Friday, May 13th marked the last of three straight scheduled road matches for the U19 Mustang boys as they traveled to Poestenkill to take on the Rensselaer Dragons. The Dragons, coached by CDYR president, Rob Sliwinski, have had a storied season thus far, and were expected to put up a technically sound and competitive match against the Mustangs, who were coming in after a solid team match against the Bulldogs of Albany (last Saturday).
Kick-off was held a bit past five, as the Mustangs arrived a little late with the unexpected traffic. After kitting up, the Mustangs felt that lag as they took the field. The Dragons played in the Mustang half for the first several minutes of the half. Unusual for the Saratoga squad over the past couple weeks, they were on their heals early and often over those first several minutes. In the tenth minute, however, it was captain and fly-half, Chris Heckman (12th, Ballston Spa) who stopped the lethargic behavior and sliced through the Dragon defense for the first points on the day.
This score woke the Dragons up a bit more as they pushed back into the Saratoga end with spirited ball movement, but Heckman got his backs working for him as his centers continued building their familiarity with the game plan as a switch to the outside center, Jack Guba (11th, BHBL), gave them five more points at the 15th minute mark.
Sliwinski's Dragons came back with vigor, though, as they continued to push into the Saratoga end. Their resurgence was helped in part by the plethora of Mustang penalties for being offside at rucks (an attribute expected to be resolved in the upcoming practices!). The Mustangs slowed things down, though, and returned to play on their toes as scrum half Tyler Krastins (12th, BHBL) began driving and working the forwards from phase to phase. Hooker, Zach Besserab (11th, BHBL), capitalized on the surge in the 30th minute as he pushed through for a try. With a conversion by inside center, Race Viedt (10th, BHBL) and a try a few minutes later by eight man Joe Russell (12th, BHBL), the Mustangs went into half time up 22-0 on the Dragons.
At the intermission, the Mustangs changed things up as fullback Ryan Manning (10th, BHBL) went to scrumhalf and Tylor Peragine (12th, BHBL) came in to govern things at the back at #15. A few other substitutions were made to vary the line up as the whistle came to start the second half.
It wasn't long before Manning took over the game as he embodied the furry little animal from the battery commercials as he kept on going and going and going... At the 40th minute, Manning sliced and diced (and forgot to get tackled) for his first try; Viedt converted to make the effort worth seven points. After battling back and forth over the next several minutes, Manning took charge again off of a pick and go and blew through the defense for another try (and another conversion by Viedt).
Manning and Heckman then orchestrated some of the best back line dominance of the season for Saratoga, while the forwards rucked over and over to maintain possession and progress the ball into the opposition's field. Notable in the solid forward play was flanker August Amirault (10th, BHBL) who embodied "will" and "determination" almost every phase. That, along with solid back line play allowed for outside center, Tom Esmann (12th, BHBL), Heckman and Viedt to weave through the Dragon line with shifty moves and the will to succeed to score three more tries for the Mustangs. All were converted by Viedt and the proverbial opposition backbone had been broken.
The staff made a few more positional changes at this point to experiment with line-up; although the line-up was still solid, it was obvious that the Dragons were defending their home field as they drove deep into the Mustang territory looking to points on the board. With the Mustangs' backs against the wall, the pack took charge with a defensive scrum and regained possession and moved the gain line out of danger. Russell swung momentum back for Saratoga at the 60th minute and Manning got his third score on a penalty try at the 65th minute. Viedt used both legs to scamper through the defense for score of his own at the 67th and second row, Dylan Thompson (11th, BHBL) blew around the outside of the defense at regulation for the final score.
In the end, the Dragons fought with poise in this spirited match and competed to the end. The Mustangs, though, traveled with the full roster to play to the highest level they could.
Final score: Mustangs 77, Rensselaer 0. Man of the match - fullback/scrumhalf Ryan Manning.
Next week marks the end of the regular season as the Mustangs host the Berkshire United U19 Rugby Club on Sunday, May 22nd. Coached by a seasoned veteran crew, Berkshire will be coming in just a game out of the CDYR top spot. If Saratoga wins, they will be going to the State Championships over Memorial Day weekend. Please come out and show your support and help these Mustangs make it to the next level.
