Quad Rugby/Story -A Rookie's Review of the Massacre

UNITED STATES QUAD RUGBY ASSOCIATION

March 2006

A Rookie’s Review of the Massacre
by Josh Stapen

Let me first begin by saying I’m a rookie with the Denver Harlequins. The weekend before Valentine’s Day saw a very strong field of teams gather in Denver to compete in one of the last tournaments before Sectional Playoffs. By the end of the tournament one could tell all of these teams are poised to make waves at Nationals. I was unable to see the games at the Englewood facility, but on day one, Phoenix and Quebec both handled their competition with ease, winning games by 20 to 30 points. It wasn’t until day two that these teams would meet, which would turn out to be a preview of the championship game.

Day one at Craig began with Sharp making a few early turnovers and a Hoveround team that capitalized on each one paving the way for a victory. Then came Denver’s first game vs. Tampa which always turns out to be a slugfest to the end. This game would be no different as Tampa used their controlling offense to eat up the clock while Denver countered with a strong key defense and quick scores. The game would bring the fans to their feet as it went down to the final play in both regulation and overtime with the hometown team pulling out the victory. Tampa played valiantly again in the next game but Hoveround handed them their second loss of the day. It was the last game of the day in which I saw my first action. Again, early turnovers by Sharp led to an early lead by Denver which meant only one thing, SUBS! In I went with only one thing on my mind, put a hit on somebody! Actually I was trying not to look too much like a rookie, play smart, play hard and do my best. I think I succeeded as did our other rookies as we were able to hold off a strong Sharp team for the victory.

Day two would decide the match-ups for the final standings. Tampa redeemed their two losses on day one with two wins on day two over Sharp and Utah. Pasadena turned up their game with a victory over Utah and a narrow defeat against Sharp. Pasadena and Utah would meet again later in the day in a match that showed both teams had the hearts of champions and the will to never give up. It turned into a fight to the finish with Pasadena winning by one point. In the Englewood gym Phoenix continued their perfect season with wins over Quebec in the early game and Hoveround in the later to advance to the championship game. My Harlequin's first challenge of the day came against a Hoveround squad determined to set the pace from the get go. There would be no big lead for either team which meant only one thing to me, a ringside seat to the action. The game was close and hard fought the whole way with a few turnovers in the fourth giving Denver the win.

The crossover brought in Quebec to face Denver for our second game of the day. Early and effective pressure by Quebec caused Denver to run through our time-outs by the start of the 3rd period. Then Quebec was able to open a sizable lead going into the fourth. Trailing by 6 with no time-outs in the fourth quarter the unexpected happened. I was subbed in! There I was, playing against the likes of Ian, Patrice and Fabien in a game where the outcome was already known. Nevertheless, I played my heart out, did my best and even scored twice, not to mention turn the ball over at least as many times. We would lose the game but gain invaluable experience in the process.

The final day of the Massacre would bring the biggest crowd of the weekend to their feet several times. Denver would come to play a rematch of Saturday's game against Hoveround. Just as the first game went, the score remained tight throughout. But unlike the first game, it was Hoveround capitalizing on Denver's mistakes to pull ahead in the fourth quarter to take 3rd place. In the championship game it was standing room only, for those not in chairs, as Quebec faced Phoenix. The game featured two teams with world class talent in every position. This talent would battle for the lead in a game which showed why composure, consistency and communication are the cornerstones of great rugby. While Quebec would keep the game close throughout, it was once again the Phoenix Heat who rose above the rest to win the game and the tournament.

We look forward to continuing this mid-February rugby tradition next year. Thanks to all the teams for a trilling display of quality rugby, and to all the support and volunteers who made it possible!

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