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Written by Pat Clifton
Monday, 10 October 2011 20:00 |
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Pati Puts Pan Ams in Crosshairs |
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RUGBYmag Premier -
Profiles and Interviews
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.jpg) He’s had the chance to be an Eagle before. He’s been invited to camps, but he’s usually opted to stay in school and play for the University of Utah. That’s worked out so far, as he co-starred in the Utes’ run to the inaugural Collegiate Rugby Championship on national television.
Now, though, Don Pati is ready to take his shot, and the allure of a standing on a podium to have a medal draped around his neck has a lot to do with it. The 15s and 7s All American scrumhalf departs Thursday for a pre Pan-Am Games camp at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif., where he’ll try to earn a seat on the plane to Guadalajara.
“That’s what I’m trying to do, to see if I can make the team for the Pan-Am,” said Pati, “and if I do, I’m going to do it.”
If Pati makes the team, he’ll miss three or four weeks of school and a chance to help the Utes qualify for the inaugural USA Rugby college 7s national championship via Pacific 7s (Pac-12) in Palo Alto, Calif.
“I’m kind of putting the Pan Am games first, and if I do make it that’ll be great,” he said.
“It’s similar to the Olympics, and I think that’s the reason why I’m interested in making the squad for this assembly. I have a couple of classes that I’m kind of hanging in the loop on basically, and I have some exams going on, but I’m trying to work my way around it.”
Pati, like several recent or soon-to-be college grads, has his eyes on the 2016 Olympic Games, where, rumor has it, rugby is making its return. He sees playing in the Pan-Ams as a step towards the rings.
“For me, 7s I’ve never really looked into it really deep, and I never thought to myself I could have played 7s, but just knowing that it’s going into the Olympics, and one day you’re going to be an Olympian if you make it, that’s a great thing to aim for and set a goal to make. It definitely changes the way people like myself think of it.”
Pati played a little competitive 7s in the summer with the Utah Warriors, but his club season was cut short by a nagging knee injury – he is now one meniscus lighter.
Last time he played 7s, and in front of USA coach Al Caravelli, was as an All American in the 7s national all star championship. He wasn’t fit then, but knows he’ll have to be if he’s going to make it to Guadalajara.
Pati says he’s been working hard on conditioning and doing so on a knee that’s no longer bothering him.
If he shows up to camp in shape and truly healthy, Pati has as good chance as any to make his Eagle debut in Guadalajara.
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Written by Jackie Finlan
Monday, 10 October 2011 18:00 |
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Zons Exact Revenge |
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Clubs -
Women's Clubs
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The Amazons had a lot to prove in their rematch against the Surfers yesterday. Twin Cities suffered its first Women’s Premier League loss the previous weekend in San Diego, and eight days later, they hosted the then-undefeated and conference leaders for what they hoped would be a redemptive win.
And it was. The Amazons controlled the game and won 35-0. Aside from home-field advantage, defense was the key to this dramatically different game.
“They actually played they were supposed to say,” Amazons coach Roger Bruggemeyer said of the difference between the two matches. “Our first two games of the season weren’t as hard as they were in the past. San Diego threw it us hard and we weren’t used to defending. The girls really got down on themselves after the loss, but we focused on defense this past week and that allowed us to step up our defense and turn over their ball.”
In the first match, San Diego used its big forwards to control the breakdown and tackle area. The defense couldn’t organize in time for second-phase ball, and that’s when the Surfers’ speedy backs could monopolize and under-staffed defense in the open field. Yesterday, the forwards stepped up their game, were composed in the breakdown, slowed down San Diego’s ball, and put the Surfers’ backs under pressure.
The scoring occurred pretty steadily, with openside flanker Amanda Kingzett lighting up the scoreboard with the first try. By half, the team was up 20-0 and eventually saw scores come from Stacey Baker, Morgan Johnson, Sarah Baaker, Ashley Mulford and Kaelene Lundstrum all dotted down. Desiree Markovich also slotted a penalty and handled the extras.
“I’m very proud of the team,” Bruggemeyer said. “I wasn’t surprised that they turned it around [from last weekend]; I was more surprised at how we panicked in San Diego. Last week, we weren’t psychologically ready for the game. We got out of our patterns, people started playing individually, but I knew if we could stay organized on defense this weekend that we would be OK.”
Kingzett and Stacy Baker were at the heart of the defensive drive, and the pack played well as a whole, with the scrums and lineouts working out well on the day.
“We’re happy with the result,” Bruggemeyer continued. “All of the stuff we did at practice worked in the game. They’re happy that the work is worth it, and the coaches because the players listen to us more. We’re confident, but we’re not over-confident right now.”
If the Amazons can repeat their earlier season wins against New York and the Valkyries, then they’ll be in good shape for the top two in the conference. It’ll all come down to bonus points in the Surfers win their final two games against New York and Minnesota as well.
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Written by RUGBYMag Staff
Monday, 10 October 2011 16:23 |
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Men's DI-AA College Top 25 |
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Rankings -
Men DI College
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(This originally ran 10/10 in our premier section.) Two seemingly massive upsets have shaken up our Top 25 this week. Florida State fell to Central Florida, which would have seemed inconceivable last season. Yes, it's preseason, but it's not a good sign for the Seminoles.
The other big upset saw DII Salisbury knock off Maryland just a week after the Terps scored an upset of Tennessee. This isn't college football. Interdivisional upsets are common. Harvard lost to a DII team last year and still reached the final four, so we won't wield inclement punishment on the Terps for falling to a top-five DII power.
Indiana hasn't budged off the No. 11 line despite losing back-to-back games. That's because they lost both to higher ranked teams in the toughest division in D1-AA. Whether or not the Mudsharks are a good team isn't in question, nor will it be when they lose to Davenport Saturday, as they likely will.
