Aquinas THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2008 SPORTS 11 Aquinas interviews speedy S/WB Yankees outfielder Justin Christian McKeigan, Royals ready for Scranton Invitational By Sean Hogya would put them in great shape Staff Writer heading into the long haul of a season that doesn’t see its last game until November 8th. Few teams that bear the purple “The team is working well to- and white of the Scranton Royals gether,” senior Abby Barrett said. have impressed and gained the “It is very early in the season respect of the student body as right now, so we hope to only get much as the 2008 women’s vol- better with every match we play. leyball team. We had a great season last year This bright spot in the athletic and this year looks just as prom- department of our beloved “U” ising.” has been a model of consistency And with the skill these play- and dedication since its inception ers have, it would be hard not to in 1976. In that time they have have a positive outlook. only failed to end their season A setter for the team, McK- with a winning record six times. eighan described her role on the So how are they doing this court as something “Similar to year you ask? the quarterback. You call and run Up to the same old, it would the plays. The biggest influence seem. on my role has been my experi- The girls have started the year ence, though. Now I’m a senior so off 5-3, and coming up this week- I’m expected to lead.” end they’ll face one of their most If she was a quarterback she difficult and important chal- would surely be mentioned Photo By Patrick Teale lenges: The Scranton Invitational. among the greats: In her time here JUSTIN CHRISTIAN adjusts his wrist protector after a stand-up Senior setter Jenn McKeigan, who at The University, McKeighan has double for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees. will be playing in her last Scran- not only solidified her place in ton Invitational, agreed that the So, there is not too much time to Scranton history by climbing to By DAN laTORRACA team benefits from winning at get out, but I’ve been downtown fourth overall in assists—with the Sports Editor home. where the mall is. All the little majority of her senior year left to “That’s what makes it signifi- shops down there are nice. play—but she’s led the Royals to When the Yankees signed Justin cant,” she added. a record of 73-37 in her first three Christian in July 2004, he had al- When asked how she felt Aquinas: What, do you feel is years on the team. ready experienced more than the knowing this was to be her fi- your greatest tool and greatest at- “You don’t think about stats average 24-year-old baseball play- nal year playing with this Royals tribute as a player? when you’re playing,” she said ca- er. The Nebraska native played his Christian: team that she spent her last three Speed is absolutely Photo by Bill Johnson sually, “but it is nice to represent way onto the Auburn Tigers after years with, she considered the my best tool. Getting on base is SENIOR OUTSIDE hitter Abby Scranton.” only one season of Skyline Junior situation, paused and replied. really important to me, because I Barett led the Royals in kills Clearly it’s great leadership, College baseball. After failing to get “Exciting,” she said. “You want need to create the opportunities to with 393 last season. great coaching, and great train- drafted after graduation, he signed to do well in your senior year, but be aggressive on the base paths. ing that make these lady Royals a contract with the River City Ras- you also can’t help but think it’s ward to playing hard, and espe- cially winning games. You have such a force to be reckoned with, cals of the Frontier League, and Aquinas: What sort of training the last time you’re going to be to keep a positive outlook.” and going into the future it’s their proceeded to his .374 in 68 games. will you do in the off season? playing with all these girls. That Not only would a strong show- confidence that makes them sure Christian’s hard-nosed style Christian: My plans, as of now, makes it bittersweet. Most im- ing at this weekend’s invitational these traditions will continue. of play and terrific numbers got are as soon as the Triple-A Season portantly I just don’t want to look be a tremendous morale boost Sean Hogya is a junior English him a contract with the Yankees, concludes is to get back to the big back in regret. I’m looking for- for the graduating seniors, but it major from Bayville, N.Y. where he quickly climbed the or- leagues. After that, I’m going to ganizational ladder. By August take some time off to relax, and I 2006, Christian secured a starting might play some winter ball, and spot in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after that I’ll play in Mexico. Then outfield and helped the team get I’ll come back from that, I’ll relax Wasnetsky receives Landmark honors to the International League play- and see the family and start my offs. off season training. I do a lot of Sophomore runner nabbed title at Pennsylvania Classic This season, Christian entered speed interval training and weight the year as the starting left field- training, stuff like that. By Colin Gibson Now that he’s in college, Was- hard work is paying off.” er for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Staff Writer netsky is majoring in mathemat- As for the rest of the team, the Yankees, and was arguably one Aquinas: Prior to being signed ics with a minor in chemistry. He’s men