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February 16: Scottsdale Blues record falls to 2 - 3
February 16: Old Pueblo 22 Scottsdale 0
A match
Traveling to Tucson Estavan Park with a contingent of 29 players the Blues felt good about their chances against the team just ahead of them in the standings, the Old Pueblo Lions.
That bright flame of hope was was extinguished very quickly as the Blues spent the first 25 minutes of the game defending their goal line. The Lions were able to cross the goaline twice during that assault. The Blues made numerous kicking mistakes and missed many 1st tackles that enabled the Lions to continually put the Blues on their heals.
But even down 12-0 the Blues felt that if they put forth the same effort that enabled them to defeat the Gilbert Warriors two weeks ago, they could manufacture another victory. The Lions proved to be a much better side than the Warriors and their fowards showed the same domination in the 2nd half that they had shown in the 1st half. The result was another 2 tries in the second 40 minutes and a solid 22-0 defeat of the Blues.
The Blues never showed any real sustained offensive threat and their lineout pieces were horrible.The Blues forward pack was never quite as mobile and physical as the Lions pack. The only bright spot of the day was the play of Blake Schultz , making his 1st ever start as a fullback, who played with an effort ( tacking and counterattack)that we have come to expect from this young player.
The Lions deserved the win and moved into 2nd place in the league table.Now the Blues look to rebound against the Tempe Old Devils next week in their 1st home match of the season.
Old Pueblo 22 Scottsdale 0
Old Pueblo 12 Scottsdale 0 (Halftime)
Scoring Old Pueblo 4 tries 1 conversion
Man of the Match Blake Schultz
B Match
Old Pueblo 32 Scottsdale 12
Old Pueblo 10 Scottsdale 0 (Halftime)
The Blues second side played with great effort but came up against a team playing many 1st team Lions. It was the efforts of Lions flyhalf Cameron Freeman and Eagle squad member #8 Ryan Dombrock ( who played center) that provided the majority of tries against a spirited Blues 2nd side. The Blues had many strong foward surges and even a few successful backline movements but found it difficult to cross the line. After halftime the Blues did cross the line with great efforts by Props Mike McCarthy and Benito Beccerra. McCarthy scored on a great invidual effort as he tapped a penalty and ran 35 yards for a score under the posts. Beccerra scored a strong run as he carried a couplwe Lions on his back to give the Blues a second try. But the Lions side had too many individual stars and the result was 4 more tries in the second half and the Tucson squad came away with another 20 point victory margin. It was good to see the improvement of many of the new Blues and it was great to see the Blues field a side with 14 reserves and only one slot to fill with a1st side player.Benito Beccerra played well as a reserve in the 1st match and played even better in the 2nd match. His progress at prop is a welcome sight to the Blues club as he is not only big but very athletic.His future in the game is bright.
Scoring
Old Pueblo 6 tires 3 conversions
Scottsdale
Tries: Mike McCarthy 1 Try
Benito Beccera 1 Try
Scott Coffey 1 of 2 Conversions
Man of the Match: Benito Beccera
February 2; Scottsdale 14 Gilbert 12
The Scottsdale Blues followed up a strong effort against the Tucson Magpies
with less than stellar 60 minute effort against the improving yet winless
Gilbert Warriors. Yet the Blues showed their heart, deternination, tenacity and
fitness with a furious finish in this hard hitting match by scoring 2 converted
tries in the last 10 minutes of the match to come out with a victory and a
devastated Gilbert side.The victory came as Blake Schultz scored in the right
corner on fulltime and Dave Walter converted from the sideline to complete a
14-12 come-from- behind unprobable victory.
The 1st half show a disciplined Gilbert side use the massive
forward pack to control the tempo in the first 40 minutes. They used numerous
pick and go's following numerous recycles to move down the field time and
again. The Warriors scored in the 12 minute to take a 7-0 lead. Yet the Blues
ever improving defense allowed the Warriors only the 1 try and the Blues
enetered halftime encouraged by their effort and a couple of late scoring
opportunites that were unfortunately not converted. But the flow of the match
was ebbing towards the Scottsdale side as the difference in fitness levels
started to become evident.
