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By: Andre Galindo It’s almost finished. All that is left to have baseball games at Simpson University field is the roof on the dugouts, the outfield fence, infield dirt, and the visitor's bullpens. The baseball team has only had 1 winning season since they started their program, finishing the field and getting better facilities could be the push they need to become a winning program. Few NAIA teams in the Cal Pac Conference have an on-campus field for games and practice. Having both may have an impact on the number of recruits who would be interested in Simpson. Better facilities equal more recruits. Many schools with better recruits involve the marketing of their facilities and what they have to offer over other schools. The Athletic Director/Head Coach of Simpson Baseball Dan Tating is optimistic for the field to be done soon. In an interview on Feb. 3rd, 2022,Tating stated, “There have been plans to have games on this campus for 20 years, now we are at a point where it is that close where we could play here within a couple of weeks.” All that is left to have games at the Simpson University field is the roof of the dugouts, the outfield fence, infield dirt, and the visitor's bullpens. If everything goes as planned in the upcoming weeks, fans should be able to start attending the baseball games for the first time in Simpson history. But what does this field mean for others around campus and the graduating seniors apart of the baseball team? Former player and now pitching coach Andrew Cisneros had a few comments: “The support from Dr. Hall and the rest of the school about funding it for the scoreboard, lights, and making it the premier place to play in the conference is exciting to see!” The big push for this field being done is really for the graduating seniors this year and the significance it holds to them. The 4th year player Logan Gomes spoke about the hardships of playing at Tiger Field. Gomes stated, “It is hard to play on a field that you never practice on and the conditions at Tiger Field could be a lot better.” There was also insight from the true Canadian first-year Brady Sandes about his desire to have the baseball field here at Simpson. “To have our field on campus would mean more fans for us, more support for us, and overall, a greater playing experience that I wish to have at my next 3 years at Simpson University.” The future is bright for the Simpson Baseball program with lights and a new scoreboard going up soon. The next few years seem to be filled with excitement and full of opportunities for the up-and-coming Red Hawks. Sources: Interview: Daniel Tating, Andrew Cisneros, Logan Gomes, and Brady Sandes. February 4th, 2022

By: Joseph Bell The Simpson Women's Soccer season has come to an end, not in a way that the team would have wanted, but we are proud of these ladies for their hard work. After an incredible season by our female Red Hawks, they went 10-5-2 overall and 6-1-1 in conference. This has been the best season for the Women's Soccer team in years and hopefully they will grow and improve even more next season. Their season came to an end when they lost 1:0 to Marymount in the quarterfinals. Here are some of the achievements they made this year; they beat Merced for the first time ever with a well fought and deserved 1:0 win at home. They also had Haylee Ward, winning Newcomer of the Year, after her exceptional season of scoring 11 goals and 6 assists. They also had 6 players who got honorable mentions; Taylor Barker, Sierra Brenner, Fatima Valenzuela, Emma Nichols, Caroline Forseth, Kiah Gridley. A great team isn’t just made up of its’ players, but how they are coached on and off the field. Last year, Head Coach Milton Carrera, was awarded Coach of the Year. He truly proved that he deserved this award, after the impressive season his team had this year. Also the assistant coaches, Robin Frohlich and Rich Bourne helped to build and train this team as well. Bourne is a returning assistant coach from last season. Haylee Ward, Junior, the recipient of Newcomer of the Year Award, said, “Receiving the Newcomer of the Year award meant a lot to me. I came into this program with hopes of being able to contribute in a big way, and I worked day in and out to ensure just that. Alongside my teammates, I was challenged and encouraged to become better each drill, session, and game. I think about the other new additions to the CalPac conference from each team and how honored I am to have been chosen within such a talented conference. The award to me is not a reflection of talent, but instead a reminder that hard work really does pay off.” Lexi Arnold, a Senior, spoke about her experience as a Red Hawk since 2019, and said, “The team has improved so much. They have learned how to play better as a team and have brought good talent into the team since 2019 which has helped the team progress forward as a whole. After reaching the playoffs last season, it motivated and pushed the team to do even better this season. This resulted in beating Merced 1:0 in the conference. I have high hopes for future seasons to come.” The Women’s Soccer team made some huge accomplishments this year and with all their new talent, they can only go up from here.

