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Match write-up by Erik Geib
11 October 2009
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Greenville, SC - Saturday, October
10th,
2009
University of South Carolina 32, The
Citadel B 00
University of South Carolina 36,
Lander University A 00
University of South Carolina 07, The
Citadel A 00
Greenville, SC - Saturday, October
11th,
2009
Tournament Championship Final
University of South Carolina 17,
College of Charleston A 15
Match Summaries
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2009/10 Schedule
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2009 Palmetto Rugby Union Champions
University of South Carolina B/C |
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Greenville, SC – Merciless
defense and teamwork earned Men's Rugby
at the University of South Carolina the
2009 Palmetto Rugby Union Tournament
Championship.
Traveling as 'USC B,' the club had much
to prove this past weekend, as this
year's event fell across USC's Fall
Break - timing that cost the Gamecocks
from playing their top side. Not that it
mattered. With a motley assembly of
players primarily from the club's B and
C sides, USC traveled to the campus of
Furman University in Greenville, SC to
play in the tournament for the first
time since 2007. According to club
president and captain Anthony Hughes,
the team had 5 'A-side' players travel,
but the club's depth and determination
more than made up for the schedule
conflict.
Taking on the best the State of South
Carolina had to offer, USC B/C ran
undefeated through the competition,
holding the opposition scoreless in all
but the Tournament Championship. This
feat was even more extraordinary
considering the circumstances - the
team, as assembled, had only practiced
as a unit for the week of the event.
Even more remarkably, USC lost one of
its top players 5 minutes into the first
game of the first day of competition, as
captain/president Anthony Hughes went
down with a thigh injury, thus
reducing USC's A-side involvement to 4
players the rest of the day. In Hughes'
absence, veteran seniors Corey Benov and
Josh Skaggs "stepped up big time to fill
the captain role," according to Hughes.
Benov also took on the role of kicker in
the absence of the club's kicking corps,
consistently placing kicks when needed,
and "[hitting] them when it really
mattered in the final game."
A veritable wrecking crew for the club's
backline, veterans Mike Weidman and
Chris Stevens were a force to be
reckoned with. The pair combined for
multiple tries throughout the
tournament, and consistently locked down
the competition in defense. Tim
Holkenborg was also very accurate in his
tactical kicking from the flyhalf
position, keeping opposing defenses
guessing all day as he placed chip kicks
and clearances precisely where the club
could best take advantage.
All in all, the tournament was a major
success for the club, and a remarkable
demonstration of USC's depth and talent
throughout the organization. Many of
club's 'C-side' players stepped up to
fill starting and reserve positions all
tournament long, and Fall Break proved
no obstacle for the Gamecocks in the
year of the rooster.
Players that attended the tournament
include: Anthony Hughes, Mike Weidman,
Justin Drum, Andrew Franklin, Andrew
Hudson, Calvin Storey, Josh Skaggs,
Corey Benov, Antonio Adams, Dan Ford,
Wilson Ranney, Brandon Hann, Mike Varga,
Justin Goette, James Jacobs, Pat Lawler,
Pat Muldowney, Rob Divila, Chris
Stevens, Tom Plumley, Tim Holkenborg.
(list may be incomplete)
As a bonus to rugby in the midlands,
local men's affiliate Columbia Olde Grey
also took home the hardware in the
senior men's division, with the local
area men proving to be the best rugby
sides in the states. Olde Grey is a
strong supporter of USC rugby, and is
filled with many graduates of USC's
program. Congratulations, Olde Grey!
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