the hands of Tyreece Jacks, the freshman running back says his mind draws blank. “I don’t think about anything,” Jacks said. “It’s just a reaction.”

In his first year of football at City College, Jacks has become the main ball carrier for the Rams’ offense, a notable accomplishment for any underclassman considering most freshmen are relegated to a red-shirt.

With a combination of speed and power, Jacks has helped the Rams to a 8-0 record. The 5-foot-10, 195-pound East Palo Alto native replaced Dallas Bernstine as the Rams’ premiere back. His strong play allowed him to beat out Angelo Jeffrey and Demetrius Crawford for the starting position.

“My strength has helped me in rushing,” said Jacks, whose bulky frame allows him to run through diving defenders, receiving minor contact to hold on for extra yards. This makes him difficult for one player to tackle. “Lifting also helped me out a lot.”

With a style of play similar to bruising running backs like Emmitt Smith, Jacks rushes at full speed toward the opposing team’s defense and then stops. Defenders move toward him, but Jacks has already taken off in the opposite direction. The defense collapses on him, but not before a first down has been gained.

This sort of scenario is a typical game for Jacks, and moves like this have earned him the starting spot.

“I try not to let defenders get a hold of me,” Jacks said. “But when they do, I overpower them.”

His success has earned him high praise from 26-year running back coach Mike Perodi and the ever-stoic head coach George Rush.

“He’s cut from the same mold as Dallas — a hard worker with great ability,” Parodi effused. “And he hasn’t even scratched the surface of how great he will eventually be.”

“He’s been easily as good as anyone we’ve had here in the past,” Rush said.

Jacks’ dominating play and potential was cemented against 8th ranked Laney, when he ran for 40 yards en route to the end zone for a touchdown, scampering from side to side for one of his two scores in the contest.

“If my opponent’s speed doesn’t match up with mine, they can’t do anything,” Jacks said.

“In 26 years of coaching, I’ve never seen a kid do anything like that,” Parodi said.

Behind 791 rushing yards on 135 carries, Jacks is averaging about six yards per carry and has scored seven touchdowns this season.

“His vision allows him to get 12 yards, when the average back would get five,” Rush said. “He makes the other team’s defense account for him and try to take him out of the game.”

Parodi and Rush believe Jacks’ rushing will contribute to the Rams’ success over the next two years.

“Next year you will see a 100 percent improvement in his performance,” Parodi said. “By this time next year, he will know the offense so well, he won’t have to think about plays.”

“His best football is still in front of him,” Rush said.

e-mail: mharwell@theguardsman.com

YOUNG TEAM LOOKS TO CONTEND: Rams relying less on size, more on speed and athleticism

BY JON GUNTON
Staff Writer

Guard Ron Manigault (center) is one of nine freshmen for the Rams who will attempt to lead the team to a successful season. JACK KARP / GUARDSMAN

After losing in the second round of playoffs for two consecutive years, a considerably smaller but faster men’s basketball team hopes to take it to the next level this season.

“We’re young, we’re going be quick and we are really athletic,” head coach Justin Labagh said. “I like our toughness … and that’s what gets you through the playoffs.”

The Rams lost six of last season’s players to scholarships at Division I and II schools. Among them were 6-foot-9-inch Lex James and 6-foot-10-inch Alfred Anderson. Their departures marked a significant loss in height and inside presence for the squad.

“Last year was obviously a strong group. Losing them will impact the team,” Labagh said. “But the new guys coming in are freshmen who are really ready to play.”

Labagh plans to counter the team’s height loss with a faster, more athletic game — a departure from the strategy of previous years.

Labagh said this year they have only one 6-foot-10-inch player, and the rest stand between 6-foot and 6-foot-6-inches. “So the pace will have to be picked up, and we’ll have to extend the defense more than we normally do,” Labagh said.

Last year’s starting point guard Eric Turner returns to provide the team with experienced leadership, along with 6-foot-10-inch center Sebastian Taulbe, who is the only tall player returning from last year’s team.

The mostly freshmen team is preparing itself for an extremely difficult schedule full of games against high ranked teams.

“Last year we already had a tough schedule, but this season has been beefed up even more,” Labagh said. “I think we have the most challenging schedule in Northern California.”

But Labagh sees the daunting road ahead as more of a blessing than a curse.

“With a young team, that’s how you do it,” Labagh said. “You play the best teams you can, and if you can get those wins early, those are quality wins.”

The players reflect Labagh’s philosophy regarding the tough coming season.

“It doesn’t intimidate us,” said freshman forward Patrick Drieth. “It will only make us play harder.”

Taulbe shared Drieth’s assertion.

“We have a tough schedule, but we are a tough team,” Taulbe said. “We played a lot of highly ranked teams last year, so I feel pretty confident.”

