|
By Pat Clifton (Butch Leitz photos)
Glendale, Colo. - St. Louis dominated possession early in Sunday's DIII final, but that didn’t translate into positive field position. In an elongated multi-phase possession to start the match, the Royals lost significant yardage, starting out near the halfway line and ending up well inside their own 22.
“(They) lost a lot of yardage. The key was just our defense,” said OMBAC coach Geno Mazza. “I was talking to the Virginia coach, which we beat yesterday, and he was telling us we came up so hard and fast on defense and were so well organized, it was just too much to overcome.”
It was certainly too much for the Royals to overcome early, but once they started to use the boot of flyhalf Jay Schulte a little more, they found some creases, and were able to probe deep into OMBAC territory. On the contrary, OMBAC was able to penetrate the gainline on nearly every attempt, but a knock here and a turnover there prevented them from taking a significant advantage.
OMBAC would score first off an Anti Lammi penalty goal, and St. Louis would rebut shortly thereafter with a three points of their own via the foot of Timothy Hanify. The two kickers would exchange another set of penalties, as both clubs tried to feel each other out in the opening stages.
OMBAC scored the first five-pointer of the day when Gabriel Langston broke through, giving OMBAC the 11-6 advantage. Hanify hit another conversion, making him three-for-three on the afternoon and the halftime score 11-9.
Just before OMBAC scored a try in the opening stages of the second half, St. Louis lost their top point scorer, Hanify, which would prove to be costly. OMBAC’s point after attempt was unsuccessful, leaving the Royals within a converted try of tying the match, and when they got five points from Don Hoff, Hanify wasn’t there to draw the game even at 16.
After blowing their second wind on a scoring campaign that sill left them down, St. Louis appeared to be out of gas, and when OMBAC flyhalf Phillip Watson wiggled in for a score in the 66th minute, putting the Royals down two scores, it sealed the deal.
“We’ve been playing since October, lots of preseason, lots of Wednesdays and Sunday practices,” said Mazza. “Been running them hard, and it paid off. We were fitter, better and more organized, and it came down to all heart. They were tired, and all heart.”
Watson was awarded the title tilt’s man of the match, a tremendous feat considering what he’d been through in recent weeks. Watson pulled his hamstring the week before OMBAC headed to Austin for the Sweet 16, and did so as a fullback. He was unable to compete in Austin, and when he was ready to return to the action this weekend, his services were needed at a new position.
“Right before Austin, Texas (Watson) was playing 15 and he came up lame; he pulled his hamstring and we lost a 39-year-old flyhalf – Dave Burke. He was amazing at 10 and had total control,” said Mazza. “He had to step in at after missing three weeks of practice and filled in flawlessly. Again, we’ve been a team that when one goes down, somebody comes right in and we don’t miss a beat.”
This national title is OMBAC’s first since 1996, and for a club that’s had its fair share of turmoil this season, having to forfeit a number of Super League games due to a dramatic drop in numbers, being able to hoist any trophy feels pretty good.
“It means a great deal,” said Watson. “We’ve struggled, there’s been some controversy some struggles as a club as a whole, so we’re picking up our club as a whole, not just our DIII side. We’ve got a lot of people watching at home, so this is for our club. This is for OMBAC.”
|