Return of the dynasty

Yankees are back in force

By Garth McLennan, Sports Editor

fter years of discord, dysfunction
A« early playoff exits, the New
York Yankees are back.

After posting the best record in
baseball this season and for the most part
absolutely dominating the competition,
the Yankees are poised to blow past the
Minnesota Twins in the first round and it
appears that they’ll do so on the back of
perhaps the greatest Yankee of all time:
Derek Jeter.

Jeter has long since established himself
as one of the best clutch players in baseball
history and he put that fact on full display
during Game 1 of the ALDS against the
Twins, which New York routed 7-2. Jeter
was perfect at the plate, going two for two
with a pair of walks. He hit a two-run bomb
for his 18" career post-season home-run and
the first ever at the new Yankee stadium in
his second at bat after leading off the first
with a single. He scored three runs and
picked up two RBI’s in the process. Not a
bad night.

While the Yankees are loaded from
top to bottom, Jeter truly is the lifeblood of
that team. At 35 he’s a career Yankee and
was the leading man in the previous Yankee
dynasty, which saw New York win four

world championships.

This season the Yankees returned to
their barnstorming ways. Despite critics
worrying about his age, Jeter had a fine
season as he led New York to a 103-59
record. He homered 18 times and his .334
average was the fourth best of his 14-year
career. His on base percentage of .406 was
also the fourth best of his career and the
best on the Yankees this year. In one of the
best moments in all of sports, Jeter also
passed legendary Yankees’ first baseman
Lou Gehrig for the all time Yankees career
hits record.

But this story is about much more than
just personal statistics. Jeter’s contributions
are really measured in the playoffs, where
he is one of the best any team could ask for.
There are so many classic Jeter moments
that represent the very best of baseball.
There was his incredible .353 batting
average in the 1998 World Series, him
becoming the first player to win the all-star
game and World Series MVP awards in
2000, his legendary flip play against the
Oakland Athletics on October 14", 2001 in
the ALCS to get Jeremy Giambi out at home
plate, which is regarded as one of the most
amazing baseball plays ever.

Most of all though, Derek Jeter’s
remarkable career can be summed up with

two words and one historic nickname: “Mr.
November.”

In perhaps the most emotional World
Series of all time coming right on the
heels of the September 11, 2001 terrorist
attacks, Jeter hit a 10" inning solo shot into
the stands at Yankee Stadium in the early
hours of November 1, just after Halloween
night to tie the World Series at two games
apiece. While New York went on to lose
to the Arizona Diamondbacks in seven
games that year, it was the first time in
MLB history that a player had hit one out
in November and Jeter was soon christened
Mr. November.

So far this year’s Yankee’s appear to be
following down the path of previous Yankee
dynasty teams. C.C. Sabathia pitched a
lights-out Game 1 and New York’s starting
rotation is the deepest in the league with
Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Andy Pettite and
Joba Chamberlain. The bullpen is superb
with reliever Phil Hughes leading the way
and the best closer of all time in Mariano
Rivera waiting in to close things out.

Superstar Alex Rodriguez appears to
have finally bumped his prolonged post-
season slump after a terrific Game 1 against
the Twins in which he went two for four and
drove in two runs. The rest of the order, with
stars like Johnny Damon, Mark Teixeira,

 

Derek Jeter

 

Hideki Matsui, Jorge Posada, Robinson
Cano, Nick Swisher, Melky Cabrera and
even speedster Brett Gardner that they
outstrip every other team in the majors by
miles. As would be expected, the Yankees
led every other team in MLB in home runs
by far.

Nothing is set in stone yet, but from
the looks of things we could be seeing a
team for the ages in the 2009 New York
Yankees and they'll be driven by a player
for the ages in their captain, Derek Jeter.

 

Douglas soccer player wins athlete of the week
Who says the Vancouver Canucks have the best goalie in B.C.?

By Garth McLennan, Sports Editor

hile Roberto Luongo has been
shaky at best in the NHL, goalie
Aja Aguirre has been carrying

the Royals on her back in the BCCAA for
Douglas College.

Aguirre has been crowned as the
female winner of this week’s BCCAA
Athlete of the Week. Aguirre is the
goaltender for Douglas’ women’s soccer
team and put on a superb effort this week
for her squad that is trying hard to right a
season that has not gotten off on the right
foot.

With her team sporting a disheartening
1-5 record to open the season, Aguirre
sparkled over the weekend, posting a pair
of back-to-back shutouts in two must win
games against the previously undefeated
Vancouver Island University Mariners and
the expansion Quest University Kermodes.

It’s safe to say that the Royals
wouldn’t have been anywhere close to
winning without her in both games. She
was the settling force on a team that gave
up shots and free kicks with ease. Facing
Quest was a particularly important game
for the Royals. While the Kermodes don’t
play in the same division as the Royals,
they’ve yet to win a game in this, their
inaugural season and losing to them
would have all but written off the year for
Douglas.

Instead, the Royals now find
themselves with a much better looking 3-5
mark. While they are still ranked last the
five team Pool A division with nine points,
they’re only one back of fourth place
Kwantlen and two behind the University of

Northern B.C.

The team will have to really play
strong down the stretch if they want to
squeeze into the top three clubs that make
the playoffs. Having Aguirre in goal though
is an excellent place to start. After her
stirring performance last weekend, she is
now tied for the league lead in shutouts
with three in just four and a half games
played. Where the Royals go from here is
anyone’s guess. They are currently without
any of the BCCAA’s top goal scorers so
their ability to win will largely fall on their
keeper. No matter what happens however,
it’s safe to say that they'll only go as far as
their star goaltender will take them

Aja Aguirre