The Northern Colorado Flamingos took another positive step in the hunt for the Eastern Rockies Rugby Football Union division II dominance with their convincing defeat of the Glendale Raptors, Saturday March 26.  A late 2pm start, a cool breezy day on the alternate all-weather pitch set the stage for the NoCo task at hand.

  With the opening kick the Flamingos progressed toward the goal controlling the ball in the rucks and pod play.  Five minutes after the start, four phases presented the first scoring opportunity by Northern Colorado with ‘Rasta’ Todd Oswald running for a good 40 meters and evertually coming to try scoring fly half Tommy Staab with Jeff Brundage kicking the conversion.  NoCo 7-0.  In the 13th minute, after continually dominating play in the forwards, the Flamingos rolled down the pitch when flanker Ryan ‘Harmsful’ Harms picked the ball from the base of the ruck and rolled in for a 5 pointer, left unconverted.  NoCo 12-0.

  Play was much contested after the restart when fullback Craig Sherman pounded a kick to the opposition five meters and the Raptor wing was unsupported an called for not releasing the ball.  A penalty ensued with hooker Mike Donato was passed the ball from the tap to set a play in motion and 3 phases later captain Sol Mascarenas was in for the pick and go try, 22 minutes into the half, again unconverted.  NoCo 17-0. 

  After productive play, six minutes later, wing ‘Rasta’ Oswald took a pass inside the Glendale 22, ran over a would-be tackler to dot the bonus point fourth try with Brundage converting.  NoCo 24-0.  The restart and resulting play found Northern Coloardo in their own 22 with the hosts probing attacks.  Lock Eric Rice found that he could not continue and replacement Ben ‘Zack’ Bernelson  took the field. 

  A kick to touch from NoCo did not find its mark and was ran back to the Flamingo defense when the Raptor fly half kicked the ball and fullback Sherman snagged the ball while charging the kick inside his own 22.  Rather than apply for touch again, Sherman ran forward…. one dummy, two dummy…running next to the touch line…three dummy and by this time approaching the opposition 22… DUMMY FOUR!! and in for the try which was converted by scrum half Brundage.  NoCo 31-0.

  Lock Henry ‘Fireman’ Vancil took the restart kick and rambled back to the half mark to set a maul that kept the ball from Glendale for 30 meters and more ground gaining phases with Ryan ‘Harmsful’ scoring at the half whistle, for his second try which was not converted.  Flamingos 36- Raptors 0.

  During the half pause there was much excited and nervous chatter as to how NoCo might cure some problems with their play, at which time Captain Mascarenas told everyone just to keep on doing their jobs and keep the multiphase play going with patience.  Scrum half Brundage was pleased with the forward and back rucking allowing him good delivery for the next phase of play.  Coach Brad Polzin then quieted everyone and told them that host Glendale would NOT be reticent, as he heard the opposition coach giving his charges an angry but controlled talk.  Replacements hooker, Dan Silvius, and back David “Aussie’ Wright were inserted to the lineup.

  The second half start did not go well.  The Raptor scrum half sped toward the goal, from midfield, when Brundage delivered a high tackle near his own try line, and after addtional exchanges of force, the referee awarded a penalty try and the complimentary, yet required, yellow card to Brundage inviting him to sit for 10 minutes.  NoCo 36 – Glendale 5.

  Playing shorthanded, Flamingos fly half Staab, pressed into service at scrum half, connected with the backs to wing Drew Grigsby for a long range try then converted by fullback Sherman.  NoCo 43- Glendale 5.  A determined Raptor XV took the restart ambitiously toward its goal reflecting the play of the Flamingos with brisk rucking.  A  Glendale backs break from midfield overloaded the NoCo defense and took the ball to the try line. Sherman put his body on the line, got up from the tackle and wobbled, found himself on the ground again. After careful examination and concern, Sherman was accompanied from the field of play and replaced by Richard ‘SA’ Carter while Brundage returned from the sin bin. Flamingos 43 – Raptors 10   

