Pygmies Run Rampant over Silverbacks 91-5

by Dave Wheelock, New Mexico Tech Rugby Director

SOCORO, N.M., March 17, 2008 --The New Mexico Tech Rugby Club reunited in Socorro Saturday (March 15) after their week-long spring break to thrash the San Juan RFC of Farmington, NM by 91 points to 5. The home team scored 15 five-point tries - 12 by the backline unit - against one for the Silverbacks. The visitors were spared further humiliation by an 8 of 15 conversion kicking performance by a variety of Pygmy kickers in a brisk wind.

Tech’s willingness to share the ball and their superiority in re-winning possession when tackled spelled trouble for San Juan from the start. Matt “Moose” Kretz, playing on the right wing, showed running skills unexpected from a 6’ 3” player, weaving his way to Tech’s first try less than three minutes into the first half. Five minutes later came rookie Jordan Fastle’s first-ever rugby score. The left wing was in the right place to take the final pass from inside center Royce Beaudry following a running break by flyhalf Matt Nelson. At 15 minutes scrumhalf and team captain Jay Herrera scooped a loose ball and juked his way 40 meters for a solo try, taking Tech’s account to 15 points, and five minutes later fullback Isaiah Sanchez added five more with one of his trademark searing runs.
San Juan’s big forwards scrambled for scraps of possession at tackle situations, yet proved capable scrummagers by spoiling several Tech put-ins. The Silverbacks looked dangerous when the ball went from scrumhalf and former NMT standout Paul Quintana to hard running David Yazzie, another former Pygmy. Australian-born flyhalf Steve Hough also presented problems with his deft style of drawing tacklers before deftly passing off to unmarked runners. Ten minutes before halftime right wing Steve Putt took one such pass from Hough and got past Fastle to score San Juan’s only try of the day. The Pygmies responded less than two minutes later when Sanchez, freed by Nelson’s reverse pass, dished to Herrera as he was tackled. Again the rookie Fastle was in position to stretch Tech’s lead to 27-5. Tech took a 32-7 halftime lead as Jay Herrera scored his second try after following up on passing play between Kretz and outside center Dustin Webb.

Center and co-captain Royce Beaudry showed his tackle-breaking and sprinting ability with a 40 – meter try to restart the Pygmy assault eight minutes into the second half. The newcomer Fastle continued to impress by kicking the conversion for a 39-5 lead. Two minutes later 6’ 5” co-captain and lineout leaper Steve Graves supplied the day’s drama as well as Tech’s 8th try. Hotly pursued over the last 10 meters, Graves was tackled head-on into the right goalpost upright. Fortunately the fixture was well-padded and after a thorough investigation the try was awarded and the sturdy co-captain allowed to continue.

With 30 minutes left to play, San Juan’s field general Steve Hough had to retire with a pulled calf muscle, and the gates opened for the Pygmy stampede. The home team thrilled their supporters with seven more tries, all scored from long running and passing breaks through a fatigued Silverback defense. First Nelson scored an easy try from a penalty tap and pass from Herrera following a high tackle on Dustin Webb, then Herrera was rewarded with a pass from Isaiah Sanchez to advance Tech’s lead to 58-5. Bart Hegarty finished a powerful run by fellow flanker Nick Falcone, and worked hard to score again two minutes later.

The Pygmies raced to three more tries over the final 6 minutes, with two by Royce Beaudry and one by Jay Herrera. Dustin Webb converted two scores to ice Tech’s 91-5 margin of victory.

Steve Graves was named Man of the Match by his Pygmy teammates. The NMT Rugby Club will host New Mexico State University Saturday March 22 in a Rio Grande Rugby Union collegiate division matchup. The Chiles scored a three-point penalty kick to outscore the Pygmies 13-12 in a season-opening scrimmage February 23 in Las Cruces.

-NMT-

New Mexico Tech Sports Schedules

Spring 2008