The Other End of the
Spectrum
10.24.16
A look at club sports and their cultures p. 4-5 By Danielle Okonta, Emma Sklarin and Sabena Allen
Just a Bit Outside with Sam Stockton ’19 p. 6 Hot Takes with Max Zhuang ’19 p. 8
The Big Green Weekend Roundup p. 2-3
HOLLYE SWINEHART/THE DARTMOUTH STAFF
THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS WEEKLY
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The weekend Roundup
TENNIS
Compiled by NATHAN ALBRINCK, James Handal AND evan morgan
VOLLEYBALL This past Wednesday, the women defeated Bryant University, 3-1, (25-17, 22-25, 25-21, 25-19), at Leede Arena. Zoe Leonard ’19 recorded 12 digs and 24 assists while Emily Astarita ’17 made nine kills. On Friday, the team traveled to Cambridge, Massachusetts to play Harvard University. The women fell 3-1 (21-25, 25-21, 23-25, 2125), putting the Big Green at 8-11 overall and 1-7 in Ivy play while the Crimson improve to 6-11 and 4-4 in Ivy play. Leonard had her fourth consecutive doubledouble, recording 20 assists and
10 digs. Danielle Glinka ’17 recorded 18 digs while Astarita made 12 kills. Harvard opened the match by claiming the 10 of the first 15 points to take control and win the opening set. The Big Green responded with a close win in the second set to knot the score at 1-1. The Crimson managed to win the third set in the remaining few points before winning the fourth set to take the match. The Big Green will play Princeton University on Friday and the University of Pennsylvania on Saturday at 5 p.m. in Leede Arena.
ICE HOCKEY The women’s hockey team fell 3-0 in its season opener versus Northeastern University at Thompson Arena this past Friday, bringing the team’s record to 0-1. After a scoreless first period, Northeastern’s Kasidy Anderson scored at 10 minutes and 3 seconds to give the Huskies a 1-0 lead. Northeastern followed with two more goals in the third period to win the game. Despite offensive pressure from Kennedy Ottenbreit ’17, the team could not record a goal. Northeastern led in shots at 34-19. Goalkeeper Robyn Chemago ’17 made 31 saves in the loss. Yesterday, the team dropped its ECAC opener against Harvard University 1-5.
Tess Bracken ’19 scored the lone goal for the Big Green. Up next, the team will travel to New York to play St. Lawrence University and Clarkson University on Friday and Saturday respectively. The men’s hockey team played a preseason scrimmage against Harvard University on Saturday at Thompson Arena, which ended in a 3-3 tie. To settle the score, the teams participated in a three-round shutout, which the Crimson won, 3-2. Daniel Warpecha ’20, Grant Opperman ’17 and Carl Hesler ’18 recorded goals for the team, while Devin Buffalo ’18 made 16 saves, and Adrian Clark ’20 made 26.
Rebecca Asoulin ’17 Editor-in-Chief
Rachel DeChiara ’17 Publisher
Annie Ma ’17 Executive Editor
10.24.16 Vol. CLXXIII No. 135
Gayne Kalustian ’17 Kourtney Kawano ’18 Sports Editors
Ashley Dupuis ’19 Evan Morgan ’19 Sam Stockton ’19 Assistant Sports Editors Annie Duncan ’17 Kate Herrington ’17 Photography Editors Jaclyn Eagle ’19 Templating Editor
MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2016
“I’ve been focusing on the variety in my game. I prefer not to pound from the baseline, which is a very common game style, so I’ve been working on a lot of angles, drop shots, slice, sort of to take my opponents out of their rhythm and really set up the shots that I like – the downline backhand and the inside-out forehand.”
- TAYLOR NG ’17 The men and women’s teams traveled to Philadelphia and New Haven, Connecticut, respectively, to compete in the ITA Northeast Regional Championship. The men had 10 victories on day three this past Saturday. David Horneffer ’20 and Charlie Broom ’20 advanced to the Round of 16 in
singles. In doubles, Max Fliegner ’18 and Broom as well as Diego Pedraza ’17 and Roko Glasnovic ’19 also qualified for the Round of 16. On the women’s side, Taylor Ng ’17 and Racquel Lyn ’20 advanced to the Round of 16. Jacqueline Crawford ’17 defeated
Boston University’s Iryna Kistirko, 1-6, 7-6, 6-4. Ng defeated Siena College’s Ivana Boberic, 6-2, 6-1, and Columbia University’s Ali Pollack, 6-2, 6-1 to advance. The ITA Regional Championships are played until Monday. Both teams continue play through today.
