NMT Ruggers Close with Tough Loss to El Paso

NMT flanker Bart Hegarty is dumped unceremoniously into touch (out of bounds) by two El Paso Scorpions players Saturday. Dylan Merrigan arrives to help secure the ball in Tech's season-ending match at the NMT athletic ground.

by Dave Wheelock, NMT Director of Rugby

SOCORRO, N.M, Nov. 12, 2007 -- In an emotional match in Socorro Saturday, the El Paso Rugby Club defeated New Mexico Tech 21-7. It was the final weekend of the fall season for the hometown Pygmies, who compiled a record of 13 wins against three losses. El Paso's Scorpions currently sit at number two in the Rio Grande Rugby Union club (men's) division standings.

The Pygmies knew they would have to play tougher defense than they did last March 17 in El Paso, when the Scorpions cruised to a 55-6 win. However their focus on keeping the visitors out of the try zone may have short-circuited the offensive game, as time after time attacking opportunities went begging through turnovers.

True to expectations, New Mexico Tech spent the opening minutes in defense of El Paso's well-oiled possession game. The students tackled bravely but the attacking pressure finally proved too much after fifteen minutes and Scorpion flanker Eduardo Santistevan touched down for a try converted by George Zamora. El Paso added a try from a Pygmy handling mistake at 22 minutes and then another just before halftime. Both conversion kicks were successful for a 21-0 El Paso halftime lead.

For their part Tech made occasional forays into the El Paso end of the pitch only to be frustrated by inadequate protection of the ball in tackle situations. Solid downfield tackling by NMT fullback Isaiah Sanchez and wings Marcus Chavez and Tory Tadano prevented a wider scoring margin.

In the second half tempers rose as the result of repeated dangerous tackles. Midway through the half El Paso scrumhalf Abraham Montez was sent to the 10-minute sin bin for taunting. Although the quality of rugby suffered as a result, New Mexico Tech had the satisfaction of scoring the only second-half points from a 50-meter backline passing move finished off by Sanchez. Matt Nelson added the conversion kick to make it 21-7, a score which held over the remaining 10 minutes of play.

Prop Nick McCarthy and Matt Nelson shared NMT man of the match honors. Co-captain Matt Majors, who will receive his engineering degree in December, made his farewell appearance for the Pygmies. Formal field sessions in preparation for the spring schedule will be Tuesday, January 22, the first day of the spring 2008 semester at New Mexico Tech.

-NMT-