Essex HS Too Much for Mustang Boys to Start Season

The Saratoga Mustang Boys U19 RFC - Vermont side - traveled to Essex Junction, VT on Saturday, April 11th to kick off the 2009 season. With high school spring break and family vacations in place, along with some miscommunication between players and the coaching staff, the side traveled lean with only 18 bodies to the match, 1/3 of which were kitting up for game play for the first time.
The game kicked off around 15 minutes later than expected, but Saratoga was ready to go at the first whistle. Play stayed mainly within the 22 meter lines throughout much of the first half with both teams progressing up and then turning the ball over. It was obvious at the beginning that the long off-season had taken away the fluidness that made Saratoga strong late in the 2008 season. Throughout the first 35 minutes, Essex was able to capitalize on overloads on the wing twice to take a 12-0 lead into the half. However, great leadership skills by captain and scrumhalf, Greg Manning (BHBL, 11th) and flyhalf, Ryan Jones (Saratoga, 11th) kept the players aware and re-focused on roles and responsibilities.
No personnel adjustments occurred at the start of the second half, but Jones, Manning and forwards captain and eight-man, Mike Matrazzo (BHBL, 12th) reminded the Mustangs that the deficit was essentially nothing and that the jitters were gone and it was time to play rugby. Five minutes into the second half, though, Essex took that message and put the ball in goal again for a 17-0 lead. Throughout the second half, Essex had a yellow card and red card to give the Mustangs a chance, but it was lack of fitness and inexperience that kept Saratoga from finding the scoreboard.
Matrazzo, flanker Chris Heckman (Ballston Spa, 10th), lock Bryan Harrington (BHBL, 12th) and prop Tony Fusco (BHBL, 11th) all had some monstrous runs throughout the second half, but there was not enough support from ruckers to maintain possession and the balls were lost. When the final whistle blew, Essex won the match 37-0 over the traveling Mustangs.
All in all, though, the head coach stands by the fact that the game was much closer than the posted score. Much of the points given up were on overloads and players caught out of position - these are all attributes that can be trained and corrected. For the first game of the season, the coach was very satisfied with the trouble shooting and decision making that his players were doing on the field. As the coaching staff has stated throughout the young season, its goal is to have 15 decision makers out on the field at any given time and Saturday was definitely a step in the right direction.
The Vermont side heads back towards the Lake Champlain area this weekend (April 18th) to face South Burlington.