ROWING Over the weekend, the men and women’s rowing teams opened their seasons at the Head of the Charles Regatta in Boston. The women’s club 4+ team finished fifth out of 59 teams in 19 minutes and 37.1 seconds. The University of Pennsylvania won the race with a time of 19:08.815. Later, Dartmouth’s club 8+ boat placed 13th out of 39 teams with a time 17:50.92, edging out the College of the Holy Cross by six
hundredths of a second. To close out the weekend, the team competed in the championship 8+ race on Sunday, placing 23rd out of 33 teams. Competing in the Club 4+, the men’s heavyweight team beat out 48 other teams to win with a time of 16:57.86. Later in the day, the club 8+ team finished sixth out of 36 teams, while Harvard University placed first in the event. On Sunday, Dartmouth im-
proved its Saturday time by 15 seconds, finishing 11th with a time of 15:29.341 in the championship 8+ race. The men’s lightweight team finished sixth out of 16 teams in the fours, besting Harvard by less than half a second. In the lightweight eights race, the team placed 12th with a time of 16:48.396. Up next, the teams will compete at the Princeton Chase on Sunday in Princeton, New Jersey.
SAILING Over the weekend, the Dartmouth sailing team competed in the Mrs. Hurst Bowl, Central 6, Sherman Hoyt Trophy and Oberg Trophy races. In the Mrs. Hurst Bowl, hosted by Dartmouth, the team finished seventh out of 17 teams. The U.S. Coast Guard Academy took first place, while Ivy League foes Brown University and Yale University finished third and fifth, respectively.
In the Central 6 race, Dartmouth sailing placed fifth out of 13 teams. The host, Boston College, took both first and second place. Noah Simmons ’20 and Audrey Bransfield ’19 placed eighth in the Division A race, while Maxwell EberstadtBeattie ’20 and James Bonham ’20 placed third in Division B race. At the Sherman Hoyt Trophy race, Dartmouth bested all other
17 teams, winning the trophy over host Brown. Charles Lalumiere ’17, Rebecca McElvain ’19, Robert Floyd ’17, Madeleine Cooney ’17 and Nathaniel Greason ’17 represented the Big Green in competition. Lastly, Dartmouth competed in the Oberg Trophy race, hosted by Northeastern University. The team placed ninth out of 17 teams, while Roger Williams University won.
FOOTBALL “It was definitely a disappointing loss. We came into the game with high expectations and really didn’t execute well, and it made it a tough bus ride home with the result.” - JACK HENEGHAN ’18 On Saturday, the football team faced Columbia University in New York for the Lions’ homecoming. Facing difficult weather conditions including wind dusts rising to 40 miles per hour, the Big Green fell, 9-7, giving Columbia its first win at homecoming in 16 years. Dartmouth now stands at 3-3 overall and 0-3 in Ivy play while the Lions improved to 2-4 and 1-2 in Ivy
play. In a very tight defensive battle between the Lions and the Big Green, each offense was limited to scoring in the red zone. Columbia scored a field goal in the second half to lead 3-0 until Hunter Hagdorn ’20 scored a 65-yard touchdown pass from Jack Heneghan ’18 to lead, 7-3. The second half was much of the same as Columbia scored two third quarter field goals to lead 9-7 going
into the fourth quarter. The Big Green attempted a field goal from the 47-yard line with 21 seconds left, but it came up short. Heneghan went 13-38 with a touchdown and an interception for 242 yards. Hagdorn led the Big Green with three catches for 114 yards and a touchdown. Dartmouth plays Ivy League foe Harvard University this Saturday during Homecoming at 1:30 p.m.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2016
SOCCER
