The Dartmouth 01/14/19

1.14.19

The Weekend Roundup p. 2-3 Basketball teams prepare for Ivy play p. 4-5

Ikoba, Oshoniyi represent men’s soccer at 2019 MLS combine p. 7 The Accidental Fan: GOOAALLL!!! p. 7

Fiftieth annual Dartmouth relays held at Leverone field house p. 8

MICHAEL LIN/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

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THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS WEEKLY

The weekend Roundup

MONDAY, JANUARY 14, 2019

Skiing

Compiled by Alex Fredman, Jake Johnson and Evan morgan

M basketball

EVAN MORGAN/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

Taryn Hunt-Smith ’19 finished fourth in the 5k skate and fifth in the 10k classic.

DIVYA KOPALLE/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

A packed house of 1,452 watched Dartmouth win its first Ivy opener in a dozen years.

An incredible shooting performance propelled the Big Green to an 81-63 victory over Harvard University in Saturday night’s Ivy League opener, the team’s first opening victory in twelve years.

Dartmouth shot an eye-popping 68.1 percent from the field and made 11 of 21 3-pointers in front of a packed crowd at Leede Arena. Chris Knight ’21 set the pace with 20 points and

three blocks, with three of the other four Dartmouth starters making double digits and every player who saw action scoring at least two buckets.

Brendan Barry ’20, the most accurate 3-point shooter in the nation, kept up his hot shooting with three 3-pointers on the night. The Big Green has a two-week break before heading on the road to face Harvard in Cambridge on Jan. 26.

Zachary ZacharyBenjamin Benjamin’19 ’19

Zachary Benjamin ’19 Editor-in-Chief Editor-in-Chief Editor-in-Chief

Hanting Hanting Guo Guo ’19 ’19

Vinay Reddy ’20 Publisher Publisher Interim Publisher

Ioana IoanaSolomon Solomon’19 ’19

4.30.18 4.23.18Vol. 1.7.19 Vol. Vol.CLXXV CLXXV CLXXVNo. No. No.112 27 21

Frigid temperatures and whipping winds in Lake Placid this weekend extinguished Dartmouth’s hot streak of four straight overall carnival wins, dating back to last January. The University of Vermont won both Nordic races on Sunday and nicked the Big Green by 30 points overall.

The alpine teams kicked off the racing action on Friday morning with the slalom, originally scheduled for Saturday but moved up a day due to high winds. Alexa Dlouhy ’19, Claire Thomas ’21 and Steph Currie ’20 went 3-4-5 in the women’s race, while Drew Duffy ’21 got his first of two wins on the weekend in the men’s race. Jimmy Krupka ’21, a carnival rookie, was fourth for the Dartmouth men.

Thomas and Duffy led the charge in Saturday’s giant slalom. Thomas won by more than half a second to earn her second career podium.

Skiing from bib 16 later that morning, Duffy continued to impress in his carnival debut, winning the first run by nearly a full second and holding on to the overall lead through the second run. Behind Duffy, Kipling Weisel ’18 and James Ferri ’19, also skiing their first races for the College, finished sixth and 11th,

respectively. It was an auspicious start to the season for the Big Green alpine teams, winning three of four events on the weekend with a host of new faces.

On the Nordic trails at Mt. Van Hoevenberg, the results were not as strong. The University of Vermont proved its Nordic teams will be a force to be reckoned with this season. On Saturday, the Catamounts took three of the top five positions in the women’s 5-kilometer freestyle as Dartmouth’s Taryn Hunt-Smith ’19 finished in fourth, two seconds off the podium. Rena Schwartz ’22 and Leah Brams ’20 were several places back in 10th and 11th.

The UVM men brought the hammer down in the 10-kilometer freestyle, nabbing the top five positions. Callan DeLine ’18 paced Dartmouth in 12th position. The next day, Brams took fourth in the 10-kilometer classic, her best-ever carnival finish, with Hunt-Smith a spot behind her teammate in fifth. The men’s 10-k classic was another tough race for the Big Green. Adam Glueck ’21 was the top Dartmouth finisher, taking 14th. Winning all four Nordic races, the Catamounts surged by Dartmouth to take the overall carnival win.

AmandaZhou Zhou ’19 Ioana Amanda Solomon ’19 ’19 Executive Editors Executive Editors Executive Editor

Mark Cui ’19 Mark Mark Cui Cui ’19 ’19 Alex Fredman ’20 Justin Justin Kramer Kramer ’21 ’21 Samantha Samantha Hussey Hussey ’20 ’20 Evan Morgan ’19 Associate Associate Sports Sports Editor Editor Sports Sports Editors Editors Divya DivyaKopalle Kopalle Kopalle’21 ’21 ’21 Divya Michael MichaelLin Lin Lin’21 ’21 ’21 Michael Photography PhotographyEditors Editors Editors Photography Jaclyn Jaclyn Eagle Eagle ’19 ’19 Hattie Newton ’21 Templating TemplatingEditor Editor Editor Templating

W ICE HOCKEY The Big Green faced off against Harvard University at home on Friday and lost a hardfought 1-0 game. Dartmouth outshot the Crimson 27-25, but the only shot that found the back of the net was a Harvard goal 17 seconds into the

third period. Tess Bracken ’19 got the most shots off with nine, while goalie Christine Honor ’19 saved 24 of 25 shots. The Big Green will next face Cornell University and Colgate University at home on Jan. 18 and Jan. 19, respectively.

MONDAY, JANUARY 14, 2019

THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS WEEKLY

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TRACK & FIELD

MICHAEL LIN/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

The men’s and women’s track and field teams cruised to easy wins at the 50th Dartmouth Relays, as most visiting opponents did not send full teams.

