Wake Rugby Announces 2012 Spring Schedule

Wake Forest men's rugby team has finalized it's schedule for spring 2012. The slate includes two non conference preseason games and 7 Atlantic Coast Rugby League games. Wake's home games will be played on Poteat Field in the middle of campus, although the field will have a different look than in years past because of construction of the new business school nearby.

Feb. 11- Georgetown University
Feb. 18- @University of Mary Washington
Feb. 25- @University of North Carolina
Mar. 3- @Georgia Tech
Mar. 10- Bye
Mar. 17- Bye
Mar. 24- University of Virginia
Mar. 31- @North Carolina State
Apr. 7- @University of Maryland
Apr. 14- Clemson University
Apr. 21- Virginia Tech

Brandon Turner Awarded Rhodes Scholarship

Brandon Turner, on his way to a hat trick against Georgia Tech in 2009

Senior wing Brandon Turner was not in Wilmington on Friday night for Wake's game against UNC-W. Instead, he was in Washington, DC, interviewing for the Rhodes Scholarship. Brandon, a two-time North Carolina Collegiate Rugby All-Star, a USA Rugby South U-20 All-Star, a member of the 2011 ACRL All-Academic team and recipient of the Wake Forest Rugby Marcum Scholarship, has an impressive resume, both on and off the field. But on Saturday afternoon that resume became virtually untouchable, as Brandon was named one of the 32 national recipients of the Rhodes Scholarship, widely regarded as the world's most prestigious scholarship. Brandon will now pursue a master's in global public health at Oxford University in 2012-2013, where he will hopefully continue his rugby career as well.

To read the Wake Forest University release, follow this link:

http://news.wfu.edu/2011/11/20/turner-named-rhodes-scholar/

Wake Ends Fall on Sour Note

Wake finished its fall exhibition season with a 19-5 loss to UNC-Wilmington on Friday night in the Port City. With a number of regular starters benched for disciplinary reasons and senior wing Brandon Turner unavailable while interviewing in Washington for the Rhodes Scholarship, Wake put a strong new-look squad out to face a highly-ranked D2 Seahawk side. After a quick converted try put UNC-W up 7-0, Wake's forwards began to exert control of the game, maintaining possession well and setting a good platform for the backline. The Demon Deacon backs, however, were unable to make many breaks through the Seahawk defensive line and an opportunistic play saw UNC-W score in the corner to go up 12-0 at the 30 minute mark.

With the Seahawk players inexplicably shouting that they were on their way to scoring 100 points, the Wake forwards' physical domination led to a try for senior prop Matt Storck which brought the score to 12-5 at the half.

The second half saw Wake control territory and possession, but the Seahawks defense was stout and the Demon Deacons were unable to put any points on the board. With time running out UNC-W moved into the Wake half and a well-executed backline play sent a Seahawk center in under the posts and iced the victory. In a massive show of respect for the Demon Deacon program, the Seahawks stormed the field when the final whistle blew on the exhibition game, celebrating as if they had won the national championship.

In the JV game, Wake suffered another loss. Lack of cohesion and poor tackling plaugued Wake throught the JV game and despite converted tries from sophomores Drew Ammons and Jack Zimmerman, the Demon Deacons fell 29-14.

Wake now goes into its offseason and will prepare for the upcoming rigors of the Atlantic Coast Rugby League season.

Wake Varsity vs. UNC-W

1. Matt Storck, Sr.
2. Matt McCurdy, So.
3. Nick Conte, Sr. (Iain Dormer, Fr. @15-24 blood sub)
4. Christian Gutowski, Fr.
5. Gavin Bishop, Fr. (James Watson, So. @ 40)
6. Paul Shumaker, So.
7. Rob Elmore, So. (Jeff Millar, Sr. @ 65)
8. Brendan Shea, Sr. (c)
9. Will Hank, Sr.
10. Ben Cohen, Sr.
11. Drew Ammons, So. (Ryan Tacon, So. @ 40)
12. Tim Bishop, So. (Liam McIntyre, So. @ 55)
13. Tim Zage, So.
14. Peter Conway, Fr. (Jack Zimmerman, So. @ 40)
15. Tommy Kinzer, Fr.

Tries: Storck
YC: T. Bishop

25 Years Ago

1986 Wake Forest Men's Rugby Team

Improved Performance Sees Wake Past UNC-Greensboro

Wake Forest continued its exhibition season on Friday night with a 66-7 victory over a very young UNC-Greensboro side. Unlike last weekend, when the Tennessee Volunteers stifling defense kept Wake from any offensive continuity, on Friday the Demon Deacons were able to play a more structured game and utilize good ball retention from the forwards to launch backline attacks. The result was two tries apiece for Wake's centers, Ben Cohen and Ryan Tacon, and single tries from wings Franco Cima and Brandon Turner and fullback Tommy Kinzer. The forwards also go on the scoresheet, with James Watson, Christian Gutowski, and Nick Conte all touching down. Wake's offense was bolstered by the return of flyhalf Johnny McMurray, who spent most of this semester studying abroad in Australia.

Wake's JV side was able to play a shortened match with UNC-G, which ended deadlocked at 7-7. Sophomore flanker Liam McIntyre scored the JV's try.

Wake is next in action on Friday, November 18, at UNC-Wilmington. The Seahawks are a nationally-ranked D2 squad who is the preseason favorite to win the Southern Rugby Conference title. This weekend they gave Virginia Tech all they could handle in Blacksburg, leading for much of the match until finally falling to the Hokies 24-13. UNC-W will be a strong test for Wake and the Demon Deacons will have to put in alot of preparation if they want to finish the fall on a winning note.

Varsity Lineup vs UNC-G

1. Matt Storck, Sr.
2. Jeff Millar, Sr. (Bryce Lambert, So. @ 40)
3. Nick Conte, Sr. (Iain Dormer, Fr. @ 50)
4. Rob Elmore, So. (Gavin Bishop, Fr. @ 40)
5. Christian Gutowski, Fr.
6. James Watson, So.
7. Matt McCurdy, So. (Liam McIntyre, So. @ 70)
8. Brendan Shea, Sr. (c)
9. Will Hank, Sr. (Brandon Turner, Sr. @ 40)
10. Johnny McMurray, Jr.
11. Franco Cima, So. (Tim Zage, So. @ 40)
12. Ben Cohen, Sr. (Kip Lewis, Sr. @ 70)
13. Ryan Tacon, So.
14. Jack Zimmerman, So.
15. Tommy Kinzer, Fr.

Tries: Tacon (2), Cohen (2), Cima, Conte, Kinzer, Turner, Watson, Gutowski
Convs: McMurray (8)
YC: Bishop

Wake Opens Exhibition Season with Loss to Tennessee

Wake Forest opened the exhibition portion of its 2011-2012 15s season on Saturday against the University of Tennessee on the campus of Elon University in Burlington, NC. In unseasonably cold weather and on a soaking wet field, the Demon Deacons fell 55-5 to a very strong Volunteer side. UT used an excellent attacking platform and a stifling backline defense to control territory and possession, while denying Wake many significant attacking opportunities. Wake's lone try came midway through the first half, after a long run by sophomore wing Mark Veikos, playing in his first ever rugby game, led to a penalty on UT deep in Volunteer territory. Prop Matt Storck bashed towards the line off a penalty play and a few tight phases later the Demon Deacons were able to touch down in the corner for their only points of the game.

