nscro championships 2014
DESCRIPTION
RM3R 5.1.14 supplementTRANSCRIPT
National Championship Rugby - Best Four Series - Infinity Park Rugby
Stadium, Glendale Colorado, April 26, 27 2014
Semifinal 1 : DU v SJC
Saint John’s College from the great State of
Minnesota and hometown Univers ity of
Denver would repr ise their 2013 pre-
championship match with the Infinity Park
Complex’ Kett le on ful l boi l in the f irst
semifinal match of the NSCRO Championship
weekend. A two-point midway separation was
changed up considerably in the second stanza
as the s ides batt led for placement in the t it le
game.
Nearly
twenty-f ive
percent of
the match
scoreless as
the sides got
after the pi l l
in ferocious manner, grappling f iercely at
breakdown and implementing forceful,
level ing tackles to cause stoppage. Denver on
the board f irst after that wild f irst interval of
play; after a period of mult iple-phasework
inside the Johnnies 22, Pioneers f lyhalf, Jake
Mil ler, with splendid second effort , bulled
across and touched down for 8-man Casey
Slattery’s conversion: 7-0 Denver with 19
t icks off of off ic ial Tim Luscombe’s t imepiece.
With windswirl and physical i ty becoming a
causal factor in bal l handling errors, the
teams exchanged possessions repeatedly
between the 22s unt i l SJC ful l on attack
inclose to goal and a defending scrumput was
poached by a surging Johnnie pack and DU
were on their rear leg. In it ia l defense
suff ic ient, though scrambled, and #10, Tony
Bauer,
forced
his way
across
the paint
for the
try that, along with an addit ional two points
from #15, Joe Thompson, on conversion, 7-
the-pair in the 28t h minute and a creping
warmth infus ing the grounds now.
DU regained the lead when Mil ler’s s l ight
hesitat ion pass to f irst center, Mike Gestal,
had that man in space for a mil l i -minute
before his off load to f i l l ing ful lback Gabe
Bram enabled the #15’s transfer to f lyer Osa
Ahie and his fast f inish for f ive: 12-7 Denver
after 33 minutes of action.
Saint John’s returned with verve and vigor to
claim its f irst advantage as the half expired:
wonscrum
18 meters
out from
the
Promised
Land and
halfback Nick Mans swift for the short s ide;
Thompson’s incision at pace and the angled
entry through and over goal ine for the center
dot, his own convers ion and SJC by 2, 14-12
as the lads went to lockers for hydrat ion and
instruction at Luscombe’s midpoint s ignal.
al l images : Garrett S i tzman
Pioneers looking electric, on occasion, whi le
Johnnies exhibited an impressive patience
with bal l control empowering their intensive
forwards play and Thompson cunningly
countering the Denver high bal l .
More of the same at the re-start with short
crashing salvos from the breakdown by each
side’s big men and effective l ine breaks
keeping the boisterous fans in the stands
vocal and on their feet for the f irst third of
the second stanza unt i l Sa int john’s with a
defending scrum f ive from goal: put reversed
and Denver wonscrum, Slattery’s pickup from
its rear , and the Pioneers backrow lock and
captain had broken the Johnnies defensive
al ignment for the touch down that had
Pioneers back ahead, 19-14, and the crowd
roaring.
And Saint John’s with the swift reply . A won
l ineout 30 meters out was fol lowed by seven
smashes out of the loose spreading the
defense lateral ly . A sure recycle out a long the
three-quarters l ine by Mans, breakdown in the
centers and f inal ly replacement forward Zach
Zoltek plunged across the l ine for the touch
down, with Thompson’s addit ional deuce
made for a new leader at 21-19 St. John’s in
the 56t h minute.
St John’s were back for two more groundings
by loosehead Peter Fagrel ius and openside
f lanker Noah Van Nevel, both converted by
Thompson, and the Johnnies had an
impressive, 42-19 favorable scorel ine after 73
minutes of action.
