Article/Quad Rugby - How the West was Won

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How the West was won

The victory and agony of the last chance to dance
by Allen Seals

As we all know, Friday games are usually just a formality to separate the "have's" from the "have not's." Shadow and Casa finished Fridays games proving that they "have" prepared and "have" what it takes to get to Sundays Championship game. As they finished their games the closest anyone could get to either of them would be 11 points.

In the other games Quadzilla, Long Beach and Washington lost both of their games knocking them out of any chance to get to the big dance. San Jose, Oregon and San Diego Bushwackers finished 1-1 and still had a shot at going to nationals. So, with the games over on Friday the only thing left to be accomplished was who would be the other two teams to join Shadow and Casa in the final 4.

Saturdays first match between Oregon and the San Diego Bushwackers would be the next game to eliminate a team from the final 4. In a close game Oregon held on to win 23-17. This setup the semi-final games. Oregon would play Shadow and San Jose would play Casa. The winners would automatically qualify for nationals and the losers would have to wait for another year to see if they had what it takes to go to nationals. No surprises here, Shadow and Casa won setting up the finals. Oregon and San Jose would have to wait until Sunday to see if they too would advance to nationals. In the other games, Washington beat Quadzilla, and the Bushwackers beat the Landsharks.

Sundays games began with Quadzilla beating the Landsharks for 7th/8th and in the 5th/6th place game, the Bushwackers beat Washington in the only overtime game of the Tournament 27-26.

The next game would be to decide who would have to stay home in April. In the 3rd/4th place game, San Jose would start the game by giving Oregon a big early lead. In the middle of the 1st quarter Oregon was up 6-1. San Jose took a time out to regroup but was only able to score 3 goals in the 1st quarter where Oregon would score 7. End of 1st quarter Oregon 7, San Jose 3. The second period began with San Jose throwing everything they had at Oregon. Subbing liberally against Oregon's 4 man team San Jose was intent on wearing Oregon Down. The strategy worked, Oregon began to tire and San Jose got their confidence back. Then Oregon suffered what they feared the most. Trying to get back on defense one of Oregon's players was clipped and went down hard. With no substitutes to replace the downed Oregon player San Jose showed their sportsmanship by allowing the Oregon player the time he needed to get his senses back so the game could continue. The half finished Oregon leading 14-11. The 3rd quarter was all San Jose. They not only made up the points they were down but got a few extra to boot. End of third quarter San Jose 21 Oregon 18. In the 4th it was more of the same. San Jose showed that they had what it takes beating Oregon 32-25.

In the final game Shadow would show why they are the champions that they are. In a relentless game they played 110% as they do in every game. Casa did the same giving 110%. The difference, Shadow has what it takes to be the best in a championship game. The final score Shadow 46 Casa 32.

Good luck to the teams from the west going to Nationals. We believe that we have one of the toughest roads to go on to get to nationals and we believe that Shadow, Casa and San Jose will prove that. Rugby in the west is taken very seriously. And, our teams hope to prove that they "have" what it takes to be the best. See you in Spokane. Allen M. Seals

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