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Rainy start to the semester led to professors having to adapt quickly

Kassie Sainz
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Rainy start to the semester led to professors having to adapt quickly

Long Beach City College started off the 2024 Spring semester by canceling in-person classes due to rainy conditions and flooding. 

Professors had a slight feeling that weather might cause cancellation for the first day of class so they took matters into their own hands.

Students were anticipating the cancellation of Monday’s classes and were engaged with  online instruction with the help of responsive professors. 

“Thankfully, folks were anxiously awaiting the change to online and were able to make the changes they needed to,” said Ethnic Studies professor, Stefanie Lira.

Many professors hesitated to conduct classes on Zoom following the cancellation.

With the cancellation of class only being one day, most professors weren’t worried about falling behind during the semester.

“Students signed up for an in person class and I didn’t want to put the stress on students to get a laptop for a last minute Zoom session,” said Statistics professor, Cindy Enrigue. “I’m not worried about falling behind because we have the rest of the course time in the semester to make up for it.”

Anticipating potential weather related disruptions, professors proactively prepared for the first day of class. 

“I would say my lesson plans were affected, but luckily, I anticipated the rain would be a problem, and I had time to prepare a welcome video. But had I not been diligently paying attention to the broadcasting of the storm, I would have had more issues,” said Lira.

Professors were concerned about students’ safety traveling to campus after the last minute changes to the semester’s first day.

“I feel good about it, I didn’t want to put the anxiety on students to get to class when the weather was not the best,” said Enrigue.

Had professors not taken proper steps to prepare themselves ahead of time prior to the school’s cancellation announcement, many would have been unprepared, affecting their lesson plans for the rest of the week and causing a rough start to the semester.

Vikings defeat El Camino with a 10-9 walk-off win.

Mari Kebede
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Vikings defeat El Camino with a 10-9 walk-off win.

LBCC’s softball game vs El Camino was a battle of the cousins in the end as Vikings’ catcher Breanna Lucero singled against her cousin, Warriors’ pitcher Gabriela Ortega to spark a six-run, seventh inning walk-off 10-9 victory on Feb. 23.

“I felt good because I knew we were going to score in the inning. I just wanted to keep my composure and get a base hit and not overdo it,” Lucero said.

Lucero’s father who was at the game mentioned that they’ve been duking it out since they were kids and it’s always fun to watch.

This family affair ended with Lucero’s hand being raised as the Vikings walked it off in the seventh inning.

The comeback was capped off with Vikings’ right fielder Alynna Gonzalez hitting a two-run triple to right field.

El Camino came out of the gates red-hot with the bats in the first inning as the Warriors got the best of LBCC starting pitcher Bayleigh Fry by putting eight runs on the board in the first inning.

Relief pitcher Mariah Zapata replaced Fry on the mound as Fry’s day ended before the top of the first inning came to a close.

Zapata looked sharp coming out of the bullpen, giving up only one run and three hits through six innings pitched.

“I knew the whole time that we were going to win and I knew that I was able to do my job and keep us afloat,” Zapata said.

Mariah Zapata throws a pitch during the game against El Camino. The Vikings were able to clinch a 6-5 win in the final moments of the last inning. (Lolita Mojica)

The Vikings came out swinging after a disastrous top of the first inning by scoring 3 runs, with two RBI singles by first baseman Anaya Togia and designated hitter Jordyn Villanueva, as well as a sacrifice fly by third baseman Alejandra Mota.

El Camino answered back in the top of the third inning when shortstop Cheyenne Navarro hit a RBI triple to give El Camino its ninth run of the game.

LBCC wasn’t going down easily after the triple as the Vikings answered back with an RBI single by center fielder Robin Garcia in the bottom of the fourth inning.

It was a quiet rest of the game before the battle of the cousins took place with Lucero facing Ortega to begin the Vikings; comeback effort in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Lucero won the battle with a leadoff single, followed by multiple hits from her teammates, leading to Warriors pitcher Kat Gutierrez taking over as pitcher for Ortega.

Guttierez’s fortunes would turn out to be the same as Ortega’s with the Vikings securing more hits as they started to rack up a few runs on the board.

