SFU men’s basketball defeats Lindenwood Lions 81–73

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November 18, 2016

JJ Pankratz (#22), seen here in action earlier this season, had 24 points and nine rebounds in SFU’s win.

The SFU Clan earned a well-deserved win on Friday afternoon against the Lindenwood Lions after an air of uncertain victory throughout the game. The game was very close, with no team having a decided advantage: the final score was 81–73.

SFU demonstrated a fierce attack on offence as they dominated the scoreboard for the first 10 minutes of the game. The Clan maintained a relaxed distance from the Lions throughout the first half with a lead of 29–21 as the scoreboard counted down its third minute, when things turned very unpredictable. Kedar Wright ended the first half two of six from the field, while Hidde Vos’ fouls led Lindenwood to close the first half 31–30.

The players retreated to the locker rooms, with the Clan appearing apprehensive. “They hit some shots and we didn’t, so we got a little tendered and scared in front of our home fans,” said coach Steve Hanson. There were missed opportunities for rebounds on the defence, with the Lions securing easy three-pointers while the Clan was left in a haze about the baskets being made. Hanson added, “Lindenwood had a good run in between because they have strong shooters.”

The Clan’s complacency brought their eventual victory into question. However, the team came out stronger on the defence side after a little reorientation on their strategies. J.J. Pankratz had a great performance with 24 points and nine rebounds. Freshman Michael Provenzano also contributed 12 much-needed points in the second half. “We were getting a little nervous because the scores were going back and forth, but I thought we responded really well during the second half,” said Pankratz, who led SFU in scoring.

With four minutes left on the clock, the scores tied up at 70–70; three-pointers from Provenzano helped to boost the team’s confidence. Timeouts were called by the Lions’ coach in the last minute of the game. However, Graham Miller’s four free-throws in the final minute of the game got Clan fans cheering in the bleachers as the victory became clear.

“In the second half, we got it going, the guys did it on their own. We have definitely improved a lot and I’m very satisfied with the way the game has turned out. I hope we bring the same energy to the next game as well,” said Hanson.

SFU plays Lindenwood University for the second time Saturday, at 2 p.m. in West Gym.

First-year expectations versus reality

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EIC

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November 18, 2016

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Do you remember the first time you realized university wasn’t going to be everything you thought it was? Because I don’t think I do. For me, it was a thousand little things over the course of first year that slowly made me come to the conclusion that TV shows about college got it all wrong. Hopefully some of these realizations resonate with you too.

The lack of community

The first thing that didn’t live up to my expectations was my social life. I was used to seeing my friends every day even if we didn’t have all our classes together. I had no reason to believe university would be any different, but of course it was. I had to make new friends in every class and, if I wanted those friendships to stick all semester, I had to do it in the first week. Even when I knew people in my classes, I was alone on campus more often than not.

The flexibility of my schedule was both a blessing and a curse: I didn’t have class on Fridays, but everyone I knew had radically different schedules.

I realized the only way I was going to make lasting friendships in university was if I joined a club. No matter what program you’re in, it’s highly unlikely your friends will be in all your classes every semester. Sometimes it’s a miracle if you know anyone in a class. If you join a club, you will grow close with people you know you will see every semester. Depending on the club, you can even find people to take a course or two with you. Friendship looks different in university; be willing to adjust.

How do I know what courses to take?

I know a lot of first years worry about this. I know because not only did I go through this, but I give tours to high school kids every week and their most frequently asked questions are about courses. “What should I take?” “If I don’t take a course this semester, can I take it next semester?” and “When do I need to have this requirement done by?” are the most common. It is so understandably stressful coming from a school where courses were literally laid out for you to a university where registration is completely DIY.

Things will get better. You’ll be better.

When I didn’t know what classes to take next, I went and saw an academic advisor. I went in freaking out about how I couldn’t get into one class, how I wasn’t going to graduate on time now, and that my whole plan was thrown off for good (or at least I thought it was). When they asked me what my year and major were — to which I replied “first and I don’t know yet” — I was sure I was in for a speech on how I needed to do better. Instead, the advisor started laughing. It was strangely calming to have someone who knew better than me tell me I was worrying about this stuff way too soon.

Missing out on a class isn’t the end of the world. Taking an extra year (or three) is OK. Most importantly, if you ever feel like you’re falling behind, there are people who can help. Don’t be afraid to ask for it.

