COLORADO SPRINGS, CSU closed in on its second consecutive play-off appearance this past weekend when they traveled to the Air Force Academy and pounded out an impressive win over the Zoomies 17-12.  A brace of tries from 8-man, Justin Mitchell, and 7 points from the boot of scrum-half, Brett Wolf were enough to see the Rams get the win over a physically imposing Air Force side. The first half started off with some huge hits from the Zoomies and it set the tempo for a game that would see numerous blood bins, and substitutions through injury. This was definitely not going to be the try-fest it was last year when the teams combined for 100 points.

CSU almost got on the board in the first 2 mins when Air Force was called for hands in the ruck, Wolf opted for post and just missed wide from 40 yards out. Usually automatic from that distance, the miss could be attributed to the extremely wet condition of the field, which was the second field of choice after Air Force’s primary field was completely water-logged and deemed unplayable. Despite the miss, CSU kept up the pressure, and got ball down to the Zoomies try line several times, only to come up short on unsupported runs or dropped balls. Unfazed by their offensive shortcomings, the Rams’ defense was stellar, as were the scrums. CSU seemed to control the restarts at will, pushing the Zoomie pack all over the field and winning 75% of the Air Force put-ins. However, after 25 mins a defensive lapse saw the Rams go down a try when #14 Meury was able to skirt the defense when the Air Force winger received a wide ball from a well set up ruck and put down under the posts for the game’s first score, 7-0 bad guys. The Rams were able to pick up the pieces however, and produce a score of their own by the half. CSU stole yet another of Air Force’s scrums and wheeled it slightly, the Zoomie scrum was caught way out of position, and #8 Justin Mitchell was able to pick the ball up and run in virtually untouched for the score, Wolf slotted the conversion to tie the game up going into Half-time.

The second half began with the Rams dominating possession, using the forwards for multiple phase ball, but again the finishing touch was just not there. However, the Rams kept up the pressure on Air Force forcing them to kick from behind their own 22, giving the Rams a line-out at the 40-meter line. From the line-out the ball was spun wide to Outside Center Brandon Schreiber, who made a defender miss and off-loaded to Fullback, Craig Sherman, who got the ball inside the attacking 22. Before Sherman could get any support Air Force once again stole the ball from the ruck, and ran several pods to set-up a safety kick out of their own end of the field. They never got the chance though as somehow the Rams produced a turnover of their own and immediately attacked the zoomie try line. Fly-half Logan Collins ran the ball to within 10 meters and passed to Flanker Nick Anderson who powered his way to the five before being pulled down, but instead of setting up the ruck he cleverly popped to ball off the deck to a streaking Justin Mitchell for the go ahead score, 14-7 CSU. For the next 20 mins the two teams exchanged possession and hard hits with neither team really threatening to score.  Air Force was finally able to pull one back however on 65 mins.  From a line out the Air Force forwards ran at our backs to take advantage of a size mismatch, the backs were up to the challenge and stopped the surge in its tracks.  However, it caused an overload for the Zoomies which they were able to exploit as their fly half had plenty of support out wide and spin it once again to the winger for a relatively easy score.  The conversion failed however and the Rams were able to hold onto a two point lead.  The lead always seemed precarious and the Rams went looking for more points to put the Zoomies away. They got their chance at the 72 min mark when CSU were awarded another penalty 40-meters from the Zoomie line.  Bret Wolf elected to go for the three pointer to put CSU up by a try, and this time he redeemed his earlier miss from the same distance as the ball barely made it over the crossbar.  CSU never sat back to defend the lead and enjoyed much of the possession for the remainder of the game.  Another Air Force penalty deep in their own end looked to give the Rams a chance to go up by 8 points and put the game away.  Wolf, however, was notified that we were in injury time and simply kicked the ball to touch, at which point referee Tom Coburn blew the whistle for full-time.

