Connecticut Grey Rugby Club

2007 SCHEDULE

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Jo Jo Moore Tournament

In what we hope to make a regular fixture on the Grey schedule, Lou Petruzello led a contingent of Grey and others to Peekskill, NY to compete in the 15th annual Jo Jo Moore Tournament. Jo Jo was born and raised in White Plains, NY. Until his accident, he was a physical education and health teacher, wrestling coach, and swimming coach in the Peekskill School System. In addition, Jo Jo served as a New York State softball umpire, volleyball official, volunteer fireman, and church deacon—and is the father of four daughters. Jo Jo has been a quadriplegic since suffering a severe spinal injury fourteen years ago while playing rugby.Jo Jo demonstrated his courage and leadership qualities by going back to teaching 2 years after his accident, earned another Masters Degree, continues to coach wrestling and is a volunteer health teacher at a small private school. He is a vibrant member of the community and role model for all who meet him. So, as you can see,this is an important cause for the Grey to be involved with. Thanks to all the Grey who attended, we know it has been a long season. Special recognition to Jay Rubino(trachea) and Mike Meyer(shoulder) who both sustained injuries on Saturday. We all hope you mend quickly. Now on to Captain Lou's Match report:

Our first match was at 10:00 against Albany and we started with 14 players. We picked up Duffy at fullback, to make 15 and we were down 5-0. Then Jay Rubino, Pete Pereira, Jay Chabot, Brendan Coffey, Bubba Golarney, and Dan Kennedy arrived and the match went in our favor. We scored five or six tries and won easily. The second match at 2:00 was against a combination OMEX/GONY side. They had beaten Albany 31-22 earlier. We got some more help from Murph. Cleveland Sean Sierra arrived after a 4 hour ride and we had 12 forwards rotating against OMEX/GONY. Pete Periera had a few tries and Barry Rita scored one. We won 34-3.We were in the final against White Plains. Jay Rubino took a karate chop to the neck and injured his Trachea in the first match. He went to the hospital and returned hours later. Special thanks to Jay for recruiting some new Grey players. Mike Hale hurt his calf in the second match so we got Searay to play scrumhalf. It was a great final against White Plains. Hard rucking, tackling, and great attacking runs by both sides. The Grey were down 7-6 at half. Just before the half we had a great defensive stand stopping White Plains as they were inside the 22 attacking for 5 minutes. Earlier in the match we were in their half for awhile, but we only could get two penalty kicks. Right off the2nd half kickoff White Plains had a great attacking movement and got into our zone but knocked on. We were down 14-9 with 9 minutes to go. Everyone gave a great effort and played with a lot of heart. White Plains put in two more tries and won 28-9.Two of White Plains scores came from our kicks that they turned to tries. We wore down in the end, but it was a great match. We needed a few more bodies and should have kept the ball in hand more. Also we had two other shots at goal that could have meant six more points. Thanks to everyone for a memorable day of Rugby for a very important cause. Cheers to JoJo from the entire Grey family. Oh I forgot to mention White Plains only played one match against Gotham before the final, so we definitely got our moneys worth. MOTM Albany Match-Jay Rubino, Omex match-Pete Periera, White Plains- Bill Bishop.

Grey win 2 at Franconia

The 2007 Old Man of the Mountain Rugby Festival team.

The Grey once again made the trek up Interstate 91 to the lovely Franconia Inn in order to participate in the 23rd annual Old Man of The Mountain Rugby Festival. A huge thank you to Bill Good, Joe Flynn and all other the other Boston boys for another great tournament. The Grey managed to pick up 2 wins in between all the social functions that were held. The first game vs. Amoskeag was as tough a match as the Grey have had all year. After being down 5-3 at the half, the Grey were able to pull away for a 22-5 victory, led by Jeff Levinson's 2 try effort. The second game vs. Portland, was equally challenging, but the Grey were able to come away with a 26-7 victory in that one. Trys(that I remember) were scored by Steve Tenenbaum and Darryl Ceccarelli. Jay Chabot also played very well in both games and was key to much of the teams offense. More details will follow once the brain clears and I figure out who did what. Thanks to all the Grey, our ladies and the Executive committee for another memorable weekend. The weekend was also made memorable with the bittersweet announcement of Joe Scan's retirement. Joe has been a dedicated Grey for many years and now joins fellow New Yorker, Fred Seeger as a booster. We will all miss you on the pitch, Joe, but look forward to much socializing in the future. Oh yeah, the two wins we picked up made us 8-0 for the spring. Great showing boys.

