Not a sport?

Cheerleaders reflect on life as an ‘activity club’ Marcus Clem | copy editor Wave your pompoms, dance a few simple moves, repeat chants, stand on the sideline and look pretty: That is the pop culture job description pegged to cheerleaders. It couldn’t be further from the truth, Mickey Walker says. The activity of cheerleading has evolved to become much more challenging athletically. People who say it doesn’t deserve “sport” status are wrong, Walker says. “There are always going to be people who believe that, but don’t judge a book by its cover,” Walker, sophomore in biology, said. “A lot of these girls and a lot of these guys work really hard.” Last October, the American…

Hot-streak continues

Michael Bauer | reporter The Pittsburg State Gorillas took a step closer to clinching a first-round bye in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) tournament with a 63-60 win over the Emporia State Hornets. Against fourth-place Emporia, the Gorillas ended the Hornets’ nine-game winning streak, while extending their own streak to four. The game went back and forth throughout. There were six lead changes alone in the first half. “We really grew up,” said head coach Lane Lord in an interview with KKOW 860 AM. “This is a team with a lot on its back. We control our own destiny to win these games and get into the tournament.” The Gorillas found themselves with a…

Hornets outlast Gorillas’ effort

Tyler Smith | reporter The Pitt State men’s basketball team traveled to Emporia State University to face off against the Hornets as it continues its march toward the MIAA tournament. Although it led for much of the first half, Pitt State lost a close one, 88-82. The Gorillas couldn’t fend off the momentum swing that Emporia took in the second half, they allowed the Hornets to shoot 63 percent while also allowing five of seven three-pointers. The first half saw the Hornets lead for the first seven minutes before freshman Kaleb Porter made a three-point jumper to give the Gorillas a one-point lead. PSU controlled the rest of the first half with a healthy lead…

Spring Cleaning

Gorillas knock dust off bats Garett McCullough | sports editor Matt Murray and his Pittsburg State baseball team didn’t wait for the warm weather to heat up in the batter’s box as PSU manhandled the Maryville University Saints (Mo.), 18-1 and 16-5 in last weekend’s double-header in Pittsburg. PSU baseball coach of 22 years, Steve Bever, stepped down last season to make way for a new coach Murray, and a new era of Gorilla baseball. Murray, a former assistant at the University of Central Missouri, didn’t disappoint in his first double-header as head coach. In the first game of the season, on Friday Feb. 16 the Gorillas and the Saints looked to be in for…

Men search for consistency

Tyler Smith | reporter The Pitt State men’s basketball team continued its win one, lose one trend, knocking off the Truman State Bulldogs on Wednesday, Feb. 6, with a score of 79-75. The Gorillas then lost a heartbreaker to Southwest Baptist, 81-75. Against the Bulldogs, Pitt State went on a 13-3 run after finding itself down by seven points in the second half to gain the lead. Despite a valiant effort from Truman State, the Gorillas made 16 off 28 shots in the second half to come out with the victory. Also, this past Saturday, Pitt State faced a strong-willed SBU Bearcat squad that fought to the bitter end. Despite being down 22 points at…

Climbing back to the top

Trent Johnson | reporter A return home for the Pittsburg State Gorilla women to John Lance Arena could not have come at a better time. The Gorillas were coming off their longest losing streak of the season, three games, all of which were away from home. The Gorilla women put to rest any doubt that they were still capable of knocking off the MIAA conference top dogs. Truman State was first up for the Gorillas. The Bulldogs came into John Lance Arena with a 16-3 record, 9-3 in MIAA play. A complete performance for the Gorillas on both ends of the floor led the way from the opening tipoff. Through the first 10 minutes of…

Community Cares

PSU broadcasters stream fundraiser live for leukemic student Garett McCullough | sports editor “Unique” might be a word to describe what St. Mary’s Colgan fifth grader and leukemia patient Payton Kannarr has been through over the past four months. Most people would consider any story of a battle against cancer to be tragic, but in this case, a community is coming together to help a young girl fighting for her life. One week after turning 11, Payton was diagnosed with leukemia. This is often news that is met with blank stares and silence as family members and friends search for comforting words. More often than not, those words just don’t exist. Instead, Colgan and the…

On the road again

Trent Johnson | sports reporter Gorillas stricken by Lady Blues The Lady Blues finished a three-game setback for women’s basketball last week. The Gorillas concluded a road trip on Saturday, Feb. 2, with their third straight loss, this time at the hands of Washburn University. The final score was 58-44. The Gorillas were beaten on rebounds by the Lady Blues, 39-25, and shot for just 30.4 percent from the field. The Gorillas held a 2-point lead with about 13 minutes left to go in the first half, but the Lady Blues held the Gorillas scoreless for the next seven and a-half minutes. Washburn finished the half on a 20-9 run to obtain a 28-19 lead…

Bittersweet weekend

Tyler Smith | reporter Track team shines in Lincoln, drops the ball in Joplin The Pitt State track and field team sent some of its athletes to compete at the Frank Sevigne Husker Invitational in Lincoln, Neb., for a Division I meet on Saturday while the rest of the team found itself in Joplin, Mo., for the Lion Invitational held at the Leggett and Platt Athletic Center. In Lincoln, senior Emily Ballock placed a provisional qualifying mark of 2 minutes, 14.11 seconds in the women’s 800 meters while senior Adam Volkert ran for a sixth place spot in the men’s 5,000-meter race with a time of 14 minutes and 51.62 seconds. For the men’s 800-meter…

Students hit the gym

Michael Bauer | sports reporter The fitness business that is in some ways Pittsburg State’s unofficial athletic training center is attracting more student athletes. Originally located on Ninth Street, the Mac Fitness Center moved to 11th and Walnut Street last year. That is where the complex and 24-hour gym now stands. Mica Dalton, manager, says the center relocated to expand, benefiting athletes and other members. “The main goal of our Mac Fitness Center is to work with athletes and teach them how to use their basic fundamentals and agilities,” Dalton said. “So, we were able to get this indoor facility.” Of the 193 members, roughly 130 of them are students. That is just individuals; students…