Watson, McMurray, McIntyre, and Zimmerman Get ACRL Honors

ACRL Press Release

2013 Atlantic Coast Rugby League

All-Conference Teams and Award Winners Named

Naval Academy scrumhalf Ricky Neel-Feller is the 2013 Atlantic Coast Rugby League Player of the Year, narrowly edging out his teammate and fellow halfback partner Jack McAuliffe.  Neel-Feller led the Midshipmen to an undefeated ACRL conference season and a trip to the semi-finals of the inaugural Varsity Cup National Collegiate Rugby Championship.

Clemson University took home the other two individual awards, as Tigers scrumhalf Ryan Gilroy was named Freshman of the Year honors and Tigers head coach Justin Hickey was unanimously voted the conference Coach of the Year.  This is the second consecutive year that a Clemson player was named Freshman of the Year, as Gilroy’s teammate Dan Collins took home the honors in 2012. 

Navy and Clemson, who finished first and second respectively in the conference, led all teams in All-Conference players.  Navy had an astounding eleven selections, including six first-teamers, while Clemson was close behind with nine players selected overall.

In keeping with its member schools’ emphasis on academics, the conference again named an All-Academic team.  To be considered for the All-Academic team, a player must have been a junior or senior who was a consistent varsity player and carried a cumulative GPA over 3.5 or better.

Finally, the ACRL is proud to announce the team that will be representing the conference on the field in the first ever ACRL-Big Ten All-Star Challenge.  The team will be coached by Clemson’s Justin Hickey and the match will take place on Friday, May 31 in Philadelphia at Drexel University as part of the USA Sevens Collegiate Rugby Championship.  Kickoff for the match (which will be rugby 15s) is scheduled for 5:30pm.  The squad is still not finalized, as the coaching staff is awaiting the potential availability of some players who are still in contention for spots on the CRC rosters of Navy, NC State, and Virginia Tech.  The team includes many All-Conference players, including a quartet of players who have been named to the past three ACRL All-Conference teams: Matias Cima, John Davis, and Keith Sneddon from Maryland and Johnny McMurray from Wake Forest.  

A full list of the 2013 Atlantic Coast Rugby League All-Conference Teams and Award Winners is below.

2013 ACRL Player of the Year: Ricky Neel-Feller, USNA

2013 ACRL Freshman of the Year: Ryan Gilroy, Clemson

2013 ACRL Coach of the Year: Justin Hickey, Clemson

2013 All-ACRL First Team

Prop- Abe Harmon, NCSU

Prop- Darrien Green, USNA

Hooker- Dan Collins, Clemson

Lock- James Watson, Wake Forest

Lock- Jon Thornton, USNA

Loose Forward- Matt Fetty, Clemson

Loose Forward- Keith Sneddon, Maryland

Loose Forward- Andrew Stelletto, USNA

Loose Forward- Ben Shafer, Maryland

Forward- Matt Pace, NCSU

Scrumhalf- Ricky Neel-Feller, USNA

Flyhalf- Jack McAuliffe, USNA

Inside Center- Seamus Seifring, USNA

Outside Center- Justin Warzoha, Clemson

Wing- Matt Reilly, Maryland

Wing- Robbie Hemstreet, UVA

Fullback- Evan Burch, UVA

Back- Greg Hesler, NCSU

 

2013 All-ACRL Honorable Mention

Prop- Carl Katz, Virginia Tech

Prop- Max Simons, Clemson

Prop- Brett Weaver, Clemson

Prop- Eddie Youngs, NCSU

Hooker- Bill Whelan, Virginia Tech

Hooker- Matt Kelly, USNA

Lock- Michele Minichiello, Virginia Tech

Lock- Shaun Rich, Clemson

Lock- Matt Daniels, NCSU

Loose Forward- Spencer Wilson, USNA

Loose Forward- Martin Sexton, Virginia Tech

Forward- Keegan Downey, Maryland

Forward- Chris Rixey, USNA

Scumhalf- Ryan Gilroy, Clemson

Flyhalf- Matias Cima, Maryland

Inside Center- Ben Coburn, Clemson

Outside Center- Nick Hancock, USNA

Outside Center- Dan Hudgens, UNC

Wing-Ron Helms, USNA

Fullback- Stefan Friend, Clemson

Fullback- Johnny McMurray, Wake Forest

Back- John Davis, Maryland

 

