Category: Showcase

International News Tidbits

Trump to Remove Protections for Transgender Students

President Trump could issue new guidelines as early as Wednesday to rescind anti-discrimination protections for transgender students, overruling his education secretary who had pushed to keep them in place.

“I would expect further guidance to come out on that today,” Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, said, declining to provide specifics. Mr. Trump, he added, is “a firm believer in states’ rights.”

Mr. Spicer declined to discuss details of a rift on the issue between Betsy DeVos, the secretary of education, and Jeff Sessions, the attorney general, who was adamant that the administration move quickly to reverse an order from the Obama administration that allowed transgender students to use the restroom of their gender identity.

But Mr. Spicer said during a White House news conference that Ms. DeVos was “100 percent” supportive of the president’s decision.

Mr. Sessions, who strongly opposes expanding gay, lesbian and transgender rights, fought Ms. DeVos on the issue and pressed her to relent because he could not go forward without her consent. The order must come from the Justice and Education Departments.

Chinese Feminist Group’s Social Media Account Suspended

The main social media account of a leading feminist organization in China has been taken down for 30 days, and Chinese feminists are bracing for another wave of repression before major political meetings this year.

The closing of the account for the organization, Feminist Voices, may have been linked to an article it posted about a women’s strike planned in the United States on March 8, International Women’s Day, feminists said on Wednesday. The strike, which is being coordinated by the organizers of the Women’s March on Washington last month, is called “A Day Without a Woman.”

Feminist Voices (Nuquan Zhisheng) was founded in 2009 and has operated on Weibo, a Twitter-like platform in China, since 2010. It said it had received notice that it was being shut down late Monday from its host, the media giant Sina.com.

“Hello, because content you recently posted violates national laws and regulations, your account will be banned for 30 days,” the notice said, according to a message Feminist Voice circulated on another social media account.

This Years Carpet-Baggers at the Oscars

And the Oscar this year doesn’t go to: Andre Royo, for his lead role as a melancholic ex-con in “Hunter Gatherer”; Alan Rickman, posthumously, for playing a thoughtful general in the drone warfare thriller “Eye in the Sky”; Margo Martindale, who stole scenes as the matriarch in “The Hollars”; John Goodman, for his performance as a survivalist in “10 Cloverfield Lane”; Susan Sarandon, who played a garrulous widow in “The Meddler.”

Each received an awards push, or at least an awards nudge, from publicists, distributors, studios or some combination thereof. Yet for myriad reasons — timing, competition, dearth of funds, off-the-mark campaigns, lack of je ne sais quoi — none of those performances managed to gin up much interest, though some arguably were deserving.

Crucial to understanding the machinations of the Academy Awards is knowing that the nominees, and winners, aren’t necessarily the year’s best but rather the most popular. So, in the week before Hollywood turns its gaze to the winners’ circle on Sunday at the Dolby Theater, the Bagger is looking instead to the could-have-beens, whose dashed dreams join the other ghosts of seasons past.

7 Earth-Size Planets Orbit Dwarf Star, NASA and European Astronomers Say

Not just one, but seven Earth-size planets that could potentially harbor life have been identified orbiting a tiny star not too far away, offering the first realistic opportunity to search for signs of alien life outside of the solar system.

The planets orbit a dwarf star named Trappist-1, about 40 light-years, or 235 trillion miles, from Earth. That is quite close in cosmic terms, and by happy accident, the orientation of the orbits of the seven planets allows them to be studied in great detail.

One or more of the exoplanets in this new system could be at the right temperature to be awash in oceans of water, astronomers said, based on the distance of the planets from the dwarf star.

“This is the first time so many planets of this kind are found around the same star,” Michael Gillon, an astronomer at the University of Liege in Belgium and the leader of an international team that has been observing Trappist-1, said during a telephone news conference organized by the journal Nature, which published the findings on Wednesday.