Head Coach Pat Kane was optimistic about his team's play, despite the lopsided scoreline. "We are at the start of our 15s season, while Tennessee was at the tail end of theirs. We held our own physically, but simply were not used to the speed with which a team like UT plays the game. This was a great experience for our guys and there are alot of positive things I saw that we can build on. 3 freshmen and 11 sophomores saw time for us today, and once these young guys start getting more comfortable with the attack and defense patterns we want to play, I think we have the potential be very good."

Wake will next be in action against UNC-Greensboro on Friday night at UNC-G. Kickoff time is TBA and both a Varsity and JV game are expected to be played.

Wake Lineup vs. Tennessee

1. Matt Storck, Sr.
2. Jeff Millar, Sr. (Bryce Lambert, So. @ 60)
3. Nick Conte, Sr. (Iain Dormer, Fr. @ 72)
4. Rob Elmore, So. (Liam McIntyre, So. @ 40, Tim Zage, So. @ 60)
5. Paul Shumaker, So. (Christian Gutowski, Fr. @ 40)
6. James Watson, So.
7. Matt McCurdy, So.
8. Brendan Shea, Sr. (c)
9. Will Hank, Sr.
10. Jack Zimmerman, So.
11. Mark Veikos, So. (Franco Cima, So. @ 40)
12. Ben Cohen, Sr.
13. Ryan Tacon, So.
14. Brandon Turner, Sr.
15. Tommy Kinzer, Fr.

Tries: Hank

Annual Alumni Game Moved to Davidson College

2009 Alumni Team After 41-32 Victory

Due to unresolvable issues with Poteat Field, the annual Alumni Match will be played at Davidson College on Oct. 15. The Alumni will take on Wake's Varsity side at 12pm followed by Wake's JV side playing Davidson. The Alumni will look to record a 5th straight win in the annual game.

Bryan Beach, '99 Named to Wake Forest Rugby Foundation Board of Directors

Bryan Beach, '99, MS '00, one of Wake Forest rugby's most accomplished players, has been named to the Board of Directors for the Wake Forest Rugby Foundation. Bryan was a standout player at flyhalf for the Demon Deacons and moved on to have a decorated playing career with the Atlanta Renegades after graduation. Bryan has hung up the boots and lives in Atlanta with his wife, Beth, and their two (sson to be three) young children. Below are some excerpts from the media coverage of Beach's on-field heroics in the late '90s.

Do You Know These Guys?

Wake Forest Men's Rugby Circa 1982

Disappointing Day 2 at Atlantic Coast 7s

Wake Forest let in a try in the first minute of its quarterfinal match against NC State and never recovered, losing 29-0 to the eventual champion Wolfpack. wake then went into the Challenger semifinals and had a rematch against UNC. Wake got tries from Brendan Shea, Tommy Kinzer, and Jack Zimmerman, but fell to the Tar Heels 28-17.

NC State defeated UVA 24-17 to win it's second consecutive championship, while Maryland defeated Florida State for 3rd place. UNC won the Challenger bracket over Clemson.

Wake now will begin the transition to 15s rugby and will play University of Tennessee on October 29.

Up and Down Day Lands Wake in ACI Quarterfinals

Wake Forest showed brilliance at times but sturggled at times en route to a 2-1-1 opening day at the Atlantic Coast Rugby Sevens Championship. Wake opened the day with a mistake filled first half against Maryland and found themselves down 19-0 at halftime. Some personnel changes sparked a furious second half comeback and tries from Ryan Tacon, Tommy Kinzer, and Matt Storck allowed Wake to salavage a 19-19 tie.

Wake rested some key players for its second match against Duke and was lucky to escape with a 19-12 win. Duke played inspired rugby and are much improved from last year. Tries from Bryce Lambert, Tommy Kinzer, and Tim Bishop saw wake to the victory.

Wake's third game of the day was against the Virginia Cavaliers. After falling behind 5-0, Wake scored a brilliant 100 meter try by Ryan Tacon to go up 7-5. Virginia scored again to make it 12-7 and although Wake dominated the seond half, they were unable to capitalize on a few key opportunities and ended up with a disappointing loss.

Wake went into the final game of pool play against North Carolina, who had sailed through the day unbeaten. A loss would mean that Wake would have to play Sunday morning in a playin game. After falling behind 7-0 within the first minute, Wake turned in the performance everyone had been waiting for, running in 29 unanswered points in an almost flawless performance. Ryan Tacon, Jack Zimmerman, James Watson, Brendan Shea, and Tommy Kinzer all scored tries in the win.

Wake finishes 3rd in their pool and will play defending champs North Carolina State in the quarterfinals tomorrow at 10:50am.

Wake Forest Squad for Atlantic Coast 7s

Wake Forest has named it's squad for tomorrow's Atlantic Coast 7s Championship in Greensboro. The team is led by seniors Ben Cohen and Matt Storck and is very young, with 10 freshmen and sophomores. Sophomore Matt McCurdy was a late scratch due to an injury suffered in practice this week and was replaced by fellow sophomore Paul Shumaker.

Wake Forest ACI Roster

Ben Cohen, '12
Matt Storck, '12
Jeff Millar, 12
Will Hank, 12
Brendan Shea, '12
Ryan Tacon, 14
Bryce Lambert, '14
Sal Scifo, '14
Tim Bishop, '14
Paul Shumaker,'14
Jack Zimmerman, '14
Tim Zage, '14
James Watson, '14
Tommy Kinzer, '15
Christian Gutowski, '15

Wake Preps for ACI with Scrimmages at Furman

Sophomore Ryan Tacon will lead a young Wake Forest 7s Squad

Wake Forest will travel to Greenville, SC this weekend to play eight 7s matches at Furman University as preparation for the upcoming Atlantic Coast Invitational. The team will bring a squad of 22 to Furman and the final roster of 15 for the ACI will be announced on Monday. Other schools participating in the Furman scrimmages are Tennessee, Clemson, UNC-Wilmington, UNC-Greensboro, and Furman.

The schedule for Saturday is below:

9:00- Furman v Wake
9:20- UNC-W v Clemson
9:40- UNC-G v UNC-W

10:00- Wake v. UNC-G
10:20- Clemson v UT
10:40- UT v Furman

11:00- Wake v UNC-W
11:20- Clemson v UNC-G
11:40- UNC-G v UNC-W

12:00- UT v Wake
12:20- Furman v Clemson
12:40- Wake v Clemson

1:00- UNC-G v Wake
1:20- UNC-W v UNC-G
1:40- UT v UNC-W

2:00- Furman v. UNC-G
2:20- Clemson v. Wake
2:40- UT v Clemson

3:00- UNC-G v UT
3:20- UNC-W v Clemson
3:40- UT v Wake

4:00- UT v UNC-W

Catching Up with Wake Rugby Alumni

Andrew Gentles, '05 playing for the Atlanta Renegades in 2006

The summer 7s season saw two members of the Wake Rugby Class of 2009 playing at the highest level of competition in this country at the National Club 7s Championships in San Fransisco. Drew Legge played scrumhalf for the Denver Barbarians, while Matt Gottbrecht played prop for the Middlesex (Boston) Savages. Now that summer 7s is at a close, we take some time to look at other Wake Rugby Alumni who are still involved in the sport:

Class of 2005

Aiden O'Leary is currently coaching high school rugby at Daniel Hand High School in Connecticut and playing for the New Haven men's club.

