By Mike Specht
Staff Writer
After last weekend’s trip to Wheeling, W. Va., the men’s rugby team will take on Alfred State tomorrow at 3 p.m. While both schools categorize their teams as club sports, Alfred State is a Division III rugby program, while St. Bonaventure is a Division I team, part of the Empire Rugby Conference.
With the DI-AA USA Rugby National Championship in Pittsburgh only a week away, the usual starters will not play against Alfred State, giving them a week to rest and prepare. This match is a chance for the developmental squad to see the field before the season ends.
“It’s the last time the developmental guys can see action on the pitch,” Coach Clarence Picard said. “Freshmen Tom McCarthy and Pat Hargrove have shown improvement this year, they stand out in this group of young players.”
Last Saturday, the Bonnies defeated the Wheeling Jesuit Cardinals 22-19. Unlike their other opponents, the Cardinals are recognized as a varsity team, leading to a different game atmosphere the Bonnies haven’t seen this season.
“They had a supportive crowd, they called the starting lineup and the national anthem played,” Picard said. “Being a varsity program, they were especially a big, physical team.”
The Bona ruggers started out the scoring with a quick try from freshman Pat Hogan. The Bonnies continued to roll, with sophomore vice-captain John Sullivan distributing the ball to junior Ryan Brennan for another try.
“There was a lot of space when I got the ball — their defense wasn’t completely set up yet,” Sullivan said. “I ran through holes, broke a few tackles, and then dished it out to Brennan for an easy try.”
After the Bonnies took a 12-0 lead, turnovers led to Wheeling Jesuit tying the game.
“We had troubles with our scrum. A pass was intercepted and that led to a 40-yard run for WJU,” Sullivan said. “We haven’t been working on set pieces as much as we should.”
Soon after the second half commenced, freshman Chuck Meagher reached the try zone for the Bonnies, giving them a 17-12 lead. The Cardinals fought back, scoring to take a 19-17 lead.
Throughout the match, referees were stopping gameplay due to penalties. The constant interruption hampered momentum for either team, and there was no flow to the match according to Picard.
“The referees were stopping the game a lot because of stupid penalties.” Picard said. “It was really hard for either team to gain any sort of momentum because it was so stop-and-go.”
Freshman Jordan Farrant managed to touch down in the try zone, giving the Bonnies a 22-19 lead that would eventually win them the match.
The Bonnies will face off against Middlebury College April 27 in Pittsburgh. The winner of that match will face either Dartmouth College or Pitt for a spot in the Final Four.
“Middlebury has had a successful season in which they’ve hammered some teams. They’re a confident squad,” Picard said. “In order to be successful against them, we need to stick to our predetermined game plan.”
