NMT Ruggers Blanked at Regionals

Right: NMT fullback Tory Tadano passes to scrumhalf Jay Herrera from the tackle of a University of Missouri player. Photo by Scott Bushnell.

The New Mexico Tech Rugby Club went winless in three matches Easter weekend in Greeley, Colorado, at the Western Rugby Union collegiate championships. Representing the Rio Grande Rugby Union in the Division Two bracket, Tech showed skill and spirit, yet not at the sustained levels necessary to win at this next higher level.

Host University of Northern Colorado captured the WRFU Division Two championship by beating Missouri 22-10 in the final and advances to the USA Rugby National Championships in Sanford, Florida April 21-22. The University of New Mexico’s scholarship program showed strongly as the women’s team took top honors with a 19-5 Sunday win over Texas A & M and the Division One Lobos men’s team finished in second place after a 14-3 loss to the University of Wyoming. Under a “round of 16” Division One format, the Lobo men will join the Lady Lobos at the national Division One Collegiate Championships at Stanford University (CA) May 4-5.

Left: NMT's Josh Hill (top left), Steve Graves (obscured), and Tom Dotson ruck over a ball (partially obscured) teammate Jay Herrera has put back after being tackled. Photo by Scott Bushnell.

Easter weekend saw a return to winter in northern Colorado, and the New Mexico Tech bus was fortunate to pass through Denver on Friday just before plummeting temperatures turned roads into accident-filled sheets of ice which forced closures. None of the twenty-four teams competing in the Collegiate Women’s, Men’s Division One or Two playoffs could avoid the weekend’s extreme playing conditions, however. Daytime temperatures in the low-thirties, brisk winds, and intermittent snow flurries brought safety contingencies into effect, including relaxed guidelines allowing long-sleeved undershirts and leggings.

New Mexico Tech was seeded sixth among eight local union champions on the strength of New Mexico State University’s one win, two loss finish at “Westerns” in 2006. In their Saturday morning opener Tech faced the Missouri Rugby Union’s champions, third-seeded University of Missouri. “Mizzou” dominated ball possession and showed superior ball handling skills to race to a 41-0 halftime lead. Tech cut down on their penalty count in the second half and managed to force Missouri into a defensive role over the last fifteen minutes. Three minutes from full time prop forward Dylan Merrigan scored a short-range try after a driving maul by the eight Tech forwards. Seth Daly’s two-point conversion kick brought the final score to 46-7, and Tech was relegated to the afternoon consolation match in their four-team pool.

Right: Dylan Merrigan prepares to launch a pass to teammate Matt Majors in action against the University of Missouri at the Western Collegiate Championships. Photo by Scott Bushnell.

Texas Rugby Union representatives Angelo State University looked vulnerable as they committed numerous early handling errors but unfortunately for Tech the Pygmies were dealing with miscues of their own. The Rams recovered their composure first to score a try from a turnover after twelve minutes which was converted for a 7-0 lead. At twenty-five minutes the Pygmies were slow to defend from a penalty close to their own line and Angelo added an easy unconverted try to stretch out to 12-0. One minute from halftime the driving maul again proved potent for Tech as senior captain Seth Daly, playing scrumhalf, bagged the five-point try.

Angelo State added a converted try seven minutes into the second half (19-5) and another at eleven minutes, once again after a Tech penalty, for a commanding 24-5 lead. At 17 minutes Tech drove yet another lineout ball snagged by lock Steve Graves and this time senior co-captain Matt Majors put down to bring the score to 24-10. One minute from the final whistle debutante prop D.J. Santistevan scored another short-range try to finish proceedings at 24-15 in favor of the Rams.

New Mexico Tech kicked off to Great Plains Union champs Wayne State College (Nebraska) at 9:00 Sunday morning in cold but calm conditions. At stake was avoidance of rugby’s “wooden spoon,” a winless finish and eighth seeding for 2008. The Pygmies had several early opportunities but could not finish due to continuing handling errors and turnovers. The Wildcats finally broke the ice after seventeen minutes when the Pygmies left a defensive gap after a free kick awarded close to Tech’s try line. The conversion kick was missed but five minutes later Tech turned the ball over after nearly scoring and a Wayne State backline player raced 90 meters to score at the opposite end. Again the conversion kick was missed and the Nebraskans led 10-0. WSC added a try near halftime to take a 17-0 halftime lead.

Wayne State managed a fourth try after seven minutes of the second half to discourage the Pygmies with a 22-0 lead. In the last minute Wayne State was penalized after a tackle and freshman center Royce Beaudry, who played strongly throughout the tournament, sliced through the defense for a 20-meter try to bring the final score to 22-7 in favor of Wayne State.

The Pygmies have little time to lick their wounds as they travel to Santa Fe April 14 for a match with men’s club side Santos. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:00 pm at Santa Fe’s Municipal Rugby Complex.

-NMT-