The men’s and women’s teams both came out victorious in the 50th Dartmouth Relays, the only home meet of the indoor season. Donovan Spearman ’21 and Ben Ose ’19 led the men’s team to the top, with Spearman winning the 60 meter dash in 6.84 seconds while

Ose flew to a second-place finish in pole vault. Nicole DeBlasio ’19 led the women’s team with a solid finish in the 60 meter dash, winning the event with a time of 7.78 seconds.

See page 8 for additional coverage.

Swimming & diving On a short turnaround this weekend, the men’s swimming and diving team lost a pair of close meets at Boston College and at home against the University of Connecticut. In Boston, Dartmouth won eight events, including three from Joe Moll ’22 (200 yard backstroke and 1,000-yard freestyle) and Connor LaMastra ’21 (200 yard freestyle and 200 yard butterfly). Justin Sodokoff ’21 also cleaned up on the diving board, winning the 1-meter and 3-meter events and earning an NCAA zone-qualifying score on the 3-meter board. At home the next day, Dartmouth took first in six events, but the overall result came down to the 200-yard medley relay, which the Huskies won.

The women’s team fared better against

the same opponents. Against Boston College, Dartmouth won eight events while losing by 16 points overall. Mackenzie Stumpf ’21 prevailed by a tenth of a second in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:05.99). Molly Brickman ’19 and Sarah Finlay ’20 went 1-2 in the 1,000-yard freestyle, and Dartmouth swimmers went 1-2-4 in the 200-yard freestyle. Coming off the narrow loss, the Big Green won its meet against UConn for the first time since 2014. Dartmouth won eight events and set the pool record in the 800-yard freestyle relay (7:36.29). Stumpf won the 100-yard breaststroke, while Mia Leko ’22 won the 500-yard freestyle.

The swimming and diving teams are back in action next weekend when they host the Tate Ramsden Invitational two weekends from now.

M HOCKEY A f t e r f a l l i n g t o N o. 6 Quinnipiac University 5-1 on the road Friday night, the Big Green bounced back with a 5-0 win at Princeton University the next day. Alex Jasiek ’19 led the way with two goals in the first period, and Drew O’Connor ’22, Kevan Kilistoff ’19 and Carl Hesler ’19

followed suit with goals to make the score 5-0. Goalie Adrian Clark ’20 made 25 saves in a shutout performance. The Big Green will complete its fivegame road trip coming up with games at Colgate University on Jan. 18 and Cornell University on Jan. 19.

M SQUASH After dropping a close 5-4 match to No. 3 Columbia University on Saturday, No. 6 men’s squash came back firing on Sunday with an 8-1 victory over No. 16 Cornell

University. Jack Bell ’22 continued his hot play with sweeps in both matches.

The Big Green will face its toughest test of the season on Jan. 19 at home against No. 1 Trinity College.

W squash The No. 9 women’s squash team split its matches this weekend, falling 2-7 to No. 7 ranked Columbia University on Saturday and then squeaking out its first Ivy League win over No. 12 Cornell University on

Sunday. Julia Potter ’20 and Emma Roberts ’19 won both of their matches, and Potter swept her match against Cornell, 11-2, 11-5 and 11-9. The Big Green next face No. 2 Trinity College at home on Jan. 19.

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THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS WEEKLY

MONDAY, JANUARY 14, 2019

Basketball teams prepa

Men’s and women’s teams open conference se

Men’s basketball leaves Harvard crimson-faced in Ivy League opener B y Baily Deeter

and Sistare are shooting 49.3 percent and 48.4 percent, respectively. Incredibly, Barry has the highest 3-point shooting percentage of any player The temperature in Hanover may have in the entire NCAA. The team’s shooting success is the primary dipped below zero degrees on Saturday night, but inside Leede arena, the Dartmouth men’s reason for its early-season surge. However, it’s basketball team was red hot. The Big Green, going to be a challenge for the Big Green to shooting 68.1 percent from the field, defeated shoot at the same clip in Ivy League play.

“Other teams know that we’ve been shooting Harvard University in a 81-63 thumping.

Forward Chris Knight ’21 dropped in eight of the ball well,” Foye said. “They’ve been 10 shots for a 20-point night, and guard Ian pressuring us a lot, so we’ll need to get better at handling pressure and finding Sistare ’20 netted 13 other ways to score.” points and brought in “Other teams know Even against familiar six rebounds. foe Harvard, the Big Green At this time last that we’ve been shot above 50 percent (11 for season, the Dartmouth shooting the ball 21) from beyond the arc. If men’s basketball team the team continues its stellar was 4-9, limping into well. They’ve been offensive habits, head coach an Ivy League season pressuring us a lot, David McLaughlin believes its in which it only ended shooting success should take care up winning three so we’ll need to get of itself. additional games. better at handling “It all goes back to pace of However, with a pressure and finding play and valuing the basketball,” winning record and a McLaughlin said. “If we can get statement victory in other ways to score.” a shot off on most possessions, its Ivy League opener run the floor and have good under its belt, the Big spacing, that’s going to continue Green has much more -JAMES FOYE ’20 to open up the 3-point line for reason for optimism in us.” the 2018-19 season.

With only Ivy League games After Saturday remaining on the schedule, the n i g h t ’ s v i c t o r y, Dartmouth stands at 10-7. It finished non- competition is sure to be much tougher going conference play with a respectable 9-7 record, forward. A few teams have already established nearly defeating former NCAA tournament themselves as contenders to win the conference powerhouse Davidson College and handling and secure the league tournament’s automatic teams like Boston University and Sacred Heart NCAA tournament bid.