Dartmouth improved to 4-0 over Brown, but looked human in doing so. The Big Green don't usually concede a bonus point in Ivy play, even if they're on the road in less-than-ideal weather. Will the close game just peeve Dartmouth into punishing also undefeated Princeton Saturday, or does it signal a chink in the armor the Tigers could take advantage of?
1 (1) Davenport 3-0 Won 75-0 over Ohio State
2 (2) Dartmouth 4-0 Won 24-17 over Brown
3 (3) UC Santa Barbara 0-0 Idle
4 (7) Miami (OH) 2-0 Won 52-31 over Indiana
5 (8) Bowling Green 3-0 Won 40-27 over Air Force
6 (4) San Diego State 0-0 Idle
7 (5) LSU 0-0 Idle (first game Oct. 15 against Texas State)
8 (6) Stanford 0-0 Idle (first game Nov. 5 against San Jose State)
9 (9) Florida 1-0
10 (10) Claremont Colleges 0-0 Idle
11 (11) Indiana 2-2 Lost 52-31 to Miami
12 (15) Wisconsin 3-1 Won 19-10 over Minnesota
13 (18) Northeastern 4-0 Won 30-8 over Boston College
14 (13) Sacramento State 0-0 Idle (first game is Oct. 29 vs. Oregon)
15 (19) Princeton 4-0 Won 25-10 over Penn
16 (17) Minnesota 2-1 Lost 19-10 to Wisconsin
17 (12) Maryland 1-1 Lost 30-22 to Salisbury
18 (14) Tennessee 1-1
19 (23) St. Bonaventure 3-1 Won 36-20 over Binghamton
20 (20) South Carolina 0-0 Idle
21 (21) Oregon State 0-0 Idle
22 (22) Loyola Marymount 0-0 Idle (first game Nov. 12 against UCLA)
23 (Unr.) Iona 3-0 Won 22-5 over Fordham
24 (24) Virginia Tech 1-0 Idle
25 (25) Kansas State 0-0 Oklahoma State game canceled
Dropped out:
(17) Florida State 1-1 Lost 15-13 to Central Florida
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Written by RUGBYMag Staff
Monday, 10 October 2011 17:15 |
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PAC v Norfolk Full Report |
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Clubs -
Men's DI Clubs
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 Going into this weekend against the Norfolk Blues, the Potomac Athletic Club players remembered that they had been upended by the Virginia club by a last-minute penalty kick in 2010.
That loss pushed them to 2nd in the Mid-Atlantic. This time, they were determined to avoid the same result, and emerged 39-8 victors.
As expected, the game started off in a physical and feverish manner. After driving into Norfolk's territory, PAC drew a penalty and Steve Shapland was able to put the kick between the posts and put PAC up 3-0. After some more back and forth play, Norfolk evened up the score with a penalty.
That deadlock lasted about ten more minutes. Then PAC took a lineout and attacked. After a few phases through the forwards and backs, Dan Kortan found Greg Suellentrop, who was able to put down the unconverted try and put PAC up 8-3. Using the momentum, PAC was able to once again get the ball in a lineout and the forwards drove the ball into Norfolk's in-goal, where Suellentrop touched down his second try of the day. Shapland's conversion put the score at 15-3.
The memory of last year’s loss, not to mention Norfolk’s gaudy scoring statistics, still in their minds, PAC kept up the pressure.
The forwards bashed it up and that created space for the backs. Toshi Palamo found Hunter Naff on the wing and he ran around a few would-be tacklers to touch the ball down for an unconverted try. That made the score 20-3 at halftime.
No letup from PAC in the second half, as a solid platform from the pack put the backs away. Charlie Whipple was the benefactor, going over the line to make it 25-3.
Finally afforded some possession, Norfolk managed their only try of the match, but fresh legs from the subs bench got PAC back on the front foot. After getting some good go-forward from No. 8 Hannibal Vaivao, Suellentrop picked and drover over for his third try of the day.
Shapland hit the conversion to make it 32-8. Towards the end of the match, Suellentrop scored his fourth, with Shapland claiming his third conversion to make it 39-8.
“Even though this was a great win, it is very early in the season with lots of games left,” said PAC prop and Director of Rugby Brian Olmes. “We kept up the intensity and teamwork throughout the game. We need to keep that up.”
PAC 39
Tries: Suellentrop 4, Naff, Whipple
Convs: Shapland 3
Pens: Shapland
Norfolk 8
Tries: 1
Pens: 1
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Written by Alex Goff
Monday, 10 October 2011 16:23 |
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Overseas Update: Time to Rest for Many |
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International -
Americans Overseas
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It was a quiet weekend for USA players overseas as many were rested barely a week after returning from the Rugby World Cup.
Samu Manoa, who did not play in the World Cup, started at lock for Northampton and helped lead them to a 33-3 pastinf of Exeter. Manoa has been a revelation for the Saints.
On the sidelines included Chris Wyles and Hayden Smith for Saracens, Seta Tuilevuka for Montpellier, Kevin Swiryn for Agen, Taku Ngwenya for Biarritz and Scott LaValla for Stade Francais (all in the French Top 14). Same went for Inaki Basauri at Pergoux (French D2), Tim Usasz at Nottingham, Shawn Pittman at London Welsh, and Andrew Suniula for the Cornich Pirates (all English Championship).
Two USA players stepped onto the field in the Championship when Leeds defeated London Scottish 23-16. Mike MacDonald, fresh from an outstanding RWC was on the bench and came on at halftime. Robbie Shaw, who last played scrumhalf for the Eagles in 2008, played the whole match.
It's a young Leeds team and the veteran leadership of MacDonald and Shaw ill be crucial.
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Page 1063 of 1440 |
