Match Recap, 10/3/15, Hornets vs. Sunday Morning RFC
The Hornets started off their 2015-2016 cup season against cross town rivals Sunday Morning Rugby Club. It was the black and gold against the lavender on a chilly October afternoon to compete for the annual rivalry cup. The Hornets decided to set the pace and drove deep into SMRFC territory after the opening kickoff. The Hornets were awarded a penalty inside the Sunday Morning 22 with Matt Merrick taking a quick tap in the middle of field and catching the Sunday defense on their heels. After a picture perfect offload to the galloping baby giraffe Brad Christ, coming from perfect depth, the Hornets were able to score their first try early in the 5th minute. After a botched kickoff from Sunday the Hornets elected a scrum center and the backline dazzled the defense leading to a deep run again into the opposition half. Another Sunday penalty gave Zach Hatraf a chance to slice the uprights for the first penalty of the game. After the ensuing kickoff the Hornets were able to force the lavender to kick the ball out of the back of their own try zone. The resulting scrum was dominated early by the Hornet forwards leading to multiple phase rugby with Miles Criss slamming the goal into the far corner of the try zone for the Hornets second try in 12 minutes. The Hornets would not be denied and after the following kickoff they drove deep into Sunday half again. After a series a good phase rugby the South African Don Unsworth gift wrapped, tied a bow and practically gave away the next try of the game to his teammate Ryan Suda, who already uploaded his try to Facebook before he actually set the ball down while tagging his mom at the same time. It was about time that Little Caesar delivered in the 15th minute. After the ensuing kickoff the Hornets found themselves again inside the Sunday 22 with another scrum. The forwards dominated the Sunday scrum, in the 20th minute, giving good ball to the backs where Miles scored his second try with the backline's newest play they put in 3 days earlier (Just for you Mick). Zach was able to add on the conversion. After scoring 4 tries in the first 20 minutes of the game,the Hornets' legs were getting a little tired and the game slowed down to a slugfest until Nick Kalist was able to capture the Hornets' first yellow card of the new cup season in the 32nd minute. The Hornets were able to keep Sunday from scoring while Nick rested in the sin bin. The Hornets came out storming in the second half and quickly stole the ball off the opening kickoff. After a great drive into Sunday's final 10 meters, Brad Kasper picked the ball off a base of the ruck, and in slow motion trotted under the uprights for a center post score in the 42nd minute right before Kalist came back on. He fooled the lavender defense into thinking he wouldn't be able to run by them, and the Hornets were able to put their 5th try on the scoreboard playing one man down. Zach completed his 2nd conversion of the day. After the 5th try it was time for some of the new Hornet blood to get in the game and the substitutions started to come off the bench. Even with new players on the pitch the Hornets defense held and camped inside the Sunday morning half. Sunday was only able to threaten once during the second half before the backline had enough and cleared the ball deep downfield, where Tommy Bach decided he would scream "Whistle, whistle!" to keep the Sunday Morning deep three from countering, and it worked. Well played, Tommy Bach; well played! The Hornet dominance still didn't give up with Miles Criss scoring his 3rd try of the day after outpacing the Sunday defense in the 70th minute. The Hornets opened up the new season with a dominating win over Sunday Morning 37-3. Congrats Hornets!
Man of the Match: Matt Merrick
Scrum Won 5 lost 3 Them Won 11
Lineouts Won 4 lost 2 Them Won 7 lost 2
Penalties 14 7