Captain Lou's Franconia report

We had another great team effort winning two matches in Franconia. In the first match Amoskeag came out hard right off the kickoff. They were pushing us in the sets and controlled the ball in our end most of the half. We played good defense. Our backs came up hard and flat and though they were winning ball, we made Amoskeag work for every yard. We stayed fairly disciplined until we got called for going in on the side of a ruck. They had a nice driving maul and scored their only try of the match. We finally got into their half and a penalty kick made it 5-3 at the half. Our depth really showed in the second half as we put in 3 tries, 2 by Jeff Levinson. Final 22-5.George Saul and Ed Carr had some attacking runs. Kevin Macnamara, Kevin Trammel and Jim Burke were great in support. Jay Chabot did a great job kicking for position and hit some conversions at tough angles. MOTM to Jeff Levinson. We played Portland next match and they were very hungry. Early in the match they were beating us to the breakdown. Steve Tenenbaum had a great score. He took a kick on the run with Ronan Hingerty pressuring and ran twenty meters, kicked, followed his kick and scored. Darryl Ceccarelli scored two tries to ice the victory. Gary Tamburri, Jon Leone and Mike Meyer played well in the pack. MOTM went to Steve Tenenbaum. Final 26-7.

 

Grey defeat Old-Dogs in Falatyn Memorial

The Connecticut Grey and the Mid-Hudson Old Dogs gather to celebrate the 5th annual John Falatyn Memorial in Rhinebeck, NY.

Grey Men of the Match John Kubic and Ed Carr pose alongside Brenden Coffey and Steve Falatyn. Photo of John on the right.

On a rainy and cool day at the Rhinebeck Fairgrounds, the Connecticut Grey and the Mid-Hudson Old Dogs gathered to celebrate the 5th annual John Falatyn Memorial.At times, the celebration threatened to get out of hand but, we all thought, this is just how John would have liked it. Chippy play was the order of the day, as Grey and Old Dog alike took exception to affronts both real and imagined, resulting in a sometimes contentious atmosphere. Referee Jeff Bouvier did a fine job reigning in the “enthusiasm” of both sides and lo and behold, a rugby match took place. The Grey managed to strike first, as John “Beav” Kubic dove on a mishandled ball in the Mid-Hudson try zone. The conversion was missed and the Grey had a 5-0 lead. The restart saw the Grey move back into Old Dog Territory, where after some spirited play, Joe Bordieri was able to touch down in the corner for the Grey's second score. The conversion, from an almost impossible angle, was missed and the Grey led 10-0. It must be noted, that this was a day for the forwards. The field was narrow and slightly wet, the perfect recipe for a game to be dominated by both side's scrummers. As always, co-MOTM Ed Carr and Captain Lou Petruzello, both of whom turned in tough performances, led the Grey pack. Joe Scandariato, playing within sight of the Hudson River for a rare occasion, stole several Old Dog hooks and made enough of a general nuisance of himself, to significantly throw off the Mid-Hudson attack time and again. Fine game by Joe Scan. The Grey, up 10-0, were feeling pretty good about themselves when suddenly the Old Dogs struck. A quick try and successful conversion made the score 10-7 as the 1st period ended. The Old Dogs owned the 2nd period. While many of the Grey seemed content to stand around and watch, the Old Dog forwards took over the match. The Grey managed to hold them off until Andrew Scandariato (yes, the spawn of Joe) broke one down the right side. Andrew tiptoed the sideline and passed the ball back inside. Several more runs and passes led to another converted Old Dog Try and it was 14-10 Old Dogs after two periods. A fine play by Andrew and great support by the Old Dog forwards resulted in a score that had the Grey reeling. With the Brendan Coffey led Old Dogs smelling victory the mood of the Grey side was, well, a bit gray. It took Ed Carr, leading with both words and action to get the Grey back into it. It cannot be argued that the Grey owned the 3rd period. Led by co-MOTM Beav Kubic, the Grey were able to forge back on top. Again, fine play by the forwards resulted in Kubic diving over for the try. Don Brancard's conversion put the Grey on top 17-14. However, the game was far from over and the Old Dogs still had some tricks up their sleeves. In fact, they came within a heel in touch of immediately retaking the lead. Granted this respite, the Grey again moved into Mid-Hudson territory and when the Old-Dogs were called for a penalty, the Grey had a chance to go up by six points. The kick, which was a long attempt into posts that matched the narrow field, was wide. The Old Dogs, however, were penalized for movement on the kick and the Grey didn't waste the second chance. Sean Brennan single handedly took it in from about 30 meters out to put the Grey up by a count of 22-14. The two teams scrapped out the remaining 2 or 3 minutes and the final whistle went. This was a match that John would have loved, played by a lot of guys who loved John. One of those was John's son Michael, who acquitted himself well both on and off the pitch. Another was brother Steve who played the entire 60 minutes of the match and turned in a fine game. MOTM for Mid-Hudson was awarded to Andy Garrity, who was all over the field and looked like it at the end of the match. Mike Falatyn was recognized for his one moment of inexperience in the front row, which led to a row with George (wrong guy to piss off) Saul. Mike is no slouch himself, having earned a spot on the 2006 Section Nine Composite First team Offensive All-Star Team, on the offensive line(Mike captained the football team at Kingston High School.).All, however, was quickly forgiven and forgotten. Grey Vice-Captain Darryl Garrison, who it was said, should have played at least a period for the Old Dogs was awarded with a Marist Red Fox golf shirt for reasons lost in a purple haze. Brendan Coffey once again did a great job putting this match together and played his usual steady game for the Old Dogs. Finally, Jeff Bouvier was awarded with a 12 year old bottle of scotch for putting up with us for the last five years. While a rugby match was played today, it was a different kind of match for many of us. It was a match played by two teams in honor of the memory of one big, tough rugger. We all know, that one day we will see him on the pitch again. Until then, John Falatyn remains, above all, a father,a husband, our friend and our teammate. Cheers John.

