Page 4 April 3, 2014 Joe’s Sports Santa Monica Sweeps Hawthorne in Ocean Opener By Joe Snyder Last week, Hawthorne High’s baseball team began the Ocean League with two games against the seventh-ranked team in the CIF-Southern Section Division III from Santa Monica. In the first game at Santa Monica on March 26, the Cougars were able to give the Vikings a good game but came up short 5-4. Last Thursday at Hawthorne, Santa Monica dominated the Cougars 11-3. At Santa Monica the Vikings took a 5-1 lead into the top of the seventh inning, but Hawthorne made it close with three runs. The Cougars, who fell to 6-3-1 overall and 0-2 in league with the losses, left the tying run at second base. Keying Hawthorne was Mike Henderson who went two for three with a double, a run and two RBIs. Losing pitcher Javier Martinez tossed a complete game. He struck out two batters and walked two. Martinez gave up seven hits. At Hawthorne last Thursday, Santa Monica started fast in building an 11-0 bulge in the top of the fifth to coast to an easy win. The Cougars ended the shutout bid by the Vikings when Henderson scored after Jesus Sariano was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Andrew Banuelos followed with a two-run single. Sariano was a bright spot for Hawthorne by going two for four with one run batted in. The Cougars are currently having spring break and resume play with home nonleague games against Centinela Valley High School District rivals Lawndale and Leuziniger next week. Hawthorne hosts the Cardinals next Tuesday and the Olympians next Thursday in 3:15 p.m. contests. After hosting Animo Leadership from Inglewood on April 16, the Cougars resume league at Culver City on April 22. LEUZINGER SWEEPS DOMINGUEZ Leuzinger High’s baseball team pulled through with a pair of victories over Dominguez High from Compton last week. At Leuzinger on March 25, the Olympians shut out the Dons 4-0. At Dominguez last Thursday, Leuzinger pulled out a 9-8 win. Last Thursday, the Olympians were led by Sergio Hernandez who went three for three with two doubles, one run and four RBIs. Johnny Sanchez was two for four with a triple, a run and three RBIs. Relief pitcher Hawthorne batter Steve Leyva takes a swing at a pitch during last Thursday’s Ocean League baseball game against Santa Monica. The Vikings won 11-3 and held off the Cougars 5-4 in the opener on March 25. Photo by Joe Snyder. Edgar Gutierrez pitched the bottom of the seventh for his first save. Leuzinger, which improved to 3-8, won despite allowing 18 hits to Dominguez. Gutierrez had a complete game four-hit shutout in the Olympians’ first win over the Dons. He struck out 10 batters. On offense, Sanchez was two for four with a double and one RBI. Hernandez went two for three. Leuzinger has two non-league games against Lynwood this week. After visiting the Knights last Tuesday, the Olympians are at home against Lynwood today at 3:15 p.m. Leuzinger then hosts Lawndale next Tuesday at the same time. LAWNDALE SPLITS PAIR Lawndale High’s baseball team split its two non-league games last week. On March 26 at Lawndale, the Cardinals downed Chadwick from Rolling Hills Estates 8-3. Last Friday at Beverly Hills, Lawndale fell to the Normans 7-2. The Cardinals’ next game is at Leuzinger next Tuesday at 3:15 p.m. A day later, Lawndale visits Hawthorne at the same time. HMSA STRUGGLES With a very young and inexperienced team, the Hawthorne Math and Science Academy baseball team remains winless in seven games with a 20-4 loss to host Pacific Lutheran from Gardena on March 25 at Alondra Park. The Aviators host Coastal League rival Environmental Charter from Lawndale today at 3:15 p.m. before a home game against Lennox Academy at the same time next Tuesday. LEUZINGER SPIKERS GET FIRST WIN Leuzinger High’s boys’ volleyball team picked up its first win of the season in four games over Inglewood Morningside on March 26 at Leuzinger. The Olympians topped the Monarchs 27-25, 25-14, 15-25, 25-22. Leuzinger, which is 1-9 overall, was led by Marriyon Brown who had six kills. Last Thursday, Lawndale and Hawthorne Math and Science Academy were swept in league action. In a Pioneer League match at Lawndale, the Cardinals fell to Torrance 25-6, 25-12, 25-17. In the Coastal League at the Betty Ainsworth Recreation Center in Hawthorne, the Aviators lost to El Segundo’s Vistamar School 25-17, 25-14, 25-16. SENTINEL HOOPSTERS MAKE ALL-CIF Inglewood High’s boys’ and girls’ basketball teams each had all-CIF Southern Section players recently named. For the Lady Sentinels, who were Southern Section Division IIIA runner-ups to Santa Margarita and lost in the first round of the Southern California Regional playoffs, Dominique Godbolt and Aijeia Lloyd landed on the squad. For Inglewood’s boys, who were Division IAA semifinalists before a one-point loss to eventual champion Long Beach Poly, sophomore Terrell Gomez made the cut. • One Man’s Opinion Another Man’s Opinion Meeting Between Two World Leaders Seems Like a Genuine Moment By Cristian Vasquez Seeing images of President Barack Obama’s and Pope Francis’ first meeting at the Vatican was somewhat refreshing. My reaction to both world leaders sharing the spotlight was certainly different than usual. People who know me well can tell you that while I am a man of faith, I have distanced myself from my Catholic upbringing ever since I was 17 years old. I didn’t abandon the teachings of the Church, but more the ritual of attending Mass and connecting with its leaders. Those