DRIVER DEAD AFTER HITTING TREE IN EL CAJON
East County News Service February 16, 2020 (El Cajon) – A man in his 30s was found dead this afternoon in a black 1998 Ford Explorer that struck a tree in the 1200 block of North Second Street. El Cajon Police officers and Heartland Fire personnel responded at 1:49 p.m., where witnesses and an investigation indicated the Ford was traveling northbound when it drifted onto the center divider and hit a tree. The driver’s identity is being withheld pending notification of his family. “It is unknown at this time if drugs or alcohol were a factor in this collision and no other vehicles or persons were involved,” says Lt. Jason Taub with Ell Cajon Police. Anyone with information is asked to call (619) 579-3311. ECPD reminds the public to designate a sober driver this holiday weekend.
SDSU MEN’S BASKETBALL: AZTECS RUN STREAK TO 26 WITH 17 POINT WIN IN BOISE
Source: goaztecs.com Video courtesy goaztecs.com February 16, 2020 (Boise) – No. 4 San Diego State keeps winning, forcing coach Brian Dutcher to dig deep for creative ways to keep his team focused. After the Aztecs beat Boise State 72-55 Sunday, he revealed some of his slogans that keep the team on task. “Early in the year, we had five games in eleven days, so we were like, `Let’s win five in eleven,” Dutcher said. “And then we had five games the entire month of December, so we said, `Let’s win five in December.’ And we did it. I told our team they don’t hang a banner for twenty wins, so we hung a banner with four to go.” His mantra changed after San Diego State (26-0, 15-0 Mountain West) wrapped up the conference regular season title, though his message hasn’t. “I told our team, `Let’s get greedy. Let’s play for perfection,” Dutcher said. “If we’re this close, we might as well play for a perfect regular season. Why not win three straight as a mini-goal to chase something other than seeding in the tournament? Let’s do something special.” The Aztecs, which own the nation’s longest active winning streak, looked special in handling a Bronco squad that hadn’t lost a home conference game since Feb. 27, 2019. Malachi Flynn scored 22 points and dished out six assists to lead San Diego State in scoring, joined by all four of the team’s starters in double digits. Yanni Wetzell added 14 points and seven rebounds. Boise State (17-10, 9-6) struggled to find any rhythm on offense and finished the game shooting 41.2% from the field. “They wanted it,” Boise State coach Leon Rice said of his team. “It’s not like they didn’t show up either. They wanted it too much in some ways and let it get away.” After wrapping up the Mountain West regular season title on Tuesday with a victory over New Mexico State, San Diego State didn’t show any signs of let down. The Aztecs went on an 8-2 run to close out the first half and take a 40-26 lead into the locker room. Justinian Jessup led the Broncos with 22 points, while Derrick Alston added 12. All five of San Diego State’s starters finished with double figures in scoring. POLL IMPLICATIONS Since moving up to No. 4 in the poll on Jan. 20, the Aztecs haven’t been able to climb up any further. And that won’t change after the three teams ahead of them — Baylor, Gonzaga, and Kansas — kept winning this week. However, Kansas and Baylor clash on Saturday, which could give San Diego State a chance to push even higher next week if it continues its winning ways. BIG PICTURE With San Diego State’s tournament all but booked, the Aztecs continue to build their case for a top seed. And Sunday’s victory kept that possibility alive. Their weak schedule — one that only has two wins over teams currently ranked — means an undefeated regular season is the only path for a No. 1 seed, but a very realistic one. Boise State’s long shot hopes of earning an at-large bid hinged on pulling the upset at home. Now the Broncos’ tournament fate rests on making a run in the Mountain West tournament next month. UP NEXT San Diego State hosts UNLV on Saturday. Box Postgame notes Postgame quotes
READER’S EDITORIAL: AMERICAN BASEBALL – SIGNS OF THE TIMES
