The Vikings softball team won their matchup against Rio Hondo 14-0 due to strong pitching from Ella Haugo who struck out 12.
Haugo’s dominant performance on the mound helped the Vikings shut out Rio Hondo and keep them scoreless throughout the game.
“I would say my mental game felt good. It’s been struggling lately, so this game felt really good.” Haugo said.
In the second inning the Vikings scored nine runs giving the team a huge lead heading into the third inning.
“It starts with your catcher being able to know that they are confident and calm, having that structure helps a lot.” Haugo said.
The game was ultimately called in the fifth inning due to the mercy rule, but Head coach Megan Martinez still thinks the team has some things they want to focus on.
“I want us to continue to pound the strike zone, and I want us to keep having quality at bats.” Martinez said.
Martinez also addressed comparisons to last year’s team and that not every year is the same.
LBCC softball pitcher Ella Haugo throws a pitch at the Vikings game against Rio Hondo. The Vikings shut out Rio Hondo 14-0 on March 12. (Thavarath Ellis)
“We’ve had so much success this year and people fail to realize every year is different,” Martinez said.
The Vikings are hoping to carry this momentum into their upcoming conference games as they continue the season.
“We prepare for every game like it’s a championship, and our motto is if you like what you did, work harder if you don’t like what you did, work harder,” Martinez said.
When asked about the pregame atmosphere, shortstop Madison Fao said the dugout’s energy was on fire and played a big role in the team’s strong performance.
“We all kind of did our own little warm ups differently and I think it helped us lock in and have a good mindset.” Fao said.
The Vikings remain hopeful as they move forward, their next scheduled game is at Orange Coast, Wednesday, March 25 at 2:30 p.m.
Long Beach City College launched Women’s History Month with an opening celebration that highlighted women leading the way in sustainability on Wednesday, March 4.
The two hour gathering, held in the LAC’s T-1200 building, brought together students, faculty, and board members to celebrate women’s leadership while providing education, food and entertainment.
The event was hosted by Elisabeth Orr, the dean of social and behavioral sciences, and Brianna Pinkerton, an administrative assistant for the Completions and Second Year Experience program at LBCC.
“From the fires last year in the Palisades and the Altadena, to sustained drought in many parts of the country…The world is in the midst of climate change and it feels unfamiliar to us and scary at times. It can also feel overwhelming and paralyzing but, our program today is going to highlight women who are leading change toward a sustainable future,” Orr said.
Orr referenced environmental pioneers such as Rachel Carson who launched the modern day environmentalist movement with her book “Silent Spring,” which helped raise awareness on the dangers of pesticides.
She also referenced Margie Richard, who was awarded with the Goldman Environmental Prize for advocating for environmental justice and protecting her neighborhood from the harmful toxins that a nearby Shell company was releasing into the air.
Following the opening remarks, the event transitioned into a panel discussion featuring professionals working in sustainability and environmental fields including Anjana Mepani, Environmental Officer at the Port of Long Beach, Joanna Haan, LBCC professor and co-department head of physical sciences and Melissa Bahmanpour, director of climate resistance and sustainability at LBCC.
Panelist Bahmanpour discussed how sustainability extends past being a single field.
“I know we’re discussing sustainability as a monolith but it’s not really an industry or its own sector, it runs through every industry and every sector and it’s a matter of practices and technologies that can create more of a sustainable situation for human beings. Because it’s similar to a car, the better you take care of it the long(er) it will last you,” said Bahmanpour.
Bahmanpour also shared how her background as the daughter of Iranian immigrants has shaped her drive towards her career path.
“I’m a first generation American and both of my parents are immigrants from Iran, those two identities woven together … (I’m) very used to “okay I need to figure this out” for everyone and also I have an opportunity that no one else has had previous to me. I am the very first woman in my family who was given the right to choose her own reproductive choices, going to school, even having a career, and so I really didn’t take that lightly. And I think a combination of those things has made me bold and fearless in a lot of way,” said Bahmanpour.
Mepani recounted being in spaces where she is often the only woman in her workplace and she shared how she uses this identity as an advantage to approaching leadership and collaboration in professional spaces.
