The Bowdoin Ruggers arrived to the soggy swamp of the Colby rugby pitch in Waterville a stoic and solemn bunch, knowing that they were widely regarded as underdogs in their final game of the season. Colby had their eyes set on the New England Championships, and even the Vegas oddmakers had Colby favored 5 to 1.
Nevertheless, the Polar Bears were not daunted by the long odds, the unfavorable conditions, or the four wins that Colby had compiled in at its last four meetings. Coach "Slick" Rick Scala was confident in his team's ability as he dropped some inspirational verse on his team:. "Mirror mirror on the wall/ Who is the top choice of them all/ There was a rumble, five minutes it lasted/ The mirror said, 'Bowdoin is, you crazy kid!' "
Scala was correct, and with spectacular forward play to go along with a dominating three-quarterline, back captain and halfback Tommy "SPF 500" Hazel '05 was able to control the flow of the game. His smart play was supplemented by his blinding speed and skin tone as Colby was kept off-balance by Bowdoin's pounding of the interior defense and potent backs out wide. The backline scored early with a try from Alex "Ace" Castro '06 in the first half and the Bowdoin ruggers never looked back, winning 17-0.
Led by forward captain Truc "Where's-my-other-sock" Huynh '05, the Black pack played their best game of the season, controlling rucks, drawing in Colby's defense, and creating platforms for the offense. Huynh was the key to the defense and a cornerstone of the offensive battle plan. He also was the recipient of a black eye and a split brow worth 16 stitches for his efforts. Huynh stepped up his game by mixing into the backline to spread Colby's defense thin and scoring a try on a swift breakaway.
Sophomore Morgan "Sundance Kid" Connelly '07 was also a big factor in the game, energizing the forwards and providing substantial defensive support, at one point even climbing over a ruck to take down the opposing scrumhalf. Team treasurer and laundryman, Luke "Black Kettle" Flanagan '06, was the key in the line outs, not only taking his down but also providing staunch opposition to the Colby pack. Flanagan was able to convert what could have been straight-up play for Colby into breakdowns, and Bowdoin's pack was able to take advantage.
Colby seemed to lose more and more traction as the game went on. Player coach expert commentator Will "Hacksaw" Genge '06 noted, "They dug themselves into a deep hole early on, and once you're in a deep hole its pretty hard to get out, especially when you are trying to pull your team, or whatever, out with you. We just kept chopping away at them and that's what you have to do." Genge was one of many Bowdoin ruggers unavailable in the game due to injury, as he was hurt earlier in the season in a freak hammock accident. He was joined by Brandon Waxman '08 who sprained his ankle colliding with the formidable calves of Hazel.
As solid as the fifteen men on the field played, the real fuel for the Bowdoin fire came from the vigor and passion of the crowd. Over thirty B-side ruggers stood on the sidelines, cheering on their team and powering every drive. Colby's home field advantage was stifled, as the Polar Bears willed their team to succeed.
The excitement did not end after the first 80 minutes. Bowdoin's Killer B's took the field and outplayed Maine Maritime's A-team to a 12-0 victory. J.D. Dougie "D.D." Duncan '06 showed the speed and poise which made him a first-round draft pick this year, scoring two tries on impressive runs down the sidelines. "I just see the breaks and go for it, you know, sometimes I get lucky," he said afterwards.
The MVP of the B-side game, however, was David "Gary" Carrington Renfield-Miller '06. Not only did Carrington seem to be everywhere, defending rucks and supporting runs all over the pitch, but he was the last man in the goal-line stand which prevented Maritime from scoring to tie up the game late in the third period.
The ruggers left Waterville in a three-way tie with Colby and Bates for first place. They returned to Bowdoin in high spirits, believing that they won one of two spots playoff spots due to the best goal differential among the three teams in contention. Due to the nature of the New England Rugby Union's ruling system, however, Bowdoin was eliminated from contention.
Nevertheless, the rugby season is not finished yet. Pending an appeal to the Supreme Court, the Boys in Black look to their annual Alumni game this Saturday at 1 p.m. to keep sharp, as many former ruggers will be crawling out of the woodwork and dusting off old boots for one more game at Bowdoin.