2013 All-Academic Team

Liam McIntyre, Wake Forest

David Christian, Virginia Tech

Sam Gedeon, USNA

Tommy Evans, Clemson

Greg Hesler, NCSU

Drew Herpel, Maryland

2013 ACRL All-Star Team

Forwards: Brett Weaver, Clemson; Dan Collins, Clemson; Max Simons, Clemson; Bill Whelan, Virginia Tech; James Watson, Wake Forest; Michele Minichiello, Virginia Tech; Matt Fetty, Clemson; Ben Shafer, Maryland, Eric Higgins, Virginia Tech; Keith Sneddon, Maryland

Backs: Matias Cima, Maryland; Matt Reilly, Maryland; John Davis, Maryland; Ryan Gilroy, Clemson; Eddie Abreu, Clemson; Stefan Friend, Clemson; Johnny McMurray, Wake Forest; Jack Zimmerman, Wake Forest; Dylan Cunningham, UNC; Nick Johnson, Clemson; Justin Warzoha, Clemson

Head Coach: Justin Hickey, Clemson

Assistant Coach: Pat Kane, Wake Forest
Assistant Coach: Steve Laake, Maryland
Assistant Coach/Manager: Wright Henry, Clemson

Kane Steps Down as Coach

Kane is stepping down to focus on developing the next generation of Wake ruggers.

After nine years at the helm of the Wake Forest Men's Rugby team, Pat Kane has stepped down as the head coach, citing team needs as well as his own career and family obligations. Pat will remain involved with the team and will work closely with the Wake Forest Rugby Foundation and the school to identify sources of funding that will allow the team to bring on a full time coach, a move that is necessary for Wake to continue competing at the Division I level.

Pat took over the reins in 2004 as a Wake Forest law student. The team was in relative shambles, struggling to compete at the Division III level with a bare bones roster and few resources. In his first season Pat began to overhaul the team, instituting measures for player accountability, improving recruitment efforts, soliciting better resources from the school, and adding structure to the practice and game schedules. Pat's extensive knowledge of the game drastically improved Wake's offensive style, team defense and set pieces. In just a few short years Wake became a force in Division III rugby and was ready to move up to the Division II level. In 2008 Wake made it to the South Finals and finished the season as the #22 Division II team in the country. After the 2009 season, Wake joined the Carolinas Rugby League, a combination of Division I and II teams located in North and South Carolina. Following the 2010 season the Carolinas Rugby League was disbanded, and Pat led the effort to create the Division I-AA Atlantic Coast Rugby League, where he currently serves as league commissioner.

Beyond the on the field success, Pat successfully professionalized the team and improved its stature on campus and with Wake's administration. The current team is outfitted in top of the line gear and apparel, holds fitness practices twice a week on top of the normal practice schedule, has formalized high school recruiting, and boasts some of the top students on campus. It is a far cry from the team Pat inherited back in 2004, and despite this year's struggles, the team is well poised for the future.

On a more personal level, Pat has played a massively positive role in my development as a rugby player and more importantly, as a man. I think I can speak for all of Pat's players when I say that disappointing Pat Kane was one of the worst feelings you could have and making him proud was certainly one of the best. It is easy to get pulled astray as a college undergrad - you are surrounded by temptations and, for the first time, fully responsible for yourself. There is a reason that so many Wake Rugby alums have gone on to successful professional and personal lives after graduation - the team kept you accountable for your actions and instilled in you a work ethic that most other students simply did not have. Pat molded that team and support system. He has personally helped players through difficult personal situations as well as shared in some of their most joyous moments. Pat is the type of person you can't wait to introduce to your parents despite the fact you are terrified of what he might say to them. His ability to connect with all of us on a personal level set him apart from other coaches. While Pat's on and off the field leadership will be sorely missed, he has put in place the foundation Wake Rugby will need for continued success.