I have no idea what I’m doing

The worst part of first year for me was how lost I felt academically. I came into SFU a gung-ho intended psychology major who had straight-As all through high school. I still remember the day I realized I hated psychology — and, not-so-coincidentally, the day I got my first C. I had always had a plan of what I wanted to do, and here I was directionless. I couldn’t continue with psychology (who knew it had such a big biology component?) and my other interests felt like a straight shot to becoming a teacher, a.k.a. my own personal nightmare. Then there’s the fact that my grades weren’t living up to my expectations either. Psychology was curved, making it a losing battle for me, and I had gotten a terrible grade in my English class. English was my best subject in high school. How could this be happening? My first semester had me questioning if I had ever actually been good at anything.

Not getting the grades I wanted ended up being a huge motivation for me. High school had been easy for me, and I had forgotten what it was like to try.

I worked harder, I actually paid attention in class, and I started study groups with people in my tutorials. I saw my grades improve dramatically. For some people, trying harder isn’t always enough, and that’s OK too. People learn differently. Lots of my friends went to the Student Learning Commons for help and were able to work through the difficulties they were having. As for my lack of a major, I started taking courses that interested me to see what I liked. I knew I needed extra credits to graduate and I fulfilled the majority of my breadth requirements within my first year. Eventually I found what I loved, but had I quit when things got rough, I don’t know where I’d be today.

University isn’t for everyone, but don’t stop trying just because things aren’t what you expect them to be. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and keep going.

Men’s soccer season review

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EIC

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November 18, 2016

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Adam Jones (left) was named GNAC Player of the Year, while Riley Pang (right) won Freshman of the Year.

The greatest epics sometimes have the most heartbreaking endings. For SFU men’s soccer, the 2016 season was a fairytale. SFU was the Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) champion, coming off a record of 14 wins. The Clan also had a total of five student athletes featured on the 2016 All-West Region Team.

Though the Clan easily secured a spot in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) playoffs, the odds of winning on penalty kicks are never exact. In their first playoff game against Cal Poly Pomona, the two teams remained scoreless until the end of regular time. Unfortunately for the Clan, their triumphant season came to an end on penalty kicks, despite goalkeeper Brandon Watson making two saves. Cal Poly Pomona was the Division II finalist during the 2015 season.

“We were disappointed that we didn’t achieve our ultimate goal,” reflected head coach Clint Schneider. “We had a really great season; we’re starting to rack up some individual [awards]. We’re able to receive recognition for that and also as a group, to have the guys say that without the other players on the team, they wouldn’t be able to achieve those kinds of things. It was a very special year. I’ve had the chance to reflect on it and I’m sure [the] players have as well. To do what we’ve done was pretty cool.”

Schneider, who was previously involved with the team as the associate head coach, has now been at the helm of the Clan for two seasons. Schneider has built the team into one of the most threatening line-ups in the NCAA Division II.

“I just tried to express for myself, and probably what the players were feeling too. We were all pretty heartbroken about it. It was a difficult way to end the season. It was difficult for our seniors to have that for their last game. I tried to express how much it meant to me that they put in the effort during the year, how much I cared, how much I appreciated everything and thank them. Regardless of that result, it was still very special.”

Though the Clan was prematurely out of the race for the NCAA Division II title, Schneider and his players are already looking forward to building on this season and coming back with an even better line-up. Simon Fraser will be playing without senior defenders Anthony Van de Vendel and Andre Pietramala, goalkeeper Watson, midfielder Ryan Dhillon, and defender Robert Hyams. “All those guys were very impactful. Every one of those players will be difficult to replace. They were part of creating a positive culture in our change room,” said Schneider.

“We were disappointed that we didn’t achieve our ultimate goal”

The Clan can count on magicians Mamadi Camara, Riley Pang, and Magnus Kristensen on the pitch to show what the beautiful game is about. Adam Jones, who was named GNAC Player of the Year, will be returning once again.

Could the narrative be different for the upcoming season? SFU men’s soccer has completed one of the most remarkable transitions into the NCAA, along with other successful programs in SFU’s athletics department.

“It can’t just be for men’s soccer to meet those goals. The great thing is that there are other programs in our athletics department that are on their way up and are close to achieving that. The women’s volleyball team have a good ranking. Women’s basketball can have an opportunity. Cross country and track and field are always around that conversation.”

