Bryant Match Date Change

The MCRC match at Bryant University will be held on Sunday, October 2, 2005 at 2:00pm. This has been confirmed with Coach Ward.

Thanks for pointing this out Ms. Harasimowicz !

MCRC Frustrates Williams

Craig Wilson One on One

Williams Has A Rough Day (and How Cool is Zeus?)

The MCRC last Saturday continued their winning ways with resounding victories over Williams in two more early season wins under as-promised balmy skies. With the first Randomly-occurring Unstructured Social Hour (RUSH) being enjoyed by a small but hardly shy bunch of Friends of Rugby, the weekend should be considered a success for FOR and the MCRC.


Grill Squad Relaxing at Social Hour

Hearty 'Way To Go's' to FOR veterans Larry Consenstein, Celeste Madden and Kate and Ted Volz for providing, cooking, serving, selling and whatever else they did at the Big Blue Tent last Saturday. I apologize for not acknowledging the others who helped out as well, I know a number of players were on hand too. The hard work and organization to lay out this welcome mat is certainly appreciated by the players, coaches, fans, parents, and visiting teams. Plus, I gotta add, how cool IS Zeus the Dachshund (Consenstein)? I could tell he really appreciated the grill too, as he grazed around underneath it as the party wound down.

The Most Supportive of Social Hour Award (after Lynne Garner) goes to Elizabeth Olson (Des Jennings, '08). Now we just need to let more parents know about it. We had more than enough cheese dip to go around.


Des Jennings '08 and Peyton Coles '08.5

Luke Hammock '06 expressed his appreciation for the couple hundred or so fans in attendance. Adding, "We gave friends and family a good game and a good first impression of rugby (for my dad at least). Our back play was great, but our line outs leave a lot to be desired. I blame the wind.
"We rucked hard, kept possession of the ball when we needed it and just long enough to draw their defenders toward the middle of the field and run around them. Defense also looked good, but we need to work on tackling when we are tired. Williams gave a decent effort, but they just aren’t as committed as we are. We all play for each other, not for any one or anything else."


Mystery Tackler, No 14

Coach Ward downplays the trys or who in particular is scoring, preferring the concept of 'team' scoring instead. "The game was played at quite a fast pace and we had to adjust to it. They (Williams) were also quite unpredictable in their attacking systems and ball handling which caused some defensive concerns and mistakes." He called this win a "a great improvement from last week." Final A match score 48-0.


Jimmy Manyuru '07 Going Airborne

All team members are committed to this improvement. Cal Garner '06 saw the stunning victories and the combined point totals of 96-0 as a clear statement that Middlebury (remains) on top of it's conference. "What remains to be seen is whether we can play at a sufficiently high level to beat some of the stiffer competition we will certainly face in the post-season. We are realistic in recognizing that more work remains to be done."

MCRC will be at Bryant University SUNDAY 10/2/05 at 2:00pm.

Social Hour Is On

Festivities Amidst Balmy Weather Planned
To all Friends of Rugby planning on attending the Williams – MCRC match this weekend, Saturday Sept 24, please plan on sticking around after the games for a little old fashioned 'Introduce Yourself' Social Hour.

Actually the plan is for a Pot Luck Social Hour. If you can, bring something to share with the group. Personally, I shun Pot Lucks that are overly organized with people assigned to bring this or that... We Garners are much more relaxed about it, so, like Jim Bransfield used to say, “If you all bring cheese dip, then we are all eating cheese dip” or words to that effect.

There will for sure be wine and cider, a bunch of cups, and maybe even some name tags. Hopefully someone will think to bring some food and if someone else wanted to bring a great big ‘ol English oak sideboard, well that would certainly lend an air of old-school class to the event.

Hope to see you at the pitch South of Kenyon Ice Arena. MCRC has always had good matches with Williams College. Men's matches start about 1:30 - 2:00 - get there early and don't miss the HAKA. Come even earlier and see the MCRC women's matches starting at 11:00am against Castleton College.

BU Misses Practice

Ward's Scorecard

Discussing their anticipation of a 'good practice' game with MCRC President Hammock earlier last week, former Division I club Boston University could have been guilty of trash talking - had they been more competitive with the Midd Panthers. As it was, the BU club found it about as difficult to find the goal line as some of us out-of-towners did finding the Moakley Field pitch. Which tunred out to be a rather tattered looking affair in an otherwise beautiful location. I'd have thought a school the size of BU, (what... ten times the size of Middlebury?) would have more administrative support for a rugby program than they apparently do. I guess we Midd fans are a bit spoiled coming from one of the most beautiful sited campus athletic field complexes in... the country?

