Men's ruggers dominate a weak Ephs squad

Author: Eri Nosaka

This weekend many fans and parents witnessed the true devotion of the Middlebury Rugby teams. The men's teams destroyed Williams College and while the women's team lost, they put forth a valiant effort.

The women's team played Castleton College for their opening game of the season. Although the Panthers had an unfortunate outcome, they ended the game with an acceptable score of 24-15.

It might be too early in the season to know what could specifically be improved, but one thing the team struggles with is their size and the low number of returnees. However, what they lack in numbers they seem to make up with heart and passion.

"We had great runs from the new girls, who were really able to get down the field. They put their hearts in the game and went for it, and I am really proud of it," said Camille Padilla '07. "Yes, we do have a lot new players, but their skills will come soon, and we anticipate a great season."

Liza Reynolds '08, Padilla and Maria Dickinson '07 played exceptionally well throughout the game, but the rookies also showed an impressive debut performance.

"One of the disadvantages of competing at the Division II level has been that there really hasn't been enough time to coach. There really hasn't been that much face-to-face contact time," said women's head coach Ko Onufry. "That being said, I have so much respect for the women who come to practice everyday willing to work towards a sport which most of them have not seen until they came to Middlebury College."

The passion which was evident in the women's game quickly carried onto the men's games as they played Williams.

From the beginning till the end of the men's games, there was a sense of electricity and cohesion as both the A side and B side - or otherwise known as, "the Killer Bs" - used everything they had to annihilate Williams. Both teams won with a score of 48-0.

On the A side, Craig Wilson '07 and Pascal Losambe '07 wowed the crowds with their runs, while first-year Alex White had a notable debut as prop.

"We capitalized on a couple of the breakdowns in the second half. We had an advantage when playing at home," said Co-Captain Caleb Consentein '06 when asked about Saturday's game. "Our field was much wider than our opponents' so it's great playing home because it gives our backs more space to work with."

Surely there were small problems, such as penalties and line- outs, but those will be worked out and improved this week. In general, this team played a flawless game.

In order to truly grasp the sense of appreciation the two teams have for the sport, one would have to realize how much work they are doing outside of the actual practices. As the administration does not fund the teams for post-season games - despite the fact that both teams go to post-season games every year - the teams have volunteered to be dining hall monitors for approximately 150 hours per week.

So, while rugby remains a club sport, the predicted success and dedication of both teams should not be taken lightly, and rugby should be supported throughout the season.