LAFAYETTE, Colo. – The West Conference opened its season with matches in Albuquerque and Logan, Utah, but it was visiting Wyoming and Air Force that won on the road against New Mexico and Utah State, respectively.
There were few scoring opportunities in the first half of the Cowboys’ 33-24 victory against the Lobos. Prop Michael Lewis dotted down for Wyoming less than five minutes into the match, but Lewis’ five points would be the only ones scored in the opening half. “There were long periods of play where neither side could sustain multiple-phase play long enough to score, yet during those periods there were flashes of teamwork that were nice to see,” said Wyoming Head Coach Dave Finnoff of the lackluster first half. The ball finally began to find hands in the second period, and Wyoming exploded for four tries in the opening 10 minutes of the second half, including a second score by Lewis. “Michael Lewis was definitely our player of the game,” Finnoff said of his mobile prop. “When he goes, the team follows. His high work rate on offense and defense was the key to our team finishing the match on top.” New Mexico eventually found its own footing on attack and began to chip away at the Cowboys’ lead. First, full back David De Vos slotted a penalty kick before he and flanker Tyler Davis bagged tries to bring the score to 33-24. “Our inexperience and playing people out of position as the team fought to deal with the effects of three yellow cards caught up to us, and we made some defensive mistakes and let New Mexico through,” explained Finnoff. “Give credit to New Mexico for keeping up their effort and coming back strong and fully exploiting our mistakes.” The Lobos’ rebuttal, however, was too little too late, and Wyoming returned home with a nine-point win. Grigor Kerdikoshvili scored 14 points and James Hanley led a stout Air Force defense to a 29-17 win over Utah State in the Aggies’ very first contest as a member of the West Conference. “The match was an excellent opportunity for the players to learn about adapting to the field and play,” said Air Force Head Coach Denny Merideth. “Utah State played a very spirited match with excellent support from their local fans.” The Aggies took a 3-0 lead off the boot of Jeff Clark at the eight-minute mark. The opening penalty kick was followed by alternating tries by the two squads, leading to a 17-10 advantage for the Zoomies. Air Force extended its lead to 29-10 following tries by Kerdikoshvili and Chase Bockstruck, but Utah State refused to end its first D1A Rugby fixture quietly. Aggie eight man Marty Johnson added a late try that Clark converted to make the final score a very respectable 29-17. “Credit goes where credit is due to the Utah State players,” said Merideth about Air Force’s inability to further extend its lead. “For our part, we did not adapt well to the circumstances and lost many an opportunity through not paying attention to the touch and try lines, as well as simply not finding the handle on the ball.” Utah State will play its first West match as a visiting team next weekend against a Wyoming side that has a 2-0 start on its mind, but knows it won’t come easily. “They are a good team,” Finnoff said of the Aggies. “We will have to play our best to deal with them.” The Zoomies will take a step back from West competition to play military rival Navy Friday, Sept. 30, for the Col. Kevin Shea Cup at the Air Force Academy. Home team listed first; winning team in bold:
NR = Not reported (yet) | Scores are reported by referees and/or CMS entry Men's Club Division 2 Denver Barbarians D2 10-10 Boulder Rugby Park City Haggis 55-29 Denver Harlequins Men's Club Division 3 Colorado Springs Grizzlies 10-31 Denver Highlanders Northern Colorado Flamingos 14-73 Queen City Rams Men's Club Division 4 Colorado Rush 17-88 Boulder Rugby D4 Colorado Springs Grizzlies D4 26-31 Littleton Eagles Marauders Rugby vs. Denver Harlequins D4 [postponed to October 22] Men's College Division 1A New Mexico 24-33 Wyoming Utah 20-36 Colorado State Utah State 17-29 Air Force Men's College Division 2 Colorado Mesa 15-88 Colorado Mines Women's Club Division 2: Boulder Babes NR-NR Mid-Missouri Black Sheep Women's College Division 2 Colorado Mesa 62-5 Colorado Mines UCCS 0-67 Wyoming Women's College - Small College Regis 71-10 Chadron State Women's Premier League (Club): Berkeley All Blues 0-44 Glendale Raptors LAFAYETTE, Colo. – The 2016 West Conference title appears up for grabs. Last year’s conference champion, the University of Utah, will play out its West schedule that was penciled in prior to the PAC Rugby Conference joining D1A. So while the Utes will play each member of the West, Utah will not factor into the standings and will be in contention for a PAC Conference title in the spring.