Hispanic Leaders Plan Fight Against Trump’s Agenda

As President Trump is giving his first address to a joint session of Congress next week, Hispanic political leaders plan to meet in Washington to draft a strategy to counter his agenda, particularly his immigration crackdown.

The Latino Victory Fund, a political action committee that works to elect progressive Hispanic leaders, will meet on Tuesday, as Mr. Trump speaks to Congress, to begin recruiting candidates at the federal, state and local levels who can push back against the president’s policies, including in cities and municipalities where they are having immediate impact.

Those include in so-called sanctuary cities, which are jurisdictions that limit their cooperation with federal authorities seeking to detain unauthorized immigrants.

“As the president is outlining his plans to break up families, roll back civil rights protections and gut the environment, we are going to be finalizing our strategy to defeat him,” said Cristóbal Alex, the president of the Latino Victory Project, a civic group affiliated with the Latino Victory Fund.

Mr. Trump, he added, “literally started his campaign on Day 1 by attacking us, and his policies have reflected that, so we need to build up our power and fight back.”

February 23, 2017
Child Prostitution Is Still A No

Many news articles have come out recently stating that child prostitution has been legalized in California. This is because Governor Edmund Gerald “Jerry” Brown, Jr. signed into law SB-1322 (Senate Bill No. 1322) on September 26, 2016. This bill changed the way prostitution would be treated for minors. The existing laws were that it was a “crime to solicit or engage in any act of prostitution” or to “loiter in any public place with the intent to commit prostitution.” SB-1322 made the existing laws about prostitution in California inapplicable for those under the age of 18. This bill allows children who are trafficked into prostitution to no longer be tried as criminals, but instead as victims. So instead of having to serve prison time, Child Protective Services will be called.
Many of those against this new legislation claim that it will cause an increase in prostitution because now more children will want to prostitute because there will be almost no consequences. They also claim that more pimps will target children knowing that they don’t have to worry about the prostitutes getting caught and going to prison. This could be true in a minute minority of instances, but in the majority this will make it much easier for those victims of human trafficking to seek help.

February 9, 2017
Kake Hashi Exchange Program at Poly

From February 2 through the 4, some of Poly’s own got a chance to host students from Akita, Japan, and got the opportunity to expose the exchange students to the campus and southern California. During their journey, they got a glimpse into the best, and the worst, of American culture, experiencing everything from Hollywood to Disneyland. A whopping twenty-three Japanese students, along with two chaperones, accompanied a select handful of Poly students around.

During this past summer, Poly students went to Japan, along with Christine Tram and Susan Watson, to visit the same students at their high school, Akita Minami. This unique exchange program is made possible by Kake Hashi (Japanese for building bridges), an organization that is aiming to form a bond between Japan and the United States by allowing youth of both nations to better understand each other’s culture. “Well, taking my students to Japan benefits my class because they get to actually use their Japanese in a real life situation, and they got to see all the stuff they learned in class. I wasn’t making up Japanese, I was teaching them real words,” said Watson with a reminiscent smile.

Can you imagine going to school for six days a week in a suit and tie, or a blazer and pleated skirt? That’s what daily life is like for a high school student in Japan. They uphold a professional appearance to keep up with their world renowned academic reputation. But, can you imagine not being able to show public displays of affection to your significant other? These sort of regulations are commonplace in a Japanese high school, so you can imagine their surprise when they came to Poly with couples snogging at every corner and fashion choices from ponchos and bell bottoms to flip flops and crop tops. Akita is covered in nearly three feet of snow right now, adding to the cultural distinction.

However, there are a few aspects of the culture that American students can relate to. Around this time of year, Japanese students are anxiously going through the process of pursuing a higher education in college. In America, we have numerous chances of getting a good enough SAT score to impress the colleges of our choice. In Japan, however, they have one shot. They go to said institution, take the test, and wait at the edge of their seats for results. Though this may seem inconceivable, Japanese students grew up with this healthy, competitive attitude towards their education, and consider anything else to be foreign. “It inspires me to just work hard and be grateful that I live in America, a country where, just like college, you have multiple opportunities to be successful,” said senior Tatiana Tate, as she recalls the difficulties Japanese students have to face.