Pioneers were able to ground twice in the
f inal f ive with trys by outside center Travis
Barlock and loosehead Jace Jackson, each
converted by Slattery, but the effort fel l short
as it would be St. John’s in the championship
with the 42-33 result at Mr. Luscombe’s last
blast .
Scoring
DU - Try: Miller, Ahie, Slattery, Barlock, Jackson ; Con: Slattery (4)
SJC - Try: Bauer, Thompson, Zoltek, Mans, Fagrelius, Van Nevel; Con: Thompson (6)
AMOC: Tim Luscombe (Referee); Dave Fel lows, Dan Hattrup (RAs)
University of Denver Pioneers Starting XV Reserves #1 - Jace Jackson #16 - Connor Cavenor 2 - Paul Cadenhead 17 - Dylan Lindimore 3 - Bryce Stillman 18 - Brent lockhart 4 - Duncan Frost 19 - James Howe 5 - Anthony Fusco 20 - David Johnson 6 - Pete Racenis 21 - James Flanigan 7 - Landan Banks 22 - Nat Prouty 8 - Casey Slattery 23 - David Drori 9 - Matt Clement 10 - Jake Miller 11 - Charles Carlisle 12 - Mike Gestal 13 - Travis Barlock 14 - Osa Ahie 14 - Gabe Bram
St John’s Roster Starting XV Reserves #1 - Peter Fagrelius #16 - Zach Zoltek 2 - Dwight Higgs 17 - Bayert Salverda 3 - Garrett Larson 18 - Zach Muehlenbein 4 - Mike Hillman 19 - Tanner Hersch 5 - Lukas Ramsey 20 - Wes Kemper 6 - Ricky Kiley 21 - Teddy Menor 7 - Noah Van Nevel 22 - Richie Brown 8 - Steven Oczak 23 - Brian Raddick 9 - Nick Mans 10 - Tony Bauer 11 - Charlie Peterson 12 - Rob Otting-Crandall 13 - Casey Walsh 14 - Conall Quinn 15 - Joe Thomspon
15s 15s
NSCRO Semifinal 2: NEC v MSMU
Warm and blowy in the Kettle as Mount
Saint Mary’s University and New England
College squared up for the right to
challenge Saint John’s College for the
national championship. Big and powerful
each side’s forward packs and sl ick and
swift their backl ines in the second match
of NSCRO’s semifinal Saturday.
Near
miss
on a
St.
Mary’s penalty shot early as defenses and
offenses ramped up their schemes and the
battle was joined with gusto. Much action,
though no score, until NEC’s f irst f ive-
eighths Anthony MacQueston stepped
inside to space 30 meters from goal and
freed fullback Ky Young for the quickly-
closed grounding; completion by
MacQueston and 7-nil NEC in the 14th
minute.
NEC back for more midway through the
f irst forty as the shifty Young made
confounded stoppers en route to his
twenty meter dot that, with MacQueston’s
added deuce, opened it up to 14-0.
One more for New England; outside center
Jay Muniz with the l ine break at the 22,
followed by f l ipper application to a brace
of faux tacklers and that man had f inished
splendidly and NEC’s lead had increased to
21 by the 28th minute.
Now came the Mount with pressure at
their opponent’s 22 enabling 8-man, James
Campbel l, the corner and freedom to put
f lyer Jimmy Mahoney away in the corner
and St. Mary’s were aboard, 21-5 at
minute 33.
And the bonus-point try for New England
after smothering defense with the
attempted MSMU clearance blocked by the
peppery NEC scrumhalf, Ian Luciano, and
covered in goal by wing Sossori Borrey: 28-
5 at ’36.
One f inal score by
Mount as a
botched three-
quartersl ine
transfer was
collected by
Mount’s outside
center with the f leet feet, Travis Bewley;
40 speedy meters later Bewley’s touch
down and its conversion by scrumhalf Sean
Hartig - 26-12 the tall ies at f ield off icial
Scott Green’s halft ime signal.
Big, bossy MSMU forwards well-countered
by sly NEC grapplers at breakdown and
NEC’s f lattering rate of turnover the
difference in the f irst forty.
