Two more rugby game days, more results, and we're almost done with our season.
Thursday, 23 July
U-11
Coach Dave Huges reports: Thursday at PAC (Alexandria). As usual, we played better in many respects, but came up short in the end. 13 tries to 4, or PAC 65, Fort Hunt 20. Andrei G scored three times and Conor T scored once for us. Man of the match went to Will H for really putting into play what we have been learning. Claire and Fiona O'R also played a great game, as did Jonah R, who always made sure he was right in on the play. One thing that really stood out was we were able to get the ball moving down the line nicely. Good game, team.
Lastly, PAC put on a nice hosting for us, that unfortunately got cut short by the weather. Fresh cut melon, juice, brownies, chips, really nice.
U-13/U-15/U-17
The evening started off poorly, as we had U-13 strength on the Marshall HS main turf stadium field, only to find out Vienna had sent their U-13s to play with BRYC. So, we made the best of it and split into groups and ran a quick tackle scrimmage among ourselves. The guys were running straight, working on their tackling, and having fun playing on the big field.
The U-15s took the field, and things were shaping up nicely with our U-15 speed and ball running taking it to Vienna early. But, midway through the second quarter we detected lightning and instituted an immediate halt. Unfortunatey, the lightning and thunder did not abate, and we finally abandoned all play a little bit before 8:00.
Scoring from the U-15s was: Coling G (1 try), Peter F (1 try), and Chris B (2 conversions). The U-17s did not get to play.
There were no man of the match trophies awarded for any of the three tackle sides.
Saturday, 25 July
U-11
Coach Dave Hughes reports: Saturday at Winchester. We played six a side with Winchester giving us one player for each quarter. We kicked more in this game than in previous outings, including five attempts at converting the try. Though we did not make any of our kicks, Winchester made a few of theirs adding to their score. We lost, 51-25.
Conor T and Will H really stood out with James W having a great take-charge attitude. Simon M, even with his bad knee, made the trip to cheer us on. Tries were scored by Conor T (3), and Will H. The other Ft. Hunt score came form one of our Winchester loaner players. Man of the match went to James W and James H for their dedicated play (voted by the parents there).
After the game, the Winchester players brought over Gatorade and Chips. While it was a shame that we could not field a full side, everyone had a great time.
U-13/U-15/U-17
Our last home matches of the season. The day was long and hot, but we had a great day of rugby, with our last-minute guest in Chantilly at U-15.
Howard County came down to repay our U-17 visit for the first match of the season. They were very good opponents, lending us players, and played well, with enthusiasm and sportsmanship.
Unfortunately, we don't have our detailed results, scoring stats and man of the match awards ready right now, but we'll provide them as soon as we get them.
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Practice
We will practice Tu/Wed/Th this week, 6:00-8:00. We will go light on contact for tackle players, with an emphasis on rest and recuperation ahead of the tournament. All players still should bring their mouthpieces.
The weather this week is supposed to be wacky, so stay tuned to email and the website for practice updates.
Tournament
The tournament will take place this Saturday and Sunday at Franconia Park, which is at 6432 Bowie Dr Springfield, Va 22150. There is a parking lot at Bowie Drive, and there is also a parking lot at the end of Cloud Drive.
Exact times will be out later this week. Expect to be at the field by 8:30 a.m. both days, and the first games to be at 9:00 a.m. Things should wrap up both days by 4:00 p.m.
The touch tournament will be on Saturday, 1 August. We have entered our U-11 side. I will be there early, and will be there until about 1:00 pm.
The tackle tournament will be on Sunday, 2 August. We have entered our U-15 side. Thirteen-year-old U-13 players who have played up with the U-15s this season may play with the U-15s. U-13 and U-17 players who would like to play on Sunday should show up ready to play, and the coaches will do their best to get players into as many matches as possible.
Parents should bring chairs and canopies, and sunscreen. The club will have water and cold drinks on hand. SYC will provide concessions for food, and there likely will be a rugby outfitter there selling rugby gear.
The Fort Hunt Rugby Store is Open!
We have a growing selection of Fort Hunt Rugby gear for you and your players. I have these at every practice, and they'll be at the tournament.
Jerseys: We have a number of extra jerseys. Jerseys from this year are $25 each ($40 original cost). Jerseys from past years are $15 each--great for practice, and to have an extra. Great for moms and dad, little brothers, birthdays, etc.
We have custom club balls for $25 each. There are about 25 left.
We have small and large club stickers. The large stickers are $5 each, 2 for $8. The small stickers are $3 each, 2 for $5.
We also have Fort Hunt Rugby patches, perfect for your kit bag, $5 each.
Trophies/Medals
Coach Dacey will order the trophies and medals on Friday evening, for handout at the picnic. If it's ordered but not paid for, he will not order it.
Medals are $5 and trophies are $7, payable in cash or check to Coach Dacey. His home address is 2207 Wittington Blvd, Alex, VA 22308.
Picnic
The team end of season picnic is on Sunday, 9 August at 3:00 pm in Area E at Fort Hunt Park.
The club will bring the main goodies, with families to bring extras.
We will hand out end of season individual and team awards there.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
End of Season Awards & Trophies
End of Season Awards/Trophies
The votes are in, and the choices are: a medal on a ribbon and a small trophy.
All awards are by individual choice--there is no requirement to order one for your player.
We'll use Crown Awards.
The medal on a ribbon will basically look like this, with a green and gold Fort Hunt ribbon, and customized name plate on the back.
Each medal will be $5.00.
The trophy will look like this with a rugby figurine and rugby insert, and with a name plate.
Each trophy will be $7.00.
I will place the order for all medals and trophies on the evening of Friday, 31 July. I need to have all orders and full payment by that time, in cash or check, payable to me (John Dacey).
You can email me the info, and mail me the payment, to 2207 Wittington Blvd, Alex, VA 22308. Or you can give me a note and payment--ideally in an envelope--at practice or a match.
The votes are in, and the choices are: a medal on a ribbon and a small trophy.
All awards are by individual choice--there is no requirement to order one for your player.
We'll use Crown Awards.
The medal on a ribbon will basically look like this, with a green and gold Fort Hunt ribbon, and customized name plate on the back.
Each medal will be $5.00.
The trophy will look like this with a rugby figurine and rugby insert, and with a name plate.
Each trophy will be $7.00.
I will place the order for all medals and trophies on the evening of Friday, 31 July. I need to have all orders and full payment by that time, in cash or check, payable to me (John Dacey).
You can email me the info, and mail me the payment, to 2207 Wittington Blvd, Alex, VA 22308. Or you can give me a note and payment--ideally in an envelope--at practice or a match.
End of Season Picnic, Sunday 9 August, 3:00 pm
End of Season Picnic
Well, the votes are almost all in, and the majority points to Sunday, 9 August as the day for our picnic. So shall it be done.
The venue is Fort Hunt Park, Area E. This is the same place we did the picnic last year.
The time is 3:00 p.m.
The club will buy burgers, hot dogs and drinks. We'll also spring for plates, napkins and flatware. Families should bring along something else to round out the food offering, like sandwiches, chip/dip, watermelon, cupcakes, cookies, bucket o' chicken, veggie platters, salads, fruit, deviled eggs (yuck!), the typical picnic fare.