However, the men’s soccer team has experienced some challenges in addition to their successes: namely, not being able to host games at home.

“The more of our teams achieving things, the bigger the argument we have as the only Canadian institution to be treated equally as the US institutions. Until that’s done, I think it’s a shame and it’s totally against what the NCAA stands for [such as] equity. I don’t think it’s fair for athletes.”

While the issue of hosting NCAA playoffs games in Canada has been a recurrent battle for Simon Fraser — often being isolated as the only Canadian institution — the Clan’s men’s soccer team can remember that they will never walk alone at Terry Fox Field.

Thadoe Wai elected as environment representative for the SFSS

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EIC

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November 18, 2016

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thadoe — Thadoe Wai reacts with glee upon learning that he won the position of environment representative for the SFSS.

It took a couple of elections, but the 2016–17 Simon Fraser Student Society (SFSS) will finally have a representative for the faculty of environment, and that person is Thadoe Wai.

With no candidates running in the general election last spring, Wai beat out running mate Supreet Malhi garnering two-thirds of the vote. He collected 61 of the 91 votes cast in the race.

“I’m feeling elated about it,” Wai said. “It was kind of nerve-wracking I guess, although I’m pretty happy about the results. I’m also pretty happy to have run in this election, and get the exposure I’ve received from it.”

Wai thanked Malhi for being his opponent, as the two seemed to form a good friendship running against each other. Malhi tweeted out congratulations for Wai from bed, as he was sick and missed the announcement.

No, I'm just sick, so I'm in bed. But congratulations to Thadoe, he's gonna do some great things!

— Supreet Malhi (@bambimalhi) November 18, 2016

Wai was still a little tired from the early morning that was the 9 a.m. announcements, but said he hopes to start to get to work soon as the new environment representative.

“Next few months, to be honest it’s hard to say because it’s the morning, but I do hope to start working together with people from my DSU [Departmental Student Union] as well as other people from the faculty and start forming a plan to help strengthen the faculty,” he said. e

SFU students say “Yes We Chen,” vote Larissa as SFSS President

By

EIC

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November 18, 2016

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deepak-larissa-byelection — Larissa Chen (right) is congratulated by Deepak Sharma upon learning that she won the SFSS byelection.

Larissa Chen will serve as the Simon Fraser Student Society president for the rest of the 2016—2017 term.

The former VP Student Services was thrust into the role on an interim basis when Deepak Sharma resigned, and managed both roles until her own resignation before the byelection. From here on out, she’ll serve as Chair of the Board of Directors, winning by a landslide over her two runningmates.

Chen secured 55.8 percent of the vote, ahead of second place Darien Lechner (25.9 percent) and third place Sharma (18.3 percent) who failed in his attempt to reclaim the presidency. A total of 1,574 students cast a vote for president in the byelection.

“The past few weeks have been overwhelming with support and so much interaction with people,” she said. “It was kind of interesting stepping away from board and to see the real world outside of board.

“I’m just so happy, I’m so lucky.”

She’ll only have a few hours to celebrate, as the next board meeting takes place at 2:30 pm today.

$5 a Day Challenge: Starving for sustainable solutions

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EIC

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November 18, 2016

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This is the final post in a week-long web series that documents Kevin Rey’s experiences living off of $5 worth of food a day.

When my editor and I were talking about this challenge in the planning phases, she said that I should feel free to bail out if I started to become really malnourished. Of course, I laughed it off and said I would be fine, and went ahead with the challenge anyway.

She apparently didn’t believe me, because after she saw the groceries I’d bought, she repeatedly told me that I was “going to die.” But after spending $35 for a week’s worth of food, I managed to survive.

It definitely wasn’t totally smooth sailing, though. At the outset, I was faced with this idea of “planning ahead” that I really wasn’t used to. Because I didn’t want to deal with the nitty-gritty details, I made a few mistakes with my money.

Like how I bought milk, but I should have gotten cream or something that was better to cook with. I also managed to eat eight eggs in one week, which is probably too much cholesterol (even though eggs have been OK’d by new dietary guidelines). I should have also been a bit more aware of where my protein was coming from, since my diet was really carb-heavy. Soy isn’t a viable replacement for me because of allergies, but I probably could have gotten some mushrooms or fish.