El Camino finally got its first out of the inning, but not before the game became 9-8 with the Vikings inching closer to a comeback win.

LBCC right fielder Alynna Gonzalez came up with the chance to be a hero and either tie or win the ballgame and she did just that with a walk-off, 2-RBI triple to end the game in a 10-9 win for the Vikings.

“I know that we are great hitters, so all we had to do is execute. No moment is too big for us,” Gonzalez said.

After the game, Vikings head coach Megan Martinez shared how much of a team effort this was to come out with the victory.

“We started off uncomfortable on the mound, but we have faith in all of our players, every single person contributed to this win. We’re relentless and our bats have been on fire since day one and we’re really excited to keep the ball rolling,” Martinez said.

The Vikings won their next three games and are currently riding a five-game win streak into their next matchup against LA Mission on Friday.

Viking News Broadcast: LBCC Rocket League vs Cal Poly Humboldt Green

Neil Gagna
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Men’s basketball playoff hopes cut short after loss to Cerritos

Ian Salazar
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Men’s basketball playoff hopes cut short after loss to Cerritos

Long Beach City College sophomore guard Brandon Cerda scored a total of 16 points and eight assists to lead the men’s basketball team but it was not enough as the Vikings lost 93-87 to Cerritos on Friday. 

The men’s basketball team’s chance for the playoffs was cut short after their last game of the season not going in their favor. 

“I feel good about my performance today, I wish we could have won. Knowing this might be the last game of the season, I just wanted to go out there and play hard,” Cerda said. 

Cerda is hoping to take the skills he learned at LBCC and see what’s available for him at the next level. 

Along with Cerda, freshman guard Franklyn Chambers played 24 minutes scoring a total of 16 points and five rebounds. 

Sopohomore guard, Brandon Cerda, takes an open jump shot. The Vikings lost their last game of the season to Cerritos, 93-87 on Friday. (Neil Gagna)

Despite the effort, the Vikings gave up many fouls throughout both halves of the game, surrendering numerous easy points to Cerritos. 

The Vikings were down points most of the game, creeping up to almost tie at the beginning of the second half and suddenly giving it all away with missed shots and turnovers.

Going into the end of the second half, head coach Barry Barnes decided to call a timeout to get his team back in focus after being down ten points. 

When asked what their mentality going into this game was, Barnes said, “We wanted to get payback on Cerritos because they beat us pretty bad the first home game.”  

The team is full of freshman players that are eager to grow together and work on their skills for next season. 

“We’ll be back. We have a great young team. We’re going to keep playing together, competing together and put in the work this summer,” Barnes said. 

Men’s basketball ended the season at 11-17 overall record and 4-6 conference record.

Viking News Broadcast: LBCC Rocket League vs NMSU Black

Neil Gagna
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Freshman Bayleigh Fry pitches shutout in a dominant 9-0 win versus Compton

Neil Gagna
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Freshman Bayleigh Fry pitches shutout in a dominant 9-0 win versus Compton

Long Beach City College softball freshmen Bayleigh Fry would pitch a complete game shutout to continue the Vikings winning streak to four games as they defeated Compton 9-0 Tuesday. 

Fry pitched five innings posting nine strikeouts, two hits, all of which came in the second inning, and one walk. 

“She’s our ace on the mound, we’re so excited to watch her throw the ball. She has good command of all her pitches right now. She’s really confident and she knows that her bats are gonna come through for her,” director of softball operations Megan Martinez said.

This game followed after a bad start against El Camino in which Fry allowed eight runs and was taken out of the game in the first inning.

“I felt better, I built more confidence than what I had on Friday. I took Friday as a learner and I am so glad my team always has my back,” Fry said.

The Vikings would take advantage of two struggling Compton pitchers early as they would score four runs in the first and three runs in the second inning.

Long Beach City College freshman Bayleigh Fry releases a pitch. Fry pitched the whole game to lead the Vikings to victory against Compton 9-0, on Tuesday at their home turf. (Izzy Juarez)

“I’m excited about our performance, our bats are hot. We continue to stick with the basics and put the bat on the ball, and it’s a team win and 1-21 is powerful enough to get the job done,” Martinez said. 

