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Barbarians Maul OPSB 96-21 in Regular Season Finale |
May 3, 2008, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park
by Ken Matthews
Denver Barbarians claimed sole possession of 2nd place in the final Red (Western) Conference standings with a complete destruction of Old Puget Sound Beach RFC Saturday afternoon at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. The Barbarians’ victory was comprehensive, scoring 15 tries to 3 for OPSB.
Denver scored 107 points 3 weeks ago against out manned Washington and came close again on Saturday against a much better Seattle team, who competed hard at the breakdown and had some pop in their backline. Nevertheless, Barbarian forwards dominated loose possession, wheeled their opponents’ scrum all match, and produced good ball off both their own and OPSB’s lineouts.
Mark Bokhoven and Tyson Meek led Barbarian scoring with 3 tries each. Meek added 3 conversions for a leading point total of 21 points on the day. David Yavala added 2 tries. Link Wilfley had a penalty and 5 conversions for 13 points. The Barbarians had 10 different try scorers, 9 from the backs and 6 from their forwards.
Denver clinched a playoff berth with 25 points, but await next weeks’ match between Chicago Griffins and Charlotte RFC to determine if the Barbarians or Charlotte will have a home match for the May 17 quarterfinal match. The Rugby Super League finals will be at Infinity Stadium in Glendale and televised live on ESPN Classic. Charlotte has 23 points heading into their clash with the Griffins next weekend in Chicago. A win or a draw with a bonus point (4 tries) vault Charlotte into the 4th seed and will send Denver on the road, probably against Charlotte.
DENVER BARBARIANS: 1 Chris Moreno (Kelley on as front row injury substitute @ 55 minutes), 2 Kyle Fenton (Russo @ 65 minutes), 3 Mike Kelley (Landau at half), 4 John Van der Giessen (Smith at half), 5 Mike Mangan, 6 Adam Drury (Peterson @ 45 minutes), 7 Andrew Post, 8 Pat Quinn, 9 Tyson Meek, 10 Link Wilfley (Williams at 60 minutes), 11 Mark Bokhoven, 12 Ben Haapapuro, 13 David Yavala, 14 Jody Kramer (Humphrey @ 65 minutes), 15 Dan Bludeau, 16 Tim Russo, 17 Mike Landau, 18 Garrett Peterson, 19 Hayden Smith, 20 Tom Hewitt, 21 David Williams, 22 Jake Humphrey.
Coach: David Hodges
Tries: Bokhoven 3, Meek 3, Yavala 2, Drury, Van der Giessen, Fenton, Post, Peterson, Humphrey, Russo.
Conversions: Wilfley 5, Meek 3, Bludeau 1.
Penalties: Wilfley 1.
Drop Goals: none.
OLD PUGET SOUND BEACH: 1 Kiernan Kennedy, 2 Owen Gonder, 3 Thomas Elliot, 4 Adam Patchett, 5 Brian Schoener, 6 Joe Evans, 7 Sam Cumming, 8 Chris Stone, 9 Nick Pallidino, 10 Justin Sturrock, 11 Eric Nelson, 12 Aaron Wohlzon, 13 Michael Steward, 14 Nolan Allen, 15 Ryan Bishop, 16 Wes Keyes, 18 Mark Litke, 19 Royal Smalley, 20 Eric Stacy, 21 Burk Tauilii, 22 Casey Nelson.
Coach: Vili Lino
Tries: 3
Conversions: Ryan Bishop 3
Referee: Phil Griffith (National Panel – Boston)
Touch Judges: Tom Coburn (National Panel)
Dan Hattrup (Eastern Rockies)
Attendance: 500
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Rally falls Short - Barbarians DII fall to Raptors |
May 3, 2008, Dick’s Sporting Goods Park
by Ken Matthews
Glendale Raptors bolted to a 26-0 lead 2 minutes into the second half and hung on for a hard-fought 26-20 victory over Denver Barbarians Division II side Saturday at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. The Barbarians turned over the ball too often in the first half, giving the Raptors possession that their forwards could not deliver against the dominant Barbarian pack. Glendale counter attacked with brutal efficiency with this meager possession in the first half and made the Barbarians pay. Particularly effective for Glendale were #10 Taylor Howden, #12 Mike Graham, and #15 Dewon Reed.
