RECAP: City College sports back in action

Knights settle in for fall season

Three runners in Balboa Park

Will Mauriz

City College cross country athletes (from left) Yesenia Huerta, Zheng Zeng, Sofya Chernyak train for upcoming meets. Photo by Will Mauriz/City Times Media

Will Mauriz, Multimedia Journalist
September 23, 2021

Harry West Gymnasium may seem locked up from outside, but behind closed doors San Diego City College’s sports teams are getting back into their routines.

Due to the COVID-19 shutdown, on-campus practices were not permitted for over a year.

The heavy thuds of volleyballs and basketballs pounding the gymnasium floor is a clear sign that City sports are back in action.

“Now every Monday approximately 200 student-athletes are getting tested for COVID-19 in rapid screen tests,” head athletic trainer Jayme Jenkins said.

Knights volleyball wins two straight

The Knights rebounded after four straight losses with back-to-back victories, sweeping San Diego Miramar College (0-3), 25-17, 25-23, 25-9.

Freshman outside hitter Faith Patterson (Aurora, CO) led City College with 9 kills. Setters Kally Norvell (Maranatha) and Alyssa Fletes (Helix) split setting duties, with 12 and 10 assists, respectively. Norvell, the lone sophomore on the team, also led the team with 6 aces.

On the defensive side, middle blocker Elizabeth Hunsaker (Coronado) tallied four solo blocks.

“We have not been able to get into the gym as a team since the spring of 2020 until officially Aug. 9, 2021,” said Dede Bodnar, coach of the Knights (4-4).

While other volleyball teams started their in-person practices as early as spring 2021, the Knights were participating in individual virtual Zoom workouts due to campus restrictions until the fall semester.

“It feels so good to be playing with my teammates, that I just start smiling more,” said Norvell, a biochemistry major.

For the majority of the team, this season is a culmination of building chemistry virtually before transitioning to competing together in person.

Adding another challenge is the youth of the team, with all but one playing at the collegiate level for the first time.

“It is amazing to be on the courts again,” said Ashley Davies (Burney, CA), a freshman biology major described by Bodnar as a standout. “Despite the lack of crowds at home games we support each other as players and keep our energy up.”

The Knights play their next game on Sept. 24 at 5 p.m. at Palomar College (2-6).

City College athletics facilities mapKnights women score second win

The Knights women’s soccer team overcame MiraCosta College (2-4-1) with a final score of 2-1 to capture the second win of the season.

The next game for City College (2-1) will be at home against Southwestern College at 3 p.m. on Sept. 24.

Knights women to host largest meet of the year

City College cross country will host the Coach Downey Classic, its greatest test of the season, on Sept. 24 at 11 a.m.

It is expected that 10 community college teams will be competing and the Knights are prepared.

Sophomore runner Yesenia Huerta (Southwest) shared the vibe echoed by fellow teammates.

“I am feeling ready,” Huerta said.

Added freshman runner Sofya Chernyak (East Village Middle College): “I have a dream to become a professional runner one day.”

City men’s soccer fall to COD

The Knights men’s soccer team couldn’t break its season-opening losing streak against College of the Desert, falling 3-1.

City College (0-4) will next play at Rio Hondo College (1-1-2) on Sept. 24 at 6 p.m.

Men’s cross-country to run this weekend

The men’s team will be participating in the Bakersfield Invitational on Sept. 24 at 2:30 p.m.