The Utes’ exit makes Utah State University’s alignment with the West all the more important. Following an impressive 2015-16 season playing as a D1AA Independent, the Aggies are making the bold move to D1A Rugby and the West Conference. Utah’s departure opens the door for the conference’s traditional powers to reclaim their place at the top of the West. The Air Force Academy might be the team to seize that opportunity. The Zoomies won the conference two years ago and opened their season by thumping Utah, 66-26. The University of Colorado, Colorado State and Wyoming have also had their own runs as the West’s best and it wouldn’t be out of the question to see one of the three rise to the top in 2016. New Mexico, on the other hand, has struggled mightily since its 2014 return to the conference. While the Lobos are expected to be much improved, a legitimate shot at the West title is still a year or two away. The United States Air Force Academy Air Force has hopes of being a better team in 2016 now that Denny Merideth is in his second season as head coach at the Academy, and the program’s 40-point win over Utah last weekend is an early indication the team will indeed be better. “This year we expect the team to grow by leaps and bounds,” expressed Merideth. “Last year every player and coach made a commitment to solidify the team around a new culture of play. The foundation was laid last year and over the next few years we will build on that foundation so that the team will sustain a higher level of competition.” Air Force laid its foundation, in part, by spending the spring semester playing the very best in the country. From February to March the Zoomies left the Air Force Academy to play Cal, BYU, Life and Saint Mary’s. Although the results weren’t in favor of the Zoomies, the harsh lessons on the road gave the team a glimpse of what it takes to play with the top programs in the nation. “These experiences led to an understanding by the players of the play necessary to compete at the highest levels,” Merideth explained. “This year’s team is virtually the same as last year, so those experiences will translate directly into the preparation for the entire year both from a personal player perspective and the team’s perspective.” It’s not only growing familiarity between players and coaches or the difficult slate of games from last year that have Air Force looking like a conference champion contender. There is a ton of talent returning to the military academy, as well. Amongst the starters from that year that take back their jersey this season is Air Force’s best back and forward from 2015. Ben Burmester was one of the best backs in the West last season and will captain this year’s team from the inside center position. Similarly, Grigor Kerdikoshvili was one of the best forwards in the conference a year ago and will marshal the pack. Last year Kerdikoshvili played both second and third row, but will mostly factor into the Zoomies’ loose trio this season. Like Burmester and Kerdikoshvili, Joey Carl, Colin Culver and Elliot Higgin were All-Conference selections in 2015 and are again in form for Air Force. So too was Hunter Hancock, but he unfortunately suffered a broken leg in training last week and will miss the fall season. Note: No preview was available for September 16-18 due to the 49th Annual Aspen Ruggerfest.
As the leaves begin to turn in the mountains, many teams similarly hope their early-season fortunes will turn as well. In Men's Club Division 2, Boulder Rugby got off to a slow start at home against Glendale, and will look to course-correct against the Denver Barbarians this weekend. Boulder is 3-0 against the Barbarians in the past two seasons, but it was also 3-1 against Glendale heading into last weekend's match. Boulder playmakers Sean Kilfoyle and Paul Rohr will have to elevate the team's play if it hopes to counteract the formidable Barbarian pack. In their home opener against the Harlequins last weekend, the Barbos saw prop Mark DeGuire go across the line twice, and the Barbarians are always relentless at the breakdown. In the Barbarian backline, both Lance Eberhard and Ryan Walker once again put a spark in the team's dynamism. The Denver Harlequins have a much more difficult road to climb - both literally and figuratively - as they travel to Utah to take on Park City Haggis. After a disappointing home opener, the Quins will hope to catch Haggis off-guard as Denver coach Angus Peacock takes the reigns for a second full year. Park City has struggled with player loss from the advent of the Rugby Utah Men's Division, and will likely be hurting for depth until Spring. That being said, the veterans that remain for Haggis should provide the club plenty of firepower. Harlequin wing Paul Bordenkircher was spectacular in week 1, and the Quins' ability to get him the ball in space could prove the difference in the final score. In Men's Club Division 3, the Northern Colorado Flamingos and Queen City Rams both look to get their seasons started against each other. Queen City is 14-2 in D3 in the past two seasons, but the Flamingos have been right at their heels, going 10-6 in the same time period. Last season, NoCo only lost to Queen City by three points (20-23), falling to a Ryan Clemons penalty kick in the 77th minute that sealed the game for Ctiy. For both teams, an early win in Fort Collins could give them significant momentum as they battle through a significantly-improved Division 3 schedule. Elsewhere in D3, the relegated Colorado Springs Grizzlies hope to continue their hot start against the defending champion Denver Highlanders. In week 1, the Grizzlies made short work of a Glendale D3 side that went 5-2 last season, defeating