Brown University, the University of University.

The name of the game is to score points, and Pennsylvania and Yale University have also hit Dartmouth has done just that by shooting from the 10-win mark, with the Quakers somehow 3-point range as well as just about any other team toppling defending national champion Villanova in the country. The Big Green currently rank University. Princeton is also a contender with eighth in the entire NCAA in 3-point shooting a 9-5 record and an upset victory over Pac-12 percentage, making an astonishing 40.2 percent powerhouse Arizona State University under its belt. But the team is certainly aware of the of their triples.

The Big Green have a trio of sharpshooters challenges it will face in conference play.

“We have to raise our level of preparation, who have helped the team be so successful with the long ball. Brendan Barry ’20 is currently raise our level of improvement each day, shooting 51.8 percent, while James Foye ’20 and really understand how good this league

The Dartmouth Staff

ALEX FREDMAN/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

Chris Knight ’21 dunked the ball in the first half against Harvard. He led the team with 20 points.

DIVYA KOPALLE/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

Men’s basketball defeated Harvard 81-63 on Saturday night in front of packed Leede Arena.

is and how ready we have to be each night,” atmosphere.

McLaughlin said.

“I would really encourage all students, faculty While the aforementioned teams have and staff to come out to our games,” McLaughlin established themselves, it’s important for the the said. “We have an arena in Leede where, if we Big Green to prepare and perform the same way can fill the seats, it’s a very difficult place to play.” each game.

The schedule gets considerably more “We want to treat all Ivy League opponents difficult later in the month, as the team has equally,” Barry said. “Penn, Harvard and Yale four consecutive away games against four of are three of the top the conference’s top teams contenders, but we’re in Penn, Princeton, Yale and going to treat each game “I woud really Brown. However, the team is the same way.” encourage all students, confident in its habits and its The Big Green’s next abilities to compete with any faculty and staff to game is also against opponent.

Harvard, as it gets a come out to our “If we have great habits, chance to secure a games. We have an defend, value the basketball season sweep of the and rebound, that allows us Crimson in Cambridge. arena in Leede where, to [compete] in any game we The team has two full if we can fill the seats, play,” McLaughlin said. weeks to prepare for The teams with the four it’s a very difficult the second game, as the best records in conference play second Harvard game place to play.” will advance to the Ivy League won’t be played until tournament, which takes place Jan. 26. in early March. Last year, Penn “We’ll emphasize -DAVID MCLAUGHLIN, defeated Harvard in a 68-65 skill work, recovery, MEN’S BASKETBALL HEAD championship game thriller. execution [and] The winner of that COACH stamina,” McLaughlin tournament then advances said. “We have to take to the NCAA tournament. advantage of that and In the past, Ivy League teams keep practicing at a high have made some noise in the level to get guys better.” tournament. Cornell, Harvard and Yale have all Having the extra time to prepare for Harvard won tournament games in the past nine years, and for the rest of Ivy League play will be with Cornell making the Sweet 16 in 2010. Last helpful, and keeping practices competitive and year, Penn led top-seeded Kansas University for high-tempo will be key so the team is ready to much of the first half before eventually falling go when games ramp up. to the Final Four-bound Jayhawks.

“What’s great about our team is that we’re If the Big Green is able to sneak into the Ivy really deep,” Foye said. “Our top 15 [players League tournament, its focus would then shift are] really talented, so we’ll get after each other to becoming the first Dartmouth team in the in practice to stay as sharp as we can be.” school’s history to make the prestigious NCAA After the second Harvard game, Ivy League tournament. play ramps up significantly. Dartmouth has a “You try to take it one step at a time, but prime opportunity to establish itself as a threat you always think and dream that’s the place our with four consecutive home games versus Yale, program can get to,” Foye said. “We definitely Brown, Cornell University and Columbia dream about it, but the way to get there and University. McLaughlin emphasized how the do something that hasn’t been done before is home-court advantage could get the Big Green working our butts off to get there. But it keeps off to a hot start, especially with an electric us motivated for sure.”

MONDAY, JANUARY 14, 2019

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THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS WEEKLY

are for Ivy League play

eason with games against Harvard University

Women’s basketball looks to conference play with ‘Mind on 18’ mantra B y Lili Stern

Quinones said. “They have a little bit more post play than we do, but they can shoot it just as well as we can, and their posts can The Big Green is the winningest program play just as well as we can, so that’s a team in Ivy League women’s basketball history, but that can win any night. That’s a team that the last time Dartmouth won an Ivy League we need to lock up.”

In the 2017-18 season, the Big Green led championship was 10 years ago, when they raised their 17th championship banner to the 3-point oriented Ivy League in 3-point field goal percentage the rafters of Leede Arena. and came in second Now, when you walk into the “We want to play in 3-point defense. women’s basketball locker This year’s team will room, or into the coaches’ up-tempo, fast-paced draw on its success offices, or simply look at basketball, we want to from behind the arc, the team’s clothing, you’ll score in the 70s, and as well as a new upsee one recurring mantra: we want to press and tempo style of play “Mind on 18.” to surprise the Ivy After being projected to turn our opponents League and try to finish last in the Ivy League’s finish in the top four.