Families should bring chairs and canopies.
Players need to wear their jerseys, as we will be taking the formal team picture to record our club for 2009. All coaches need to wear their coach's shirt.
We will hand out individual awards and trophies at the picnic (see the separate post), and also will hand out team awards. All players new to the program will get a Fort Hunt Rugby certificate.
We also will have stickers, patches, team balls and extra jerseys for sale, so get a jump on Christmas and bring your checkbooks.
Well, the votes are almost all in, and the majority points to Sunday, 9 August as the day for our picnic. So shall it be done.
The venue is Fort Hunt Park, Area E. This is the same place we did the picnic last year.
The time is 3:00 p.m.
The club will buy burgers, hot dogs and drinks. We'll also spring for plates, napkins and flatware. Families should bring along something else to round out the food offering, like sandwiches, chip/dip, watermelon, cupcakes, cookies, bucket o' chicken, veggie platters, salads, fruit, deviled eggs (yuck!), the typical picnic fare.
Families should bring chairs and canopies.
Players need to wear their jerseys, as we will be taking the formal team picture to record our club for 2009. All coaches need to wear their coach's shirt.
We will hand out individual awards and trophies at the picnic (see the separate post), and also will hand out team awards. All players new to the program will get a Fort Hunt Rugby certificate.
We also will have stickers, patches, team balls and extra jerseys for sale, so get a jump on Christmas and bring your checkbooks.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Thursday, 16 July / Saturday, 18 July Wrap-Ups
Thursday, 16 July
First, we have to finish the reporting for Thursday evening.
U-11s: Coach Jim Woods adds to the previous U-11 reporting: The kids played great and Dave Hughes and Layton Golding were terrific in both reffing and coaching. Jim, who is the coach of their team was a very nice guy and he was praising our team after the match. I also had several of their players come up to me to thank us.
U-17s: The stalwart Fort Hunt U-17s who traveled to Chantilly were Peter L, Nick A, Mike P, Joe Tr, Austin W, Ryan K and Mark P.
The final score was Fort Hunt 14, Chantilly 48. The Fort Hunt scorers were Mike P (1 try, 1 conversion), Nick A (1 try), and Joe T (1 conversion).
The Fort Hunt man of the match was Mike P for his tenacious defending, solid tackling, and the dashing try he scored from an incredibly well-placed clearing kick from Mark P.
Saturday, 18 July Wrap-Up
U-11s: Coach Jim Woods reports: Our kids played great. We stayed spread out more than ever, made very few emergency passes, and ran some great runs. Claire almost had her first try, but got stopped just shy of the try zone, and passed off to Connor for the try. Andrei had some incredible runs with some amazing dekes that left Winchester sprawled on the ground. James H really got into going for any ball that was on the ground and wrestled some nice pick ups for us. As usual James W played with grit and determination, making sure that every touch counted. Cooper just seemed to never give up and was were he needed to be every time. Fiona had some nice runs and made sure that her passes were on target.
So, we were able pretty much to stop most of the long runs by our opponents that we have seen in the past, and were able to break up many of their plays.
The final score was a win: Fort Hunt 30, Winchester 25. Tries were by Connor (4) and Andrei (2) I think, from the ref's position, I was trying not to see our players individually, but Jim has the score sheet. Man of the watch went to Cooper, for his all around great play.
Great day, guys
U-13/U-15/U-17: The day had all three tackle sides hosted at BRYC. The format was a little screwy, as BRYC has now combined with Vienna, and SYC showed up as well. So, in true rugby fashion, we set a round-robin schedule and we borrowed players from each other so as many young men as possible could play as much rugby as possible.
U-13s: We started the morning by placing two of our U-13s with SYC per quarter as they played BRYC, so all of our U-13s who came out got a warmup in SYC jerseys. We then played two periods against BRYC, with a couple of SYC players filling out our side. Play was pretty even, with a lot of wide runs taking advantage of the very wide pitch.
Then we played two quarters of Fort Hunt against hosts BRYC, with a few SYC mates filling our numbers. The final score was something like Fort Hunt 5, BRYC 25.
The Fort Hunt scoring was from Jack K (1 try).
The U-13 man of the match was Ruslan P, for the second match in a row, for his unceasing running absolutely straight up the field with the ball, and his fierce defense and contact in rucks and mauls. An honorable mention goes to Jack K for his long chases and cross-field defenses saves, including two full-field defensive chases with successful open field tackles to prevent the score.
BRYC did a great job of hosting us, with food and drink after the match, and even a spirited rendition of "Father Abraham."
U-15s: The U-15s took the field with a few of their U-13 mates playing up, and against the same SYC team that had beaten us by one point on Thursday evening.
SYC scored first in the first and second quarters, leading 12-0 at the half. But then Fort Hunt caught fire, and by the last minute of the match we were up by 7. A long kick coupled with a lucky bounce put SYC within a conversion of tying the game right at full time, and when our players (illegally) yelled during their missed conversion attempt, they were given another attempt, which they then made, to save the tie at Fort Hunt 19, SYC 19.
Our U-15 play continues to mature and improve rapidly, with better skills and on-field decision making over Thursday evening. The light is going on for our players; our guys really are starting to get the nuances of the game, and the types of immediate decision making that makes the difference in the match.
The scoring was Colin G (3 tries) and Chris B (2 conversions).
Man of the match was the Fort Hunt scrum players, for a particularly good, sustained 30-meter drive into the try zone and a Fort Hunt score. They performed well in the loose, and in the lineouts, providing the grit that wins games. Honorable mentions go to Nick A for his leadership at scrumhalf, and to the one-two punch of try-scoring and conversion, Colin G and Chris B. Chris even attempted a drop goal in open play--a Fort Hunt rugby first. His line was dead-on, but it fell just short. My offer still stands of buying a round of pizza for the team in the name of the first player to score a drop goal in open play.
After the SYC match, we combined to play another two U-15 quarters against our hosts, BRYC. The score was approximately Fort Hunt 24, BRYC 10. We had tries from Nick A, Austin W (2), Anthony A (2, and playing up!), and Chris B. Chris B also made two conversions.
BRYC hosted the U-15s very well, too, with chow and drinks after the match.
U-17s: The U-17s did not play as an official team due to our and our opponents' lack of numbers. But for those hard-core 17s who showed--Nick A, Austin W, with Chris T injured but present and cheering for his mates--we managed to work them into the U-15 play so everyone got some game time (covered in the U-15 report).
Upcoming
We will train on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.
On Thursday evening, the U-11s will travel to PAC (Alexandria), and the U-13s/U-15s/U-17s will be at Vienna. Game day email to be out soon.
On Saturday we will have our last regular season matches, with the U-11s traveling to Winchester, and the U-13s at home v. BRYC/Vienna, U-15s at home v. Vienna, and the U-17s at home v. Howard County. The game day email will be out in a few days.
First, we have to finish the reporting for Thursday evening.
U-11s: Coach Jim Woods adds to the previous U-11 reporting: The kids played great and Dave Hughes and Layton Golding were terrific in both reffing and coaching. Jim, who is the coach of their team was a very nice guy and he was praising our team after the match. I also had several of their players come up to me to thank us.