On Tuesday, Dartmouth’s men’s soccer team traveled to Boston for a non-conference match against Boston University. In its sixth overtime game of the season, the Big Green fell 1-0. Despite taking more corner kicks than Boston, 6-4, BU outshot Dartmouth, 12-11. BU’s Felix de Bona netted the game winning goal less than two minutes into overtime, leaving the Big Green scoreless for the third time this season. On Saturday, the men battled Columbia University in a hard-fought Ivy League matchup in New York. Justin Donawa ’19 opened the scoring with a goal in the 71st minute, propelling the Big Green to a 1-0 lead, which the team maintained to leave with a win. James Hickok ’17 earned his third clean sheet of the season in the win. The team’s overall record improved to 5-3-5, while Columbia’s dropped to 8-3-1. The Big Green currently sits atop the Ivy League standings with Harvard University. The two square off this Saturday
THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS WEEKLY
at Burnham Field at 4:30 p.m. The women’s soccer team played Columbia University to a 0-0 draw on Saturday afternoon to record its second consecutive Ivy League draw The Big Green now stands at 6-5-2 overall and 0-3-2 in Ivy play while the Lions are 7-4-4 and 4-0-1 in Ivy play. The Big Green defense stayed strong in the first half to limit the Lions to three shots, while Dartmouth took six shots and two corner kicks in a fairly equal and scoreless period. The second half was very similar to the first, with both teams recording shots that were unable to find the back of the net. In overtime, neither team broke the deadlock. The Big Green and the Lions took 14 shots, but Columbia outshot Dartmouth in corner kicks 7-5. Casey Cousineau ’17 and Columbia’s Allison Spencer made four saves to hold both teams scoreless. Dartmouth plays Harvard University at 11 a.m. this weekend at Burnham Field.
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FIELD HOCKEY The Big Green fell 1-5 against Columbia University on Friday to remain winless in Ivy League play, while the Lions improve to 2-3 in Ivy play. The women started the first half strong when Katie Spanos ’20 opened the scoring in the 25th minute off an assist from Evie Bird ’19 to lead, 1-0. Columbia later equalized at the end of the first half to go into the
break at 1-1 before dominating the second half and scoring four goals to win. The Lions led in shots, 3114, and in penalty corners, 14-7. Hailey Valerio ’19 recorded 15 saves in the loss, and overall Dartmouth made 17 saves versus Columbia’s nine. The Big Green plays at home against College of the Holy Cross on Wednesday at 3 p.m.
- MADDIE NELSON ’20
ANNIE DUNCAN/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF
The men’s soccer team dropped its match against Boston University but beat Columbia University on Saturday.
Over the weekend, the men’s golf team competed in the Camden Collegiate Invitational, which the University of South Carolina hosted. Out of 14 teams, Dartmouth finished 10th with an overall score of 899 and +17. James Madison University took first place, shooting 850 and +10. In the first of three rounds, Will Bednarz ’20 led the way with a one-over-par 71. In the second and third rounds, Sean Fahey ’17 led the Big Green with scores of 75 and 70, respectively. The team saved their best golfing for the final round, scoring a cumulative 297. Ian Kelsey ’18 and Fahey
tied for 25th place with a score of 223 and 13 over par. The women’s team traveled this past weekend for the University of Delaware Lady Blue Hen Invitational. Out of 10 schools, Dartmouth finished seventh, while Harvard University took first and Delaware took second. Julia Calbi ’19 posted a team low 74 in the second round on her way to a +19 overall finish and a ninth-place finish in the invitational. Isabelle Kane ’18 finished 17th with an overall score of +25. The team scores for each round were 324, 316 and 319, yielding a total score of 959 and +107.
GOLF
“The tournament conditions were tough. On Saturday, it was cold in the morning, and we had gusts of wind up to 40 miles per hour the whole day. We wish we would’ve played better, but having only four people playing and all four counting, it’s tough for everyone to play well. Not a great finish to the season, but it’s alright. We are focusing on the spring now.”