MSMU roared out of the lockers after
break and fullback Zach Hirschler the
init ial manifest as he crossed-and-dotted
just after re-start: 26-17 in the 43r d.
One more for the Mount as ball mauled
into goal was touched down for the pack
try.
Conversion
by Hartig
and
scoreline of
26-24, NEC
with MSMU
on the big
hunt just now at ‘47.
NEC would extend its lead to a handful
with penalty struck true by MacQueston
from 22 meters out on the interior hash -
29-24 at ’49.
MSMU right back at i t with the forwards
effort f inely f inished by 8-man Campbell
and 29 for everyone in the house in the
56th minute; crowd going for it in the
stands; and only the men on the f ield
seeming steady and disciplined.
NEC got a pair of touch downs from
MacQueston (’67) and 8-man AJ Mudford
(’70), each converted by the Big Mac of
points-scorers, and 43-29, NEC with ten
left.
Advantage extended to 46-29 with a Mac-
penalty struck surely at the 72n d minute.
Back by MSMU with the touch down by
openside breakaway, Tim Steffens, and its
completion by Hartig made it 46-36 in the
77t h minute, before a sticksplitter by
MacQueston and a last dot from Muniz
made for a result of 54-36 to New England
College at Green’s last blast.
Scoring
NEC - Try: Young (2), Muniz (2), Borrey, MacQueston, Mudford ; Con: MacQueston (5);
Pen: MacQueston (3);
MSMU - Try: Mahoney, Bewley, Hirschler, Pack, Campbel l, Steffens; Con: Hartig (3)
AMOC: Scott Green (Referee); Gary Hartzell , Greg Wolf (RAs)
New England College Roster
Starting XV Reserves
#1 - Will Darbouze #16 - Elou Joseph 2 - Ryan Gurrola 17 - Justin Lamphear 3 - Sam Parker 18 - Gio Albanese 4 - Darryl Wilson 19 - Sosori Borrey 5 - Mike Korn 20 - Ayomide Aimakhu 6 - Carlos Arteaga 22 - Zach Hall 7 - Perry Owens 23 - Ryan Crowley 8 - Aj Mudford 9 - Ian Luciano 10 - James Tayson 11 - Brendan Johnson 12 - Anthony MacQueston 13 - Jay Muniz 14 - Conor Fantasia 15 - Ky Young
Mount St Mary’s University Roster Starting XV Reserves #1 - Kirk Hofmeister #16 - Larry Forte 2 - Colin Tirney 17 - Rapposelli 3 - Jack Bonner 18 - Zach O’Grady 4 - Craig Sakowski 19 - Ryan Teague 5 - Matt Dramgoole 20 - Nick Maffei 6 - Peter Martin 21 - Edmund Piper 7 - Tim Steffens 22 - Tito Miranda 8 - James Campbell 23 - Casey Fury 9 - Sean Hartig 10 - Tyler Myles 11 - Brady Parson 12 - Dan Gary 13 - Travis Bewley 14 - Jimmy Mahoney 15 - Zach Hirschler
NSCRO Championships: 3rd Place - DU v MSMU; Sunday, April 27 2014
Cool, breezy and clouded over for kickoff of the 3rd
place match on NSCRO Championships Weekend at
Glendale’s Infinity Rugby Complex on Sunday
morning as University of Denver Pioneers and
Mount St. Mary’s University settled their rugby
differences. 25 in the account of wing, Nat Prouty,
made for Pioneers joy at the end of the day. A total
of nine trys split just unevenly in a hard-hitting and
entertaining display of sport stoked the Kettle’s fire
mightily on the Sunday rugbyday.
Denver got aboard early with loosehead prop, Jace
Jackson,
cleaving the
defense for
an eight-
meter scoot
and his
grounding
that, along with try converted by wing Nat Prouty,
had a 7-nil score for Pioneers.
St. Mary’s drew level after lineout seven meters
from goal was won and mauled to touch. The
ensuing Denver lineout toss was poached, mauled
to goal and dropped for the touch down with the
Mount’s loosehead, Kirk Hofmeister grounding the
pill; conversion by scrumhalf Sean Hartig from
between the hashes on the left side, and 7-the-pair
in the 15th minute.
