Congratulations to our four graduating Men's Basketball Seniors!
Alex Stepheson, Donte Smith, Marcus Simmons and James Dunleavy were introduced with their families before the USC game versus Arizona State. Each player was presented with a framed jersey. It's amazing how fast four years just flew!
The evening got even better...our men beat ASU 62-46!
Trojan Candy's friend, USC photographer Dan Avila, gave me the five pictures of Alex, Donte, Marcus and James with their families. Thank you, Dan!
FIGHT ON, Alex! FIGHT ON, Donte! Fight ON, Marcus! FIGHT ON, James!
It was raining as my husband Jim and I walked to Heritage Hall. He climbed the track stadium stairs in the rain and took our weekly picture of the progress of the John McKay Center. Notice how deep the hole is getting.
There were many people in and out of the Heritage lobby on this rainy day. Four new friends came by the desk for the first time and several "old" friends stopped by to visit.
The first new friend was Coach Dave Lytle. He and three assistants coach the USC Rugby team. It is the only club team at USC that can earn varsity letters. Coach Dave majored in Sociology and ran in track and field at Utah. Then he played rugby at USC in 1983 to 1986. Coach Dave played his last rugby game at USC in 1986 when he was 47 years old! What an athlete! An interesting fact that Coach Dave told Trojan Candy was that RUGBY was played at USC TWO YEARS BEFORE FOOTBALL. FIGHT ON, USC Rugby! FIGHT ON, Coach Litle!
The second new friend is "new" to USC. Peter McBride just started classes this Spring semester. Yes, he is one of the eleven new football recruits who enrolled in classes at USC in January, and he will be participating in spring football practice. Peter, who is from Phoenix, AZ, is a long snapper. Peter, who is undecided in his major, said that his first love is football. He likes to play lacrosse (too bad that it is not rugby!) and hang out with friends. Peter enjoyed seeing his picture in the Orange County Trojan Club Football Recruiting book that I showed him. Trojan Candy is so glad that Peter chose USC. FIGHT ON, Peter!
Another new football friend walked up to the desk. Senior Jake Harfman is a kicker on the USC football team. He is from Chino and is majoring in Kinesiology. Trojan Candy emphasized to him that many trainers that work downstairs majored in Kinesiology. It's never too soon to look for a job! Jake wrote that he likes to play soccer, go to the beach, and go camping. Trojan Candy wonders why good friend Joe Houston never brought Jake to the desk before? FIGHT ON, Jake!
My last new friend walked up to the desk with a big smile on his face and wearing a Pittsburgh Pirates baseball cap. Freshman Garrett Jackson, who is from Portland, Oregon is undecided in his major. Trojan Candy just saw Garrett play and help defeat the Arizona Wildcats on Thursday, 2/24. For hobbies, Garrett likes to play basketball, to play 2Kll, and to watch The Office. Garrett told me that he loves his Jordan shoes, and that he normally wears them all the time. He didn't wear them today since it was raining. About the cap, Garrett told Trojan Candy that he wore the Pirate's hat because he liked the design, and not because he roots for the Pirates. We Trojans know who Garrett roots for! FIGHT ON, Garrett!
Seen at the SCene:
Coaches: Rowing: Marketa DeQuine, Soccer: Ali Khosroshahin, Football: Lenny Vandermade and Ed Orgeron
Women's Water Polo: Adrienne Taylor
Men's Basketball: Maurice Jones waved.
Soccer: Haley Boysen, Autumn Altamirano, Carly Butcher, Samantha Johnson, Lainie Ransom, Anne Turner, and Ashley Freyer
Rowing: Dionne Licudine, Kate McFetridge, Kinga Mikolajczyk, Maria Wilgotsson, Tanya Ouyang and Iskra Angelova (outside)
Heritage Hall Friends: Lambert Bittinger, Kathleen DeCristo, Gabrielle Gonzalez, Dr. John Petruska, John Jackson, Jill Dennis and Pat Haden
Football: Nickell Robey, Jawanza Starling, James Boyd, Anthony Brown, George Uko, Simione Vehikite, Emon Saee, John Manoogian, Dillion Baxter, T.J. Bryant, Joe Houston, and Marquis Simmons
Track and Field: Alitta Boyd, Andrew Gibbs, Bryson Nellum, Aeron Payne and Ahmad Rashad. Ahmad, who was clad in rain gear, stopped by the desk and visited. John Jackson came to the desk again (after he spoke with Don Winston) to talk with Ahmad. Ahmad is taking one class this semester: Policy Analysis. He told Trojan Candy that he is training in West L.A. with Nike. Another Trojan Olympian!