U-17s: The stalwart Fort Hunt U-17s who traveled to Chantilly were Peter L, Nick A, Mike P, Joe Tr, Austin W, Ryan K and Mark P.
The final score was Fort Hunt 14, Chantilly 48. The Fort Hunt scorers were Mike P (1 try, 1 conversion), Nick A (1 try), and Joe T (1 conversion).
The Fort Hunt man of the match was Mike P for his tenacious defending, solid tackling, and the dashing try he scored from an incredibly well-placed clearing kick from Mark P.
Saturday, 18 July Wrap-Up
U-11s: Coach Jim Woods reports: Our kids played great. We stayed spread out more than ever, made very few emergency passes, and ran some great runs. Claire almost had her first try, but got stopped just shy of the try zone, and passed off to Connor for the try. Andrei had some incredible runs with some amazing dekes that left Winchester sprawled on the ground. James H really got into going for any ball that was on the ground and wrestled some nice pick ups for us. As usual James W played with grit and determination, making sure that every touch counted. Cooper just seemed to never give up and was were he needed to be every time. Fiona had some nice runs and made sure that her passes were on target.
So, we were able pretty much to stop most of the long runs by our opponents that we have seen in the past, and were able to break up many of their plays.
The final score was a win: Fort Hunt 30, Winchester 25. Tries were by Connor (4) and Andrei (2) I think, from the ref's position, I was trying not to see our players individually, but Jim has the score sheet. Man of the watch went to Cooper, for his all around great play.
Great day, guys
U-13/U-15/U-17: The day had all three tackle sides hosted at BRYC. The format was a little screwy, as BRYC has now combined with Vienna, and SYC showed up as well. So, in true rugby fashion, we set a round-robin schedule and we borrowed players from each other so as many young men as possible could play as much rugby as possible.
U-13s: We started the morning by placing two of our U-13s with SYC per quarter as they played BRYC, so all of our U-13s who came out got a warmup in SYC jerseys. We then played two periods against BRYC, with a couple of SYC players filling out our side. Play was pretty even, with a lot of wide runs taking advantage of the very wide pitch.
Then we played two quarters of Fort Hunt against hosts BRYC, with a few SYC mates filling our numbers. The final score was something like Fort Hunt 5, BRYC 25.
The Fort Hunt scoring was from Jack K (1 try).
The U-13 man of the match was Ruslan P, for the second match in a row, for his unceasing running absolutely straight up the field with the ball, and his fierce defense and contact in rucks and mauls. An honorable mention goes to Jack K for his long chases and cross-field defenses saves, including two full-field defensive chases with successful open field tackles to prevent the score.
BRYC did a great job of hosting us, with food and drink after the match, and even a spirited rendition of "Father Abraham."
U-15s: The U-15s took the field with a few of their U-13 mates playing up, and against the same SYC team that had beaten us by one point on Thursday evening.
SYC scored first in the first and second quarters, leading 12-0 at the half. But then Fort Hunt caught fire, and by the last minute of the match we were up by 7. A long kick coupled with a lucky bounce put SYC within a conversion of tying the game right at full time, and when our players (illegally) yelled during their missed conversion attempt, they were given another attempt, which they then made, to save the tie at Fort Hunt 19, SYC 19.
Our U-15 play continues to mature and improve rapidly, with better skills and on-field decision making over Thursday evening. The light is going on for our players; our guys really are starting to get the nuances of the game, and the types of immediate decision making that makes the difference in the match.
The scoring was Colin G (3 tries) and Chris B (2 conversions).
Man of the match was the Fort Hunt scrum players, for a particularly good, sustained 30-meter drive into the try zone and a Fort Hunt score. They performed well in the loose, and in the lineouts, providing the grit that wins games. Honorable mentions go to Nick A for his leadership at scrumhalf, and to the one-two punch of try-scoring and conversion, Colin G and Chris B. Chris even attempted a drop goal in open play--a Fort Hunt rugby first. His line was dead-on, but it fell just short. My offer still stands of buying a round of pizza for the team in the name of the first player to score a drop goal in open play.
After the SYC match, we combined to play another two U-15 quarters against our hosts, BRYC. The score was approximately Fort Hunt 24, BRYC 10. We had tries from Nick A, Austin W (2), Anthony A (2, and playing up!), and Chris B. Chris B also made two conversions.
BRYC hosted the U-15s very well, too, with chow and drinks after the match.
U-17s: The U-17s did not play as an official team due to our and our opponents' lack of numbers. But for those hard-core 17s who showed--Nick A, Austin W, with Chris T injured but present and cheering for his mates--we managed to work them into the U-15 play so everyone got some game time (covered in the U-15 report).
Upcoming
We will train on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.
On Thursday evening, the U-11s will travel to PAC (Alexandria), and the U-13s/U-15s/U-17s will be at Vienna. Game day email to be out soon.
On Saturday we will have our last regular season matches, with the U-11s traveling to Winchester, and the U-13s at home v. BRYC/Vienna, U-15s at home v. Vienna, and the U-17s at home v. Howard County. The game day email will be out in a few days.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Thursday, 16 July Wrap-Up
Another great summer night--but hot!--for rugby:
U-11
SYC Blue at home: Coach Dave Hughes reports: Okay, so Springfield is a good team. We lost 55-10 (11 tries to 2) . But through that we had some great play from our team. Fiona and Claire were selected as Women of the Match for Fort Hunt. They both kept in on the plays, made good passes and catches, broke up some of Springfield's plays, and just would not give up. Andrei had one try, also would not give up and really tried to cut their men off from running away with the ball more than they did. Simon, who had the other try, played a short but great game. He had a wonderful run but got knocked right into the try zone and cut open his knee again. We will miss him for the rest of the season, he is a great kid who has a long rugby future ahead of him. Alden had a great game as well, and ran to keep himself in the game; some nice catches and passes. The rest of the team played a good game, and continue to improve. Our weakest points were some costly desperation passes that resulted in interceptions and tries. This is where some kicks would have come in handy. All in all the U-11s played well and have learned a lot, and nobody killed the ref.
U-13
At SYC: These were the same guys we played last week, losing by a wide margin. Their home-field advantage meant lots of depth, and they substituted often. We played tens due to our low numbers, with a few of our U-15s playing down to fill the side out--thanks, men. The final score was Fort Hunt 0, SYC 74. SYC has some extremely talented and experienced young rugby players, and our disorganization worked against us. Our biggest weakness continues to be ball fixation, and not rapidly marking offensive players preparing their attack.
Man of the match was Connor C for his tackling and his outstanding rucking, often by himself. Will C gets and honorable mention as a man of the match runner-up.
SYC chose their Fort Hunt man of the match, and selected Ruslan P.
U-15
Our 15s got their four mates back from the U-13 match, and with the help of three BRYC mates, took the field with a full 11. The game opened very evenly, with one each unconverted try by both sides. SYC moved out in the second quarter with three unanswered scores, but Fort Hunt roared back in the third quarter, finally finding their groove. The game came down to the last minute, with Fort Hunt up by four, until a late SYC unconverted try gave them the victory: Fort Hunt 26, SYC 27.