Captain Lou's Mid-Hudson Match Report

We traveled to Rhinebeck, NY with 22 players for our annual Falatyn Match.Mid-Hudson played tough and beat us to the ball on many rucks. Thanks to Brendan Coffey for organizing a great group of guys who we really hungry for victory. We were down 14-10 after two periods. In the the last period we dug deep and got the victory scoring two tries to win 22-14.Ed Carr, Beaver, Bill Hoadley, Don Brancard and Sean Brennan played great in that final period to secure victory. It was tough for us considering 12 of our 22 players were backs and the pitch was about 45 meters wide. Thanks to Bomber and Chicky for filling in the pack. Thanks to Jeff for his patience as both teams got a little testy at times. MOTM to Ed Carr and John Kubic [Beaver]. Thanks to those 22 dedicated Grey who made the road trip after 4 home Matches.  Cheers

 

Grey conquer Village Lions to retain Old Boy's Cup

Another beautiful day, another home victory as the Grey defeat the Village Lions 53-5 to retain the venerable Old Boys Cup. Tries were scored by Darryl Garrison(2), Steve Tenenbaum ,George Saul, Jay Chabot, Joe Bordieri, Paul Tappenden, Barry Rita and Sean Sierra .Chabot also converted on 4 of those tries. Good game, even better party. Not much more to add to Lou's match report, except that it is gratifying to see the club continue to grow. We have gotten a great influx of new and fast backs and picked up some great scrummers. Special thanks to those players who helped out the Lions and to Jeff Bouvier for another well refereed match. Also thanks to Ronco for keeping track of the score at our games this year. Memory doesn't serve as it used to, so that has been a big help. Also a shout out to founding member Sanford Woodard, who attended yesterdays match and regaled us with stories of the Grey's early days at the Old Dublin after the match. Speaking of the Old Dublin, is there a better place for a post match drink up? Make sure to contact Lou or Darryl with your availability for next week. Details and directions will be forthcoming shortly.

Captain Lou's Village Lions Game Report

We played 80 minutes of rugby and scored a lot of tries in defeating the Village Lions. Rotating 30 plus players in four periods we wore the Lions down and secured another victory. Bob Coakley and George Saul were strong in the front row and aggressive around the pitch. The first 20 minutes was pretty even as the Lions were dropping like flies and it almost felt like American football with TV timeouts. A Lions Player lost a contact and someone asked if he needed a mirror. Bordo responds with why don't you use Jeff Levinsons head. That faux pas earned Bordo the Italian award. We put in two scores going up hill in the first period. Saul, Sierra, Hoadley and Rubino came in the second period and stepped up the pace and the rout was on. Sean Brennan did a great job crashing and producing quick ball. Matt Leonard was named MOTM by the Lions. It was a great team effort. Darryl Garrison had a couple scores. MOTM to Barry Rita who's game has been improving the last few weeks. He made a great open field tackle and is taking the ball at pace hitting

	Old Boys Cup(s)	Old Boys

gaps. Next week were on the road to Mid-Hudson.Let's keep up the winning ways. Let Darryl or myself know if you are in or out.