The B-side once again proved they were continuing to get better as they put 20 points on a very tough Air Force B-side, which regularly beats up on Div II opponents.  They still came out on the short end of the scorecard however, but the experience they gain week to week puts the coaching staff at ease knowing there is a variety talent able to step into the A-side when needed.  So CSU remains undefeated on the field in League play and wraps up the season this Saturday against a very talented New Mexico side.  Please come on out and support your Rams this weekend on the IM fields at 2PM, and help us finish the season in style!

By Dafyd Jones

Scoring Summary

A-side

0-7 23:00 Air Force #14 Muery Try, Conversion by #10 Marc Ward

7-7 38:00 CSU #8 Justin Mitchell Try, Conversion by #9 Brett Wolf

Halftime

14-7 45:00 CSU #8 Justin Mitchell Try, Conversion by #9 Brett Wolf

14-12 65:00 Air Force #14 Mount Try, Conversion by #10 Marc Ward

17-12 72:00 CSU #9 Brett Wolf Penalty Kick

CSU Lineup A-side                                                   

1: Eheren Samuelson                            
2: Danny Bolling                                              
3: Greg Raubeson                                            
4: Dan Wonstolen                                            
5: Cory Cranston                                             
6: Keith Gross             

7: Nick Anderson                                            
8: Justin Mitchell                                              
9: Brett Wolf                                                   
10: Logan Collins                                             

12: Ryan Ersland                                             
13: Brandon Schrieber 
11: Thomas Staab                                

14: Jake Silverman                                           
15: Jeff Odell (Craig Sherman @Half)  

Colorado State University Men’s Rugby traveled down to boulder to face the University of Colorado and came away with a solid 31-22 win.  The five try performance earned the team a bonus point win over a highly motivated CU team and moved them to 8-1 on the season.

CU started the game with a lot of emotion.  CU had lost there previous three league matches by an average of 3 points per game and this was there last chance to get a win and set themselves up for a possible playoff berth.  CU started the scoring in the twelfth minute with a penalty kick to go up 0-3 off the foot of fly half Maximo De Achaval.  Then 4 minutes later it was CU”s inside center Dan Murphy that scored a try running around the end of the CSU defense putting CSU up early 0-10. 

For the next 15 minutes possession went back and forth but CU had the territorial advantage.  CSU took several penalties as the referee from New York was calling the breakdown differently than what the team was used to with Colorado refs.  Fortunately CU could not convert the CSU penalties to points missing penalty kicks on either side of the half. 

CSU got in to the game at the twenty-seventh minute when the team kicked for a lineout ten meters from the CU goal line.  CSU won the lineout with the second jumper and through a great forwards effort mauled the ball in for a score by number eight Justin Mitchell.  Scrum half Brett Wolf missed the conversion to leave the score 5-10 at the half. 

Again CU came out firing at the half with Dan Murphy CU inside center scoring again at the fiftyth minute when he took a quick pass off a ruck on the weak side, exploited a gap and took the score in, where CU missed the conversion leaving CSU down 5-17. 

CSU made some adjustments and had a gut check and started to work their way back in to the game, running multiple phases with the forwards from pick and go’s and pods.  The backs also tightened it up crashing the centers with success and maintaining ball possession.  CU now was frustrated being deprived of the ball and started to get penalized for infractions at the break down.  CSU chose to go for the score rather than kick for points and were successful when after several phases pounded ahead by the forwards fly half Logan Collins put outside center Brandon Schrieber through a gap and Brandon finished off the play for a score driving through several CU tacklers.  Scum half Brett Wolf was good with the conversion to bring the score to 12-17 at the fifty-third minute of the game. 

CSU kept up the pressure off the restart and 7 minutes later scored again when second row Cory Cranston pounded it over for the score, Brett Wolf was good again on the conversion to tie the game 17 all with 20 minutes left to play. 

The team showed heart and desire and kept the pressure on when from a penalty play from 15 meters out the ball was spun wide to full back Craig Sherman who cut back broke a tackle and took the ball in for an unconverted score to give CSU their first lead 24-17. 