By: Daisy Brenegan Due to Covid hitting us hard last year, all mission trips were cancelled. “We did not have any mission trips last year. As the trips were cancelled last minute in 2020, we chose not to send any out this past summer, said missions coordinator, Sarah Mabee. Mabee continued, “Instead, we focused on on-campus and in-Redding initiatives to bring world missions to our campus.” Although this year it's a different story. Mission trips are back in action. They will take place in the spring/ summer of 2022. Below are all the mission trips offered. Each has a small description. For more information on the trips please reach out to Sarah Mabee by email: smabee@simpsonu.edu. 1. Spring break 2022 trip: Mexicali. Dates: March 12-19. Cost: approximately $700. Max number of participants: 15. Leaders: Dr. Tom and Mrs. Perry .Ministry: Urban outreach, community development, family and youth ministry, after school programs, English teaching, and cross-cultural immersion. 2. Summer 2022: Twin Cities.Dates: May 9-18. Cost: approximately $1190. Max number of participants: 15. Leader: Jessie Wolske. Ministry: Urban outreach, community development, family and youth ministry, after school programs, English teaching, and cross-cultural immersion.Ministry: Somali children outreach, community garden preparation, park outreach and events, connecting with Somali families, English classes, homework tutoring, basketball, and cultural food, experiences, and church services. 3. Summer 2022: Chicago. Dates: May 9-18. Cost: approximately $1190. Max number of participants: 15. Leaders: Shondra Dickson and Curley Wilson. Ministry: Urban outreach, community development, family and youth ministry, after school programs, English teaching, and cross-cultural immersion. 4. Summer 2022: El Salvador. Dates: May 9-18. Cost: approximately $1500. Max number of participants: 20. Leaders: Shane Geer. Ministry: Urban outreach, community development, family and youth ministry, after school programs, English teaching, and cross-cultural immersion.A valid passport and Covid vaccination is required for this trip. 5. Summer 2022: Croatia. Dates: June 10-20. Cost: approximately $2500. Max number of participants: 20. Leaders: Heather MuCulley. Ministry: You will have the opportunity to serve children and people in some of the poorest communities. There may be opportunities to do sports ministries and camps, serving in the food pantries, serving at an orphanage, hosting community carnivals, and other community outreach events. 6. Summer 2022: Alaska. Dates: Mid July or Early August. Cost: approximately $1200. Max number of participants: 20. Leader: Sarah Mabee.Ministry: Serving at South Tongass Alliance Church, serving at Ortan ranch Kids camp by helping to run activities, games, and be counselors for the kids. There may also be opportunities to travel to other islands to do construction and other ministry. “My hope is to go to Alaska and I'm most excited to see what work we can do with the people there. sharing the gospel to those who don’t know who Jesus is, is something that’s amazing and seeing life change with the power of god is what makes me love going on missions trips,” said junior Miranda Gutierrez. COVID protocols are still in effect for these mission trips. COVID also played a big part in planning the mission trips this year. “It has been more challenging to plan travel as COVID still restricts much international travel, weeding out countries that we would have traditionally sent teams to but were unable to due to COVID was challenging,” mentioned Mabee. You must fill out an application to go. All applications are due by November 5th. It is exciting to see some things go back to normal. The communities need help more than ever. Pray and ask God where he wants you to go. Fill out an application, and go serve the world.