By Greg Dunne February 16, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) — Baseball made the front page of the Wall Street Journal this week with the Astros’ scandal about cameras in the outfield stealing signs from opponents, especially in their 2017 World Series vs. the Dodgers. I’m pretty much standing alone on my views of this scandal. I’m sure even baseball historians will say my views on this matter are absurd. When did the time-honored tradition of stealing signs in baseball become a bad thing? I guess in 2020 when the entire Astros team had to apologize for stealing signs in the World Series of 2017. I’ve been a baseball fan for a long time, dating back to the 1960s when I was a kid. I have followed baseball and its history ever since, which always made the game so great for me. The history of the game was always a big part of the game as a player and as a fan. So, now that technology is helping a team steal signs, stealing signs is not the “art form” that it used to be? And now you have to be politically correct and apologize for it? Well, I say not. Baseball has always been a game played by the rules unless you can get away with something underhanded, or what many might call cheating! This was always an unspoken way that baseball lived. This is one of the reasons the umpire is on the field. Back before hidden cameras and cell phones, when signs were “picked up” or stolen from the other team, you understood right away and changed your signs right then. It has always been up to the opposing team to watch out for the other side taking an unfair advantage. This was one of the things you were always aware of and watching for in every game played in baseball. If not, you didn’t have your head in the game. Just a few old-time clichés: “No crying in baseball.” “You have to hit the ball.” “You have to catch the ball.” “You have to throw the ball.” “Stay one step ahead of your opponent.” I think Mickey Mantle and Pete Rose would say you couldn’t hit Sandy Koufax even if you knew what was coming! Technology has thrown me another curve in life. I must be getting old!? All I know is this: if you as an organization didn’t realize that technology was going to inspire and lead to teams trying to steal your signs by way of cameras and cell phones, then you are a step behind! What a brilliant move it would have been to understand that if you were the Dodgers in 2017 in the World Series against the Astros. That would have got in their heads! It would make it real hard to hit that fastball if you were sure a change-up was coming. Bugs Bunny would have figured it out and yelled at the top of his lungs “Hey, what’s that tiny camera doing out in center field?” The Who said it best: “We Won’t Get Fooled Again.” The opinions on this editorial reflect the views of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of East County Magazine. To submit an editorial for consideration, contact editor@eastcountymagazine.org
AZTECS LACROSSE FALLS TO STANFORD
Captain Taylor Sullivan led the Aztecs with three goals, Sharretts collected 17 saves (second most in program history) Source: goaztecs.com Photo courtesy goaztecs.com February 16, 2020 (Palo Alto) – San Diego State’s lacrosse team opened the 2020 regular season on a sour note when it fell to No. 20 Stanford by a 15-7 count on Maloney Field inside Laird Q. Cagan Stadium. Captain and senior Taylor Sullivan led the Aztecs’ scoring charge with three goals while collecting two ground balls and five shots. SDSU also received goals from senior Morgan Taylor, junior Julia Sheehan, sophomore Arielle Shahrabani and freshman Camdyn O’Donnell. Redshirt senior goalkeeper Katy Sharretts recorded seven ground balls and 17 saves, the second-most saves in a game in program history (two short of her own program record). Fellow senior Gabbie Garrison recorded a career-best four ground balls and two caused turnovers. Sophomore Cailin Young matched a career-high four draw controls while junior Bailey Brown added two ground balls and two draw controls. The Aztecs (0-1) held a 23-25 advantage in turnovers and matched the Cardinal in free-position shots, but were outshot by Stanford 41-24, including a 28-16 spread on goal. Stanford (1-2) earned its first win of the season led by a hat trick from Mikaela Watson. Recent Tewaaraton watch-list nominee Ali Baiocco alongside Jacie Lemos and Galen Lew added two ticks to the board apiece for the Cardinal. Genesis Lucero led the charge for Stanford in draw controls (seven) while Daniella McMahon recorded an impressive stat line of five ground