This week, I made a few blunders in the kitchen, too. Right after all that talk about reducing food waste, I realized that I had let some pasta dough go bad in the fridge. There’s also that gross alfredo sauce that I might not be able to do anything with.

Every time that happens, I’m reminded of the other times I’ve wasted food, and I feel guilty and frustrated that it’s happened again.

That’s not the first time I’ve felt “trapped” when it comes to food. A while ago, I watched a particularly convincing documentary that made an excellent case for buying local food. The next time I went to the grocery store, I read through the label of everything to see where it was made, and I put back everything that I wasn’t sure was from Canada. I was also trying to think of the nutrition of everything I was buying and maybe try to get an organic version of it if I could.

But because I was so hung up on trying to do something that was environmentally blameless, I ended up buying almost nothing. I was overwhelmed by the perceived weight of my actions, so I didn’t do anything.

I was also comparing myself to this mythical hyper-sustainable person I thought existed somewhere in Yaletown or the West End. This hypothetical person only buys used clothes, makes everything from scratch, has their own balcony garden, and generates no garbage. I am definitely not that person.

I’m in my third year of my PhD, and I have to juggle way too much to be 100 percent local and zero waste. But despite the fact that I’m not perfect, I think I’m making progress.

I started making my own pasta, so I cut down on the packaging and processing. I also learned that using dried beans isn’t that hard, so I can cut down on the cans I buy from the store. Those changes are pretty boring on their own, but over time, I think they will matter in some tangible way.

So I’ll wrap this $5 a day challenge up with a new challenge for you: change one thing about the way you eat for the next week.

You could commit to cooking one more meal for yourself than you usually do. Or you could eat one more meal made with leftovers. At the grocery store, you could buy one less thing that isn’t grown in North America, or plan to go one more day without eating meat. You could also bring one more meal with you to school rather than buying. Start small, and celebrate your success.

Because I think if we took small steps together, we would set ourselves up for the dramatic changes we really want.

Thanks for reading, and good cooking.

NFL Blitz with Jason Romisher Week 11

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EIC

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November 17, 2016

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2834717084_c7ac4855f8_b — Ben Roethlisberger is 20–2 all-time against the Cleveland Browns.

Last week 5–9

Season 84–61–2

Byes: Atlanta, Denver, New York Jets, San Diego

Well, the winning streak couldn’t go on forever. Just 5–9 last week, but I took great satisfaction in watching the Packers get throttled by the Titans. How exciting was the Denver vs. New Orleans finish?! If you didn’t see the highlights, watch them below. You’ve got to love sports!

On that note, to week 11 we go.

New Orleans (4–5) at Carolina (3–6), Thursday 5:25 p.m.

Both teams are coming off excruciating losses last week and need to win to keep any hopes of a playoff appearance alive. See above for the recap of the Saints method of losing. The Panthers went a more traditional route, by blowing a comfortable 17–3 fourth quarter advantage at home to the Chiefs. These two teams played earlier in the season with the Saints prevailing in a high-scoring shootout. This time, the Panthers have home field advantage and the Saints have to play on grass where they are less dynamic. I don’t see the same determination and drive from Cam Newton this year, whereas Drew Brees has left it all on the table. I’ll take the Saints in this one.

Prediction: Saints 33 Panthers 27

Jacksonville (2–7) at Detroit (5–4), Sunday 10 a.m.

With both Minnesota and Green Bay reeling, the Lions have a chance to sprint away with the NFC Central if they can put some wins together. They are rested off the bye and face one of the worst teams in the league.

Prediction: Lions 28 Jaguars 17

Mini-upset special

Buffalo (4–5) at Cincinnati (3–5–1), Sunday 10 a.m.

What a difference a year makes. Last year, the Bengals were 8–1 at this point and looked like a Super Bowl contender. They have been in the playoffs the last four years despite playing in the ultra-competitive AFC Central. Meanwhile, Buffalo looked good earlier in the season with a 4–2 record in head coach Rex Ryan’s second season. The Bills then promptly lost three straight games, but are coming off their bye. I found this to be the hardest game to call this week and will roll with Buffalo and their exciting offensive tandem of quarterback Tyrod Taylor and running back LeSean McCoy.