SYC was surprised by our performance; they expected a lopsided victory. They had a lot of depth, and fed fresh substitutes in on a frequent basis. Our men kept up the pressure, playing hard and fast from the beginning, with excellent tackling and rucking, and seriously improved team play, moving the ball well and supporting each other. This is the best this side has ever played, and gives me a great deal of hope for a full and competitive U-15 side in the tournament on 2 August.
The Fort Hunt man of the match was David F for his dozen or more outstanding tackles, and his fierceness in the rucks and mauls. Honorable mentions go to Peter F and Connor C.
The scoring was: tries from Colin G (2) and Peter F (2), with 3 conversions from Chris B.
U-17
We'll send this wrap-up separately.
Saturday
The U-11s host Warrenton at home on Saturday morning. Jim Woods is in charge.
The U-13s/U-15s/U-17s will be at BRYC. John Dacey is in charge.
We will practice on Tuesday evening.
--Coach Dacey
U-11
SYC Blue at home: Coach Dave Hughes reports: Okay, so Springfield is a good team. We lost 55-10 (11 tries to 2) . But through that we had some great play from our team. Fiona and Claire were selected as Women of the Match for Fort Hunt. They both kept in on the plays, made good passes and catches, broke up some of Springfield's plays, and just would not give up. Andrei had one try, also would not give up and really tried to cut their men off from running away with the ball more than they did. Simon, who had the other try, played a short but great game. He had a wonderful run but got knocked right into the try zone and cut open his knee again. We will miss him for the rest of the season, he is a great kid who has a long rugby future ahead of him. Alden had a great game as well, and ran to keep himself in the game; some nice catches and passes. The rest of the team played a good game, and continue to improve. Our weakest points were some costly desperation passes that resulted in interceptions and tries. This is where some kicks would have come in handy. All in all the U-11s played well and have learned a lot, and nobody killed the ref.
U-13
At SYC: These were the same guys we played last week, losing by a wide margin. Their home-field advantage meant lots of depth, and they substituted often. We played tens due to our low numbers, with a few of our U-15s playing down to fill the side out--thanks, men. The final score was Fort Hunt 0, SYC 74. SYC has some extremely talented and experienced young rugby players, and our disorganization worked against us. Our biggest weakness continues to be ball fixation, and not rapidly marking offensive players preparing their attack.
Man of the match was Connor C for his tackling and his outstanding rucking, often by himself. Will C gets and honorable mention as a man of the match runner-up.
SYC chose their Fort Hunt man of the match, and selected Ruslan P.
U-15
Our 15s got their four mates back from the U-13 match, and with the help of three BRYC mates, took the field with a full 11. The game opened very evenly, with one each unconverted try by both sides. SYC moved out in the second quarter with three unanswered scores, but Fort Hunt roared back in the third quarter, finally finding their groove. The game came down to the last minute, with Fort Hunt up by four, until a late SYC unconverted try gave them the victory: Fort Hunt 26, SYC 27.
SYC was surprised by our performance; they expected a lopsided victory. They had a lot of depth, and fed fresh substitutes in on a frequent basis. Our men kept up the pressure, playing hard and fast from the beginning, with excellent tackling and rucking, and seriously improved team play, moving the ball well and supporting each other. This is the best this side has ever played, and gives me a great deal of hope for a full and competitive U-15 side in the tournament on 2 August.
The Fort Hunt man of the match was David F for his dozen or more outstanding tackles, and his fierceness in the rucks and mauls. Honorable mentions go to Peter F and Connor C.
The scoring was: tries from Colin G (2) and Peter F (2), with 3 conversions from Chris B.
U-17
We'll send this wrap-up separately.
Saturday
The U-11s host Warrenton at home on Saturday morning. Jim Woods is in charge.
The U-13s/U-15s/U-17s will be at BRYC. John Dacey is in charge.
We will practice on Tuesday evening.
--Coach Dacey
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
End of Season Tournament: TIME TO COMMIT!
Dear Eagles Players, Parents and Supporters:
The end of the summer rugby season is approaching, and so is the 1-2 August tournament.
The touch tournament will be played on Saturday, 1 August. It runs approximately 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. This would involve only our U-11s, and requires 7 players on the field, and a depth/replacement roster of at least 5 players, for a total of 12.
The tackle tournament will take place on Sunday, 2 August. The times are the same. This would involve our U-13s, U-15s and U-17s, and any U-11 players who would like to play up to U-13 tackle. U-13/U-15 requires 11 players on the field, and a depth of at least 4, for a total needed of 15 per team. U-17 requires 7 on the field, and a depth of at least 3, for a total of ten needed.
We need your honest, solid assessment on whether your player(s) will be available for this tournament. It is an all-day commitment. If we do not have sufficient numbers, we will not declare a team for that age group, and that team's playing season will end with their matches on Saturday, 25 July.
Please go to the poll (right) on whether your player can make the tournament for his/her team. Be sure to click both applicable boxes if your player is available to play up to the next age bracket.
Vote once and only once.
All commitments need to be provided by noon on Sunday, as we need to commit to SYC, the tournament organizer. We will make team declarations based on this poll, so please be honest and prompt.
The end of the summer rugby season is approaching, and so is the 1-2 August tournament.
The touch tournament will be played on Saturday, 1 August. It runs approximately 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. This would involve only our U-11s, and requires 7 players on the field, and a depth/replacement roster of at least 5 players, for a total of 12.
The tackle tournament will take place on Sunday, 2 August. The times are the same. This would involve our U-13s, U-15s and U-17s, and any U-11 players who would like to play up to U-13 tackle. U-13/U-15 requires 11 players on the field, and a depth of at least 4, for a total needed of 15 per team. U-17 requires 7 on the field, and a depth of at least 3, for a total of ten needed.
We need your honest, solid assessment on whether your player(s) will be available for this tournament. It is an all-day commitment. If we do not have sufficient numbers, we will not declare a team for that age group, and that team's playing season will end with their matches on Saturday, 25 July.
Please go to the poll (right) on whether your player can make the tournament for his/her team. Be sure to click both applicable boxes if your player is available to play up to the next age bracket.
Vote once and only once.
All commitments need to be provided by noon on Sunday, as we need to commit to SYC, the tournament organizer. We will make team declarations based on this poll, so please be honest and prompt.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
End-of-Season Pick-a-Nick and Awards
Our season will end by 1-2 August, with the touch and tackle tournaments. It's time to think about wrapping it up.
Picnic
When do we want our picnic? Go to the poll (right) and register your vote.
I strongly recommend Sunday, 9 Aug, so we can wrap the season up as quickly as possible once it's over (also, I'm out of town 15-16 Aug).
We'll hold the picnic at Area E or F at Fort Hunt Park, same as last year, probably about 3:00 or 4:00 pm. The club will spring for burgers, dogs and drinks--no match fee!--and folks can bring additional items if they'd like.
We'll do all end of season and team awards at the picnic.
Awards
What kind of awards do your players want? It's basically a medal or a trophy, big or small. Talk to them about the options, and vote in the poll (right).