balls, two caused turnovers and two draw controls. The Aztecs fell to an early 2-0 deficit as the Cardinal scored two goals within 20 seconds of each other to open the game. Senior captain Morgan Taylor kicked off scoring for SDSU with an unassisted goal with 28:10 left in the first half. After the Cardinal tacked on two more points, senior Julia Sheehan took advantage of a man-up free position shot to bring the Scarlet and Black back within two. Senior Taylor Sullivan followed her lead just two minutes later, finding the back of the goal with a strong assist from redshirt junior Lexi Tan and sending the score to 4-3 Stanford. Freshman Camdyn O’Donnell earned her first goal in her first collegiate lacrosse match, clipping the Cardinal’s following three-goal streak and bringing the Aztecs within three goals, 7-4. Sullivan closed off the first-half scoring with a man-up goal with just 42 seconds left to play, shutting off another three-goal run by the Cardinal and sending the Aztecs into halftime with the game at 10-5. Stanford opened the second half with three goals to boost their lead to 13-5. Sullivan and Shahrabani answered with marks of their own, bringing the score to 13-7. The Aztecs were silenced for the last ten minutes of play on the Farm. UP NEXT SDSU hosts their first regular-season matchup at home on Thursday, Feb. 20 when it faces Arizona State at Aztec Lacrosse Field, starting at 1 p.m. Box
AZTECS WOMEN’S TENNIS BEATS MUSTANGS 6-1
SDSU completes a perfect weekend at home with victory over Cal Poly Source: goaztecs.com Photo courtesy goaztecs.com February 16, 2020 (San Diego) – San Diego State women’s tennis earned its second win of the weekend when it topped Cal Poly 6-1 Sunday at Aztec Tennis Center. In doubles play, Cal Poly got a quick jump on the Aztecs with a 6-4 victory over senior Mia Smith and sophomore Alicia Melosch on court one. With the match’s first point on the line, juniors Nnena Nadozie and Abbie Mulbarger secured a 6-4 decision on court three to even the score. In exciting fashion, second-seeded freshman Julia Jordan and junior Tamara Arnold broke a 5-5 tie with two-straight game wins, winning 7-5 and bringing the doubles point home for SDSU. Arnold secured the team’s second match point with a dominant 6-1, 6-2 win in singles play over Cal Poly’s Boyden. The Mustangs answered with a 6-2, 7-6 (3) victory over SDSU freshman Cécile Morin on court five to earn their first and only point of the day. Melosch came back from a 0-6 defeat in her first set to top Cal Poly’s Dunkle in the second and third sets, winning the match 0-6, 6-4, 6-2. Clinching the victory for the Aztecs was Julia Jordan, who bounced back from a 2-6 defeat in the first to earn a 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 win over the Mustangs’ Bhunu. Also earning wins Sunday were Nnena Nadozie and Abbie Mulbarger, with Nadozie continuing her singles win-streak with a 3-6, 6-3, 10-7 victory over Boyden and Mulbarger storming back from a first set defeat to take the six seed victory 4-6, 6-2, 6-3. THE NOTE Junior Nnena Nadozie holds the Mountain West’s best win percentage this season—13-1 (including fall tournament play) in 2019-2020 and 5-0 in dual-match play. UP NEXT The Aztecs continue a four-match homestand when they welcome the University of Hawai’i to Aztec Tennis Center Wednesday, Feb. 19. Play is set to begin at 2 p.m. Cal Poly vs San Diego State University 2/16/2020 at Aztec Tennis Center San Diego State University 6, Cal Poly 1 Singles Competition 1. Nnena Nadozie (SDSU) def. Susanne Boyden (CPW) 3-6, 6-3, 10-7 2. Tamara Arnold (SDSU) def. Emily Monaghan (CPW) 6-1, 6-2 3. Alicia Melosch (SDSU) def. Delanie Dunkle (CPW) 0-6, 6-4, 6-2 4. Julia Jordan (SDSU) def. Kim Bhunu (CPW) 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 5. Melissa LaMette (CPW) def. Cecile Morin (SDSU) 6-2, 7-6 (7-4) 6. Abbie Mulbarger (SDSU) def. Emily Ackerman (CPW) 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 Doubles Competition 1. Emily Monaghan/Emily Ackerman (CPW) def. Mia Smith/Alicia Melosch (SDSU) 6-4 2. Tamara Arnold/Julia Jordan (SDSU) def. Delanie Dunkle/Melissa LaMette (CPW) 7-5 3. Nnena Nadozie/Abbie Mulbarger (SDSU) def. Kim Bhunu/Dominique Stone (CPW) 6-4 Doubles Order of Finish: 1, 3, 2 Singles Order of Finish: 2, 5, 3, 4*, 6, 1 * match-clinching dual Box