UNITED STATES QUAD RUGBY ASSOCIATION
March, 2005
The Pacific Sectional Heats Up
Pacific coast ruggers came to Portland March 11-13, for a weekend of rugby and sun... that’s right sun... unseasonably warm, sunny weather greeted teams as they arrived for the 2005 Pacific Sectional tournament.
The competition heated up quickly as the first game on Friday pitted fourth-seeded Plan B against fifth-seed, Sharp Edge. These two teams have hooked up in several close matches recently, and this was expected to be more of the same with a shot at Nationals on the line. Plan B started strong behind the scoring of their powerful 3.5, Jerry Aldape, and held a 10-9 lead at the end of the first quarter. Sharp came out on fire in the second quarter with a balanced lineup of young 2.5 Delmon Dunston and 2.0 Aurelio Correa along with veterans Dan McCauley and Bob Martinson. Sharp went on a 6 to 1 burst in the first four minutes of the quarter to open up a 15-11 lead. After trading goals for the next three minutes, Dunston scored two consecutive goals to give the Edge a 21-16 advantage at the half. Plan B spent the second half trying to engineer a rally but every time they closed the gap a little, Sharp was able to answer with a burst of their own. The game ended with Sharp a 46-38 winner. Friday’s other two games had the hometown Portland team taking care of Northridge, 54-31, and the California Quake handling Seattle, 35-23.
Competition started again Saturday morning with Sharp taking on the Portland Pounders. The Pounders opened the scoring on a quick goal by 2.5 Will Groulx. The teams traded goals until the third minute when Portland forced the first turnover and took a 5-3 lead. Sharp responded by creating a turnover to tie the game at five. The first quarter continued in nip and tuck fashion, with Portland scoring the final goal of the period to take a 12-11 lead. Both teams played a solid second quarter with Portland forcing two turnovers to stretch their lead to 26-24 at the half. The third quarter gave the crowd a little excitement as the teams took turns staging short rallies, but Sharp couldn’t close the gap and the period ended with Portland up 38-35. The Pounders broke the game open with a 6-1 run to open the fourth quarter to take a 44-36 lead. Sharp was unable to mount a late rally and the game ended with the score, 51-43. In the other early games, Plan B handled Northridge 55-32, and San Diego defeated Seattle 51-25.
Saturday had two more games with significant Nationals implications. Plan B could redeem itself and qualify for Nationals if they defeated Portland by more than eight goals.
The closest they had come to defeating the Pounders in recent years was a three-goal loss in last year’s Division II Championship. This game started out in a tight battle as Portland tried to use their low pointers to slow Aldape, and Plan B went to a double- double on Portland’s duo of Lynn Nelson and Will Groulx. In the sixth minute Portland brought in young class 2.0 Seth McBride to add more speed and spread the court offensively. The Pounders responded on defense as well, as they went on a 4-1 run to close the quarter up 12-9. The second quarter started the same way as Portland continued its surge to take a 19-12 lead. Plan B rallied back with a three-goal spurt and Portland poured fuel on the fire when they gave up two consecutive penalty goals with Groulx in the box. Portland scored the last goal of the half to salvage a four point lead, 26-22. It seemed the damage was already done, as Plan B came out in the second half like they smelled blood in the water. They went on several mini-rallies behind the scoring of Aldape and Dan Shaw and held a 37-36 lead after three periods. After a Portland turnover early in the fourth, Plan B led by two. The teams traded goals until late in the period when the Pounders went on a 4-1 burst that delighted the raucous crowd. With the score 46-45, Plan B ran the clock down and Aldape pushed in to knot the game and send it into overtime. Plan B won the tip and scored to take the first lead in overtime. The teams traded goals before Plan B scored for a 50-49 advantage with less than ten seconds left. Portland got the ball inbounded and the speedy Groulx was able to score as time expired and the fans exploded. Plan B won the tip and scored to open the second overtime and then Groulx went for a jump ball and was called for a reach. As he went to the box, the fans treated the referees to a lusty round of booing. Plan B ran the clock down before taking a two-goal lead and then held on for a satisfying 54-52 victory.
Saturday ended with the other big matchup, the San Diego Bushwackers facing off against the California Quake. These teams are very similar, they both run a balanced lineup and all four players are a threat to score at any time. Quake jumped to a quick 2-0 lead on goals by Justin Patterson. San Diego rallied back later in the quarter with a three goal surge to take a 7-6 lead. The period ended with the Bushwackers holding an 11-10 advantage. The teams showed how evenly matched they were as they traded goals for most of the second quarter until the Bushwackers forced a turnover late in the period then ran the clock down before scoring to take a 19-16 lead. The teams continued to trade goals as the second half opened, then Quake erupted with a 7-2 explosion to take a 27-25 lead with under two minutes left in the quarter. The Bushwackers elected to milk the clock and score the last goal of the quarter to pull within one. Quake had the ball to start the fourth period and Sam Gloor was called for reaching. With Gloor in the box, Quake worked the clock down, but didn’t score before the penalty expired. It seemed that they were trying to run out the rest of the game with a one-goal lead. Quake ran five minutes off the clock before committing a miscue and giving the ball back to the Bushwackers who promptly knotted the score at 27. After both teams scored again, San Diego capitalized on another turnover and grabbed the lead 29-28. Quake was able to score again but left the Bushwackers enough time to get down court and seal a 30-29 victory.