The cost for a medal on a ribbon is less than $5, with a small trophy at about $6.50 and a large trophy running about $20.
We will order through Crown Awards. Run a keyword search (top left) on "rugby," and a good selection of awards will come up. I'll order any medal or trophy a player wants, all you have to do is give me the details.
Last year players ordered trophies and medals, and I was left at the end of the season holding about $60 in unclaimed and unpaid for awards. So, this year all awards will be paid for upfront.
The order deadline will be 31 Jul 09.
--Coach Dacey
Picnic
When do we want our picnic? Go to the poll (right) and register your vote.
I strongly recommend Sunday, 9 Aug, so we can wrap the season up as quickly as possible once it's over (also, I'm out of town 15-16 Aug).
We'll hold the picnic at Area E or F at Fort Hunt Park, same as last year, probably about 3:00 or 4:00 pm. The club will spring for burgers, dogs and drinks--no match fee!--and folks can bring additional items if they'd like.
We'll do all end of season and team awards at the picnic.
Awards
What kind of awards do your players want? It's basically a medal or a trophy, big or small. Talk to them about the options, and vote in the poll (right).
The cost for a medal on a ribbon is less than $5, with a small trophy at about $6.50 and a large trophy running about $20.
We will order through Crown Awards. Run a keyword search (top left) on "rugby," and a good selection of awards will come up. I'll order any medal or trophy a player wants, all you have to do is give me the details.
Last year players ordered trophies and medals, and I was left at the end of the season holding about $60 in unclaimed and unpaid for awards. So, this year all awards will be paid for upfront.
The order deadline will be 31 Jul 09.
--Coach Dacey
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Saturday, 11 July Wrap-Up / Looking Ahead
We had an excellent day of rugby yesterday, excellent weather, with all four teams playing. Despite our losses, all players I polled said they had fun, which is this club's #1 goal.
For scoring stats, see the document on our match info page.
U-11s
The hosting report from Vienna was sadly the same as Fairfax on Thursday night--nothing for our players after the match. We continue to do it right, though, in the true rugby tradition.
Coach Dave Hughes reports: What a great game. We played four quarters with 12 players, so everyone got to play at least two quarters. Man of the Match was Tom for really being a great leader on the field, but everyone played great and with a lot of heart. It was a BIG field at Marshall High School, so everyone got to run a lot. A lot less magnetball than in previous games; they just continue to get better and better. Good passing, lineouts (we even won a couple from the other team), and we really are working on cutting off the angle and stopping those long runs by the opponent. Did I say everyone played really well. Claire and Fiona NEVER gave up. Andrei just keeps running and running. Both James W and James H cut the angles to stop some long runs. Then everyone else, and sorry for not mentioning everyone...what a match...and we did not lose.... 7 tries to 7 (35-35). Can't wait for practice Tuesday.
Coach Jim Woods adds: I agree 100% with Dave's analysis. The team is really starting to play together as one. Andre had four tries, and Tom had two. Tom was awarded the man of the Match for his leadership skills at scrumhalf and scoring two tries on the weak side. He went for a third but was caught. Jimmy also had a try catching the ball in a line out on the oppositions try line and falling to the ground. Classic stuff. Clare almost had a try but was tagged a yard from the try zone. The kids had a great time and are looking forward to a home match. Finally although Simon M was hurt he attended the game in uniform. He is a team player!!!!
Tackle Play
Coach Poulin comments: Our U17s are aggressive and can defend and tackle, but we are slow to reorganize the backs and return with an offensive attack. As with all the age groups, our rucks and mauls are slow in developing. Our U15s have a lot of good athletes and can run but winning a ruck and turning it into an offensive run can be worked on. Our U13s have a some basic field learning to do which is to be expected. I think at a well attended practice, we should break them apart from the 15s and 17s and just go over basics of the game. They were pretty lost on the field on Saturday. I know having them go over and practice with all the older tackle players can be a good knowledge drop for them, but as a team working together, they don't all understand what to do...
U-13s
With SYC making noises about sharing players to make a full side of 11, we had a couple of our younger U-15s sneak down to fill out our side--thanks, guys.
Overall, we put into play a lot of the basics we've been working on in practice, like posting the ball and driving over in the ruck. The problem is that we are not aware of the ball and drive completely over it, leaving the ball out and the ruck over, with the other team sweeping in to get the ball or to immediately tackle our player who has just picked up. We did well spreading out over the field and covering on defense. We were tentative and not aggressive enough in the mauls, not driving, and not getting in tight to really contest for the ball, at one point doing nothing as one of our opponents was caught with the ball facing our team. There was too much panic at the tackle, players thinking we are playing "keep away," instead of taking the tackle and going to the ground in control and with the ball to post it for our team--we ended up with sloppy passes to no one.
In the end, the SYC core of highly trained and experienced youngsters was just too much for us to handle. The final score was Fort Hunt 0, SYC 55.
The man of the match was Jack K, for his hard running and cross-field chases.
U-15s
Our U-15 strength, athleticism and speed is impressive, but we are squandering it with too many players trying to make the try-scoring run all by themselves, slashing across the field and running wide, thereby running away from both the opposition AND their teammates--we are not playing enough as a team, but are playing as highly talented individuals. This leaves us unable to pass-and-loop, to run the skips, loops, switches and multiple-phase play that we have been practicing. The one-man-running works in some instances of breakaway runs, but in general the approach will not work against a more organized and skilled opponent. Our tackling was good, with much fewer high tackles than in the past.
The match was well played by both sides, with the level of aggression and contact considerably higher than the U-13 match, with good sportsmanship throughout from both sides, with the final score giving Fort Hunt the win: Fort Hunt 45, FPYC 35, with tries from Peter F (2), Chris B (4), Colin G, Shil P and Dan M.
Man of the match was Chris B for his consistently strong defense, cross-field chasing, running in support, and consistently straight running.
U-17s
This was a highly physical match, with a number of very experienced high school players on the FPYC side. Tempers were on edge, with a couple of flares and an FPYC player being shown a yellow card late in the match in an incident in which Fort Hunt showed excellent maturity and restraint. The FPYC side was big and strong, and very well versed in playing 7s rugby. Our 7s play was far improved over last Thursday, with our players showing much better awareness, open-field tackling and coverage, and very good chases in defense and in kick situations. We were consistently running straight and into contact, with good ball retention and posting in the tackle.
But the FPYC strength and experience was too much for us to overcome, with the final score Fort Hunt 0, FPYC 45.
Man of the match was Joseph T, for outstanding open field defense coverage and open field tackling.
Hosting
There are a few outstanding match fee payments--please get with me at practice on Tuesday or Wednesday, $5 per home field player (and for those U-11s who came to the home games and had something to eat/drink).
I owe money to a number of parents for purchases; please see me at practice so I can pay you back immediately. Receipts are not needed.
As usual, our excellent parents' support provided the Saturday hosting that Fort Hunt is becoming known for. The support was outstanding, with no problems at all. Big thanks from all of the coaches to the moms and dads who made purchases and helped run our hosting--our SYC and FPYC guests were impressed, and commented a number of times on how Fort Hunt "does it right" and "in the true rugby spirit." Very well done, moms and dads.