Andrew Gentles is the President of the Wake Forest Rugby Foundation and training for a half-ironman triathalon in September in order to be ready for the alumni match in October.

Class of 2006

Evan Woods is currently the head coach of the Whitehorse Men's Rugby Club in Philadelphia.

Achilleas Patounas plays for Princeton Athletic Club and is on the Board of Directors for the Wake Forest Rugby Foundation.

Class of 2007

Jordan Weiss is an L2 referee based out of New York City.

David Buckingham plays for New Orleans, who won the USA Rugby Division 2 National Championship in June, and coaches at Archbishop Rummel High School.

Rusty Hedrick plays for Triad Rugby in Greensboro, NC.

Greg Wagner is the Vice-President for Marketing and Publicity for the Wake Forest Rugby Foundation.

Class of 2008

Tyler Eure plays for Potomac Athletic Club in Washington, DC.

Class of 2009

Drew Legge plays for the Denver Barbarians.

Matt Gottbrecht plays for the Middlesex Barbarians in Boston, MA and is on the Board of Directors for the Wake Forest Rugby Foundation.

Dave Poplaski is the Secretary and Treasurer for the Wake Forest Rugby Foundation.

Class of 2010

Trent Justice and Mike Wills are assistant coaches with the Wake Forest men's rugby team.

Class of 2011

Ross Hilton plays for Life University's Men's Club in Atlanta, GA.

Christian Jewett plays for New York Athletic Club in NYC and is the VP for Alumni Relations for the Wake Forest Rugby Foundation.

Hunter Lostan is a beginning referee in Boston.

Wake Forest to Tune Up for Atlantic Coast Rugby 7s at Furman Collegiate 7s Event

Wake Forest will be without the services of 2011 First Team All-ACRL fullback Johnny McMurray, who is spending the semester in Australia.

Wake Forest will prepare for the 2011 Atlantic Coast Invitational by participating in a day of Collegiate 7s on Spetember 10th at Furman University in Greenville, SC. Wake Forest will square off against fellow ACI team Clemson, as well as 2010 SEC 7s Champion University of Tennessee, Furman University, UNC-Wilmington, and UNC-Greensboro.

Wake Forest returns less than half of its 15 man roster from the 2010 ACI and will be looking for new players to fill the shoes of departed seniors Ross Hilton, Hunter Lostan, Drew Chadwick, and Steve McMillen. Wake will also be without junior backs Johnny McMurray and Rob Kelly, who are studying abroad in Australia and Spain respectively.

The 2011 ACI will take place on September 17-18 at Macpherson Stadium in Greensboro, NC. for more information, visit http://www.acirugby.com/.

Wake Forest Falls To NC State in Final of Airborne 7s

NC St. defeated Wake Forest 31-0 in the final of the Airborne 7s Open Division on Saturday. State took advantage of a clearly fatigued Wake side to dominate the tackle contest and starve the Demon Deacons of possession. Leading up to the match, Wake Forest had gone 4-0 in pool play with wins over Fort Bragg, Southern Pines, Jokers, and Cape Fear B, while the Wolfpack ran through their pool 3-0 with wins over Raleigh, ECU B and Wake Forest B. Wake Forest B, a side heavy with front row players, struggled on the day and finished 0-3 in their pool.

Taking his cue from Wake Forest B's performance, Wake Forest's Michael Kane, '30 got beat soundly in the "Children's Obstacle Course," finishing dead last. Wake Forest coaches are now contemplating rescinding his scholarship offer.

Wake Forest Player Pool for Airborne 7s

Drew Ammons, '14
Sal Scifo, '14
Johnny McMurray, '13
Rob Kelly, '13
Nick Conte, '12
Matt Storck, '12
Jeff Millar, '12
Justen Robinette, '12
Christian Jewett, '11
Ross Hilton, '11
Mike Duffy, '10
Mike Wills, '10
Trent Justice, '10
Kenton Forte, '10
Dave Poplaski, '09
Tyler Eure, '08
Greg Wagner, '07
David Buckingham, '07
Patrick Kane, JD '07
Michael Kane, '30
Crawford Miller (Guest Player)
Hunter Naff (Guest Player)
Ryan Clarke (Guest Player)

Wake Forest 7s Falls to Charlotte in Semifinals of Greenville 7s

Current and former Wake Forest ruggers joined together for the Greenville 7s tournament this past weekend. The team went unbeaten in pool play, defeating Charlotte B 12-5, Western Carolina 21-7, and Savannah 47-7. The team advanced to the Championship Semifinals where they faced Charlotte A. Wake could not match the speed nor the experience of the Charlotte side and lost 29-14. Charlotte went on to win the tournament, defeating the Georgia Collegiate Selects 12-0 in the final. Wake Forest 7s will be in action this weekend at the Airborne 7s in Fayetteville, NC with two sides entered.

Wake Forest 7s Team at Greenville 7s

Sal Scifo, '14
Johnny McMurray, '13
Robert Kelly, '13
Wes Bloomer, '13
Nick Conte, '12
Matt Storck, '12
Justen Robinett, '12
Ross Hilton, '11
Trent Justice, '10
Patrick Kane, JD '07
Michael Kane, '30

Demon Deacons and Spartans Kickoff Joint 7s Program

Wake's Johnny McMurray and UNC-G's Crawford Miller will lead the joint side this summer.

Players and coaches from Wake Forest and UNC-Greensboro have joined together this summer to practice and compete in rugby 7s. The players will train twice a week, alternating between Greensboro and Winston-Salem, and will compete in at least 4 tournaments throughout the southeast. Additionally, the players and coaches will work with Triad Youth Rugby to help teach local high school players the finer points of the game of rugby 7s.

Wake Adds Familiar Face to Coaching Staff

Mike Wills gets ready to steamroll an ECU defender in a 2008 game

Mike Wills, '10, will join the Wake Forest coaching staff in the fall as an assistant coach. Wills was an All-Star player for Wake from 2006-2010, but his career was marred by injuries, including two ACL tears. He will be returning to Wake to pursue a Masters in Accounting.

