Chaps Win Cup Match Against Mt. Carmel
February 21, 2009
The Westlake rugby squad bounced back after last week’s heartbreaking loss to Strake Jesuit and easily beat an inexperienced but scrappy Mt. Carmel rugby team 69-0 in the second cup match of the season held in Chaps stadium. Although the Westlake backs’ superior athleticism accounted for much of the lopsided scoring, the Chaps’ scrum, anchored by hooker Colin Harman, flanker Shane Carlisle, and prop Kelvin Arrindell, played disciplined and focused rugby, keeping Mt. Carmel on its heels for the entire contest.
Ellis Glaw started the scoring for Westlake just seconds after the contest got underway by galloping through the heart of the Mt. Carmel defense. Wing Sean Potter followed with a pair of tries, taking advantage of an unbalanced defensive line – and then added a third try later in the period for good measure. It wasn’t just the backs that got in on the scoring. Prop Kelvin Arrindell and eight man Evan von Zur Muehlen each notched a try in the period. Full back James Robison scored the last try of the period with only seconds remaining. Reid McMenamim, who directed the Chap attack at scrum half in the first period, added two conversion kicks and the Chaps were up at the break 39-0.
Although Mt. Carmel fought valiantly and never gave up, the second half, even with liberal Chaps substitutions, was more of the same. Robison picked up right where he left off before the half and scored again within minutes of the kick off. With Mt. Carmel tiring, the Westlake backs continued their scoring frenzy. Vince Costa, fly half Markham “the Leg” Sayers, scrum half Connor McNally, and wing Chase Corona all added tries after impressive runs. It was somehow fitting that Ari “the Bull” Shita would power his way in for the final score of the period just as time was running out, giving Westlake a 69-0 win.
And then, despite the lopsided victory and the ruggers’ exhaustion, something magical happened. Maybe something that would only happen on a rugby pitch. After the teams met and congratulated each other at mid-field, the Mt. Carmel players – the ones that had fought so hard and come from as far away as Galveston and had taken such a drubbing - refused to leave. They wanted to play another period, but would need a few extra players. The coaches were proud and the referee didn’t seem to mind. He had played rugby himself once and understood. Even the fans in the stands stayed to watch what happened next.
A handful of the Westlake lads, including McNally and Robison and James Howe and Von Zur Muehlen, jogged across the field and donned Mt. Carmel uniforms - like a rock band playing an encore. And the two pick-up teams played rugby. The young men were tired and bruised but they continued to run and fight and tackle each other under sunny skies into the afternoon, just for the sheer joy of it.