Coming Up
Training. We will have practice on Tuesday and Wednesday evening. All players need to bring water to practice. The weather is officially summer-hot, and it's going to get hotter; we have had too many players forgetting or not bringing sufficient water to practice. A single-serving bottle of water is not enough--minimum for practice should be 24 ounces.
Matches.
I'll have detailed game day instructions out in a day or two, with directions to the fields.
Thursday, 16 July:
The U-11s will be at home on Thursday night against SYC (Springfield). This means hosting duties.
The U-13s will travel to SYC.
The U-15s will travel to SYC.
The U-17s will travel to Chantilly.
Saturday, 18 July
The U-11s will play at home v. Winchester (we traveled out to play them last summer, and lost a close one). This means hosting.
The U-13s will travel to BRYC (Braddock Road)
The U-15s will travel to BRYC.
The U-17s will travel to BRYC.
See you at practice on Tuesday evening.
Coach Dacey
For scoring stats, see the document on our match info page.
U-11s
The hosting report from Vienna was sadly the same as Fairfax on Thursday night--nothing for our players after the match. We continue to do it right, though, in the true rugby tradition.
Coach Dave Hughes reports: What a great game. We played four quarters with 12 players, so everyone got to play at least two quarters. Man of the Match was Tom for really being a great leader on the field, but everyone played great and with a lot of heart. It was a BIG field at Marshall High School, so everyone got to run a lot. A lot less magnetball than in previous games; they just continue to get better and better. Good passing, lineouts (we even won a couple from the other team), and we really are working on cutting off the angle and stopping those long runs by the opponent. Did I say everyone played really well. Claire and Fiona NEVER gave up. Andrei just keeps running and running. Both James W and James H cut the angles to stop some long runs. Then everyone else, and sorry for not mentioning everyone...what a match...and we did not lose.... 7 tries to 7 (35-35). Can't wait for practice Tuesday.
Coach Jim Woods adds: I agree 100% with Dave's analysis. The team is really starting to play together as one. Andre had four tries, and Tom had two. Tom was awarded the man of the Match for his leadership skills at scrumhalf and scoring two tries on the weak side. He went for a third but was caught. Jimmy also had a try catching the ball in a line out on the oppositions try line and falling to the ground. Classic stuff. Clare almost had a try but was tagged a yard from the try zone. The kids had a great time and are looking forward to a home match. Finally although Simon M was hurt he attended the game in uniform. He is a team player!!!!
Tackle Play
Coach Poulin comments: Our U17s are aggressive and can defend and tackle, but we are slow to reorganize the backs and return with an offensive attack. As with all the age groups, our rucks and mauls are slow in developing. Our U15s have a lot of good athletes and can run but winning a ruck and turning it into an offensive run can be worked on. Our U13s have a some basic field learning to do which is to be expected. I think at a well attended practice, we should break them apart from the 15s and 17s and just go over basics of the game. They were pretty lost on the field on Saturday. I know having them go over and practice with all the older tackle players can be a good knowledge drop for them, but as a team working together, they don't all understand what to do...
U-13s
With SYC making noises about sharing players to make a full side of 11, we had a couple of our younger U-15s sneak down to fill out our side--thanks, guys.
Overall, we put into play a lot of the basics we've been working on in practice, like posting the ball and driving over in the ruck. The problem is that we are not aware of the ball and drive completely over it, leaving the ball out and the ruck over, with the other team sweeping in to get the ball or to immediately tackle our player who has just picked up. We did well spreading out over the field and covering on defense. We were tentative and not aggressive enough in the mauls, not driving, and not getting in tight to really contest for the ball, at one point doing nothing as one of our opponents was caught with the ball facing our team. There was too much panic at the tackle, players thinking we are playing "keep away," instead of taking the tackle and going to the ground in control and with the ball to post it for our team--we ended up with sloppy passes to no one.
In the end, the SYC core of highly trained and experienced youngsters was just too much for us to handle. The final score was Fort Hunt 0, SYC 55.
The man of the match was Jack K, for his hard running and cross-field chases.
U-15s
Our U-15 strength, athleticism and speed is impressive, but we are squandering it with too many players trying to make the try-scoring run all by themselves, slashing across the field and running wide, thereby running away from both the opposition AND their teammates--we are not playing enough as a team, but are playing as highly talented individuals. This leaves us unable to pass-and-loop, to run the skips, loops, switches and multiple-phase play that we have been practicing. The one-man-running works in some instances of breakaway runs, but in general the approach will not work against a more organized and skilled opponent. Our tackling was good, with much fewer high tackles than in the past.
The match was well played by both sides, with the level of aggression and contact considerably higher than the U-13 match, with good sportsmanship throughout from both sides, with the final score giving Fort Hunt the win: Fort Hunt 45, FPYC 35, with tries from Peter F (2), Chris B (4), Colin G, Shil P and Dan M.
Man of the match was Chris B for his consistently strong defense, cross-field chasing, running in support, and consistently straight running.
U-17s
This was a highly physical match, with a number of very experienced high school players on the FPYC side. Tempers were on edge, with a couple of flares and an FPYC player being shown a yellow card late in the match in an incident in which Fort Hunt showed excellent maturity and restraint. The FPYC side was big and strong, and very well versed in playing 7s rugby. Our 7s play was far improved over last Thursday, with our players showing much better awareness, open-field tackling and coverage, and very good chases in defense and in kick situations. We were consistently running straight and into contact, with good ball retention and posting in the tackle.
But the FPYC strength and experience was too much for us to overcome, with the final score Fort Hunt 0, FPYC 45.
Man of the match was Joseph T, for outstanding open field defense coverage and open field tackling.
Hosting
There are a few outstanding match fee payments--please get with me at practice on Tuesday or Wednesday, $5 per home field player (and for those U-11s who came to the home games and had something to eat/drink).
I owe money to a number of parents for purchases; please see me at practice so I can pay you back immediately. Receipts are not needed.
As usual, our excellent parents' support provided the Saturday hosting that Fort Hunt is becoming known for. The support was outstanding, with no problems at all. Big thanks from all of the coaches to the moms and dads who made purchases and helped run our hosting--our SYC and FPYC guests were impressed, and commented a number of times on how Fort Hunt "does it right" and "in the true rugby spirit." Very well done, moms and dads.
Coming Up
Training. We will have practice on Tuesday and Wednesday evening. All players need to bring water to practice. The weather is officially summer-hot, and it's going to get hotter; we have had too many players forgetting or not bringing sufficient water to practice. A single-serving bottle of water is not enough--minimum for practice should be 24 ounces.
Matches.
I'll have detailed game day instructions out in a day or two, with directions to the fields.
Thursday, 16 July:
The U-11s will be at home on Thursday night against SYC (Springfield). This means hosting duties.
The U-13s will travel to SYC.
The U-15s will travel to SYC.
The U-17s will travel to Chantilly.
Saturday, 18 July
The U-11s will play at home v. Winchester (we traveled out to play them last summer, and lost a close one). This means hosting.
The U-13s will travel to BRYC (Braddock Road)
The U-15s will travel to BRYC.
The U-17s will travel to BRYC.
