Wrestling replaced by golf in Olympics

by Cole Mitchum

Executive Editor

Yet another sports controversy is upon us. No, I’m not talking about the feel-good-story-gone-bad of Oscar Pistorius, I’m talking about the fact that wrestling has been eliminated from the Olympic program.

To the everyday, non-sports loving person, this is just another story, but to anyone who knows anything about sports, this is shocking. One of the staple sports of the Olympics has been taken away.

Wrestling has been pinned.

The question is why?

Why take away a sport with so much history? Why take away a sport that has brought so many inspiring stories? Why do something so irrational and stupid like this? The answer is the people in the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The IOC has chosen, it seems by random, to eliminate the sport of wrestling from the Olympics. The reason why: so they could add golf.

Really? Golf? I mean, those guys do have skill, but Olympic skill? I think not.

Golf is played professionally every weekend and is on TV every week. Wrestling on the other hand, has one big event and it comes every four years, and that is the Olympic Games. So why take this once in a lifetime opportunity away from these guys?

There is no reason humanly possible that could excuse the IOC’s stupidity in making this decision. There just doesn’t seem like there is much sense in this move. This is like taking peanut butter from jelly, cheese from the pizza or the chocolate from a Reese’s.

There were many more clear choices of sports that the committee could have chosen to remove instead of wrestling.

There is judo, Ping-pong and equestrian. Equestrian isn’t even a sport for people, the horses do all the work. Ping-pong also does not have the popularity level that wrestling has.

Along with those obvious choices of sports to eliminate there’s synchronized swimming and rhythmic gymnastics, as well. These can stay in the biggest sports competition, but wrestling, a sport in every American school, cannot?

Where is the logic, people?

These two sports require almost no true athletic skill. How does waving ribbons around on a trampoline compare to the blood, sweat and tears shed on a wrestling mat? It simply doesn’t. It’s David versus Goliath, and Goliath has won this one by a huge margin.

There is only a slim chance of ever seeing wrestling in the Olympics again, and that depends on Iran and the USA working together. We all know that that will never happen.

Two polar opposites will not be able to save wrestling from a tragic ending. The end is here, so it’s time to roll up the mats and get your clubs out, cause now its golf’s time.

Kai Nacua: motivation through loss

by Cole Mitchum

Executive Editor

They say that it takes a village to raise a child. This village can be a community, a family or, in the story of Kaimana Nacua (12), a high school.

Nacua has grown up while attending Liberty and has developed into a legend. He will be remembered as the quarterback who took the football team to its first state championship game and as a humble leader.

But that is just the surface of this iconic athlete’s story. There is the strife and hardship that Nacua has overcome, and those things serve as his motivation.

Nacua’s life of being the star quarterback and a normal teenager changed last year on May 14 when his dad, Lionel Nacua, passed away with complications from diabetes.

“[When Dad died it] was hard because his health got so bad so fast,” Nacua said. “We really didn’t have a chance to take care of him.”

After his father passed away, things were particularly hard on Nacua. While the loss of a role model in one’s life can be hard on any teenager, Nacua turned this situation into motivation.

He dedicated this past football season to his dad by sticking with it and keeping his promise to his father. That promise was to make it to the State Championship game which the Patriots did.

“Kai has definitely been a role model since Dad passed away by setting the examples for the rest of us,” younger brother Samson Nacua (9) said.

Kai Nacua is one of seven kids in the Nacua family and has been the one looking out for his siblings since ther father passed away. He sets the examples of making smart decisions while having fun.

Many see Kai’s father in him, and the senior has been described as caring, selfless and gentle just like his dad. Kai now carries those characteristics along with being stronger mentally and cherishing those he loves at all times.

“[Kai] was more motivated after the passing of his dad to try to get to the next level and continue to improve,” head football coach Rich Muraco said.

Nacua kept another promise he made to his dad when he committed to play football at the collegiate level. He signed with football power, Brigham Young University (BYU) on Feb. 6.

BYU was Lionel Nacua’s school of choice so the fact that Kai has signed there means more to Kai and his family than the simple formality of signing pen to paper.

Along with Kai signing there, brother Isaiah Nacua (11) from Bishop Gorman High School, will also be signing at BYU to complete their father’s dream of playing football in matching jerseys.

“BYU is great,” Kai Nauca said. “It’s not only the school our dad wanted us to go to, but it is also part of our faith.”

Kai, who is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, will suit up as an inside linebacker next season for the Cougars.

The former quarterback and defensive back, said he’d prefer to play defense because it gives him the chance to make big plays and deliver big hits.

After leading the Patriots to three consecutive Sunrise Region titles, fans hope those hits keep coming.  But as Nacua transitions to playing college ball, there is sure to be one thing on his mind: his father.

He will surely play with a heavy heart and he will know that when he is on the field, he will be keeping the promise he made to his dad, to keep playing hard.

His biggest motivation to continue improving will come from some of the last days with his dad, the days that passed by too fast. The days where he wishes he could spend one more minute with him.

The day where he wishes he could have said “good bye.”

These thoughts will be with one of the best athletes that has ever stepped on the Liberty campus.

Nacua’s legacy will be remembered for years to come, but he has the honor of  carrying his father’s legacy on forever.

