HAWKS MAKE PLAYOFFS!!! - Cosumnes River College

Cosumnes River College Sports Report
November 14, 2012
HAWKS MAKE PLAYOFFS!!!
Women’s Soccer
Hawks make postseason, face Sierra Saturday
The 2012 season has been one with plenty of peaks and valleys, as the Hawks battled through an
excruciating schedule to claim another postseason appearance. The Cosumnes River women’s soccer
team, who finished sixth in the Big 8 conference, was rewarded for their difficult schedule with the
13 th seed in the Northern California regional. The Hawks will head to Rocklin this Saturday, where
they will face Big 8 rival and 4 th -seeded Sierra College.
CRC (5-10-6; 3-6-5) took their lumps this season with a very young squad, but the team performed
well down the stretch; well enough to claim a consecutive postseason berth. The Hawks begin their
postseason run against the Wolverines of Sierra College (13-5-3; 9-3-2), a club that finished second in
the always difficult Big 8 conference. Cosumnes River more than held their own against the

Wolverines in their two contests this season, playing to a 0-0 draw in mid-October, before dropping a
tight 1-0 contest at home to open November. Should the Hawks prevail, they would advance to face
the winner of 5 th -seeded Evergreen Valley College and 12 th -seeded Butte College.
Cosumnes River looked to make an impression this past week on the selection committee for
postseason consideration, but struggled to get anything going against #7-ranked Santa Rosa JC
offensively, dropping the match 3-0 at home. The shutout victory by the Bear Cubs solidified the Big 8
conference title for Santa Rosa, who also locked down the #3-seed in the Northern California regional
bracket.
CRC looks to improve upon their performance last season, when they fell in the second round to 3 rd
seeded Fresno City College. We wish head coach Cesar Plasencia and his club the best as they kick off
their postseason run this Saturday!
Freshman forward Alexis Haffner
Women’s Basketball
Hawks take CRC invitational title, knock off COS
The Cosumnes River College women’s basketball team took huge strides forward last season, winning
20 games on their way to advancing to the Sweet Sixteen. The Hawks, with a roster boasting only two
returners from last season, continued their winning ways this past week. Head Coach Coral Sage and
the Hawks are 4-0 to begin the year, following a CRC Invitational title, and a nail biter against visiting
College of the Siskiyous.

Cosumnes River began the season last Thursday by hosting the CRC Invitational, which ran through
Saturday. The Hawks began the opening round against Bay Valley conference foe Yuba College,
making little work of the 49ers, as CRC took the opener 96-49. Five players scored in double figures
on the day, led by a 31 point effort by sophomore reserve guard Alexis Mendez (El Camino
Fundamental HS/Sacramento). Fellow El Camino alum Courtney Tenge contributed 17 points on a
perfect 6-6 from the field, while another former Eagle Alexis Haffner (pictured above), recorded a
double-double. Haffner finished the game with 10 points and 11 rebounds.
Haffner and Mendez followed their outstanding opening night performances with another great effort
in the semifinals, as Cosumnes River recorded a 77-70 victory over Big 8 rival American River College.
Haffner led all scorers with 31 points, including three treys, while grabbing eight rebounds and four
steals. Mendez scored 18 points in the contest off the bench, including a pair of three-point baskets.
The semifinal victory over the Beavers set up a championship showdown against another Big 8 foe, in
rival Modesto Junior College. The Bucs played the Hawks tight early in the game, but their lack of
depth was exposed in the second half, as CRC pulled away for a 76-58 victory to wrap up the CRC
Invitational title. Alexis Haffner, who contributed 18 points in the win, garnered MVP honors.
Cosumnes River took that momentum from the CRC Invitational win into the non-conference matchup
against visiting College of the Siskiyous last night, as the Hawks took an early lead, eventually
defeating the Eagles 74-69. Alexis Haffner once again asserted her dominance early in the contest, as
the Hawks pounded the COS zone defense inside, and utilized dribble penetration to attack the gaps.
Haffner led all Hawks with 24 points in the victory, quickly staking her claim as one of the best
forwards in the region. The victory puts the Hawks at a record of 4-0, as they travel to take part in the
Merced College tournament this week.