15 May 2011
09 May 2011
Mustang Boys Continue Winning Ways
This past Saturday marked the debut of the Saratoga Mustang Boys U19 Team. Strange, you may say, as they are nine weeks into the season and this was their fourth match. True, but up until now, there was group effort from the forwards or the backs, but the side of 15 struggled to show the unity required for seamless team play for an entire match.
That was not the case this past Saturday. Saratoga traveled to the campus of UAlbany to take on the Albany Bulldogs - the Mustang's longest rival thus far in the five year history. The skies cleared out in the early afternoon and the sun shined down to help showcase this match-up. The coaching staff had been on the boys about setting the tone and stepping up the intensity over the past couple weeks since spring break. This last week of practice was a step in the right direction, but the path continued upon the first whistle.
Albany kicked off to the start the match just a few minutes after three. The ball was fielded by shifty fullback, Ryan Manning (10th, BHBL) who darted up the right sideline for a big gain. Strong rucking set the pace by the forwards as the gain line moved steadily up the field. At the three minute mark, it was the Mustang's shiftiest of players sneaking in for the first try of the match, as four year veteran scrumhalf, Tyler Krastins (12th, BHBL) placed the ball for 5 points. Inside center, Race Viedt (10th, BHBL) converted to put the Mustangs up 7-0.
Saratoga received the ball on kick-off and worked back down the field in similar fashion with solid phase play. Rucking over and over again got Saratoga within five meters when prop Max Alberts (11th, BHBL) shoved through for the Mustangs second score at the sixth minute mark. Less than ten minutes later, the forward play earned another score as eight man Joe Russell squeezed through traffic for five more points. After the Viedt conversion, Saratoga found itself up 19-0 just fifteen minutes in.
Saratoga began opening things up with a little lead as captain and fly-half, Chris Heckman (12th, Ballston Spa) took over with his backs. With Krastins' great out passes, Heckman led the back line with quick ball movement and key play calling as his centers ran switches down the field to make large gains. In fact, rookie outside center, Jack Guba (11th, BHBL) took advantage of spot-on passing and line running to touch the ball down twice in a matter of three minutes over half way through the first 35. Shortly thereafter, the forwards pushed through for another hard fought rucking try as prop, Shawn Whitaker, punished the opposition for five. All three were converted by Viedt and the Mustangs took a 40-0 lead to halftime.
The staff worked in all fresh legs early in the second half to keep the pressure on. Although Albany was down on the score board, they never backed off. In fact the first half ended with Albany playing a good bit in Saratoga's end. However, the Mustangs kicked off to start the second half; that was the only time they would need to for the rest of the match. Guba got his third score a few minutes in and eight man and forwards captain Robbie Marshall (12th, BHBL) worked Albany forwards over to gain a try several minutes later. With Viedt conversions on both, Saratoga had a 54-0 lead.
As mentioned, though, Albany kept fighting back and never backed down. In fact, a few bad penalties were taken by the Mustangs and Albany had a couple chances to put points up on kicks. Fortunately for the Mustangs, the wind aided them and after each kick, the score remained the same. That did not stop Albany as they kept pounding the ball in the Mustang half of the field. Mid way through the second half, Albany found themselves with a line-out on the Mustang five meter line. With their most powerful prop touting he was getting the ball and going to charge forward, the undersized Mustangs stepped up and defended their goal-line with their hearts and kept Albany off the board.
The Bulldogs kept pushing forward, but found themselves chasing a good portion of the length of the field in the 58th minute as Heckman found himself dicing through the fly-half/center gap for a 60 meter run and five more points. This, with the Viedt conversion, put the proverbial dagger in the comeback attempt on the day. Although the Bulldogs were back on the doorsteps of the Saratoga try line as time was winding down, the Mustang goal-line defense would not let the Albany forwards or the backs advance the gain line any closer as they held on to preserve the shut-out.