After we packed up, we walked over to watch the Men's Tennis team compete against Cal. As a bonus, everyone in attendance got free In and Out Burgers. They were delicious. As we waited in line for the burgers, the entire women's Rowing Team ran by coming and going. Unfortunately, the tennis match was postponed because of rain. So we went home as the rain became heavier; later we learned that the match was cancelled. FIGHT ON, Men's Tennis!
Luckily, it was not raining when Trojan Candy walked to Heritage Hall. My husband Jim took pictures of the John McKay Center construction site from the top of the tennis stadium, and I took some at ground level. There was tremendous progress from last week. Now there is a very deep hole!
The first thing that we saw on the Heritage Hall desk was a new 2011 baseball poster. Yes! USC baseball has begun! Be sure and come to the desk to get a poster! Fight On, Trojan Baseball!
Two new friends came to the desk for the first time. The first new friend was Vidal Hazelton, a former USC football player who transferred to the University of Cincinnati. Vidal, who was a Freshman at USC in 2006, was greeted by several friends in the lobby. One of the friends was Coach Lane Kiffin. Vidal wrote that he majored in Sociology when he attended USC, but he switched his major to Criminal Justice at Cincinnati. He has one quarter left to finish his degree, but he has gotten a lot of interest from the NFL. So Vidal is working out at API in Carson at the Home Depot Center. For hobbies, Vidal likes to bowl and play Madden. FIGHT ON, Vidal!
Vidal came with his friend Allen Bradford. Allen told Trojan Candy that he is living downtown now and is working out with an agent. Allen told Vidal to tell me his favorite candy. Vidal said, "Hershey cookies and cream and purple Skittles." Some new treats for the future! FIGHT ON, Allen!
The second new friend, who came to the desk for the first time with one of her best friends and teammate, Kinga Mikolajczyk, is Woman of Troy Rowing coxswain Tanya Ouyang. Tanya is a Sophomore from San Francisco. She is majoring in Health Promotion and Disease Intervention. Tanya told Trojan Candy that she studied classical piano for thirteen years. She paints for a hobby, and her favorite movie is "Across the Universe." FIGHT ON, Tanya!
Seen at the SCene:
Football: Wes Horton, Brian Baucham (who was carrying a gallon of water), George Uko, James Boyd, Nick Perry (who sat down and visited for a while), Joe Houston, Anthony Brown, Patrick Kim, Kevin Green, Simione Vehikite, Marshall Jones, Derek Simmons (who was Vidal Hazelton's roommate), Dillon Baxter (who came to the desk with no scooter, but had his shiny silver one later when we walked by a ramp as we left USC), and T.J. Bryant
Track: Anniya Louis, Cooper Stevenson, Jenna Puterbaugh, Caroline Lutzky, and Andrew Gibbs
Rowers: Anna Wierzbowska, Dionne Licudine, Jelena Zelenovic, Kate McFetridge, Helen Tinkus, Kajsa Olsson, Caroline Trawick, and Liene Stuberovska
Soccer: Carly Butcher and Courtney Garcia
Women's Volleyball: Alex Jupiter and Natasa Siljkovic
Women's Basketball: Kari LaPlante
Heritage Friends: Delphine, tourguide Maxine Welcome, Professor Bryce Nelson, Pat Haden, Don Ludwig, Teresa Verbeck, Joyce, Craig Kelley, Sergio Prieto, and Tony Fox
Coaches: Football: Lane Kiffin and Willie Mack Garza; Women's Tennis: Richard Gallien; and Women's Golf: Andrea Gaston
Women's Tennis: #1 Maria Sanchez (we congratulated Maria on her new #1 ranking!)
Trojan Candy attended the Trojan Club of Orange County Sixth Annual Football Recruiting Event with 250 other Trojans at the Doubletree Hotel in Santa Ana.
The dinner was scrumptious and everyone anxiously awaited the start of the program. Coaches John Robinson and Monte Kiffin were the guest speakers. You could see the fire in Coach Kiffin's eyes when he "bragged about" and showed video of six of our new football recruits. He described how the recruiting had unfolded. Needless, to say, Coach Kiffin had us all captivated.
Every Trojan in attendance received a "one of a kind" book that contained a description of each of our 30 recruits. What a keepsake!
Trojan Candy will use my book to identify her 30 new friends, when they come to the Heritage Hall desk for the first time!
As my husband and I walked by the Loker Track Stadium, my husband Jim climbed to the top of the stadium and took some pictures of the John McKay Center construction site. There is more progress than two weeks ago.
Heritage Hall was busy with tours and with several friends stopping by the desk. But Trojan Candy missed interviewing at least two new athletes. They whizzed by the desk before I could stop them.
Then, as my husband walked over to the tennis stadium to see the Women of Troy Tennis team play doubles against the University of South Florida, four new friends came to the Heritage desk for the first time.
