Volume CXXXII, Number 6 October 25, 2002 f

Ruggers' winning try wiped out by refs in loss to Colby
MIKE BALULESCU
STAFF WRITER

Although last Saturday's 19-17 loss to Colby ended the regular season on a decidedly sour note, the ruggers in black have plenty to smile about these days. Currently, they are preparing to travel to suburban Boston tomorrow and face off against Babson College, Middlebury College, and the United States Coast Guard Academy in the 2002 New England Division II Championships.

Ryan Chisolm '04 prepares to kick against Colby, while Thomas Hazel battles on the ground. (Karsten Moran, Bowdoin Orient)

Before a huge gathering of rugby alumni during Homecoming weekend, both teams put on a show in a game that went back and forth until the last seconds ticked away. Bowdoin still held the lead by the end of the first half, but Colby quickly came back, and managed to sneak by with a two-point lead going into the final minutes of the game.

Dennis Kiley '03 gave the Bowdoin fans quite a stir when he scored what appeared to be a game-winning try with only a few minutes left in the game. Kiley grabbed the ball on a breakaway and burned every Colby rugger on his way to the try zone. But before anyone could break out the champagne, Kiley was called for a knock-on way back at the other side of the pitch, and the try did not count.

In the final seconds of the game, Bowdoin was able to push all the way to Colby's five-meter line, but time ran out before Bowdoin had a chance to make a run for the try zone, and Colby left the field victorious.

"We played a good game, but Colby was pretty evenly matched against us," said coach Rick Scala. "[Colby] did an excellent job playing to the referee, and they had a very talented team. We could have done some things better, but it's hard to be disappointed when we are the team going to playoffs [this] weekend."

Even though Colby beat Bowdoin, both teams finished the season with a record of 4-1-0, as did the University of Maine at Orono; because Bowdoin had the highest point differential among the three clubs, Bowdoin was declared the conference champion.

After Colby departed for lovely Waterville, the Bowdoin ruggers and alums relocated to the adjacent pitch to play an alumni match, something that has become a tradition every few years during homecoming weekend.

The match saw the participation of many illustrious Bowdoin rugby alumni, and most of the players were still in good enough shape to play five, and in some cases ten minutes before needing a substitution.

Without question, the finest performance of the alumni match was turned in by Aryeh "ajasper28" Jasper '02, whose quick feet and unstoppable speed made him nearly impossible to stop on the pitch.

"I have been sticking to a pretty rigorous fitness schedule these days," remarked Jasper after the match. "My job in the advertising industry is extremely demanding, both psychically and mentally. If I didn't take care of myself, I don't know how I would last in such a high-pressure environment."

Another surprise performer of the day was Hugh "Hank" Hill '02, who became the first rugby alum to ever participate in a match holding a lit cigarette in his mouth. When asked about his performance, Hill was quite sentimental. "I (cough) loved playing rugby when (cough) I was a student here, and I was so excited about (cough) coming back up to Bowdoin and (cough) reliving some of my glory days. Now, (cough) have you seen what happened to my bottle of scotch?"

Alan "Beaker" Barr '02 played in the first half of the match, but unfortunately had to take an important phone call and leave the pitch before the game was through. "There are few things in life I love more than playing rugby," he said, "But when [my life partner] Mary Jane dials up, you have to answer the call."

Some of the current ruggers got a chance to get in on the action during the alumni game, and no one was more excited about this than freshman forward Ross Butschek. "I have had a lot of fun this season, and I think I am getting a better understanding of how rugby works. I know this is only my first year, but I had some great runs in some of the matches, and I haven't dropped the ball once. It's like I'm batting 1.000 or something."

After the match, most of the current players and alums retired to Daggett Lounge for a quiet evening of nostalgia and conversation.

"I think everyone had a good time at the banquet," said coach Scala. "It was really nice to see so many different generations of Bowdoin rugby players together at one gathering. The camaraderie was great, and everyone had plenty of punch and cookies."

No one was more inspired by the Bowdoin rugby gathering than junior Warren "Roadkill" Dubitsky. "When I ate dinner with all of the guys who have worked hard over the years to make this team what it is, I was pretty moved," said Dubitsky proudly. "All I could think about was getting in better shape and lifting more weights. Lifting really big weights-so big you need a license to carry them down the street."

Captain Dave Kirkland '03 summed up the entire Homecoming experience best: "[expletive]."

The ruggers now face an impressive array of foes at this year's New England championships. Although Bowdoin has never played Babson (4-0-0) or the U.S. Coast Guard Academy (4-0-0), Bowdoin lost to Middlebury in the Northeast championships last fall.

With a 5-0-0 record this season, Middlebury shows little sign of weakness. Nevertheless, everyone on the team is excited simply to be participating in the postseason, regardless of the outcome.

"I really hope that we win at New Englands and advance," said Rambo "Jed Miller" '03, "but no matter what happens, this season has been a huge success for us."