Both Japanese and American students alike got an enriching experience from the exchange. Exposing the exchange students to American culture may have been rewarding by way of freedom of expression through clothing and physical contact with other humans, but could also remind them of their academic advantage from being in such a cultivating environment. American students, on the other hand, would jubilantly return to their five-day school weeks and multiple opportunities to achieve success in their scholastic endeavours. However, the slight division between the two is the very foundation of the bridges being built through the Kake Hashi program. The experiences it provide to students from both sides of the world are unforgettable, and emphasize the importance of blending cultures in order to improve global relationships. “No matter where you are from around the word, you typically have similar morals and similar hobbies,” said senior Kayla Sanders.

Future exchange opportunities in the Poly Japanese language department include partnerships with Long Beach’s sister city, Yokkaichi, that extend beyond surface level explorations. On July 20, 2017, two students and one teacher from each city will be sent on a three week trip to Japan to act as goodwill ambassadors. On July 31, four students and one teacher will embark on an eight day environmental summit, learning about innovative ways Yokkaichi is helping the planet become more environmentally friendly. Application deadline for both of these opportunities are on Friday, February 24.

February 9, 2017
Holocaust Remembrance Project

January 30 marked the eighty-fourth year since Adolf Hitler was “elected” chancellor of Germany. What followed in the years after his rise to power was destruction on a massive scale, both in the form of a world war and in the slaughter of millions of innocent Jews.

Wars have always been a part of history, but genocide on this scale was unprecedented. Millions were complicit, complacent, or directly involved in the systematic extermination of Jewish, Roma, Slavic, Black, homosexual and disabled people. So many were targeted, and so many were comfortable turning a blind eye like the thousands of Germans who ignored the death camps practically in their own backyards. Chapman University in the City of Orange is one of many modern organizations that seeks to honor those who suffered at the hands of the Nazis and shed light upon how such a tragedy could occur.

Every year, they host a contest in which they challenge American students to watch survivor testimonies and then connect the survivor’s stories to their own lives. The students then create an art piece based on this connection.

Joylyn Souter, the English teacher who hosts this contest at Poly, has seen many terrific and moving projects come out of the contest. One can never really underestimate the connections that can come from watching these testimonials. It is a common mistake to view Holocaust survivors as a type of war hero or valorous figure. They are human beings, just like the rest of us, and that is the most important thing to remember.

There is power in these connections, these stories, such as that of former contest winner Danielle Spriggs. She sat down and opened her backpack to eat her lunch, and discovered that a pear her mother had packed for her was crushed and smeared all over the other food, rendering much of it inedible. She ate what she could and when the bell rang for class she went to class disappointed and still a little hungry.

Soon after, Spriggs would hear the story of Ilse Diament, who was freed from Bergen-Belsen by British Soldiers near the end of the war. After she was released from the camp, a doctor gave her a can of pears. The taste, even after years away from the hell that was Bergen-Belsen, was a sign of freedom to Diament.
Something as ordinary as a pear can connect people in two different situations and backgrounds, almost a hundred years apart. Unfortunately, the contest closed on Monday, February 6. Interested students are encouraged to see Ms. Souter in room 203 to partake in next year’s contest.

February 9, 2017
Whites, Camera, Action!