Team Officers Named for 2011-2012

The Wake Forest Men's Rugby Team has named its team leadership for the 2011-2012 Academic Year:

President: Ben Cohen
Treasurer: Bryce Lambert
Vice-President Marketing and Publicity: Nick Conte
Vice-President Recruitment: James Watson
Vice-President Field Management: Drew Mehrmann
Vice-President Equipment Management: Steve Hemric
Vice-President Philanthropy: Brandon Turner
Vice-President Social Events: Chris Ryan

Gonzaga Rugby in Washington Post

Gonzaga, alma mater of former Wake rugger Mike Wills and current standout Johnny McMurray, is featured in the Washington Post.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/highschools/a-good-old-fashioned-scrum-at-gonzaga/2011/05/05/AFgJl10F_gallery.html#photo=1

Year-End Awards Banquet

Last night the Wake Forest men's rugby team held its annual year end awards banquet. The following awards were presented:

Rookie of the Year: Ryan Tacon
Most Improved Player: Robert Kelly
Most Valuable Back: Ben Cohen
Most Valuable Forward: Brendan Shea
Most Valuable Player: Johnny McMurray
Marcum Scholarship: Brandon Turner

The team also honored departing coach Brad Havins, who leaves the team after four years. Havins has graduated from medical school at Wake Forest and will now be practicing medicine as part of the United States Army in Washington, DC for the next 4 years. Havins was instrumental in developing Wake's forwards and his expertise in the more sophisticated aspects of forward play will be missed.

McMurray, Pierce, Tacon, and Turner named to All-ACRL Teams

ALL-ATLANTIC COAST RUGBY LEAGUE TEAMS ANNOUNCED

Greensboro, NC -- April 22, 2011 -- Six University of Maryland players, including freshman Matias Cima who was named Atlantic Coast Rugby League Co-Player of the Year, headline the inaugural All-ACRL First Team announced today. Cima is joined by University of North Carolina senior Alex Lee as conference Co-Player of the Year. After Maryland’s six first team selections, North Carolina, Virginia, and Virginia Tech followed with two first team selections apiece. The conference’s head coaches chose the All-ACRL teams. Coaches were permitted to vote for only one of their own players. The conference announced an All-ACRL First Team, Honorable Mention All-ACRL, and an ACRL All-Academic Team.

Former University of North Carolina head coach Mike Groenewald was named the 2011 Atlantic Coast Rugby League Coach of the Year. Groenewald, who wasn’t even on the ballot after having to step away from his coaching role after the first game of the league season, was a write-in vote by six of the conference’s nine head coaches. No other coach received more than one vote. After defeating University of Maryland in the only ACRL match in which Groenewald coached the Tar Heels this season, Carolina ran off five more victories to finish the regular season in first place with a 6-0 record. ACRL Commissioner Patrick Kane said of the conference naming Groenewald Coach of the Year, “I think the other coaches recognized that even though Coach Groenewald wasn’t on the sidelines for most of the season, North Carolina’s success was directly attributable to those kids having been coached by Mike for the last 18 months. He instilled in them the desire and ability to succeed, and the fact that they were able to come together after his unexpected departure and run the table was evidence of how great of a job he had done in molding these young men into a team.”

The 2011 Atlantic Coast Rugby League season will conclude on Saturday, as #6 North Carolina (6-0) rematches with #10 Maryland (5-1) in the conference championship game in Charlotte, NC. The ACRL Championship is presented by World Rugby Shop®, adidas®, and the Charlotte RFC. The game will feature a total of 13 players named to either the All-ACRL First Team or Honorable Mention. The winner will advance to the USA Rugby Division I Round of 16 next weekend in Bowling Green, OH to face #4 University of Florida.

The Atlantic Coast Rugby League is not endorsed by, affiliated with, or sponsored by the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Contact: Patrick Kane
Commissioner
Atlantic Coast Rugby League
acrl@varsityrugby.com

ACRL Co-Players of the Year: Alex Lee, North Carolina; Matias Cima, Maryland
ACRL Coach of the Year: Mike Groenewald, North Carolina

First Team All-ACRL
Prop: Sage Winn, Fr., Maryland
Prop: Jacob Rierson, Sr., North Carolina
Hooker: John Curtin, Sr., Virginia
Lock: Keith Sneddon, So., Maryland
Lock: Ron Pelkey, So., Virginia Tech
Loose Forward: Alex Lee, Sr., North Carolina
Loose Forward: Matt Pace, Jr., North Carolina St.
Loose Forward: Richard Hwang, Sr., Maryland
Scrumhalf: Tyler Thompson, Jr., Clemson
Flyhalf: Matias Cima, Fr., Maryland
Center: Matt Heitzer, Jr., Virginia Tech
Center: Julian Henderson, Jr., Virginia
Wing: Trevor Tanifum, Jr., Maryland
Wing: Matt Reilly, Fr., Maryland
Fullback: Johnny McMurray, So., Wake Forest

Honorable Mention All-ACRL
Prop: Abe Harman, Jr., North Carolina St.
Prop: Ty Pierce, So., Wake Forest
Hooker: Tyler Mattler, Sr., Clemson
Hooker: Nate Young, So., Georgia Tech
Lock: Walter Thorne, Sr., Virginia
Lock: Ben Mohar, Jr., North Carolina
Loose Forward: Robert Whelen, Sr., Georgia Tech
Loose Forward: Greg Moye, Jr., North Carolina
Scrumhalf: John Davis, Fr., Maryland
Scrumhalf: Rory Makhema, Fr., Duke
Flyhalf: Gregor Maclennan, Jr., North Carolina
Center: Evan Rose, Sr., North Carolina
Center: Phil Burcal, Sr., North Carolina St.
Center: Ryan Tacon, Fr., Wake Forest
Wing: Evan Burch, So., Virginia
Wing: Robbie Anthony, Fr., Clemson
Fullback: Brett Keyes, Sr., Virginia Tech

ACRL All-Academic Team
James Landau, Clemson, Jr., Electrical Engineering, 3.78 GPA
Jason Liao, Duke, Jr., Public Policy, 3.68 GPA
Alvin Chen, Georgia Tech, Sr., Mechanical Engineering, 4.0 GPA
Brandon Mosiman, North Carolina State, Sr., Civil Engineering, 4.0 GPA
Alik Belokopytov, North Carolina, So., Mathematics and Economics, 4.0 GPA
Hamilton Craig, Maryland, Jr., Government and Philosophy, 3.92 GPA
Jeff Perkowski, Virginia, Sr., Economics and Financial Mathematics, 3.906 GPA
Dave Wisda, Virginia Tech, So., Aerospace Engineering, 3.95 GPA
Brandon Turner, Wake Forest, Jr., Biophysics, 3.86 GPA

Wake's Final ACRL Game Cancelled

Wake Forest's game against the University of Virgina was cancelled this past weekend when the Virginia administration smartly cancelled all outdoor activities scheduled for Saturday due to the forecast of severe weather. The teams looked at various rescheduling possibilities, but field availability and academic commitments made rescheduling the match not feasible. With Duke's forfeit to Maryland this weekend, UVA's chances of playing in the ACRL Championship game were eliminated, and thus the match will be scored as a "no contest."

Wake Forest thus finishes the inaugural ACRL season with a 1-4 record. Although the results on the scoreboard were mostly disappointing, the team showed good development throughout the season and will be returning 11 of 15 regular starters next year.

Wake Loses Heartbreaker to Wolfpack

Johnny McMurray's 21 points were not enough to lead Wake to victory.