2017-18 women’s basketball over so we can earn This year, the Big preseason media poll, the more possessions per Green has defended Big Green had a remarkable game and just play with a full court press season. They finished in fifth each game and has place, one game out of the Ivy hard, and play really run an up-tempo League Tournament, where gritty.” offense, pushing the the league’s top four teams ball in transition to compete for the conference get easy buckets. title and a bid to the NCAA -BELLE KOCLANES, “We want to play tournament. This season, WOMEN’S BASKETBALL up-tempo, fast-paced the Big Green is slated to basketball, we want to finish in sixth place, but, like HEAD COACH score in the 70s, and last season, it is prepared to we want to press and exceed the poll’s predictions turn our opponents and compete for a bid for the over so we can earn Ivy League tournament.

“I love when we’re at the bottom of the more possessions per game and just play Ivy League standings preseason, because hard, and play really gritty,” said head coach you’re the underdog,” said Isalys Quinones Belle Koclanes. “We want our opponents ’19, a co-captain of this year’s team. “You can not to look forward to playing us, because shock people because people are expecting they know they’re going to have to navigate you not to do well. You can really shock pressing and trapping and pressure.”

According to Koclanes, this style of play ’em.”

The Big Green, currently 7-6 after is one that nobody else in the Ivy League non-conference play, will have its first is using right now. Nevertheless, each team in the conference poses opportunity to prove itself a unique challenge. in the Ivy League this T h e U n i ve r s i t y o f Saturday, when it takes “I love when we’re Pe n n s y l va n i a o r on Harvard University in at the bottom of the Princeton University Cambridge. Harvard, also has sat atop the Ivy standing at 7-6 after non- Ivy League standings League each season conference play, finished preseason, because since the Big Green’s third in the Ivy League last you’re the underdog.

2008-09 Ivy League season, continuing their ch a m p i o n s h i p r u n , streak of 12 consecutive You can shock people and will likely be the finishes in the league’s because people are Big Green’s biggest top three teams. T he challenges this season, Crimson have four of their expecting you not to along with Harvard. five leading scorers back do well. You can really These three teams each from last season, including shock ’em.” sit in the top 100 of the unanimous first team AllNCAA Division 1 RPI Ivy guard Katie Benzan rankings. and second team All-Ivy -ISALYS QUINONES ’19 Princeton is led forward Jeannie Boehm. by reigning Ivy League Like Dartmouth, Player of the Year Bella Harvard has a small team, with just five players on their roster of 15 Alarie, who, despite sitting out nine games standing 6 feet or taller. With that said, the due to an injury early this season, is the Big Green expects to see a style of play similar Tigers’ third-leading scorer. Penn returns to their own when they take on the Crimson last year’s unanimous Ivy League Rookie twice in a row for its first two games of Ivy of the Year winner and second-team All-Ivy honoree Eleah Parker. play.

The Big Green will counter Alarie and “Harvard is a very similar team to us,” The Dartmouth Staff

Parker, along with the conference’s other line will definitely be a key factor,” said dominant players, with its own biggest McKenna, the Big Green’s third-leading threats. This year, the Big Green is led by scorer. “You can go down the line. I think Quinones and point guards Cy Lippold ’19 all of [the teams in the league] really can and Annie McKenna ’20. The trio paces the be a threat and hit the three.” team in points and assists. Even given the The high level of play isn’t the only thing Big Green’s promising lineup and prevailing that makes the Ivy League competitive. powerhouses in According to Koclanes, any Princeton, Penn and team in the Ivy League can Harvard, Koclanes “You can really feel in will itself to victory on any and her team won’t the atmosphere that given night. take any opponent “ T h e re ’s s o mu ch we’re all really excited tradition for granted. and there’s so much “ E v e r y t e a m for the Ivy League and pride, regardless of the year, is extremely well this upcoming season, regardless of the style of play, coached and well regardless of anything, there’s prepared,” Koclanes we’re super excited so much tradition and pride in said. “It’s really one for next weekend and the Ivy League that you know through eight ... every single game is going to there’s no gimmes Harvard, and we’re be a battle, and it’s going to in our conference super pumped to get be extremely competitive,” whatsoever, so you back into these games Koclanes said. have to take it one However, she believes that and compete.” at a time.” there is a predictable pattern in The Big Green the teams that qualify for the h ave h a d a m p l e Ivy League tournament each time to prepare for -ANNIE MCKENNA ’20 season. their conference “The team that is the most opponents, as they are now nearing the fit, the team that has the strongest bench, end of a 20 day stretch without playing a the team that stays the most focused, are game. In this time, the team has honed the typically the teams that are going to earn skills and sets that were successful in non- those top four spots,” she said. conference play and scrapped what didn’t.

With a team that has talent, depth and its According to Koclanes, the Big Green will minds on an 18th Ivy League championship, hold on to its up-tempo, full court press the Big Green believes this could be the year strategy. In their three-week dry stretch, it makes an appearance in the Ivy League the Green and White has been practicing Tournament. different twists on its press and looking for “You can really feel in the atmosphere that ways to surprise opponents. The team has we’re all really excited for the Ivy League and also worked on defending the 3-point line, this upcoming season, we’re super excited which will be a crucial to success in Ivy play. for next weekend and Harvard, and we’re “The Ivy League definitely has some good super pumped to get back into these games 3-point threats, and guarding the 3-point and compete,” McKenna said.

IVY LEAGUE AVERAGE 3-POINTERS PER GAME

EVAN MORGAN/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

The Dartmouth women’s basketball team ranks fifth in the Ivy League in 3-pointers per game.

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Pucks in Deep

with Sam Stockton ’19 Golden Finnish: How Finland asserted itself as the Clemson of international hockey With a population of just about five and a half million (roughly that of the state of Minnesota), labeling Finland an underdog on a global stage appears obvious. And yet, not unlike Minnesota, Finland represents a hockey hot bed, second only to mighty Canada in rinks and hockey players per capita.

