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sports.powwow@gmail.com
Sixteen and Counting By SHAZIA PATHAN
essary to be capable to handle the endurance and strength required during the games,” explained Cammie, adding, “It would not make sense if When asked about her favorite memory we kept attacking and did not protect our own from the past four years, Girls Varsity Volleycourt.” The team similarly stresses the imporball player senior Cammie Dopke cannot recall tance of staying strong for the season, as the a single favorite moment from her past team has already lost four years. Instead, she gushes that she two of its starting hitters and her teammates, “just talk and have due to injuries. Despite a great time...we have team dinners the team’s security in every Monday night...like right now!” its strength this season, The team is finishing up its League seathese injuries add to the son, and already, nostalgia is hitting the constant uncertainty of players. This is no surprise, given the “having their whole team’s “strong bond and chemistry,” as dynamic change” decited by most of its players as one of pending on a key player the team’s biggest strengths. For the sebecoming injured. Raniors, though, it comes as a surprise how chel, however, is asquickly time has passed. Senior Rachel sured that “every girl Reedy confessed, “I keep reminiscing on [the] team is capable on the great moments and how fast it all of carrying her weight passed, just as I was told it would!” The and every girl is able nostalgic montages of previous seasons to play consistently,” are not detriments but uplifting remindwhich takes away this ers, encouraging the players to “play all SMACK DOWN Junior Stephanie Yen jumps to guard against Glendale as fear for the most part. out, at every chance,” and, for seniors, Beyond the senior Malia Carr and sophomore Hannah Ruiz prepare for the next play. to guide the younger players of the team. scores and undeInitially, before Volleyball’s first league as they are currently 1st in League and hope feated status in their League, the players, game of the year, the team believed that play- to remain so for the rest of the season. After most importantly, are enjoying another great ing more offensively was the answer to solving some reflection on its own plays and the sea- year together, on and off the court. They are its weaknesses of previous seasons. Though the son ahead, the team has realized that defensive playing to their best ability and succeeding. team placed 2nd in Pacific League and made playing is essential “because that is what ulti- Thanks to the team’s early success, its confiit to the first round of CIF last season, two mately wins the game,” explained Cammie, dence is unwavering as it heads further into highly commendable feats, the girls want the adding, “It would not make sense if we kept the league’s increasingly competitive rounds. best and, as always, are aiming to place 1st in attacking and did not protect our own court.” spathan@apachepowwow.com League and ultimately win CIF. Where do the Outside of practice, the players are reliconfidence and great goals come from? Ra- gious in their personal workouts, as it “is necPhoto by BRIAN SOONG Staff Writer
chel revealed that “the team has a lot of great talent and experience,” the results of which have already been evident in the success of the team during its summer tournaments anthroughout the school season. So far, the girls are on track to achieve their high expectations,
REMEMBERING JOSE FERNANDEZ By JOCELYN HU Performing Arts Editor
A MODERN LEGEND Jose Fernandez is remembered for his bright spirit and inspiring story throughout baseball history. If you’re a baseball fan, you’ve probably heard about the legend and two-time state champion Jose Fernandez. Fernandez was a well-known American baseball pitcher who died recently in a boat crash on Sept. 25. He was born in 1992, in Santa Clara, Cuba and played Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Miami Marlins for most of his career. Beyond his record-setting career, Fernandez’s story is remarkable in that he almost never made it to America at all, let alone the MLB. Fernandez lived in Cuba for much of his child-
hood, until in 2005 his step-father defected to America and settled in Tampa, Florida. Fernandez and his family attempted to follow suit three times, but were caught and faced jail sentences each time. Fernandez ultimately spent a year in jail for attempting to leave Cuba. The family then made another attempt to reach Mexico, and this time arrived safely. They moved to America and settled in Tampa when Fernandez was 16. Fernandez did not attend college, but went to high school at Braulio Alonso High School in Tampa, Florida. He was drafted by the Miami Marlins in the first round and signed on Aug. 15, 2011. His career started with the 2012 season at Single-A Greensboro. He was quickly promoted to Single-A Jupiter, led all of Marlin’s Minor Leaguers in wins and strikeouts, and was even ranked 2nd among all Single-A pitchers in wins and 5th in strikeouts. In 2013, Fernandez became National League All-Star and the National League Rookie of the Year. He was the youngest pitcher and Marlin to appear on a 2013 Opening Day roster in history, as well as the first pitcher 20-yearsold or younger to allow a maximum of one run, three hits, in his first two Major League starts since 1965. He became the first pitcher to win awards twice in the same season since 2011, as well as the first pitcher to win in consecutive months since 2006.
As 2014 approached, Fernandez had his second Major League season cut short due to surgery on the tendons in his right arm. He missed a total of 14 months of baseball due to this Tommy John surgery. Returning on July 2, 2015, he finished his third Major League season with a 6-1 record and a 2.92 Earned Run Average, which represents the average amount of earned runs a pitcher allows every nine innings he pitches. He recorded 79 strikeouts compared to just 14 walks. Even with his injured arm, Fernandez played well and broke even more records. Sadly, this September, Fernandez died tragically due to a boating accident just weekends before the end of the 2016 regular season. The Marlins cancelled its next game, and teams throughout the MLB league honored Fernandez with a moment of silence and the display of his jersey. In their following game, all the Marlins wore his jersey for one final victory before announcing they would retire his number. Fernandez left heartbreaking last words to his girlfriend right before he died, saying “I’m ready for where this journey is gonna take us together.” As one of the youngest pitchers to achieve so much and inspire a generation, Fernandez has left a great legacy to baseball.
jhu@apachepowwow.com
Photo courtesy of SLATERSCOOPS.COM
October 2016
Chatting With GIRLS GOLF By CHRISTIAN LOWE Staff Writer
DREAM TEAM Freshmen Tiffany Lo, senior Jannell Lo, and junior Gabbi Lewis support each other on and off the pitch. PGA Champion Arnold Palmer once said, “Success in golf depends less on strength of body, but more on strength of mind and character.” For the members of the Girls Varsity Golf team, the wisdom in this quote is something they know will give them an edge over the competition. To them, getting into the right frame of mind is essential to success. I had the opportunity to ask junior Gabbi Lewis and freshmen Kate Villegas and Tiffany Lo several questions on what their visions, goals, and achievements for this year’s season. Here are a few of their responses: What personal goals have you set for yourself to achieve victory as well as the team? KATIE: I personally have three goals that I have set for myself and that is to win U.S. Amateur Women’s Golf, be on the Ladies Professional Golf Association and more importantly, to be top ranked within my division. TIFFANY: My personal goal is to shoot evenly by the end of the year and just make the best of this year, which is going along pretty well at this point. GABBI: My goal is simple—to gain more experience and make it further in CIF than I did last year. What sets you apart from your varsity teammates? KATIE: What sets me apart from any varsity golf members is that I work extremely hard and I take golf seriously because it’s what I want to do for a living and for the rest of my life. TIFFANY: Experience sets us apart from each other. Each member brings her talents, experience and strategy to the game daily and how we use [those talents and strategies] sets us apart. GABBI: What makes me stand out among my peers is that I put everything into what I do...I learn from my mistakes and improve upon them. As a team we have really good chemistry, we have a good time while also playing our best. What exercise or nutrition do you feel is important to maximize your abilities? KATIE: Golf and walking is my workout and [I] exercise every day! TIFFANY: We stay in shape by walking 3,000 yards every match and practice. The team sometimes works out to build strength. GABBI: Personally, I like to follow a healthy diet and work out on a regular basis. However, as a team we all work out to stay in shape.
clowe@apachepowwow.com Photo by TRINITY CHHAY
