Sports
Men’s rugby ends fall season with semifinal appearance in NSCRO playoffs
By Kaitlin McCabe ’16
November 6, 2015
They say that all great things must come to an end. Although the Hamilton men’s rugby team has reached that end, they cannot be too disappointed: their success is only beginning. The team secured second place in the National Small College Rugby Organization (NSCRO) division just before the division playoffs. Only a bonus point from Plattsburgh kept them out of first, as the two teams had the same record.
Hamilton entered the postseason after defeating Potsdam 29-5 on Oct. 17. Though the final score was relatively low, the energy was unquestionably high. Sam Copman ’16 scored the first try within the game’s first 10 minutes, assisted by an offload by backs captain Andrew Leopold ’16 inside the five-meter line. Forwards captain Nick Ball ’16 then scored another try for Hamilton on a 10-meter run.
In the second half, the men continued the momentum they had built in taking a 12-5 lead. Ball again scored a try, this time on a pick-and-go from five meters. Reflecting on the match, Leopold had nothing but praise for his team’s performance, saying, “[We had] amazing ball possession today. Multiple times we went into double digits on phases. The team definitely rose to the occasion.”
After a week off, the men traveled to SUNY Plattsburgh, ranked first in the NSCRO North division on Oct. 31. Despite executing their game plan, Hamilton was unable to succeed: Having lost both players and momentum throughout the match, they lost 25-11 and failed to reach the NSCRO championships.
The men started well, taking a 3-0 lead after Leopold converted a 30-meter kick inside the dashes. However, Matt Currier ’16 was removed from play within the initial minutes of the match with an injury that ultimately was diagnosed as a broken fibula. Then, only a few plays later, Joey Rokous ’18 ran off the pitch with a bruised rib.
With Hamilton down two starters, Plattsburgh scored three tries within the first 20 minutes of play. “Our forwards matched up well in open plays and scrums,” Ball explained, “[But] we weren’t coming out flat as a back line.”
In the second half, Hamilton’s renewed effort paid off to an extent, allowing the men to finish the contest with a try. Aaron Oh ’18, with an assist from Copman, scored off of an excellent pin-and-pass. At that point, Copman had been moved to inside center to bolster the team’s defense. While this helped the team fight off their opponent, the switch only prolonged Plattsburgh’s eventual victory.
At the end of the match, Hamilton walked off the field with mixed emotions. While the men were certainly disappointed to lose, they could not help but feel immensely proud of their accomplishments the entire season. Overall, the men finished 5-1-1, a record which stands out from other Hamilton varsity and club teams. Further, most of those games were not just victories, but face-offs where Hamilton dominated its opponents.
To the men, however, the brotherhood they built this season was more important than any laudable statistics. “I’m really happy about the solidarity we held as a team this season, especially with so many injuries,” said Alex Hollister ’17. “We’ve really formed into a tight knit group of guys, and it’s amazing.” Ball agreed, noting, “The team atmosphere was really positive. The attitude was high.”
The end of the fall season typically signifies the end of the senior players’ rugby careers at Hamilton. To honor their accomplishments, the team presents various notable members with awards. Copman was named as the backs MVP, while Jeremy Mathurin ’16 received the forwards MVP. Currier was given the Bill Pedersen Award on behalf of his consistent ability to make significant impacts with small plays.
While the team will miss their seniors in upcoming seasons, the tremendous performance of practiced underclassmen and talented fresh faces signifies that the team can and will continue to develop and succeed like never before.