Stampede Fall Short at Dead Ants

The Saratoga Stampede Mens Club traveled light to the Dead Ants tournament this past weekend bringing only 12 of their own players. At the tournament the stampede were able to recruit a hooker, a second row, 2 flankers and an outside center to fill out their side. Saratogasfirst match was at 11 am against the Buffalo A-Side. Because of lack of warm up time saratoga came out cold and quickly found themselves down 7-0. The first half of play was not one of saratogas best as the found themselves down 27-0 as the halftime whistle blew. Saratoga came out ready to play in the second half but could only muster up one try and a missed conversion, but their defense was much better as they only gave up 7 points in the second half to buffalo. Final score- Buffalo 34- Saratoga 5. Saratogas only score was punched in by the recruited outside center.

Saratogas second game started at 1 pm, and was against the Colonials. Now warmed up after their first game, saratoga came out fast in the 2nd half with a sprint the the try zone by outside center Ryan Ramano for the first try of the match (conversion good). Saratoga took an early Lead 7-0. The Colonials did not hesitate to answer right back punching in a try of their own but failing ti make the conversion leaving the score at saratoga 7- Colonials 5 at the half. The 2nd have much like the first half started off fast for the stampede with a few downfield kicks. One of which was scooped up by wing Nick DeFilippo and touched down just over the line for saratogas second try of the match (conversion failed). Saratoga now found themselves up 12-5.Nearing the end of the match and needing a try and a conversion to tie the game, the colonials found themselves with the ball inside Saratogas 22. The colonials wanted to get the ball out to the wing but that didn't happen when fullback Bryan Sawyer swooped in and intercepted the ball between the inside and outside canters and was off 80+ meters for the score (coversion failed) and that was the last play of the game. Final score saratoga 17- The Colonials 5.

After a short break between games, Saratoga went into their third match of the day. Saratoga needed to win this match in order to qualify for the consolation match. Saratoga was matched against the hosts of the tournament, the Genesee Creamers. The Creamers came out ready to play, and to show everyone why this is their tournament with an early score (conversion good), saratoga was down 7-0 early, but they wouldn't let the Creamers off that easy, as the came back with a try of their own by outside center Ryan Ramono his second of the day ( conversion good). After about 17 minutes of play Saratoga found themselves down 22-7, with a penalty inside the Creamers 22, Scrumhalf Mike(Phish) taped the ball and quickly got it out to Flyhalf Doug Mcklusky, who faked the pass to the inside center and took it in for the try himself ( conversion failed). The halftime score was Genesee 22- Saratoga 12. In the Second half Saratoga wasn't able to pull together enough offense to get back in the game with only one more try scored by scrumhalf Mike(phish), and the Creamers adding 2 more tries and one conversion kick to make the final score Genesee 35- Saratoga 17. Saratoga would finish 1-2 on the day and not qualify for the consolation match.