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 Saturday, March 7
Pacific Rugby Premiership Glendale Raptors 35-21 Denver Barbarians Women's Premier League Friendly Glendale Raptors 51-17 Twin Cities Amazons Men's College Division 1A Colorado 31-5 New Mexico Colorado State 34-5 Air Force Men's Club Division 2 Denver Barbarians D2 33-29 Glendale Raptors D2 Men's Small College (NSCRO) Frontier Conference Playoffs - Champions Cup Semi-Finals New Mexico Highlands 73-5 Western State Colorado School of Mines 31-22 Denver Men's Small College (NSCRO) Frontier Conference Playoffs - Challenge Cup Semi-Finals Northern Colorado 50-14 Colorado - Colorado Springs Red Rocks 31-10 Colorado Mesa Men's Club & College Friendlies Queen City Rams NR Denver Highlanders (scrimmage also played with Glendale) Denver Harlequins vs. Northern Colorado Flamingos Colorado Springs Grizzlies 54-5 Northside Marauders Colorado College 43-0 Colorado State - Pubelo Women's Club & College Friendlies Glendale Raptors II 29-14 Colorado State Sunday, March 8 Women's Club Division 1 Twin Cities Amazons 36-15 Denver Black Ice Men's Small College (NSCRO) Frontier Conference Playoffs - Champions Cup Final New Mexico Highlands 46-27 Colorado School of Mines Men's Small College (NSCRO) Frontier Conference Playoffs - Challenge Cup Final Northern Colorado 41-20 Red Rocks Women's Club & College Friendlies Colorado College vs. Red Rocks This weekend brings a host of high-quality rugby to the Rocky Mountains, including a rematch of the 2014 WPL Championship and the always-scintillating local derby between the Glendale Raptors and Denver Barbarians at Glendale's Infinity Park stadium.
In November 2014, the Glendale Raptors (women) defeated the reigning (2013) WPL champions, the Twin Cities Amazons, in a classic match at Life University's Championship Rugby Field in Marietta, Georgia. Down 10-8 at halftime, the Raptors stormed back with the guidance of WPL MVP Hannah Stolba to eke out a 16-15 victory that was only secure when an Amazons' conversion attempt fell short with one minute remaining. This weekend's friendly rematch will serve as the stadium opener at 1:00 PM. Following that match, the 2014 PRP Finalist Glendale Raptors men's squad will take on the historic local powerhouse Denver Barbarians at 3:00 PM. Matches between these sides are usually the best men's rugby matches each year in Colorado. This year, Glendale and Denver enter the match sitting 2nd and 6th (respectively), after each squad struggled early on the road. With momentum now behind them, and fewer trips to California remaining, each side is capable of ending the weekend in the PRP's top two with a victory. Elsewhere in the Rockies, the Men's Small College (NSCRO) Frontier Conference playoffs will take place at Infinity Park South and the University of Denver, and the premier division of men's collegiate rugby, Division 1A, resumes with high-profile matches between New Mexico and Colorado, as well as Colorado State and Air Force. Be sure to check out these matches live to support your local rugby community! Saturday, March 7 Pacific Rugby Premiership 3:00 PM - Infinity Park | Glendale Raptors vs. Denver Barbarians Women's Premier League Friendly 1:00 PM - Infinity Park | Glendale Raptors vs. Twin Cities Amazons Men's College Division 1A 1:00 PM - University Field | New Mexico vs. Colorado 1:00 PM - Colorado State Rugby Field | Colorado State vs. Air Force Men's Club Division 2 1:00 PM - Infinity Park South | Glendale Raptors D2 vs. Denver Barbarians D2 Men's Small College (NSCRO) Frontier Conference Playoffs - Champions Cup Semi-Finals 3:00 PM - Infinity Park South | New Mexico Highlands vs. Western State 4:30 PM - Infinity Park South | Denver vs. Colorado School of Mines Men's Small College (NSCRO) Frontier Conference Playoffs - Challenge Cup Semi-Finals 6:00 PM - University of Denver Rugby Field | Colorado - Colorado Springs vs. Northern Colorado 7:30 PM - University of Denver Rugby Field | Colorado Mesa vs. Red Rocks Men's Club & College Friendlies 9:00 AM - Infinity Park South | Queen City Rams vs. Denver Highlanders 3:30 PM - Parkfield Lake Park | Denver Harlequins vs. Northern Colorado Flamingos 4:30 PM - Williams Field | Northside Marauders vs. Colorado Springs Grizzlies 7:00 PM - Washburn Stadium | Colorado College vs. Colorado State - Pubelo Women's Club & College Friendlies 11:00 AM - Infinity Park South | Glendale Raptors II vs. Colorado State Sunday, March 8 Women's Club Division 1 1:00 PM - Dick's Sporting Goods Park #8 | Denver Black Ice vs. Chicago North Shore Men's Small College (NSCRO) Frontier Conference Playoffs - Champions Cup Final 10:00 AM - University of Denver Rugby Field | TBD vs. TBD Men's Small College (NSCRO) Frontier Conference Playoffs - Challenge Cup Final 12:00 PM - University of Denver Rugby Field| TBD vs. TBD Women's Club & College Friendlies 1:00 PM - Red Rocks Rugby Field | Colorado College vs. Red Rocks There may not be many D1A matchups this weekend involving two teams at or near the top of their conference’s standings, but there are plenty of teams that currently sit in the middle of the pack and need wins to get into a conference championship conversation.