At halftime Denver made some adjustments that took control of the match. Denver simplified their backline play and kept the ball in tight with their forwards. This allowed the Barbarians to camp in Glendale territory in the second half, batter away at Glendale with a powerful forward onslaught, and heard the final whistle blow while assaulting the Glendale line. In the end Glendale was the winner, but they had to be happy with a couple of Barbarian decisions late in the match that preserved their win. Prop Josh Masek was the man-of-the-match for the Barbarians, punishing the Raptor pack with repeated runs into and through the Glendale forwards. #8 Andrew Redfern ran hard off the scrum and ruck and dotted down two tries for the men in green.
Glendale struck early to take the lead they would not relinquish. At 7 minutes the Barbarian forwards lost possession on a pick and jam at the fringe of a Barbarian ruck. Glendale quickly spun the ball left to their potent backs. Denver’s back reacted quickly and came up flat in defense. Raptors flyhalf Howden chipped over the defense and center Graham came onto the ball with a well-timed run. The ball bounced over his head back toward Glendale to hooker Pat Doyle. With the Barbarian backs honing in on Graham, Doyle was free to roam and took off on a long run down the middle of the pitch. He off loaded to Graham who then sent the ball wide to fullback Reed, who touched down in the corner. Howden’s conversion failed. Glendale 5, Barbarians 0.
From a lineout at their 10-meter line, Glendale won a rare clean lineout and sent the ball to a Howden. Again, the Barbarian backline pressure came up hard and fast - too fast. Howden dummied a wide pass and broke up the middle. Denver’s fullback Ross Kantor took Howden out, but Howden passed to the supporting Reed for Reed’s second try near the posts. Howden converted. At 16 minutes, Glendale 12, Barbarians 0.
The remainder of the half was a back and forth affair, with Denver dominating possession, but unable to solve the Glendale defense. Late in the half, the Barbarians were on the attack with all backs committed from halfway when another miscue provided another opportunity for Glendale. Denver’s flyhalf Michael Hughes passed to center Darrin Butler and looped him. Raptor’s Howden read the move and crashed into the play causing Hughes to spill the ball. Howden grubbed the ball up the vacant middle of the pitch where Kantor had abandoned to join the backline attack. Howden picked up the ball and scored under the posts with Kantor in hot pursuit. Howden converted. At halftime, Glendale 19, Barbarians 0. This was the halftime score.
Both teams made some adjustments at half. Glendale struck with what would prove to be the telling try only 2 minutes into the second half. The Barbarians had a lineout at their own 22-meter line. Glendale stole the lineout and sent a ball to their #13 on a crash, splitting the Barbarian defense and scoring under the posts. The conversion was good and Glendale had their final points of the match and a 26-0 lead.
For the remainder of the half, Denver dominated possession and field position. The Barbarian pack wheeled the Glendale scrum at will, turning over possession or destroying the Glendale platform on every occasion for the remainder of the match. Glendale would not mount any other offensive pressure the remainder of the match and would focus on defending Denver’s constant pressure.
At 48 minutes Denver got their first try. From quality possession at halfway, flyhalf Hughes backed himself on a weak side break through the Glendale defense to within 10 meters of the Glendale line. A penalty resulted at the tackle and the Barbos kicked to the corner for a lineout. Denver won the lineout and drove the maul for a try to Masek. Hughes’ conversion failed. Glendale 26, Barbarians 5.
From the ensuing kick-off to the Barbarians, they attacked and sent Masek on a long run after bowling over the Glendale forwards. Masek offloaded to #8 Andrew Redfern, who passed to Hughes, who passed to Butler who drove for the end zone. The ball was held up and Denver awarded a 5-meter scrum. Redfern picked up at the base of the scrum and broke strong into the Glendale defense on a set backrow move. The move never developed as Redfern ran over Glendale’s #9 and #7 and touched down. Hughes converted. At 50 minutes, Glendale 26, Barbarians 12.