Halftime Gilbert 7 Scottsdale 0
The second half saw Gilbert take a 12-0 lead very early in the half as a
series of passes in a counterattack from a Scottsdale kick resulted in a
Warrior score. The Blues were despondent but not finished. They stiffened their
defense and the rest of the half saw the Warriors start to tire. As Scottsdale
started to obtain more and more of the possession the Blues continued to
pressure the Gilbert defense. Their efforts were rewared as Ryan Blackman
touched down under the posts (John Woodman converting) after a total team
effort to produce a scoring opportunity. With 10 minutes to play the Blues were
now with a converted try of winning the match and their frenzy was only
beginning. At every breakdown the blues had more numbers and the Blues backline
was stretching a fitness thin warrior side. But the Blues were running out of
time. The heroics came in the last minute as halfback Schultz took a recyled
ball to the blind side and chipped over the defender and as he ball took a
Blues bounce forward Schultz was able to gather and barely outrace the Warriors
to score a diving try in the right corner with the Warrior fullback draped on
his legs. A histarical Blues side celebrated their efforts to tie the match at
12-12. Yet the drama was not finished. With kicker Hennessey off the pitch with
an injury the kicking duties were up for grabs. Dave Walter was appointed to
attempt a touchline conversion to win the match.In his first attempt of the
season this left footed kicker sent a torpedo style kick curling from lwft to
right over the right upright. The touch judges put up thier flags yet Referee
Sam Merrill ws not convinced. After a 1 minute conversation with the touch
judge, Merrill blew his whistle and raised his arm to signal a successful
conversion.With the Blues and their supporters celebrating the conversion,
referee Merrill blew a fulltime whistle and the Blues had earned an
unprobable yet deserving victory.
Their were many Blues players with strong efforts but the Man of the Match
award went to Ryan Blackman for his solid counterattack from fullback and
his support try to get the Blues engine moving.
The Blues 2nds achieved their second victory of the season and evened their
record at 2-2.
They defeated a very young Warriors side 38-0. The match displayed the strength
of the Blues reserves and the growing high school movement of the Arizona Rugby
Union.It was an entertainig offensive preformance by a reinvigorated side following
an electric win by the 1st fifteen.
Halftime 19-0
Tries:
Trevor Hass 2
T J Evans 1
Mike Cowled 1
Justin Timmons 1
Jeremey Paranteau 1
Quentin Hennessey 4 of 6 conversions
2nd side Man of the Match Trevor
Hass
(our 19 year old youth movement has begun: great tackler, great toughness and
good speed)
January 26; Scottsdale 38 Tucson Magpies 3
The Scottsdale Blues traveled to Tucson for their 3rd league match of the
season to compete against the Tucson Magpies.Within the memory of a smashing
defeat only one week removed, the Blues came out determined to show the league
that they are one of the better sides in this years competition. With Menzies
injured , #8 Greg Hedley was asked to lead the Blues to their 1st victory of
the season. In the 3rd minute ofthe match Winger Jared McGrath scored on a 40
meter run down the left touchline after the spirited efforts of a revitalized
forward group and a reorganized backline that found Hedley starting at inside
center in an effort to shore up the defense and provide more offensive punch to
the backline. The changes were obviously successful as the Blues destroyed the
Magpies in the 1st half with 4 more tries in the half. Those scoring were
Schultz 2, Taddeo, Rose with Hennessey converting 4 of 5.
Halftime Scottsdale 33 Magpies 3
The second half saw the Blues strike quickly with Blake Schultz obtaining his
hattrick as he scored his 3rd try. The Magpies looked disorganized and
untalented to this point. The Blues looked very confident. But the second half
changed when Magpies prop Ed Down recieved a Red Card for punching. From that
point on the Magpies played like a different team and for the next 30 minutes
played very good forward oriented rugby and were rewarded by keeping the Blues
side scoreless the rest of the match. Even though the Magpies did not score,
they had earned the respect of their supporters and the Blues for their
courageous 14 man effort.The Blues played unispiring in the 2nd half and
unfortunately lost another key player to injury with 20 minutes left. For the
second week in succession the Blues lost their captain as Hedley was lost to a
knee injury, possibly for the season with a damaged ACL.
The obvious choice for Man of the Match with his 3 tries was Blake Schultz
The Blues 2nd side played a sound match and came out with a victory.
Scottsdale 29 Tucson Magpies 19 (Halftime Scottsdale 22
Magpies14)
Much like the first match the Blues scored often in the 1st half only to ease
up in the 2nd half.