   NoCo controlled the pace of play with searing rucks, mauls and pick and go action.  In one such maul at the half mark, number eight, Sam ‘Whiteness’ Starlin grabbed the ball and rambled to the try line at the 55 minute mark. The try was unconverted.  NoCo 48 – Glendale 10.  Not yet finished, the Glendale side assembled another attack, and the perseverant scrum half scored another converted try.  Flamingos 48 – Raptors 17.   Three ticks later, wing ‘Rasta’ Oswald took a weak side pass to score his second try of the match after the pack and backs combined rucks to advance to the opposition 22.  The try was left unconverted.  NoCo 53 – Glendale 17.  Out, but still not down, the Glendale inside center scored a bruising try, with 6 minutes left, which was converted.  NoCo 53 – Glendale 24.  

  Not wanting to allow the Raptors final say, captain Sol found himself in the try zone again in the waning minute of the match to finalize the score at 58 – 24.  When handshakes and backslaps were done, Coach Polzin and Captain Mascarenas agreed that the Flamingos job is not done, when they heard of the Quin’s victory over the Co Spgs Grizzlies.  “The ball is is our court, we decide if we win the Union championship.”  says Sol.  That match in next Saturday, April 2, against Queen City in Denver.

  Man of the match honors went to ‘Rasta’ Todd Oswald.

Scoring Summary:

Tommy Staab    1 try           5 points

Ryan Harms      2 t            10 pt

Sol Mascarenas 2 t            10 pt

Todd Oswald      2 t            10 pt

Craig Sherman   1 t  1 con    7 pt

Drew Grigsby     1 t              5 pt

Sam Starlin        1 t              5 pt

Jeff Brundage           3 con    6 pt

  Northern Colorado Rugby Club defeated the Denver Harlequin Rugby Club on Saturday March 19.  Clear weather, no wind and a great crowd attended the club’s only home match this spring.

  Before the first XV started, the Fort Collins Old Boys hosted the Colorado Senior Old Boys in an oldies match.  The FC mature men (is that an oxymoron?) came out on top of the short, but sweet match 12-7.  After the match, Jeff Calhoun presented Greg Chvatal, FC Youth Rugby Coach, with patches adorned with a hammer symbol, for both the mens and youth side jumpers in rememberance of Matt Hammerdorfer.  Matt passed this life shortly after contact in a high school rugby match two weeks ago, due to an existing heart condition.  Fort Collins and Northern Colorado Rugby thank the CSOBs for their gracious and meaningul gesture.

  The first Northern Colorado, Denver Harlequin match started shortly after with spirited but scoreless action between the 22 meter marks until 15 minutes into the contest when the Denver pack was penalized for going over the top of a ruck in their own 22.  Mike ‘Bird’ Staab place kicked the 3 pointer.  NoCo 3, Denver 0.  Then next 11 minutes were heated with the Flamingo pack making advances phase by phase.  Scrum half Jeff Brundage popped a kick over the defending back line, retrieved the ball to score a try.  The try was left unconverted.  Flamingos 8, Quins 0.  The ensuing nine minutes saw a seesaw battle again in midfield until NoCo committed thier own over-the-ruck offense resulting in a penalty and a 3 point goal.  NoCo 8, Denver 3 at the half.

  Coach Brad Polzin informed the Flamingos that it was not enough.  Not enough effort, not enough ball production, and not enough scoring.  NoCo responded with hard rucking and mauling. At the 44 minute mark, when defending in the Quin 22, the ball came out to the Denver fly half with the intention of kicking to touch.  Captain Sol Mascarenas, in flanker fashion, adroitly hacked the kick on to the try zone and pounced on it for an impressive try. The try, again, was left unconverted.  Flamingos 13, Quins 3.

  The match again was back and forth until the backs found their chance to shine 52 minutes into the match.  The ball was kicked over the Quin backs and Chad ‘Grape Nuts’ Graepler outsped the defense to the bouncing ball and dotted a try to increase the Flamingo lead.  ‘Bird’ Staab converted the try.  Fort Collins 20, Denver 3.  With the restart, the Harlequins pressed every advantage and situation.  Another Flamingo over-the-top penalty was called with a quick toe by the Quins.  Eric ‘Ginger’ Rice immediately tackled the playmaker and as a result was penalized and presented with a yellow card of greeting to sit for 10 minutes.  Following advantage was pressed by Denver until a lock took the ball from a ruck and scored a try and completed with the additional two point conversion. NoCo 20, Denver 10.  