“I do think a lot about being a woman in the workplace, for me most of my career has been in a very white male dominated field. … Most of the time I’m the only woman there, woman of color, it’s very common. As a woman I think women are very empathetic and involved in our communities which makes us more… able to see with a wider lens because we are part of the community. As I work, as I lead I try to be empathetic, I try to be emotionally intelligent aswell,” Mepani said.
Superintendent-President Mike Munoz was among the participants at LBCC’s Women’s History Month Kickoff event on Wednesday, March 4. (Jessica Rodriguez)
Overall, panelists shared their experience navigating through environmental careers or adjacent positions, while discussing the need for diverse voices in climate and sustainability leadership.
Ennette Morton, vice president of the Board of Trustees, acknowledged the importance of events like the Women’s History Month Kickoff for the campus community.
She mentioned that these events are about, “building pathways to help students move forward with confidence and support.”
Morton also reflected on her own experience as a first generation college student and how Women’s History Month and community support can shape education journeys.
“…Women’s History Month is not about separating us, it is really about recognizing the contributions that have too often gone unseen and unnoticed. When women are supported, families are stronger, communities benefit and institutions like LBCC really grow more resilient,” said Morton.
Ennette Morton was among the Long Beach Community College Board of Trustees at the Women’s History Month event, Wednesday, March 4 at Long Beach City College. (Jessica Rodriguez)
The Women’s History Month kickoff marked the beginning of a month of events dedicated to honoring women’s achievements and encouraging student involvement.
The scholarship that was created to honor Daisy Johnson and carry on her love for singing and acting, was awarded for the first time to three students after the opening performance of “Into the Woods” on Friday.
Superintendent President Mike Munoz donated $3,000 last year to jumpstart the scholarship, allowing a selected crew, cast and orchestra member to receive $1,000 each.
Actress Phyre Romero, left, gets emotional while winning a $1,000 scholarship alongside production stage manager Jade Abbott, center, who looks at her in admiration and Michael Duncan, right, a percussionist. These winning students were chosen by the directors and faculty part of “Into the Woods.” (Sam Villa)
As opening night for “Into the Woods” approached and the cast awaited their debut, friends of Daisy, reflected on her lasting impact in their lives and in the creation of last year’s musical “In the Heights,” a year after her unexpected death.
During Daisy’s role as Nina she was known for her powerful singing voice where she sang emotional ballads.
David Chhom, a friend of Daisy who was in “In the Heights” with her, and plays cinderella’s prince in “Into the Woods,” described Daisy as being “bubbly, extroverted and outgoing.”
He shared the first impression that he had of Daisy when he first met her at the table reading for “In the Heights.”
“Even from the first time she stood out because she was the first person to sing like fully, like all out like she was on a stage. Whereas the rest of us we were kind of just like shy, nervous… I didn’t really go all out like I wanted to. But she did, right off the bat,” Chhom said.
Daisy Johnson sings as Nina during a dress rehearsal for “In the Heights” on March 4, 2025. (File photo)
When Chhom was asked if he was excited for the upcoming scholarship that would be given to students in “Into the Woods,” he expressed with a laugh that he did not want to win the award because he’s not a singer.
He admired Daisy in the process of explaining who he thinks should win the scholarship.
“Maybe I didn’t work as hard as Daisy. Daisy she was, man, she’s the bar for sure and I strive to reach her, reach her level. But, I’m more of an actor, not really much of a singer and she was a great singer and actor as well. But, I’m only an actor, so,” Chhom said.
Chhom continued, “It should go to somebody that exudes the same energy or close enough energy to Daisy and what she was to “In the Heights” and whoever that is for “Into the Woods,” I hope it goes to them, whoever they are.”
Daisy Johnson, left, acts as Nina during a dress rehearsal for “In the Heights” with actor Christopher Johnson, right, who played Benny, on March 4, 2025. (File photo)
Fast forward to the moment when the recipients were revealed, the announcement caught the winning cast member, Phyre Romero, by surprise as she got emotional on stage and was in shock.
Romero plays the witch in “Into the Woods,” and she shared why she believes she was chosen for the scholarship.