Sunday morning started off with the semifinal games. In gym 1 was a clash of San Diego teams with the upstart Sharp Edge taking on the seasoned San Diego Bushwackers. The game started off with the teams swapping goals and then, with the score tied at 3, San Diego went on a four-goal burst. They maintained their four-goal lead through the quarter and led 11-7 after one period. The Bushwackers showed their experience as they stretched the lead to 19-13 at the half. The only question was whether the Edge could use their depth to wear down the Wackers and close the gap. The Bushwackers crushed those hopes early in the third period with a 3-0 run to open a nine-goal lead. From there, San Diego was able to cruise to a 41-30 victory.
The game in gym 2 had the makings of a barnburner as Quake and Portland tipped off and alternated goals for the first few minutes before Portland forced two turnovers to open a 6-3 lead. The frenetic pace continued throughout the period until Portland took its time to score the last goal of the period for an 11-8 lead after one. Ed Olsen opened the scoring in the second quarter. After a Portland goal, he scored two more to bring Quake within one, 12-11. Quake’s rally wasn’t done as they forced another turnover and Earl Bowser converted it into a goal with less than four minutes in the half. A lineup change helped Portland regain composure and they forced a turnover of their own with two and a half minutes left to regain the two-goal lead. The Pounders closed the half leading 21-19. Portland had the arrow to start the second half and opened a three-goal lead. Neither team could get a defensive stop until Portland forced one with three minutes left in the quarter and opened a four goal margin, 29-25. The quarter ended with the home team up, 32-28. Quake opened the fourth quarter with a goal but could get no closer as Portland refused to turn the ball over under Quake’s pressure. The final score was Portland 42, Quake 38.
The third place game matched the California Quake with Sharp Edge in a game that could decide the top seed in Division II. Quake won the tip and opened the scoring on a goal by Ed Olsen. The teams traded goals until Sharp forced a turnover and took a 4-3 lead on a goal by RJ Bunnel. Late in the period, Quake converted a Sharp miscue to retake the lead and closed the period with a 12-11 lead. Quake opened the second period with the ball and quickly went on a 3-1 run to open a three-point lead. The teams matched goals with Sharp scoring the final goal before halftime to close the gap to 20-18. Quake continued to exert pressure throughout the third period and spread their lead to four at 30-26. The teams traded goals until late in the fourth quarter when Quake led 39-35. Sharp bore down and went on a 3-0 run but it was too little, too late as time expired with the score 39-38 in Quake’s favor.
The Championship game featured the Bushwackers and the Pounders. Both teams came out strong and matched goals for the first five minutes. San Diego forced the first turnover for a 7-5 lead. The Bushwackers were able to capitalize one more time before Portland scored the last goal of the quarter to close the gap to 10-8. The second quarter was much the same with Portland converting the only turnover and San Diego notching the final goal of the half to maintain their lead 19-17. Portland was unable to make any headway in the third as San Diego refused to cough up the ball. The Pounders committed a couple of miscues and the lead opened to 26-23 at the start of the fourth period. The Bushwackers tallied the first goal of the fourth quarter for a four-goal lead. From that point the Bushwackers showed their experience as they slowed the game down and frustrated the Pounders who turned the ball over two more times. The final score was San Diego 38, Portland 32.
We would like to thank everyone involved with running the tournament. The tournament went very smoothly and there was great fan support. We appreciate everyone’s contribution and only hope it goes as well next time. We would also like to thank the sponsors that help make it all possible.
Congratulations go out to Quake and Sharp for making Division II Nationals, and to San Diego and Portland for advancing to D-I . The members of the All Tournament team deserve commendation as well. The Portland team took the liberty of renaming the Pacific Sectional’s Sportsmanship Award. It is now the “Bill Alvarez, Spirit of the Game Award”. Bill embodied everything this award represents and he is truly missed.
Final Placing
San Diego
Portland
Quake
Sharp
Plan B
Northridge
Seattle
All Tournament Team
0.5 - Mike DeYoung Northridge
1.0 - Steve Davis Quake
1.5 - Earl Bowser Quake
2.0 - Chet Miller Quake
2.5 - Justin Patterson Quake
3.0 - Lynn Nelson Portland
MVP - Sam Gloor San Diego
Bill Alvarez "Spirit of the Game" Award - Delmon Dunston Sharp
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