 

More Old Boys

Grey defeat New London County RFC

The Connecticut Grey celebrated Cinco de Mayo in style with a convincing 36-14 win over the New London County Rugby Club. With 30 plus players in attendance, the Grey extended their home winning streak to 6 games over the last two seasons. Five of those wins have come at the Mountain Mist Pitch. With the exception of a 10-minute span in the third period, the Grey dominated play. Immediately after the opening kickoff, the Grey pushed deep into New London territory. The New London fly half went to the kick, but the Grey were able to counter effectively and kept the pressure on. The scrum, led by Lou Petruzello, Matt Leonard and Ed Carr did an excellent job of keeping possession. Kevin McNamara (co- MOTM) stole a few hooks. After several rucks and mauls the ball found its way out to the backs and Bill Bishop bulled over for try. He also converted and the Grey had a 7-0 lead. Following the restart, the Grey again moved deep into New London territory. In an attempt to move the ball out of their end, New London went to the run. This was stopped when Jeff Levinson picked off a pass and sprinted down the left side. Levinson cut back inside and just as he was hit made a pretty pass to Sean Brennan, who broke a couple of tackles and finished the play under the posts. Bishop again converted and the first 20 ended with the Grey on top 14-0.

Dean Jorgensen took the pitch vs. one of his former Eagle Scouts, now a member of NLCRFC.

The second 20 started much the same as the first. The Grey dominated possession as Jim Burke (co-MOTM) picked up where McNamara left off, causing New London serious pain by stealing more of their put-ins. This pattern continued all game as McNamara and Burke both had outstanding games at hooker. The pack was pushing New London off of the ball and when New London started trying to turn our scrums, Jim McCormick put an end to that. The only points of the period came on a Jay Chabot penalty kick that made the score 17-0 after 40 minutes. The Grey had chances to score, but New London played tough defense and kept themselves in the game. The third period started with a lot of give and take by both clubs, with no one seeming to want to take command. That is, until New London's hirsute scrum half single handedly ran through and around several would be Grey tacklers to touch down for a pretty 40 meter try. With the conversion, New London was back in it at 17-7. Heartened by the try and further buoyed by some Grey mistakes, New London quickly added another try and converted. Suddenly the score was 17-14 and the Grey needed to regroup. Well, regroup they did. When the kickoff and a couple of mishandled balls pinned New London deep, they again went to the boot. The kick was fielded on the run by Barry Rita at about midfield. Rita split two defenders and got the ball down to the 20-meter line. The Grey won the ensuing ruck and pounded the ball down close with many short runs and some successful rucking and mauling. Jay Rubino, who had another great match, banged it over and John Kerr converted for a 24-14 lead. A huge score set up on a nice play by Rita and solid support from the backs and the pack. The period ended with the score 24-14. The forth period saw the Grey completely control field position. Although New London never quit and the hitting was brutal, the Grey owned possession. Joe Bordieri was able to put one down in the corner to give the Grey some breathing room. The conversion was missed and the Grey led 29-14. Play continued in much the same vein for the final 10 minutes of the match with Ed Carr (who was chosen by New London as their man of the match) ran one in. Chabot converted and the final whistle went at Grey 36- New London 14. A great effort against a young, tough and fast New London club. New London never quit, but it was the Grey's combined years of experience that was their undoing. Heck, most of them weren't even born went we started playing rugby. Good effort boys! Next up, the Village Lions "Lion Kings" on Saturday May 12. Start time is noon at the Mountain Mist pitch.

