A beautiful day for rugby in Madison
The Wolverines traveled out to Madison, Wisconsin this past Saturday to play in what turned out to be a very close and hard fought game that ended with the Wisconsin Badgers taking home the victory with a 27-18 score.
The day started off with a tough gritty game between the two A-side teams. The game started with Wisconsin taking the momentum from the kickoff and pressing down the field into Michigan territory. While Wisconsin never made too many large breaks through the Michigan line, they steadily gained ground and eventually 5 minutes into the game Badger flyhalf Jordan Heginbottom was able to squeeze over the try-line to take first blood of the game. His ensuing conversion was successful and Michigan saw themselves down 7-0 early. The Wolverines weren’t about to give up and go home however and 9 minutes of bone crunching rugby later, Matt Kasten slipped through the Wisconsin defensive line for Michigan’s first try of the game. Joel Conzelmann could not convert however, making it a 7-5 game in Wisconsin’s favor. Possession continued to switch back and forth from this point with each team quickly taking advantage of the other’s mistakes and jockeying back and forth for field position. In the 28th minute Conzelmann attempted a penalty kick but could not convert the long attempt. Later in the 35th minute he was given a chance at redemption and this time was able to put it in between the uprights, giving Michigan their first lead of the match. But Wisconsin on the ensuing possession made a break down the sideline to end up at the Michigan 5 meter line with only a few minutes to go. It seemed like the Wolverine defense would resist the Badger’s onslaught but on the last play of the half, Wisconsin was able to squeeze the ball around the end and score on the edge to end the half. The conversion was unsuccessful leaving the score at 12-8.
In the second half neither team let up and the back and forth play that marked the first half continued. Wisconsin would get on the board first once again as a Badger back slipped through the Michigan line to score in the 53rd minute. The conversion was no good and the Wisconsin lead increased to 17-8. The Wolverines had plenty of fight left in them and Chris Padmos made a breakaway on a switch line that took him 40 meters down the field only to offload to Cole Van Harn who toed the side line and carried the ball in for the last 10 meters and the score. Conzelmann could not convert the very long conversion however making it a 17-13 game with 60 minutes gone. 2 minutes later the high intensity level of the game showed itself as a Wisconsin prop was given a yellow card. The Badgers showed that even with a man down they are dangerous and scored a try up the middle by Heginbottom with his conversion extending their lead to 24-13. The Maize and Blue responded with one of their own in the 69th minute as they took a lineout from 20 meters out and mauled straight into the try zone as Drew Vecchio touched down the try for the aggressive forward score. Unfortunately Conzelmann could not convert the long attempt again.
With 10 minutes on the clock Michigan set about trying to put in just one more try to secure the win. They fought their way down the field and were knocking on Wisconsin’s door. However with 3 minutes left, the Badgers stole away possession and cleared the ball down the field. In a desperate attempt to regain the ball back as the clock wound down, the Wolverines committed a penalty and Wisconsin put the ball through the posts to secure the win with a score of 27-18 as the final seconds ticked off the clock.
