RAMS SOFTBALL PITCHER AMONG THE BEST IN STATE

BY JEREMIAH MICHAELS
Staff Writer

Pitcher Sydney McIver

Watching a softball pitcher deliver a 60-mph ball might lead some to think the pitcher is some extraordinary being. But Rams starting pitcher Sydney McIver doesn’t see it that way.

“Actually, softball girls are all the same,” she said.

Although the 2005 season for the Rams has proven to be one of the more dismal seasons in recent memory, McIver provided one of the sole bright spots for a team that saw four players quit before the season started.

“Last year, when she came in, she reinforced the team. Sydney was the only pitcher I had,” head coach Frank Sinkovich said. “When she came in, she made a big difference.”

The 2006 season is looking better for McIver, but heavy rain this spring has postponed many games, and has consequently hindered progress for the Rams as a team.

“Hopefully, we will get to play more games. The girls really need to play together this year,” Sinkovich said.

McIver, who attended Albany High School in her hometown of Albany, Calif, began her softball career in the Amateur Softball Association, also in the small East Bay town. It was in that league, along with four years experience playing at the high school level, where she developed some of her skills.

In the 2005 season, McIver earned a 6.43 ERA with 82 strikeouts. She also hit nine home runs at the plate. She had two two-homer games against Cabrillo and San Mateo.

Her pitches are typically in the upper 50-mph range. Her throws are generally spin heavy, which net ground balls or pop-ups as opposed to strikeouts. “I’m not the fastest pitcher,” McIver said.

McIver recalls only a small amount of students attending Albany high school. “My school was so small, everybody knew each other,” McIver said.

McIver noticed a big difference when she began pitching for the Rams. She saw diversity in playing for a larger team. But she was able to maintain a competitive skill level.

Her strong performance during her two years at City College has made McIver a serious Division-1A prospect. The University of Texas has already accepted her, but McIver hopes to attend Cornell University in upstate New York. She wants to play for a team that “challenges her.”

A history major, McIver might pursue teaching after college, but she said she is looking forward to campus life at a four-year school in general, not only for athletics.

“I’m pretty excited about transferring,” McIver said. “I might have more of a social life.”

e-mail: jmichaels@theguardsman.com

WOMEN'S TENNIS TEAM REMAINS UNBEATEN LATE IN SEASON: Rams hopeful of extending perfect streak into fast-approaching postseason play

BY TOMMY HOLMES
Staff Writer

Most tennis fans know that a clean backhand, slamming down an ace the middle of the service box and making solid contact with an overhead are traits a good team must possess. The City College women’s tennis team has all of those, as evidenced by their 10-0 record this season.

The team extended its winning streak to six with a 9-0 shutout against De Anza, March 28.

G’Cina Gossette and Sabrina Duong dominated their singles matches, conceding only one game between them. Top seed Annika Viragh and doubles partner Jackie Wong both took care of their singles matches and brought home a win in doubles.

Head coach Cassandra Cunningham is optimistic about their chances in the postseason and reiterates that team camaraderie is unparallel.

“We are stronger physically and mentally compared to last year,” Cunningham said. “We’re just going to seize the moment and take it one step at a time.”

The season began strong with a 9-0 road win over Foothill. Week after week, the Rams dominated their opponents in both doubles and singles matches, proving they can be key competitors for the state championship. The Rams have posted two shutouts, two 8-1 victories and are on their way to a memorable season.

“They have a very good chance of doing well in Norcal,” Cunningham said.

Last March proved to be one of the wettest months in San Francisco history, and rescheduling matches has become the norm. The remainder of the season sees one road match and four home matches. Then the team will be vying for the conference title.

“We train hard and they push each other. They all get along very well,” Cunningham said.

Annika Viragh, 24, is the team’s captain, and with a singles record of 8-1, she is leading by example to portray her efforts. The Marin native is planning to attend University of San Francisco next semester to continue her tennis career.

“We’ve just got a good team this year. We are a lot closer than last year and we like to hang out outside of practice,” Viragh said.

Leading the Rams into the last week of matches, Viragh is well prepared for the weeks ahead.

