Kugluktuk, Nunavut, students glued to Blue Jays playoff run

You don't have to be living in Toronto to feel the buzz from the Blue Jays playoff run in Kugluktuk, Nunavut, students at the high school haven't missed a game.

In the Arctic coastal community of about 1,500 people, students havebeen crowding in the school library to watch every playoffgame on the big screen TV.

"The library in this school is a community meeting place, it's a community centre," says English and social studies teacher John Hudson, who left Halifax last year to teach in Kugluktuk.

"These students, like most of the rest of Canada, are very interested in what's going on in Major League Baseball right now."

Marcus Kokak, 16, has happily jumped on the Blue Jays bandwagon.

"I was never a baseball fan until like a month ago," he says. "My favourite part of the game is when they're hitting the ball and the bases are loaded and when the next player gets a home run."

Hudson also thought it might be fun if the students scorethe games while they watch.

"I got some score sheets and set them up with the lineups, told them how to do it," Hudson says. "And we watched the game and talked to one another about what's the proper scoring for a given play or in a given inning."

'I just can't explain how happy I'm doing'

Last night, the Jays took on the Kansas City Royals in a do-or-die Game 5of the American League Championship Series, and about 30 students packed into the school library.

"When things happen, the place goes crazy," Hudson said during the game. "It's a mad house and people are really enjoying themselves."

"I just can't explain how happy I'm doing," said 12-year-old Mackenzie Demerah.

"My favourite player is Marco Estrada. Today he pitched 108 [times] before he was kicked out."

Kokak said the librarygot especially loud when Chris Colabello hit a homerun.

"When they started scoring their homerun it was crazy," Kokak said. "Everyone was cheering them on.

"I [saw]so much potential in them that they will win this game, after they got their momentum going."

And win they did.The Jays pulled off a 7-1 victory over the Royals. Game 6 will be Friday in Kansas City.

Demerah can barely contain her excitement when she thinks aboutthe Blue Jays potentially going to the World Series.

"Out of oneto 10, I would probably be at 100."