them at Infinity Park South by a score of 56-12. The Colorado Springs' attack is said to be much improved, and consists of a number of players that opponents often underestimate, including fullback Tim Cornelius. The Grizzlies are also guided by the steady leadership of Sam "Irish" McGee in the front row. The Highlanders are no pushover, however, and this match is sure to speak volumes about the direction of this year's competition. Against the Harlequins' reserves in week 1, the Highlanders were similarly impressive, defeating the Quins 57-14, with the last 7 of 14 only coming from a try at the death. The Highlanders have weapons at virtually every position, including arguably the strongest tight-five in the league, and have the steady hand of Adam Price leading them from the flyhalf position. Price was good for nearly 12 points/game in 2015-2016, and is known for putting his teammates into space for quick strikes from every angle. Division 4 action continues this weekend as well, as the Littleton Eagles hope to get off on a strong foot against the Colorado Springs reserves. The Grizzlies' D4 side defeated the Colorado Rush 90-7 in week 1, but will also be facing the Eagles on the same day their first team goes against the Highlanders. Littleton is something of an unknown entity, but they can be quite formidable when they have all their players in form. Both sides hope to finish in the top four of this year's 8-team Division 4 competition, and this match will go a long ways towards determining the ability to do just that. The Rush hope to be vastly improved this weekend as they take on the Boulder reserves. Boulder's depth was tested in week 1, winning a high-scoring affair with the Marauders. If their defense doesn't improve, there's potential for another shootout, as the Rush's ability to score isn't in question if they can keep the ball in hand. Getting, and keeping, the ball will ultimately decide how well the Rush execute this weekend as they look for their first win of the season. The Marauders-Harlequins Division 4 match has been postponed to Saturday, October 22. Glendale heads to Berkeley in the Women's Premier League, as the two-time defending WPL Champions must face the most historically-successful club in women's club history on its own home ground. The match is also a rematch of the 2015 WPL Championship Final. In the first two rounds of play, Glendale has ground out two tough victories over the San Diego Surfers and Oregon Sports Union (ORSU), but Berkeley has more or less seen its wheels fall off and will need this win to get its season back on track. Last week, the All Blues lost to the Surfers by a score of 69-7. The Boulder Babes host the Mid-Missouri Black Sheep in Women's Club Division 2 play. The Babes had a spirited exhibition session in Aspen last weekend, and look to return to the playoffs for the third year in a row. Hosting the Black Sheep should be a first step on that pathway, as the Columbia, Missouri-based side didn't offer much difficulty for the Babes last year in a match that saw Boulder victorious, 48-5. ----------------------------- In the college ranks, Wyoming travels to New Mexico in a match that is must-win for both teams. For Wyoming, a win will demonstrate their back on the ascendancy; for New Mexico, this is one of their most-winnable games on a very daunting West D1A schedule. In Salt Lake City, a high-profile friendly between Utah and Colorado State will have national eyes on it. Utah is a question mark to many at the moment, having shockingly lost to Air Force in their first match of the season. Whether Air Force is that good, or Utah is rebuilding, should be seen by the result against Colorado State. The Rams are an excellent team, and this match could be a big rankings-mover in D1A. Utah State makes its D1A debut against Air Force. The Aggies have scores of Utah-based talent that's graduated from the state's impressive high school system, but Air Force looks to be firing on all cylinders. This match will be a good benchmark game for both teams as the West D1A Conference slowly starts to reveal itself. In Men's College Division 2, Colorado Mines is looking to redeem itself after an early-season upset loss to Western State last weekend. They'll face a Colorado Mesa team that beat UCCS 17-13 last weekend, which was a much closer match than the contest between Mines and UCCS, which Mines won 46-10. Mines and Mesa will also meet in Women's College Division 2, though expectations might be trending the other direction. Mines looked impressive in their 55-10 defeat of Wyoming, but Mesa looked unstoppable as it defeated UCCS 101-0 last weekend. Wyoming and UCCS will face each other as well, and the South Division of the conference should have a much clearer understanding of itself after this round of matches. ----------------------------- Men's Club Division 2 Denver Barbarians D2 vs. Boulder Rugby Park City Haggis vs. Denver Harlequins Men's Club Division 3: Colorado Springs Grizzlies vs. Denver Highlanders Northern Colorado Flamingos vs. Queen City Rams Men's Club Division 4: Marauders Rugby vs. Denver Harlequins D4 [postponed] Colorado Springs D4 vs. Littleton Eagles Colorado Rush vs. Boulder Rugby D4 Men's College Division 1A: New Mexico vs. Wyoming #7 Utah vs. #20 Colorado State Utah State vs. #12 Air Force Men's College Division 2: Colorado Mesa vs. Colorado Mines Women's Premier League (Club): Berkeley All Blues vs. Glendale Raptors Women's Club Division 2: Boulder Babes vs. Mid-Missouri Black Sheep Women's College Division 2: Colorado Mines vs. Colorado Mesa UCCS vs. Wyoming **This report has been updated; it originally reported scores from the 48th Annual Aspen Ruggerfest.