North Carolina State scored a 98 meter try on the final play of the game to hand Wake Forest a heartbreaking 43-36 defeat in a thrilling match on Poteat Field.

The Demon Deacons continued their pattern of starting sluggishly, allowing the Wolpack to go up 14-0 in the first half. Wake failed to capitalize on numerous opportunities and a lack of discipline and poor ball handling plauged the young squad throughout the first forty minutes. Wake was also on the wrong end of some lucky bounces, as one of State's tries came when Wake captain Brendan Shea stole a Wolpack lineout, but the ball bounced directly into the State hooker's hands who went in untouched for a try.

After a fiery halftime speech from Shea, the Demon Deacons came out for the second half looking like a completely different team. Freshman center Ryan Tacon scored a try in the first minute of the half and junior wing Brandon Turner followed that up two minutes later with a long-range try of his own. Sophomore fullback Johnny McMurray converted both tries and suddenly the score was knotted at 14. Wake Forest kept its foot on the gas pedal and another converted try from Tacon a few minutes later put Wake in front 21-14. But Tacon tweaked his back on the play and on the ensuing series allowed a State player to break the line and touch down under the posts to tie the game at 21.

Ryan Tacon scored two tries for the second straight game.

The next 25 minutes were a back and forth affair, with Wake Forest's backline making numerous linebreaks and the Wolfpack forwards taking advantage of numerous Wake Forest penalties at the breakdown to quick tap and offload their way down the field. McMurray slotted a penalty goal to put Wake ahead 24-21, then followed that up with a converted try of his own to extend the lead to 31-21. State continued to press, however, and another try from the Wolfpack forwards brought them back with striking distance at 31-28. With ten minutes remaining, McMurray struck again with his second try of the day, but was unable to convert from the sideline and the score stood at 36-28.

Wake Forest was repeatedly penalized for high tackles on the driving Wolfpack forwards.

The last ten minutes of of the match were filled with excitement, as North Carolina State wore down the Demon Deacons with tremendous forward play, while Wake was continually pinged for infringements by the referee. A Wolfpack try with 5 minutes to play brought the score to 36-33 and a penalty goal a moment later tied the score at 36. With time running down, NC State looked to go ahead, but a pass that would have resulted in the winning try was ruled forward by the referee and with no time remaining on the clock, Wake Forest was awarded a scrum at their own 22 meter line. With overtime looming, Wake decided to take the chance of attacking wide. A nifty backline movement put McMurray into space and the sophomore fullback chipped over the State fullback. The ball came to rest two meters from the tryline, with both State players and Wake players in a mad rush to secure possession. The referee called a penalty on Wake, and the Wolfpack immediately quick-tapped and moved downfield. The State winger broker free, but was dragged down from behind about 20 meters out by Turner. The referee called yet another penalty on Wake, and another heads up quick-tap allowed State to go in for game-winning try. The hearbreaking loss sends Wake's record in conference play to 1-4, while NC State improves to 2-3. Wake Forest will travel to Charlottesville, VA this weekend for the final match of the 2011 ACRL season against 4-1 Virginia.

Wake Lineup vs NC State

1. Ty Pierce, So.
2. Jeff Millar, Jr.
3. Nick Conte, Jr. (Bryce Lambert, Fr. @ 65)
4. Christian Jewett, Sr.
5. Ross Hilton, Sr.
6. James Watson, Fr. (Liam McIntyre, Fr. @ 15)
7. Brendan Shea, Jr.
8. Hunter Lostan, Sr.
9. Will Hank, Jr.
10. Rob Kelly, So.
11. Brandon Turner, Jr.
12. Ben Cohen, Jr.
13. Ryan Tacon, Fr. (Steve McMillen, Sr. @ 50)
14. Drew Chadwick, Sr.
15. Johnny McMurray, So.

Tries: Tacon (2), Turner, McMurray (2)
Conversions: McMurray (4)
Penalties: McMurray

Wake Earns First Ever ACRL Victory

Johnny McMurray scored 16 of Wake's points against Georgia Tech

It wasn't pretty, and at times was downright ugly, but Wake Forest defeated Georgia Tech yesterday 31-22 for its first win in the inaugural season of the Atlantic Coast Rugby League.

Wake started off the game well and it looked like it would be a blowout. Freshman center Ryan Tacon scored a converted try in the second minute of the game, and senior #8 Hunter Lostan followed up with a try in the corner for a 12-0 lead. But slowly Wake Forest began to lose discipline and abandoned all semblance of structure in their play. Meanwhile, Georgia Tech played a very effective forwards oriented game and bullied in a try to bring the score to 12-5. Sophomore fullback Johnny McMurray struck back with a converted try to extend the lead to 19-5, but Georgia Tech dominated the remainder of the half and powered in two more tries to bring the score to 19-15 at the break.

The second half started off exactly how the first half had started, with solid phase play from Wake Forest leading to a converted try from Tacon, and the lead was extended to 26-15. The Yellow Jackets continued their effective strategy of attacking with their forwards off the base of rucks, and Wake Forest's porous defense allowed the Tech forwards to gain 10-15 meters at a time. Another Georgia Tech try coming off a stolen scrum brought the score to 26-22. The Demon Deacons struck back with a nice try coming from sophomore flyhalf Rob Kelly sending a perfectly weighted kick into the tryzone where it was touched down by McMurray. With Wake's lead at 31-22, the play from both teams deteriorated and the final 10 minutes were filled with knockons, poor tackling and decision-making, and ugly set pieces. Wake prevented GT from scoring with good defense from wing Brandon Turner and then from wing Wes Bloomer, and when the final whistle blew, Wake had held on for the 31-22 win.

"A win is a win, and we definitely needed a win," said Wake Forest head coach Patrick Kane. "But when the guys watch the film, they are going to see that for the most part they played as 15 individuals and not as a team. All credit to Georgia Tech for implementing a game plan that suited their strengths and took advantage of our weaknesses, but the bottom line is that selfishness and lack of discipline from our players allowed this to be a much closer game than it should have been. If we play like this next week against NC State, our winning streak will end at one."

Wake Forest plays NC State next weekend at home. The game will kick off at 1 pm. The Demon Deacons and Wolfpack are both 1-3 and looking to climb up in the ACRL standings. Wake Forest Lineup vs Georgia Tech

1. Ty Pierce, So. (Bryce Lambert, Fr. @ 60)

2. Jeff Millar, Jr.

3. Christian Jewett, Sr.

4. Brendan Shea, Jr.

5. Ross Hilton, Sr.

6. James Watson, Fr.

7. Liam McIntyre, Fr. (Matt McCurdy, Fr. @ 50)

8. Hunter Lostan, Sr.

9. Will Hank, Jr.

10. Rob Kelly, So.

11. Brandon Turner, Jr. (Wes Bloomer, So. @ 75)

12. Ben Cohen, Jr. (Steve McMillen, Sr. @ 60)

13. Ryan Tacon, Fr.

14. Drew Chadwick, Sr.

15. Johnny McMurray, So.

Tries: Tacon (2), Lostan, McMurray (2)

Con: McMurray (3)

Game with Georgia Tech Moved to Furman University

Junior Brandon Turner scored three tries in Wake's last meeting with Georgia Tech in October 2009

Wake Forest's game with Georgia Tech on Saturday has been moved to Furman University in Greenville, SC. The forecast of three days of heavy rains and the already compromised condition of Poteat Field led to the difficult decision to move the game location. "We were really looking forward to playing Georgia Tech on campus and in front of a good home crowd," said senior Christian Jewett. "But Furman has a fantastic rugby facility and it is always great to play there."

