Stampede Turns Season around with Big Win over Greys

After a much needed week off, the Saratoga Stampede Rugby Football Club took the field on Saturday, May 3rd, to iron out some wrinkles and attempt to put the side into a great position for the upcoming NERFU Championships. The unassuming opponent, on tour from Connecticut, was the wily veteran bunch representing the Connecticut Greys. The Stampede knew to expect a test from the 'Old Boys' club, as it is traditional that the veteran leadership and knowledge of the game will beat the youth and speed of the inexperienced sides.

This was truth in the fall of 2006 when Saratoga traveled to the Greys, and ended up losing a well-contested match. Seeking a bit of retribution for that loss, as well as prepping for the rest of the spring season, the Stampede knew what to watch out for this time. The Stampede started out a little slow, as is tradition with the club; however, off of a ruck in its own territory, flanker and eventual Saratoga Man of the Match, Jamie Merritt, picked the ball off of the left side and sliced his way 60 some meters for a fabulous score. The try was converted by fullback Jared Rubin and the run had just begun for the Stampede.

Feeling a little more confident, scrum half and team captain Nick Defilippo gunned the ball out to his back line. After some good ball movement, the black and white Gilbert made its way to the outside center, Vernon Peek, who lumbered ahead of and through Grey defenders for another score. Merritt and Peek repeated their respective acts, as the Stampede continued its proficiency of spreading the ball out and cutting through the grizzled veterans of the Greys. For the first in recent history, the Stampede capitalized on great ball handling down the backline as the ball even made it out to the speedy wing, Bryan Sawyer, who danced his way to paydirt in the first half.

The Greys showed perserverence, though, as they fought their way up the field late in the first half. With the ball inside the Stampede five meter line, the Grey pounded the ball across the line with eventual Grey Man of the Match, Eddie 'Buzz Lightyear' Carr, grounding the ball for five points.

That score was it for the Greys, though, as Saratoga's stifling defense snuffed out any chance for a comeback. The second half yielded two more Stampede tries (inside center Paul Campbell and flyhalf Doug McCluskey). With Rubin converting all kicks on the day, the final score was Saratoga 49 - Connecticut 5. The Stampede moved to 1-1 on the season; up next for them is the NERFU Championships, held in North Conway, NH, on the weekend of 5/17 - 5/18.