The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Tag: Spring 2019

  • Jacks rugby slides into postseason with dominating performance

    Jacks rugby slides into postseason with dominating performance

    It was do or die for the HSU rugby team heading into their game against the Sonoma State Seawolves on Saturday. If they won, playoffs would await. If they lose, their goal of winning a national championship in their division would have to wait another season.

    The excitement and anticipation was in the air before the game as the coaches and players fired themselves up in the pregame huddle and stressed what was on the line and the need for teamwork and execution. It was also the final home game for the seniors, which added to the motivation for the team to deliver and send the Lumberjacks to the playoffs.

    Tackle
    Men’s rugby team being tackled by Sonoma state. | Photo by Abel Anaya

    And deliver they did, the HSU rugby team dominated Sonoma State by a score of 73-22, with the game never seeming to be in doubt at any point.

    “Now we’re playing a lot of clean ball and keeping possession,” senior Andre Hascall said. “And just not doing stupid things.”

    It only took one minute and 17 seconds for the Jacks to get their first try on the board, as Thomas Bradley punched the ball into the end zone to get the Jacks an early 5-0 lead.

    Sonoma State followed that up with a try of their own to tie the score 5-5, but three minutes later HSU scored with Jose Rodriguez getting the try for the Jacks and giving HSU the lead at 10-5.

    Following that score, Sonoma State would not have a sniff of the lead again as HSU would score 22 unanswered points to make the score 27-5. Since the 5-5 tie early in the game, the Jacks would outscore Sonoma State 27-10 down the stretch in the first half to make the halftime score 32-15.

    HSU men’s rugby team forms a ruck
    HSU men’s rugby team forms a ruck to continue after being tackled by Sonoma state. | Photo by Abel Anaya

    If you thought the Jacks did well in the first half, they would do even better in the second half. They dominated the Seawolves by outscoring them in the second half 42-7 cementing their place in the postseason and making the seniors last memory of playing at home a good one.

    HSU player Nako Te’l would add two tries to the scoreboard during the game as well as Jose Rodriguez and Cameron Whitney both tapping the ball into the end zone twice for the Lumberjacks.

    The celebration on the bench began well before the final whistle sounded, as both the players and coaches knew what they were able to accomplish in their biggest game of the year so far. But it was about more than the game itself as the coaches celebrated the seniors who were playing the last home game on the North Coast.

    HSU coach Vince Celotto said it brings him a lot of joy to have players that come to the rugby program and continue to to stay.

    “We want to make them happy,” Celotto said. “They deserve to be on the pitch and have their friends watch them play.”

    HSU men’s Rugby team
    HSU men’s rugby team forms a Line-out to gain possession of the ball. | Photo by Abel Anaya

    The Jacks have one more league game and then it’s off to Monmouth, Oregon on March 30 to start their quest for the ultimate goal, which is the national championship.

    HSU coach Greg Pargee said he finds it it incredible to watch the players grow as student-athletes.

    “I’m passionate about the sport, but I’m equally as passionate watching these guys grow as young men,” Pargee said.

  • Too soon to tell

    Too soon to tell

    Humboldt State University looks to cut classes earlier for low enrollment

    Clarissa Cardenas is a first year student double-majoring in French and international studies. Initially, she enrolled in the wrong French class and had to switch and enroll into a different class a couple days into her first semester. If that class had been cut due to enrollment she would’ve never had the opportunity to enroll late.

    For spring semester Humboldt State University is attempting to cut classes earlier for low enrollment than previous semesters, putting situations like Cardenas’ in jeopardy. Before classes wouldn’t get cut until after winter break and up until the first day of the semester, sometimes longer.

    “I get nervous because the French program is small and if they cut those classes before school even starts then students have to scramble looking for classes,” Cardenas said.

    Vice provost of the dean for undergraduate and graduate studies Rock Braithwaite said cutting classes is routine and happens every semester. It occurs in the transitional stage between the end of one semester and the beginning of the next. Braithwaite said they’re trying to do a better job identifying and assessing class enrollment so they can address cutting classes sooner.

    “I’m almost embarrassed to say it but cutting classes happens up to the first day of the semester,” Braithwaite said. “Students are contacted if and when substitutions are needed.”

    Cardenas said that cutting classes early is taking away the opportunity for students to enroll in vital classes if they enroll late. She knows logistically the university has to cut classes, but said students get the short end of the stick.

    “Students enroll late in classes all the time and to cut those classes is very one-sided,” Cadenas said. “We shouldn’t be punished for enrolling late and should be given the opportunity to search for classes.”

    Junior film major Alfonso Trejos said cutting classes early can potentially affect students’ financial aid. Trejos said it’s a better outcome if the school cuts classes later so students are already enrolled and qualify for financial aid. If the class is cut due to low enrollment while he is already enrolled a professor can show open classes to take.

    “School is expensive and it comes down to the money most of the time for people,” Trejos said.

    Maria Sanchez is a junior in social work and plans on interning her last semester. Sanchez said she doesn’t want to overload herself while interning, so she’s taking more than the unit cap of classes. She has to petition for the extra units she enrolls in and that takes time.

    “Sometimes I’m not even able to enroll in a class until the first day of the semester,” Sanchez said.

    IMG_3591.jpg
    Screen grab of social work course rotations.

    The more time students have to search for classes without fear of having them cut, Sanchez said is best. She said it isn’t a huge deal to wait to cut classes like the school has been doing but for students cutting classes early is detrimental.

    “In my department if you don’t get in or pass a class you have to wait an entire year to take it again,” Sanchez said.