an opinion piece by Ariana West 1. Niu Hawaiian BBQ If you’re like me, you love a good Hawaiian BBQ place. Niu’s delicious options include chicken, beef, seafood, and pork plates. They also have delicious sides such as steamed veggies and killer macaroni salad. I haven’t tried anything I didn’t love here! Not to mention you can even get a real coconut to drink! Check them out if you haven’t already. Here’s the link to their menu -----> Menu (niuhawaiianbbq.cc) 2. From the Hearth Kitchen and Pie Shop From the Hearth really has something for everyone. They have sandwiches, burgers, wraps, protein bowls, tacos and so much more. They are even open for breakfast! From the Hearth prides themselves on their fresh, quality ingredients and delicious homemade baked goods! My personal favorite lunch or dinner items are the California Chicken Sandwich or the Teriyaki Bowl! One thing I love about From the Hearth is almost everything is homemade! They also have multiple locations and even one super close to campus! Here is the link to their menu -----> From The Hearth: Menu - Sandwiches, Salads, Burgers & More (fromthehearthkp.com) 3. Chicken Shack Chicken Shack is a Redding staple and known for their delicious gourmet comfort food. They have delicious chicken and waffles, salads, sandwiches, burgers, and wings with many house made special sauces. Not to mention their delicious sides. My personal favorite is the Naked Chicken Sandwich with with their delicious crispy brussel sprouts! Come check them out I guarantee you won’t be disappointed. Here is the link to their menu ----> Phone Menu (mychickenshack.com) 4. Deja Vu If you’re looking for a delicious brunch spot, you have to check out Déjà Vu! Whether you are looking for some yummy pancakes or a burger, Déjà vu has some great options. As a broke college student, I was surprised at how cheap this place was despite the huge portions and quality food. Not to mention, if you come here on your birthday, you get a free cinnamon roll bigger than your head. This family-owned restaurant has been a part of Redding since 1995 and was started by Red Bluff native Karline Niver. Here is the link to their menu -----> DejaVuMenu_Sept2021.pdf (secureservercdn.net) 5. Woody's Eatery and Brewery I discovered Woody’s when I was having a craving for tacos one Tuesday evening this summer, and let me tell you I was not disappointed. They only have their tacos available on Tuesday’s so don’t go on another day with a hankering for tacos. Besides their delicious tacos, Woody’s also has burgers, fish and chips, pasta, and other great sandwiches. The lively atmosphere and option for outdoor seating also adds a great dining experience. Here is the link to their menu ----> Woody's Brewing Company (woodysbrewing.com)

By: Jacob Greene One jumped sandbar. One broken boat. Five fish. These events led to a Simpson Bass team tournament win. Coach Alex Theimann took eight members of the team to Arizona for the first collegiate tournament of the year. Captained by Nathan Phillips, the team arrived Sept. 22. The team had two days of pre-fishing in preparation for the derby on Saturday. Lake Havasu had a five fish bag limit. Each team kept only five of the fish they caught. At the end of the tournament, the bag with the best weight wins. There were eight teams at the Lake Havasu tournament, four were teams from Simpson. There are two people per boat, a boater and a non-boater. A boater is the designated driver, the non-boater does not drive the boat. Both teammates are allowed to fish in the tournament. Jayden Nezy said, “The pre-fishing bite, honestly, wasn’t that bad. We found a flippin’ bite, we found a frog bite.” During pre-fishing, it took three hours and a vast array of lures to catch a “keeper.” A “keeper” is any fish big enough to add a significant amount of weight to a team’s overall weight (the bag). “We knew it would be tough, the water was low, we were the fifth tournament there (that week),” said Quinn Hawkinson. They got the boat stuck twice during practice-because they did not have an SD card in the navigation system. The second day of pre-fishing was when the duo successfully jumped the sand bar and celebrated with high fives. Seconds after their jubilation they heard a scratch and a small grinding noise. Hawkinson pulled up his motor and realized he was missing his skeg (the part of the lower unit that turns the boat). His hydraulic steering was also going out. After testing out the steering they decided to go back after the bite deteriorated. Hawkinson later realized there was a giant hole in his lower unit that he had not seen. After turning the motor down to let the water out of it about a cup of oil spilled out, there was also a slow drip. That night Hawkinson debated on what to do. He had options including using someone else’s boat or taking a chance and using his own boat, if he topped it off full of oil beforehand. Thiemann helped Hawkinson fill up his lower unit to compensate for the slow leak. “I ran to Wal-Mart at nine-o’clock (pm) and I had Alex [Thiemann] fill the (lower) unit up with oil,” explained Hawkinson. Hawkinson said they topped it off in the morning because there was a slow leak. “Once your lower unit runs out of oil, it basically explodes,” he said. When tournament day came, they barely made it across the lake. Nezy said that they “Fished the same three-hundred yards,” he explained that their strategy and mindset was to just “Get to our spot, if we get to our spot…there’s a sliver of a chance that we even place.” Hawkinson agreed, “Our mindset was literally just ‘make it to the spot.’” “If we made it to the spot we were free,” emphasized Nezy. “I figured we could ten pounds out of that spot, twelve easy, but the bite changed,” said Hawkinson. They ended up scraping by with just barely ten pounds, but it was enough to win the tournament. They said they caught about ten to twelve keepers, but twenty fish in total. They did not realize they won until the person in front of them weighed in their bag. Nezy observed they were the only team to show up with a limit, so he thought they had a chance of winning. Meanwhile, Hawkinson did not realize they had won until he was told. He has never won a tournament with ten pounds before. Hawkinson was not too optimistic about winning however, "........especially because of all the sticks we have; Nathan, Austin, Ryan, Taj," he said, referring to the veteran anglers on the team. Hawkinson and Nezy were very glad to get the win of course, but they were happier that they didn't break down and that they were able to even get across the lake and back. Some things they learned that they are going to use in their next tournaments are Navionics (an app for navigation and graphing) and to take things a little bit slower. They both hope to do better in future tournaments. Hawkinson and Nezy would like to personally thank Simpson University, Simpson Bass fishing team, and Coach Theimann for the opportunity to fish at Lake Havasu for the first time. They also would like to thank all the sponsors, Lew’s, and Strike King for their support. Four SU veteran anglers returned from the Oct. 9-10 tournament at Lake Dardanelle (AR), with one SU team placing 101 out of over 200 other teams.

