Saturday, May 6, 2006

Santa Fe ruggers overcome Tech scare

Dave Wheelock New Mexico Tech Rugby Director

Tech pulls to within five points in the

second half of

semester finale

New Mexico Tech caused some nervous second half moments for the Santa Fe Rugby Club Saturday before eventually falling 37-15.

The host Santos watched their 15-point halftime lead shrink to five before pulling away from their younger rivals with three unanswered tries in the fourth quarter. The entertaining match, played in near-perfect spring conditions, marked the end of the spring semester season for the Pygmies.

The Pygmies traveled with just three substitutes for the starting 15, yet got a high level of performance from those who could make the trip.

Santa Fe drew first blood with a three-point penalty kick after six minutes. However, Tech then showed determined tackling in repelling a prolonged assault on their try line and was able to launch an attack of its own.

Junior flanker Matt Nelson finished off some fine passing for a five-point try for Tech in the eighth minute and a 5-3 Pygmy lead.

Santa Fe combined strong ball-winning skills with some fluid back play to score first-half tries in the 16th, 21st, and 26th minutes for a 20-5 halftime lead over Tech.

Tech opened the second half with a bang as graduating senior and rugby club president Paul Quintana scored a try in the first two minutes. Five minutes later, the young ruggers showed fine passing and teamwork to send junior center Tory Tadano diving over the line, bringing the Pygmies within 20-15.

The Santos awakened to score three more tries in the final 29 minutes, including the second of the day by Rob Harrison, one of their younger stars. Harrison was New Mexico Tech's 2005 Player of the Year in his final year as a Pygmy, and became one of many former Tech players to later join the Santos club.

The Pygmies made Santa Fe work hard for every touchdown as they continued their enthusiastic tackling to the final whistle.

Senior captain Phil Turner was named Man of the Match by his teammates for his customary knack of being around the ball. In addition to Quintana and Turner, the Pygmies will lose solid prop Ben Brooks and speedster Alejandro Gauna to graduation this spring. Justin Monroe, a strong attacking fullback, is expected to finish his graduate work over the summer.

Tech's May 20 appearance at the Rio Grande Sevens Tournament will come after the end of the school's academic semester.

E-mail this story Printer-friendly version