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)