By: Jacob Greene Hay Day, a Color Run, the Davenport Derby, these are all events that you will have to attend to get all the event specific stickers. If you collect all the stickers, you will be entered in a raffle to win a surprise “gnome” one knows about. These events include a wide range of activities for all students at Simpson University. One of the main purposes of all these signature events is to give students the framework to establish and build life-long friendships. To kick things off, the first event was a block party with a club fair. The purpose of the club fair serves a similar one to that of the “Sweet Sixteen,” to give students the framework to find common interests and activities to do with each other. Being at a University can be more enjoyable if there are extracurricular activities available that students can engage with peers at. These sixteen signature events were hatched, planned, and set up by Kirsten Crawford (Campus Life Coordinator) and Sarah Jobson (Associate Dean of Campus Life), specifically for you, the student.  Jobson had the idea for this by seeing what other colleges do for dedicated events. These events are in addition to regular events and occur throughout the year and are also paid for by students. The cost of these events is actually included in tuition. Utilize the opportunities given to have fun with fellow students. Each one of these activities has a sticker specific to the event that the said sticker is from. Some events include a barn dance (Hay Day) type event, Gnome-coming, a Color Run, and the Davenport Derby. When you collect all sixteen stickers you will be entered into a raffle. The winner of the raffle wins a secret surprise that only a select few know about.  Jobson and Crawford have been working on these extravagant outings and activities specifically for students. As students, we are given the framework to build and make lifelong bonds. All these students have 2-4 years to build friendships. Students all have an incredible chance to have most of the planning done for us. Jobson and Crawford, along with their staff, have handed students 16 exciting events and opportunities to hang out with friends and make new ones. Most of these events, “about eighty percent,” according to Jobson, are on campus. There are some events off-campus but you still will not have to pay extra. This year Hay-Day will be on campus, it will be what Jobson calls “full on Jesus and jean jackets,” which according to her is “one thing Simpson is very much about.” One example of the off-campus events is the Color Run, which will have an awesome sticker. Behind all the catchy and fun names there are even more exciting reasons to get hooked on participating in these campus life events. Even if someone does not go to all sixteen, that is fine, not everyone can go to all sixteen. But who would want to miss all the fun? Go to as many of these free events as you can (some even have food). Both Jobson and Crawford would implore you to go to as many of these events as you can. Without attending all the signature events it is impossible to collect all the stickers and be entered in the raffle for the surprise that gnome one knows of.

By: Ariana West Starting my senior year of college online while all my classmates got to be in person for class, was never the original plan. Due to health reasons, I could not start this school year on campus, in person, with my classmates and friends. While this has been difficult, not only mentally but academically, I am hopeful that I will be back at school very soon. However, this hardship has allowed me to grow in my faith and shown me that the Holy Spirit is truly always with us. When this specific struggle first began I was angry with God and did not understand why he was putting me through such a hard time. My faith has truly been put to the test during these past few months. The Lord has made me realize that if our faith is never put to the test, it will grow weak. Just like if you never use muscle, it will also become weak. Life is a crazy journey. You never know what is going to be thrown at you. My advice is to be grateful and thank God for what you have every single day. Praise him even during your toughest battles. Psalms 34:1-4 says, “I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together. I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.” While it is important to always praise the Lord, it is also important to live in the moment. My best advice is to get involved in as many school activities as possible. Make as many memories with your friends as you can. If you don’t, you might look back on your college experience and regret just sitting in your dorm room all four years. To the underclassmen, I would also encourage you to get involved in school events and community. Furthermore, have an open mind. Say YES to potentially scary opportunities. Embrace the newness of college. Don’t be afraid to meet new people, go to new places and accept new challenges. However, never be afraid to reach out for help. While college has a ton of fun experiences, it is also supposed to be difficult. If you need help, reach out to someone, a friend, a professor, a residence assistant, etc. Remember, reaching out for help is not a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of strength. If anyone would like to ask for advice or has any questions that you would like to see in the next issue, feel free to DM the SLATE Instagram @simpsonuslate.