Trojan Candy knew that the first new friend was a football player. The only problem was that he was wearing a University of Virginia shirt. Kai Parham confirmed that he was a linebacker and that he played on the University of Virginia squad. He played against USC twice, losing both times. Kai is now a graduate student at USC, who is attaining his Master's of Public Diplomacy in "Foreign Affairs, Mass Communication and Entrepreneurships." Kai, who is from Virginia Beach, VA, works two jobs on campus. He is a paper grader and a reader. Kai listed his hobbies as writing and laughing. Unfortunately, he has no more eligibility left in football. Trojan Candy asked him if he could play in any other sport at USC. Kai said that he doesn't play any other sports. Drat! However, he is a Trojan now! FIGHT ON, Kai!
The second new friend walked up with friend Brandon Estrada. Scott DeYoung, who is from Dana Point, competes in the 400 m and 4x400 relay on the track team. He is a Junior majoring in Business Administration with emphasis on Real Estate Finance and Real Estate Investing. Scott said that he loves water. So his hobbies revolve around water...wet and frozen. He likes to surf and to ski. FIGHT ON, Scott!
The third new friend looked familiar to Trojan Candy. He was! I saw him at the 2005 BCS Championship Game when my beloved Trojans demolished the Oklahoma Sooners. John Walker, who is from North Hills, was a Cornerback on two national championship teams---the 2005 Orange Bowl and the 2004 Rose Bowl teams! (Trojan Candy attended both games.) John wrote that he majored in Communications and Political Science. He now plays on the A.F.L. Jacksonville Sharks, is a gym owner in Long Beach where he trains athletes, is a MMA Cage Fighter, and practices Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. What a busy, fit Trojan! FIGHT ON, John!
The fourth new friend walked in with a large, heavy camera. Chester Reyes is in the School of Social Work. He said that he wanted to take pictures around Heritage Hall. As we were talking at the desk, several football friends came to the desk. One of them was Matt Barkley. Chester was shy about asking Matt to take a picture with him. Trojan Candy assured Chester that Matt would pose with him...and he did! FIGHT ON, Chester!
Seen at the SCene:
Coaches: Football: Lenny Vandermade, Aaron Ausmus, Sammy Knight, Ed Orgeron and Lane Kiffin who gave Trojan Candy the USC victory sign as he walked upstairs and was dialing his cellphone. (What a multi-tasker!) Rowing: Marketa DeQuine Water Polo: Pavol Valovic
Rowing: Magdalena Janicka
Men's Water Polo: Peter Kurzeka
Track and Field: Joey Hughes, Matthew Palmer (who told Trojan Candy he will return to his home Kingston, Jamaica, this summer), Brandon Estrada (who is going to Italy in June and July to train with European pole vault coach Vitaly Petiov and is going to compete in Puerto Rico this summer), Jennifer Jones and Caroline Lutzky
Soccer: Anne Turner, who was still "out of breath" from running relays up and down the Coliseum stairs with her teammates.
Heritage Friends: Daphine, tour guides Erik Nelson and outgoing Student Body President Chris Cheng, Dr. John Petruska, Michael Sylvester, J.K. McKay, Don Winston and SID Tim Tessalone
Football: Nick Perry, Joe Houston (who told Trojan Candy that he is working out downstairs with Mike Morgan, Shareece Wright, Zack Herberer, Derek Simmons, Omari Crittenden, and Jake Harfman for the NFL try-out on March 30th. Good Luck my Trojans!), Patrick Hall, Dion Bailey, Anthony Brown, Matt Barkley, Jawanza Starling, Brandon Carswell, T.J. Bryant, Randall Telfer, Jesse Scoggins, Brian Baucham (with whom Trojan Candy compared our biceps!), Dillon Baxter, Hunter Simmons, Marc Tyler (who took a picture of Matt Barkley and Chester with Chester's heavy camera), Greg Caruso, Marshall Jones, Kevin Greene, Christian Thomas, Derek Simmons, and Tony Burnette
Trojan Candy then went to the Women's Tennis match versus South Florida. After our Women of Troy won the Doubles, those in attendance were served "In-N-Out" burgers. YUM! Even better, our women defeated South Florida 6-1! FIGHT ON, Women's Tennis Team!
As Trojan Candy was walking to Heritage Hall, I met up with good friend Dr. John Petruska. We both peeked through the open fence door to see how much progress is being made on the John McKay Center. In two weeks, a storage container was set up and a pile of large white rocks was in the northwest corner. That's all!
Dr. John went to the "Little Galen" for his lunch, and I walked on to Heritage Hall. Right before I turned left to walk up the sidewalk into Heritage, volleyball player Murphy Troy whizzed by on his bicycle.