Captain Lou's New London Report

We played smart and used our experience to beat a young New London side. Special thanks to players who played out of position. Dave Berube played flanker and Tom Kubic second row. Jim Burke did a great job at hooker. Last week we had four hookers not counting Jim. This week Kevin McNamara and Jim Burke stole about ten hooks giving us great possession. We had a 17-0 lead and let them back in the match in the third period. With the score 17-14 Barry Rita and Jay Rubino come through to change the momentum and put us up by 10.Then we finished well in the fourth period adding two more tries. Awesome team effort. Thanks to Jeff Bouvier for doing a great job reffing. I think in the the first period we had some back chat but then we corrected that and stayed disciplined while New London kept nagging Jeff. Our strength is in numbers and a new week will bring different personnel. Steve Carr, Ed Carr, and Bill Bishop will be out this week. Let Darryl or myself know by Thursday if you are in. It also really helps if you email and say you can't make it. Some weeks we could have five hookers or three scrumhalfs or six centers. We will try to get everyone as much playing time at his preferred position as possible.

Grey Pound MOB 75-0

On a beautiful spring day at the Mountain Mist Outdoor Center, The Connecticut Grey poured over 11 tries and made 10 of 11 conversions to overwhelm an undermanned Massachusetts Old Boys team, 75-0. Tries were not to be a rare commodity on this day as seven Grey ruggers combined for 11 scores. In order, scores were accounted for by Bill Hoadley, Sean “Chunks” Brennan, Tony Johnson, Hoadley, Brennan, Jay Rubino, Rubino, Barry Rita, John Kerr(welcome back), Jeff Levinson and Rubino. The backs had a field day as everyone made contributions to this win. Steve Carr didn't crack the try zone, but had several nice runs as well. The pack did a great job of keeping the ball moving, never giving the MOB a chance to set up a coherent defense. Sean “Big Daddy” Sierra was singled out as the most dominant scrummer on the day and received a Man of the Match nod for his play. Sean “Chunks” Brennan was awarded Man of the Match for the backs. Jay Rubino had a rare rugby feat, the hat trick, scoring 3 times. Thanks go out to the Grey who filled in for the depleted MOB side. Among them were David Kirk, Dave Berube and Bill Aman and others I'm sure. Its never fun to play against your own team (or is it?) so thanks for your sacrifice. Also thanks to Jimmy Riordan and Fran Russell for putting together a traveling side out of Boston, not an easy feat these days. This is a bunch of ruggers whose motto should be the Mark Twain quote “There is nothing like staying home for real comfort.”. Fran (Mystic River) and Jim (Boston) started MOB in an effort to pull together enough Old Boys from around eastern Massachusetts (Worcester, Boston, Mystic River, Charles River, Irish Wolfhounds, etc., etc.) to form a legitimate independent "Grey-like" club that can be counted on to travel. They are traveling to Randall's Island in a couple of weeks to take on GONY.

Good day, nice win. Now get ready for New London. These boys are young, tough and fast. The last time the Grey played them down on their pitch, the Grey were defeated 36-12. Did I mention they were fast? They are a division three club, who play teams like Berkshire and Saratoga. New London beat Berkshire 27-3 earlier this year. Don't let that score fool you New London will be ready to play. As always, let Lou or Darryl know of your availability for next week.

Captain Lou's MOB game report

Great job by all this week as we put in 10 or 11 tries.All the scores were by the backs so we playing the game the way it should be played.The forwards produce quality ball and the backs execute and finish with tries.Special thanks to Jim Riodan and Fran Russell for organizing the MOB.Thanks to the Grey who gladly filled in on the opponents side.Ed Carr,Jon Leone and Kevin McNamara played well in the forwards.Great job around the pitch especially linking up with the backs in attack.Jay Chabot,Jay Rubino,Bill Hoadley and Steve Carr started some great offensive movements that led to scores.MOTM goes to Sean Sierra {Big Daddy] and Sean Brennan {Chunks]. Big challenge next week as we have New London a D3 team that is getting better.They will be young and fast and we will have to play smart.We need to be disciplined and not make mistakes.We will play 4 20 minute periods rotating 30 plus players.Be focused and ready to play.Everyones best effort is needed to insure a victory.

