Quad Rugby/Story - Capial City Clash

UNITED STATES QUAD RUGBY ASSOCIATION

February, 2005

The Heat fails to melt the Ice
by John Ershek

“The snowbirds are coming! The snowbirds are coming!” was the cry all over the river region surrounding Montgomery, Alabama the weeks before the 2005 Capitol City Clash, “And they play this cool sport called Murderball.” The stars of the documentary were all there with the exception of Bob Lujano. Lakeshore, only 80 miles away, did not make an appearance. Props to Fred Thomas, Coratio Vinson, Darren Roberts and the staff at TCR for what has become one of the best run tournaments on the schedule each year. Great food, great hospitality and great rugby are the paradigm here.

It was another nice weekend in the deep south but weather reports about a cold front moving in had been circulating since early January at the Knock & Roll tournament in West Palm Beach. More reports of a winter storm in Birmingham at the Demolition Derby only confirmed the fact that there was bad weather moving into the USQRA from the south (great white north). The snowbirds had flocked to Florida from Canada. This looks like the beginning of another ICE AGE. Goldilocks and the 3 Para’s put a pasting on the best that the USQRA has to offer for a second straight year at this tournament. Phoenix did the best they could to put the heat on the ice, but they did not melt. Kudzu Kings was the name of the local entertainment magazine in the lobby of the hotel. It was appropriate for the Canada Ice for they were the kings of the court all weekend long.

Friday started with Phoenix and TNT playing in a closely contested game with the Heat winning 33-29. TNT has looked sluggish this season, but they are finally starting to work out the kinks. The Ice was up next against Team Europe winning easily 37-21. Phoenix had no problem with Team Europe 51-33. The Ice dispatched of TNT with little resistance 39-24. This morning session was to be a preview of the two best teams of the weekend.

Hoveround started out the second half of day one play looking like they were not quite hitting on all cylinders, getting by South Florida (Canada 2) 30-26. The Texas Stampede started out with a dominant performance against the Tampa Generals winning 50-33. Hoveround beat Tampa 29-22. Texas finished the day with an easy win against South Florida 48-34. Texas has looked like the team to beat all season long and showed no signs of letting go of their grip on the number one seeding at Nationals.

Saturday’s play started with South Florida against Tampa. The Rattlers beat the Generals 38-29. Texas beat Hoveround 37-25 in a game that was the second test of the top division one teams. Again Texas showed no sign of loosening the noose on the number one seeding. TNT beat Team Europe 37-29 and Canada squeaked by Phoenix 39-35. This set up the cross over games for the afternoon with all the seedings holding up.

TNT versus the Generals was the first crossover. TNT built an early lead and hung on to win 29-27. A great play by Cliff Chunn at the end of the game chasing down an errant inbound pass was the key to the win. South Florida beat team Europe to set up the Sunday play. Tampa versus Europe in the 7/8 game and TNT versus South Florida in the 5/6 game. Justin Stark continues to show steady improvement for Tampa. Scott Burrows is starting to become the dominant 3.5 Joe Soares is looking for him to be. Garett Hickling, Allan Chartrand and Raymond Lizotte played solidly for South Florida all weekend. Kristian Sunderer was Team Europe’s best player. Enough cannot be said about the steady play of Cliff Chunn and Eddie Crouch for the TNT iron men.

The Canada Ice beat Hoveround 39-30. What can you say about Ian Chan, Fabien Lavoie, Mike Whitehead, Patrice Simard and Daniel Paradis that has not already been printed? They are a machine (by the way…just kidding about the 3 paras). Pat O’Connor, Ross Morrison and Dave Jenkins are becoming a solid team for Ed Hooper’s Hoveround Lightning. In the only upset of the tournament (but the biggest upset of the season so far), Phoenix branded the Stampede 39-37 to make it to the final and set up a rematch against Canada. Mark Zupan, Troye Collins, Bob Boothby and Norm Lyduch are still the best starting four in the USQRA. Brent Poppin has certainly helped Phoenix have a bench and new lineup for the boys of perpetual summer in Phoenix, Brad Dubberely, Andy Cohn and Scott Hogsett. However, Brent is ineligible for post season this year. He will certainly make a big impact for them next post season.

Sunday started with Tampa beating Team Europe. Tampa is going to have its hands full at the Atlantic Sectional with Denver. South Florida beat TNT by two points. TNT is showing steady improvement, but still has a ways to go before Nationals. Texas pounded Hoveround to win third place. The Stampede still looks like the team to beat. Hoveround knows conditioning will be the key for them this post season.

Finally, Canada versus Phoenix. The Ice had little trouble establishing and maintaining a lead against the Heat. Even with Ian Chan sitting out much of the game with a shoulder problem, Whitehead and Lavoie proved to be too much for what looked to be a somewhat tired Phoenix effort. Conditioning will be a key ingredient for the Heat this post season without Poppin. Canada did not wilt under the Heat once again and won the Capitol City Clash for the second straight year. Ice cold rugby once again.

Murderball was on display all weekend long with big hits and mighty crash and burns. Good luck to all the athletes and teams competing in the post season play. Goodbye to the Snowbirds until next season. “Ice, ice, baby. Time for a beer, ay.”

Full Results

2005 Capital City Clash Photos by John Ershek

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