Pioneers returned upfield in demonstrative fashion
after a territorial ranger off the toe of flyhalf Jake
Miller from inside his own 22, bounced to touch at
DU’s ten meter line. DU filched the lineout toss and
blindside flanker, Pete Racenis, made a fast fifty
large yards before offloading to finisher Jackson,
who crashed across from inclose; an added deuce
by Prouty and 14-7 in the 19th minute.
And Denver back for more straightaway. With
lineout won inside their 22, a scrumhalf Matt
Clement-Jake Mehlman inside handoff had
Mehlman clear for fifty fast before being brought
to the deck inside the Mount’s 22. Offload to
Clement and he was just shy of goal at tackle, but
cleanup by second row, Anthony Fusco, had the big
man free to cross-and-dot. Prouty good for the
completion and 21-7 for DU midway through the
half.
Prouty
notched
three
more
with a
form
penalty strike in the 23rd minute and 24-7 the
tallies, then.
With Denver attacking the Mount’s goaline, a savvy
steal of an errant DU sling put flyer, Jimmy
Mahoney on the fast track for the well-dotted,
ninety meter score. Add a couple for Hartig’s
conversion and 24-14 the primary numbers in the
29th minute.
A pair of further sticksplitters by Mr. Prouty had
the scoreline had the scores at 30 and 14 for
Denver as field official, Scott Green, sounded the
halftime signal and then sides went to lockers.
Intensity of effort begat jarring stoppages and thus
an inordinate amount of scrums, which each side
profited from at their put-ins, and led to
reasonably stable platforms for exciting three-
quartersline action in the first forty minutes of
play.
With wind blowing better
now, re-start and
formidable St. Mary’s
assault as the Mount
spent a considerable
while banging from the
breakdowns inside Denver’s 22 before being
awarded a free kick. Quick tap-and-go, and Hartig’s
swift service, followed by canny distribution of
flyhalf, Tyler Myles, with the miss-pass out wide to
five-eighths, Travis Bewley, and he had popped
through a sizable gap in the defense for a handful;
two more from Hartig with conversion, and 30-21
for Denver in the 47th minute.
Three more points three minutes on from a Hartig
sticksplitter at the ten-meter line just outside the
left post and 30-24 with the Mount right back in
the thick of it at minute 50!
The re-start went through goal, so St. Mary’s had
the scrum put-in at midfield, an extremely
advantageous position with momentum at their
back. But Pioneers digging deep when they must,
with massive shove and possession capture,
Denver were back on the front foot and fast after
it. Slowly patient their method with short pick-and-
goers from the breakdown, intermingled with
slings out along the three-quartersline and near
channel work back inside, as Denver made
headway against a determined Mount defense.
And Denver realized joy with St. Mary’s defenders
spread after containing lateral bashing movement
from DU’s large fellows inside of the Mount’s 22.
Breakaway Landan Banks, actively effective all
match running at the creases, sliced to space for
fifteen and his grounding converted by Prouty that
made for a 37-24 scoreline at the three-quarter
mark.
St. Mary’s back at it attacking the Denver line in
multiple waves until Hartig darted over for his own
conversion and 37-31 the numbers in the 63rd
minute.
But the final numbers would be for Pioneers as
Prouty split the sticks for a penalty and blindside
flanker Pete Racenis closed accounts on the day
with a try just before time expired for a result of
45-31 at Green’s last blast.