Though BU played earnestly their lack of fundamental skills showed they were not quite ready for the MCRC, who for the first 20 minutes or so admittedly did have a hard time finding their way out of their own end of the pitch. Soon Midd's skill set returned though, and BU struggled the rest of the afternoon. Unable to catch Midd's fleet-footed backs, BU was scored on by seven different players, including a determined slog by Caleb Consenstein '06, bouncing off one person after another into the end-zone. (When is Caleb not determined?)
One very pretty play saw Matt Volz running nearly 3/4 of the field and lateraling to Clark Smith '06 for the final five yards to his first try of the season. The elegant Jimmy Manyuru '07 scored in a similar manner taking the last few yards after another very long run from ... Matt Volz? Not sure about that credit... In one remarkable non-scoring run, Brinck Slattery '07 carried the ball over several BU players.

Running to Daylight

Fresh from last year's Siberian layoff, Cal Garner '06 got into both the A and B match and looked pretty good I'd say. (OK, the bias shows a little...) This picture shows him tearing down the field all alone only to be smothered by three BU players a few yards shy of the goal line.

Max Levine '09 Kicks

Providing plenty of spirited play the MCRC 'Killer B's' secured a win in a back and forth battle that was quite a bit in doubt right until the end. You know... come to think of it, I am not absolutely CERTAIN the MCRC did win... but I think they did... yeah, they did.

The 'B' match was officiated by freshman dad (and current rugby player) Ike Levine (Max '09) who drove down from Poland Springs, Maine for the afternoon.
The 'Try - In Your Face' Award has to go to Nick Immonje '08. The speed, the shoes (they were not suede), the form, the perfectly executed full-body-lay-out touch down right between the posts was a thing of beauty to those few fans still around to see it. Also memorable was the enthusiastic try by sophmore wing, Lathan 'Bucky' McCall '08.

Rob and Alex Ladeau

With the bus taking a detour to the to pick up Sean Meany - ( due to sort of a concussion-thing earlier in the 'A' match, he was delivered to a nearby south Boston hospital for observation and checkup) the Midd ruggers probably didn't make it home until nearly midnight.

Some of the enthusiastic Friends of Rugby on the sidelines today:
Teak Hewitt (Colby), Elizabeth Olson (Des Jennings), Bill Wirene (Chas), Matt Volz's Aunt and cookie-toting cousins, Rob Ladeau (Alex), Dave Woodward and friend, Tyler Williams' Uncle (Tim?) and cousin Thomas, Sarah Garner and husband John Niles (who didn't see much rugby since he accompanied Darryl Etter to the hospital so Sean Meany wouldn't be by himself. Thanks again Mr. John !) Lynne and Case Garner, a wee dog with a sweater, as well as several MCRC alumni all managed on this overcast afternoon to will the rain away from both matches and send the MCRC home with it's first victory(s) of the season. Good, good.

Saturday, September 24, 2005 MCRC plays Williams College at home. There will be a 'Social Hour' following the game. See the next post on the special events we have planned.

Saturday BU Game Directions - Revised

FROM THE WEST:
Take the Mass Pike I-90 East into Boston to I-93 South (the"Expressway").
Then follow the "from Route 93 South" directions below.

Take Rte I-93 South to Exit 18 and keep following signs for AndrewSquare/S. Bay Center.
When you come to a traffic light with Fortress Storage buildingdirectly in front of you,bear right, following sign for Boston St./Andrew Sq./Edward Everett Sq. The road curves sharply to the right and then to the left.
At stop sign take a left.

At the next traffic light (a 5-way intersection) take the soft right onto Preble St (between Andrew Square Convenience and Syrena Travel.)
Go straight down Preble Street until stop sign at rotary, proceed around the rotary to the left and you'll pass a long building with a green sign in front of it that says "Columbus Park."

Park on the right side of the road just past this building, next to thebaseball fields, we have the soccer field on the other side of the street hockey rink, across from the beach, next to another field Boston RFC will be playing on.

Four Randomly Chosen Rules of the Game

Forward passes are not allowed.

Dropping the ball forward is also prohibited and is called a knock-on.

The ball can only be advanced by running or kicking the ball forward.

A tackled runner must immediately release the ball, the tackler must immediately release the tackled player.

09.10.05

MCRC's Luke Hammock suffering from the weight of team Presidency

Game On!