“Honestly, I think it’s cause the directors, you know Andre and Skye, I think that this whole time they’ve seen something in me that I’ve struggled to see in myself. I’ve always struggled with believing in myself and they saw that before I even could. And you know, it was thanks to them that I recognized like ‘wow, I have come a long way from day one’… I’m not a trained singer and so because they believed in me from the start and actually saw my growth, I think that’s where it landed,” Romero said.
Romero’s role as the witch marked the first time she’s had a lead role in a musical. She shared how working with vocal director Skye Angulo during the process of the musical made her a better singer. She learned how to read sheet music for the first time and learned the technical components behind singing.
This experience, she feels is “definitely going to take me to the next level for sure,” Romero said.
The scholarship set aside for a crew member was given to production stage manager Jade Abbott.
“Into the Woods” was also a first for Abbott, as it marked the first time that she stepped into the role of production stage manager, in previous productions at Renaissance High School, she was an assistant stage manager, and in “In the Heights” she was a stagehand.
Abbott reflected on her experience in “Into the Woods” and expressed how it prepared her for her future.
“It’s prepared me more working with other directors, different people and overall this cast has been one of the nicest, most respectful cast I’ve ever worked with, so that’s really nice. They’re a wonderful first musical cast, and I love them so much,” Abbott said.
Romero and Abbott weren’t aware of how much money they had won, right after their winning announcement, but, when they were told by their friends of the $1,000 cash prize they grew excited, and mentioned that they’d use it towards their education.
Abbott is going to use the money towards her tuition at Cal State Fullerton once she transfers and Romero for her current tuition at LBCC.
Daisy’s family was in attendance to watch the opening performance of “Into the Woods” and to witness the winners of the scholarship that is dedicated to Daisy.
When the scholarship for Daisy was just started, her family decided to not be part of the decision process as they felt the directors and faculty knew the students part of “Into the Woods” the best.
Andrew Johnson, Daisy’s father, expressed feeling happy that Romero won the scholarship based on her and her friends’ reaction.
“(Romero’s friends) were thrilled that she got the scholarship. So that, to be honest when I saw her (and) them all get so excited is when it really, you know, kind of sunk in like wow this is really special for the people receiving this,” Andrew said.
In order for the scholarship to continue in the future, it must raise a minimum of $25,000 to support one scholarship in the long run.
The way the scholarship works is that once the endowment is raised it can be put into an account that returns a 4% interest annually. Therefore, 4% of $25,000 equates to the $1,000 return that would be awarded to a student.
Angulo, the main creator of the scholarship, relayed that the scholarship has raised $1,600 so far since it opened for donations this past fall semester. Angulo expressed that it’s “not as much as we had hoped,” however there is no set deadline for when the money needs to be raised.
The hope would be to raise the $25,000 before next year’s musical, so that the department can award a student from the next musical.
“When I first found out about it, I felt like it was a good thing cause in a way she’s leaving behind a legacy and if anything (if) people’s lives get busy and they don’t remember her no more, at least when the scholarship comes up people will be like ‘yeah,’ you know what I’m saying remember her,” said Juztin Shan, a cast member in “In the Heights,” and Rapunzel’s prince in “Into the Woods.”
The scholarship is one avenue in which Daisy’s friends will remember her powerful voice and dedication to helping her castmates in “In the Heights” with learning their music.
Actors surround Daisy Johnson, center, who played Nina in LBCC’s production of “In the Heights” on March 4, 2025. (File photo)
“She was the one who always was keeping us in check for the music…We have to sing the right tone at the right time while dancing, while learning our choreo and all that. But she always knew how, I think she knew how to read music because she plays a lot of instruments. So she was always there…when we needed help (we were) like ‘aye, bruh how do we sing this?’ She’d be like ‘aight this is how you sing it’,” Shan said.
Shan continued, “She was very helpful because she knew what she was doing and then she was like ‘yeah I don’t mind helping everybody else as long as we all shine at the end of the day.
On March 12, the day before the opening night of “Into the Woods,” Chhom shared that he would devote his performance to Daisy.
“I think the first night I’m gonna dedicate my performance to her. I hope I don’t cry on stage, I never know when I’m gonna cry, it just comes. But, I think doing it for Daisy is gonna really bring out something in me that I can’t do by myself. So doing something in memory of someone, I think is powerful,” Chhom said.