Prediction: Bills 32 Bengals 28

Chicago (2–7) at New York Giants (6–3), Sunday 10 a.m.

There are reports out of Chicago that the Bears players have lost faith in quarterback Jay Cutler. Chicago also found out this week that star receiver Alshon Jeffery has been suspended for four games for taking performance-enhancing drugs. Add the fact that the Bears are playing consecutive road games and facing a hot Giants team coming off an impressive victory over the Bengals, and this will be an easy win for the Giants.

Prediction: Giants 38 Bears 13

Tennessee (5–5) at Indianapolis (4–5), Sunday 10 a.m.

OK, the AFC South is beginning to look presentable, so I will comment on this matchup. With an exciting and dynamic young quarterback and an outstanding running game, the Titans are looking like a solid ball club. Facing them is a Colts team with a weak defence and poor offensive line. These are two ingredients that are essential to winning. How have they won four games, you might ask? Andrew Luck is really, really good. I like the Titans to keep the mojo rolling despite being on the road against a rested Colts squad. Look for another strong game from Titans running back DeMarco Murray.

Prediction: Titans 38 Colts 31

Pittsburgh (4–5) at Cleveland (0–10), Sunday 10 a.m.

The Steelers demonstrated last week that they could play at an elite level, despite falling late to the Cowboys. They will be highly motivated to win this divisional battle as the Ravens at 5–4 are within sight for the division lead. A citation to one of my former players, Jesse Batchelor, for providing this key statistic: Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger is 20–2 all-time against the Browns, and has faced 12 different starting quarterbacks in these matchups. The Steelers should easily win this one.

Prediction: Steelers 40 Browns 21

Arizona (4–4–1) at Minnesota (5–4), Sunday 10 a.m.

Has a 5–0 team ever fallen to 5–5 in NFL history? Minnesota is facing this ignoble prospect. The Vikings are a mess on offence and regressing on defence. They are facing a Cardinals team that has disappointed overall this season and is coming off an ugly win against the woeful 49ers. The Cardinals have the edge in this matchup because they can actually score points, whereas the Vikings have the worst statistical offensive output in the league.

Prediction: Cardinals 21 Vikings 14

Game of the Week

Baltimore (5–4) at Dallas (8–1), Sunday 10 a.m.

It’s official everyone: the quarterback controversy in Dallas is over, as Tony Romo has officially conceded his starting position to upstart rookie Dak Prescott. This matchup of division leaders features an underdog in Baltimore that sports an outstanding defence and Super Bowl champion quarterback. While that recipe is an intriguing blend for an upset of the week pick, I do not see the Ravens able to keep pace with the explosive Dallas offence. The other Dallas rookie sensation, Ezekiel Elliott, continues to dazzle with a big game against a stellar defence.

Prediction: Cowboys 27 Ravens 19

Tampa Bay (4–5) at Kansas City (7–2), Sunday 10 a.m.

Tampa is coming off a convincing win last week over the Bears, whereas the Chiefs escaped with a quality win on the road against the Panthers. The Chiefs vs. Broncos game next week was bumped up by the NFL to the premier Sunday Night time slot over the New England game and pretty boy quarterback Tom Brady. The Chiefs validate the league’s belief in them with a hard-fought victory over the Bucs.

Prediction: Chiefs 29 Buccaneers 24

Miami (5–4) at Los Angeles (4–5), Sunday 1:05 p.m.

The Rams have finally pulled the trigger and will be starting first overall draft pick Jared Goff at quarterback. All season, they have been plagued by poor quarterback play and watched while several other teams inserted rookie quarterbacks and won. The Rams clearly understand that they made a huge mistake trading away multiple draft picks for Goff with the likes of Dak Prescott being available in the fourth round. I expect Goff to struggle and Miami to continue its torrid play as they cruise to their fifth win in a row.

Prediction: Dolphins 30 Rams 10

New England (7–2) at San Francisco (1–8), Sunday 1:25 p.m.

Could the week 17 matchup between the Patriots and Dolphins determine the division winner? With the Patriots stunning loss last week to the Seahawks, the AFC East is now in play. The Patriots have a long trip out west and are facing a team that has received increasingly strong play from controversial quarterback Colin Kaepernick. If the Patriots are complacent, it could come back to bite them in a big way. Belichick, Brady, and company will not allow a let-down in this one.