Big Ten Universities Undefeated Michigan hosts Michigan State Friday night. The Wolverines have looked sharp out of the gates and are surely the favorites, but you cannot count out Sparty in a rivalry match. Minnesota has to be feeling good about its 2-0 start, but Saturday’s match against Ohio State should be its toughest test yet. The Buckeyes need a win to get their season back on track, while a Gopher victory will garner the attention of the rest of the Big Ten Universities teams. Rugby East It was relatively known heading into the season that the three newcomers to Rugby East would struggle against the four teams that previously occupied the conference. Up to this point, nothing has happened on the pitch to lead anyone to believe anything different. So, Buffalo and Iona should really be up against it when they play Penn State and Army, respectively. The one match out of the East that could stay close for a full 80 minutes is St. Bonaventure’s visit to Wheeling Jesuit. After playing Army tough, the Bonnies were blown out by Penn State, 81-5. If St. Bonaventure can compete at the level it did against West Point then it could pull off the upset against Jesuit. Kutztown is the type of program that does not like to take a weekend off, and they have shown that by scheduling tough nonconference opponents outside of its Rugby East schedule. This week the Golden Bears have Maryland, one of the better teams out of the Atlantic Coast Rugby League and home to the Cima brothers – AIG Men’s Collegiate All-American Matias and MJAA and BHSAA star Ben. Red River No D1A game has more intrigue this week than Texas versus Oklahoma. Not only does the match represent one of the best rivalries in all of college sports, but the Longhorns and Sooners look to be the top two sides out of the Red River this fall. Check out D1A’s full preview of the Red River Rivalry. Texas Tech gets its first chance to hit someone in an opposing color when Baylor comes to town Saturday. After a solid 15s season last spring, Baylor has been a minor disappointment in the early going this fall. It is not that the Bears’ 0-2 record is something to hang their heads about – both losses came against quality sides in Oklahoma and Texas – but it’s the fashion in which they have dropped those games. Baylor has been outscored 105-25 in its first two Red River matches. Still, this game is anyone’s to win. West Air Force looks to be the class of the West so far, so Colorado will have to up its game in order to give the Zoomies a challenge. Of course, Air Force must have been flying high after an emotional victory over Navy last Friday, so if there is any letdown on their end, the Buffs could capitalize at home. Wyoming was disappointed to settle for a tie last week against the Buffaloes. A win against Colorado State should alleviate that disappointment, and the Cowboys have a good shot on Saturday as the Ram will be without stud flanker Ben Pinkelman who is in Canada representing the Eagles Select XV in Canada at the 2014 Americas Rugby Championship. D1A Independent squad Arizona will field a developmental side to play the West’s New Mexico. Several key players for the Wildcats will be in California competing at the West Coast 7s and a spot in USA Rugby’s 2015 College 7s National Championship. The match could be a tight one, as New Mexico is young and inexperienced, while Arizona will be suiting up a side made up almost entirely of freshmen and sophomores. Mid-South Nobody out of the Mid-South is afraid of a challenge. That is why Davenport is playing former conference foe Arkansas State and Lindenwood is playing Life’s Elite Training Group – a side combining the senior club team and undergrad team. Davenport will no doubt play with a spirited intensity, especially because it is a Friday night homecoming match, but it may not be enough to pull off the upset against the Red Wolves. Arkansas State impressed in a lopsided win over Glendale a few weeks back, plus Davenport will be without All-American prop Angus MacLellan who, like Pinkelman, is playing with the Eagles Selects. Lindenwood has already beat three quality senior club sides, including Glendale, but Life’s Elite Training Group should present them the most problems. The Lions can matchup athletically with any team in the country – college or club – but coaches Tui Osborne and Dan Payne will have their side technically prepared in ways few coaches can. |
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