NMT Ruggers Are Accommodating Hosts

by Dave Wheelock, rugby coach

SOCORRO, N.M., Oct. 29, 2003 -- New Mexico Tech's Pygmies were the perfect rugby hosts for their elders, the Ancestor alumni team, over the 49ers weekend (Oct. 24-25, 2003). They welcomed the veterans with a fine meal at a local restaurant on Friday night, hosted a golf tournament on Saturday morning, and entertained with a bonfire on Saturday night. And, for that special touch, they dutifully lost the annual Black & Blue rugby match before a good crowd on Friday afternoon, by the convincing score of 51-10.

The Ancestors straggled into town in a seemingly weakened state this year. Only 14 elders had assembled by game time, so student player Nick Tarasenko, inactive with the Tech team this year, was dealt to the Ancestors to fill out their team. The loan was not without consequences, as “Long Nick” was to play a blinder of a match against his erstwhile teammates.

For their part, the students looked sluggish from the opening whistle. That glorious midterm celebration known as 49ers had kicked off the night before, complete with late night goings-on and a full-contact gridiron game featuring half a dozen Pygmies just an hour before the rugby match. It wasn’t until two minutes before halftime of the 80-minute match that Patrick Simons touched down a five-point try for the student team, and by then the old boys had already rung up 19 on two tries by fullback Zach Barnes, one by center James Napier, and two conversion kicks from flyhalf John Ellis. The Ancestors owed their 19-5 lead to a savvy set of forwards with a knack for stealing the ball from their more naïve counterparts, and a bounty of talent in the backline.

The second half was more of the same, only worse for the Pygmies. Barnes picked up where he left off with two more tries to bring his tally to 20 points, Napier added another, while Ellis, center Denny Newell, and even prop forward Jason Lennane got into the act with five-pointers.

Near the final whistle Pygmy prop Art Emus managed the second try of his young career to bring the final score to 51-10.

In a ceremony before the game, Thayla and Jerry Wright of Raton, NM, presented the New Mexico Tech Rugby Club with a perpetual Player of the Year trophy in honor of their son and Tech captain Jeremiah, who was killed in a collision on California Street on September 28, 2002. The trophy’s wooden base was handcrafted by one of Jeremiah’s high school coaches, and supports a crystal rugby ball made in Ireland. Jeremiah Wright led the team on their tour to Ireland in March 2002. The trophy can be viewed in the sports trophy case in the New Mexico Tech gymnasium lobby.

The 8-6 Pygmies close the fall season Saturday at Santa Ana Pueblo’s sport complex, when they take on the New Mexico Brujos in a 1:30 matchup. In addition, five Tech players, Mark Kelly, Mike Bauer, Pat Simons, Matt Majors, and Robert Harrison, have been invited to represent the Rio Grande Rugby Union in the Western Rugby Union All Star championships, also being held this weekend at Santa Ana. All-Star teams representing New Mexico, Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Kansas, Nebraska, and Missouri will appear in the two-day competition, which kicks off at 9 a.m.

-NMT-