Brian McLennon, Sports Editor

 

The Douglas College Royals’ Men’s Soccer team are the

2005 CCAA National Champions. In front of an ecstat-
ic home crowd at the Burnaby Lake Sports Complex,
the Royals defeated the Algonquin Thunder by the
score of 2—O to win their first ever National Soccer
Championship. On hand to witness this historic event
were Douglas College president, Susan Witter, director
of communications and marketing, Brad Barber, and
athletic director, Lou Rene Legge.

“Pm just so happy for them. I know how much they
wanted this,” said Lou Rene. “Champions are those
who can overcome adversity and this group of young
men and the coaching staff epitomizes the true mean-
ing of champions.”

The Player of the Game for Douglas was Ivan

SPORTS
NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!

 

Estrada. The outstanding freshman had a sensational
rookie campaign, especially in post-season play where
he was named Best Forward in the Provincial
Championship tournament. Other Royals garnering
awards were Jagminder Gill, who was named a tourna-
ment all-star along with all Canadian and BCCAA
Player of the Year, Cameron Wilson. The “Mighty”
Casey Wilson was named the tournament’s Most
Valuable Player.

Overlooked on the awards podium was Royals’ goal-
keeper, Krisjian Johannson. The 6’4" sophomore from
North Delta was brilliant throughout the entire tourna-
ment. When the final whistle blew at the cessation of
the championship game, Johannson had recorded a per-
fect shut out in three games. Krisjian, who finished the

mclennonb@douglas.be.ca

regular season with a 1.36 goals-against average, dou-
bled his entire season shut out total (2).

“He slipped under the radar.” said Lou Rene Legge.
“There were times when the opposition had some good
opportunities to score and Krisjian always came up big.”

The Road to Gold

Even after a slow start to the season and season record
that wavered just above .500, the team never loss focus
of their goal and were determined to prove their skep-
tics wrong, In a dramatic turn around, the team won ten
out of their last 11 games en route to a National
Championship. One person who never had a doubt in
his mind or of his team’s capability was head coach, Joe
Ormerod.

“There’s something special about this team.” He
said during an interview leading up to the National
Championship tournament. “We are coming together at
the right time...this is the year.”

In his short, five-year span at the helm of the Men’s
Soccer program, Ormerod’s squad won three BCCAA
Provincial Championships (2002, 2003, and 2005).
Along with long-time assistant coach, Shane Ramsey,
and first-year assistant coach, Matt Ormerod, the team
were National silver medalists in 2002 and bronze
medalists in 2003 (as the host team).

“She [Lou Rene Legge] said it should take us four
years to win it” Said Ormerod. “This was the fourth
year competing at Nationals and we did it.”

As part of the grand finale to this epic
Championship story, Ormerod broke out into song and
dance to the delight of his team and the cheering home
crowd.

The Other Press wishes to extend a hardy “well-
done lads” to every member of the Men’s Soccer
Program. So, well done lads.

 

Friday, November 25
Basketball vs Langara — Women: 6pm,
Men: 8pm (New West)

Saturday, November 26

Basketball vs. Langara — Women: 6pm,
Men:8pm (New West)

Men’s Rugby vs. Kamloops — 1st Div.:
2:30pm, 2nd Div.: 1:00pm

Men’s Rugby vs. Kats — 3rd Div.:
11:30am

 

FEOWACLS

UPCOMING GAMES

Sunday, November 27
Women’s Rugby @ Cowichan —
11:30am

 

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accomplishments. The front page
has nothing but man’s failures.”

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