NOTE: THE TIME CHANGE FOR 'A' GAME !
On Saturday, September 17, 2005 at 2:30pm the MCRC will kick off the season against Boston University at Moakley Field in Columbus Park, South Boston (in MAssachusetts, USA). Ignore anything you may have read to this point to the contrary about this game - this is the real deal straight from Coach Ward.
It is assumed the B GAME will follow about 4:00pm or so.

The field is being offered up courtesy of the Boston Men's Club.
Please email me at work or at home if you have any questions.

Directions to Moakley Field: (These directions assume you can find your own way to South Boston...)
From the South: take 93 (Rte.1) North to Exit 15 (Columbia Rd.).Take a right off exit and follow round-about to other side.Follow Columbia Road towards ocean, field is on your right.
From the North: Travel 93 South through the City to Exit 15 (Columbia Rd.).Take a left off Exit, cross bridge and go 3/4 away around rotary.Follow Columbia Road towards South Boston and ocean, field is on your right.
From the T: get off at Red Line UMass Boston T stop. You will see the park as you walk towards the water in the direction of South Boston.

The fields are by the skating Rink behind the football stadium.

Thanks to the anonymous MCRC Friend of Rugby who sent these directions to Ward... Put off the lawn work and drive to South Boston - the weather will probably be fabulous.

The Fall Season is Right Around The Corner

Well, it's almost time: the 2005 season of Midd rugby is... , like the title says 'right around the corner.'

I have recently been contacted by many parents asking about the team's fall schedule. It appears below.

The season is fairly short with only two 'away' games during the season. The September 17 season opener finds MCRC on the road in a match at Boston University. Directions for the school can be found here then finding the link titled, appropriately, 'directions.' I will post what I can find out about the location of the pitch.

Fall Family Weekend Information:
The college's first Fall Family Weekend I is scheduled for September 30 - October 2, 2005. NOTE: The MCRC will not be on campus that weekend ! To see the Midd men that weekend, you will need to travel to Bryant University in Smithfield, Rhode Island. (See link for directions.)

Fall Family Weekend II occurs the weekend of October 28-30 with Middlebury on campus hosting the always exciting New England Championships, with rugby being played on Saturday and Sunday.

Stay tuned to this blog for more postings, and remember to check back often. I won't always advertise new postings via the 'email tree'.

Middlebury College Rugby Club 2005 fall schedule - Men:

• Sept. 17 - AWAY at Boston University (Game at Moakley Field, Columbus Park, South Boston -1:00 pm)
• Sept. 24 - HOME against Williams at 2 pm; B team at 3:30pm v. Williams with another B game at 5:00 pm.
• Oct. 1 (MIDD's FALL FAMILY WEEKEND I) - AWAY at Bryant University at 1pm; B team at 3:30pm.
• Oct. 8 - HOME against St. Mike’s at 1 pm; B team at 3:30pm v. St.Mikes; B team v. VT Law School at 5:00pm
• Oct. 15 (MIDDLEBURY HOMECOMING) - HOME against Babson at 2:00pm; B team v. Babson at 3:30; B team second game at 5:00pm.
• Oct. 22 - New England Quarter Finals: H/A; B team: Time?; B team v. Dartmouth C side: 5 pm.
• Oct. 29 and 30 (MIDD's FALL FAMILY WEEKEND II) - HOME - New England Championships - HOSTED by Middlebury College (Matches played at the Rutland RFU pitch)
• Nov. 5 - North East Quarterfinals (Middlebury Hosted Vassar)
• Nov. 12 and 13 - AWAY - North East Territorial Championship at Amherst
• APRIL 22 and 23, 2006 - Elite Eight - Location TBA
• MAY 5 - 7, 2006 - NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP - Location TBA

Middlebury College Rugby Club 2005 fall schedule - Women:

• Sept 24 - HOME against Castleton at 11:00am; B team 12:30pm.
• Oct. 1 - AWAY at Keene State at 2:00pm; B team at 3:30pm.
• Oct. 8 - AWAY at Norwich University at 11:00am; B team at 12:30 pm (?)
• Oct. 15 - HOME against Plymouth State College; B team at 12:30 pm.
• Oct. 22 - HOME against Univ of Vermont at 11:00 am; B team at 12:30 pm.
• Oct. 29 - AWAY - New England Quarter Finals (or Division Seeding Game)
• Nov 5 and 6 - AWAY - New England Championships
• Nov 12 and 13 - AWAY - Northeast Territorial Championships at Rensselaer