Anyone interested in donating to The Daisy Johnson Memorial Scholarship to help it reach it’s $25,000 goal, can do so here.
An Instagram post from Carl Kemp, LBCC associate vice president in Public Affairs and Marketing and an organizer for the annual Juneteenth celebration, informed that the event held at Rainbow Lagoon will not be back this year or until further notice.
“Juneteenth” stems from the day Union soldiers delivered news to the last remaining slaves in Galveston, Texas on June 19, 1865, and was three years after the 13th amendment was signed into the constitution by Abraham Lincoln and abolishing slavery.
City officials were informed about the cancellation via Kemp’s instagram post, and maintain that they reached out to him saying the venue was still available in the first weekend in June and that Kemp never secured the date, which was subsequently booked by another organizer
Kemp spoke with the Viking yesterday regarding his initial video and the conflicting statements between the city of Long Beach.
“The dates that were offered were either too early or too late,” said Kemp.
LBCC student Patricia Glover, who was previewing a Black history exhibit at LAC was unaware that the celebration was cancelled.
“Whoa, that is shocking and it’s too bad. It’s important for us as a community to continue preserving our history and celebrate things like Juneteenth,” said Glover.
While Juneteenth has been celebrated since 1866, it wasn’t until 2021 when former president Joe Biden signed legislation making the day a federal holiday.
Kemp organized and curated his vision of the celebration with roughly 3000 people in attendance in downtown Long Beach’s Pine Avenue that same year.
“(Its) been a blessing to be a part of something so big and beautiful with such a small team and able to put on such an event. Our vision of celebrating Juneteenth involved our crowds, artists and vendors to have access to sea breezes, which is why the location it has been held at has always been ideal,” said Kemp.
In 2025, the celebration secured its location and attendance reached in the upwards of 20,000 people scattered across the newly relocated event at Rainbow Lagoon with featured mainstream recording artists like Anderson Paak, Eric Benet and Marsha Ambrosius of the group Floetry.
Kemp praised those who contributed and were sponsors ranging from the Port of Long Beach, city council members and various other businesses providing in-kind donations.
The city of Long Beach is expecting an $80 million budget deficit forecasted in the fiscal 2027 year, Kemp did not suggest that Juneteenth was cancelled due to financial setbacks some are wondering if these budget cuts are related.
“[Events like these] cost a lot of money and time, our event is a labor of love with volunteers and the contributions made were a fraction in comparison to other events held in collaboration with the city,” said Kemp.
Long Beach community member Criselle Dombrowski, was present in March 10 city council meeting and expressed her concerns of city officials potential resolution of funds contracting data company LexisNexis Coplogic Solutions, who have reportedly worked with ICE as recently as 2023 and was shocked at the cancellation of Juneteenth.
“Things like housing, education, and celebrations that bring the community closer like Juneteenth are where our money should be spent, not on contracts with companies that have also previously worked with ICE,” said Dombrowski.
While it is up in the air whether or not Juneteenth will be celebrated as a community in Long Beach, some believe that we still will have some sort of celebration involving the city of Long Beach.
David McMarcus, a Long Beach resident and owner/curator of the Forgotten Images art exhibition thinks differently.
“The city, like many other cities, is facing budget cuts, it might not be held where it was previously, but the mayor Rex Richardson or the city I’m sure will be doing something for us,” said McMarcus.
Kemp’s involvement with Long Beach’s Juneteenth future celebrations are crystal clear he will “not be returning”.
“I’m all for Black love and the love of Long Beach, I believe in a standard level of excellence, this has been a chance of a lifetime to do something for our city and our people, but that level of excellence does not count as a victory for the city of Long Beach,” said Kemp.
City officials were contacted and have yet to respond to the Viking News for comments on any updates.
Third spaces might look different around the world, but like many other countries, America uses these popular hangout spots as a crucial resource that improves mental and physical health and they are important venues that promote social connections in cities.
Spending time in public once meant meeting with friends at a park, sitting in a library for hours, or gathering at a local hangout without having to think much about paying a fee.
To address the growing cost of social spaces, communities and local governments need to protect and invest in third spaces. These places provide a space where people can meet, study, relax or socialize, without the expectation of spending.