There has been talk recently concerning the diversity, or the lack thereof, in the nominations for the 88th annual Academy Awards. This is the second consecutive year in which the lack of diversity—and African Americans, to be specific—has been a concern of the public. What’s the deal?
Last year, it was more reasonable as to why there were not that many African Americans, to be more specific, nominated. The only big movie with an African-American leading actor or an African cast and director was Selma, a movie depicting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his struggle for civil rights. It is a struggle that we seem to still be going through today. This year, on the other hand, there does not seem to be a valid excuse as to why there are not any minority nominations. There has been an extensive list of exceptional movies with African American lead roles that came out in 2015.
The 2015 dramatic sports film Creed was written and directed by Ryan Coogler, who just happens to be black, and starred Adonis Johnson, another black man. But alas, despite raving reviews from TIME, Rolling Stone, and other publications, the only one to get nominated from this film was a white man.
Director, F. Gray Gray, an African American man, had a booming, charismatic cast of young, new faces, who were all-black in the hit blockbuster Straight Outta Compton. This edgy, heartfelt movie told one of the least known but most intriguing rags-to-riches stories of all time. It truly made you want to laugh, cry, and straight up made you wanna yell “F**k the Police!” It reminded this generation’s group of African-Americans what we can do with the power of music. Ironically, the Academy did not seem to think so because the only ones to get nominated from Compton were the white writers. I mean kudos to them—they helped make an amazing film— but really Academy? Really? You completely overlook the almost all-black cast and black director? This is a movie that not only showed the public the emotional, tortured side of some of the toughest rappers, but also incorporated racial controversies that still exists, and are a problem to this day. No offense to Leonardo DiCaprio and the writers and directors of The Revenant but I am not so sure that a movie about mountain men and DiCaprio trudging through mud is Oscar-worthy.
Both Creed and Straight Outta Compton were just a punch in the face. They gave you a look into crude reality, but they also made you want to hug someone. That is not easy to find. Although there are not many films with a predominately minority cast, they were not hidden from the Academy’s view. Maybe the Academy voters just thought, “We get it; it’s hard being a minority, now stop complaining,” but what they do not understand is that these are the movies that keep us going. They remind minority groups what they/we have been through and that it does not matter if we are Anglo-Saxons. You just got to have dedication and heart. If the Academy, and all of the media industry, chooses to keep Hollywood white, we will just keep making movies that tell us where we come from, and what we have been through.

February 12, 2016
Pray For Humanity

In case you have had your head in the sand for the last week, Paris was stricken by a horrific series of terrorist attacks on Friday, November 13. The attacks, claimed by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), took a total of 129 lives, including Cal State Long Beach student Nohemi “Mimi” Gonzalez, who was spending a semester abroad at the Strate College of Design.
Six locations in Paris were targeted by the terrorists, including the Bataclan concert hall where the California rock band Eagles of Death Metal were performing, the Stade de France where France and Germany were having a friendly soccer match, and several restaurants where gunmen unloaded round after round upon innocent patrons.
As a response to the attacks, Paris officials raided an apartment Wednesday, November 8, where suspects were believed to be staying, leading to two deaths and eight arrests.
The day after the attacks, ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi sent the western world a terrifying message: “Let France—and those who walk in its path—know that they will remain on the top of the list of targets of the Islamic State.” He has warned that these attacks are “the first in a storm.”
These threats, whether empty or not, are terrifying, and will inevitably lead to an intensification of anti-Arab and anti-Muslim sentiment, as well as an increased international fear of the Syrian refugees.
The sick irony in hiding behind media-influenced fear of Muslims is perfectly explained by Reading Football Club player Dan Holloway, who tweeted, “To people blaming refugees for attacks in Paris tonight: Do you not realise [sic] these are the people the refugees are trying to run away from…?”
People who instinctually generalize the entire Muslim population of the Middle East as Islamic extremists need to take a step back and realize that these ISIS militants are a miniscule minority; only 0.01% of Muslims in Europe have gone to fight with ISIS.
Responses by countries across the globe are admirable, including Barack Obama’s speech stating that the crisis in France was an attack not just on the French people, but on all of humanity.
However, despite the social media outbursts of #PrayForParis and large public awareness of the attacks, it seems that terrorist attacks in third world countries will continue to go unnoticed.
On Thursday, November 12, the day before the Paris attacks, the streets of Beirut, Lebanon, were struck with a double suicide bombing killing 43 and wounding 200 others. It was the worst outbreak of violence since the end of Lebanon’s civil war in 1990. The country is devastated, not just by the deaths of its people, but also by the rest of the world’s ignorance.
Because Lebanon neighbors Syria, the world tends to ignore its crises, assuming constant chaos in Lebanon merely because of its geographic location.
I am not suggesting that the horrors of Paris are unimportant, or do not deserve sympathy and support. I am proud to see all my friends add the Paris Flag Filter to their Facebook profile photo. I just want us all to realize that the Western World is not the only place affected by terrorism; other countries suffer similar attacks on humanity that are ignored by the majority of the world. Eighty percent of all deaths caused by terrorists take place in only five countries: Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nigeria, and Syria.
Tens of thousands of people die this way each year. That is unacceptable; the world has to unite if we wish to fight against the killing of civilians all over the globe.