Prediction: Patriots 35 49ers 24

Philadelphia (5–4) at Seattle (6–2–1), Sunday 1:25 p.m.

The Eagles are coming off a big-time win at home against the Falcons and are facing a Seahawks team that is flying high after an extremely emotional victory over the Patriots. An encouraging sign for the Seahawks was that their line play seemed improved last week, and they were able to achieve some offensive balance with a strong running game from rookie C.J. Prosise. Seattle is also one of the toughest places to play in the NFL and boasts unreal crowd noise. The 12th man coupled with the Seahawks defence will be enough to rattle Eagles rookie quarterback Carson Wentz in a big Seahawks win.

Prediction: Seahawks 31 Eagles 19

Green Bay (4–5) at Washington (5–3–1), Sunday 5:30 p.m.

The Packers have lost four of their last five games with the only win coming over the lowly Bears. They got throttled last week at Tennessee in a 47–25 beat down and are playing consecutive road games. Meanwhile Washington is coming off a solid victory over Minnesota and looks like a team that can vie for a wild card.
Prediction: Washington 27 Packers 24

Houston (6–3) at Oakland (7–2), Monday 5:30 p.m.

Here is the argument for a Texans victory: Houston is coming off back-to-back wins which include a quality win over the Lions. They were also able to defeat the Chiefs in week one, giving them two quality non-division wins. Oakland is a young team that a few weeks ago set the league record for accepted penalties in a game, and may have lost momentum as they were on bye last week. With that being said, Oakland is exponentially more talented than Houston, and will win this game in convincing fashion.

Prediction: Raiders 37 Texans 20

$5 a Day Challenge: Meatless Monday, and Tuesday, and Wednesday . . .

By

EIC

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November 17, 2016

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This is the sixth post in a week-long web series that documents Kevin Rey’s experiences living off of $5 worth of food a day. Go to the-peak.ca/category/features/ to read earlier posts!

One of the things I’ve had to get used to this week was not eating any meat.

It was more of a decision based on practicality, since meat is a lot more expensive than other sources of protein. I might have been able to afford it if I bought my supplies from a chain grocery store, but buying local was the most important thing to me.

But really, this week was another step in my long process of cutting down how much meat I eat. Specifically, beef.

Before I get into it, I know that there are plenty of different opinions on how we should make these kinds of decisions. You don’t have to look very far on the Internet before you find a meme making fun of vegans, or a news post shaming the meat or dairy industry for treating animals badly. There are literally dozens of documentaries on Netflix that all advocate for being vegan, and at least one on cooking the perfect steak.

For me, the most important reason to eat less meat is that it takes a lot of feed to raise, and cows fart.

We’ve known for a long time that cows produce methane from their digestion, but in the past three years, the world has become significantly more vocal about the effects of climate change.

It has huge implications for our industry and society, since a lot of what we use and eat produces greenhouse gases and has global effects. Dozens of papers in top scientific journals have linked human activity with the global increase in temperatures, which will lead to ocean-level rise and more extreme weather patterns unless there is a coordinated effort to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases we emit.

World governments have taken this very seriously, drafting the Paris Climate Agreement last year, where 197 countries committed themselves to limiting global warming to 2 C above pre-industrial levels.

I’ve been following climate change news pretty closely, especially since I started reporting on the oil pipeline that is proposed to be built through Burnaby Mountain. To summarize incredibly briefly, there’s a lot of solid evidence that shows this pipeline is a terrible idea.

Anyways.

Someone showed me a graphic online a while ago that broke down how much food (and thereby carbon) it takes to raise animals for meat. Beef was by far the most environmentally harmful; some experts say that if we gave it up, it would be better than giving up cars. Pork and lamb are also fairly carbon intensive. Wasting food altogether is even worse, which is what makes Embark’s Food Rescue program so exciting for me.

After humming and hawing about the chart, I thought, “I could probably not eat beef for a while.” So that’s exactly what I did.

Don’t get me wrong, though. Every now and then I’ll have a burger, or pulled pork, or roast lamb, but it’s pretty simple for me to not buy any of that at home.

For a long time, I didn’t think about how my food got to me. I had bigger things to worry about, like getting through my courses, managing my personal relationship, and playing way too many video games. But thinking of how much beef I eat was a gateway for me to think about all of my food and how it affects the environment. I started to think of all of the ways I could buy locally so less fuel was burned to ship it here, and how I could reduce the amount of garbage I make.