I would be remiss if I did not pass along a special thank you to Pat's family, his wife Melynda and their two children, Molly and Michael. They have become as much a part of the team as anyone, traveling long distances to cheer on the team and, more importantly, putting up with the huge time burden that is Wake Rugby. Despite a chaotic work schedule as an attorney, Pat has spent the majority of his coaching career commuting between Greensboro and Winston-Salem for practices. He has sacrificed countless weekends for games and spends hours every week on administrative responsibilities. On behalf of all Wake Rugby players, past and present, I would like to say thank you to Pat and his family for the sacrifices they have made for the betterment of the team.

Mike Duffy, '10
VP of Communications
Wake Forest Rugby Foundation

Wake Suffering Through Difficult Rebuilding Stretch

Wake Forest is in the midst of weathering perhaps the toughest stretch of rugby it has seen in the last decade, and certainly the most difficult it has seen since moving to Division 1 in 2011. After being blanked 100-0 by Navy on March 2, the Deacs have suffered three straight lopsided losses, falling 72-17 to Maryland, 86-15 to NC State, and 55-14 to Virginia.  While in each instance it could be argued that the match was closer than the score indicated, the undeniable fact is that Wake is simply not executing well on either offense or defense. The team has clearly been hamstrung by injuries to key players Rob Elmore, Ryan Tacon and Wes Bloomer, all of whom were lost for the season before ACRL play began, and James Watson and Tim Zage who have been battling injuries for weeks and may now be shelved for the remainer of the year.   Adding to the team's depth problems has been the dismissal of several players in the past weeks for violation of team rules. Also evident is that the squad is still adjusting to the fact that the players are now essentially coaching themselves, as long time volunteer head coach Patrick Kane has been unavailable for most of this season due to professional commitments. So while the team understands that this season has become one of survival and rebuilding, the results on the scoreboard have nevertheless been tough to swallow.  That is not to say that the past three games have been devoid of anything positive. To the contrary, there have been bright spots in every game and at times the Deacons have played some good rugby. But more often than not they have found themselves on the back foot and defending for long periods and struggling to piece together offensive phases. Next week the Deacs will host Clemson.  The Tigers have established themselves as the cream of the ACRL and it will undoubtedly be another difficult challenge for Wake. But the team is committed to improving each week and with every player from this season's squad returning next year, there is optimism that there are better times ahead.

Lineup vs Maryland (3/9)

1. Wohlmuth (Dormer)
2. Estes
3. Decaminada
4. Watson
5. Gutowski (Shumaker)
6. Drewery
7. Zage (Hume)
8. McIntyre
9. Lambert
10. Kelly
11. Duncan
12. Zimmerman
13. Kavalec
14. Murphy (Mehrmann, Goldman)
15. Kinzer

Tries: McIntyre, Watson, Zimmerman

Lineup vs NC State (3/23)

1. Wohlmuth (Dormer)
2. Estes
3. Decaminada
4. Gutowski (Horne)
5. Watson
6. Murphy
7. Zage (McCurdy)
8. McIntyre
9. Lambert
10. Kelly
11. Duncan (Turchin)
12. Zimmerman
13. McGuiggan (Kavalec)
14. Kinzer
15. McMurray

Tries: Duncan, Watson, Zimmerman
Conversions: McMurray

Lineup vs Virginia

1. Hodges (Dormer)
2. Ryan (McCurdy)
3. Decaminada (Wohlmuth)
4. Horne
5. Gutowski
6. Murphy
7. Estes
8. McIntyre
9. Lambert
10. Kelly
11. Duncan (Goldman)
12. Zimmerman
13. McGuiggan (Passarelli, Turchin)
14. Kinzer
15. McMurray

Tries: Gutowski, Zimmerman
Conversions: McMurray (2)

Demon Deacons Get Torpedoed by Navy

Wake Forest made its first trip to Annapolis, Md this weekend to take on new ACRL member the United States Naval Academy. The Deacs knew they were going to be in for an uphill battle, and the result was never in doubt as the Midshipmen scored 16 tries on the day to come away with a 100-0 victory.