I’m not sure what exactly the average person’s first associations are with the Scandinavian nation. Maybe it’s Nokia, the telecommunications giant whose bricks provided many of my generation with their first foray into the world of cell phones. Or perhaps it’s the endangered Saimaa ringed seal, one of few lake seal species in the world. For me, with ever-increasing certainty, Finland’s most notable export is its hockey players.

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THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS WEEKLY

For the average American sports fan, the first championship moment of the new year came last Monday night, when Dabo Swinney’s Clemson University Tigers throttled the University of Alabama Crimson Tide for their second title in three years. However, for the hard core hockey fan, the first crown of 2019 rests on the heads of the Finns, who knocked off host Canada — the international hockey equivalent of Alabama — and the U.S. en route to their third men’s U20 World Junior Championship in six years.

The World Junior represents the premier showcase of amateur hockey talent, pitting the NHL’s top prospects, including both players who have been drafted but not yet cracked the NHL and those who will be drafted this June, in a best-on-best, 11-day tournament, comprised of a four-game round robin followed by an eight-team single elimination playoff. Every year, the World Junior provides fans with some of the most entertaining hockey played at any level. For elite players, there is usually just one opportunity to bring home a gold medal, and no one ever gets more than two or three shots at the title.

For the Finns, this month’s victory bore a greater resemblance to that of Swinney and Clemson than you might expect. That the Tigers are among the best teams in college football has been incontrovertible for several years now, by no means something they had to prove in the National Title game.

However, conventional wisdom around the college football world dictated that Alabama belonged in a tier of its own

with Clemson lagging at least a step behind. After last week’s beatdown of the Tide, Clemson proved that, like Alabama, they are in the business of winning championships and expect to do so annually. When Swinney took over the program in 2008, Clemson was a middling team in a conference better known for its basketball than for its football; now, the Tigers’ funloving, championship-winning culture represents a blueprint for every other school in the country.

In Finland, a similar transition has unfolded over a similar window.

Traditionally, Finnish hockey evokes a pugnacious game, relying on highintensity team defense to grind out wins against countries like Canada, the U.S., Russia and Sweden with superior top-end talent. Over the years, the Finns produced far more middle-six forwards and second pair defensemen than topend, superstar talent. Of course, there have been a few notable exceptions, like Jari Kurri or Teemu Selanne, but, as a rule, the Finns have never been known for consistently producing elite players.

All that changed in 2009 when, having failed to win the World Junior since1998andtheWorldChampionship since 1995, the Finns convened a summit under the leadership of national head coach Erkka Westerlund, seeking to rebuild their hockey infrastructure from the ground up. Westerlund instituted radical changes to the training of young hockey players across the country, turning the program away from its traditional team-first approach and toward one that emphasized the

development of individual players.

As Westerlund put it in a recent interview with The Athletic, “One thing we have tried to compete has been to focus on team play. Maybe we concentrated on it too much. There is so much unused potential in the individual, what we can do to improve the physical things and skill, hockey sense — but also mental qualities — and I think maybe we forgot in that case that we concentrated too much on how we play as a team. Not so much on the individual player and that was the change.”

Since this change, the Finns have earned two men’s Olympic medals, a World Championship, and three World Junior crowns. The driving force in this success has been a stream of highly skilled forwards now making names for themselves as premier NHL players.

The 2016 World Junior-winning team alone boasted Mikko Rantanen, currently second in the NHL in points; Patrik Laine, renown around the NHL for a shot so lethal it has forced analytics experts to reconsider what they consider a sustainable shooting percentage; Sebastian Aho, a dynamic two-way centerman enjoying a breakout season in North Carolina; Kasperi Kapanen, who, like his father Sami, is as fast in a straight line as anyone in the NHL and has taken advantage of Toronto’s ridiculous center depth to become one of the league’s most dangerous transition players; and Jesse Puljujarvi, whose career has suffered a bit of a setback by virtue of Edmonton’s dreadful player development, but who nonetheless boasts a skillset that should make him a top-line winger before too long.

In this year’s run to gold at the World

Junior, Finland once again relied heavily on elite talent up front, most notably left winger Kaapo Kakko. At just 17 years old, Kakko led the Finns with elite offensive talent and unique creativity. He finished his tournament with a flourish, netting the Golden Goal for the Finns with just a minute and a half to play in the gold medal game against the U.S. Thanks to his outstanding tournament, Kakko now has scouts questioning whether it might be him who hears his name called first in this spring’s NHL Draft.

Westerlund’s player-first revolution came to Finland at the perfect time.

Now more than ever, hockey games are won on the strength of highly-skilled players making highly-skilled plays. In today’s NHL, every player dedicates his offseason not just to conditioning but also to spending time with skills coaches to improve his stickwork. The results can be seen in a league-wide increase in goals and now fairly regular features on coaches such as Darryl Belfry or Pavel Barber, who have earned acclaim for their work in honing the skills of the NHL’s biggest stars. In this new hockey reality, where the collective skill level is greater than that of any previous era, Finland has announced itself as a global power, on par even with mighty Canada in its production of elite players.

Of course, this is not to say that Finland’s climb is complete. Unlike Clemson, the Finns have yet to reach the international game’s highest peak, Olympic gold. Neither the Finnish men’s nor women’s team has ever won Olympic gold. With the NHL likely to return to the Olympics in Beijing in 2022, little Finland will get its chance to claim that prize before too long.

The Accidental Fan with Sabena Allen ’20

The Accidental GOOAALLL!!!