The Other End o
THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS WEEKLY
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How It Works By Danielle Okonta
As director for intramurals and club sports, Heather Somers sees not only see how club sports at Dartmouth work but also how much work the endeavor takes.
club sports because of how students must facilitate so many tasks to play the sports. Varsity athletes have professional staff to make reservations for hotels and transportation. They also have strength and conditioning coaches that can help injured athletes recover. Many of the responsibilities varsity coaches and the varsity athletic department take care of are the same responsibilities that club athletes have. Taking up all of these tasks can allow the athlete to develop valuable leadership skills. Club athletes get some funding from the College but mostly have to do their own fundraising.
How are club sports managed? HS: Clubs are student-run. Each sport has its own unique leadership set up. Some have captains while some have presidents and treasurers. They determine their own executive structure and set their own course. The teams have to pay entry fees for competitions, pay for hotel stays for off-campus meets and take care of transportation on their own. As the club sports director, I am the person that can assist the athletes in these responsibilities and offer advice and support. Some of the sports have coaches. They vary from being volunteered to full-time. The funds to have coaches come out the clubs’ budget. We still emphasize that yes there is a coach, but the club sports are still studentrun in all aspects.
In the next few years, what do you hope to improve and continue in club sports at Dartmouth? HS: We have been able to improve some safety procedures on campus. We are working on making a safety officer, someone who is CPR certified, AED and first aid. We are also studying some concussion education modules. Since athletes travel and compete at their own risk, it is important that in the event of an emergency that someone has the resources to help someone. We continue to advocate more funds for transportation and competitions. We are also studying some concussion education modules.
What are the similarities between club sports and varsity sports? Any differences? HS: The passion and commitment that athletes play with is very similar to that of varsity sports. It can even be argued more that the commitment in
A look at club sports and
By Danielle Okonta
Table Tennis
Ice Hockey
“I am most proud of the fact
that I, with help from my cocaptain Scott Bohn ’18, was able to bring this team from a state of disorganization and lacking participation to what it is now. We are now members of the ACHA, the national collegiate club hockey league, as well as the NECHA, the local New England Conference.” - Sam Forstner ’18.
Cricket
A group of students
and faculty members unofficially established the cricket team in the early 1990s.Thesportisabat-andball game like baseball, but unlike America’s pastime, the ground is more circular and batsmen can generally score runs anywhere
where the ball bounces on the field. Since joining the team as a freshman, Raunak Bhojwani ’18 and Anwesh Dash ’18 have built the team’s roster from four regular members to 20 to 30 players. “We are both very passionate about the sport
Two brothers and their friends formed Dartmouth’s Taekwondo club in 1984. Today, the team practices on Tuesday and Thursday during classes taught by Master Linda Smith-Blais and Master Jean Del Porte. Although the team is currently small in size, several
nis was reestablished in the fall of 2004. The team competes in three meets in the fall and winter terms. The team is a member of the National Collegiate Table Tennis Association and it competes in several meets in the New England area.
underclassmen bring skill to the group, including a gold medalist in Junior Olympics, Daehyun Kim ’19 noted. On weekends, the team competes in tournaments or holds special demonstrations. To show support for the sport, the team founded the Eastern Collgiate Tae Kwon Do Conference, which included a weekend trip to compete against Yale University and Princeton University, Kim said. The team hopes to continue to grow and compete at bigger conference meets. “We want to create a space for people to enjoy the sport but also give competitive athletes a platform to compete at the highest level,” Kim said.
Ultimate Frisbee
Po
Golf
Cycling
The men’s rugby team
Lacrosse
Taekwondo
Dartmouth table ten-
Rugby
Baseball
MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2016
was first established in the year 1769. Since that time the team has gone on to win 12 Ivy League Championships — the most of any team on campus. The team has also had several athletes debut as athletes on international rugby teams. Most recently, alumnus Madison Hughes ’15 played as the captain of the U.S. National team.
