The Chaps Loose a Cliffhanger to Strake Jesuit

February 14, 2009

            The Westlake rugby faithful sat under a low cloud ceiling in Houston last Saturday and, in the waning minutes of a suspense filled match, watched the Chap’s first side loose a heartbreaker to a powerful Strake Jesuit team.  The contest kept fans for both teams on the edge of their seats the entire contest.  It featured two evenly matched squads that fought through three lead changes in a brawl that was not finally decided until the final seconds.

            The home side’s scrum controlled the action early as Strake played a very controlled, possession-oriented game.  Westlake found itself down by the score of 7-0 early after one of Strake Jesuit’s scrummies scored after a short run and the conversion kick was good.

            This seemed to provide the spark that Westlake’s scrum needed and the Chaps pushed the action to the other end of the field, allowing Evan von Zurmuehlen to convert a penalty kick from about fifteen meters out.   Westlake went up by a point at the half when fullback James Robison picked up the ball after a loose ruck at mid-field, broke through the defense and scored just before the break.

            The Westlake scrum, led by James Howe, Alex Putnam and Josh Womack kept up the pressure as the second period got underway and von Zurmuehlen converted on another penalty kick when Jesuit was called for a high tackle in front of their try line.

            But Westlake saw its four point lead vanish in the next few minutes as Jesuit clawed its way back into the contest and scored a penalty kick, a try  and a conversion kick in short order.  With time almost gone, the Chap team, showcasing strong running by the eight man, von Zurmuehlen, slowly inched downfield.  The Westlake faithful erupted when Rogan Lye scored after a scrum down five meters in front of the Jesuit goal.  von Zurmuehlen’s conversion kick was good and Westlake enjoyed a 1-point advantage with time almost gone.

            The Chaps needed only to hold on for a few more seconds but fate was unkind.  Westlake was called for a penalty in front of its try line.  The visitor sideline held its collective breath as Jesuit’s kicker split the uprights, sealing the cup victory for Jesuit by the score of 20-18.

            After absorbing the tough loss, the Chaps’ second side, led by scrum half Reid McMenamin, took the field and beat Jesuit’s second side in another close match.  The visitors’ scrum, on the strength of hard rucking by Eric Fernandes and Kalae Cordova, kept the action in front of Jesuit’s try line for much of the match.  The only try of the contest came when wing Graham Soto-Kerans took a pass on the right side and scored after a short run.  McMenamin added the conversion kick and the Chaps won 7-0.

Charles Vermont