See you at practice on Tuesday evening.
Coach Dacey
Friday, July 10, 2009
U-11 Report from 9 July
U-11 mini report:
The U-11 quarters were amazing with all of the kids making so much progress. We won the last quarter! The huge field beat us more so than our opponents. Every one of the opponents' tries were wide sideways runs way around the outside for long breakaway runs, because the field was very, very wide. We played on the football field at less than 1/2 the length but at full width. So the field was wider than it was long. Very strange and very exhausting. If we had played on our field I believe we would have won several quarters. Even while exhausted after many defensive sprints and when losing according to points, I saw smiles all around from the kids. Real troupers, all. We are shaping up so well and the kids are having fun. We will have fun this Saturday and can win as well, so please come out and play.
--Layton Golding
The U-11 quarters were amazing with all of the kids making so much progress. We won the last quarter! The huge field beat us more so than our opponents. Every one of the opponents' tries were wide sideways runs way around the outside for long breakaway runs, because the field was very, very wide. We played on the football field at less than 1/2 the length but at full width. So the field was wider than it was long. Very strange and very exhausting. If we had played on our field I believe we would have won several quarters. Even while exhausted after many defensive sprints and when losing according to points, I saw smiles all around from the kids. Real troupers, all. We are shaping up so well and the kids are having fun. We will have fun this Saturday and can win as well, so please come out and play.
--Layton Golding
Thursday, 9 July Wrap-Up
Finally, a beautiful summer evening to play some rugby.
U-11s:
Coach Jim Woods reports: We had a great match this evening. While we played Fairfax, Vienna was also there. This led to us playing a round robin which saw us play five quarters. The Fort Hunt Eagles were able to only field 7 players. We had Tom, James, Andrei, Patrick, Eric, Jimmy and Cooper. The boys played their hearts out and everyone played 100%. The effort factor tonight was unbelievable. When the opposing team ran for a try our guys all ran their hardest to try and stop them. Andre was the only player who had tries, getting three. All players ran straight and supported each other. As far as the man of the match it was awarded to two players. James was able to call two successful mauls, run straight and show wonderful leadership as the fly half. Andre scoring three trys and also showing leadership was the other man of the match. Given the close call on the player count, I think that in the future if the U-13s do not have a match, the U-11s who play up need to help out. Had we had them we may have been able to win a quarter. Hope the U-15s and U-17s had fun tonight.
U-13s:
Unfortunately, the U-13s were stood up and didn't get to play. Big thanks to U-13s Matt G and Max D for doing a great job of running touch for the U-15 and U-17 matches, and to the other U-13s who came out to cheer for their club.
U-15s:
We had lots of players out and ready to go, which was outstanding, and we even lent players to Chantilly, so everyone got to play, a lot. There was only one missing mouthpiece, and that was remedied before game time, so no one had to sit out for lack of required equipment.
As in our last match, the U-15s came out hard but disorganized to begin with, playing magnetball, being drawn in to the breakdowns and focusing too tightly on the ball instead of setting up offense or defense. Chantilly, though, was much less organized, and we got the flow moving quickly with multiple tries in the first quarter, and they just kept coming. The rucking was outstanding throughout the match, with players going to the ground and posting very well, and supporting players driving over to clear the defense and secure the ball. Players were running straight, with mates in quick support, which was outstanding. Our lineouts also were very good, and team discipline and sportsmanship was excellent.
Final score was Fort Hunt 50, Chantilly 15, with tries from Dan M, Peter F (3), Shil P, Chris B (2), David F, Colin G and Adam H.
Man of the match was Peter F for consistently good tackling, straight running, and breakaway pursuits.
U-17s:
The U-17s played a very well coached and highly experienced SYC team. Our play was much more cohesive and organized that the last match, with better tackling, better running straight and into contact, and with better ball control at the breakdowns. But SYC was able to organize much more quickly at the breakdown, and with some sophisticated backline movement was able to score in the corner on a frequent basis.
Final score was SYC 60, Fort Hunt 15, with tries from Pace W (2) and Joseph T. Man of the match was Michael P, for consistently straight running, excellent tackling, and constant defensive pressure.
Hosting
Big thank-you to the parents who helped out with the hosting last night. Once again we showed our guests that coming to play at Fort Hunt is always fun and rewarding.
We did really well with match fees, with only a couple of holdouts--bring outstanding match fees for last night to tomorrow's matches.
For tomorrow, we're just about covered for food and equipment. I need someone to volunteer for 4 bags of ice, to bring 5-gal water coolers, and to collect match fees, please.
For families who have purchased food, ice, and other supplies for home matches, please see me tomorrow so I can repay you; receipts are not needed.
Saturday
U-11s are playing at Vienna. Detailed game info (and travel info for the U-11s) is in the Saturday game day email. Let me know if you've got questions.
U-13s, U-15s, and U-17s are at home again.
U-13s play SYC, with kickoff at 10:00. Showtime is no later than 9:30.
U-15s play FPYC, with kickoff at 11:00. Showtime is 10:30.
U-17s play FPYC, with kickoff at 12:00. Showtime is 11:30.
$5 match fee per player for all players at home tomorrow.
I recommend families bring their canopies and sunblock tomorrow, as the sun will be overhead.
U-11s:
Coach Jim Woods reports: We had a great match this evening. While we played Fairfax, Vienna was also there. This led to us playing a round robin which saw us play five quarters. The Fort Hunt Eagles were able to only field 7 players. We had Tom, James, Andrei, Patrick, Eric, Jimmy and Cooper. The boys played their hearts out and everyone played 100%. The effort factor tonight was unbelievable. When the opposing team ran for a try our guys all ran their hardest to try and stop them. Andre was the only player who had tries, getting three. All players ran straight and supported each other. As far as the man of the match it was awarded to two players. James was able to call two successful mauls, run straight and show wonderful leadership as the fly half. Andre scoring three trys and also showing leadership was the other man of the match. Given the close call on the player count, I think that in the future if the U-13s do not have a match, the U-11s who play up need to help out. Had we had them we may have been able to win a quarter. Hope the U-15s and U-17s had fun tonight.
U-13s:
Unfortunately, the U-13s were stood up and didn't get to play. Big thanks to U-13s Matt G and Max D for doing a great job of running touch for the U-15 and U-17 matches, and to the other U-13s who came out to cheer for their club.
U-15s:
We had lots of players out and ready to go, which was outstanding, and we even lent players to Chantilly, so everyone got to play, a lot. There was only one missing mouthpiece, and that was remedied before game time, so no one had to sit out for lack of required equipment.
As in our last match, the U-15s came out hard but disorganized to begin with, playing magnetball, being drawn in to the breakdowns and focusing too tightly on the ball instead of setting up offense or defense. Chantilly, though, was much less organized, and we got the flow moving quickly with multiple tries in the first quarter, and they just kept coming. The rucking was outstanding throughout the match, with players going to the ground and posting very well, and supporting players driving over to clear the defense and secure the ball. Players were running straight, with mates in quick support, which was outstanding. Our lineouts also were very good, and team discipline and sportsmanship was excellent.
Final score was Fort Hunt 50, Chantilly 15, with tries from Dan M, Peter F (3), Shil P, Chris B (2), David F, Colin G and Adam H.
