By Emily Mulcahey
Staff Writer
Western New York is often known for its large rugby playing population, and for far too long, the question “who is the best in the west?” was one without an answer. The St. Bonaventure Men’s Rugby Club put a stop to that three years ago and has since refused to let the answer be anything but the Bonnies.
In their final game, the Bonnies will face off against Kutztown, who is ranked third in the league. To compete with a team this highly ranked, practices are sure to run late into the night this week.
“Practice has become more fast paced and planned out. We hope to bring the same intensity but spread to everyone, on and off the field,” Hargrove said.
The Bonnies will kick off to Kutztown at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1 at home.
For three consecutive years, the Bonnies have defeated the UB, showing that they are consistently the premiere rugby team in Western NY.
“The team definitely thought the match against UB was winnable,” manager Shea Raff said. “[University at Buffalo] has had their struggles as well, and we haven’t lost to them in over three years. That being said, we always mark UB on our schedule and make it a priority to beat them. We can’t be the best team without being the best team in Western New York.”
When UB came to Bonaventure this past weekend, the game did not change. The Bonnies emerged victorious, making it their first league win of the season.
“Once we had the defense firing off the line and making double tackles, we started to win penalties and poach more effectively. I think my teammates, especially the veterans, were more driven and made bigger plays because of our rivalry with UB,” junior center Pat Hargrove said.
On their home field, the crowd was not disappointed. The Bonnies scored first in what was one of the most physical games of the season. The team lit up the field with their fast-paced game in the first half.
“The backline played phenomenally,” Raff stated. “Their defensive structure and willingness to stick their tackles were great things to see. We still need to get fitter. Many of our problems can be fixed with simply having the gas to compete for 80 minutes. Going in to our upcoming match against Kutztown, we will try to build on the things we did well and iron out some of the mistakes.”
The second half showed the Bonnies determination to keep their title as the best team in Western NY, but UB did not relinquish the win easily.
“While there are numerous things we did not do well in the game, a win is a win,” Raff said. “We were pleased to get a win in front of a home crowd; our parents and alumni constantly support us, so it was awesome to give them a win.”