Scoring
University of Denver Pioneers - Try: Jackson (2), Fusco, Prouty, Racenis; Con (4); Pen: Prouty (4);
Mount St. Mary’s University - Try: Hofmeister, Mahoney, Bewley, Hartig; Con: Hartig (4); Pen: Hartig
AMOC: Scott Green (Referee); Dave Fellows, Gary Hartzell (RAs)
University of Denver Pioneers Starting XV Reserves #1 - Jace Jackson #16 - Connor Cavenor 2 - Paul Cadenhead 17 - Jake Mehlman 3 - Bryce Stillman 18 - Ian Roche 4 - Brent Lockhart 19 - James Howe 5 - Anthony Fusco 20 - Mike Gestal 6 - Pete Racenis 21 - James Flanigan 7 - Landan Banks 22 - Charles Carlisle 8 - Dylan Lindimore 23 - David Drori 9 - Matt Clement 10 - Jake Miller 11 - Nat Prouty 12 - David Johnson 13 - Travis Barlock 14 - Osa Ahie 14 - Gabe Bram
Mount St Mary’s University Starting XV Reserves #1 - Kirk Hofmeister #16 - Larry Forte 2 - Colin Tirney 17 - Rapposelli 3 - Jack Bonner 18 - Zach O’Grady 4 - Craig Sakowski 19 - Joey Caliguiri 5 - Matt Dramgoole 20 - Nick Maffei 6 - Ryan Teague 21 - Garrett Redd 7 - Tim Steffens 22 - Tito Miranda 8 - James Campbell 23 - Casey Fury 9 - Sean Hartig 10 - Tyler Myles 11 - Brady Parson 12 - Travis Bewley 13 - Edmund Piper 14 - Jimmy Mahoney 15 - Zach Hirschler
NSCRO Championship: St. John’s University v New England College; Infinity Park, April 27 2014
Under clouded sky with vagrant wind, St. John’s
University and New England College got down to
the business of settling supremacy in 2014 for the
national small college title at Glendale, Colorado on
Sunday. SJU were in defense of their 2013 title and
after 80+ minutes of intense-as-it-gets rugby action,
a champion was crowned, though thrilling
comeback was required for that victory. 17 in the
account of Johnnies fullback, Joe Thompson, and a
brace of groundings from NEC electrician, Jay
Muniz, meant for lively give-and-take this
Championship Rugby Sunday.
New England College Lions lost an initial aerial
exchange
and St.
John’s with
lineout 45
meters
from NEC’s
tryline. Toss
taken by the Johnnies and mauled 20 meters in an
impressive display of rolling, roiling movement.
However, defensive pressure and early-action
jitters causing mental lapses and mishandles that
reversed possessions a number of times, and
tension built its solid base quickly at the riveting
life on the pitch.
With St John’s hard at NEC’s line and Lions outside
center Muniz contesting superbly on rush defense,
New England’s #13 poached a pass in congestion
and outpaced the chase for a swervy, jinky 90+
meters on the lengthy diagonal for the touch down
that had NEC ahead by 5-nil after first five-eighths
Anthony MacQueston’s conversion attempt
hooked just left and 12 minutes had elapsed.
Johnnies pack spilled into Lions territory in short
bangers out of its formidable maul and SJU were
subsequently awarded a penalty by referee Tim
Luscombe at breakdown 30 meters out from the
posts and dead-on straight; the sticksplitter simple
work for Thompson and Johnnies were aboard and
5-3 the tallies for New England after 15 minutes.
SJU were receiving ball in static position, thus
inhibiting forward mobility at times, while NEC
were experiencing a bit of knock-on-itis, which
stymied their early action, and temperatures rose a
bit with play afield.
Lions with the wonscrum at St. Johns 22, spun and
four smashes from breakdown sideways and
forward got them inclose and the sling out for
Muniz, who made excellent pickup of a funky pass,
to cross-and-dot his second and NEC led, 10-3, in
the 32nd minute.
A shot at goal by Thompson into a
stiff blast of wind four minutes on
was held up by that bluster,
though turnover by NEC,
subsequent the 22-drop, had the
Johnnies back into the Lions 22
and fast after the pill. From won lineout five meters
out, SJU mauled into goal and dropped for a try
touched down by backrow lock, Steven Oczak, and
10-8 the scoreline to New England at Luscombe’s
halftime signal.
St John’s were as dangerous as you’d like with ball
in hand, but standing pass-reception and mishaps
at transfer the bug-bite for the defending
champions; while New England scrappy and solid
as a unitary force at work.