Fencing
After being de-recognized by the College as a varsity sport in 1979, fencing has remained as a club sport and today, includes approximately 40 athletes. There are three different weapons used to compete — epee, sabre and foil — with the goal to hit the opponent. Based on the weapon used, the winner is determined by how the player hits their and spent a lot of time really developing the sport at Dartmouth,” Dash said. Apart from creating a more legitimate team, the team has also made efforts to formulate a competitive season. The team trains in the fall and spring and conditions in the winter
Intercollegiate champion Dan Dimancescu ’64 founded the bicycle club during the 1961-1962 school year. For decades, students have joined the team to race in road races across the country. The team competes in the spring term and hosts competitions on weekends. From 2013 to 2016, the team won the Ivy League Championship. Ethan Call ’18 said the team has individual practices and team rides to give members flexibility according to their wide range of abilities.
opponent. “It is very strategic but also very athletic.” Nate Neumann ’20 said. The team holds practices five days a week for two hours each day. During competitions, the men and women compete as separate teams. In 2014, the club won the National Club Championships, despite not having a formal coach.
under American College Cricket, the equivalent to the NCAA in the sports realm, Dash noted. However, since Dash’s membership on the team, there have been no major national tournaments or competitions endorsed or played by the cricket team.
Because of the diverse group, members participate in road races ranging from 20 miles to 75 miles. Seasoned competitors participate in the longer races while beginners compete in the shorter races, Call noted. Apart from the team’s recent Ivy League domination, athletes have been able to take the national stage in the sport. In 2014, the team won the Eastern Championships and the National Championships from 2002 to 2004.
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Tennis
Basketball
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Boxing
of the Spectrum
THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS WEEKLY
MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2016
their cultures
a, Emma Sklarin and Sabena Allen
owerlifting
SW 5
Bodybuilding
Dartmouth recently added bodybuilding as a club sport in 2014. “Bodybuilding is all about the aesthetics so you essentially build your body by going to the gym and taking care of your nutrition and so forth,” Abraham Herrera ’18 said. “We thought it would be nice to have a team because of the camaraderie. We feed off of each other’s energy and give each other tips, whether it be on posting, diet and nutrition or just training protocols.” The men compete in the men’s physique section, where they pose in a variety of positions to showcase their muscles in the most aesthetically pleasing way possible for judges. In 2014, Herrera and John Rigby ’17 placed into the top fivein a competition, Herrera noted.
Field Hockey
Water Polo
DERT Badminton
The badminton team plays in
Racquetball
Swimming Squash
the fall, winter and spring terms and practices are every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Christine Dong ’19 said the team is trying to become more formal and is currently focusing on attracting interest and developing as a team before focusing on training and developing skills during the winter. “We want to get people who are committed to the sport so that we can build a core team to take competition and start competing in competitions outside of the college,” Dong said. “Most importantly, we want for people on the team to be in a welcoming environment that also challenges them.”
Volleyball
Dressage
D artmouth’s dressage team competes in the Intercollegiate Dressage Association and practices with Lindle Lawton Sutton. The sport consists of artistic riding in exhibitions and competitions. The movements that the horse and rider have to make must be synchronized for the performance to be from scored well. “The main goal of the sport is to develop a connection with the horse and essentially a partnership,” Emily Neely ’17 said. Prior to Dartmouth, Neely
Figure Skating
Amy Stetson ’00 and
mily Schaller ’02 founded e figure skating team in 97. Athletes compete in eestyle skating events, istic skating as well as o and team skating. Solo ating events are judged sed on technique and eed. The team competes the fall, winter and a few eeks in the spring. The team won five concutive national champiship titles from 2004 to 08 and has qualified for
nationals annually since 2000. However, the team’s success is not it’s defining feature, Jessie Anderson ’18 said. “The most important thing to me is the team atmosphere,” Anderson said. “The interactions that happen at competitions and practice is what I appreciate. We have a warm welcoming team and continue to strive to be that way to represent Dartmouth in the best way possible.”
Soccer
“Ireallyenjoythecommunity
hat our team offers. Not only do we compete well but we also all o activities outside of our sport hat allows us to bond as a team. Our head coach Steve Severson as been with us for a long time nd he is dedicated to the team, o the players and our overall uccess.” - Sarah Latulipe ’17
Triathlon
Cheer
“I am most proud of the fact that our team is very cooperative. Most athletes on the team are inexperienced in the sport, and they are capable of pulling off difficult stunts. We literally have each other’s backs and have a very high degree trust in one another.” - Seungjae Hong ’20
Founded in the fall of 2013 by Dartmouthstudents,thetriathlonteam boasts a roster of 30 active members, co-captain Brandt Slayton ’18 said. The triathlon encompasses three events: a swim, a bike race and a run. The team focuses on the sprint triathlon, which consists of a 750-meter swim, 20-kilometer bike ride and a 5-kilometer run, and competes in duathlons, relays and Olympic distance events, which are twice the distance of sprint triathlons. The team practices six times a week, and some members will do double
did not have any experience in the sport, but learned primarily through practicing with the team and the trainer, who has been the team’s coach for over a decade, she noted. As a group, Neely noted the team is looking to be a more organized group and facilitate more outside activities. “By finding a time to all get together we can grow that team bond and strengthen the commitment to the sport as a team,” Neely said.
