Intersquad Championships Brings a New Champion (Finally)

My apologies to all those reading on the late article, it was a busy week leading up to spring break and being on tour in Costa Rica (which will also have a write up) I did not bring a laptop along. Also a lot of names were left out this week because nobody was manning the camera for film so without zoom it is difficult to identify players. That being said, let the write ups begin!

On Friday, February 20, UMRFC held the final round of the intersquad 7s tournament. With an excellent crowd turnout including family members, friends, and in some cases entire halls of freshman dorms filling the bleachers that crowded the sideline, every player of each team brought their A-game to impress the fans and fight for the prize. In 2013 and 2014, Ross was the dominant champion and winner of the plate, but in 2015 all that has changed.

Here are the standings after last week, and the schedule for the night follows:

Standings going into finals:

Championship Night Schedule:
2nd place plays 3rd place to advance to final
1st place plays 4th place to advance to final
7s match from the Women’s’ team
5th place plays 6th place to get not last
Losers of the first two matches play for 3rd and 4th place
Winners of the first two matches play for The Plate and 2nd place

Game 1: Mary Sue Coleman 17 vs Duderstadt 26

Mary Sue kicked off to The Dudes to start the game and The Dudes were looking good until a risky one handed lob as a Dude got tackled meant an easy interception for Mary Sue by Jordan Ulmer (a member of Canham who subbed in for the Sues, much to the chagrin of Duderstadt). Jordan gets to the 5 meter line but gets tackled and injured with a sprained ankle play continues until the Sues punch in a try a couple phases later. Conversion is no good, Sues lead (5-0). Sues kick the ball out of bounds on the kickoff, and The Dudes respond with a quick lineout and big breaks by Jesse Fenno and Cooper Smart. The Dudes continue to move the ball to the edges and getting number advantages until it gets moved back to Smart on the wing 20 meters out. Smart breaks around the outside and runs to the middle, scoring a try for the Dudes. Conversion is good and The Dudes take the lead (5-7). SueKrew responds with aggressive nonstop play and powerful running to score again on the edge just 2 minutes later. The conversion is good and Sues take the lead back (12-5). Sues win back their kickoff but an unfortunate knock on turns the ball back over. Dudes win the scrum and move the ball until Travis Sawyer gets a huge break cutting back through the middle and gains 50 meters. Unfortunately he gets stopped short and The Dudes lose possession a few phases later to a penalty. Sues put in some good runs on The Dudes and march the ball forward until Tohy Rakatovololona tried to grubber it past The Dudes’ defense. Dudes recovered the kick and marched all the way down the field with time already out for the first half. Just 5 meters short of the try line, The Dudes got pushed out of bounds and the half ended, Sues leading (12-5).

Sues received the kickoff to start the first half and Sequoyah Combes caught the ball and made a huge 70 meter solo break before getting tackled 15 meters short of the tryline. Things were looking good for the SueKrew but they get called on a diving over penalty following Sequoyah’s break. The Dudes take a quick tap and go and make one pass to Andre Cargill, who breaks the line and runs 90 meters to score, putting Duderstadt back in the lead. Conversion is good, Dudes leading (12-14). A possession battle ensues in The Dudes’ end as both teams go for poaches and make knockons until Nate Fisher intercepts and Sue pass out of a ruck and makes an easy 90 meter break to score. Conversion is solid and Dudes lead (12-21). Cargill breaks the line again a minute later and offloads to Guy Burke, who almost makes t to the try line but gets stopped short by Combes. No matter though, as The Dudes move the ball out quickly and score in the next phase. Conversion no good and Dudes still lead (12-26). Sues receive the kickoff and move the ball to the sideline where a ruck is formed. Sequoyah picks the ball and and runs to the narrow but poorly protected weak side to make a 50 meter break and score for Mary Sue with just 40 seconds remaining. Conversion is no good as it is rushed and Dudes still lead (17-26) with nearly no time left. Off the kickoff, Dudes kick the ball out of bounds and take the victory (17-26), advancing to the final.

Game 2: Ross 19 vs Jones 14

Be forewarned, this game was a real heartbreaker. The match started with some hard and creative offense by Jones, but it was matched by Ross’ tough and disciplined defense. After Ross took possession from Jones about 2 minutes in, the situation was reversed. Ross was now running tough creative offense but was having trouble advancing against the tough defense of Jones. There were many poaches. such tackles. so rugby. wow. Joel Conzelmann finally breaks the line after nearly 5 minutes of even play. He gets all the way to the try line but Zack Boourns puts on a good chase and forces Joel to knockon the ball before he has the chance to touch it down. However, Ross wins back the scrum and punches the ball into the tryline. Conversion is good and Ross leads (7-0). Jones gets the ball off the kickoff and run fancy switches and unders lines to put some meters on Ross. With just 3 seconds in the first half remaining, Boourns runs a fat switch with Matt Kasten and slips through Ross’ defense. Boourns touches the ball down in the middle but unfortunately the conversion goes underneath the crossbar. Ross leads at the end of the half (7-5).

