In a close match, Hillsdale rugby club swallowed a 29-27 defeat against the Black Swamp Mercenaries last Sunday.
“Our game on Sunday showed definite improvement over our first game of the season. However, our failure to capitalize on opportunities multiple times turned out in a loss by a narrow margin,” sophomore Josh McGehee said.
This is the same team that Hillsdale lost to by 23 points at the beginning of the season. Jacob Barrett, Crane Baer, Josiah Young, Josh McGehee, and Luke Mugge all scored tries during the Oct. 28 game.
The Chargers found themselves hesitant to play tough defense from the onslaught. Black Swamp took the opportunity to snatch extra meters, racking up some quick points.
“We played an aggressive team and we wanted to show how much better rugby players we are now than we were six weeks ago. We proved how far we’ve come and revenge can wait until spring,” junior Jacob Barrett said.
Hillsdale found their groove in the second half, outscoring the Missionaries 15-5. Aggressive tackling, a strong backline, and well-organized plays caused the opposing team to commit serious mistakes. After Black Swamp’s only try in the second half, the Chargers ran down field to steal the kickoff from them. The Chargers made a couple quick tackles and scored almost immediately, setting the tone for the rest of the match.
A handful of Hillsdale alumni watched from the sidelines as their Alma Mater played it out on the pitch, while one Crane Baer joined in on the action.
After the match ended, the former rugby players spent time with their old classmates, and were introduced to the new guys on the team. During the festivities, Soren Geiger, senior scrum-half, was awarded man of the match for his solid tackles and consistency as a player.
“I am honored to be chosen as the ‘man of the match.’ I do not have exceptional athletic ability or size, so I try to make up for those deficiencies by playing smart rugby. I try to use my knowledge and experience of the game to be a vocal leader and teacher on the pitch,” Geiger said.
Reflecting on the season and his fellow teammates, rugger Josh McGehee said, “A huge round of applause to Jacob Barrett who stepped in to lead us with all the veterans gone. Specifically I want to acknowledge Daniel Thompson, Henry Hoffman, and Soren Geiger for setting the standard of work ethic on the team and for being incredible teammates. If I had to give a man of the year award, it would go to Alex Tacama. That guy transformed this season.”
“Going into March it will be about keeping the excitement of the game and doing some more recruitment. It’s an honor to get know these guys through rugby,” Barrett said.