Once, inside, it was very quiet at first. Then a tour came in the lobby. Tour guide Erik Nelson came to the desk for the first time. He is a Sophomore majoring in Business Administration. Erik, who is from Indianapolis, is an R.A. in New/North, is a founding father of the fraternity Fiji, and is active in Society 53. What a busy young man! Erik said he likes to try different foods and to travel. He traveled to China in 2007 and just spent 5 weeks in Beijing in 2010. FIGHT ON, Erik!
The second new visitor to the desk almost got away without an interview and picture. Simi Vehikite stopped by the desk for the first time, and Trojan Candy asked if I had interviewed him. Simi said that I had, but I thought better and persisted. Finally, Simi agreed to the interview. He wrote that he is a Sophomore majoring in Sociology. Simi plays both linebacker and fullback on the football team. He is originally from Tonga, but his family now lives in Kapolei, Maui. For hobbies, Simi wrote that he likes to play rugby and to do carving. FIGHT ON, Simi!
Trojan Candy couldn't believe her eyes when I saw the young man, wearing a black Cincinnati baseball cap, walk by the desk. Springing to action, I called out, "Mo!" and brought him over to the desk. Freshman basketball point guard Maurice Jones is from Saginaw, MI. He is majoring in Sociology. For hobbies, Mo said that he has no other hobbies other than basketball. However, Mo did say that he played wide receiver in high school. After more inquiry about his hobbies, Mo said that he likes to watch movies. His favorite movie is "Law Abiding Citizen." Trojan Candy is so glad that Mo came to the Heritage desk today. I could finally use the title, "From RO-JO to MO-JO". RO-JO is Ronald Johnson, who is a graduating football Senior, and MO-JO now takes his place! FIGHT ON, Mo-Jo!
Freshman rower Rebecca Shaffer came to the desk next. She spoke extensively with our friend Dan Avila who happened to be at the desk at the time. Dan told us about a rower that he knows. His friend was chosen to be on the 1980 and 1984 Olympic teams. Rebecca, who is from Boston, rows on the portside. Trojan Candy was curious as to why Rebecca would come to the west coast to row since rowing on the east coast is much more prevalent. Rebecca, who was on her high school rowing team, said the she came cross country to USC because of the weather and the TEAM! She is undecided in her major, and her hobbies are traveling (in Europe), being with friends, and going to the beach (the beach could be another reason why Rebecca came to USC!). Whatever the reason, we're sure glad that she is a Trojan! FIGHT ON, Rebecca!
Two new Women of Troy Soccer players came to the desk together. Freshman Gabriela Chiriboga is majoring in Chemical Engineering. She plays center midfield and is from Glendale. Her hobby is reading. FIGHT ON, Gabriela!
The second new soccer friend is Freshman Autumn Attamirano. Trojan Candy loves her alliterative name and told her so! She plays outside midfield. Autumn, who is from Tustin, is majoring in Psychology and African American Studies. For hobbies, she likes hanging out with her friends. FIGHT ON, Autumn!
Seen at the SCene:
Heritage Friends: Kathleen DeCristo, Dr. John Petruska, J.K. McKay who addressed a tour group of young children from La Jolla, Joyce, Pat Haden, Don Ludwig, Tony Fox (with whom Trojan Candy really enjoyed talking), tour guide Maxine Welcome, Dr. Bryce Nelson, new friend Dr. Maurice H. Rahimi, Sam Tulin, Isaac Flores, Darcy Couch, and Tim Tessalone.
Coaches: Women's LaCrosse: Lindsey Munday brought some recruits to the lobby; Women's Golf: Andrea Gaston; Track and Field: Ron Allice and Tom Walsh; and Soccer: Ali Khosroshahin.
Men's Volleyball: Murphy Troy
Soccer: Haley Boysen
Track and Field: Terence Abram and Anniya Lewis
Women's Tennis: Maria Sanchez
Rowing: Kajsa Olsson
Football: Wes Horton, Nickell Robey and friend Caron, Demetrius Wright, Allen Noble, Joe Houston (who told Trojan Candy that he is taking a golf class for his last semester), Omari Crittenden (who is looking for a job on campus and working out for Pro Day), Derek Simmons, Jesse Scoggins, Christian Thomas, Abe Markowitz (who was en route to the Galen Center to try out a new treadmill), Randall Telfer, Dillon Baxter (without his skateboard) and Brandon Carswell.
After we packed up and left Heritage Hall, Trojan Candy walked over to the Men's Tennis match versus San Diego. Our doubles teams were 1-1 at the time. Eventually, we won 6-1. FIGHT ON, Men's Tennis!