Today, many of the places where socializing used to happen, easily now come with a cost.
Coffee shops, gyms and entertainment venues have increasingly replaced their once free spaces where communities came to gather, with a place where it is obligatory to pay for the experience.
Want to sit somewhere for a while, talk to friends or study? You might need to buy a drink, pay for parking or purchase a membership.
At the beginning of 2025, one of America’s most popular coffee chains, Starbucks, required customers to make a purchase to sit or use the restroom in their business.
Ray Oldenburg, an American sociologist, referred to gathering places as third spaces in his 1989 book “The Great Good Place.” He described third spaces as locations beyond home or work, where people can relax, socialize and build community.
Stuart M. Butler, a scholar in economic studies and Carmen Diaz, a researcher focused on community and urban policy, state that third spaces are essential to community life in their report titled, “‘Third places’ as community builders.”
They state that third spaces provide a place where conversation comes naturally and where people from different backgrounds can interact and form connections. They help create a sense of belonging and strengthen civic engagement.
Yet, many of these places are now dominated by capitalist businesses. Rising costs make these spaces less accessible, especially for students and low-income people.
This shift has deeper social and economic consequences. When gathering spaces are tied to consumer spending, participation in public life becomes dependent on income. When those spaces follow a business first model, they attract a narrower demographic, people who can afford to participate.
Students, young people and lower-income residents may find themselves priced out of their own neighborhoods and communities, where interaction once was a human right.
The result is a significant form of social exclusion, where the ability to belong in public now comes with a price tag.
Public life slowly moves from shared civic spaces into private commercial ones.
That’s why public spaces are more important now than ever.
Cities can also make these spaces more active by supporting free programs such as outdoor movie nights, community markets, student study areas or public art events. Initiatives like these encourage people to use shared spaces while keeping them open and accessible to everyone.
LBCC student, Kayin Watley, spends time at the TTC campus’ Student Union on Monday. Among its many student services, the Student Union also serves as a place for students to relax between classes. (Jacyn King)
Building strong relationships within third spaces doesn’t involve reinventing communities, it requires reinvesting in public spaces that already exist.
By prioritizing a shared environment cities can create places where participation doesn’t come with a price tag.
Into The Woods, is a musical intertwining multiple Brothers’ Grimm fairytales, and the musical of Long Beach City College’s spring semester opened this Friday, a performance that emphasized the themes of growing up and the relationships between parents and children.
A full cast of characters, such as Little Red Riding Hood, played by Charlie Banister, Cinderella, played by Sydney Bautista and many more, were just some of the highlights.
The musical’s powerful opening number introduces each of the characters and their wishes, from attending a ball, having a child, and wishing for bread; the characters all find themselves heading into the woods, which in LBCC’s depiction are actually hanging vines and dancers, not exactly the woods.
Actress Sydney Bautista, who plays Cinderella, hides from her prince behind ropes, which represent trees, during a dress rehearsal for LBCC’s production of “Into the Woods” on March 9. (Sam Villa)
Using vines instead of the traditional trees allowed for more interaction, which made characters feel as if they were in the woods. Baustista, playing an excellent runaway bride, was able to be hidden from onlookers but still be seen by the audience, which was a nice portrayal instead of just going off stage.
Many of the stories at their core remain the same, as many know, Cinderella running from a ball and her prince, Rapunzel singing from her tower, Little Red Riding Hood bringing sweets to her grandmother in bed, but all ties lead back to the same fairytale woods.
The depiction of the woods with performers, while not unwelcome, should have been just a bit more explicit; dancers dressed in tweed are not exactly doing the most to signify trees.
The production wove together the paths of musical theater students and students who identify as actors, and it made or broke the musical at times.
Actors who were more familiar with traditional acting tended to lack vocals, making them seem weaker as compared to their counterparts.
Pairing an actor like David Chhom, who plays Cinderella’s Prince, with Stephanie Ramirez, who plays the Baker’s Wife, is an example of this.
Chhom excelled in his acting portions, creating laughter through the audience with his overly dramatic movements and passionate chemistry with both his partners, the Baker’s Wife and Cinderella. But pairing him with Ramirez, who showed great skill in both her acting and her musicality, created a riff between the two.