Fa n :

In this column over the summer, I explored how I became an “Accidental Fan” and the many different ways that all types of fans can engage with sports. Too often, the world of sports is overshadowed by the idea that to be a fan, one must know everything about a sport or multiple sports and watch them religiously. Well, as I discussed last summer, that has never been my experience with sports. And during my off term this past fall, I had the

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THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS WEEKLY

MONDAY, JANUARY 14, 2019

opportunity to add more sports and teams to my list of Accidental Interests.

Soccer is one of the most popular sports in the world, but that can be easy to forget in America. I can name all of two soccer teams in the U.S., and that is only because I went to a Seattle Sounders game this past fall and I happen to remember that they were playing the Colorado Rapids.

That being said, I am pretty sure that I can name more U.S. soccer teams than a lot of Americans because, despite what soccer fans will tell you, soccer is not especially popular in the U.S. From what I have heard, foreign teams might even be more popular here than American teams. One time, my friend and I even got into a debate about whether hockey or soccer was more popular.

(Apparently it varies by region … but the answer is hockey. Always hockey!)

As for the Sounders game, I have been to two professional sports games in Seattle, and it is a very different experience than going to games in Boston, the locus of most of my sports experiences. The Seattle Mariners game I went to had a very different feel and flavor compared to the rowdy old stands at Fenway.

Since I have never been to another professional soccer game, I don’t really have a point of comparison.

However, I was pleasantly surprised by the giveaways and activities on the street outside of the stadium leading up to the game. Seattleites are more trusting than New England fans, it seems to me. I remember commenting, “In Boston, people giving stuff away like this would be sketchy!” I guess I will have to add “Skeptical Fan” to my list of fan categories. Regardless, I received a free Sounders Scarf which was super fun and useful to have at the game.

As for the actual game, I don’t usually watch soccer, but I actually really enjoy it. When I was an exchange student in Germany, my host parents were major soccer fans, so I watched games with them a lot on TV. At the time, I had truly no interest in sports, but soccer on TV was honestly what launched me into my interest for other sports. I realized that watching a game could be fun and that fan culture and fan paraphernalia can be great.

Because of my prior experience with soccer, I sort of knew what was going on. But, as usual, I did a lot of people watching, chatting and snacking. The energy at soccer

games is truly amazing. Naturally, that is true of many professional sports games, but soccer games seem somehow more organized in the cheering and chanting. There are flags and scarves and clapping, not to mention the Emerald City Supporters section where all the total die-hard fans sit. The excitement feels much more synchronized, starting with the parade before the game.

The only downside to the choreography and consistency is that for a newcomer, it can be rather overwhelming. A few times I felt very out of place, as my companions at the game had been to several Sounders games and are big fans. They know what to do after every prompt, as did many of the attendees. As an entry point for new fans, this is a small challenge, but I suppose you just have to roll with it.

Although I may never be one of the fans chanting with the huge flags, I am totally willing to wave my scarf and have a good time. Though I must admit I completely forgot the way commentators say “goal” until my game companion reminded me. I think I have a little ways to go when it comes to soccer, and I am excited to learn more!

My friend, whose family I was with, insists that the Seahawks play at the Sounders’ stadium.

However, given the heavily featured Seahawks logo and considering that I come from a family of huge Seahawks fans, I’m pretty sure it’s the other way around. The irony there is that my friend also falls into the category of “Accidental Fan.” To use his own words, he is “enthusiastic and extremely unknowledgeable.” I would say that sums it up very well. He was the soccer manager at his high school, had to do announcements for games and had to fill in as goalie once for about two minutes. Because of this and the other Sounders games he has attended, he could answer a few of my questions and knew more terminology than I did, but overall, he is just there for the fun of it. That’s what I am there for too, so it worked out.

Incidentally, the Sounders won and scored four points, so my friend was able to get a free haircut at Great Clips hair salon, which, I guess, is always the deal if the Sounders score three or more points. Let’s just say I am glad that the Sounders won, and the game was awesome, but it was good that the haircut was free.

Ikoba, Oshoniyi represent men’s soccer at 2019 MLS Combine

B y Jake Johnson

he has led the Big Green in goals scored, tallying eight in his junior season and five in his senior season.

Kids dream big. They want to Despite only recording points in the be actors on a Hollywood stage, last three games of the season due they want to walk on the moon or to an injury, Ikoba’s five goals and they want to play pro sports. Many one assist this season were enough times these big dreams are out of to earn him the title of leading reach, but for one player from point-scorer for Dartmouth. Last the dominant season, Ikoba D a r t m o u t h “[Ikoba is] a presence found himself men’s soccer among the top t e a m , t h a t in the locker room; of the Ivy League, classic dream he’s a great guy. He’s as he was named is a step to the First Team always there for you away from All-Ivy. Last year becoming a when you need it.” he also took home reality. the National The last Soccer Coaches s t e p b e fo re -HENRY BALDWIN ’20 Association of getting drafted America Allinto Major Region Second League Soccer Team. Adding is getting “MLS Combine evaluated at the combine. The attendee” should fit quite nicely with best players from all around the his long list of accomplishments. country, with some international His coach, Bo Oshoniyi, reflected prospects sprinkled in, are gathered on the meaning of Ikoba’s invitation in Orlando, Florida to strut their to the combine. stuff in front of scouts from every “I think it says a lot,” Oshoniyi single franchise in the MLS. One said. “I really do. I think, one, to of those top prospects hails from have a player like Eduvie being Bettendorf, Iowa, but he also calls selected to the combine, I think it Hanover home. Eduvie Ikoba ’19 just shows his body of work over is Dartmouth’s lone player to get the past four years here.” the call to attend the combine.

