Finally First!

Nearly two and a half seasons in the making, the Wildcards finally stand alone atop the Willowdale League.

We all wondered if it would ever happen. Since the beginning of the 2007 season, the Wildcards have been winning and winning; when they weren't doing that, they were winning some more. And yet, first place was elusive, mainly because the frontrunners, the Warriors and Colts, maintained an iron-fisted grip on the highly coveted position with impressive win streaks of their own.

Until this week. Thanks to a victory against the Scorpions, a thrilling 13-12 win over the Colts, and a little help from Sister Scheduler, the Wildcards are finally first place overall - a distinction they no longer have to share with anyone else. The Warriors also won their game on Sunday against the Down Home Blues, but have less wins than the 'Cards by virtue of a lack of a double-header.

"It's a huge step for our team." notes captain OF Voodoo Redoblado. "We've gone from basement dwellers to elite in less than half a season. I believe it's the hard work and effort all of our players bring every time they step on the field. I'd say that's the biggest contributor to our success."

Another contrast to last season is the 'Cards ability to dictate games, rather than playing to opponents' style, an observation not unnoticed by C Kiddo Wong.

"Ultimately, we stick to our game. We play great defence, and our runs just come naturally. We used to fall into the trap of trying to beat teams at their own game, but now we just go at our own pace and let things happen."

The 'Cards have also showed that, despite their hot streak, they're also the coolest under pressure. Blue San Luis noted an admiration for the team's ability to keep leveled heads in crucial situations.

"Sometimes we're a bit shaken, but ultimately unstirred when things start to unravel. The team has shown the ability to pull itself together. It's essential that we keep things simple, because once you start trying to do too much, that's when you (expletive) up."

Sixty Chan agrees. "In the past few seasons, when things began to fall apart, we'd implode. On double-header weekend, we made teams strand runners in scoring position. Also, this season if one teammate gets down on themselves, we've all been really supportive of one another, picking up each others spirits."

While the defence has been sensational, there's much to be said about the pitching. Ice ?ueen Reyes has been dominant on the mound. Her ERA is comparable to many major league pitchers at 5.71 - unheard of in a league known for its power hitters.

"I've been feeling really confident on the mound this season. Entering spring training, everybody had high hopes and we all had positive expectations without all the pressure. I think that's helped a lot. And the defence has been stellar all season-long."






Ice ?ueen Reyes has been nothing short of spectacular for the Wildcards.






In addition, their past few games have been a real treat for fans. Although they displayed nothing short of complete domination of Who's Up and Dem Bums to the tune of 26-7 and 23-12 respectively, recent wins have not come without their share of drama and heroics. Last week's game against the Colts is a prime example; won on Franchise Fernando's walk-off RBI double with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.

"We're winning games, but we're not demolishing teams." says brother 1B Hollywood Fernando. "But I think it's good for us; the satisfaction of our fans notwithstanding, it keeps us on our toes and prevents us from getting complacent."







Hollywood Fernando has words of advice for the Wildcards, if they wish to continue their newfound successes.




Wise words to live by if the Wildcards wish to continue revelling in their new found place at the top. From here on out, anything short of a total team effort could have them tumbling into all-too-familiar territory.