Ross gets pulled out of bounds shortly after the initial kickoff of the first half, but win back the lineout. Off the quick turnover Ross was able to break the line and score early. Conversion is good and Ross further their lead (14-5). Jones responds off the following kickoff with excellent ball movement and smart offloads. They get consistent half-breaks and march towards Ross’ tryline until they punch it in on the edge. Conversion does it make it but Jones is catching up (14-10). In the next two minutes both teams nearly scored but lost possession within 10 meters of the tryline until a Jones player broke the line the center of the field and ran 40 meters for a try and put Jones in the lead with only 1 minute left! Conversion doesn’t make it, Jones leads (14-15). All Jones had to do was hold on for 30 more seconds then get the ball out of play. Ross had other plans and had a great offensive push with some greats defensive stops by Jones, but eventually Cole Van Harn would get the ball into the try zone and Ross advances to the final (19-15).

Game 3: Canham 34 vs Oosterbaan 7

The game started with a near score by Canham, but Oosterbaan was able to shut them down and turn the ball over just short of the tryline. Play stayed within Oosterbaan’s 20 meters until Canham took the ball back and scored. Conversion is good and Canham leads (7-0). Canham scores again off the following kickoff after a bad pass by Oosterbaan that gave Canham possession. Off the ruck, the weakside was left completely unguarded and Drew Vecchio ran an easy 20 meters to score untouched. Conversion is no good and Canham still leads (12-0). Canham wouldnt let up the pressure though, and score again just a minute later.Conversion is no good, Canham leading (17-0). With a minute left in the half, Canham scores again after Drew Vecchio hits a wide gap in Oosterbaan’s defense with pace and scores another try untouched. Conversion no good, Canham leads (22-0). With time already out, Ron Marine performs what looks a lot like a box kick in open field but catches it himself and dishes it to the sideline before getting tackled. However a penalty is called for a forward pass on the following play and the half ends with Canham leading (22-0).

Canham scores again 2.5 minutes into the half after excellent ball distribution during a big break. Conversion no good, Canham still leads (27-0). Oosterbaan finally gets some points on the board after winning a lineout 20 meters from Canham’s tryline and make a break off of one pass to score in the middle. Conversion is good, Canham up (27-7). Canham responds with a run straight up the middle by Jeremy Reid right off of the kickoff and scores untouched. Canham pushes their lead (34-7).

Game 4: Mary Sue (heart) vs. Jones (honor)

Sadly this game was not caught on film, and I am unsure of the result. But what I can tell you is this game was played with heart, by all the handsome and charismatic members of both teams and sportsmanship was priority number one. Both teams receive 3.5th place.

Final: Ross 12 vs Duderstadt 19

The final match was played with 10 minute halves rather than the usual 7, and was very close and exciting until the end. Dudes receive the kick to start the game and patiently move the ball downfield without taking any risks to maintain possession and gain meters. Dudes advance slowly but consistently, but an unfortunate knock on 15 meters out turns the ball over. Chening Duker gets a big break for 60 meters to give Ross some freedom, but Andre Cargill takes a hard angle to cut him off and slow him down, Travis Sawyer makes the tackle from behind. A few phases later, Ross bobbles a pass and The Dudes recover the ball. Dudes patiently move the ball downfield against Ross, passing a lot and playing conservatively to maintain possession and gradually gain meters. 4 minutes into the game, Dudes score first when the move the ball wide to Andre Cargill who catches the high pass one handed and gets around the defense and throws out a stiff arm to run 15 meters into the try zone. Conversion is good and Dudes lead (0-7). Ross responds with a big break by Meng Shi off of the following kickoff, getting Ross to the 20 meter line early. In the next phase the ball gets passed to Chening Duker who exploits a gap in the middle and touches the ball down in the middle of the try zone. Kick is no good and Ross trails (5-7). Both sides play a very evenly matched game for the next 2 minutes until Duker gets a poach and breaks 60 meters, almost scoring a try, but Nate Fisher puts on and excellent chase and stops him short, then Ross gets called for not releasing when Fish tries to poach. Dudes have the ball on their own 10 meter line. They manage to move it out but the ball is played in the middle of the field by both teams for the rest of the first half until the end. Ross leads the first half (7-5).

Both teams played hard defense and moved the ball very well against eachother for the first 3 minutes of the half. Both made it very difficult for the other to score a try until the ball got moved to Nate Fisher out on the wing, who was able to reach his arm out with the ball in hand to get a try as he was getting tackled on the edge. Conversion is no good and Dudes lead (5-12). Ross has a quick response when Chening Duker picks the ball up off a ruck at center field and gives a stiff arm to make a break. Andre Cargill stop him though just 5 meters short of the tryline and Dudes get the ball back when Duker is called for not releasing when Dudes try to poach. Dudes try to get the ball out but give up possession when they get called for not releasing. Ross has a second chance but they lose the ball just short again to a poach. Dudes pass the ball back and forth until John Palladino makes a great break for 60 meters then offloads to Fish on a switch line and Fish makes a clear break to the try zone. The conversion is good and The Dudes lead (5-19) with 3.5 minutes remaining. Both teams battle hard, Ross with urgency to score with a deficit and little time remaining, and Dudes with focus and maintaining ball possession and not missing any tackles to maintain the lead. With 10 seconds left, Ross does a quick tap and go off of a penalty and Chening Duker makes a break for 70 meters to score a try with time already out. The conversion is good and Dudes win the championship (12-19).

Final Results:
1) Duderstadt
2) Ross
3.5) Mary Sue Coleman
3.5) Jones
5) Canham
6) Oosterbaan

A big thank you to all the fans who came out to support us in our final week of intersquad sevens. We have a busy schedule coming up for both 15s and 7s matches, and we look forward to you supporting us at our home games. Remember, always ruck hard and with passion and GO BLUE!!