Ikoba’s story could be far from It is no surprise that Dartmouth, complete. SBI Soccer lists Ikoba the back-to-back-to-back-to-back as the 49th best prospect at the Ivy League champ from 2014-2017 combine. Seeing as 48 players and then third place finisher in 2018, have already been drafted in first has such a highly touted prospect two rounds, the next set of rounds as Ikoba. Ikoba’s resume speaks (held on Jan. 14th) should be pretty for itself. In the last two seasons, exciting for the Dartmouth striker.

The Dartmouth

Henry Baldwin ’20, a defender on the Big Green soccer team, described Ikoba as a special player.

“He’s a presence in the locker room; he’s a great guy.” Baldwin said. “He’s always there for you when you need it.”

B a l d w i n a l s o n o t e d h ow important Ikoba’s return to the team proved to be after recovering from his injury.

“Knowing that he was coming back — it definitely gave our team a boost in the last half of the season,” Baldwin said.

The MLS combine is a big event for the Big Green. Ikoba may be the only Dartmouth player, but he is not the only person at the combine repping the Lone Pine. Oshoniyi, who just completed his first year as Dartmouth’s head coach, is also in Orlando for the combine this year.

Most fans are unaware that the super-talented players are not the only ones to receive invites to the MLS combine — coaches are selected, too. Oshoniyi is in his third consecutive MLS combine, and his fourth in the last five seasons.

The process to get a coach to the combine is more difficult than one might expect. For players, performing at an elite level and producing results is the best way to print your ticket to the combine, but the path for coaches is different. “[Head coaches] actually get votes from the MLS coaches, and the MLS coaches look and see who they think can really help the combine be a better product,” Oshoniyi said.

“They give their votes into the MLS

combine committee chair and [the committee] picks the coaches from there.”

So, in order to get tapped to coach at the combine, a coach has to stand out directly to the coaches of the major league teams. To be a perennial coach at the combine, the coach must be flawless when all eyes are bearing down for that week in January, year after year.

“As far as having Dartmouth associated with the MLS combine, it’s always something that’s really, really special,” Oshoniyi said.

When asked about the impact

of having multiple people from a single team selected to the combine, Oshoniyi responded quite positively.

“Definitely having Eduvie there, having Dartmouth’s name there, I think is great,” Oshoniyi said. “I think when you’re talking about Dartmouth, you’re talking about the best of the best academically, and with Wyatt [Omsberg ’18] being selected last year to the combine and getting drafted, you’re also talking now about one of the best soccer programs in the country as well.”

MONDAY, JANUARY 14, 2019

THE DARTMOUTH SPORTS WEEKLY

SW 8

SPORTS

TODAY’S LINEUP

MEN’S BBALL VS NEWBURY 7 P.M.

Football team racks up postseason awards following 9-1 season

By Andrew Wright The Dartmouth Staff

Looking back at Dartmouth football’s 9-1 fall campaign, there is little doubt that the team’s season was a great one. Among the team’s nine victories were a 49-7 shellacking of Brown University, a 41-18 defeat of Yale University and a 24-17 win over Harvard University, the first for the Big Green against the Crimson in 15 years. Despite the one loss (a 5-point fall to eventual Ivy League champions Princeton University), the team’s historic campaign was capped by being named No. 15 in the American Football Coaches Association FCS postseason poll and No. 18 in the STATS poll, the best end of the year finish for the Big Green since 1978. Dartmouth was powered to this success on both sides of the ball, allowing the fourth fewest yards and second fewest points, while the Big Green offense matched with 17th in points per game. These statistics demonstrate Dartmouth’s success as a team, but the individuals behind those numbers stand out

on their own, and several were honored to that extent in the time since the season ended.

Isiah Swann ’20 described the experience of being named as the winner of the Bushnell Cup — the Ivy League defensive MVP — as simply being “indescribable.” The junior cornerback led the nation with nine interceptions and was third in passes defended per game, leading to consensus All-American honors, along with all-Ivy and AllNew England. Dartmouth has had players in recent years earning the award, with the most recent being Folarin Orimolade ’16.

“Watching Flo get that award, I was just thinking to myself how amazing it would be to receive an honor like that,” Swann said.

At that point, though, it was only an ambition. Even going into the fall, Swann didn’t see things playing out how they did.

“I think all the cards just fell into place,” said the junior, adding that he “always worked to be the best, but it’s so hard to come out of sophomore year into this type of season.”

Swann is quick to note that the

defense had a historic season as well.

“I got the award, but it’s a team achievement,” he said.

This statement is backed up by the other Big Green players honored as All-Americans: left tackle Matt Kaskey ’19 and defensive end Rocco Di Leo ’18. Kaskey was named to the AFCA Second Team and the STATS Third Team, along with unanimous All-Ivy League honors and All-New Eng land. In a previous interview from October, when the Big Green were 5-0 and coming off of a 42-0 defeat of Sacred Heart Univer sity, Kaskey reflected on the attitude that perhaps led himself and his teammates to be in the position that they are in now.

“What the difference has been this year, and what has made us so good, is what we put into it, and we care a lot more than we did two years ago,” Kaskey said. “I think that’s really shown in how hard guys are playing on the field and the success we’ve had with things.”

Through the hard work in his (and the team’s) performances

throughout the season, Kaskey followed up on his preseason FCS All-American selection with a postseason selection as well.

