Newspapers / The Guilfordian (Greensboro, N.C.) / April 5, 2013, edition 1 / Page 12
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SPORTS 12 WWW.GUlLFORDIAN.COM Three-time ODAC Player of the Week Garcia heads nation with 55 goals JUNIOR E’LEYNA GARCIA LEADS TEAM WITH POINTS ON FIELD, ACADEMICS, LAUGHTER OFF FIELD BY JAMIE LUCKHAUS Staff Wrtter "Her laugh comes first to my mind/' said Meagan Jolliffe, student success counselor, referring to lacrosse player E'leyna Garcia. Teammates, faculty, friends — they all comment on Garcia's striking personality. On and off the field, she is a star competitor. Junior attacker Garcia leads in the nation with 55 goals this season, according to the March 24 NCAA Division III statistical rankings. She also has nine assists, placing her second in the country and fifth in school history with 64 pbints. Adding to her numerous records, Garcia ranks third in Division III women's lacrosse with 8.0 points per game and 6.88 goals per game. For the third time this year, she has earned the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Player of the Week, a school record. "E'leyna's records affect the team by making us more motivated to win and to do our personal best," said sophomore defender Jorden Yeargan. "It also shows the conference that we are a threat." Garcia shines in other areas other than lacrosse making her a special talent. "Academically, she is very thorough, committed and introspective," Jolliffe said. "Athletically, E'leyna is fierce, driven; a true force. Socially, she is respected, trustworthy and down to earth. "Woven through all of these characteristics is her sense of humor and light-hearted personality." Garcia told The Guilfordian a story of how she lightened up the mood before a rigorous practice. "We have a few people on the team that used to do gymnastics when we were younger," Garcia said. "So one morning practice, before we started, I got everyone on the team to show us their best cartwheel, and we all applauded and cheered after each one ... turns out our goalie is the next Gabby Douglas." Besides her goofy and fun attitude, Garcia is a beast on the field. When she's in the zone, there is no stopping her. "I was messing with her about tackling this girl to the ground during the game," said senior Lamar Cassell. "She was like, 'Well, she was in my way, I didn't know what else to do.'" It all started in the sixth grade while playing goalie during her first four years. After lettering at Pine Crest Preparatory School in Plantation, Fla., she decided that Guilford was the right fit to continue her studies and athletic career. "I wanted a change of scenery, to get all four of the seasons, just something different," Garcia said. Preparing for this season, the team set the bar high. Their eyes are on the ultimate prize. "I really want us to get farther in the playoffs this year," Garcia said. "And hopefully win the championship and just continue to get stronger as a team and working hard together in every game." From an individual standpoint, Garcia has already tied her 57 goals from last year. She's totaled 150 goals and 50 assists halfway through her junior year. "You can't teach that," Cassell said. "There are just certain things in life that are God-given, and her ability on that field is one of them." Famous Auburn trees dying at the hands of crazed Alabama fan BY NATALIE SUTTON Staff Writer If a tree falls in a forest, and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? In the case of the two poisoned oak trees at Auburn University, the trees are dying, and fans are definitely hearing the sound. In Feb. 2011, Auburn discovered that the famous 130-year-old Toomer Comer oaks had been poisoned with a powerful herbicide. Spike 80DF. This "tree slaughter" was at the hands of Harvey Updyke, a 64-year-old crazed Alabama football fan and former Texas state trooper, who deliberately poured lethal amounts of herbicide into the soil of the trees. Updyke was arrested over two years ago after a man calling himself "A1 from Dadeville" phoned a radio show claiming responsibility for the deed and signing off with, "Roll D— Tide." Recently sentenced to three years in prison, Updyke pleaded guilty to criminal damage of an agricultural facility. The sentence requires a minimum of six months of jail time and five years on supervised probation. The contaminated trees, on the other hand, received the death penalty. "Herbicides work by different mechanisms," said Binford Professor of Biology Frank Keegan. "Mostly they inhibit cellular metabolisms, so they prevent the tree from generating energy. The herbicide (Updyke) spread was one of these systemic herbicides ... one of these that are really harmful ... those trees are going to die. It's a shame." Junior Trey Atkinson, whose parents attended Auburn, is a big fan of the Crimson Tide and has noticed change in the rivalry since the incident. "Those are probably the biggest landmarks and icons of Auburn University," said Atkinson. "Everyone would leave the stadium and go straight (to trees) and the band played ... now, everyone just kind of disperses. "There's no big central celebration anymore. That was literally one of their biggest traditions. And now because of one angry fan, it's ruined." Even Alabama fans disagree with Updyke's behavior. "When you're born in Alabama you either bleed Crimson or Orange ... it's a rivalry starting from birth," said sophomore and Alabama fan Juquan Tellis. "'Bama and Auburn fans hate each other's guts. As a result, things like poisoning trees happen. I don't really support what he did, however, this is just one of the thousands of things that happen either to Auburn or Alabama." Certified arborist Alex Brown worked with tree law for the Non Profit Friends of the Urban Forest in San Francisco, Calif., and thinks this incident should be taken seriously. "The death of a tree, especially the murder, is a strange, malicious act that makes one wonder what other measures that man will go to," said Brown in an email interview. "How angry can this guy be?" Director of Environmental Sustainability David Petree describes the act as a "sad case of emotional immaturity." "We damage nature every day in numerous ways," said Petree. "It's sad to see this kind of mean-spirited behavior resulting from the rivalry of a sporting event." While heated rivalries like this can add fun competition to sports, incidents that go too far such as this one may lead to unnecessary damage. "If you find yourself in the middle of the night lugging around a massive dose of herbicide and looking out for cops, you probably need to rethink your decision making process," said Associate Professor of Geology Dave Dobson in an email interview. "Likewise, if you are sad because the tree you used to cover with toilet paper when your football team wins has been poisoned by a rabid Alabamian, you might also want to take that opportunity to reflect on your priorities." INSIDE SPORTS W - BASKETBALL § March Madness consumes the country BY ALLISON DEBUSK Staff Writer Mad for an All-Madden Team BY JOHN KLUEPFEL Staff Writer !U F
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