Jammers retain the much coveted "wheel"

The following is from roving correspondent Bud "Connie Chung" Harvey:

The day shown bright and cheerful, warm spring temperatures, lots of yard work and "honey-do's awaiting, but a valiant group of ruggers eschewed their spring cleaning duties for the annual tilt at the Jammers. New Horizons was once again the venue. Led by Vice Captain Darryl Garrison, the Grey fielded a well-rounded (and I mean that) side that showcased the talents of Tommy "Kidney Bean" Roncaioli, Johnnie "Speedster" Kerr, Bobbie "Count" Merola, Dean "Tony Blair" Jorgensen; Steve "No look pass" Carr; and, sporting the Pink Gloves to match his toe-nail polish, Eddie "the boy named Sue" Carr. Jeff Levinson, on injured reserve, did an able job of running the clock and keeping score. Finally, the Grey brought their secret weapon, Tommy "I know I don't look 35, but I'm a Grey" Carr, Steve's son. The Grey started strong and kept the game close throughout, showing ball handling ability and passing skills that they lack on most Saturdays but, in the end, the Grey were undone by two major factors. The Jammers brought their own referees, Todd Munn of Gaylord Hospital and Emily Landers, a Quad Rugby referee (a much prettier version of Jeff Bouvier). Final score 18-16 Jammers and the coveted wheel stays in the back of my garage for another year.Man of the Match goes to Tommy Carr for making his old man look good.

The Grey and the Jammers get together after the Jammers hard fought 18-16 victory. The coveted "wheel" can be seen in the center of the photo. (Photo courtesy of Ross Taylor)

Grey defeat GONY 26-21 on Ceccarelli's late try

April 14, 2007-Randall's Island, New York- Darryl Ceccarelli's late try led the Grey to a stirring 26-21 victory over the Gentlemen of New York (hereafter referred to as GONY) at Randall's Island to even this seasons record at 2-2-1. The mood on Randall's was quite festive, with several men's and women's collegiate teams competing in the New York Rugby Club's “Big Apple Classic” and many other New Yorkers just out to enjoy a rare warm and sunny spring day. After some sparring as to on which field the battle was to commence, GONY's own Dave Martin was able to secure us a spot on field 17, undoubtedly the nicest field in the Sunken Meadow area of Randall's.

So the battle lines were drawn and the game began with the Grey pushing deep into the New York end. GONY went to the boot, but the Grey continually countered and one such counter led to a Leonard, to Bordo, to Bishop movement. Bishop bolted over for the try and converted for a 7-0 Grey lead. This pattern of play continued with Petruzello and Leonard leading the pack. Late in the 1st period, it was Matt Leonard who found the try zone for the Grey. Bishop converted for a 14-0 Grey advantage after one period.

The second period saw much of the same style of play as the first. GONY was having little luck running against the Grey, so again they went to the boot. The Grey fullback (some guy called “Bomber”) was able to coolly field many of these kicks while under "intense pressure" and helped to produce some effective counterattacks. There were, however, some who questioned his ability (or is it inability?) to pass the rock. Anyway…a very nice run and subsequent pass by Sean” twinkle-toes” Sierra resulted in another Bishop try, his second on the day. Brancard converted and the Grey had a 21-0 lead after two periods.

The Third period saw a distinct change in the style of play. GONY began to eat up some big chunks of ground with good backline play and some stellar rucking and mauling. This resulted in a quick try and GONY was back in it at 21-7. The Grey tried to regroup, but GONY kept up the pressure and dotted down again to close the gap to 21-14. It looked as if the Grey would finally stem the GONY tide, but this was not to be. After some loose play at midfield, two GONY backs broke down the sideline and Matt of Meet the Matt's fame touched one down make the score 21-19. The resulting tough angle conversion knotted the score at 21. A great comeback by the Gentlemen.

With little more than two minutes left in the game, the Grey were faced with a tie out of what looked like certain victory. As Jon Olear commented “ This tie will seem like a loss.” And “ A tie is like kissing your sisters bunion.” And other stuff. He just wouldn't stop. Back to the game…The Gents (their ref) committed a penalty close in. The angle was tough and the kick into the wind, so Brancard's attempt came up short, but was knocked on by GONY. Another series of plays and another penalty on GONY resulted in another tough-angle miss. The good thing was, that this kept the ball deep in GONY territory. Trying to end the game, GONY again went to the boot. Bomber fielded at about the 40-meter line and brought it to the 30 where he was tackled and the ball was scooped up by Lou Petruzello. Lou ran down to the 15-meter line and was stopped. The Grey won the resulting ruck and the ball went out to the backs for one last attack. Carew to Brancard to Bishop (almost the Killer B's!). Bishop to Darryl (Alphabet) Ceccarelli and the game was won! Victory had been pulled from the jaws of an almost certain tie.

A great day for the Grey and an even greater one for the GONY/Grey Rivalry. This was an excellent match, with excellent play by both sides. GONY never stopped coming. They are a tough old bunch of ruggers. But, so are the Grey, and on this day they played very well as a team, hung together through some adversity and were rewarded with a hard fought victory. A well deserved Man of the Match to Bill Bishop, who scored two tries and set up another. Well-done lads!

