Saratoga Mustangs Girls Come Up One Try Short, Lose to Adirondack in State Championship

In a battle that was described as the best match of the day by onlookers and other coaches alike, the Saratoga Mustangs Girls Super A's took on the Adirondack Barkeaters in the Vermont State U-19 Rugby Championship. In a rematch against the only team that beat Saratoga this spring, it was looking to be an excellent game of rugby against two clubs that always play hard hitting and aggressive rugby and whose games have been decided by one score on every occasion during season play.

Saratoga found itself with the early lead, the first time that it has had the position against the more established Adirondack club, after eventual Rugger of the Match (and according to NERFU select side coach, Kevin O'Brien, Rugger of the Tournament), Joya Clark (Scotia-Glenville) scooped up a kick and blazed down the sideline for a score. She also nailed the conversion to give Saratoga an early 7-0 lead. Adirondack was able to use its sizable line to pound the ball back at Saratoga, and relied on its size advantage to work its way deep in Saratoga territory and answer with a try of its own. By fifteen minutes into the game, the score was knotted at 7-7. That is where it would remain for the next 45 minutes of back and forth running, tackling, and kicking, with neither team able to convert on opportunities.

Eventually, Adirondack began taking control of lineouts and mounted a serious offensive threat within Saratoga's 22 meter line. For 15 minutes, Saratoga's defense turned Adirondack away and turned them away, with solid tackles by Leah Gerlach (Burnt Hills) Carly Baker (Averill Park), and Sam Coluccio (Burnt Hills). They were able to relatively silence the usual dominance of Adirondack's centers by getting after them quickly. The true spectacle of the day was Clark, however. The sophomore fullback's sweeping defense crushed would be scorers time and time again, as she ran relentlessly wherever the ball was, plugging holes with ferocious hitting and saving three tries at the line by stopping girls cold. Eventually, however, unable to win lineouts after clearance kicks, Adiriondack was able to get a clear overload and get the ball over the line with under ten minutes to play. After a successful conversion, Adirondack lead 14-7.

Saratoga was not done, however. After regaining possession deep in Adirondack territory, Saratoga was able to move the ball down the middle of the field. Despite Adirondack's spitited defense, Saratoga inched closer to the goal line and the tying score with each run. As time was closing, the Mustangs knew that they had to keep the ball in play so the clock would continue (in rugby, once time expires, the game continues until a stoppage in play such as the ball going out of bounds). It was at this point that Saratoga committed an error that cost them the game. After trying to set up a crash run that would open its line for an overload, Saratoga was called for a penalty for diving over the ruck. This handed the ball to Adirondack, who promptly booted the ball out of bounds as time expired. Saratoga found itself just short of the tying score, dropping the game 14-7.

Saratoga was honored after the match at the awards ceremony, bringing home its second piece of hardware in consecutive weekends as it claimed the Runners-Up Cup for the Vermont State Championship, finishing second. Saratoga closed out is season with a 6-1 regular season, 7-2 overall with a +131 point differential, outscoring opponents 176-45.