UVM Goes Three and Out; MCRC Advances

Wilson '07 Slips Away Early Harasimowicz Photo

For Middlebury It's 'Off To Batavia'

November 5, 2006, Middlebury, VT
Northeast Rugby Union quarterfinal action got underway on Saturday November 4 as the #1 seeded unbeaten Middlebury Panthers took on the #8 seeded University of Vermont Catamounts for the third time this season. NRU quarterfinal competition is the 'one and done' time of year; you win, you advance -you lose, season over, you go home, hang up your cleats and meditate. Middlebury cruised to a 48-15 win –their third straight this season over the Catamounts to advance to the next round in Batavia, New York. No meditating just yet.

In this latest round UVM came out strong and scored first. Middlebury quickly regrouped and scored on the first of many long trying runs of the day. As if on script, Middlebury executed some of their typical unselfish team ball with several fine performances. Center Pascal Losambe ’07 continued to run with authority in his second game back to full action following extensive knee rehab. Mike McKenna (Middlebury’s VP of Communications and team academic advisor) was back on the sidelines and describes the difficulty tacklers face with Pascal.


Losambe '07 on Full Rinse Cycle Harasimowicz Photo

“With the field still greasy, it made it even harder to tackle him,” said MeKenna of Pascal’s running. “On a couple of breaks it was as if UVM's players were trying to bring down a Maytag washing machine moving at twenty miles an hour on full rinse cycle. Hard to get a grip on.” There is a compelling image for you. Watch out for the kids with that action is in the house.


Dellarocca '07 and Yoquinto '08 Scramble For Loose Ball
Harasimowicz Photo

I know we gotta’ cut Mike some slack here, but so far, Pascal is the only name he has learned. So I will add, in brackets, the name of the players most likely to have been the folks Mike was talking about in his discussion below.
“The units within the team were also very efficient,” said McKenna. “Wings [Losambe and Spencer Cox or maybe Craig Wilson] and fullback [Ari Silverman], back row of flankers [Jimmy Manyuru the forwards captain and Chas Wirene] and the 8 [Trey Stewart] and the two halfbacks [scrum half Max Levine and fly half/backs captain Matt Volz] all worked very well together. The scrum half [Levine] scored two nice, opportunistic tries, and his fly half [Volz] made good choices all day.”


Strong Forwards Action Early in Match Harasimowicz Photo

“I am also very impressed with the front five in the scrum,” said McKenna. [Front five include the seasoned props rotating among Sean Meany and Alex White and JJ Jude, the hooker Joe Dellarocca and the locks, Luke Yoquinto and Pat Mott] “Not the biggest kids, but well oiled and productive. All the Midds also tackled very well all day forcing the [UVM] Cats to pass too quickly to avoid contact. Without looping, they continually left their poor wings pinned on the sidelines with no support and they were cooked.”


Midd's Mott Powers Through Harasimowicz Photo

The field conditions would drive a grounds keeper to the bottle but by now the players seem to take it in stride. Weather and field conditions ‘just perfect for a fun run in the mud’ as Coach Ward has said before. Said McKenna, “At the end of the day all the players on both sides were again covered in mud, making [it] look like one of those tribal rituals in Borneo where they wear the dried clay masks.” Ah, yes – dried clay mask rituals.


A Textbook Shot of Mud Rugby Harasimowicz Photo

McKenna commented on the team camaraderie -something long time Friends of Rugby regulars have come to expect. “I left the game thinking that this is a team that really PLAYS the game with a lot of joy,” said McKenna. “there is a sense they are having fun and enjoying one another's successes. It is great to watch.”

On the games coming this weekend at Northeasts, senior Chas Wirene is confident. “Don’t worry, this team is out to play and won’t let any of these guys get in our way.”

Ain’t that the truth.

In the other Northeast Rugby quarterfinals matches on Saturday November 4, #2 seeded Vassar of the Metropolitan New York Union, were 71-31 winners over the #7 seed Geneseo of the New York State Conference and the #3 seed US Coast Guard Academy beat down the #6 seed Seton Hall (also out of Met New York) 52-3. In the closest match of the quarterfinals, #5 seed University of Maine –Orono out of the New England Union defeated #4 seed SUNY Albany 18-16 to advance.

With their win, Middlebury has for the eigth consecutive year reached the Northeast Territorial semifinals and will next face University of Maine-Orono in their semi-final match on Saturday, November 11 in Batavia, NY. Game time is scheduled for 1:00pm on Field 3 at the venue -but this could change.

The winner will advance to Sunday’s finals against the winner of the semifinal match between US Coast Guard Academy and Vassar College. Brackets and pairings for all the competition at the championships in Batavia can be found by clicking here.


Max Levine '09 Scores Final Try of Match Harasimowicz Photo

Next UP:
Sponsored by the Genesee Creamers Rugby Club this year's Northeast Rugby Union Territorial Collegiate finals are being held at Genesee Community College, part of the SUNY system, in Batavia, New York. Better start driving now, because this place is in the Wild West –midway between Buffalo and Rochester. (368 miles from NYC and 125 mi from Toronto.) The GCC venue will host all of the Northeast Territory Division I, II, and III play.

Driving directions to the Genesee Community College can be found by clicking here.
Accomodations and other information can be found on the Northeast Rugby Union website.
The Northeast Territory College Championships 2006 event schedule can be found here.