Last season, the Rams fell short in the first round of the playoffs. With team play and more experience this season, the Rams are poised to advance deep in the playoffs come late April. If past games are any indication of how the Rams will do in the postseason, the optimism may be justified.

Viragh believes that team chemistry will carry the Rams through the playoffs. Players connecting on and off the field has helped the team go undefeated thus far.

“We went into the season knowing the people on the team are going to be our family,” she said. “I think everyone knows they have contributed to our success and undefeated record this season.”

e-mail: tholmes@theguardsman.com

JUDO CLASS AVAILABLE FOR WOMEN ATHLETES

BY MARCO A. GUTIERREZ
Editor

Student Thanh Lee throws classmate Michelle Arellano over her back in a class sparring contest. JACK KARP / SPECIAL TO THE GUARDSMAN

City College has a new course in the “gentle way,” the English translation of judo, which will allow women to compete in intercollegiate judo competitions.

Judo is best known for its throwing techniques, but it also involves considerable grappling, pinning and choking techniques. Judo is practiced on special mats to provide comfort and safety.

For the spring semester, 23 women have enrolled in the course with skill levels ranging from beginning to advanced.

“The judo program here is very strong. The women’s program is probably stronger than our men’s program,” head coach Mitchell T. Palacio said. “We have more women competitors and they’re just better than the guys.”

Palacio, who started teaching judo at City College in 1978, is a sixth-degree black belt.

The judo program has been at City College for 22 years under Palacio. At the end of each semester, competitors participate in a tournament with other judo programs in the Bay Area, including Santa Rosa and San Francisco State University.
“Over time it has evolved into a very competitive program where the majority of our tough players were women,” Palacio said. “We started out as equal men and women, but we have more women competing than men and so in the last five years we have had our women place in the top five in nation.”

Tatyana Borhkvich is one of the team’s top competitors. Borhkvich holds a black belt and has been practicing the sport since she was 12 years old and living in Ukraine.

“I love the sport – it gives me energy,” Borhkvich said. “I can be tired from work and I come here and get all my energy back.”

In Ukraine, Borhkvich had competed at the junior level for her city and country. At City College, she has participated in several tournaments and will compete in the national tournament in Houston on April 21 and 22.

“I do it for fun because it’s just fun for me.” Borhkvich said. “I am always happy when I am able to implement stuff that I have been practicing, so if I practiced a throw and I actually used it in the tournament that makes me happy.”

The club will host its end of semester team tournament in the south gym on May 6. The individual senior competition will start at 3 p.m. and the team competition starts at 6 p.m.

SCOREBOARD

Baseball

The Rams were unable to put an end to their three-game losing streak, losing to West Valley 7-3. The Vikings scored three runs in the first inning. The Rams had a chance in the sixth inning with runners on second and third with only one out, but the next two hitters struck out to end the inning. Joey Munn recovered from his slow start pitching five innings and allowing only four runs. The Rams losing streak continued with a 7-2 loss against Skyline. The team struggled offensively once again with only five hits. Closer Korri Kamaka was the lone bright spot, pitching six innings, allowing four runs and striking out four. — Brian Pekrul

Women's Tennis

The Rams remained undefeated after shutting out DeAnza 9-0, with the Rams winning all six singles matches and all three doubles matches. Against Chabot, the Rams managed to slip by with a 5-4 victory on their opponents’ court, with Annika Viragh, Lindy Cobb and Maureen Olivar providing victories in singles competition. Viragh, Jackie Wong, Cobb and Sharyn Yee all played well as the Rams won two out of three in doubles. — Tommy Holmes

Track and Field

At the West Valley Invitational, the Rams performed strongly as the team moves closer to the postseason. Donn Thompson placed first in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.96 seconds, followed by Keith Randle who finished third with 11.13. Randle also placed second in the 200-meter dash with a 22.21 running time. In the women’s high jump, basketball star forward Pernisha Battle placed first, tying with Shawna Ellis at 1.47 meters. Battle’s teammate during the basketball season, Ashley Butler, finished fifth at 1.42 meters. Diane Gooding was victorious in the women’s long jump, placing first with a distance of 4.62 meters. — Miles Harwell