The SJRFC Devils outworked Blackthorn RFC in the last 20 minutes to emerge with a well earned 29-15 MARFU D-II North victory and even their record at 1-1-1. The Devils B-Side staged a dramatic second half comeback to defeat Blackthorn’s “B’s” and move to 2-1.

First game:  

1^st half:

For the second straight week, conditions for rugby were nearly perfect with a rain softened pitch, a light breeze and overcast skies.  A refereeing schedule snafu pushed the game back about 50 minutes, so both sides were chomping at the bit at kickoff. Especially the Devils rookie tight head prop, SJRFC high school U-19 standout Mike Sweeney.  The Blackthorn game plan was evident from the start. Big forwards plodded ahead and maintained possession, forcing the smaller Devils forwards to make tackle after tackle (which they did).  Then they would spin it wide; Nothing too unusual or fancy, just a loop between inside center and flyhalf, and a miss three to the fullback or blind side wing entering with the outside center looping and the open winger outside. This effectively created a 3 on 1 for the Devils winger and then a dangerous 2 on 1 for our rookie fullback Josh Van Nes. Josh was up to task with help from the Devils cover defense and managed to prevent long breaks, but Blackthorn was threatening with repeated 20 meter gains outside.  The Devils two centers-both ex-winger rookies playing their second game at center-took a while to adjust to the overlap and get into a drift defense. Once the drift was established, things calmed down out wide.  Back to the game: At 4:00 minutes, the Devils took one of several bad penalties that occurred deep in their own territory during the game and Blackthorn cashed in for three points.  At 7:00, centers Mike Pente and the Devils back row followed up a Blackthorn turnover and Bill Blauvelt kick ahead. With impressive speed with ball in hand and some great moves, Pente scored his first D-II league match try. Stom converted, making it 7-3 Devils. At 12:00, a Blackthorn turnover in open play caused by the never ending pressure of rookie blind side flanker Mike Hutchinson bounced into the hands of fullback Josh Van Nes. With that astonishing antelope-ish stride,  Josh bounded 60 meters down the sideline for the try to make it 12-5 as the Stom conversion was wide.  At 22:00, the Blackthorn forwards pushed the ball inside the ten meter line after some wide breaks in the backs. The Devils defended well, but couldn’t stop the speedy left winger that snuck in for the try.  The difficult conversion sailed through from the sideline making it 12-10 Devils.  With the referee apparently unaware of the last foot off-side rule as it applies to the back line, the right of the first tackler to try to poach the ball from any angle as long as he is on his feet, the requirement for the tackled player to release the ball, and the fact that it is illegal for players arriving late to the tackle to dive over the ball and come in from the side,  play was boring and filled with stoppages until the break.  Half time score: Devils 12-Blackthorn 10.  

2^nd half:

With the Devils backline defense straightened out at half time, the Blackthorn wide attack was slowed. Concurrently, the big Blackthorn forwards started to slow down as the middle of the second half approached. At 64:00, a close penalty was converted by Bill Stom to make it an unconverted try to tie, 15-10 Devils. As the “fourth quarter” progressed, things began to go the Devils way. At 74:00, winger Mike Rimositis finally broke one after having a very busy day defending and chasing kicks. After fielding a short clearance kick from about the Blackthorn midfield ten meter line and wide right, he basically ran through four or five tackles to score his weekly try that he always puts down between the posts, Stom converted making it 22-10. Three minutes later, blindside flanker Mike Hutchinson picked up a charged down kick from an odd position and the referee apparently took no issue. “A-rod” ran it in for an easily converted try, 29-10. Blackthorn made one last gasp at 79:00, with the forwards falling over against lackluster Devils defense.  Final score: Devils 29-Blackthorn 15. 

1. Graf
2. Angelo (Martinez)
3. Sweeney (Gambino)
4. Midgley (capt)
5. Higgins
6. Hutchinson
7. Wright
8. Band
9. Diaz (McCoy)
10. Stom (vc)
11. Blauvelt
12. Palumbo (Higgins)
13. Pente
14. Rimositis
15. Van Nes

Tries- Rimositis, Van Nes, Hutchinson, Pente

Conversions- Stom (3)

Penalty Kicks- Stom  (1)

 Man of the Match: Mike Rimositis

 Coaches Comment: Fitness prevailed.   

Second game: (30 minute halves)  

1^st Half:

The Devils B’s took the field with 13 fresh players, all ready to impress the crowd that had accumulated during the first game.  Unfortunately, Blackthorn’s B’s, augmented by more than a few players from the first game, were a bit more dynamic.  At 10:00 and at 15:00, Blackthorn pumped in unconverted tries.  The Devils threatened a few times but were not yet untracked with all the new personnel playing their first game together, including SJRFC high school U-19 standouts flanker Terrell Walton, wing Mike Sherman, and flanker Tuputao Lemalu (we will call him Tupo).  Half time score:  Lancaster 10-Devils 0. 

2^nd Half: 

The second half emergence of some of the younger Devils and Tom Ferrari’s tactical play at flyhalf was quite impressive. It all didn’t necessarily end up with a slew of points but was enough to make Blackthorn start to yield rapidly.  At 45:00, Terrell Walton scored one of what will probably be many trys for the green and white-mark the writer’s words-as he powered over from the ten meter line. The conversion was wide.  The equalizer was run in by soccer-player-on-rugby-diversion Eddie Slater. Tom Ferrari calmly converted to go ahead 12-10 as time ran out for Blackthorn. Final Score: SJRFC 12-Lancaster 10

1. Gambino
2. Angelo
3. Olsen (Lina)
4. Lynch
5. Ackley
6. Mirabella
7. Walton
8. Martinez (Lemalu)
9. McCoy
10. Ferrari (vc)
11. Sherman
12. Higgins, M
13. Slater
14. James X
15. Martin (Palumbo)

Man of the Match:  Tom Ferrari

Tries- Walton, Slater

Conversions- Ferrari (1)

Penalty Kicks-none