A Game
 
1)  Matt Davis                                                                   
2)  Gene Graf (c)                                                               
3)  Phil Gambino
4)  Mark Camiolo  (replaced by Joe Lynch)
5)  Brian Nace
6)  Gerrit Van Der Merwe
7)  Justin Band
8)  Brent DiRomauldo
9)  Alex Diaz
10)  Bill Stom
11)  Jeff Allen
12)  Stu Drucker (replaced by Kevin O'Brien)
13)  Vinny Santangelo
14)  Mike Romisitis
15)  Jeff Pastava

Scorers:
Tries - Rimositis, Stom
Conversions - Stom (2)
 
The Devils took on Met NY Div II champs and perennial playoff team, Union Mudturtles, in the season finale.  This game was always going to be a measure of how far this team has come this season.  Union fielded a large, mobile pack as well as a back who was quite familiar to South Jersey - Sammie Mulhall.   Past results against Union did not make for encouraging reading.  The Devils last victory was seven years ago.  Still, the players took the field with hope in their hearts.
 
The Devils began the game playing into a strong wind.  As expected, much of the play occurred in South Jersey's end of the field as they had difficulty getting any distance when clearing the ball from inside the 22m area.  Union opened their account in the seventh minute when a Devils' scrum resulted in the heel rocketing out of channel one.  Alex Diaz cleaned up possession but was unsupported.  Union turned the ball over and moved it wide for an easy score for the winger.  Conversion failed.
 
Things did not improve seven minutes later when the Devils spilled the ball in an attacking position.  Union scooped it and 80m later the score was 10-nil.  It looked for a moment that the Devils were in for another hiding from Union. 
 
Then suddenly, Bill Stom back from his stint in the Superleague, began to receive some good ball and the offense flowed.  The Devils forced play into Union's 22 with a series of forward charges from the likes of DiRomauldo and Nace.  Stom saw a big blindside and attacked it beautifully.  He drew the defense and unleashed Romisitis for a mazy run through the defense for a try under the sticks.  (For the record, Romisitis scored a try in every game this season.)  It was a much-needed score that steadied the team.  The converted kick made it a tight game.
 
Just seconds before halftime, the Devils were caught offside and Mulhall nailed the penalty to leave the score 13-7 at the interval.
 
The second half saw the Devils using the wind with clinical corner kicks from Diaz and Stom (and one from Band that traveled 50m - he must have been studying tapes of Zinzan Brooke) to control field position.  Unfortunately, Union's captain was a head taller than anyone in the Devils' pack and it was impossible to steal ball at the lineout.  However, the game effort of Van der Merwe at the front of the lineout resulted in some overthrows which DiRomauldo and Nace gratefully snatched up and used to launch counter-attacks.  In fact, Union never did establish much of an attack from the lineout despite the obvious dominance they enjoyed there.
 
Although the Devils were putting on the pressure, they couldn't crack the Union defense.  Twice they elected to take a quick tap penalty in kickable positions.  Those six points really should not have been left on the field against such a strong side.  Perhaps the team suffered slightly from the absence of captain Tom Diaz.  Their tactical naivete may have cost them the game.
 
The key moment occurred at the 50 minute mark.  South Jersey were pinned inside their 22m line but successfully won their own lineout ball.  Although Union expected a clearing kick, the ball was instead spun.  The attack piffled and a turnover resulted.  A crashball through the centers led to a quick ball which Union's scrumhalf used to dart around the tackle area for an easy, converted try. 
 
The Devils kept attacking but now they were trying to play catch-up. It looked as if Union was again stretched when a wayward Jersey pass was intercepted on the 5m line and led to a Union dash to the other end of the field.  In what must be one of the great defensive efforts I can recall,  man-of-the-match Jeff Pastava, turned and eventually ran down the Union player despite starting at least 15m behind him.  Not content to simply make the tackle, Pastava stole the ball and then launched a counter attack before passing to Allen who cleared the lines.  Union seemed stunned that they hadn't scored.
 
But the Devils still couldn't find an answer to Union's defense.  A great kick by Stom was chased poorly by the Devils.  The kick and chase has been well-organized all season, but did not evidence itself in this particular game.  The failure to organize the chase was fatal.  The fullback eventually recovered the ball near his 22m line and began a counter attack.  Romisitis was up quickly to pressure him so the fullback fed his 8man along the touchline.  Somehow the player then ran 70m up the touchline for a try in the corner.  At 27-7, it looked like the Devils were dead and buried. 
 
They weren't. 
 
Immediately from the kickoff, play returned to Union's end when Alex Diaz chased a kick and turned over the fullback.  Repeated infringements by Union led to wave after wave of attacks by the Devils.  Finally Union was stretched cleverly and Stom scampered through a big gap to score under the posts.  With less than ten minutes remaining, the score was 27-14.
 
The Devils were game to the last  but couldn't get possession.  The final whistle blew on the season with the Devils putting up yet another stout defense of their tryline.  A fitting end as nothing so much characterized this team as the goalline stand.
 
The game had been characterized by a great defensive effort by the Devils.  The line was broken on several occasions but the Devils always recovered in time to deny Union.  Once again, the usual suspects shone in this aspect of play.  Davis, Graf, Band, Van der Merwe, DiRomauldo, Diaz, Santangelo were all to the fore.  So too was Camiolo in his first start this season.  But no group shone more brightly in defense than the back three.  Try-saving tackles from Allen, Romisitis and Pastava were put in at key moments throughout the whole game.  Pastava in particular showed incredible composure.  His positioning was impeccable.  Despite Mulhall's repeated attempts to test him, Pastava was always right where he belonged.  It seemed as if he had so much time to collect the ball and return the kick with interest.  And his openfield one-on-one tackle on Mulhall inside the 22m early in the game was truly a game-saver.
 
The Fall season looks to be very exciting with additional players returning from school/injury joining this battle-tested group.
For the first time in ages, the team may be deeper than the 10 foot end of the pool.  I, for one, can't wait.
 
 
B Game
 
The B game was an intense, exciting affair.  For the first time this year, no players were required to play both the A and B games.  Thanks to the hardwork and proseltyzing of Steve English, a large contingent of Lockheed Martin players took the field.  A welcome sight to the weary Devils who have played two games week in and week out since March.  It didn't hurt that they were pretty darn good players as well.
 
In a ding dong battle, the Devils came up just short.  Excellent performances were put in by Bob Angelo, Robb Wagner, Tom Ferrieri, Joe Lynch, Will Barry and Tony Pelligrino.  It was also great to see U19 alum and recent graduate of Paris Island, Tom Sherman, trading in his USMC uniform for the South Jersey jumper. 
 
If this game is any yardstick, the club should be very competitive in the Fall.  In fact, making the B side could be a chore in itself.
 
Job well done to all.