Final score: Saratoga 61, Albany 0. Man of the Match: Saratoga Mustangs
Please continue your support as the Mustangs travel to play the Dragons of Rensselaer this Friday, before ending at home on Sunday, May 22nd, against the Berkshire United. Parents, friends and the Saratoga Rugby Community in general are encouraged to come cheer the boys on as they continue elevating their game.
That was not the case this past Saturday. Saratoga traveled to the campus of UAlbany to take on the Albany Bulldogs - the Mustang's longest rival thus far in the five year history. The skies cleared out in the early afternoon and the sun shined down to help showcase this match-up. The coaching staff had been on the boys about setting the tone and stepping up the intensity over the past couple weeks since spring break. This last week of practice was a step in the right direction, but the path continued upon the first whistle.
Albany kicked off to the start the match just a few minutes after three. The ball was fielded by shifty fullback, Ryan Manning (10th, BHBL) who darted up the right sideline for a big gain. Strong rucking set the pace by the forwards as the gain line moved steadily up the field. At the three minute mark, it was the Mustang's shiftiest of players sneaking in for the first try of the match, as four year veteran scrumhalf, Tyler Krastins (12th, BHBL) placed the ball for 5 points. Inside center, Race Viedt (10th, BHBL) converted to put the Mustangs up 7-0.
Saratoga received the ball on kick-off and worked back down the field in similar fashion with solid phase play. Rucking over and over again got Saratoga within five meters when prop Max Alberts (11th, BHBL) shoved through for the Mustangs second score at the sixth minute mark. Less than ten minutes later, the forward play earned another score as eight man Joe Russell squeezed through traffic for five more points. After the Viedt conversion, Saratoga found itself up 19-0 just fifteen minutes in.
Saratoga began opening things up with a little lead as captain and fly-half, Chris Heckman (12th, Ballston Spa) took over with his backs. With Krastins' great out passes, Heckman led the back line with quick ball movement and key play calling as his centers ran switches down the field to make large gains. In fact, rookie outside center, Jack Guba (11th, BHBL) took advantage of spot-on passing and line running to touch the ball down twice in a matter of three minutes over half way through the first 35. Shortly thereafter, the forwards pushed through for another hard fought rucking try as prop, Shawn Whitaker, punished the opposition for five. All three were converted by Viedt and the Mustangs took a 40-0 lead to halftime.
The staff worked in all fresh legs early in the second half to keep the pressure on. Although Albany was down on the score board, they never backed off. In fact the first half ended with Albany playing a good bit in Saratoga's end. However, the Mustangs kicked off to start the second half; that was the only time they would need to for the rest of the match. Guba got his third score a few minutes in and eight man and forwards captain Robbie Marshall (12th, BHBL) worked Albany forwards over to gain a try several minutes later. With Viedt conversions on both, Saratoga had a 54-0 lead.
As mentioned, though, Albany kept fighting back and never backed down. In fact, a few bad penalties were taken by the Mustangs and Albany had a couple chances to put points up on kicks. Fortunately for the Mustangs, the wind aided them and after each kick, the score remained the same. That did not stop Albany as they kept pounding the ball in the Mustang half of the field. Mid way through the second half, Albany found themselves with a line-out on the Mustang five meter line. With their most powerful prop touting he was getting the ball and going to charge forward, the undersized Mustangs stepped up and defended their goal-line with their hearts and kept Albany off the board.
The Bulldogs kept pushing forward, but found themselves chasing a good portion of the length of the field in the 58th minute as Heckman found himself dicing through the fly-half/center gap for a 60 meter run and five more points. This, with the Viedt conversion, put the proverbial dagger in the comeback attempt on the day. Although the Bulldogs were back on the doorsteps of the Saratoga try line as time was winding down, the Mustang goal-line defense would not let the Albany forwards or the backs advance the gain line any closer as they held on to preserve the shut-out.
Final score: Saratoga 61, Albany 0. Man of the Match: Saratoga Mustangs
Please continue your support as the Mustangs travel to play the Dragons of Rensselaer this Friday, before ending at home on Sunday, May 22nd, against the Berkshire United. Parents, friends and the Saratoga Rugby Community in general are encouraged to come cheer the boys on as they continue elevating their game.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
.jpg)