In the fourth inning Anaya Togia hit her second home run of the season into the parking lot. 

“That was a fun one. I think she went 250 feet which is the farthest home run that’s ever been hit here,” Martinez said.

The Vikings would also load the bases twice in the fourth, but would only score by freshmen Kylee Rodriguez drawing a walk. 

With this win the Vikings extended their conference record to 3-0 and their overall record to 10-4 and are looking to keep the streak going to Thursday as they play a non-conference game at home against San Bernardino Valley at 1 p.m.

LBCC’s Yoga on the Lawn promotes stress relief and healthy living

Kassie Sainz
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LBCC’s Yoga on the Lawn promotes stress relief and healthy living

Every Wednesday from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m., LBCC hosts Yoga On the Lawn, an hour-long yoga session filled with movement, meditation and soothing stretches. 

Students and faculty gather on the lush green lawn where sounds of nature create a serene backdrop for their practice.

They’re guided through a series of yoga poses, focusing on their movements and breathing to reach a state of inner peace.

With each pose, tensions melt away and participants are left feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

Participants try a pose at Yoga on the Lawn in front of the LAC A Building on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024. (Isabel Murty)

For college students, incorporating yoga into their routine presents the opportunity to find balance amongst the pressures of day-to-day life.

“Yoga, when it comes to college students, is like their miracle match,” said LBCC kinesiology teacher and Yoga on the Lawn instructor, Rick Anderson. “Students go through college where they’re so busy and have their minds chatter. Yoga brings them to more stillness so they can focus more, they can have a better life for themselves.” 

Micky Motley, an LBCC student majoring in Business Administration, discussed how yoga has improved her productivity throughout the day.

“Movement is medicine. When you move your body, you’re getting yourself out of your head,” Motley said. “I’m able to focus better after doing yoga because I am not distracted from all those negative thoughts that were on my head before yoga.”

Yoga On the Lawn exemplifies LBCC’s commitment to promoting a healthy campus lifestyle, providing students with valuable tools for managing stress and maintaining their overall well-being.

Vikings baseball sweeps Pasadena at home to lead the South Coast Conference

Mari Kebede
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Vikings baseball sweeps Pasadena at home to lead the South Coast Conference

Long Beach City College baseball gets a three game sweep with first baseman Ryan Geck’s runs batted in singles helping the team win against the Pasadena Lancers 10-3 on Saturday placing the Vikings in first of the South Coast Conference standings. 

The Vikings returned home on the third game of the series Saturday as they proved their words to sweep the Lancers in an important conference battle. 

The main star of the game Geck performed the whole game with three RBI’s and three runs within the first, fifth and seventh that helped the Vikings extend the lead with a .600 overall.  

“There were runners in scoring position. I was trying to put the ball in play and bring some runs in” Geck said. “We got a fast team and I think we’re going to continue to take chances.”

The Vikings are now in the lead of the South Coast Conference with a 3-0 record in conference and a 10-3 overall standing with a .769 in percentage in which Vikings head coach Casey Crook felt it was an amazing start in the conference. 


“We say to our guys that if you win every series 2-1, you’re probably playing in the conference championship,” Coach Crook said. “Pasadena is gonna be at the top competing for this but that’s a big sweep for us.”  

The Vikings pitcher came strong as starter Royce Roberts lasted for five innings only allowing three runs in the bottom of the fourth.

In addition, Roberts got hit from a line drive ball at the bullpen in the bottom of the third with only a small bruise near his left eye.

“I had to go back out there and compete with that,” Roberts said. “I’ll be good and ready to compete for the next one.”

Vikings Pitcher Royce Roberts is playing against Pasadena college on the third series game at home. Roberts only allowed three runs while his fellow relievers kept the Lancers scoreless to win the game. (Jorge Hernandez)

Along with Roberts’ performance, the relievers, Thomas Adair, Brian Pham and the closer Jay Carr kept the Lancers scoreless in the entire game keeping the lancers at three.

Center fielder Xander McLaurin homered in the bottom of the first along with shortstop Olin Snakenborg bringing in two RBI’s in the first and the eighth respectively. 

“Nothing changed as I stayed at my approach cause that’s how I got my home run,” McLaurin said. 