Man of the match was Peter F for consistently good tackling, straight running, and breakaway pursuits.
U-17s:
The U-17s played a very well coached and highly experienced SYC team. Our play was much more cohesive and organized that the last match, with better tackling, better running straight and into contact, and with better ball control at the breakdowns. But SYC was able to organize much more quickly at the breakdown, and with some sophisticated backline movement was able to score in the corner on a frequent basis.
Final score was SYC 60, Fort Hunt 15, with tries from Pace W (2) and Joseph T. Man of the match was Michael P, for consistently straight running, excellent tackling, and constant defensive pressure.
Hosting
Big thank-you to the parents who helped out with the hosting last night. Once again we showed our guests that coming to play at Fort Hunt is always fun and rewarding.
We did really well with match fees, with only a couple of holdouts--bring outstanding match fees for last night to tomorrow's matches.
For tomorrow, we're just about covered for food and equipment. I need someone to volunteer for 4 bags of ice, to bring 5-gal water coolers, and to collect match fees, please.
For families who have purchased food, ice, and other supplies for home matches, please see me tomorrow so I can repay you; receipts are not needed.
Saturday
U-11s are playing at Vienna. Detailed game info (and travel info for the U-11s) is in the Saturday game day email. Let me know if you've got questions.
U-13s, U-15s, and U-17s are at home again.
U-13s play SYC, with kickoff at 10:00. Showtime is no later than 9:30.
U-15s play FPYC, with kickoff at 11:00. Showtime is 10:30.
U-17s play FPYC, with kickoff at 12:00. Showtime is 11:30.
$5 match fee per player for all players at home tomorrow.
I recommend families bring their canopies and sunblock tomorrow, as the sun will be overhead.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Rugby Game Day, Saturday, 27 June
Finally, a beautiful day to play rugby.
U-11s
The U-11s traveled to Braddock Road today, and in four periods scored two wins over BRYC, and lost twice to Springfield. Coach Woods informs that the losses to Springfield were close, and that all of our U-11s played 100% better than they did in the wet last week. Scoring stats will come soon.
The U-11 man of the match was awarded to the entire team, as they all played together and cohesively.
U-13/U-15/U-17
The tackle group traveled to Warrenton today. The pitch was in excellent condition, to match the weather.
The U-13s had impressive numbers playing, and had a number of older U-11s playing up, including Eric R, Patrick P and Max D. The Warrenton team had a lot of experience, and in the end were the victors by a score of approximately 40-12. Matt D and Austin L scored tries, and Max D had one conversion. Man of match was Will C.
The U-15s also had a lot of depth, with a number of U-13s playing up. This was a much more exciting game, with Warrenton coming out very aggressively in the beginning and scoring early. Our ball retention in the rucks and mauls was outstanding, again with Warrenton experience giving them the edge. We got much better as the match wore on, with Warrenton tiring and Fort Hunt finding weaknesses, with Fort Hunt scoring two tries in the fourth quarter to Warrenton’s none. The final score was Warrenton 30, Fort Hunt 19, with one try from Peter F, one from Chris B, one from Colin G., and two conversions by Chris B. Man of the match was Chris B, with an honorable mention for Kyle L.
Our U-17s had good numbers, and we actually lent Warrenton one of our players per quarter. Warrenton had a single player who was a devastating open field runner, and who scored consistently as Fort Hunt worked to handle the true open nature of the 7s game. Final score was approximately 35-5, with a Fort Hunt try from Ryan K. Man of the match was Austin W.
Coaches’ Comments: The number of travelers to play was impressive; I can’t wait to see our turnout for a home match. Warrenton was extremely impressed with our level of play and the number of players who showed; they expected us to be weak in numbers and to trounce all three teams, and they got more competition than they expected, considerably more than Vienna U-13s, who were absolutely thrashed. Our young men played very well in what for the majority of them was their first-ever rugby match, the work they’ve put in at practice paying off. The rucking and mauling was good, their tackling was good, and their posting of the ball was very good. We experimented with kicking a bit, sometimes well and sometimes not. We need to work on consolidating the ball at the ruck and maul, and then quickly deciding on an attack. We also need to work on total field awareness. More issues for practice this week.
Thank-You
A huge thank-you to all of the parents who got our players to BRYC and to Warrenton today. You are the engines who make this program go, and thank you for supporting your rugby players and this club.
Upcoming Schedule
We will practice all 3 days this coming week.
There are no matches during the 4th of July weekend.
--John Dacey
U-11s
The U-11s traveled to Braddock Road today, and in four periods scored two wins over BRYC, and lost twice to Springfield. Coach Woods informs that the losses to Springfield were close, and that all of our U-11s played 100% better than they did in the wet last week. Scoring stats will come soon.
The U-11 man of the match was awarded to the entire team, as they all played together and cohesively.
U-13/U-15/U-17
The tackle group traveled to Warrenton today. The pitch was in excellent condition, to match the weather.
The U-13s had impressive numbers playing, and had a number of older U-11s playing up, including Eric R, Patrick P and Max D. The Warrenton team had a lot of experience, and in the end were the victors by a score of approximately 40-12. Matt D and Austin L scored tries, and Max D had one conversion. Man of match was Will C.
The U-15s also had a lot of depth, with a number of U-13s playing up. This was a much more exciting game, with Warrenton coming out very aggressively in the beginning and scoring early. Our ball retention in the rucks and mauls was outstanding, again with Warrenton experience giving them the edge. We got much better as the match wore on, with Warrenton tiring and Fort Hunt finding weaknesses, with Fort Hunt scoring two tries in the fourth quarter to Warrenton’s none. The final score was Warrenton 30, Fort Hunt 19, with one try from Peter F, one from Chris B, one from Colin G., and two conversions by Chris B. Man of the match was Chris B, with an honorable mention for Kyle L.
Our U-17s had good numbers, and we actually lent Warrenton one of our players per quarter. Warrenton had a single player who was a devastating open field runner, and who scored consistently as Fort Hunt worked to handle the true open nature of the 7s game. Final score was approximately 35-5, with a Fort Hunt try from Ryan K. Man of the match was Austin W.
Coaches’ Comments: The number of travelers to play was impressive; I can’t wait to see our turnout for a home match. Warrenton was extremely impressed with our level of play and the number of players who showed; they expected us to be weak in numbers and to trounce all three teams, and they got more competition than they expected, considerably more than Vienna U-13s, who were absolutely thrashed. Our young men played very well in what for the majority of them was their first-ever rugby match, the work they’ve put in at practice paying off. The rucking and mauling was good, their tackling was good, and their posting of the ball was very good. We experimented with kicking a bit, sometimes well and sometimes not. We need to work on consolidating the ball at the ruck and maul, and then quickly deciding on an attack. We also need to work on total field awareness. More issues for practice this week.
Thank-You
A huge thank-you to all of the parents who got our players to BRYC and to Warrenton today. You are the engines who make this program go, and thank you for supporting your rugby players and this club.
Upcoming Schedule
We will practice all 3 days this coming week.
There are no matches during the 4th of July weekend.
--John Dacey
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