November 19, 2015
The National Holidays Epidemic

Leave Zucchini on Your Neighbor’s Porch Day is celebrated August 8. Take Your Plants for a Walk Day is on July 27. Answer Cats’s Questions Day falls on January 22. We are currently in an epidemic of random and unnecessary holidays. The good news is that civilization will most likely survive. However, society is a different matter.
Surprisingly, these holidays have been around for longer than we may think. Most of them were started by a corporation as a marketing scheme or an excuse to celebrate their hard work. The National Watermelon Association started National Watermelon Day so long ago that none of the employees know the exact year of its conception.
While the tactic behind some holidays is very obvious, such as Hostess Twinkie Day, others are not as straightforward, like Cook Something Bold and Pungent Day. Along with marketing, there are also some inspirational days such as Use Your Common Sense Day, Read a Book Day, and Good Neighbor Day, which I deem more useful and needed than Brandied Fruit Day.
The most common place to see these holidays is, of course, on social media. Many people use these random days and pop-up hashtags as an excuse to post pictures of them and their cat, them eating a taco, or them wearing lipstick. These people could not possibly post a picture of them and an octopus on the day they went to the aquarium- that would be weird and uncalled for. Instead, they keep the picture and wait until an occasion calls for the post and eventually Octopus Day comes around and gives them the excuse.
These people fail to realize that once Octopus Day comes around, everyone is tired of seeing octopi. Last week was National Cat Day and my feed was infected with pictures of the little devils. Posting about what you want when you want is far better than waiting until everyone and their grandmas post the same thing.
I admit some of these holidays are a brilliant marketing strategy and I commend the person who originally thought of the idea. However, these “holidays” subtract from the real holidays that have actual purpose and history such as Rosh Hashanah, Ramadan, and Easter. The main thing that pop-up holidays celebrate is American consumerism.
One part of me loves our ability to celebrate the random things and congratulates everyone’s passion for these unnecessary celebrations, and I realize that the worst these holidays do is endorse the takeover of social media. However, the other part of me shudders that some person in our society actually celebrates Underwear Day.

November 9, 2015
If You Want to Talk, Come Find Me

Look around at any given moment and you will most likely see people attached to their phones, eyes fixated on screens, drool possibly spilling from their mouths.

Though it probably seems like everyone has had a touchscreen baby since the prehistoric era, the birth of the smartphone we know and obsess over today only occurred about eight years ago. Revolutionizing the way we communicate, portable technological devices have taken over the lives of an estimated seventy-three percent of people in the U.S. alone. This all seems dandy, but with technology comes the rise of social media, also known as the reason eye-contact and genuine conversations freak you out.

Social media is defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as “forms of electronic communication in which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content.” In reality, social media has become a platform for superficial ideals, obnoxious thoughts, and unrealistic expectations, creating competitive undertones amongst youth with a quick double tap.

If you didn’t post it, did it actually happen? People are eager to document everything now, from a tornado coming straight towards them to a deadly fight. Obsessed with capturing every single moment, we fail to live in them.