workouts to maintain stamina and learn how to transition to each event consecutively, triathlon team coach Jim Anderson said. The triathlon team has competed at the national level but not as a team. They have had individuals qualify for nationals, though, and some members have gone on to compete at a much higher level. “This year we would like to compete in the conference and try to win a place overall,” Anderson said. “We have a diverse group of abilities on the team.”
My Life on the Tri Team By Emma Sklarin
Before I came to Dartmouth early in August of 2014, I sent an email to the two captains of the Dartmouth Club Triathlon Team, Nina Mascia ’15 and Sara Heard ’15. I don’t remember exactly what I wrote to them, but I’d been waiting to meet people who really competed in triathlons so what I meant to say read something like this: “Hello!!! It’s me! It’s Emma. This club was made for me, and I already love you two.” The truth is that I would have loved to be a varsity cross country runner in college. I had been talking to coaches at Division III schools when I got into Dartmouth. I knew my dreams of running for a varsity cross country program were over. Division I running was simply out of my league. I emailed Dartmouth’s cross country coach to see if I could walk onto the team and maybe chase the runners’ wakes for a while. He told me, as nicely as he could, that I would have to knock a minute off of my 5K time before I even got to campus, and even then I probably wouldn’t ever travel with the team. I realized I needed a new dream
team – I needed a club team. When I blitzed Nina and Sarah late in the summer before my freshman year, I didn’t understand how club sports worked at Dartmouth. I asked them questions about the nature of tryouts and athletic gear, and they replied that I should just come to a practice. It turned out that there were no tryouts and that practices were enjoyable. Nina and Sarah were both varsity swimmers before they founded the triathlon team in 2013, and they had big hopes for it. They wanted the triathlon team to be a place to work out as well as a place to play and try new things. They wanted people to love coming to practice every day. They did not, however, want it to be anything like a varsity sport. Nina and Sarah wanted everyone who wanted to try a triathlon to join the team. Some of the freshmen who practiced that year were experienced triathletes, while some had no experience in any of the three sports at all. We’ve had people learn to swim with us, and we’ve also had people win races with us. Nina and Sarah weren’t lying. To be a part of the triathlon
team, all students needed to is come to practice, but the team is a lot more than that. I felt most at home during practices during my freshman fall. I made my first upperclassmen friends, went on my first Gile sunrike and played in my first pong tournament with the triathlon team. Then, I got my best time at nationals that summer. The team was open, fun and silly, but the training was clearly working. I have tried out quite a few club sports over the years, and most of them have a similar draw. I participated in the Dartmouth Endurance Racing Team, club swimming and joined the water polo team during my sophomore year. Each team welcomed me to practice with open arms. I think that club sports, more than anything, are another beautiful side effect of the talent we have at Dartmouth. Outside of our varsity teams, there are still so many incredible athletes on campus. And beyond that, there are even more students who have a whole lot of drive and just want a great challenge. These are the people who join club teams.
THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS WEEKLY
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The Pennant “As sure as God made green apples, someday the Chicago Cubs are going to be in the World Series.” -Harry Caray, 1991 For Chicago Cubs fans, Oct. 22 was someday. At this point, baseball fans are well aware of this narrative. In 1908, the Cubs won their second straight World Series. They haven’t had another one since. The last time they did win, sliced bread had yet to be invented, and the league’s highest paid player, the Cleveland Indians’ Nap Lajoie took home $8,500 for the season. The last time the Cubs even played in a World Series was in 1945, eight years before Ernie Banks became the first black player
to suit up for the Chicago Cubs. When Dexter Fowler leads off on Tuesday night in Cleveland, he will be the first black man to appear for the Cubs in a World Series game. It was a 5-0 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers that put the Cubs up 4-2 and sent the team to their first World Series in 71 years, through a game that felt over by the end of the first inning. Fowler led off with a ground rule double, Kris Bryant singled him home and two batters later, Bryant scored on a sacrifice fly by Ben Zobrist. It was 2-0, Cubs, after one inning. The Dodgers kicked off another offseason filled with questions, starting with its ace Clayton Kershaw, who turned in another disappointing October start on Saturday night, giving up five runs and seven hits in five innings of work. Going against Kershaw was Dartmouth’s Kyle Hendricks ’12, who played, in a word, magnificently. He went seven and a third, striking out six and not allowing any Dodger offense to subsist. With one out in the top of the ninth, Yasiel Puig hit a soft ground ball to Addison Russell, who flipped to Javier Baez, the National League Championship Series co-MVP, for one out, before Baez fired to Anthony Rizzo at first for the double play. Just like that, generations of Cubs fans got goose bumps. Strangers embraced. The broadcasters at Wrigley Field blared
Steve Goodman’s “Go Cubs Go” standard than the disappointment (1984). The Cubs entered the of ’84 or ’03. Now, it is time for the Cubs to do World Series. The obvious comparison for what they’ve been doing all season: these 2016 Cubs is the 2004 Bos- ignore history and focus on the ton Red Sox, who broke the city’s task at hand. It’s time to consider 86-year World Series drought. their match-up with the Cleveland However, I find this comparison Indians, which pits baseball’s two longest championship droughts problematic. Boston’s drought was charac- against one another. Both are four terized by heartbreak. Rival stars wins away from ending; only one Bucky Dent and Aaron Boone will claim the prestigious title. The continued homering. Bill Buckner Indians’ last title was in 1948, only 67 seasons as whiffed on that g roundball in “It’s a best-of-seven. o p p o s e d t o but cer1986. Anything can happen. 107, tainly nothing The Cubs’ d r o u g h t h a s In October, each win is to scoff at. been different. harder to get than the l a n d i Cleves red Sure, there have been moments last, but I don’t believe h o t . T h e y lost just of intense heartin the curse of Billy have one game this break. The 1984 Cubs collapsed the Goat. I believe in p o s t s e a s o n , against the San timely hitting, strong having swept the Red Sox Diego Padres, l o s i n g t h r e e starting pitching and in the Divistraight when stingy defense. Cubs sional Round before beating they were just the Toronto one win away in five.” Blue Jays in from a title. five to clinch In 2003, the Cubs were once again one win the American League Pennant. They have a dangerous lineup, from the World Series, only to lose three straight, the last two in dominant bullpen and a crafty Wrigley, before falling to the Miami manager in Terry Francona, who Marlins. However, for most of their boasts two World Series rings to his prolonged championship drought, resume. These Indians are a team they haven’t even been competitive that should be taken seriously. But make no mistake, these with hundred loss seasons like in 2012, feeling much more like the Cubs are the class of the Major
MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2016
Leagues. Its line-up and rotation are deeper than any other team in the league. The team plays as tight a defensive game as any team in the league. Built around closer Aroldis Chapman, the bullpen is more than capable of slamming the door on a tight game. While manager Joe Maddon may not have a World Series victory to his name yet, he made all the right moves this season, knowing exactly how to keep his team simultaneously loose and focused all season. To make matters even scarier for Cleveland, the Cubs head into the World Series with white hot bats. After back-to-back shutout defeats in games two and three, the Cubs won their next three by a combined score of 23 to 6. Bryant, Rizzo, Zobrist, Russell, Baez and Willson Contreras are all locked in at the plate, seeing the ball well and driving it consistently. Lester will get the ball on Tuesday, pitching on full rest and guiding the North Siders in its first World Series to be televised in color. He will be followed up by Hendricks, reigning Cy Young winner Jake Arrieta and John Lackey. There is not a team in baseball that can match that rotation. It’s a best-of-seven. Anything can happen. In October, each win is harder to get than the last, but I don’t believe in the curse of Billy the Goat. I believe in timely hitting, strong starting pitching and stingy defense. Cubs in five.
MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2016
THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS WEEKLY
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THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS
MONDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2016
SPORTS Entering week seven already, I cannot think of a single person on this campus who has not taken an L this term. Stand tall, fellow Dartmouth sports fans. Stay resilient. And come back stronger to crush the end of the term; whether you’re playing intramural football or just trying to stay afloat in microeconomics, there are only 30 more days left in the term to do better. In the spirit of Lil Uzi Vert, when you “get knocked down, act
like you never lost, come back and win like you Ronda Rousey, like you Ronda Rousey… Like you Ronda Rousey.” Therefore, I declare this week the week of resilience. With Homecoming this weekend, the school needs to collectively get all its work done in order to both finish the term strong and have fun during the weekend. Furthermore, I will be giving out “Ronda Rousey awards” to the best moments in sports this week that truly embody the spirit of resilience, picking yourself back up and fighting like you’re Ronda Rousey. 9 p.m. Oct. 20, Damian Lillard debut album: That’s right, the Portland Trail Blazers superstar dropped his first album. “The Letter O,” the name of Lillard’s album, sounds like the love child of some of my favorite things: Bay Area natives like Lillard himself and Adrian Marcel who is also featured, basketball, hip hop and general excellence which Lillard always exudes as a one of the best guards in the NBA. Throw on a black and white album cover of
nuclear weapons, metropolitan areas and other random but meaningful things to young Lillard, and it sounds like something I could really jive to. Unfortunately, it’s not. Dame D.O.L.L.A. truly failed to get me excited about this upon first listen. The album kind of sucks: It’s one of those “clean” albums, and the positivity Lillard has in his verses is too juvenile for this decade. He sounds like an anachronism even when he’s in a song together with Lil Wayne. Go back to basketball because if you’re not talking about how your pinky ring costs ten times my rent, I don’t care. 9:48 p.m. Oct. 20, Aaron Rodgers throws 56 times: I have to give my first Ronda Rousey award to Rodgers for his performance against the Chicago Bears this past Thursday. As Rodgers donned the same sweater “The Dude” from The Big Lebowski after the game, Rodgers reminded us that even though he’s having a “down” year, he’s still the same dude; he’s Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers lead his team to victory throwing for 326
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yards, three touchdowns. 12:50 p.m. Oct. 21, John Brown diagnosed with sickle cell disease: The Arizona Cardinals wide receiver was diagnosed with the sickle cell trait, an explanation for leg pain that he has been experiencing since last season. Now, although this is a very serious medical condition, Brown will still be able to play football as a career since his condition is easily managed with proper hydration. NFLers Ryan Clark and Tevin Coleman are examples of other players who also have the illness. Get better, John Brown. 9:15 p.m. Oct. 22, Chicago Cubs advance to World Series: Since my San Francisco Giants have been out of it, I’ll say it. The Cubs are winning the World Series. Knock on wood real quick though, but it’s happening. I will, however, give another Ronda Rousey award to someone not on this amazing Cubs team; the Ronda Rousey award is about overcoming challenges rather than being awesome all the time like the Cubs and thus Clayton Kershaw deserves it. In
TENNIS AT PHILADELPHIA 9 a.m.
his last two NLCS starts, he pitched 12 innings and has only received one run of run support. One. Keep fighting, Kershaw. 9:51 a.m. Oct. 23, Chelsea F.C. smashes Manchester United: It’s really nice to see Jose Mourinho head back to Stamford Bridge and take a 4-0 beating. To wrap things up, I’d like to give out my honorable mentions of the Ronda Rousey award for this week; First honorable mention goes to Gordon Hayward because the Utah Jazz badly need Gordon Hayward to be healthy from his broken finger if they want to be competitive in the West. Get up Hayward! Next, Pennsylvania State University deserves a bid for upsetting formerly No. 2 Ohio State University; I also just want to see Louisville in the playoff so I’m happy that Ohio lost. Finally, I should actually mention UFC Fighter Ronda Rousey, since I named an arbitrary award after her, and her first fight back will be Dec. 30. “Come back and win like you Ronda Rousey.”