As finals wrapped up last semester, some of City College’s most committed competitors were still hard at work. So what has happened with some of the Panthers very best leading the charge?
Roland Armstrong
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BASKETBALL – MEN’S
The men’s basketball team is fighting through the season strong. It currently holds an overall record of 15-10, sitting at 7-4 in the conference.
Sophomore KJ Duronslet is leading the team with 15 points and 8 rebounds per game.
Andrew Jones, 50, who has been coaching Panthers basketball since the 1991 season, is looking forward to the challenges ahead.
“All of our goals are still within reach,” says Jones. We’re right in the thick of things.”
Their goal: Playoffs.
BASKETBALL -WOMEN’S
The women’s basketball team is struggling to find its way as it currently has a record of 11-14.
Team leader Jessica Lauderdale is averaging 17 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists per game.
Julia Allender, 33, is in her third season coaching the Panthers. She spoke of the team’s struggles to this point.
“Well I don’t think anyone goes into a season wanting to have a losing record,” says Allender. “So yeah, we’re not doing as well as we thought we’d be.”
WRESTLING
The wrestling team capped off yet another dominating season, having won the Big 8 conference title for the sixth year in a row. As a team, the Panthers finished third in the state.
The team featured seven All-Americans, as well as two state champions in Derek Lee Loy at 165 pounds and Kalen Hastey at 184 pounds.
David Pacheco, 59, just wrapped up his 34th season coaching City College wrestlers.
“Every year you start off you’re always expecting to win it. We won it the year before, the state championship,” Pacheco says. “And we had a pretty good crew back. But you know, you never know what the other teams are going to come up with.”
SPRING 2017 SPORTS REVIEW
Geoffrey Kindell
Staff Writer · [email protected]
Jayson Price
Staff Writer · [email protected]
February is here, and if you listen closely, you can hear the pace of runners quicken and the ping of metal on ball contact.
BASEBALL
This year the Panthers’ baseball team looks to put last year’s first round playoff loss behind them and improve from there. The team has 11 returning sophomores from last year’s team, with them transferring 17 players to play for universities, and two players for academics.
“We can pitch and play catch so that’s going to be our strength. To pitch and play defense,” says Coach Derek Sullivan.
SOFTBALL
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“Our goal is to win state,” said Kiernan.
SWIMMING – MEN’S
The team has 40 members, with six members returning from last year’s team.
The Panthers were able to send one swimmer last year to the state championship, where he placed fifth overall.
“We are going to train harder, and get back to the state championship” said Assistant Coach Bryce Javier.
With expectations high for this season, the Panthers hope to send more swimmers to the state championships to represent City College.
SWIMMING – WOMEN’S
With a pool of fresh talent, swimming Coach Steve Hanson plans on competing at the same high level as last year.
“Our long term goal is to put together a team that’s going to be competitive in the Big 8 and beat those teams that actually have diving.”
Hanson’s comment about “actually having diving” refers to City College’s lack of a diving program, which puts them at a disadvantage when it comes to the finals because diving is recorded in total team points.
“They dig into one another,” said Hanson. “When you ask them to challenge one another, they like that.”
TENNIS – MEN’S
The tennis teams are coached by Dave Griffin. Griffin looks to continue to lead his teams to victory. Last season the men’s tennis team had two state qualifiers, and looks to send more to play for state.
“I think this year’s team can be pretty comparable to last year’s team,” says Griffin
This season, the men’s tennis team has six players on it. With only one returning player, all will be required to play singles and doubles matches.
The first match is scheduled for Feb. 21 against Sequoias College at City College at 1 p.m.
TENNIS – WOMEN’S
After a very successful 2016 campaign, City College tennis finds itself starting from scratch.
Last season boasted three state qualifiers for the Panthers’ tennis program. This season, Coach David Griffin finds his returning player numbers at “love.”
“It will be an uphill battle. It will certainly be tough. This is one of the top conferences in the area. Better than the Bay Area,” said Griffin.
Their goal? “Get better today than we were yesterday.”
TRACK & FIELD – MEN’S
The men’s team coached by Rob Dewar, who is in his 12th year here at City College coaching for the Panthers. His goal this season is to lead his athletes to the CCCAA State Championships.
The Panthers belong to the Big 8 conference, where they look to be the team to beat in the conference this upcoming season. The Panthers first meet is the Jamie Nieto Invite on Feb. 17 at City College.
TRACK AND FIELD – WOMEN’S
Track and field will hit the ground running with new head Coach Marisa Avendanos. Avendanos said her first order of business is changing the culture of her squad for the better.
“I’ve built a strong coaching team with strong individuals that have the same philosophy: Put the athletes first,” said Avendanos. “I think good things will happen in April and May.”