CU desperate for a win mounted a come back and was threatening for a score.  CU inside center Dan Murphy made a break again off loose play from inside their half but hooker Danny Bolling chased him down catching him at our 22 meter line forcing a turnover.  CSU gave CU some of their own medicine immediately countering and spinning the ball wide to a hustling back line that ran the ball down to within 10 meters of the goal line.  A CU defender desperately dove over the ruck killing the ball and CSU was awarded a penalty.  Off a quick tap from the penalty Justin Mitchell received a pass and took the ball in for his second score of the game at the seventy-fifth minute to put CSU up 31-17. 

I thought this was the play that would break CU’s spirit but to their credit they kept playing hard and broke another long play to put pressure on the CSU line.  The break was stopped just short of the goal line and held up for several phases until CU spun the ball all the way across field creating an overload where their full back Kevin Smith ran it in for the score to end the game 31-22 and salvage a close loss bonus point for loosing by less than 10 points. 

It was an exciting game where CSU showed good poise and heart adjusting to the referee and changing their style of play to tighten things up and control the ball.  It was also a bonus point win for CSU because they scored four try’s in the match.  Junior open side flanker Nick Anderson received the man of the match award.  For his great play around the field rucking hard creating turnovers and leading several breaks that led to team scores. 

B-side

In the B-side match CSU played their best match of the season loosing 5-20 to CU.  CU came out playing an open game spinning the ball all over the field and exploited early weaknesses in the CSU defense.  CSU fought back with some scrappy play and threatened to score with several of their own breakaways from keeping the ball alive in the tackle.  Inside center Brent Smith played an excellent half making several big hits and running with authority.  Unfortunately the loose style of play favored the speed of the CU team and they led the game at the half 0-10. 

Coming out of the half CSU tightened up play a bit and was fully dominating in the scrums.  CSU controlled the majority of possession and territory pounding on the CU goal line for the majority of the half.  The CU defense held strong and capitalized off a turnover to mount a long drive of their own to increase their lead 0-15. 

CSU kept with the game plan and relentlessly attacked the goal line putting several players in to the try zone but failing to come away with points.  Finally second row Reilly Madison punched a score in off a ruck close to the goal line plowing through several CU defenders and diving over the top of them for the score. 

CSU continued to work and set the pace of the game but again CU’s speed got the better of the defense when they scored off a long break away at the end of the game to win 5-20. 

Man of the match honors went to inside center Brent Smith and the young B-side team developed together putting in their best performance to date. 

Scoring Summary

A-side

0-3 12:00 CU #10 Maximo De Achaval Penalty Kick

0-10 16:00 CU #12 Dan Murphy Converted Try by Maximo De Achaval

5-10 27:00 CSU #8 Justin Mitchell Unconverted Try

Halftime

5-17 50:00 CU #12 Murphy Converted Try by Maximo De Achaval

12-17 53:00 CSU #13 Brandon Schrieber Converted Try by Brett Wolf

17-17 60:00 CSU #5 Cory Cranston Unconverted Try

24-17 68:00 CSU #15 Craig Sherman Converted Try by Brett Wolf

31-17 75:00 CSU #8 Justin Mitchell Converted Try by Brett Wolf

31-22 81:00 CU #15 Kevin Smith Unconverted Try

CSU Lineup A-side

1^st Half                                                            

1: Eheren Samuelson                            
2: Danny Bolling                                              
3: Greg Raubeson                                            
4: Dan Wonstolen                                            
5: Cory Cranston                                             
6: Keith Gross             

7: Nick Anderson                                            
8: Justin Mitchell                                              
9: Brett Wolf                                                   
10: Logan Collins                                             

12: Ryan Ersland                                             
13: Brandon Schrieber 
11: Thomas Staab (John Walsh @60min)                                             

14: Jake Silverman                                           
15: Craig Sherman (Kyle Gross @75min)                                            

Colorado State University Men’s Rugby hosted the Glendale Men’s Rugby team this last Saturday and pulled out a last second win 26-25 in exciting fashion, improving their record to 7-1 on the season. 