David Chhom, who plays Cinderella’s Prince, smiles upon finding Cinderella’s shoe in LBCC’s production of “Into the Woods” during a dress rehearsal on March 9. (Sam Villa)
Stephanie Ramirez, left, who plays the Baker’s Wife and David Chhom, right, who plays Cinderella’s Prince, kiss in their duet “Any Moment/Moments in the Woods,” during a dress rehearsal of LBCC’s production of “Into the Woods” on March 9. (Sam Villa)
Pairing Chhom with Juztin Shan, who plays Rapunzel’s Prince, however, was the perfect move, as they both cultivated a hilarious bromance of brothers that lightened the mood of the musical.
David Chhom, left, who plays Cinderella’s Prince, looks at Juztin Shan, right, who plays Rapunzel’s Prince, as they both sing about their love interests during a dress rehearsal of LBCC’s production of “Into the Woods” on March 9. (Sam Villa)
The actors who depicted female characters were the absolute powerhouses of this production, seen in various songs, but most of all by Ramirez, Bautista and the actress who plays the Witch, Phyre Romero.
Romero’s performance as the Witch stood apart from most of the songs; her usage of different techniques, such as growling and a healthy vocal mix, compared to the more delicate voices of others.
Phyre Romero, who plays the Witch, flips her hair after her wild transformation of beauty during a dress rehearsal of LBCC’s production of “Into the Woods” on March 9. (Sam Villa)
Her passionate stage presence mixed with the resonance of her voice was one of the most impactful parts of the play.
Do not, however, underestimate the Baker, played by Nicolas Rout-Vazquez, as his performance became the most impactful by the end of the musical, his emotion and solo captivated the essence of fatherly love and devotion.
Nicolas Rout-Vazquez, who plays the Baker, sings to the audience while crying during a dress rehearsal of LBCC’s production of “Into the Woods” on March 9. (Sam Villa)
Nicolas Rout-Vazquez, left, who plays the Baker and Stephanie Ramirez, right, who plays the Baker’s Wife, look upon their new baby in the second act of LBCC’s production of “Into the Woods” during a dress rehearsal on March 9. (Sam Villa)
The creative liberties taken in the musical border the lines between outwardly cringey and genuinely funny, from bright, gaunt clothing that almost makes the characters unrecognizable to the TikTok ending sound effect being played once, and once was really more than enough.
Even with its moments of uncertainty, the musical is led by a cast that remained strong through the performance, no matter its mishaps such as mics cutting out and lights turning on late. They handled these issues with excellence and professionalism.
The show will continue this weekend, having a performance on both Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., and a show on Sunday at 2 p.m. All performances are at LAC’s Bob and Barbara Ellis Auditorium, located in the J Building.
After the performances this weekend, the show will close. Tickets for purchase are available at this link, or can be bought at the box office before each show, cash and card are accepted.
Students who present their ASB sticker in person can get in for free to as many shows as they want.
Students, even from other colleges who show their ID in person can get tickets for $10, while tickets for staff, seniors and veterans are $15 and general admission is $20.
The Vikings women’s basketball team capped off an outstanding season with a 71–49 victory over Cerritos and a 20–10 overall record and 10–0 in conference play.
This is the sixth consecutive year that the Vikings have earned the conference title.
Their sustained success reflects not only talent on the court but also strong coaching and team chemistry year after year.
“We want to keep a high standard, with being a true student athlete and that creates discipline and we’ve been consistent in that so far,” head coach Dominic Freeman said.
The final game of the season also marked Women’s Sophomore Night, the Vikings honored Zoie Lamkin, Yesenia Garcia, Jasmine Hecht, and Kyla Sawall, with a ceremony featuring touching videos from family members and reflected the close knit bond shared throughout the team.
“It’s about family here, so creating more memories. So regardless of our record these are the memories that are going to last forever and it’s gonna outlast the winning.” Freeman said.
Averaging 60.9 points per game, while shooting 35.8% from the field, 25.6% from three, and 63.0% from the free-throw line, along with 39.4 rebounds and 11.1 assists per game across their 29 games.
