19 March 2005

The South Jersey Devils defeated Rockaway 15-12 in a hard fought match to win championship final of the eight team Social Division of the 2005 Village Lions RFC Four Leafs Tournament at Randal’s Island , NY . 

The road to the championship consisted of a dominating pool victory over Western Potomac (27-5), a difficult pool loss to Rockaway (3-7),  a brilliant championship semifinal shut-out of number one seed Hudson Valley (23-0) and the championship payback victory over Rockaway.  

Pool Round Matches

Western Potomac -With an 8:30 kickoff, car legs and cobwebs are expected; however, 24 Devils arrived early, warmed up with purpose, and took the field ready to play.  Centers Zack Tyler and Brent DiRomualdo both slotted their first hard fought try’s of 2005. Flyhalf Chris Blake converted the DiRomualdo try and added a penalty kick to make it 15-0.  Western Potomac answered back with an unconverted try. Half time score 15-5.  The second half was dominated by the Devils from the kickoff.  Chris Blake scored and converted. Winger Billy Blauvelt added a nice try to close out the first pool match.  Final score 27-5. 

Devils scoring:

Trys- Tyler, DiRomualdo, Blake, Blauvelt

Conversions-(2) Blake

Penalty Kicks-(1) Blake

Rockaway-The Devils faced their most difficult opponent of the season and responded with an aggressive but sloppy performance.  Rockaway was big, old and slow in the forwards and had some very quick “sevens” specialists in the backs.  Throw in a tricky wind and it spelled a difficult match-up.  Rockaway opened the scoring with a converted try. By the time the Devils figured Rockaway out and put themselves in position to win, they failed to execute, even with a man advantage during a Rockaway sin-bin. Several key “red zone” opportunities down the stretch ended in sloppy mishandles and critical penalties.  Tournament format games are 20 minute halves and the Devils eventually ran out of time.  The game ended on the Rockaway three meter line on a badly executed Devils penalty play that resulted in a dead ball and the final whistle.  Blake had a penalty kick in a disappointing loss. Final score 3-7

Devils scoring:

Trys-0

Conversions-0

Penalty Kicks (1) Blake

Championship Round Matches 

Semi-Final

Hudson Valley-After a nerve-wracking hour of waiting for results of other pool matches, point differentials being calculated, and the Devils head coach being thoroughly confused about tournament format, the Devils ended up seeded fourth in the Championship round.  This meant a semifinal match with undefeated and high scoring Hudson Valley .  From the opening kickoff the Devils flat-out crushed their opponents; Everything came together and the Rockaway sloppiness went away.  Led by skipper/No. 8  Justin Band and flanker Mike Euykin, the Devils pack developed a dominating pattern of possession, driving over the gain line, and putting runners into space. Fullback Billy Blauvelt opened the scoring with a nice try set up by the new prop “Darby.”  Blake converted the try and added a penalty to make the halftime score 10-0.  Subs came in and the Devils never missed a beat. The Devils backrow and inside backs began to completely dominate their opponents. All efforts by Hudson Valley were smothered before they even began.  Blake added two penalties to raise the score to 16-0.  Then “the try” occurred.  Some may say he out of position, some may say he was resting, some say he trying to steal a Guinness from a sideline cooler.  Whatever the case, lock Bill Popoff ended up on the blind side wing and outran several Hudson Valley backs into the try zone to post his first try of 2005.  He even managed to dot it down near the posts to set up Blake for an easy conversion.  Final score 23-0

Devils scoring:

Trys-Blauvelt, Popoff

Conversions-(2) Blake

Penalty Kicks (3) Blake

Final

Confidence, style and the burning desire to win cannot be underrated in life or in rugby.  Fullback Billy Blauvelt opened the scoring with plenty of all three in a beautiful try in the corner set up by winger Seamus Dugan.  This set the Devils on course for a dominating first half performance that saw the emergence of the Devils tight five of Diaz, Graff, Vanderguilder, Risely and Popoff-they owned the loose play, scrums and lineouts. After a good looking Devils penalty kick was overturned by the referee, Phil Wright stole a ball from an ensuing maul and sliced through a bunch of Rockaway players for a classic flanker’s try under the posts.  Blake converted and added a penalty kick to make it 15-0 at the half.   The second half was a back and forth nail biting affair with big defensive plays and counter attacks by wingers Lenny Accardi, Seamus Dugan, and fullback Billy Blauvelt.  Rockaway’s speedy backs and clever flyhalf, aided by a stiff wind, manufactured two tries and a conversion after costly Devils turnovers in loose play.  Through this, the Devils maintained their composure and remained focused.  In the final ten minutes the Devils superior fitness began to become apparent with outstanding defensive patterned pressure led by the back row and inside backs. No more mistakes were made and the Devils cranked it up.  Rockaway failed to respond. When the final whistle blew, it was the Devils 15, Rockaway 12.  CHAMPS!

Devils scoring:

Trys-Blauvelt, Wright

Conversions-(1) Blake

Penalty Kicks (3) Blake

Finals Team

1. Graff
2. VanGuilder
3. Diaz
4. Risely (Lightcap)
5. Popoff
6. Wright
7. Euykin
8. Band (capt)
9. Diaz
10. Blake
11. Dugan
12. DiRomualdo
13. Tyler
14. Accardi
15. Blauvelt

Man of the Tournament-Bill Popoff.  Honorable mention to Chris Blake, Bill Blauvelt