Glendale is a new men’s club out of the city of Glendale in the Denver area.  They are a new team with lots of tough young players with most of them a year or two out of college.  Glendale is also a city sponsored team with the city currently building a 3,000 seat stadium with club house and recreation center for their use. 

Senior captain and inside center Ryan Ersland summed up the game nicely, “Today we developed as a team because things didn’t go our way in the beginning but we kept our composure and were able to pull out the win in the end.”

Glendale came out firing in the match playing a wide open running game, passing the ball out of contact and playing dynamically.  The CSU defense was unprepared for this dynamic attack and Glendale used large overloads to exploit the defense and draw penalties early for to go up by 6 on two penalty kicks.  At 15 minutes into the match Glendale scored their first try off another overload and good passing out of contact to complete the break.  Following up with a second score a few minutes later alumni number eight Ryan Chapman ran it in under the posts to put Glendale up 0-18. 

CSU regrouped adjusted their defense and started to control the ball with some good tight play coming back to score at the forty-second minute of the first half when open side flanker Nick Anderson took a quick tap penalty at the five meter line to score after several hard pounding rucks that followed a good lineout maul.  This gave the team some momentum going into the half down 7-18. 

After the half CSU came out and held the Glendale attack with good defensive positioning and continued to put pressure on Glendale.  At the fifty-seventh minute CSU got on the board again when senior wing Jake Silverman chipped ahead and hooker Danny Bolling chased the kick to touch it down and score.  With the conversion by scrum half Brett Wolf CSU drew closer 14-18. 

Glendale struck back when they forced a turnover inside the CSU defending 22 and off a quick ruck there big number 12 crashed though for the score increasing there lead 14-25.

Executing a beautiful play CSU exposed the Glendale wings again when scrum half Brett Wolf kicked the ball over the defense from a ruck and sophomore wing Thomas Staab chased the kick down recovered it and chipped it ahead in goal.  The Glendale wing blatantly tackled Thomas Staab without the ball preventing the score and the penalty try was awarded putting the score line 21-25.

CSU defended their goal line for the last 15 minutes of the game holding multiple defensive scrums, penalty attacks and all around great defense.  Finally CSU got a clearing kick, stole the lineout at the 40 meter line and then broke a long run to the weak side where wing Thomas Staab was caught just short of the try line.  Glendale dove on the tackled player killing the ball and ruck, allowing them to recover the ball and kick away.  There clearing kick did not reach touch and full back Kyle Gross fed wing Jake Silverman for the last second winning score 26-25. 

Overall the game was very rewarding for CSU.  The team showed great heart coming back for the win in the second half and playing great team rugby.  CSU also showcased the depth they have developed this season, with three starters unavailable and two more forward starters coming out of the game with injuries along with three other tactical subs the full team was used to win the match.

Rookie props Hilarion Tatad and Lance Stuht split time in the match at loose head prop and performed excellently in the scrums and around the field.  Sophomore wing Thomas Staab received man of the match honors. 

In the B-side match Glendale fielded the same team and took out their anger from loosing the close contest to punish the CSU B-side winning 0-34.  This game was not too useful for the B-side as they were giving up 30-50 pounds per player and were overmatched by the A-side of a good men’s club. 

CSU Lineup

1^st Half                                                             2^nd Half

1: Hilarion Tatad                                               1: Hilarion Tatad (Lance Stuht @70min)          
2: Danny Bolling                                               2: Danny Bolling (Sam Mulay @55min)
3: Greg Raubeson                                             3: Greg Raubeson
4: Reilly Madison                                              4: Reilly Madison (Jake Humphrey@60min)
5: Cory Cranston                                              5: Cory Cranston
6: Keith Gross  (Joel Rexroth @30min)             6: Joel Rexroth

7: Nick Anderson                                             7: Nick Anderson
8: Justin Mitchell                                               8: Justin Mitchell
9: Brett Wolf                                                    9: Brett Wolf
10: Logan Collins                                              10: Logan Collins

12: Ryan Ersland                                              12: Ryan Ersland
13: Drew Batty (Craig Sherman @25min)         13: Craig Sherman (John Walsh @55min)
11: Thomas Staab                                             11: Thomas Staab

