Tigers Rugby Football Club began the defense of their North Division title with a 46-12 victory over Glendale Raptors RFC on Championship Field in Broomfield County Commons Park.
Under bright sunny skies, the Tigers took an early 21-0 lead on Tries (like American football touchdowns worth 5 points) by Andy Maul, Markus Harvey and Quincy Anderson (all from Holy Family HS).
Joseph Gonzales of Centaurus HS was successful on three consecutive conversion kicks (like PATs in American football, but worth 2 points each). Consistent ball movement was directed by Fly-Half Andy Maul, taking the Scrum-Half put outs from Albert Whitemore in the first half.
A young Tigers back-line got plenty of opportunities from the tremendous work by their forwards, who consolidated the loose ball and advanced toward the goal line with aggressive and fairly well organized rucks. As Tigers Rugby showed fatigue from their initial barnstorming, the talented Glendale scrum-half finished a long rambling attack and put Glendale on the board at 21-7.
Before the end of the half, Quincy Anderson, the fourth-year Tigers flanker broke it back and up the middle for his second try on the day. Gonzales missed the conversion and put the half-time score at 26-7.
Beginning the second (35-minute) half, the Glendale Raptors showed excellent preparation and adjustment with a series of alert penalty takes and successful commitment to rucking. The Raptors closed the score at 26-12 before Tigers Rugby displayed their emerging skills and explosive talent on a second try by Andy Maul, and then two in a row by Tigers' Winger Alejandro Lucero (Holy Family HS).
Lucero's tries, opening a 41-12 lead, were the finishing touches put on the fine open-field running of Charles Martinez (Pomona HS) and kicking by Stephan Therin (Alexander Dawson School). Tigers Captain Travis McKee, a flanker from Pomona High School, capped the scoring at 46-12 with a try.
The patience of Eastern Rockies Rugby Football Union's Referee Craig Tarr was tested by foul play when a Glendale player was given a yellow card and sent to the Sin Bin (like hockey's penalty box, located under the goal posts) for ten minutes. Two Tigers players (Quincy Anderson and Steven Thatcher) were disciplined with separate Yellow cards and Sin Bin time for rough play and repeatedly ignoring, and questioning the referee's call.
Markus Harvey was selected the Tigers Rugby A-side Man of the Match.
The B-side match was an intersquad scrimmage. The Tigers B-side lost a close battle with the Tigers A-side, in an overtime (sudden death) period by a score of 20-15. The Tigers B-side wore the White short sleeve polo jerseys under the mid-day sun.
Patrick Sullivan (Brighton HS) and Justin Thunell (Ralston Valley HS) contributed tries for the B-side. In purple, Matt Wilkins (Holy Family HS), and Charles Martinez (Pomona HS) knotted the score at 15. Martinez broke loose again in the overtime period, passing off to Justin Sadler near the goal line to give Sadler his first try of the year.
Tigers Rugby Football Club will face SWARM (comprised of Chatfield, Columbine, Dakota Ridge and Mullen HS students) on March 5th at Mossbrucker Park. SWARM were the 2006 Boys Colorado Youth Rugby State Champions.
On March 8th, Tigers Rugby will compete in the Spring Fling Tournament at Northwest Open Spaces in Northglenn. The Tigers will play more than 25 total matches by the end of their run in the State Championship Tournament (May 3rd-17th).
For information about Tigers Rugby Football Club, or other high school rugby programs in Colorado, go to:
www.tigersrugby. com, e-mail us, or call me at 303-506-8110.
Paul O'Brian, PT, CSCS, President
Tigers Rugby Football Club, Inc.
Secretary , Colorado Youth Rugby
c/o Accelerate Physical Therapy, PC
11651 W.64th Ave, Unit A-5
Arvada, CO 80004
xlr8pt@aol.com
Cell # (303) 506-8110
http://www.tigersrugby.com
http://www.acceleratept.com