Rebels runnin’ once again

by Cole Mitchum

Executive Editor

“Run as One.”

That is the slogan of the 2012-2013 UNLV Runnin’ Rebels, and they are off and running already.

With an impressive 17-5 record, including road victories over California, UTEP and San Diego State, the Rebels look like they did when Tark the Shark rocked the Mack. And now with conference play in its stretch run, the team is looking to make a mark in the postseason.

The Rebels are led by many returners who have seen the team in its glory days. Anthony Marshall, Justin Hawkins, Quintrell Thomas and Carlos Lopez have all been a part of three NCAA tournaments.

Despite being a part of three tournaments, these four seniors are looking for their first victory in one, and this year looks to be the year.

The Rebels got off to a hot start, led by local Findlay Prep player, Anthony Bennett, who is averaging nearly 20 points per game. These are astonishing numbers for a freshman in college.

To go along with that, the Rebels have gotten many transfers from highly ranked programs such as Pittsburgh, USC and Kansas over the past few years. This year, they are all eligible to play.

With these athletes, the Rebels have looked unstoppable at times this season. But, having put so many pieces together so quickly, sometimes they leave fans scratching their heads.

With a share of the national spotlight, the Rebs are putting Las Vegas on the map for something other than The Strip as Las Vegas has become a basketball town once more.  Attendance is increasing, and the team has one of the best home crowds in the nation.  Their home court should be a difference maker when the Thomas & Mack Center hosts the Mountain West Conference Tournament.

“Run as One” is in full effect and Rebel Red has officially swept over Las Vegas. The people are hungry for more basketball, hungry for another NCAA tournament appearance and another championship.

This is the year, and there is no doubt in my mind that UNLV is destined for a Cinderella type season.

Despite a difficult road ahead in the Mountain West Conference, fans should feel comfortbale to stay on the bandwagon and make room for more seats as we enjoy the ride that is to come.

Football kicks off the season in dominating fashion with wins over Palo Verde, Rancho

By Cole Mitchum

Friday night lights are back and Patriot football is in full swing.

Liberty is back on the field and is looking to continue the recent success and for redemption for their State Semifinal loss to Bishop Gorman in 2011.

“I think we’ll make playoffs and we have a great chance of being able to take on Gorman again,” Kaimana Nacua (12) said.

The team will use the talents of Nacua and Niko Kapeli (12), who are recent college signees, to lead them to success.

The team will also be led this year by Jay Mitchell (12) on the offensive end at running back. They will also be guided by linemen Chris Noone (12), Reno Tu’ufuli (11) and Jarvis Polu (11) to go along with Phoenix Uptain (12) at linebacker.

“Some of our most important games this year include Palo Verde, Canyon Springs and Coronado,” Head Coach Rich Muraco said.

The Patriots kick-started their season with their first ever out of state game when they traveled to Crespi (CA).

Liberty struggled early on, trailing 22-8 at halftime following three Crespi passing touchdowns. They were able to pull within eight points halfway through the fourth quarter, following Kapeli’s third touchdown run and a 3-yard run by Nacua. Unfortunately, Crespi scored again, ending the hopes of a comeback.

“We did pretty good for our opener and we learned about our linemen’s strength and the defensive improvements we needed,” Nacua said.

The Patriots did fall by a final score of 42-28 despite a strong second half. The strong point of the game was Kapeli racking up 254 yards on 28 carries and three touchdowns including one of 65 yards.

Liberty was then faced with another tall task as they were to take on Palo Verde (1-2) on Thursday Night Lights, a televised game on My LVTV Channel 12.

The Patriots were able to come back twice and pull off a 42-28 victory over the Panthers. Trailing 7-3 after the first quarter, they bounced back with two touchdowns by Kapeli in the second to take a ten-point halftime lead. Those included a five-yard run, and a 85-yard screen pass from Tyler Newman (11).

Liberty then took a 27-14 lead into the fourth quarter and saw it disappear and with five minutes to go they were down once again, 28-27.

They came back again and sealed the game this time. Nacua scored on a 19-yard run and caught the two-point conversion. Moments later following a fumble recovery, Kapeli scored on a seven-yard run to set the final score at 42-28.

The Patriots then set their sights on Rancho (0-2) and looked to carry the momentum from the previous game into this road game.

Liberty came out strong and jumped out to a 21-point first quarter lead on the Rams. Kapeli started the scoring for the Patriots with a ten-yard run. Nacua then made it a 14-0 lead with a 51-yard punt return for a score.

Kapeli scored again on a run from four yards out with 1:19 left in the first quarter.  The Patriots then scored early in the second quarter on a deep 75-yard pass from Newman to Nacua. And just prior to halftime Nacua ran in a 28-yard score to give Liberty a 35-0 lead at halftime.

The Patriots didn’t score again until more than halfway through the 3rd quarter on a 84-yard blocked field goal ran back by Kapeli for the score. Liberty would only score once more on a 25-yard pass from Newman to Daniel Skelly (11), followiug a Rancho 34yard field goal.

Kapeli has 473 yards on the ground with eight rushing toucdowns already to lead the team and has 120 receiving yards on two catches to lead the team, as well.

Liberty is now 2-1 and will face Canyon Springs at home this Friday, who is also 2-1 in a matchup of two strong teams that should be in the playoffs.