Home team listed first; winning team in bold: NR = Not reported (yet) | Scores are reported by referees and/or CMS entry Men's College Division 1A #12 Air Force 66-26 #7 Utah Men's College Division 2 Colorado Mines 28-34 Western State UCCS 13-17 Colorado Mesa Air Force B 71-10 Colorado Mesa Montana State 20-0 Metro State Women's College Division 2 Colorado Mines 55-10 Wyoming UCCS 0-101 Colorado Mesa Men's College/Club Friendlies Colorado State 63-17 Denver Colorado State B 13-28 Northern Colorado Women's College/Club Friendlies Regis 15-24 Colorado ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Special Feature | 49th Annual Aspen Rugggerfest Report: 49th Annual Aspen Ruggerfest (Club) Men's Open Final: Goslings Dark 'n Stormy Misfits 47-20 Gentlemen of Aspen Women's Open Final: Goslings Gold MissFits 15-0 Black Ice Rugby Men's Over-35 (Masters) Final: Goslings Dark 'n Stormy Misfits 17-12 Gentlemen of Aspen Men's Over-45 Final: Goslings Dark 'n Stormy Misfits 30-8 Olympic Club Rugby Men's Over-50 Final: Virginia Cardinals 17-8 Boulder Rugby Men's Over-55 Final: Virginia Cardinals 31-15 Florida Gators Men's Club Division 2:
Boulder Rugby 18-37 Glendale Raptors D2 Park City Haggis 20-0 Provo Steelers Denver Harlequins 22-37 Denver Barbarians D2 Men's Club Division 3: Denver Highlanders 57-14 Denver Harlequins D3 Glendale Raptors D3 12-56 Colorado Springs Grizzlies Men's Club Division 4: Colorado Rush 7-91 Colorado Springs Grizzlies D4 Boulder Rugby D4 69-31 Marauders Rugby Laramie Lumberjacks 57-12 Queen City Rams D4 Littleton Eagles 20-0 Colorado Stags Men's College Division 2: Colorado Mines 46-10 UCCS Air Force B 43-34 Metro State Colorado Mesa 22-43 Colorado College Men's Club/College Friendlies Colorado Mines B 8-50 Littleton Eagles Women's Premier League (Club): Glendale Raptors 28-26 San Diego Surfers Women's College Division 1 Air Force 66-10 Colorado Women's College Division 2 Colorado Mesa 92-5 Colorado College Wyoming NR-NR Colorado Mines Women's Club/College Friendlies Glendale B 37-7 San Diego Surfers B Air Force B 32-7 Colorado Mines B Black Ice NR-NR Regis Article by Alex Solomon | Originally published at d1arugby.com LAFAYETTE, Colo. – The 12-team field and opening round matchups for the 2016 D1A Playoffs have been set. D1A’s postseason begins with a four-game first round April 16 and will conclude May 7 with the D1A Final, part of the 2016 USA Rugby College 15s National Championships at Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, Calif.
Indiana, Life, Saint Mary’s, and Utah earned first round byes after claiming conference championships, and won’t feature in the April 16 opening round of D1A’s four-week playoff. Instead, Air Force, Lindenwood, LSU, and San Diego State will have the luxury of playing at home in the first round, while Arizona, Cal Poly, Davenport, and Wheeling Jesuit will be on the road. |
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