same people can also confirm my disappointment with President Barack Obama and his handling of situations like Syria, the ongoing drone strikes, the spying and collecting data on Americans, among other issues. Furthermore, I am one who is never happy witnessing religious leaders meeting with world leaders--in particular the President of the United States. Usually when these types of figureheads meet, there are ulterior, political motives behind the gathering. Or, the gathering is simply a P.R. event for either side. Personally, I register to the late great George Carlin school of thought: if religions want to influence politics, they should pay taxes like the rest of us do (paraphrased). However, the meeting between these two leaders didn’t make my stomach turn or make me change the channel. The exchange between both men came across as a very genuine moment. Could I be misreading the encounter? Maybe, but it’s a change from the normal, “Let’s shake hands and take a picture.” I must admit that Pope Francis is in my good graces right now. Some people think he is shaking things up and consider the new Pontiff a breakaway from former Pope Benedict’s more conservative interpretation of the Catholic gospel. I simply think he is nicer and has a much gentler approach to everything. Pope Francis hasn’t come out and said anything to indicate a radical change in the Church’s teachings. Sure, he asked who was he to judge gay people? We have all seen the Pope hug a child who ran up to him while delivering service, and he embraced a man with tumors that had disfigured his face. This is proof of the kind soul and love for humanity that exist within the Pontiff. The actions reflect the kind nature of a person rather than his intention to change the views and beliefs of an institution like the Catholic Church. Pope Francis, through actions and not words, can inspire us all to change. The Pontiff has taught me that I can be a nicer, more loving and more accepting individual without jeopardizing myself, my faith or betraying my spiritual teachings. In short, Pope Francis offers hope through his actions and not just words. When President Obama campaigned in 2008, he sold the voters a message of hope and change. While it has definitely not all been his fault, there isn’t a lot that has changed during his time in office and we are still hoping for things to get better. The meeting between the President and the Pope could be no more than a P.R. stunt, but it definitely makes the moment genuine in my eyes. • By Gerry Chong Competition and escalation. Since the news is full of both, it’s appropriate to write about them. In the words of Barack Obama, “never bring a knife to a gunfight. That’s the Chicago way.” And in truth, he is living out his credo. Take, for example, his competition with Jimmy Carter for the title of the Worst President “Russia will have profited and siphoned our funds into their national treasury, apparently having won the set.” in U.S. History. This week, Carter complained that Obama’s NSA was probably hacking his email, so he is reduced to sending messages to world leaders who seek his opinion via the U.S. Postal Service. Think about that: First, which world leaders would seek his opinion? Second, he is using the symbol of government ineptitude, the bankrupt Postal Service. Third, and most important, he is afraid this administration is stealing his secrets on how he had become heretofore the Worst President in U.S. History. With Obama in hot pursuit for that title, Carter needs to hide his secrets from the NSA. Becoming that pathetic wasn’t easy, so he wouldn’t want to give away secrets. In the immortal words of Satchel Paige, “Don’t look back--something could be gaining.” Yep, competition and escalation. Did you notice that when Obama responded to the seizure of Crimea by barring seven Russians and four Ukrainians from travelling to the U.S., Putin did the same to U.S. government officials? Obama was relieved that the sanctions applied only to government officials and did not apply to the First Family since Michelle’s mother and children and their entourage of 70 people may want a follow-up to their China trip, and being barred from Russia could have put a crimp in a future trip to the Hermitage. Game, Obama. Then when Obama put sanctions on a Russian bank, Putin put his salary in that bank. You gotta hand it to the Ruskie--he’s a tough guy who can take a solid punch and keep on a’comin’ forward. Could you see Obama with the guts to put his money in a Chicago bank? Game, Putin. With one game to each man, the set is on the line. Obama pledged $1 billion in aid to the Ukraine. Since the Russians are the only source of energy to the Ukraine, Putin will raise the price of oil, forcing Ukrainians to use our money to buy Russian fuel. Russia will have profited and siphoned our funds into their national treasury, apparently having won the set. But not so fast: Obama, the man who brought a gun to the knife fight, still has a card to play. He will have our Federal Reserve print money faster than the Russians can launder it, making their holdings worthless. Set, Obama. Oh, somewhere over the Urals, a beaten and distraught Putin turns to his musical composers and asks them to write an update to the American classic “Cry Me a River.” Only, this year’s version should be entitled “Crimea River,” destined for the top of the pop charts wherever the Red flag flies. •
Lawndale 04_03_14
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