Weekend Victories Propel Ruggers to Berth in National Championship Tournament

Author: Pavel Gavrilov

The Middlebury College men's rugby club entered this weekend's playoff matches as the number one seed with a record of 8-0, holding the title of defending Northeast Territorial champions. Put together, that meant everyone else was gunning for them.
Saturday dawned with a clear sky and favorable temperatures at Rochester Polytechnical Institute, where Middlebury took on Babson College. Middlebury proved that it was a better team right off the start, scoring in the first 10 minutes. It kept on pushing, determined to knock Babson out of the game early, and the 24-7 halftime score reflected this.
The second half showcased Middlebury's depth, as reserve players came in to give rest to starters preparing for the next day's championship match. The reserves played superbly, and helped the Panthers triumph over Babson, 39-7.
Sunday's game was not as easy as the first. The United States Coast Guard Academy stood between Middlebury and its second consecutive trip to the National Tournament. Middlebury had beaten them two weeks earlier, but it was by far the hardest match of the season.
This game proved to be even tougher. Coast Guard came out hard, pushing down the field and gaining a penalty. This led to a successful kick, resulting in a 3-0 lead. The Panthers were in shock, trailing for the first time all season. Middlebury came back strong though, and used its speedy backs to get a penalty of its own. Raiden Tsuboi '04 converted the kick, evening the score at 3 going into halftime.
The second half belonged to the Panthers. Playing with heart and soul against a very fit Coast Guard team, Middlebury was on the verge of going home empty-handed. However, using his speed and strength, Charlie Zebriski '04.5 recovered a loose ball on Middlebury's 22-meter line and ran the length of the field to score the only try of the game for either team. Middlebury finally had the edge they had been hoping for all afternoon, as the try put the Panthers up, 8-3. Middlebury was able to convert their kick to gain an extra two points.
Coast Guard could not recover, however, and after another 15 minutes of play, the Middlebury ruggers claimed victory with smiles on their faces and tears in their eyes.
After a much-needed break, the team will begin training in January for the National Tournament next spring. Last year, the Panthers fared well at the National Tournament. After a first-round win, Middlebury lost to eventual National Champion Stanford in the quaterfinals, ending the tournament ranked fifth in the nation.