While the score would indicate one way traffic the entire day, that was not always the case. In both halves Wake Forest spent considerable time attacking inside the Navy third of the field, and were simply unable to penetrate to Midshipmen's defense to get any points on the board. Wake was undone on numerous occasions by an inability to execute in the lineout, and as a result were unable to take advantage of Navy penalties and create good attacking platforms in Midshipmen territory.

Coach Kane had plenty to say after the game. "Ordinarily my opinion is that a 100-0 scoreline is of no benefit to either team. However, I've been lucky enough not to have been on either side of a score like that many times in my coaching career and I would say that both Wake Forest and Navy got significant benefit out of this game. For us, it was on oppurtunity to front up against an incredibly physical and well-drilled team and work on our defensive structure. Our tackling was for the most part very good and Navy's tries weren't coming on first phase where they simply broke a tackle and were off to the races. Instead, they had to play 4, 5, 6 phases at a time to set up overloads that they subsequently took advantage of. Credit to them for playing at a speed and with a cohesiveness that we have never seen in the ACRL, but we made them work for everything they got. And I think that ultimately will benefit Navy as well. They were forced to execute their pattern of play and create tries through good, organized rugby. Of course, they also scored a few easy tries when we made mistakes and they turned them around the other way, but I'm proud of my guys for attempting at times to play some enterprising rugby when we could have just tried to pack it in and waste time keeping the ball in tight and keep the score closer. We learned quickly, though, how against a team like Navy, a miscue in the backline is an automatic 7 points the other way. Overall I think this was a great experience for our team, and if there can be such a thing as a "good" 100 point loss, this was it. We brought Navy into the conference knowing that there would be some scores like this at the outset, but we are absolutely a better team for having had this experience."

The trip to Annapolis was also an opportunity for many of the Wake players to play in front of their family and alums, as a large contingent of the Demon Deacon squad is from the DC/Maryland area. "I think this was probably the bigest group of supporters we've ever had at one of our away games," said Coach Kane. "The parental and alumni support was great and combined with the hospitality of Navy, the post-game tailgate atmosphere was great. We probably all could have done without the snow flurries and 30 degree temperatures, but that's par for the course this season. It was also awesome to see the Navy rugby facilities and the support they get from their school. Something for all of us in the ACRL to strive towards."

Wake saw some solid performances from some young players who were thrown into the fire on Saturday, including freshmen prop Joe Decaminada, sophomore flanker Conor Murphy, and junior hooker Dwain Hodges, all of whom were playing in only their second ever rugby game.

Wake will next be in action against Maryland this weekend at Poteat Field. Kickoff is tentatively scheduled for 2pm.

Wake Forest Lineup for Navy: 1. Max Wohlmuth, So. (Iain Dormer, So. @ 50) 2. Andrew Estes, Jr. (Dwain Hodges, Jr. @ 65) 3. Joe Decaminada, Fr. 4. Christian Gutowski, So. (Matt McMcurdy, Jr. @ 55) 5. James Watson, Jr. 6. Tim Zage, Jr. 7. Conor Murphy, So. 8. Liam McIntyre, Jr. (Drew Turchin, So. @ 70) 9. Bryce Lambert, Jr. 10. Rob Kelly, Sr. 11. Franco Cima, Jr. (Pierre Duncan, Fr. @ 70) 12. Jack Zimmerman, Jr. 13. Ted McGuiggan, So. (Jim Kavalec, Sr. @ 55) 14. Tommy Kinzer, So. 15. Johnny McMurray, Sr.