People underestimate how much influence social media has on them. Likes and followers are closely associated with popularity, commonly thought to be the same thing. Women’s self-esteem is often dependent on the amount of likes, followers, and retweets they receive, comparing themselves to ‘Insta-famous’ sex symbols that attract millions of followers. The concept of followers and likes has morphed into the determining factors of self-worth, making people desperate to reach the unrealistic goals of perfection that social media community enforces.

The way we interact and develop relationships with each other has been permanently altered by social media. We live in an age where before you even meet someone you can know an outrageous amount of information about them. Privacy is a thing of the past; nowadays, our closest friends and family, phone numbers, and even our addresses are available to anyone who can click search. Gone are the days of meeting your true love by chance; we now scroll through snapshots of potential partners as if flipping through a magazine. Bold comments of heart-eye emojis on your crush’s latest post translate into awkward exchanges passing one another in the hall.

Where do we stand as a society by allowing social media to determine our self – worth and moral values? One might say social media is a creative outlet that allows people to network and make “friends”, but I strongly disagree. Some recognize social networks as nothing more than a tool to enhance their social status and express themselves. Others rely on the volume of positive responses they receive from friends and foes alike as a barometer of their beauty and value amongst their network of peers. If this is only the beginning of the “feeding-frenzy,” imagine what the future holds. If this world is going to be one of faux online personas and Twitter fights, I’m not interested. If you want to talk, come find me below the rock I live under.

October 22, 2015
A Hoppy Homecoming For Jackrabbits

As last week was Homecoming Week, there was a lot of scohol spirit at Long Beach Poly from September 28 to October 2. Many students and teachers expressed their spirit each day by dressing up. Monday, September 28th was Jersey Day, followed by Fashion Disaster Day, Dress Like Your Teacher Day, Twin Day and Poly Colors Day, throughout the rest of the week. On Thursday, October 1, Poly held its annual Homecoming Faire. The Homecoming Fair is an afternoon dedicated for clubs to fundraise. It was a great success and many booths raised funds by selling a varity of delectable treats and drink to their fellow students and faculty members. The booths sold all types of multicultural food, like chow mein, tacos, and hot links. “I had a really great time with friends,” said senior Lesette Zamorano. “And the food was so good.” As the fair went on, a DJ played music on stage as students danced in groups and applauded each other in the quad. Friday was Poly’s homecoming game at Veterans Stadium against Cabrillo High School. Many Poly students and teachers came and were hyped for the game. During half-time Poly’s band played as fireworks shot from the right side of the field. Poly won the homecoming game with the final score of 73 for Poly and 7 for Cabrillo. Overall, it was a very successful week of homecoming spirit.

October 8, 2015
New Bunnies to the Bunch

“I graduated from Poly, and I want to give back to the program that made me who I am.” Thanh Van, AP Physics

“[I will help] students pass their classes by providing them with good teaching everyday and keeping the students busy.”
Steven Goodman, Special Education

“[A] safe haven where everyone feels comfortable and just express themselves for who they are and make it feel like a family in which no one is going to be judged.”

“I hope to teach my students this year lifelong skills that they can take with them in the future.” Kristina Pfohl, Algebra

“The great majority of the students are very open to learning. I am very excited to see what Poly has in store for me.”
Anne Stuyvesant, Geometry

“[I’m] looking forward to working with highly motivated students and helping them pass the AP exam in May, and will help support them and help them feel confident and ready to take the test.” Stacey Hess, AP Language

“I plan to have students become active learners by having them research and relate their understanding of in-class materials to their community and current events. I must show students that I value what they do outside of the classroom so that they can value what I do inside the classroom.” Vincent Puth, History

“I would like to help my senior English students improve their writing, take the High Life to an even higher level, and contribute to a member of the school community.” Daryl Holmlund, English/Journalism

“I’m really glad to be back here at Poly. Students here and in the district seem a little more aware of what is going on in the outside world.” James Cooperider, English

“I love Poly. My son is a Poly grad; my daughter is a junior. It’s almost like I am coming home when I teach here.” Steve Perrin, Algebra

“I want to start a full-on robotics program and get involved in as many engineering projects as possible.” Scott Gaynor, Engineering

Photos courtesy of Sanford Studios.