The Cosumnes River College women’s basketball team opens up the Merced College tournament
tomorrow, which will run through Saturday, concluding with the championship game. The Hawks look
to replicate their tournament experience from last season, when they took the Solano College
tournament championship, as well as the Fullerton College consolation championship.
Men’s Basketball
Hawks open 2012-2013 season at Ed Boyle Classic
The Cosumnes River College men’s basketball team is coming off their second consecutive 18-win
season, and their second Sweet Sixteen appearance in three years. They look to continue their recent
success this week, when they head to participate in the Ed Boyle Classic this week at Mendocino
College in Ukiah. The Hawks, who took the Ed Boyle Classic championship two years ago, boast a
talented but inexperienced roster this season.
The 2012-2013 team begins the year ranked 13th in the Northern California Regional poll. The
Hawks return only two letter winners from a season ago, in forward Orion Kidd and versatile wing
Shauwn Brooks. Brooks (Pleasant Grove HS/Sacramento, CA) is the lone returner to the Hawks
backcourt this season and his leadership ability, along with his ability to knock down shots from the
perimeter, will be factors in CRC’s success this season. The lone returner to the Hawks front court this
season is sophomore Orion Kidd (Bradshaw Christian HS/Stockton, CA), a high-energy post who also
serves as the team’s vocal leader.
The Ed Boyle Classic runs from Thursday through Saturday, and concludes with the championship
game Saturday night. The Hawks open things up Thursday night against Butte College (2-1), with the
winner scheduled to face the either College of the Redwoods or the host Mendocino College on
Friday. CRC will then return home to host the 34 th annual James Clark Invitational, which will run
from November 29 th through December 1 st .

Men’s Soccer
Hawks conclude season with 1-0 loss to SRJC
The Cosumnes River men’s soccer team concluded the 2012 campaign this past week, with a difficult
home loss to Santa Rosa Junior College. The Hawks who had difficulty scoring goals down the stretch,
once again struggled to find the net, falling to the #6-ranked Bear Cubs 1-0. The shutout loss
continued a five match stretch where the Hawks failed to find the net, a stretch that saw the Hawks go
0-5.
CRC concludes the 2012 season in fifth place in the Big 8 conference, with a conference mark of 0-7-1,
and an overall record of 3-14-4. Highlights from this past season included big shutout victories over
Canada College and College of the Sequoias at home, as well as Contra Costa College on the road
earlier this season. Freshman forward Rigo Gomez (Tokay HS/Lodi, CA) was also named CRC’s
Student-Athlete of the Month for the month of September.
We’d like to take a moment to thank head coach Ron Preble, his staff, and the 2012 Hawks for another
exciting season of intercollegiate soccer!
Volleyball
Hawks fall to pair of Big 8 opponents, host DVC tonight

The Cosumnes River volleyball team continued its 2012 season in the always competitive Big 8
conference with a pair of difficult tests, in a home/road split this past week. CRC kicked things off last
Wednesday on the road against rival Sacramento City College, in a match that was very close down the
stretch. The Panthers jumped on the Hawks early, taking the first game 25-12; however, Cosumnes
River rallied for a very tight second game, before falling late 25-23. The third game was very similar, as
the Hawks battled from beginning to end before eventually faltering down the stretch 25-21, capping
the Panthers 3-0 victory over CRC.
The road didn’t get any easier for the Hawks, as they hosted the always difficult Wolverines of Sierra
College. Cosumnes River once again stumbled out of the gates, falling 25-6 to Sierra in the opening
game. The Hawks rebounded well in the second and third games, however, remaining competitive for
the duration of each game. CRC managed to bring the second game to a four point differential, before
falling 25-20. The Hawks managed to play the Wolverines tight in the third game as well, but
eventually fell 25-19, dropping the match 3-0 to Sierra College.
The Hawks (4-19; 1-12) close the 2012 campaign out on a high note, as they play host to visiting
Diablo Valley College tonight. The Vikings (11-13; 6-6), are currently in fourth place in the Big 8
conference. The match is slated to begin promptly at 6:30.
GO HAWKS!!!
Nicholas Podesta
Sports Information Officer