By: Eric Norris When Doctor Norman Hall took the job as President of Simpson in 2019, his famous motto was “Simpson Rising.” This motto meant that Simpson was going to turn the corner in terms of quality…then COVID hit. Before COVID, there were 300 to 400 students gathered in the Grant Center on Campus intently listening diligently to a guest speaker. During COVID being allowed to live on campus was a gift for many students who struggled to focus on school while living at home. The staff and faculty at Simpson had to get creative. Simpson had to maintain COVID protocols but still bring chapel and worship to students during a difficult time. The original strategy was chapel on Zoom. Chapel staff had a set up in the student union and broadcasted chapel online via Zoom. Jacob Vincent, 6-foot-5 sophomore wrestler, said, “I only went to the chapels in person, now I am on chapel probation for not going to them on Zoom.” Simpson noticed that not enough students were attending online so they made an adjustment that required the faculty to help. Less time was spent on the chapel message so that when it was over, there was time for small groups. Each student chose a professor or faculty member that would ask questions about the message after it was given. Each group would contain about 12 to 15 students. “It was a difficult transition going online. I loved greeting my friends with hugs,” said avid chapel goer Soledad Torres, “Simpson really made the most of going online and I appreciated how they adapted.” Chapel is back in person this school year. For now, online chapels are in the past.

By Paulina Diaz Sierra Brenner is not a typical student at Simpson University. Brenner is a transfer student from Shasta Community College. She chose Simpson because it is close to home and because she got the opportunity to continue her soccer career while going to nursing school. At most schools, due to the workload, nursing students are not allowed to practice any sports. She says her favorite thing about the nursing program is that you get to know all the professors on a personal level and the class size is smaller than at most universities. “You are with your cohort all 2.5 years, each taking the same class and same clinical’s and you get to see the same people every day which makes it a comforting environment and you make really amazing friends,” she said via email. Brenner says being a nursing student-athlete is hard, but possible. As a third-semester student, she has two 12-hour clinicals and two days of class. When she is not at the hospital or in class, she is at soccer practice three times a week. Brenner’s favorite thing about playing soccer is her teammates and the fact that she is able to take the stress away from nursing. “I love the fact that we are almost like a family.” Brenner has been a part of the Simpson Women’s Soccer Program rebuilding process since Fall 2018. “It has come a long way and I truly believe we have a chance to take the championship with the team we have for this upcoming spring season,” she said via email. When people ask Brenner if being a nursing major is hard, she tells them that having good time management skills and dedication are key to success. “I try to take it week by week and write out on my planner what I have to do for that week. In nursing school, it’s hard to plan ahead because it takes up so much time just to write it all down on your planner and you feel like you’re wasting your time!” Sometimes, Brenner has two tests and up to 15 assignments in a single week. “I usually try not to focus on things so far ahead and just make sure what I need to get done in this day or week, gets done & go from there,” she said via email. When Brenner graduates in Fall 2021, she wants to apply to multiple hospitals in California, but also outside of California. She hopes to get a job at a hospital as quickly as possible. Her dream is to be an ER nurse or pediatric nurse. Brenner has some advice for those wanting to be both a nursing student and an athlete. “You can totally do it! Time management is really important and realizing that you probably won’t have a social life unless you're at practice. Practice is your break which means when you're not at practice, you are studying. Don’t allow anyone to tell you it is impossible to do both because it is not.”

