Award Recipients Named at Year-End Banquet

The Wake Forest men's rugby team held their annual year-end awards banquet tonight in Benson University Center. The following players were honored for their on and off-field performance:

Drew Legge: MVP
Timo Kawira: Forward of the Year
Mike Wills: Back of the Year
Brendan Shea: Rookie of the Year
David Sage: Best Defender
Matt Gottbrecht: Comeback Player of the Year; Man of the Year
Dave Poplaski: Unsung Hero

The team also honored departing head coach Barry Horewitch. Horewitch is graduating from Wake Forest law school in three weeks and will be moving to Chicago to begin his legal career. Wake Forest took huge steps forward under Horewitch's guidance, especially in terms of forward play. Horewitch, a Midwest College All-Star hooker while at Indiana University, turned Wake's scrum and lineouts into some of the best in the South and his expertise will be sorely missed. Horewitch will continue on as a team consultant and will return to Winston-Salem to run periodic clinics next year.

Rugby Team Captures Two Championships

The Wake Forest men's rugby team brought home two championships this week, although neither had anything to do with rugby. On Wednesday night, the Wake Rugby intramural softball team won the Wake Forest men's intramural championship with a 9-7 defeat of a team comprised primarily of players on the Wake club baseball team. The team was led by the middle infield combo of Critter Commins and Drew Legge, the pitching of Matt Gottbrecht, the bat of Jeff Millar, and the heckling of Brendan Shea. Then on Thursday night, the rugby team defended their title of Wake Forest Club Sports Olympics Champions with a dominating overall performance in scooter hockey, water polo, and a bizarre relay race. After the rugby team humiliated all other participants in last year's Olympics, the organizers changed the events for this year in an attempt to level the playing field. It didn't work.

Wake Rugby Alumni Feature in Upcoming South Championships

Two recent Wake Forest Rugby alumni will participate in two different South Championships this weekend. Rusty Hedrick, '07, will be playing lock for Triad Rugby Club in the South Men's D3 championships in Columbus, GA. Hedrick, who never reached his full potential at Wake due to nagging injuries, has blossomed into a powerful tight five player with Triad. Meanwhile, fellow '07 grad David Buckingham will be coaching Archbishop Rummell HS (New Orleans, LA) at the South High School Championships in Murfreesboro, TN. Buckingham, who last year was a key player in the New Orleans Rugby Club's run to the National Round of 16, took up coaching this season as he rehabbed from major knee surgery.

In other Wake Rugby alumni news, '08 grad and captain Tyler Eure made his Super League debut with the Potomac Athletic Club this past weekend, logging 25 minutes at scrumhalf against defending Super League Champions NYAC.

Wake Rugby Elects Team Leadership for '09-'10 Academic Year

The following individuals have been elected to leadership positions within the Wake Forest Men's Rugby Team for the 2009-2010 academic year:

President: Michael Duffy
Vice-President: David Sage
Treasurer: Ben Cohen
Match Coordinator: Ross Hilton
Alumni Liasons: Christian Jewett and Trent Justice
Publicity Director: RI Smith

Wake Closes Out Season with Tournament Victory

Wake's Seniors After The Final

The Wake Forest Men's Rugby team finished its spring campaign by winning the College of Charleston tournament this weekend in Charleston, SC.

In the Demon Deacons opening match of the four team tournament, they defeated an undermanned and fatigued University of North Carolina side 19-7. The Tar Heels had played a league match against University of South Carolina the night before and were a far cry from the formidable UNC side that bested Wake in January. Wake dominated play for the entire first half, but were held scoreless until the very end of the half when freshman wing Ben Cohen dotted down between the posts. Junior fullback Perry Salvagne converted to give the Deacs a 7-0 lead at the break.

Wake opened the second half with another Cohen try, this one unconverted, and led 12-0. Carolina answered back with a converted try to narrow the gap to 12-7, but the Wake victory was sealed when junior center David Sage scored off a nice run of play. Senior Mike Wills converted to extend the lead to 19-7, which is how the match would finish.

In the tournament final Wake faced off against host team College of Charleston. Charleston had defeated North Carolina State 13-0 in their first match and were eager to prove themselves against the Demon Deacons. Charleston jumped out to an early 3-0 lead when their inside center slotted a drop goal off a scrum inside the Wake 22. Wake responded with a try from freshman flanker Brendan Shea and another from senior #8 Timo Kawira. Wills converted one of the two tries for a 12-3 lead. Charleston got a penalty goal shortly before the midway whistle to make it 12-6 at the break.

The opening stages of the second half were controlled by Charleston, but two missed penalty goals and a near-try by the Charleston winger before he stepped into touch kept the score at 12-6. With time winding down, Wake was able to regroup and Shea and Kawira once again took control, each scoring between the posts. Wills converted both tries and Wake emerged 26-6 victors.