|
|
|
|
Cougars Roar into Tournaments
Both teams travel to Clark State Community College in Springfield Feb. 25 to close out the regular season, and after that it's Columbus State March Madness. The women go March 2-5 to district tournaments at Delta College in Michigan, and the men's team will travel March 10-12 to Owens Community College in Toledo. The men, after a blistering 7-0 start that left them atop the conference standings, are currently nursing a 9-4 conference record. The women are 2-9 in the conference going into the Clark State match. "I think a lot of people are kind of amazed at what our teams can do," says Keith Tate, coach of the men's basketball team. Another winter sports team fans see at the basketball games is already making a championship run. The college's cheerleading team won the Junior College Division of the Americheer Winter Open Nationals on Feb. 12. The cheerleading team is gearing up for a number of other competitions, including the Cheerleaders of America Midwest Open and the U.S. Spirit Arnold Classic. Junior college basketball is a faster game than in high school, says Cari Sargent, a second-year shooting guard on the women's team. Compared to high school, Sargent says every game is an all-star game. "Even though half the people don't know we have a team, we play hard the whole game," says Katrina Clark, a first-year civil engineering major who plays on the women's basketball team. Both teams started the season traveling to tournaments where they'd play against two or three other teams. Those teams were often from higher divisions, and Sargent says the tough play prepared them to return to their own division. Both teams play in Junior College Division II, although most other Cougar sports teams are Division III. The tournament trips also gave the teams a chance to bond, Sargent says. The women's team is coming together in the back half of the schedule, helped by the fact that five of the nine players are returning sophomores. Of 13 students on the men's team, four are returnees. "We're getting better every day," Sargent says.
Sargent was lured to Columbus State from another college by the possibility of a scholarship--men's and women's basketball are the only two sports for which Columbus State awards scholarships. Sargent is studying nursing, and she says it's tough keeping up with the team and her challenging courses. After attending Columbus State, many players go on to play ball at four-year colleges, Tate says. Several players, including Darrion Griffin, have been heavily recruited to play other schools. Griffin says he was overlooked by recruiters coming out of his native Toledo, but he's honed his skills while at Columbus State. "My being here helped as far as improving my game and becoming more of an adult." If you missed basketball season this year, there's always next year. Like many things at Columbus State, Cougar athletics provides a lot of bang for your buck. Admission is free for students. "I'll definitely be back watching games (after graduation), that's for sure," Sargent says. Look for more Cougar sports after basketball season ends--practice is under way now for both the track and golf teams. The Cougar golf team has won the national championship in its division twice, and they are looking to have another successful season this year. For information on other Cougar sports--volleyball, baseball, softball, cross country, and soccer--visit the Athletic Department at http://www.cscc.edu/sports/default.asp. |
|
The men's team is equally confident. "We can definitely make it to nationals," says Jadin Thomas, a first-year student on the men's squad.