Wake Forest will be looking for its first ever ACRL victory and its fourth consecutive win over the Yellow Jackets. Georgia Tech was the opponent for one of the most memorable games in Wake Forest history, a three overtime sudden death victory for the Demon Deacons in the 2008 South Division 2 Final Four. Kickoff will be at 11am.

Wake Forest Leaves Blacksburg Still Seeking First ACRL Win

Wake Forest lost to Virginia Tech 37-12 in cold and snowy conditions in Blacksburg, VA on Saturday to drop to 0-3 in the ACRL. As has been the case in each of its first 3 league games, Wake gave up a try in the first 5 minutes, as the referee awarded the Hokies a try in the corner despite it appearing that the Tech player did not ground the ball. Moments later a defensive miscommunication in the midfield allowed a break by the Hokie outside center who touched down under the posts and Wake was down 12-0. Virginia Tech used superior size in the forwards to dominate the scrum and control possession and another try and penalty goal by Virginia Tech saw Wake in a 20-0 hole 30 minutes into the game.

The scoreline, however, did not reflect the way Wake was playing, and eventually Wake's backline started clicking and sophomore fullback Johnny McMurray got Wake on the board with a try in the corner. That was quickly followed by another break from Wake's backline, ending with sophomore flyhalf Rob Kelly scoring under the posts. McMurray's conversion brought the score to 20-12 at the half and Wake looked to have some life.

Virginia Tech made some adjustments in the second half and were determined to retain possession and keep the ball away from Wake's backline. The Hokies kept possession in the forwards and dominated territory and possession for much of the second half. Tech muscled in three more tries in the half, and although Wake Forest did make some good breaks, they were always attacking from long-range and were never able to finish anything off.

Wake Forest head coach Patrick Kane was disappointed with the result, but said that despite the scoreline, it was the best game that the Demon Deacons had played yet this season. "After Clemson and Maryland we identified some big problems that we needed to address. We worked hard on fixing these and I think we have improved immensely in those areas. The things we need to fix now are the little things-that last pass to put a winger away, the decision to keep ball in hand rather than kick away a good attacking opportunity. The talent and desire are there, and I'm encouraged going into the second half of the ACRL season that we will get a few in the win column."

For the third consecutive game, Wake Forest used a different halfback combination and finally seem to have found the right one, with junior Will Hank at scrumhalf and sophomore Kelly at flyhalf. "Will played the best I've ever seen him play at #9," said Kane. "Some of that can be traced to the forwards working hard to get him cleaner ball at the rucks, but it also comes from him getting more familiar with the position and handling the pressure that comes with it."

Wake Forest finds itself 0-3 in the ACRL and out of playoff competition. The ACRL schedule certainly did not do the Demon Deacons any favors, as they opened with three teams ranked in the RugbyMag top 25. Next weekend Wake Forest will play at home against Georgia Tech with readjusted goals for the remainder of the season. Team captain Ross Hilton commented, "We want to finish the season at .500 and prepare the team for the future in the process. We had 9 freshmen and 3 sophomores play in the varsity game yesterday. Our job as seniors now is to make sure we help these young players improve as much as possible over the next three weeks."

Wake Forest Varsity vs Virginia Tech

1. Ty Pierce, So. (Bryce Lambert, Fr. @ 55)
2. Jeff Millar, Jr.
3. Nick Conte, Jr.
4. Christian Jewett, Sr.
5. Brendan Shea, Jr. (Paul Shumaker, Fr. @ 73)
6. James Watson, Fr.
7. Ross Hilton, Sr. (Liam McIntyre, Fr. @ 50, Matt McCurdy, Fr. @ 65)
8. Hunter Lostan, Sr. (Matt Gray, Fr. @ 65)
9. Will Hank, Jr.
10. Rob Kelly, So.
11. Brandon Turner, Jr.
12. Ben Cohen, Jr.
13. Ryan Tacon, Fr.
14. Drew Chadwick, Sr. (Franco Cima, Fr. @ 70)
15. Johnny McMurray, So. (Sean Barrett, Fr. @ 75)

Tries: McMurray, Kelly
Con: McMurray

The Junior Varsity game saw Wake Forest beat handily by a solid Virginia Tech JV side. Some of the few highlights for the Demon Deacons were the play of sophomore center Wes Bloomer, who made multiple linebreaks and scored a try in only his second ever rugby game, and the play of freshman lock Robert Elmore, who fought through bruised ribs to play a solid defensive game and was a force in the lineout. Freshman hooker Bryce Lambert also played well in the set pieces and in loose play.

Terrapins Defeat Wake 33-10, Deacons drop to 0-2 in ACRL

Despite playing with a man advantage for 30 minutes courtesy of three Maryland yellow cards, Wake Forest was unable to find an offensive rythym for the second weekend in a row and lost 33-10 to a skilled Terrapin side.

Wake found temselves on the defensive for most of the first 20 minutes, as Maryland played inside Wake's 22 and kept repeatedly threatening the Wake Forest line with nifty backline plays orchestrated by their talented flyhalf. Eventually Wake's defense broke and Maryland went in for a score in the corner to take a 5-0 lead. A few moments later, playing with advantage on a Wake penalty, Maryland went in under the posts to stretch the lead to 12-0. To score stayed that way as Wake began to play some better rugby, but another linebreak by the Maryland centers stretched the lead to 19-0. Wake Forest had the lion's share of possession and momentum in the last 10 minutes of the half, and finally got on the board through a Johnny McMurray penalty goal after a Terrapin was shown a yellow card for repeated infringements. The half ended 19-3 with Wake showing signs of life and looking to take advantage of a strong tailwind in the second half.

The second forty began with Maryland's restart not going ten meters, but from the ensuing center scrum the Terrapins stole the put-in and strung together a few quick phases and were in under the posts to kill any momentum Wake had and go up 26-10. Wake managed to play some decent rugby for the remainer of the match, and freshman wing Franco Cima scored a well-earned try to bring Wake to within 26-10. But penalties, turnovers, and general lack of structure prevented the Demon Deacons from ever really threatening to get back in the game. Maryland's outside center went in under the posts near full time, and the final was 33-10 to Maryland. The Terrapins now move to 1-1 in conference play, while Wake falls to 0-2.

Wake will next be off for the next two weekends, before facing a formidable Virginia Tech team in Blacksburg on March 26. The game is a must win for Wake if they are to have any shot at playing for the ACRL Championship.

