Rugby advances to Big Four

Author: Tommy Mayell

Is Middlebury rugby becoming a dynasty?

The Panthers never trailed en route to victories over Humboldt State and the University of South Florida, as Middlebury advanced to the national semifinal round for the third consecutive year. The men overcame the superior physical strength of their opponents with a display of fitness, team depth and been-there-before mental toughness.

In the round of 16, the Panthers dismantled Humboldt State with a 37-13 triumph before gritting out a win against USF by a margin of 32-17. While the goal differentials were substantial, the gameplay suggests the matches were much tighter.

Against Humboldt State, the Panthers saw the Jacks threaten to score often in the first half, as Humboldt often pinned Middlebury in its own 22 with tactical kicking. The gritty goal-line defense, which included a miraculous stop by Chris Marshall '11, kept Middlebury ahead. Sam Harrison '11 put the Panthers on the board first with a penalty kick. He finished with 17 points on 3-4 penalties and 4-4 conversions. The Panthers led at the half by a score of 13-6.

Middlebury pulled away in the second half thanks to tries from senior veterans Trey Stewart '09, Max Levine '09 and Robert Gosney '09. The highlight came when Gosney bullied his way through a Humboldt defender, pushing him into his own goal post in the process of scoring the try. The Panthers came out on top by a margin of 37-13, but there would be no celebrating after this one.

"After the game we were the least happy after a win," said Ari Silverman '09. "We were very beat up. We went right back to the hotel."

The next day the Panthers once again faced a bigger team in the USF Bulls. From the start, the Panthers struggled against a determined USF squad. "They were dominant early on," said Levine. "Their four forwards were dominant at the beginning. They were dominant in the scrums. They thought they would run through our lines."

Aggressive tackling, consistent kicking and a team mentality helped the Panthers advance. "We play a team-based game," said Levine. "About nine different guys scored over the weekend. Only one guy scored twice."

Silverman delivered for the Panthers, going 2-2 off penalties and 3-4 on conversions. "Our fitness was very helpful," he said. "Both teams were a lot bigger than we were, but experience came through."

USF pulled to within eight in the final minutes, but Nick Fager '09 capped off a triumphant weekend with a 40-meter try down the sideline, evading several USF defenders before ensuring a 32-17 Panther victory. It was an appropriate ending to a tournament in which the Panthers used their knowledge of the game and months of training to advance to their third straight Big Four.

Next week, the Panthers will travel to California, where only two victories stand between Middlebury and their second national championship in three years. The Panthers will face Georgetown on Friday, May 1 in the national semifinal, the winner of which will face the victor of the Wisconsin-Miami (OH) matchup. As the only team remaining with Big Four experience, Middlebury's deep and talented roster will look to overwhelm the competition. If that happens, we just may be looking at a dynasty in the making.