Labagh said the tough games should enhance his team’s chances for success in the playoffs.

“You’re out there playing everybody,” Labagh said. “So we should be playing our second-round opponent. We’re going to probably run into them throughout the year. That will help us out.”

Despite being ranked 18th in the state and having a solid 19-10 record last season, the team’s championship hopes were dashed in the second round of playoffs when they lost to San Joaquin Delta.

“I thought our chances were good last year,” Labagh said. “We had a lot of great players — Division I guys — but I think our team is tougher this year.”

The season begins on Nov. 7 with a home game in the North Gym.

e-mail: jgunton@theguardsman.com

RETURNING STARTERS KEY FOR WOMEN

BY SHAWN LIU
Staff Writer

Center Ramona Vae practices a lay-up. Her inside presence and experience will be crucial for the Rams this upcoming season. FELIPE JUNQUEIRA / GUARDSMAN

With lightning team speed and the returning conference MVP, the City College women’s basketball team is looking to go the distance in the upcoming season starting on Monday.

“Speed is definitely the strength of this team,” head coach Jamie Wong said. “Even our big post-players can run up and down the court. That’s really hard for other teams to catch up.”
The Rams hope to build on the success of last season, when they finished with a 20-7 record and a share of the Coast Conference title.

“The attitude here is awesome,” said last year’s Coast Conference co-MVP Ramona Vae. “The conditioning and practice are harder. In order to fight through it, we have to stick together as a team.”

A disappointing first-round exit in last year’s playoffs has the Rams poised to extend their play well into the post-season. The team has six returning players on the roster, including Vae at center, All-conference forward Pernisha Battle and honorable mention recipient Trish Alaba at guard.

“Vae is definitely a dominant force in the post,” Wong said. The 6-foot-1-inch tall center averaged 10.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and led the team with 0.9 blocks last season. Her mobility created match-up problems for opposing post-players.

As defending MVP, Vae is ready for the tougher challenge this season. “It’s going to be harder in the post now because I already made a name for myself last year,” she said.

Vae lost weight this off-season and further improved her quickness. “I want to hold my own and be ready to help the team,” she said.

At 6 feet tall, Battle can play both forward and guard. “Her athleticism makes her very hard to stop,” Wong said. Last season, Battle led the team with 7.7 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game. She was second in scoring, with 11 points per game.

Besides working hard during the off-season to improve her play, Battle also assumed a new role as a veteran. “Last year I was new. Now I have to talk to other players and be a leader of the team,” she said.

Bay Area fans know how much difference a good guard can make for a basketball team. For the Rams, the person making that difference is Trish Alaba.

“She is fundamentally sound, and she plays both sides of the ball with 100 percent,” Wong said. She also led the team with 3.1 assists as a freshman last year.

Following Alaba, freshmen forward Andrea Ohlssen and guard Shawn McGuire joined the team early in the off-season.

“They came down here in spring and really worked their [tails] off,” Vae said. “And that’s their advantage over the other freshmen.” Wong said the fast-running Ohlssen is the team’s best defender.

“This team is solid all the way around,” Wong said. “The girls are playing smart, and they work hard to maintain at championship level.”

e-mail: sliu@theguardsman.com

SCOREBOARD

Football

The Rams improved to 7-0 against 5th ranked Butte with a 42-14 victory. Maurice Purify gathered 184 yards off of five catches for three touchdowns. Quarterback Jimmy Collins completed 13-of-27 passes with five touchdowns and 308 yards in the contest.

The Rams’ perfect record was nearly blemished by 9th ranked San Mateo, who led the Rams through three quarters and dominated throughout the game. Costly fumbles by Collins and Demetrius Crawford gave San Mateo ideal position for easy touchdowns.

The Rams trailed 38-40 with less than a minute remaining in the fourth quarter. A 34-yard field goal with 50 seconds left by John Abrams put the Rams ahead 41-40. The Bulldogs attempted to respond, but free safety Matt Harper sealed the victory for the Rams by intercepting the first pass of San Mateo’s drive with 27 seconds remaining. The Rams improved to 8-0.

Purify scored twice in the contest with 220 yards on 12 catches, and was problematic for the Bulldog defense, having to be covered by four defensive backs at times. Jomar Drake ran for a 64-yard touchdown to end the third quarter and Aaron Straiten caught a 25-yard pass from Collins in the fourth quarter to give the Rams their first lead. Tyreece Jacks contributed the Rams’ only rushing touchdown.

San Mateo quarterback Julian Edelman, a former teammate of Jacks at Woodside High school, was a constant threat to the Rams’ defense. Edelman rushed for 140 yards and four touchdowns, including a 47-yard scamper in the first quarter. The Bulldogs scored more points against the Rams than the first five opposing teams combined. — Miles Harwell