  Four tics later, Sol Mascarenas, while controlling a ruck, took a pick-and-go ball to the try line for another 5 points which ‘Bird’ converted.  NoCo 27, Denver 10.  With the return of Rice from the sin bin, Captain Sol exhorted his charges to give him 13 hard minutes to finish the game off.  Unfortunately, the result was a try from the Quin wing that outpaced the defense.  Flamingos 27, Quins 17 with conversion ,and just 6 minutes to go. 

  The following restart found the ball in the Flamingo 22 for some time when a penalty was called for not entering from the back of a ruck.  A quick tap from 12 meters out, the ball handed to a determined center which resulted in a hard earned try at the whistle with a conversion.  Northern Colorado 27, Denver Quins 24.  

  The local boys came out swinging and did not find themselves behind the entire match, but lackluster late play cost them a point with the game win by less than 7 points.  A good win, just the same.

 The second side match was hotly contested by Old Boys, first side players and a few very new players.  It is to be mentioned that the Quin coach Poindexter played with the Northern Colorado second side “to give his boys a good run’, and was recognized for such at the post match party. The Flamingos came out on top of this match with an impressive score of 43 to 34.

      Sol and Tye Mascarenas were tapped as ‘Man of the Match” for the first and second sides respectively.

<

Northern Colorado Rugby Club won the spring season opening match, 36 – 7, taking on the host, University of Northern Colorado (UNC), Saturday March 5th. A cool spring day set the mood for a very physical and fast paced match between neighbors here in the northern reaches of the state. With the opening kickoff it was apparent the UNC club was not going to let the more experienced NoCo Rugby Club come to their pitch without a fight. NoCo allowed the kick to go unclaimed and UNC showed the oppostition what to do with the mistake. Norther Colorado Rugby gathered it resolve and proceeded to ruck, maul and pass its way to the try line. UNC committed a hands-in the ruck offense inside their own 22, with just 3 minutes into the game, giving fly half Mike ‘Bird’ Staab a successful kick at goal, to open the scoring. NoCo Rugby kept pressing UNC in their half, making it hard for the college side to do anything but defend. Chad Graepler scored the first try after great rucking and ball retention at the 8 minute mark, with ‘Bird’ Staab adding the conversion kick. NoCo 10, UNC 0. Near the 23 minute mark, scrum half, Jeff Brundage picked the ball from a 6th phase ruck near goal and used his diminutive size to sneak round the first channel to dot a try near the goal post with Mike Staab adding another conversion. NoCo 17, UNC 0. At 36 minutes, the pack was working its magic near the try line again, Mike Staab took a weak side pass,scored and converted near the sidelines. NoCo24, UNC 0 at the end of the first stanza. Coach Brad Polzin breifly praised his charges and discussed second half strategy, reminding the side that these UNC fellows were not going to lay down after being shut out the first period. The NoCo fellows responded by taking control of the ball rucking and mauling its way to the promised land with ‘White’ Sam Starlin scoring a pick and go try from the 5 meter line. The try was left unconverted. NoCo 29, UNC 0. With that, the UNC boys found themselves frustrated making attack after attack and coming up with little to show for it until their flyhalf weaved his way through much of the NoCo side and scoring after a 65 meter run for the line 50 minutes into the match. The try was converted easily. NoCo 29, UNC 7. The final try of the match was scored under the posts by flanker Ryan Harms’ful’ after being unaccounted for in the back line and speeding 35 meters to the zone with 24 minutes left. ‘Bird’ Staab added the conversion. Final score: NoCo 36, UNC 7. Coaches Brad Polzin, Terje Whitmore and Jan Nansel praised the team for its cohesive effort, excellent rucking and great play in general.