Tech Ruggers One Point Shy in Scrimmage

by Dave Wheelock, rugby director

Front Row, L to R: Bart Hegarty, Joe Tyson, Matt Nelson.
Second Row: Jay Herrera (the Guvner), Justin Guthrie (Guppy), Mason Timm, Alex Plonczak, Waylin Sieler, Isaiah Sanchez, James Fallt, Mike Anguti.
Third Row: Marcus Chavez, Nick Falcone, Britt Catron
Back Row: Lee Tu, John Amdahl, Dustin Webb (DWebb), Brendan La Counte (BLC), Max Crowning (Thunderpants), Steve Graves, Ben Fuller, Nick McCarthy (Mr. McC), Royce Beaudrdy, Cody McFarland (Mr. McF).

SOCORRO, N.M., Feb. 28, 2008 -- Last Saturday (Feb. 23) in Las Cruces, Chad Thompson of the New Mexico State University Rugby Club connected with a late penalty kick to edge his team past New Mexico Tech, 13-12. As the spring season opener for both clubs, four twenty-minute periods replaced the rugby standard of two 40-minute halves to allow both teams to introduce new players into the mix.

New Mexico Tech was able to sprinkle five new players into the fifteen-man playing squad and also try different combinations of player positions. The two teams will square off again in Socorro for an official Rio Grande Rugby Union match on March 22.

Before Thompson's kick, the Socorro team held a two-point lead via five-point tries (touchdowns) scored by Dustin Webb and Jay Herrera, plus a two-point conversion kick of Herrera's try by Matt Nelson. The Chiles responded with two tries of their own, scored by Thompson and Ray Baca.

The Pygmies carry a 13 win, 3 loss fall record into a challenging spring campaign. Highlights include

• the official New Mexico State match (March 22, at home in Socorro),
• a weekend trip on April 5 and 6 to play perennial national division one powerhouse Air Force Academy's B side and Colorado College's A side in Colorado Springs,
• and the inaugural Celtic Sevens tournament, new feature of Albuquerque's Celtic Festival on May 17.

In addition, the Tech club will serve as volunteers for USA Rugby's National Collegiate Championship tournament in Albuquerque April 18-20, featuring 1500 athletes from 48 teams in women's and men's divisions one and two.

This Saturday, Tech will take on the Brujo Rugby Club in Albuquerque. Kickoff is at 2 p.m. at St. Pius X Field. Last September 8, the Pygmies held on to win 29-24 after racing to a 22-0 halftime lead.

-NMT-