Captains Message:

Great numbers for an away match. We were ready to play and took the lead early by controlling most of the ball for two periods. On defense we came up flat and put pressure on their backs. We had a 21 point lead with 20 minutes left. We lost a few balls missed touch and 15 minutes later the match was tied. A lot of credit to GONY.They wanted it bad in that last period. We can't let up in any match we play. We need to stay focused and play hard for 60 or 80 minutes. We dug deep and put that last try down. It was a great team effort to get that last score. AWESOME win on the road. Our lineouts have been great this season. Kevin Macnamara ,Joe Scan and Paul Tappenden each played a period and were consistent with their throws. Great job by Ed Carr and the lifters. We got our backs quality ball and were able to attack and get passed the gain line. Matt Leonard was all over the pitch tackling and running with the ball. Our back three covered kicks well and had some counter attacks. MOTM to Bill Bishop who had a blinder. I think he scored two tries and set up a third. We have a nice rivalry with GONY and they will be hungry when we play them again. We have Mystic at home in two weeks. They took it to us in Boston, so we owe them. Work on your fitness and let's be ready to go on 4/28.

Grey defeat Berkshire 58-7

Meriden, CT-April 7, 2007-On a cold and blustery spring day, on which the temperature never broke 45 degrees, the Grey offense was red hot. Man of the match, Bill Hoadley led a 2nd period onslaught that saw him score once and setup two other scores. Don Brancard and Bill Bishop also scored twice each for the Grey. Coming off a tough weekend in New Jersey, this was a welcome victory.

The 1st period was very evenly played, with both sides attacking and countering throughout. The Grey finally scored in the waning moments of the period, when Bill Bishop broke free and found a supporting Kevin McNamara for the score. Don Brancard's conversion was good and the Grey led 7-0. The second period saw wholesale changes in the Grey lineup and a new (and I mean NEW) Grey side took the pitch by storm. Within two minutes of the restart, Hoadley had the Grey back on the board with a 60 meter beauty. Jay Chabot converted for a 14-0 lead. Less then five minutes later, the speedy Hoadley sprang loose again and found Jay Rubino in support. Rubino's score and another Chabot conversion made the score 21-0. The Grey kept the pressure on and Berkshire committed a penalty at their own 22 meter line. Chabot slotted the kick and the score was 24-0. Hoadley, however, was not done yet. After another take off of the scrum, Hoadley broke free and found Tom Kubic for another pretty try. The conversion was missed and the period came to an end with the Grey up 29-0.

Bishop on the move. The ample support resulted in a McNamara try, the first of many on this day. (photo By Mike Kosilla)

In the 3rd period the Grey pack set the pace by controlling play early. Don Brancard ran one in after some nice loose play and converted from the tough angle. Grey 36-0. Give Berkshire credit. They never quit and came right back with a try and conversion of their own to make the score 36-7. The Grey pack reasserted themselves and Brancard tallied his second try. His conversion made it 43-7. Bill Bishop continued the scoring frenzy with a great effort from Fullback to increase the lead to 48-7. Bishop played his usual unrelenting game and was named Grey Man of the Match by the Berkshire club. In the 4th period, newcomer Sean Sierra punched over his second try of the young season to make it 53-7. Not to be outdone, Bishop capped off the scoring with one of his patented dashes to make the final Grey 58, Berkshire 7.

Proof that speed kills. Hoadley leads the Grey to another score. (photo by Mike Kosilla)

A great effort all around by both clubs. Berkshire was shorthanded, but they never gave in. The hitting was hard and clean all game. The Grey, buoyed by many newcomers, played one of their best matches in recent history. Special thanks to the Grey (Jim Burke, Jon Leone and Gary Tamburri, Barry Rita, Bill Aman and others) who filled in for Berkshire and to referee Jeff Bouvier. Next up is an always tough Gentlemen of New York side at Randall's Island, Details to follow.