Wake Forest Varsity vs Maryland

1. Ty Pierce, So.

2. Jeff Millar, Jr. (Chris Ryan, Jr. @ 40)

3. Nick Conte, Jr.

4. Christian Jewett, Sr.

5. Brendan Shea, Jr.

6. Matt McCurdy, Fr.

7. Ross Hilton, Sr.

8. Hunter Lostan, Sr.

9. Will Hank, Jr.

10. Ben Cohen, Jr. (Rob Kelley, So. @ 62)

11. Liam McIntyre, Fr. (Franco Cima, Fr. @ 40)

12. James Watson, Fr.

13. Steve McMillen, Sr. (Drew Mehrmann, So. @ 65)

14. Sean Barrett, Fr.

15. Johnny McMurray, So.

Tries: Cima

Con: McMurray

Pen: McMurray

Feature on Wake Rugby on Wake Website

http://news.wfu.edu/2011/03/03/men%E2%80%99s-rugby-scores-big/

Wake Opens Conference Play with Loss at Clemson

On a perfect night for rugby in Clemson, SC, Wake Forest opened its Atlantic Coast Rugby League season with a frustrating 34-10 loss to the Clemson Tigers. Wake Forest was plagued all night by turnovers, specifically at the breakdown, and Clemson took quick advantage of turnover ball, with four tries coming directly from Wake Forest failing to retain possession in the tackle.

Clemson's first try came when senior wing Drew Chadwick lost the ball in contact and it squirted into the hands of the Tigers' speedy wing who sped 30 meters untouched into the tryzone. The conversion was missed and Clemson lead 5-0. Clemson struck again after a disorganized Wake offensive possession led to Clemson turning over sophomore Drew Merhmann. Three quick passes later, and Clemson's wing was in for his second of the night. This time the conversion was good and Wake trailed 12-0 midway through the first half.

Wake Forest had the bulk of possession for the remainder of the half, but squandered numerous scoring opportunities. Fullback Steve McMillen broke a 50 meter run down the sideline but was left without support after a try-saving tackle by a Clemson back and the opportunity was wasted. Twice Wake Forest lost possession less than 5 meters from Clemson's tryline and Clemson was able to clear the danger. The halftime whistle sounded with Clemson holding a 12-0 lead.

The second half opened with neither team gaining much of an advantage in either possession or territory. But Wake soon began exhibiting its poor habits from the first half and two turnovers resulted in two quick Clemson tries and Wake facing a daunting 22-0 deficit. With the game seemingly in hand, Wake was able to finally cross the tryline, as flyhalf Ben Cohen made a nice looping run to touchdown in the corner and bring the score to 22-5. Any hopes of a Wake comeback were dashed, however, by some spectacular play by Clemson's scrumhalf. His sniping runs off the base of the ruck and scrum resulted in two more tries and an insurmountable 34-5 lead for the Tigers. Wake Forest managed a consolation try at full time from freshman center Ryan Tacon to make the final 34-10.

"The game I think was probably closer than the score would indicate," said Wake Forest head coach Patrick Kane. "There's no question that the difference was our turnovers in the tackle and Clemson's impressive ability to immediately take advantage of the opportunities we gave them. The good thing is that our problems from Friday are fixable, and you can rest assured that we'll be working all week to fix them before we face Maryland this weekend."

Wake senior Ross Hilton was very complimentary of Clemson after the match. "I think our team now is much improved over the team we had last year that beat Clemson in Carolinas League play. So the fact that they beat us like that tonight shows how much better they've gotten over the past year. We need to learn from this loss and then put it behind us and look forward. If things go right, maybe we'll get another shot at these guys down the road."

Wake Forest Varsity vs Clemson

1. Ty Pierce, So.
2. Jeff Millar, Jr. (Chris Ryan, Jr. @ 70)
3. Nick Conte, Jr.
4. Brendan Shea, Jr.
5. Christian Jewett, Sr.
6. Drew Mehrmann, So. (Matt McCurdy, Fr. @ 40)
7. Ross Hilton, Sr.
8. Hunter Lostan, Sr.
9. Johnny McMurray, So.
10. Ben Cohen, Jr.
11. Drew Chadwick, Sr. (Jim Kavalec, So. @ 65)
12. James Watson, Fr. (Franco Cima, Fr. @ 40)
13. Ryan Tacon, Fr.
14. Brandon Turner, Jr.
15. Steve McMillen, Sr.

Tries: Cohen, Tacon

In a shortened Junior Varsity game, Wake Forest exacted some measure of revenge with a 19-0 victory. Tries were scored by junior scrumhalf Will Hank, freshman lock Matt McCurdy, and freshman wing Sean Barrett.

Wake Forest takes on University of Maryland on Saturday as the featured match during Wake's annual High School Rugby Showcase. Kickoff will be at 2pm. Maryland is coming off a last minute heartbreaking 23-20 loss at North Carolina, so both teams will be pressing to avoid an 0-2 start in conference play.

Wake Forest Men's Rugby Season Preview

Wake Forest Enters ACRL Play With Determination

The Wake Forest men's rugby team will play its inaugural Atlantic Coast Rugby League game tomorrow night against Clemson, who is undefeated and ranked #15 in the country in Division I by Rugby Magazine. This will be the first ever official Division I game for the Demon Deacons, who only 4 years ago were a Division III team.

Wake comes into the season with an excellent mix of veteran leadership and talented newcomers. The forwards will be lead by seniors Ross Hilton (lock), Christian Jewett (lock), and Hunter Lostan (#8), and the pack will be bolstered by the return of junior flanker/lock Brendan Shea, who played all of last year at flyhalf after injuries ravaged the Wake Forest backline.

Ty Pierce will lead from the front at Tighthead Prop

Sophomore Ty Pierce, who gained invaluable experience playing for the South U-20 select side in November will be the first choice at loosehead prop, while junior Nick Conte will anchor the scrum at tighthead. Jeff Millar will try to fill the shoes of graduated four year starter Mike Duffy at hooker. Juniors Chris Ryan and Justen Robinette, sophomore Matt Tucker, and talented freshman Bryce Lambert provide front row depth.

Hilton, Jewett, and Shea will rotate in the second row, with freshmen Matt McCurdy, Matt Gray, Robert Elmore, and Paul Shumaker all improving and pushing for playing time.

The youth movement continues in the loose forwards, where freshman McCurdy and Liam McIntyre, and sophomore Drew Mehmann will all see time with the first side.

Wake Forest boasts two excellent scrumhalves in sophomore Johnny McMurray and junior Will Hank. McMurray was a full time starter at fullback last year and will likely play both 9 and 15 this spring. McMurray and Hank will be feeding the ball to junior flyhalf Ben Cohen. After missing his entire sophomore year due to injury, Cohen has shown signs of brilliance at #10, including a game winning chip and chase try in Wake Forest's preseason victory against University of Mary Washington last weekend. Cohen will be ably backed up by sophomore Rob Kelly, who donned the #10 jersey for Wake during the fall season while Cohen rehabbed.