YC: Murphy at 39'

Pittsburgh Game Cancelled

Like many other games across the southeast over the last two weekends, Wake Forest's non-conference clash with Keystone Conference regular season champions Pittsburgh scheduled for Sunday has had to be cancelled because of inclement weather and poor field conditions. The game is not expected to be made up. The Demon Deacons now turn their attention to next week's ACRL matchup with league-leading Navy.

Deja Vu for Deacs in Chapel Hill

Wake Forest lost 17-7 to University of North Carolina, marking the second year in a row the team lost a winnable game on the road in Chapel Hill to open the ACRL season. The Demon Deacons were inconsistent in the set piece, often looking strong in the scrum yet at other times getting pushed around by the Tar Heels. The line out was a similar story, as Wake Forest struggled in an area where they have typically been dominant. Despite these issues, Wake dominated the opening minutes of the game, hammering away with their forwards for prolonged periods in the Tar Hell half. But the backline was not able to sync up with the forwards and eventually turnovers led to UNC touching down under the posts for a 7-0 lead. Moments later the lead was extended to 12-0 when the Tar Heel scrumhalf faked taking the ball out of the scrum and as the Wake defense focused on the halfback as he ran laterally across the field, the ball actually remained in the scrum and the #8 popped it to a looping Tar Heel back who fed the wing to touch down in the corner. Wake struck back immediately, as an easily won line out allowed flanker Tim Zage to break through the midfield defense for a 60m try. Fullback Johnny McMurray nailed the conversion to bring the score to 12-7. Bolstered by the try, Wake dominated possession for the remained of the half and appeared to have the momentum entering the break.

The snow came down hard during halftime, and when the game resumed, the lines on the field were no longer visible and footing was treacherous. Wake was unable to get into its offensive pattern and UNC held the majority of possession and territory. Another try in the corner extended the UNC lead to 17-7. The snowy conditions were not conducive to clean ball-handling and the game deteriorated into a series of knock ons, scrums, and a lot of open field kicking. Wake had an opportunity to narrow the deficit when the were awarded a penalty in the UNC half, but McMurrays's attempt at goal sailed wide. With time winding down Wake pressed to find some offense, but nothing was working and the final whistle blew with UNC still holding their 10 point lead.

Wake falls to 0-1 in league play and will face an uphill battle as their next two conference games are against Navy and Maryland. Navy made a statement today in its first ever ACRL game, defeating NC State 55-0 in Annapolis, while Maryland is the two-time defending ACRL champion. Next weekend, however, Wake will have an opportunity to tighten up their play as they host the University of Pittsburgh on Sunday at noon on Poteat Field. Wake may be without the services of All-ACRL lock Christian Gutowski, who suffered a knee injury in the closing moments of the loss to the Tar Heels. 

Lineup vs UNC 1. Iain Dormer, So. (Max Wohlmuth, So. @53) 2. Andrew Estes, Jr. 3. Joe Decaminada, Fr. (Cameron Hume, So. @53) 4. Christian Gutowski, So. (Drew Turchin, So. @72) 5. James Watson, Jr. 6. Tim Zage, Jr. 7. Matt McCurdy, Jr. (Jaime Drewery @53) 8. Liam McIntyre, Jr. 9. Bryce Lambert, Jr. 10. Rob Kelly, Sr. 11. Franco Cima, Jr. 12. Jack Zimmerman, Jr. 13. Tommy Kinzer, So. 14. Conor Murphy, So. (Ted McGuiggan @40) 15. Johnny McMurray, Sr.

 Tries: Zage
Cons: McMurray

Deacs Picked to Finish Near Bottom of the ACRL

http://www.thisisamericanrugby.com/2013/02/2013-atlantic-coast-rugby-league-preview.html