High Country vs Macon Love RFC - October 17, 2009

For their first home game of the season, High Country RFC hosted Division II foe Macon RFC at Walker Park. Due to an early kick off time, the weather before the game was brutally cold, an attempt by fate to cool off a very hot High Country team that came into the game with a 5-1 record and a previous week rout of the Atlanta Bucks 120-0. Nevertheless, High Country prevailed and beat the Macon team about 37-22, the score closer than the game actually was.

The game started very positively as captain Reid Tankersley took the kick off all the way for a try. The unfortunate thing is that High Country may have let up a little as the team failed to score or even move the ball for the next 10-15 minutes or so. Macon scored during this lull on a long run from their back line. Eventually, the team got it together and after some strong rucking were able to create a line break for lock Kevin Paavola that resulted in a try assisted by Benji Duffton. High Country took the lead for good here. The rest of the half was pretty sloppy as the team “chucked the ball around” and really couldn’t get into a good groove. The rucking and tackling was solid, however, and this resulted in a halftime lead of 16-13. It could have been much worse as the offense was just not there.

After an encouraging and spirited half time meeting with coach, the High Country team went back to their strengths and played hardnosed rugby for the rest of the game. This meant a lot of forwards play accompanied by strong rucking. The results were a smoother game and a bunch of tries that put the Macon side out of the game. A continued focus this year in practice has been set pieces and the lineouts and scrums were excellent. Only one offensive lineout was lost (on a botched call) and the team was able to steal a few of the Macon scrums as well. Both forwards and backs scored tries. Another strong kicking performance by fly half Matt Hernandez was turned in. By the end of the game, the High Country defense limited Macon to a few long scores off of botched kick defenses, all correctable mistakes. Never was the team out manned or out played by this Division II playoff team.

At 6-1, the fall social season has gone very well. Thanks to Lee Fudger for putting together a great schedule so far that has tested the team with strong competition and will prepare them for the Matrix season and their desire for a South Championship. The next opponent is Montgomery, last seen beating the team handily in the 2008 playoffs at Coan Middle School. Come out Halloween and see the team in the last home game of the year.

By: Kevin Paavola