Sports
Rugby Teams Rumble for the Championships in Signal Hill
Senior club rugby teams from around the eastern United States met at Signal Hill Saturday with the hope of advancing to the national championships in Colorado.
Sixteen rugby teams from around the eastern half of the nation converged on Signal Hill Park Saturday for the first day of the Eastern Division Senior Club Rugby National Championships, hosted by USA Rugby, an organization that manages rugby at the club level around the United States.
There were four games in divisions I, II, and III. Division III is considered to be the most competitive, but teams in each division are assigned so that they are at the same skill level, according to USA Rugby representative Yvonne Parkhurst.
The winners in each game will play each other today. The winners of those games will play in the national finals in Glendale, Colorado June 4-5.
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Division I
Palmer College Rugby Football Club (RFC)
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33
PAC Rugby
24
Cincinnati RFC
11
Norfolk Blues
29
Metropolis RFC
15
Boston Irish Wolfhounds
32
Chicago Lions
19
Mystic River
38
Sunday’s Games
Palmer College
vs.
Mystic River
@ 1:00 PM
Boston Irish Wolfhounds
vs.
Norfolk Blues
@ 2:45 PM
Division II
Tampa Krewe
41
Middlesex Barbarians
17
Chicago Blaze
15
Rocky Gorge
13
Buffalo
22
New Orleans
48
Village Lions
33
Doylestown Dragons
35
Sunday’s Games
Tampa Krewe
vs.
Chicago Blaze
@ 1:00 PM
New Orleans
vs.
Doylestown Dragons
@ 2:45
Division III
Cincinnati Kelts
16
Syracuse
37
Bragg Rugby
22
Virginia
25
Metropolis
60
Rockaway Fishheads
8
Columbus/Ft. Benning
8
Olde Gaelic
47
Sunday’s Games
Syracuse
vs.
Virginia
@ 1:00 PM
Metropolis RFC
vs.
Olde Gaelic
@ 2:45
The event had about 750 attend as spectators, according to Steve Winter, president of Brotman-Winter-Fried communications, the championship’s coordinator and public relations manager.
“We’ve been stunned with the steady influx of fans,” Winter said.
Many who were attendance were relatives or friends of players, others were “good old boys,” former players who traveled with the team, including former Mystic River rugby player Matt Waschesk.
“I saw their games at home, they were good,” Waschesk said. “They switched coaches at the 11th hour, but I think they’re gonna be OK.”
Mystic River, from Boston, beat their opponent, the Chicago Lions 38-19.
Mike and Karen Koehneman attended the game to watch their son, David, play for the Chicago Lions.
“He was going to play in the league above this [Division III], but he has an 80-hour work week as a CPA (Certified Public Accountant),” Mike Koehneman said.
David Koeheman kicked one of the Lions’ goals against Mystic River.
At the Division III level, the Olde Gaelic from Mechanicsburg, Pa., beat Columbus/Ft. Benning, leading 27-0 at halftime.
“I’m a little surprised to be doing this well against this team,” former Olde Gaelic player Justin Stefanon said. “We’ve been gradually improving throughout the season, and it’s showing.”