I’m happy to pay more and eat less meat if it means helping the environment.

Except for that butternut squash, though — $5 is highway robbery.

Second half mistakes foil Clan’s last chance for a win, end season 0–10

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EIC

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November 16, 2016

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SFU led 13–12 before giving up 28 unanswered points.

Things were looking up for the Clan at halftime. The early morning rain had cleared just in time for kickoff. Despite a pick-six thrown by quarterback Miles Richardson just 58 seconds in, SFU was down only 12–7 thanks to a defence that had completely stopped the run game (Western Oregon had -40 rushing yards at halftime).

There was an energy, an excitement, at Swangard Stadium that hadn’t been there all season. For the first time, fans were seeing a team that could win the game and, if play kept up, a team that should win.

Even the offence was moving the ball, over doubling the Wolves’ yard totals 164–72, with a rare offensive touchdown to show for it. Thanks to the Wolves missing twice on two-point conversions, SFU was in a position to not just tie Western Oregon on the next touchdown, but to take the lead.

And that they did. On defence, junior linebacker Trevor Kemp forced a Western Oregon fumble at the Wolves’ 49-yard, which through a combination of the Western Oregon player having the ball slip out of his hands as he tried to recover the fumble and a series of bounces, saw the ball land on the three-yard line, which sophomore linebacker Gabe Lopes easily scooped up and ran in for a touchdown.

For only the second time this season, the Clan had the lead — the first time they achieved it after falling behind. They were up 13–12 after a failed two-point conversion.

But it seems that for this team, all good things must come to an end.

Western Oregon scored on both of its next two drives, to take the lead 27–13. By the time the day was done, the final score was 40–13. What looked like it could have been SFU’s first win wasn’t even SFU’s best loss. (Marginally, though: the 27-point loss was one more point than SFU’s previous 33–7 loss to Western Oregon.)

“We were what we are all year: we do some really good things and we do some things that hurt us,” said head coach Kelly Bates.

The most disappointing part of the game was that it was largely the defence that fell apart in the second half. After looking so full of promise all season, and after such a great first half — a legitimately great first half, not just relative to the rest of the game — they gave up 28 points. This was the second worst second-half performance all season.

“[Western Oregon] changed up some adjustments and picked up what we’re doing [in the second half], but you’ve also got to understand that our biggest issue is our size. I mean, we’ve got a 265-lb nose guard. And the team we’re playing against has two 320-lb guards,” said Bates. “We wear down, and that’s been our issue all year — we wear down and we make mental mistakes.”

While the offence put up only one score, it was their best game all year. The offensive line, which for much of the year just couldn’t give SFU’s quarterbacks much space to make plays, was much more effective tonight, with Bates saying, “They’ve done a better job than they’ve done all year.”

SENIOR’S DAY

For 14 seniors, it marked their last game.

“I’m just going to miss all the guys, so that’s kind of disappointing. I’ve built some pretty strong bonds with a lot of the players, so I’m going to miss them a lot,” said redshirt-senior linebacker Jordan Herdman. “Knowing it was my last game, I wanted to leave it all on the field, and I felt like I did that.”

With that, SFU is losing a lot of talent. Running back Ante Litre, who has been one of the most consistent players on offence, and Felix Gacusana on the offensive line, to name a few.

“We wear down, and that’s been our issue all year — we wear down and we make mental mistakes”

Of course, you can’t forget the Herdman brothers. Both Herdmans are likely to be impact CFL players. Despite being unranked on the initial CFL Draft 2017 rankings, some feel that Jordan could be a first overall pick in the CFL Draft.

“I’m very excited. I’m very, very excited to play at the next level. I’m looking at going into the NFL. I don’t know how far I’ll take it, but I’ll take it as far as I can go,” said Jordan, who will probably have a chance to try for an NFL free-agent contract.

But on a defence that made so much progress this season, will SFU be able to keep that momentum after losing the Herdmans?

“That’s the trick of college football, you’ve always got to plug holes,” said Bates. “We’re behind the eight ball to begin with, just based on the past history up here, the last four or five years. We’re trying to correct that. Are you ever going to replace the seniors you had up here? No, you’re not going to replace them just like that, just like we couldn’t replace the 14 from last year.