With skies clearing, SJU got the second stanza
started and were fast after the Lions goaline.
Staunch defense by New England blunted the
attack, forcing turnover. Lengthy territorial boot by
flyhalf James Tayson, followed by turnover at
breakdown, had the Big Cats with a lineout 42
meters from the Promised Land. That toss won and
spun with NEC captain and 8-man, Aj Mudford,
breaking into space and down into SJU’s business
district. Action flowing back across the pitch and
Lions hooker, Ryan Gurrola, creating the gap with
cunning faux-pass followed by fast scamper and his
grounding; the added deuce by MacQueston and
the challengers had opened up a nine-point
advantage at 17-8 in the 47th minute.
St. John’s back straightaway with the wonscrum
just inside
NEC’s 10-
meter line.
Oczak’s
snatch from
the back of
that scrum and he was quickly away to breakdown
at the 22. Recycle swiftly by halfback, Nick Mans,
and Thompson with the drifty-dodgy burst to
space, then goal for touch down and his own
conversion: two-point margin at 17-15 NEC in the
50th minute and spirits rising allover!
Lions got three back as MacQueston split the sticks
from 15 meters out and dead in front and it was
20-15 for NEC in the 55th minute; Muniz with the
big defensive, as well as the sizable offensive,
delivery leading the Lions by example along with
NEC’s ubiquitous scrumhalf, Ian Luciano.
An NEC defending lineout five meters out, won and
cleared by Tayson; quick throw-in by the Johnnies
and excitement from
their three-quarters
until knock-on created
stoppage. Lions lost a
consequent scrumput
ten meters out from
their goal and #6, Ricky
Kiley, with deft collection and cash-in-goal with the
try that, with Thompson’s plus-two, made for SJU’s
first lead at 22-20 at the 65th minute.
Sticksplitter by Thompson from 22 meters outside
the left post and Johnnies lead at a handful now,
25-20, at minute 69.
Lions roared right back with fullback, Ky Young,
swatting away a tackle en route to the leveler, 25-
for everyone in the house now in the 73rd minute
with all aboard mentally jumping!
And it would be the defending champions,
champions once again, after a brace of scores at
’75 (wing, Charlie Peterson) and ’79 (Kiley,
converted by Thompson) made for a 37-25 result
with Luscombe’s final whistle.
Scoring
SJU - Try: Oczak, Thompson, Kiley (2), Peterson; Con: Thompson (3); Pen: Thompson (2);
NEC - Try: Muniz (2), Gurrola, Young; Con: MacQueston; Pen: MacQueston
AMOC: Tim Luscombe (Referee); Dan Hattrup, Greg Wolf (RAs)
St John’s Roster Starting XV Reserves #1 - Peter Fagrelius #16 - Zach Zoltek 2 - Dwight Higgs 17 - Bayert Salverda 3 - Garrett Larson 18 - Zach Muehlenbein 4 - Mike Hillman 19 - Wes Kemper 5 - Lukas Ramsey 20 - Tanner Hersch 6 - Ricky Kiley 21 - Bobby Thomas 7 - Noah Van Nevel 22 - Richie Brown 8 - Steven Oczak 23 - Brian Raddick 9 - Nick Mans 10 - Tony Bauer 11 - Charlie Peterson 12 - Rob Otting-Crandall 13 - Casey Walsh 14 - Conall Quinn 15 - Joe Thomspon
New England Roster Starting XV Reserves #1 - Will Darbouze #16 - Elou Joseph 2 - Ryan Gurrola 17 - Justin Lamphear 3 - Sam Parker 18 - Sosori Borrey 4 - Darryl Wilson 19 - Ayomide Aimakhu 5 - Mike Korn 20 - Chris Prochaska 6 - Carlos Arteaga 21 - Zach Hall 7 - Perry Owens 22 - Ryan Crowley 8 - Aj Mudford 23 - Gary Spencer 9 - Ian Luciano 10 - James Tayson 11 - Brendan Johnson 12 - Anthony MacQueston 13 - Jay Muniz 14 - Conor Fantasia 15 - Ky Young