Di Leo, a fifth-year senior defensive end, had a stellar season on the other side of the line, leading the conference in tackles for a loss with 12.5 and finishing in second for total sacks with 8.5. Along with being named a unanimous All-Ivy League selection and a member of the All-New England team, like Swann and Kaskey, Di Leo was named to the AFCA All-America second-team and the STATS AllAmerica third team.

Outside of the standard honors for on the field performance, though, perhaps the most notable and worthy postseason award was Seth Simmer ’20’s naming as one of three Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year winners. After being diagnosed with a brain tumor during his first year, Simmer was told by some doctors he might never be able to play football again. Despite this, Simmer found a second opinion from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, which told him that if he had the

surgery to remove the tumor and recuperated well, the prospect was still very much there. In July of 2017, he had the surgery, which also led to the loss of his balance nerve and his hearing in his left ear, forcing him to effectively relearn how to walk. While Simmer missed being on the field in the fall of 2017 as a result of this, he finally returned for the Big Green this past fall, with 11 tackles on the season. With luck, Simmer should continue to show this in the season to come.

As a junior, Swann will again be a key part of this upcoming fall, and noted that there are some expectations being placed on himself and his teammates, with people, he said, “expecting a repeat performance.” Despite this pressure, Swann doesn’t doubt himself or those alongside him.

“The defense will be just as good, if not better,” he was quick to say.

Either way, postseason honors are incidental in comparison to the real prize.

“If it ends with a championship,” Swann said, “then it’s all worth it.”

Fiftieth annual Dartmouth Relays held at Leverone field house “I had run an event on the first day of the competition,” Harwick The Dartmouth said. “When I went over to Leverone This past weekend, Leverone field to cheer on my teammates the next house played host to the 50th annual day, my coach said, ‘Barry, it’d be a Dartmouth Relays, a track and good idea for you to jump in the mile run today.’… I field meet featuring didn’t realize h i g h s ch o o l e r s, that the guys up college athletes “The meet has a front were trying and professional sort of electricity in to break four competitors. minutes for the D a r t m o u t h the air. My ears are mile … I ran with women’s track and buzzing on the drive the lead pack for field coach Sandy home.” the first half of Fo r d - C e n t o n z e the race and then described the meet got completely as a major event in -SANDY FORDtrashed for the team’s season. the rest of it. I “The meet has CENTONZE, WOMEN’S actually watched a sort of electricity TRACK AND FIELD the finish from in the air,” FordCOACH the other side Centonze said. “My of the track. It ears are buzzing on was fun to be in the drive home.”

The atmosphere of an event with a race that fast but embarrassing to such a rich history sets it apart from lose that badly.”

Current athletes also feel the all others on the track schedule.

Men’s track and field coach Barry importance of the moment as well.

Harwick ’77 recalled a story from When asked about what the race when he participated in the event means to her, Lily Lockhart ’21 noted the significance of the moment. as a student.

By Osezele okoruwa

“ E ven th o u gh I ’ m a b i t disappointed by my performance in weight [throw], I feel like a part of history by competing in the 50th Dartmouth Relays,” Lockhart said.

Donovan Spearman ’21, who notched the second-fastest time in the 60-meter dash in Dartmouth’s history last year , made great use of this opportunity by nearly matching his personal record with his time of 6.84 seconds this weekend.

“It’s really good to be running at the 50th Dartmouth Relays,” Spearman said. “It is a really big moment, and everyone knows about how big of an opportunity this is.”

Other top three performers include Amelia Ali ’19, Abigail Brazil ’21, Brooke Brunet ’21, Anna Clark ’19, Annalisa Crowe ’20, Zoe Dainton ’22, Nicole DeBlasio ’19, Eliza Dekker ’19, Rachel Donner ’22, Claire Dougherty ’20, Gabriela Fasanelli ’22, Nick Feffer ’21, Max Frye ’21, Maria Garman ’19, Kayla Gilding ’19, Arianna Gragg ’22, Shanthi Hiremath ’20, Myles Holt ’20, Alexa Jennings ’19, Parker Johnson ’19, Anoush Krafian ’22, Alexander Kushen ’19, Camille

Landon ’21, Kathryn Laskoski ’21, mentoring the newer members of Lockhart, Rachel Ludwikowski ’21, the team.”

Danielle Okonta ’20, Benjamin Ose In addition to the recent alumni ’19, Mary Rittler ’22, Jacqueline returning, the anniversary has Perron-Smith also brought ’ 1 9 , M a rc o some big names Pompilj ’19, “It is very cool to see to Dartmouth Ahria Simons Olympians come and including: ’22, Michael Olympic coach Thurston ’20, speak with us. It’s and former M a r g a r e t special to see them up head coach Vin Tuthill ’19, Lananna; Gerry close. They are at the Julia Valenti Asheworth ’63, ’20, Charlie level that we aspire an Olympic gold Wa d e ’ 2 2 , to be. It is what we medalist in the Caroline 4x100m relay; and Wa l t e r ’ 2 1 dream about. This is Aries Merritt, an and Elizabeth why I love doing this Olympic gold Wilson ’22. medalist and world sport: to be at that Beyond record holder in serving as a level — to do that.” the 110-meter proving ground hurdles. fo r c u r re n t “It is very cool athletes, the -AMELIA ALI ’19 to see Olympians Relays brought come and speak back several with us,” Ali said. recent alumni as competitors.

“It’s special to see them up close.

“It’s great to see old faces They are at the level that we aspire to again,” said Nico Robinson ’17, a be. It is what we dream about. This competitor in pole vault and shotput. is why I love doing this sport: to be “The people we mentored are now at that level — to achieve that.”