“It all starts with recruiting. That’s what we do 24/7, 365 days a year. We’ll lick our wounds tonight, deal with this game, and tomorrow it’s back to the grind and trying to get this team ready next year, trying to improve upon everything we’ve done this year,” he explained. “Obviously, we didn’t do what we wanted to do, but coming into this year I knew that it was probably going to be a step back. We have 37 new guys on the roster of 70 some guys, so that is what it is. Now that process continues and we continue to build and try to get bigger, faster, stronger, better.”

One area that you can see potential in is the receivers.

“I think our receiving core was excellent this year, I mean, I think we have tremendous potential. Gavin [Cobb], Rysen [John], and Nathanael Durkan, those three you got to see on the field here and there, and heck they’re young. They’re not as physically mature as the guys they’re playing against yet,” said Bates. “But you’re seeing glimpses of what they can become.”

Cobb was one of the best players to watch on the offence, consistently looking impressive, and putting up good numbers on the kick return, averaging 98.8 yards in the nine games he played in that role. John put up his first touchdown in Saturday’s game.

Redshirt Noah Samsen, Bates said, “might end up being the best of all of them.”

But for now, SFU is 0–10 on the season, with the second straight winless season, after losing the 23rd consecutive game dating back to 2014. This senior class has only seen five wins in their four seasons with the team.

It’s going to take a lot of hard work from both the players and the coaching staff to see that the next group of seniors gets some wins, and to build on this season.

IN OTHER NEWS: For the second year in a row, a Great Northwest Athletic Conference (GNAC) football team has made the playoffs, as the Azusa Pacific Cougars were announced as having made the cut with an 8–0 conference record and 9–2 overall record. Prior to Humboldt State making it last year, a GNAC team hadn’t made the playoffs since the 2009 Central Washington Wildcats (featuring future BC Lions Adam Bighill). Time will tell if the Cougars follow the 2009 Wildcats and the 2015 Lumberjacks in winning in the first round, only to lose to Northwest Missouri State in the second round. Northwest Missouri State went on to win the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II national championship.

Clan women walk away from Patriot Duals with 7–1 record

By

EIC

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November 16, 2016

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Simon Fraser University Women's Clan International Wrestling at SFU West Gym, Burnaby B.C. October 31 2015. Photo: Ron Hole — Abby Lloyd (right) finished with an perfect 8–0 record.

The Clan women’s wrestling took to the mats this past weekend, travelling all the way to Kentucky to compete in the Patriot Duals with some of the best teams in the country. Led by men’s head wrestling coach Justin Abdou, the women’s team were able to come away with a 7–1 record over the weekend.

“The girls dominated their first seven duels, only coming up short against the defending national champions in the finals,” said coach Abdou.

The women’s team did just that, outscoring the other teams by a staggering margin of 223–88. Their only loss came to King University, who are currently ranked first in the nation. Strong efforts from the entire duel lineup allowed the Clan to be successful over the two-day tournament.

“Abby Lloyd, Dominique Parrish, and Nicole Depa all went 8–0 this weekend. We were down two starters and are looking forward to having them back in the lineup,” coach Abou said of the women’s individual performances.

Missing from action this weekend was returning national champion Mallory Velte (143-lbs weight class) and Francesca Giorgio (136), who placed third at last year’s national championships. Despite missing two key pieces, the Clan were still able to dominate with three freshman filling in for the starting lineup.

Coming off of a third place finish at last year’s national championships, the Clan are poised to make an impact late this year once again. Led by returning national champion Velte, they were ranked second in the year’s preseason rankings. With multiple returning national placers, the Clan are definitely a team that other schools should watch out for.

When asked about the team’s performance against top-ranked King University, coach Abdou said, “It was a good test to go up against a team like that this early to see how good we are. We have some work to do but if we stay healthy and continue to improve we can definitely have a shot to win come Nationals.”

The Patriot Duals are just one of the first major tournaments the Clan will be a part of this season. Despite it being an early tournament, the Clan has a lot of positives to take away from the tournament. Additionally, they know what they can work on to take down King University at the national championships this spring.

Following their strong start, the Clan will be active again this coming weekend in Spokane, Washington. After that, you can see them at home in West Gym on December 2 and 3.