1. Nick Fehrman (Arnett 59’)
2. Evan Rourke
3. Jordan Ulmer
4. Stuart Starkweather
5. Drew Vecchio
6. Aiken Andutan
7. Sequoyah Burke-Combs (Fenno 13′)
8. Cole Van Harn
9. Ian Etheart
10. Joel Conzelmann
11. Matt Kasten
12. Christian Mentzer
13. Jared Bosma (Burns So. 67’)
14. Chris Padmos
15. CJ Stock (Smart 20’)
16. Jackson Wagner
17. Ben Shapiro
18. Brennen Arnett
19. Zach Burns (Fr.)
20. Jesse Fenno (Burke-Combs 15′)
21. John Palladino
22. Zach Burns (So.)
23. Cooper Smart (Palladino 77′)
Tries: Kasten 14′, Van Harn 57′, Vecchio 69′
Pen: Conzelmann 35′
Chening Duker moving the Wolverines forward during the B match
The second match of the day saw another hard fought battle between two even teams. In similar fashion to the first game of the day, there was a great deal of back and forth and changing of possessions. Once again much like the first game, Wisconsin would again take the first score of the game. In the 25th minute the Badgers took the ball over the try line but could not convert. Again in the 30th minute poor Michigan tackling let Wisconsin score an unconverted try to make it 10-0. Michigan #8 Chening Duker was active all day and responded 4 minutes later to get the Wolverines on the board. However this try was also unconverted making the score 10-5. Wisconsin ended out the half strong however on the last play with a try of their own through constant pressure in the Michigan half. Once again the conversion was unsuccessful on a windy day ending the half with a score of 15-5 in favor of the Badgers.
The Wolverines weren’t going out without a fight and in the second half they mounted a comeback spearheaded by fullback Tohy Rakotovololona. Starting in the 48th minute Rakotovololona put a penalty kick straight through the posts to decrease Michigan’s deficit to 15-8. 3 minutes later Rakotovololona followed it up with a slippery try through the Wisconsin defensive line. He could not convert this try however. In the 58th minute another penalty attempt was presented to Rakotovololona and once again the ball sailed straight through the uprights, giving the Wolverines their first lead of the game at 16-15. However, in heartbreaking fashion much like the game before it, Wisconsin pulled off the win in the final minutes when on the last play of the game they put the ball over the try line once more and gained the victory with a score of 20-16.
1. Ben Shapiro
2. Jackson Wagner (Sawyer 40’)
3. Nick Azzopardi
4. Zach Burns (Fr.)
5. Jason Anthony
6. Jesse Fenno
7. Cameron Watson
8. Chening Duker
9. Max Arevuo
10. Zach Burns (So.)
11. Kevin Linder
12. Riley Hanson
13. Matt Ko (Griffin 40’)
14. Mark Borowski
15. Tohy Rakotovololona
16. Travis Sawyer
17. Cody Griffin
Tries: Duker 34′, Rakotovololona 51′
Pens: Rakotovololona 48′, 58′
The action continued in the C game as both sides put out some new faces for a 60 minute match. Keeping with the theme, Wisconsin got on the board first as the Wolverines struggled with tackling. Down 7-0 after two minutes wasn’t a good sign for the Men in Blue. But Michigan pushed into the Badger half and quick ball to Sophomore Zack Burns allowed him to dummy and score from 15 meters out. He converted the try and the game was tied up.
An error on the ensuing kickoff allowed UW back in Michigan territory. Some great passing in the back line put a wing away in the corner. No conversion. The Badgers continued to find space out wide and were able to dot down before and after half time, running out to a 22-7 lead. Michigan fought back though. Hard running from center Matt Ko got him in the try zone. Shortly after, a long break by Chening Duker saw Michigan add five more. Ko converted Duker’s try and the Wolverines were only down three, 19-22.
With less than ten to go, Wisconsin worked phases into the Michigan half down the left sideline. Once near the goal line, picks from the base of the ruck allowed the Badgers to squeeze in what would ultimately be the winning try. Down eight, 19-27, Michigan needed two scores to win. They got one from freshman Nick Azzopardi, his first career try. Time remained for U of M to score again but Wisconsin defended well in their own half and kicked the ball out for the three point victory, 24-27.
1. Nick Azzopardi
2. Jackson Wagner
3. Darsh Khosla
4. Jason Anthony
5. Mike Manzano
6. Cam Watson
7. Nolan Webb
8. Jesse Fenno
9. Albert Foo
10. Mark Borowski
11. Kevin Cheng
12. Matt Ko
13. Cody Griffin
14. Drew Calcaterra
15. Kevin Linder
16. Travis Sawyer
17. Zack Burns
18. Zack Burns
19. Chening Duker
20. Chris Padmos
Tries: Burns So. 15′, Ko 45′, Chening 50′, Azzopardi 57′
Cons: Burns So. 15′, Ko 50′