Photos for Thanh (Aaron) Van and Andrea Wright were unavailable.

September 24, 2015
Title Dreams Swim Away

Neither the girls nor boy swim teams were able to claim the Moore League championship title this year at the Cabrillo Aquatic Center, both coming in second to the Wilson Bruins.

Victory seemed to be in reach for the girls swim team going into Moore League finals on Friday, May 8, having gone undefeated for the entire season. However, suffering from an unfortante turn of events, the girls lost their chance to reclaim their Moore League title. One of their key swimmers, freshman Fion Quach, suffered from an injury where she twisted both her ankles, preventing her from particpating in finals.

“We made a game plan for Friday, but when Fion told me about her injury one hour before start time, my heart sank,” said head coach Kalani Caldwell. “She was a guarnteed forty points. However, the girls still swam according to the gameplan. For me, we did win.” Even though the girls entered with a higher score from consolation, and won seven out of eleven events, they were unable overcome the Bruins.

The day before, May 7, the boys had their final meet were they were they were defeated by the 43 year reigning champions. “We have a very young team. Ninty percent of them are freshmans and sophomores,”

said head coach Eddie Kim. Beside their loss, both the boys and girls had exceptional swims. sophomore, Jack Neaton was the first person in ten years to go under a minute for the 100-yard breaststroke, with a time of 59.93. In addition, the girls 200- Medly relay time broke the meet record at Moore Leaue finals with a time of 1:49.47.

June 2, 2015
Baseball Just Swangin’

This year our baseball had an okay season finishing a little under .500 overall. On Saturday May 9th, Poly played a very tough game against the Loyala Cubs. In the top of the first inning the Jackrabbits were able to put one run on the board but the Cubs responded quickly with 5 runs.

Poly was only able to score one more run in the third inning but it was no match for the 4 more runs Loyala later scored. At the end of the game, the score was 9-2 Loyola. On Wednesday May 12th, they played Cabrillo in an easy win. Poly scored 9 runs in the first inning and from there the rest of the game came extremely easy. The final score was 14-6 and it was great win to boost the team’s confidence for the rival game against Wilson the next day.

The following day they played the Wilson Bruins. Poly started off on top scoring 2 runs in the first inning, leading until the fourth inning where the Bruins scored 3 runs. From this point on Wilson led the rest of the game and it ended with a 5-2 loss to the Bruins. This was the last game of the Moore League and from the Jackrabbits were headed to the Division 1 CIF playoffs. The season was cut short with a 5-1 loss against the Edison Chargers, earlier last week.

It was a pretty intense game as the Chargers took an early lead, scoring 5 straight in the second inning. The Jackrabbits were in a shut out until the fifth inning when they were able to score a run. This was the only run the Jackrabbits were able to score and they ended the game with a 5-1 loss.

The Jackrabbits had a great season but unfortunately could not finish on top.

“This team is really close. We were friends before high school and we have grown even closer three years later. ,” said juniot Deyvn Collado.

“We hate to see the seniors go and we wish we could of finished the season better for them. Next season were losing a great pitcher so hopefully the team is ready to step up because we have a lot of talent coming up next year.” Poly says goodbye to seniors, Paul Estrada, Josh Fischer, Noah Belkin, Emiliano Estrada, Jacob Zinger, Josh Rios, Val Stammler, James Crabtree-Hannigan, and Eddie Oliver.

“It was good experience to pitch for Poly. If I had got got into pitching, I would not have gotten a scholarship for baseball, specfically pitching at Cal State Fullerton,” said Rios.

Though it was not the ideal way to end the season it is still time to say goodbye to the seniors and time for the returning team to go into offseason ready to prepare for next year.

“ We’re preparing next season with team practice and conditioning,” said junior Taylor Gravey.“We’re getting started early with offseason work for next season so hopefully we’re able to get on top of the ball.”

June 2, 2015