By Paulina Diaz Contrary to what many students may think, Dr. Cornelius Quek is not a karate master, but he is a retired professional soccer player from Singapore. Quek joined the Singapore Football National Team when he was 12 years old. Even though he showed a special ability for soccer at a young age, he was always involved in many sports. Quek made multiple appearances for the national team until he became a missionary at 19 years old. As a former athlete, he says student-athletes should use the gift that God gave them and follow their heart and passion. “When I was about 19 years old, I just felt like God told me he had a different path for me. He wanted me to pursue Ministry. I guess you could say that was part of my destiny,” Quek said. Ministry allowed Quek to travel a lot. By the time he was 25 years old, he had visited over 25 countries. Not only has he visited a lot of countries, but he has lived in many. Before coming to the United States in 2005, he lived in England and Germany. Before moving to Redding, Quek had only lived in metropolitan areas, not rural areas like Redding. Now, he says he has fallen in love with the outdoors. He said he had never lived somewhere surrounded by so much nature. “If you look at the places where I have lived, they are all big cities. I had always been a city boy. I had always been around skyscrapers and tall buildings. I had never lived in a place with a lot of nature,” he said. Quek has lived in Redding for eight years. For three years, he was an adjunct professor at Simpson University. This year, he was hired as a full-time professor. He teaches courses like Faith and Society, Hermeneutics, and Bible Study Methods. He says his favorite part about teaching at Simpson is getting to know his students. “I love getting to know my students so much that I have stuffed up my office with “goodies.” I have an entire shelf full of those things,” he said. More than being a professor, Quek says he wants to help students navigate through adult life. “My job is to help students. I love getting to know their stories, their hobbies, their passions… I think that is the difference about being a professor at Simpson.”

By Tom Higdon Saving lives and busting rhymes, Robert Krause is as busy as they come. Robert Krause began the nursing program at Simpson this year. Born in Fort Bragg and raised in Woodland, Krause said he first came across Simpson when his hometown pastor recommended it to him. “The program was a little easier to get into, but also I mean I am Christian so I value that,” Krause said. With the semester in its sixth week, the nursing program is in full swing. The typical nursing student is lucky to have a single week without an exam and Krause is no exception. “No test this week but I’ve got two next week,” said Krause. The typical day to day is already filled with studying and a rigorous course schedule but the climax of every week comes on Saturday. Every weekend Krause has a 5 a.m. wake up call. He gets dressed and is out the door by 5:30 a.m. when he heads to Red Bluff Healthcare, an assisted living facility. “It's a 12-hour shift so it's 6:30 in the morning till 6:30 at night,” Krause said. While on shift, he says that his main responsibility is helping the resident patients with anything they need, from changing their clothes to eating their meals. Krause says that, along with the hands on patient care, throughout the shift he will have to fill out a number of forms for a single patient. He documents the conditions they may have as well as any medications they are taking. Despite all the time dedicated to his studies and a 12-hour clinical every week, Krause still finds balance. “I started playing drums when I was 10, when I was 12 I played for my church but I didn’t start making beats and producing actual songs until about 5 years ago… I started rapping like 2 years ago,” Krause said. Krause’s passion has led him to start creating his own music. He has written, produced, and published four original songs on Soundcloud with plans for more in the future. Kraus says that even after he graduates from Simpson, making music is something he is going to stick with. On top of producing music post grad he also hopes to work in an emergency room. “I just want to be able to be someone there to help, and I think that I work well under pressure,” Kraus said. As a nursing student on campus, Krause and his peers make up a significant portion of the student body.  Krause says that the environment is one of fellowship and collaboration. “I have a study group that I study with and they’re amazing. I feel like I’m going to be very good friends with them over the next few years,”Krause said.

By Daisy Brenegan On February 22, three members of the Simpson Men’s wrestling team qualified for NAIA Nationals -- Bryce De Camargo, Armand Molina and Jake Gonsalves. According to Simpson Athletics News, Armand Molina won Simpson's first-ever Cascade Conference title on Saturday, capturing the 141-pound championship with a 3-1 victory and earning a berth into the NAIA National Championships. “It felt great to be the first ever. It was such a great honor to win it especially since it’s my last year competing for the school. I was happy that the coaches finally had a first champion since they’ve been working so hard to have a champion at the tournament,” said Molina. Bryce De Camargo also made a run at the championship match at 184 pounds before running into defending national champion, Menlo's Anthony Orozco, losing 7-4. His second place finish also earned a trip to the NAIA National Championships. Jake Gonsalves fell in the semifinals at 197, but worked his way back to a fourth place finish and an entry into the national championships. Besides three wrestlers earning the chance to compete in nationals, two of Simpson’s wrestlers also received awards. Chris Lacayo was awarded character of the year and Silas Lagroue was awarded academic all American. Chris Lacayo stated, “I am so grateful to receive this award and I am grateful I get to be part of such an awesome team and represent my school.” Overall Simpson took 8th in regionals. For more details on this tournament go to simpsonredhawks.com.