14: Jake Silverman                                            14: Jake Silverman
15: Jeff Odell                                                    15: Jeff Odell (Kyle Gross @55min)

The CSU men’s Rugby team kicked of their Western sub-region season on a positive note by traveling up to Laramie and defeating the University of Wyoming, 24-13 in a hard fought contest. With both teams running in two tries apiece, kicking turned out to be the difference and scrum-half Brett Wolf received MOTM(Man Of The Match) honors by going 5 for 7 with the boot for a total of 14 points. The first points of the game came from the CSU backs as #13 Brandon Schreiber caught a pass at pace off a centerfield scrum and was able to get the ball out wide to fullback, Jeff O’Dell who then off-loaded to winger, Jacob Silverman to touchdown in the corner after just 6 mins. The conversion missed, however, and looked to prove costly as within minutes CSU were penalized deep in their own half. WYO took advantage and successfully kicked for posts to narrow the lead to 2 points. CSU found the try zone again 5 mins later through Flanker, Keith Gross, who ran a pod off a ruck and broke several tackles to score his first try in first XV’s rugby. Wolf converted the try to make it 12-3, and would add another 2 penalties before the halftime whistle. CSU had ample opportunity to add a couple of more tries, but the staunch WYO held them at bay. It was a WYO tackle at the goal-line, which caused a CSU knock-on, that seemed to shift the momentum WYO’s way right before the whistle. Halftime score CSU 18 – WYO 3.

            As the second half began, Wyoming capitalized on the momentum shift and kept the ball deep in CSU territory for much of the first 20 mins. CSU’s lack of ability to find touch from behind their own 22 did them in, as Wyoming scored their first try of the match in the sixtyth minute through Zach Vosika. CSU were on their heels a little bit, but following the missed conversion attempt, they still maintained an 18-8 lead. CSU were able to knuckle down and maintain a steady period of possession and forced Wyoming into committing two penalties deep inside their own half. Brett Wolf turned the penalties into six more points for CSU, and the lead was widened to 24-8 with a little over 10 mins to play. There was no quit in Wyoming as they gave everything they had and even ran in another try off of a maul in the seventy-fifth min, but that was all they could muster as CSU held on for the win. Final Score CSU 24 – WYO 13.

By,  Dafyd Jones.

Scoring Summary

5-0 6:00 CSU #14 Jake Silverman

5-3 9:00 Wyo #15 Kyle Knutson Penalty Kick

12-3 13:00 CSU #6 Keith Gross Try, converted by Brett Wolf

15-3 17:00 CSU #9 Brett Wolf Penalty Kick

18-3 32:00 CSU #9 Brett Wolf Penalty Kick

Halftime

18-8 65:00 Wyo #7 Zach Vosika unconverted Try

21-8 66:00 CSU #9 Brett Wolf Penalty Kick

24-8 67:00 CSU #9 Brett Wolf Penalty Kick

24-13 75:00 Wyo #3 Ryan Dean unconverted Try

Lineups

CSU

1: Ehren Samuelson
2: Danny Bolling
3: Greg Raubeson
4: Dan Wonstolen
5: Cory Cranston
6: Keith Gross
7: Nick Anderson
8: Justin Mitchell
9: Brett Wolf
10: Logan Collins
12: Ryan Ersland
13: Brandon Schreiber
11: Thomas Staab

14: Jake Silverman
15: Jeff Odell

Wyoming

1: Bobby Reetz

2: Brandon Lambrecht

3: Mike George

4: John Falkenberg

5: John George

6: Derek Query

7: Zach Vosika

8: Zach Tyrrell

9: Dusty Hill

10: Mark Stines

12: Mitch McElwain

13: Brett Tyrrell

11: Cory Sittner

14: Sony Wassenberger

15: Kyle Knutson

16: Sub for 1 Ryan Dean

17: Sub for 9 Matt Allshouse

18: Sub for 5 Matt Jensen