Following a long period of possession and field position dominance, the Barbarians were awarded a penalty 5 meters from the Glendale endzone. Redfern crashed in for his second try following a tapped penalty. Hughes’ conversion failed. At 65 minutes, Glendale 26, Barbarians 17.
The Barbarians continue to pressure Glendale and keep them pinned deep. Another penalty goes the Barbarians way at 71 minutes. Hughes converts the short penalty and Denver is within a converted try of victory. Glendale 26, Barbarians 20.
Glendale could not relieve the pressure and the Barbarians would campaign in their opponents half the remainder of the match. Glendale’s defense held until late when the Barbarians have a break on the right side. The ball skips through the Barbarian backs but they fail to put the last pass away wide, instead choosing to cut up the pitch and set another ruck inside the Glendale 22-meter line. From that ruck the ball is kicked over the top and Glendale regains possession and kicks to touch to end the match.
The Barbarians Division II side, 3rd place finisher in the Western RFU Division II championships last weekend, gave Western RFU Division I Champions Glendale all they wanted and had the run of play throughout the second half. The Barbarians ended their season with this match and start up league play again in August. Glendale goes to the Division I Sweet-16 in Austin next weekend with some difficult questions about how to deliver consistent possession to their talent backs.
DENVER BARBARIANS: 1 Josh Masek, 2 Mike Nelson, 3 Greg Raubsen, 4 Jeremy Christofferson, 5 Derrick Borgmann (Toal at half), 6 Rob Moreno (O’Connor @ 60 minutes), 7 Fernando Alvarez, 8 Andrew Redfern, 9 Matt Lancaster, 10 Michael Hughes, 11 Adam Fisher, 12 Darrin Butler, 13 Jake McCormack (Cook @ 60 minutes), 14 Mike Garrity (Gardner @ 75 minutes), 15 Ross Kantor, 16 Sean Toal, 17 Rob O’Connor, 18 Jerry Cook, 19 Steve Gardner.
Coach: Andy de Villiers
Tries: Masek, Redfern 2
Conversions: Hughes 1
Penalties: Hughes 2
Drop Goals: none
GLENDALE RAPTORS: Line up not provided.
Coach: Mark Bullock
Tires: Reed 2, Howden, unidentified #13
Conversions: Howden 3
Penalties: none
Drop goal: none
Referee: Tom Coburn (Eastern Rockies and National Panel)
Attendance: 500
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Barbarians DII Side Closes Season against Glendale Raptors |
May 2, 2008
By Ken Matthews
Denver Barbarians host Glendale Raptors at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, Saturday, May 3, 2008. Kick-off is at 12 noon. The Barbarians - Raptors match kicks off a full day of rugby, followed by a Barbarians Old Boy fixture against Colorado Senior Old Boys at 1:30 pm, topped off with a “make or break” Rugby Super League match between the Barbarians and Old Puget Sound Beach RFC (Seattle).
Denver will put out its Division II side, 3rd place finishers in the Western Rugby Football Union Championships last weekend in Fort Worth. Glendale won the Western RFU Division I Championship, also last weekend in Fort Worth.
The match will also be the outgoing match for Barbarians Division II coach Andy de Villiers, who is relocating to Florida.
DENVER BARBARIANS: 1 Josh Masek, 2 Mike Nelson, 3 Sean Toal, 4 Jeremy Christoferson, 5 Derrick Borgmann, 6 Fernando Alvarez, 7 Rob Moreno, 8 Andrew Redfern, 9 Matt Lancaster, 10 Michael Hughes, 11 Adam Fisher, 12 Darrin Butler, 13 Jake McCormick, 14 Mike Garrity, 15 Ross Kantor, 16 Greg Raubsen, 17 Ian Bonesteel, 18 Jerry Cook.
Coach: Andy de Villiers
GLENDALE RAPTORS: Line up not available at press time.
Coach: Mark Bullock
Referee: Tom Coburn (National Panel)
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