Vikings’ PG Devoni Ray dribbles across the court to run the clock to end the game, Feb. 25, 2026, against Ventura at Long Beach City College Hall of Champions. The Vikings won the game 68-50. (Alexandra Rios)
When asked one word to describe the team this year wing Garcia said the team felt different.
“Different, there are so many different personalities. We’ve been through a lot this year and at the end we all came together,” Garcia said.
After the end of the regular season, the Vikings went on to compete in two playoff games, winning their first matchup against Ventura 68-50, and then fell to Cypress 51-42 in round two of SoCal Regionals.
Reaching the playoffs capped off another strong season for the Vikings and highlighted the program’s continued success in conference competition.
Throughout the season, the team relied on balanced scoring, defensive effort, and strong rebounding to maintain its undefeated conference record.
With the departure of the sophomores, the Vikings will look to the next group of players to continue the program’s success moving forward into the next season.
The Vikings lose 8-2 to Cerritos on Thursday after winning the first game of the series on Mar. 3.
Vikings starting pitcher Dylan Proost started strong but ultimately gave up two runs in the first two innings, one earned and one unearned, and kept his team in the game against their rivals.
Third baseman Eshua Desai came up huge for his team in the top of 4th inning with a game tying two run home run, making it a brand new ball game for LBCC.
Proost would eventually come out of the game in the bottom of the 5th inning, giving up a run, giving Cerritos the lead again, making it 3-2.
Relief pitcher Ben Howard replaced Proost, getting out of the jam with runners on base left by Proost, giving LBCC a chance to even up the score.
Unfortunately Howard would give up 3 hits in the bottom of 6th, giving up 2 runs before being replaced by southpaw reliever Sabin Tomlinson, leaving runners on second and first, with the score 5-2.
“It’s just unfortunate that they got some hits and their hits were able to fall and they got some really good hits and nothing really hard, we hit the ball really hard but it was just at people. So I have nothing to be mad or sad about. They got to come to our yard, so it’s definitely going to be a good one on Saturday,” head coach Phillip Visico said.
Vikings’ first baseman, outfielder, Carson Slager makes a play at 1st against Cerritos, Mar. 5 at Cerritos College Falcon Field in Norwalk, Cal. The Vikings lost the game 8-2 which makes the Vikings record 7-12. (Alexandra Rios)
Tomlinson gave up a 3 run home run to 3rd baseman Mateo Heredia, blowing the game wide open by a dominant offensive performance from Cerritos, collecting 8 runs and 14 hits to seal the win.
Designated hitter Garrett Rodriguez talked about the team approach at the plate.
“We were barrelling baseballs, but they were lined out to people. On the Cerritos side, they were able to get those guys home and that’s what made the score for what it is and made the hit call for what it is,” Rodriguez said.
Right fielder Aaron Mingo talked about his offensive struggles.
“There’ve been a few at bats where I was swinging hard, but early in the count, you can’t do that for your team, you got to work the count to see if you can get on base,” Mingo said.
LBCC will play game one of the two game Santa Ana series, Tuesday, at Santa Ana at 2 p.m.
Mt. San Antonio starting pitcher Vannessa Hawks shuts out the Vikings in 4-0 loss at LBCC softball field in conference play Thursday afternoon.
The Vikings continue their rough streak after ending Tuesdays game in a 6-6 tie and losing 4 of their last 7 games.
The Vikings found themselves in a one run hole after the second inning when Mt. San Antonio second baseman Desiree Morales collected an RBI base hit to center field.
Starting pitcher Adalise Valenzuela was taken out after surrendering her only run and loading the bases with one out.
Relief pitcher Lauren Cervantes was put in and escaped the jam after a force out throw at home and a pop out along the right field line.
Cervantes would get through the third and fourth innings cleanly before giving up three runs in the fifth when Mt. San Antonio first baseman Emily Sandoval smacked a two RBI double all the way to right field and scored herself on a double by left fielder Sophia Avina.
“I think simply not hitting that corner, that river of the plate. I think it’s simple as that, just me kind of putting it too much on the plate and I take full accountability for that and I just have to keep working harder,” said Cervantes.
On the offensive side for the Vikings, their bats were completely silenced by Hawks, who went a complete game.