Tries were scored by the following: Ryan Blackman 2, Dan Galatzer, Pat Dostal
and the kicking was ably handled by Scott Coffey (conversions 3 of 4
and 1 penalty kick).
It was gratifying to see Rocky Arrendondo play his first match of the season and
he did so with his normal ferociuos defense and strong running.
For his efforts
Rocky Arrendondo earned 2nd side Man of the Match
January 19 Red Mountain 60 Scottsdale 3
Following the difficult loss to Tempe to start the season, the
Scottsdale Blues tried to regroup against national powerhouse Red Mountain.
Unfortunately the Blues came out hard and fiery and they started on top 3-0
after a Menzies penalty kick. But within minutes the Red Mountain squad showed
their speed and talent.A very disorganized Blues backline defense resulted in a
flood of tries.. The result was another blowout loss to the Warthogs, 60-3.(Red
Mountain 10 Tries 5 conversions) There was not much postive to take home in
this defeat and unfortunately the salt was rubbed into the gapping wound when
Captain menzies was injured during the 2nd half. The dislocated finger would
cost Menzies the opportunity to play for the next few weeks.
The Blues 2nd side showed a better effort but the result was still a loss. Red
Mountain 31 Scottsdale 15 (Red Mountain 5 Tries 3 Conversion: Scottsdale
3 tries 0-3 Conversion 0-1 Penalty Kick). The Blues did score 3 tries
(Doug Ladret,Mike McCarthy,Ryan Blackman).
For his efforts Mike McCarthy was awarded the 2nd side Man of the Match.
January 12: Season Begins with Loss
Tempe Old Devils 25 Scottsdale Blues 15
The Scottsdale Blues started the 2008 league season with a bang by scoring 2 1st half tries to take a 10-3 halftime lead against their rival the Tempe Old Devils. The outlook for the season looked bright on a sunny day at the Thunderbird pitch in northern Glendale. Tries by Ryan Weir and Jared McGrath had the Blues supporters in good spirits. The Blues had dominated play but unfortunately had not been able to convert either try and missed the mark on 3 penalty kicks. these were all difficult long range kicks and would eventually haunt the Blues.At halftime the Old Devils had inserted Tim Moran and Chad Erskine into
their pack to improve the energy level of a squad.that looked in
trouble.The second half also started off with more good fortune. Jared McGrath again touched down in the left corner after running through a defenders tackle.The Blues again failed to convert the try but the Blues led 15-3 with 30 minutes remaining. The Blues almost put the match away when they pressured the Tempe line . A penalty against Tempe gave the Blues an opportunity the extend their lead. Miscommunication saw a penalty kick opportunity go away as Matt Kenney took a quick tap and force his way into the Tempe try zone. This try could have finished the Old Devils but Referee Rob Speer was on the wrong side of the pile up and did not see Kenney touch down. The resulting next few minutes saw Tempe defend their line and clear possession.The next 15 minutes saw the momentum swing to Tempe as they continued to pound the middle of the Blues defense with forward crashes. The result was better field position that led to pressure at the Blues line. Tempe started their comeback when Jared McGrath had a clearing kick blocked and after a few pick and goes by the Tempe forwards resulted in a try. With the score 15-11, the Tempe side could smell a victory again and their intensity increased. Tempe maintained more pressure due to stronger play in the lineots and rucks and with the space of the the next 15 minutes they were able to score 2 more tries by wing Sean Guard. Both of these were converted and suddenly and quickly the Blues were on the wrong side of a 25-15 score.During the last 10 minutes the Blues mounted a furious effort and threatened the Tempe line on numerous occasions but could not score the tries that could have resulted in a victory and even the one try that could have earned them 2 league bonus points even in defeat.
On e the day the Blues fortunes came and went and the day resulted in a 25-15 defeat. The Blues players were deflated with the outcome. Ther effort on the day was great and ,except for a 15 minute span, the Blues were the better side.The season looks to be a successful one for the rejuvenated Blues program.
Man Of The Match Jared McGrath
Honorable mention: Ryan Weir and Jack Oliver
Tempe B 14 Scottsdale B 0
The B side played hard but unfortunately were unable to cross the Tempe line and thus went down to defeat.
2nd side Man of the Match : Justin Timmons
Honrable mention: Ben Humphries
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