The stregnth of the Wake Forest team most definitely lies in its centers and outside backs. Freshman James Watson and sophomore Jim Kavalec, both also players on the Wake Forest ice hockey team, are powerful runners who will see time at inside center. Freshmen Ryan Tacon will anchor the backline at outside center, while seniors Drew Chadwick and Steve McMillen and junior Brandon Turner comprise a back three loaded with pace. Turner also joined Ty Pierce on the U-20 South team in November. Meanwhile, freshman Franco Cima, a former age-grade European sprint record holder, is an attacking force who can and will play anywhere from 11 to 15. Freshmen Sean Barrett, Steven Hemric, and Drew Ammons are all solid newcomers who add considerable depth to an already deep and talented Wake Forest backline.

Freshman Center Ryan Tacon on the run against South Carolina

As was seen in Wake Forest's late fall exhibition results (losses to South Carolina and North Carolina State), the Demon Deacons struggled to play to their stregnths against bigger, more physical opponents. A rigourous offseason stregnth and conditioning program will hopefully close the gap in this regard-stregnth and conditioning coach Trent Justice was mostly pleased with the work put in by the players over semester break-but the ACRL schedule does the Demon Deacons no favors as they begin with three straight games against nationally ranked opponents (#15 Clemson, #14 Maryland, and #18 Virginia Tech). Said head coach Patrick Kane, "We will know right away if we have a realistic shot at winning this league. Go at least 2-1 in our first three game and we're in good shape. Anything less than that, and we'll need some serious luck and help from other teams to finish in the top 2 and make the ACRL Championship game in Charlotte."

The "Road to Charlotte" kicks off tomorrow at 8pm. Follow realtime score updates on Twitter at http://twitter.com/WakeForestRugby.

Details Set for Annual Wake Forest High School Rugby Showcase

High School All-American Jack McAuliffe leads a powerhouse Gonzaga team into Winston-Salem.

The Fourth Annual Wake Forest High School Rugby Showcase is set for March 5-6 on the campus of Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, NC. Returning to the Showcase from last year are 2010 USA High School National Championship Runner-Up Gonzaga College High School (Washington D.C.), Hyde Leadership Charter School (Washington, D.C.), and the East Chapel Hill Highlanders. Filling out the Showcase are Catholic High School from Charlotte, NC, who finished 4th in the country in the 2010 USA Rugby High School National Championships, Matthews U-19 (Matthews, NC) and Triad U-19 (Greensboro, NC). The feature match of the weekend will be an Atlantic Coast Rugby League contest between Wake Forest and the University of Maryland.

The schedule for the weekend is as follows:

Sat. Mar. 5:

9am- Hyde A vs Catholic A
10:30- Gonzaga B vs Catholic B
12pm- Hyde B v. Matthews U-19 B
2pm- Wake Forest Varsity v. Maryland Varsity
3:30pm- Wake Forest JV v Maryland JV
4:30pm- East Chapel Hill vs Gonzaga A

Sun. Mar. 6:

8:30am: Hyde A v East Chapel Hill
10am: Gonzaga A vs Catholic A
11:30am: Gonzaga B vs Triad

Wake Forest Sloppy, but Victorious, against University of Mary Washington

A late try from junior flyhalf Ben Cohen allowed Wake Forest to escape with a 26-21 victory over a young, but well-coached and physical side from University of Mary Washington on a windy Saturday in Fredricksburg, VA.

Wake Forest started out the game in dominant fashion, racing out to a 14-0 lead behind converted tries from sophomore scrumhalf Johnny McMurray and senior #8 Hunter Lostan. But mental mistakes and an inability to stop the powerful Mary Washington forwards saw the Demon Deacons actually trailing 21-14 midway through the second half. A try from junior wing Brandon Turner in the corner brought Wake to within 2. The final ten minutes were played inside Wake's attacking third, and finally, with five minutes remaining, Cohen spotted a gap in the UMW backline, chipped through and gathered in the ball to go in untouched under the posts to give Wake the lead and ultimately the win.

Coach Kane said of the match, "Mary Washington was very physical, and we have a tendency to struggle against those types of teams. They attacked well with their forwards off the fringes of the breakdown, and we didn't defend well. After the first 20 minutes, when we were dictating style of play, they started asserting their style and we never got comfortable in our attacking pattern again. We will look at the video and see what we can fix before our ACRL opener in Clemson on Friday."

Wake Forest Varsity Lineup vs UMW

1. Ty Pierce, So.
2. Jeff Millar, Jr.
3. Nick Conte, Jr.
4. Ross Hilton, Sr. (Matt McCurdy, Fr. @ 60)
5. Christian Jewett, Sr.
6. Drew Mehrmann, So. (Liam McIntyre, Fr. @ 40)
7. Brendan Shea, Jr.
8. Hunter Lostan, Sr.
9. Johnny McMurray, So.
10. Ben Cohen, Jr.
11. Drew Chadwick, Sr.
12. Jim Kavalec, So. (Franco Cima, Fr. @ 40, James Watson, Fr. @ 50)
13. Ryan Tacon, Fr.
14. Brandon Turner, Jr.
15. Robert Kelley, So. (Will Hank, Jr. @ 65)

Tries: McMurray, Lostan, Turner, Cohen
Conv. McMurray (3)

The JV match featured even more of an exciting finish than the varsity match, with freshman Drew Ammons scoring a try in the corner in sudden death overtime to give Wake Forest a 36-31 win. UMW's JV side had scored a converted try on the last play of regulation to tie the game at 31 apiece, and the teams agreed to play it out in overtime. Wake Forest had two tries from freshman Ammons, as well as tries from freshmen Liam McIntyre, James Watson, and Alex Rosell. Freshman wing Sean Barrett hit 3 of 5 conversions.

Wake Forest plays Clemson on the road on Friday night in the first ever ACRL game for both teams.

Wake Forest Picked to Finish 6th in ACRL Coaches Poll

http://www.rugbyamerica.org/2011/02/18/2011-atlantic-coast-rugby-league-preview/

Wake Rugby Completes Preseason Training Weekend

The Wake Forest men's rugby team completed a weekend long training camp this past weekend to jumpstart its spring season. The weekend began on Friday afternoon when the team Welcomed 45 kids from the High Point Boys and Girls Club to Wake Forest for a rugby clinic. The clinic participants, aging from 8 to 11 years old learned basic passing and kicking skills, played some modified touch rugby, and all took part in lineout demonstrations. Overall the clinic, organized by junior Brandon Turner, was a great success and the kids and players all had a great time.

After the clinic on Friday evening, the team gathered for a team dinner and prepared for a grueling day of Saturday training. Saturday consisted of a 3 hour morning practice, followed by a mid-afternoon weightlifting session. On Saturday evening the team had multiple classroom sessions, including an hour-long session with professional nutritionist Natalie Duryea, who lectured on proper hydration and pre and post-workout diets.

On Sunday morning the team had another fitness session and the training camp concluded on Sunday afternoon with a joint practice and scrimmage with players and coaches from UNC-Greensboro.

The weekend, although tiring, was a great experience. The team identified its strengths and weaknesses, learned alot, and had a fair amount of fun in the process.

Next Sunday Wake will scrimmage fellow ACRL member University of North Carolina. Because of the unbalanced league schedule, the Demon Deacons and Tar Heels will not face each other in league play this season.

New ACRL Logo Unveiled

New ACRL Website

www.atlanticcoastrugby.com