Captains Message

It's really nice to win. We had 35 players and they all came to play. I want to thank everyone for letting Darryl or myself know about your availability. It allowed us to set up 4 periods attempting to give everyone as much playing time as possible. Having the sides set helps a lot. Pre-match we don't have to go crazy sorting things out. We can concentrate on match preparation. Since we have such large numbers please let us know by Thursday midnight. Great communication last week. If we get e-mails on Friday or calls Saturday morning we might not be able to get you in. Mike Guzzio had a few good runs. Kevin Trammel cleaned a few rucks that led to scores. Kevin McNamara got the momentum going by scoring on a 30 meter run. Ed Carr did great in the lineouts. Tom Kubic was all over the pitch in the loose play. The backs had a great day scoring seven tries. Don Brancard, Jay Rubino and Bill Bishop had awesome Games. Bill Hoadley MOTM ran over, through and around the defense. He led the charge from scrumhalf allowing us to score 22 points going uphill in period two. Next challenge GONY. Match is at 11:30. Be booted up at 10:45.

 

THE GREY HAVE A TOUGH DAY IN NEW JERSEY (but thats what the preseason is for)

NY All Japan wins a lineout on Saturday. NYAJ proved to be a much improved side on Saturday.

The obligatory team photo.

The following is from Captain Lou :

March 31, 2007 "We played some decent rugby for several phases until a costly mistake would allow the opponent a counterattack. Most of the six scores against us were long runs. We needed to catch and take care of the ball in the tackle. Despite being outscored 6-2 in tries, we dominated at times. We need to learn to finish when we get close to the try line. We are home this week against Berkshire and really need a win. How bad do you want it? Welcome to Tim Foley, Sean Sierra, and Sean Brennan. It is great to have some young blood join the club and have an immediate impact. Ed Carr, Sean Sierra, and Matt Leonard played well in the pack. Jeff Levinson made some great tackles and caught people from behind. The MOTM goes to Matt Leonard who was responsible for many of those attacking phases. Sean Sierra and Darryl Garrison each scored a try."

On a very positive note, the Grey helped to raise over 1200 dollars to buy phone cards for our troops fighting overseas. Final scores of the matches are posted in the schedule and results section. Please keep in mind that the "matches" were actually 20-25 minutes each in length.

SPECIAL OLYMPICS

March 3rd and 4th, Simsbury – The weather was perfect for a weekend of outdoor competition at the CL&P Service Center in Simsbury. Once again, the Connecticut Grey helped Tony Johnson organize the 100 m cross-country sprints and 4 x 100 relays for the Special Olympics Connecticut Winter Games. And yet again the Grey were rewarded by being in the company of hundreds of appreciative special athletes who gave their all over two days of competition. Our congratulations to all the athletes and thanks to all the members of the Grey family who participated. Stay tuned for news on a possible foray into the summer games. Think about it....female volunteers in shorts.

No words can describe Special Olympics Connecticut. You have to live it. Try it. It will change your life for the better.

  

The Grey contingent in front of the Olympic Flame.

ANNUAL AWARDS BANQUET

The annual awards banquet was, as always, a great success. The beer, wine and other potables flowed until early in the morning. The East Hartford Canoe Club proved to be an intimate and very hospitable venue, with its gracious and hardworking staff making for a very enjoyable evening. Outgoing President Tom Flynn and his first lady Lindsey ended their reign with a wonderful soiree. Incoming President Dean Jorgensen and his first lady, Aileen, christened their term on an extremely promising note. As always, the "Grey" ladies showed us old ruggers why we love them, with their beauty and grace on and off the dance floor. Thank you to all who attended and profound regrets to those who could not. Following are the results of the awards presentations. There were many, so thankfully, the speeches were short.

MVP - Forwards: Kevin Trammel - A true team player.

MVP - Backs: Jay Chabot -Explosive is his middle name.

Rookie of the Year: Jeff Levinson -A welcome addition to the back line.

Captain's Award: John Kerr-Never quits, on or off the pitch.

John Falatyn ‘Freight Train': Ed Carr-A player who always leads by example.

Mark ‘Mace' Comen Award: Jeff Bouvier-Dedicated club member and a student of the game.

Rugger Hugger: Lindsey Flynn-the hardest working and most glamourous social secretary ever to grace the game.

President's Award: Don Brancard-There is no "I" in Brancard. Don is the definition of team player, but more importantly, teammate.

Rookie Hourglasses : Bob Coakley, David Kirk, Jeff Levinson, Barry Rita-welcome additions all.

Retirement Plaque: Fred Seeger- a man who will be sorely missed on the pitch, but hopefully will still be around for the parties.

Founders' Award: Lou Petruzzello-The engine room of every club he has ever been associated with.

  

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