The Vikings only got two baserunners the whole game, one in the first inning and one in the second, with designated hitter Riannah Maulupe lining into a double play to first base in the second.
Hawks sat down the next 16 Vikings batters.
Head coach Megan Martinez shared her own thoughts about an error she believes she made.
“Maybe I left her [Cervantes] in too long, … and she just missed her spot, and we had to score runs anyway, so I’m not going to put it on our pitchers at all,” said Martinez.
Catcher Zara Menio still retains confidence in her team and explains the mindset that has fueled their current 11-5 record.
“We say it all the time, we have your back no matter what situation we’re in. If it’s a 15-0 game, we always have each other’s backs,” said Menio.
The Vikings hit the road for game against Cerritos, Tuesday at 2 p.m.
During the February Board of Trustees meeting, a new budget outlined 20 million dollars set aside to pay the class action lawsuit that part-time faculty won against LBCC last year.
In 2022, part-time faculty filed a lawsuit against LBCC claiming that they were violating California’s minimum wage laws. Part-time faculty were only being paid for the instructional hours they spent in class, and not for work outside of the classroom, such as grading, office hours and class preparation.
Faculty claimed that when you divide the salary they earn for class time by the number of hours in total they spend in and outside the classroom, they were earning below California’s hourly minimum wage.
“We just couldn’t say anything until it went through the board, and then it still has to go through the courts,” said Karen Roberts, one of the part-time faculty plaintiffs named in the lawsuit, when asked about the proposed budget.
The proposed backpay, coming from the allocated budget, is to go as far back as 2019 for the part-time faculty at LBCC, compensating them for the hours they were not paid for in class preparation, grading and office hours.
Along with this, part-time faculty are to receive a raise as of the spring semester 2026 to “stay in proportion to the full-time faculty,” according to Roberts, meaning that part-time faculty will still not be paid as much as full-time faculty but will get a significant boost.
“One of the things I thought about when I made the decision to be a plaintiff is, what would I tell my students, like what if one of my students came to me and said, ‘hey, this is happening to me’… I’d be like, ‘you have to advocate,’” said Roberts.
In an email sent to the Viking, LBCC Certificated Hourly Instructors (CHI) stated, “We’re pleased to share an update on the class action settlement. On February 4, 2026, attorneys filed a motion for preliminary approval, which means the full settlement agreement is now public and officially on record with the court.”
Similar lawsuits are now following suit, with a court in Sacramento County bringing claims that could cause uniform pay across the entire California community college districts.
The 20 million dollars was listed by the trustees as coming out of the Unrestricted General Fund for LBCC, and amounts to about 10% of LBCC’s annual budget.
The Unrestricted General Fund houses the money for salaries, benefits, services and more for LBCC.
When asked about the budget information, Director of Communications and Community Engagement Stacey Toda sent an email to the Viking News.
“The Long Beach City College Board of Trustees recently approved a $20 million interfund transfer to address a class action lawsuit settlement and related expenses that remain subject to final court approval. Resolving this matter allows the District to avoid prolonged litigation and manage risk responsibly, consistent with standard practices across public higher education.
LBCC remains financially stable, and the transfer does not affect the District’s ability to meet its Board-mandated reserve requirements or impact staffing or classes.”
LBCC’s board policy requires a 16.67% reserve in the Unrestricted General Fund, which is about 68 million dollars put aside for this reason. The fund now contains 20 million less, about 30% of the reserves, due to the lawsuit.
When asked about the impacts to LBCC’s budget and how we rebuild the reserves, superintendent-president Mike Munoz said, “Do we want to cut programs? No, and that’s always the last thing we do. You look for other efficiencies… are there vacancies, positions that are vacant that maybe we don’t need to replace, that can provide some relief.”
“There is a whole slew of strategies that you employ before you get to cutting programs and laying off people… So we’re always always king of retooling the budget with that lens, right? Prioritizing students first, supporting employees or faculty and staff,” said Munoz.
With another lawsuit pending, regarding former Superintendent-President Reagan Romali, LBCC faces more legal battles and funding responsibilities. They placed another 300,000 dollars in legal fees for the Romali lawsuit also in the February trustees’ meeting, also coming from the Unrestricted General Fund.
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