Trojan Shield Weekly Update: November 12, 2018

Greetings from Trojan Country!

Trojan Basketball fans

Trojan Pride is running pretty strong around here this week. The basketball teams are off to a great start and the cross country teams wrapped up the fall with a tremendous finish. It is great to see the enthusiasm from all of our athletes as they cheer each other on. I think the crowd at Scott Gym on Friday night earned at least a few points as they cheered the Trojans on to victory. You can see from the photo that the crowd was very enthusiastic for the season opener.

It is also signing season as the coaches work hard to get the 2019-2020 rosters set. The NJCAA allows us to sign starting on November 1, and the NCAA signing date is November 14. So many athletes will be committing in the coming weeks. We did have three early signings. Maria “Masha” Armstrong for volleyball and softball players Ciara Navarro and Mauri Balderas, become the newest TSJC Trojans. Welcome to all three of these young ladies.

Finally, one last welcome. Last week we mentioned the departure of assistant baseball coach Thomas Simoneaux. This week we can announce his replacement. It didn’t take long for Coach Wichert to find another coach who was anxious to join the team. We would like to welcome Calvin Ellis to the fold as our newest assistant coach.

Last Week's Results

Cross Country – Competed at the National Cross Country Meet in Garden City, Kansas

Women’s Results – 7th overall

12th Benadine Chelimo 19:33.8
17th Toni Moore 19:45.9
45th Mary Baldwin 20:51.9
82nd Kathryn Sauerwein 21:29.0
113th Camille Ruggles 21:57.2
163rd Vanessa Davis 22:43.6

Men’s Results – 11th overall

26th Godfrey Chama 27:05.32
56th Derek Holdsworth 27:51.92
78th John McMahon 28:23.55
88th Cody Danley 28:32.77
95th Joseph Enright 28:40.99
103rd Riley Allen 28:48.35
117th Bailey Smith 29:04.41

Women’s Basketball –

Defeated Adams State JV 87-41
Defeated Western Wyoming 76-48
Fell to Air Force Prep 67-62

Men’s Basketball –

Defeated Frank Phillips 81-78
Defeated Northern New Mexico JV 95-77

This Week

Tuesday -

Women’s Basketball travels to Alamosa to face Adams State JV at 5pm

Wednesday -

Women’s Basketball hosts Garden City CC at 5pm in Scott Gym

Friday -

Men’s Basketball travels to La Junta to face Lamar JV at the Otero Classic

Saturday -

Men’s Basketball travels to La Junta to face Northwest College at the Otero Classic

Trojans excel at National Meet

Trojans at the National Banquet

The Trojan Cross Country teams were in Garden City, Kansas this past week to compete at the 2018 NJCAA National Championship Meet. There were over 500 athletes competing in the two races, with 38 teams in both the women’s 5K and the men’s 8K. This was the third season since the creation of the cross country/track and field programs at the TSJC Valley Campus in Alamosa, and each year the teams have finished higher than the year before at the national meet. This was the highest showing yet as the Lady Trojans finished seventh overall and the men raced to an eleventh-place finish.

The 5K was first on chilly Saturday afternoon. The Trojan runners were looking to improve on their eleventh-place performance from 2017, and improve they would. Led by sophomores Benadine Chelimo and Toni Moore the Trojans came in seventh overall with a total of 242 points. Iowa Central was first with 45 points, followed by El Paso, Southern Idaho, Cowley College, South Plains, and Central Arizona who sat at 219 points on the final leader board. Chelimo put in another strong performance as she placed 12th overall in a time of 19:33.8. Moore was 17th coming across at 19:45.9. Mary Baldwin (45th), Kathryn Sauerwein (82nd) and Camille Ruggles (113th) rounded out the scoring for the Trojans. Chelimo and Moore were both named All-American for their performance. It was Moore’s second award in Cross Country.

The Trojan men entered the final race of the season ranked 12th in the national polls, and they would be looking to improve on their 16th place finish from 2017. They would top expectations by finishing eleventh overall with 319 total points, just three points out of the top-ten. Godfrey Chama was the first Trojan to cross the finish line at 27:05.32. Also scoring for the Trojans were Derek Holdsworth (56th), John McMahon (78th), Cody Danley (88th) and Joseph Enright (95th). Chama was named All-American for his finish.

Three years into the program the improvement has continued each year, with the women now in the top-10 and the men knocking on the door. Up next for the Trojans will be the Indoor Track season which will be hitting the track in early December.

Basketball wins pair at TSJC Classic

Drive to the basket

The Trojan men’s basketball team opened play at home this weekend with a pair of victories over Frank Phillips and Northern New Mexico JV. The Trojans are now 4-1 on the season.

TSJC got off to a slow start on Friday against the Plainsmen trailing 21-9 at the 10:40 mark of the half. A 3-pointer from Goy Wang would get TSJC going and a full court trapping defense would help the Trojans even it up with less than two minutes left in the half. Another Wang jump shot would send the Trojans to the locker room up 40-38 at the half. Frank Phillips started strong again in the second half, moving out to a 58-50 lead, only to see Trinidad go on an 11-0 run to move back in front. TSJC held the lead the rest of the way, holding on for the 81-78 win. Five Trojans were in double figures led by Ian Kelly’s 14. Keontae White (12), Wang (11), Issac Essein (11) and David Muenkat (10) were the other Trojans in double-digits. Bilal Shabazz had seven rebounds to lead the team and White had five assists.

On Saturday the Trojans hosted the Eagles from Northern New Mexico. Contrary to the night before Trinidad used a fast start to go up 13-0 early. The Eagles would hang close thanks to making 14 3-pointers, but the Trojans would never trail, winning 95-77. Kelly had 24 to lead TSJC in scoring and White added 18 points and six assists.

The Trojans will travel to La Junta this coming weekend to take on Lamar JV and Northwest College at the Otero Classic. They will be home on Tuesday, November 20 to host Laramie County at 6pm.

Lady Trojans move to 4-1

Through the paint

The Lady Trojans got the week off to a great start, downing Adams State JV 87-41 at home on Tuesday night. After the teams exchanged buckets early the Trojans went on a 26-0 run to blow the game open. All thirteen Trojans scored in the contest led by freshmen Kate Rohr, 15 points and six rebounds, and Conner Proctor, ten points and two assists.

Over the weekend TSJC traveled to Colorado Springs to take on Western Wyoming Community College and Air Force Prep at the AFP Classic. On Friday, the Trojans used a big first half to cruise to a 76-48 win. Four Trojan sophomores had big nights to lead the way. Cassia Mccaskill, 18 points, Destinee Vigil, 16 points and seven assists, Shaylynn Choate, 15 points and five rebounds and Hannah Gilmore, 13 points and nine boards. On Saturday the Trojans led most of the way, but the Huskies used a late comeback to claim the 67-62 win, handing TSJC their first loss of the season. McCaskill led the Trojans with 13 points and five rebounds. She was joined in double figures by Vigil and Julia Trujillo.

The Lady Trojans will travel to Alamosa on Tuesday night to again take on ASU JV at 5pm. They will then return home on Wednesday for a game with Garden City Community College. Tip off on Wednesday is set for 5pm.