The Vikings stayed at home as they faced a non-conference opponent, Pierce College winning 8-2 on Tuesday.

Coach Crook confirmed at Saturday’s game that Luis Guzman would be next to start pitching for the Pierce game to bring in a fresh new lineup and give more players chances to play.

“He only started one game this year and we think he can be really good to see him get another opportunity,” Crook said. 

Vikings shut out Ventura 5-0 in women’s beach volleyball

Neil Gagna
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Vikings shut out Ventura 5-0 in women’s beach volleyball

Long Beach City College women’s beach volleyball shut out Ventura College in a close match that gave the Vikings the 5-0 overall session on Feb. 21 after their close win against Santa Monica College of 3-2 .

The Vikings have kept their winning performance as they are staying at the Liberal Arts Campus for the match against Ventura. 


Volleyball director Tyler Jackson was impressed the team had managed to defeat a team that made it to the state finals in the previous season.


“Coming off 5-0 against them was like a motivation boost,” Jackson said. “A lot have never played beach before so I know they needed that win.” 


A new-coming participant in the game, Jubilee Allen arrived with no experience yet played well in her first game with a score of 22-20 and 21-19.

“She’s a bit nervous at the start but once we set her loose she had a lot out there,” Jackson said.

“I was determined to play my game, not theirs,” Allen said as she reflected on the game along with her partner Carmelina Infante, whose first win proves the statement against Ventura.


As her first appearance in the sport, her partner Infante helped Allen to work on concentrating on the game as she kept the performance to win the game.
“She helped me a lot,” Allen said. “She’s more focused on helping me and it’s like a learning experience and helped me. I was grateful.” 


Along with the newcomer’s winning glory, the fifth game sparked as the Vikings won after a 1-set loss as Ryannah Gagau and Danika Losua kept the game speed against Ventura. 


“It feels good to come out with a win,” Losua said. “The first set was rough but we got together as a team as a partner to communicate to each other to forget the mistake and go to the next point.”

“We’ve been making a lot of changes in switching the lineups and giving the girls more opportunity to practice with partners who will stay put,” Jackson said.

 The Vikings beach volleyball faced off against Bakersfield and Moorpark on Friday and won against both schools to put their record at 5-2 overall as conference play begins on March 1.

Star guards shine, catapulting win against L.A. Southwest

Ian Salazar
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Star guards shine, catapulting win against L.A. Southwest

Freshman guards Jezelle Moreno and Brillana Boyd set the tone for the Vikings’ dominating 74-54 victory against L.A. Southwest on Feb. 21.

This win marks the Vikings’ eighth straight win and has added another win to their conference record as they are now 7-0 in conference matchups.

Moreno filled up her stat sheet with a 16-point, 12-rebound double-double along with six assists and one steal.

“I feel like my role on the team is that I have to bring energy. Our big thing is rebounding on the team, and that leads to energy. So going up and getting boards, it helps me personally and helps me push in transition so I can look for my teammates,” Moreno said.

Brillana Boyd led the scoring charge for the Vikings as she scored 25 points on the night, 16 being scored in the first half. 

Along with Boyd’s monstrous first half, LBCC as a whole took a 27-8 lead going into the second quarter and a 23-point lead going into halftime as the score was 43-20.

Moreno achieved her double-double before the fourth quarter as she had 12 points and 12 rebounds through three quarters of play.

Freshman guard, Jezelle Moreno, posts up against a defender during their final regular season home game at LBCC. Moreno went second in scoring with 16 paints along with 12 rebounds. (Jorge Hernandez)

LBCC ran away with the game as the fourth quarter passed by as the game ended in a 74-54 blowout victory.

Vikings head coach Tay Adams showed her ecstatic emotions after the game as her team is now one step closer to a conference championship.

“We’ve been preparing for that postseason stretch since the second half of the season, so just keeping that together and going forth in the direction we’re going and all of our motivations and focus is getting that title,” Adams said.

LBCC had one more game for the season as the Vikings traveled to Cerritos College in a conference matchup on Friday and won the matchup 68-59, securing its fourth straight conference championship.

The Vikings will go up against Cuesta at LBCC on Wednesday for their first game of regionals.

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