Sports Section Editor: Jordan Cripps _ - desportseditor@yahoo.ca Sports Department Neill Jeffrey Assistant Sports Editor The Douglas College men’s soccer team triumphed against all odds at the provincial championships in Kelowna, October 26-27. For the first time in 33 years, Douglas College Royals will represent BC at the national championships in Montreal. The Royals play the host team, John Abbott College, on Wednesday, November 6 and face Concordia University College on November 8. The Canadian college championship will be contested on Saturday, November 9. The odds against the Royals winning in Kelowna were daunting. One of the team’s better forwards, Walter Oyuela, was not eligible to play, and the team’s leading goal-get- ter, Matthew Ormerod (tied for top scorer in the league), was still hampered by an injury, dating back to October 13. On that afternoon, just before Ormerod went down, another Royal took a walloped ball in his midsection and had the wind blown out of him. Coach Joe Ormerod attended to the closer player, and sent the trainer to check on the downed Ormerod. It might have been expected that the father would rush to his son’s side, but the coach went to the assistance of the piteously winded player and helped him off the field. As though hoping against hope to prevent or deny serious injury, and perhaps having a sense that it might be worse than it appeared, the coach stoically refused to treat his son’s injury as an emergency. This defining event showed that, on this team, the team is what matters. As it turned out, Matthew Ormerod was hurt severely enough to keep him on the sidelines the final two games of the regular season. He played minimal minutes in the BCCAA championships, but his limited presence on the field in Kelowna made an immeasurable contribution to the team. The DC Royals’ semi-final opponent was Langara College, a team with a tradition of moving on from the provincials to the nationals. The Langara Falcons were Canadian champions in 1999 and also in 2000, when they hosted the national tournament. Last year they beat the Royals in the BC provincials, but finished second at the nationals, in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Late in the first half, Langara was called for a handball in the box, but the Royals failed to score on the penalty kick. Throughout the match, DC put their game-plan into play as they “spread the field and moved the ball well,” Coach Ormerod said. In the last minute of the second half, Douglas College forward Sean Jimenez booted home a rebound, counting the winning goal. The victory was sweet revenge for the Royals over the team that defeated them last year for the provincial championship. Player of the game was DC Royal, Rigg Kumar, whose absence through much of the regular sea- son had weakened the Royals’ offense. Assistant Coach Shane Ramsey esteems Kumar's skill on the ball and “excellent vision of the field. He distributes the ball well. When he gets the ball, you know it’s going to go the right player.” In the BCCAA final, the Royals faced the winners of the other semi-final game, University College of the Cariboo (UCC). In the first half, the Royals attacked and out- chanced the opposition. Forward Stedman Espinoza took control of the ball at one point, spun around and struck goal. “A 25-yard strike to the top corner—a tremendous the other press Photo by Rob Brown goal,” said Coach Ormerod. Remarking on Espinoza’s offensive ability, Ramsey said “Stedman can take over a game. He takes the ball and makes things happen.” Espinozs is not a formidably big player—he and Kumar are both listed at 5’8”—but he is a fear some sight for a defender as he charges downfield with the soccer ball at his biddin hair flying and eyes on high-beam like Maurice “Rocket” Richard, daring defenders t blink and blunder, threatening to bound past them in the twitch of a nerve. Accordin to Espinoza, his superb soccer skills come from “hard-training.” Looking back even fur: ther, the fact that he and Matthew Ormerod were boyhood neighbours no doubt mad for some very competitive backyard soccer when the two were learning the game. Under attack by Cariboo in the second half, the Royals showed “discipline an patience,” said Coach Ormerod, as the defense “bent but did not break.” In injur time, UCC had a consummate chance to even the score. A full-volley shot was direct ed towards the corner of the goal, but Royals keeper, Stephen Way, tarew himself acros the goal to make “a world-class save,” in the estimate of his coach. To spectators an players on the sidelines, the shot looked unstoppable. “We actually thought it was goal,” said Shane Ramsey, “until Stephen stood up with the ball in his gloves.” Wit two shutouts in the tournament, the Douglas College keeper was deserving of selectio as Best Goalkeeper, but was not granted that honour. Surprisingly, no player on thi team has been officially rated among the best in the country, but they have given then selves the opportunity to prove that they are All-Canadian as a team. At the provincial tournament, Royals defender Kristopher Peterson was named Be Defender. He sees his role as part of the transition game, from breaking down the opp sition attack and gaining possession of the ball, to generating the Royals’ offense. Sayin he'd like to be more offensive, Peterson laughs and describes his job as: “check the gu pass the ball up. Check the guy, pass the ball up.” Peterson brings leadership to team, according to Ramsey. “Kristopher leads by example.” Stedman Espinoza was honoured as Best Forward at the provincials, and won t tournament Most Valuable Player award. Ironically, Peterson and Espinoza used to pl against each other in North Delta youth soccer. Working together, they have helpe push the Royals through to the national level, for the first time in more than thr decades of Douglas College men’s soccer history. Espinoza says, “I’m pretty hap about it. Not only for myself, but also for the seniors, who've been here for three year. And for players before us, who didn’t have this chance. This is for Douglas, to put ot name on there,” he says, speaking of the championship trophy. “It feels good.” In anticipation of conditions in Montreal, the Royals practised in the cold after da this past week. That's cold-weather training, North Delta-style. Coach Ormerod d not want the elements to be a factor in the games at Montreal. He acknowledged t adage that “defense wins championships,” and promised, “We'll be competitive. We’ proud to represent BC at the nationals.” © page 20