finished fourth overall of the of the most important hitters After only two races this sea- now balancing a busy class sched- eight teams running in the race. by the Yankees in 2004, you th in the lineup. Christian hit well son, sophomore Chris Wasnetsky ule with being the team’s top run- Patrick Casterline (16 , 21:53), played and coached for Auburn st above .280 for the majority of already has two individual wins ner, something he really enjoys. Jason Bohenek (21 , 22:03), Jer- and spent two seasons with the nd the season, until earning his first and has received the Landmark “Being the top runner on the emy Evans (22 , 22:03), and Sean River City Rascals in the Frontier st big league promotion in June. League. Have your experiences in Conference Male Runner of the team is a nice feeling and a nice Finnegan (31 , 22:41) finished in Christian served as a pinch-run- different levels of the sport helped Week award. reward for running seriously year- the top 5 for the Royals. ner and defensive backup while improve your attitude and ability Wasnetsky, who had an im- round since I was in 7th grade. Be- On the women’s side, the Roy- playing for the Bronx Bombers, pressive victory at the Northeast ing a sophomore is just a nice lit- als finished second out of eight as a player? th but hit only .250 in 40 at-bats. Christian: When I was coach- Pennsylvania Classic on August 29, tle extra reward: I’d feel the same teams. Katherine Sullivan (8 , Christian is currently playing ing at Auburn, I really learned won again on August 6 at the Vas- way I do now if I were a senior or 21:11) finished the 5000-meter for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre sar Invitational in Poughkeepsie in a freshman.” course first for the Lady Royals. the game. You learn about the th Yankees, who are facing off New York. He ran the 6000-meter As for all of the awards he’s Stephanie Huth (9 , 21:12), Colleen technical stuff that happens from th th against the Durham Bulls for course in 20:08, earning him the won recently, to Wasnetsky it’s Roe (10 , 21:14), Adele Banks (16 , the dugout, like how to shift the th the Governors’ Cup; the Triple-A defense and stuff like that. You individual title and the Runner still exciting. 21:41), and Nicole Huth (25 , 22:15) equivalent of the World Series. get an overall knowledge for the of the Week award. This is the “I always love receiving awards, rounded out the top 5 for the Lady game. You can apply that to your third time Wasnetsky has won the whatever they might be. In addi- Royals. Aquinas: What do you feel is game as well, like during a hit-and- award, as he earned the title two tion to racing against competition The Royals will travel to Mise- the greatest moment of your pro- times during his freshman cam- and running fast time, awards are ricordia University to take part in run situation. You learn how to th fessional career? shift on certain hitters by watch- paign. also what motivate me to get out the 5 Annual Cougar Classic on Justin Christian: It’s definitely ing someone’s swing. It helps me Wasnetsky is racking up the the door every day to run. Most Saturday, September 20. getting called up for my first ma- as a defensive player that way. I awards in his still early collegiate awards will be forgotten in time jor league game. It sort of put me learned about the right adjust- career. He now has three Run- by everyone, but getting them Colin Gibson is a senior English at ease because all of my hard ments to make in order to get the ner of the Week awards, and was gives me a boost to know that my major from Sugarloaf, PA work paid off. I got to play with best jumps in the outfield. named Rookie of the Year at the the best of the best. end of last season. CORRECTION Aquinas: Going forward, what Along with these awards, Was- Aquinas: Now that you’ve goals have you set for your big netsky already has four individual spent two seasons with the Scran- league career? victories in just nine career starts. ton Yankees, have you gotten a Christian: Just to get to the big He has won twice already this chance to enjoy any attractions leagues and stay there. I want year at the Northeast Pennsylva- the Electric City has to offer? to make an impact at the major nia Classic and again at the Vas- Christian: It’s kind of tough be- league level. sar Invitational, and won at the cause we are not here very much, Dan LaTorraca is an English Cougar Classic and the Goucher and when I am here for half of the major from Sparta, N.J. Mid-Atlantic Classic last season. month, I’m at the ballpark by noon. He had two second-place victories last season as well. Wasnetsky went to high school CHRISTIAN’S FAVORITES: at Bishop O’Hara, where he ran cross country for four years and Favorite movie: Gladiator was a three-year letter winner. He won two races during his se- Favorite band: Lil Wayne nior year. “High school was a fun photo by beth kotz Favorite restaurant: Outback Steakhouse time,” said Wasnetsky. LAST WEEK the Penn State- Berks team was identified as Univer- Favorite NFL team: Oakland Raiders “I was one of the three top sity of Scranton, due to a uniform misunderstanding prior to kick off. runners on the team. We raced Favorite MLB team: San Francisco Giants The Royals (pictured above) played in their away uniforms after Penn together and alternated places in State-Berks showed up in their white uniforms. Favorite MLB player: Ozzie Smith the slower races, but in the faster races I was third on the team.”