AACo U19 Boys Take the Title
AACo U-19 played in the Gonzaga tournament this past Saturday. ‘This ones for Charlie’ was the cheer for the day, following the passing of Severn River Old Boy, Charlie Dayton. The first match of the day was up against Georgetown Prep. AACo controlled the match well, only making a couple line break mistakes. Brandon Jackson, the blind side flanker, scored four trys that match and flyhalf, Callum Ackerman converted every kick. The final score was 28-15. Next, AACo headed to the winners bracket vs Gonzaga, who advanced by beating Good Counsel, 30-15. AACo started off slow against Gonzaga, trailing 14-0 ten minutes into the first half. But Gonzaga didn’t see the try zone again, until one minute left in the match. Deon Huntel, scored four trys in the match and Jalen Lamen was awarded a penalty try. Ackerman and Nolan made all try conversions. Final score was 35-21, in favor of AACo. Coach Chris Alton Guagliardo said, “They simply outclassed their competition this weekend. They worked together as a team and were calculated with everything they did on the field. It was awesome to see that from a group of U-19’s”
After practice, Tuesday, May 7th, the AACo U19’s invited, Charlie Daytons’ wife, Sherry to stop by and accept the 1st place trophy they had received that weekend. Captain, Brandon Jackson had presentation honors for the evening. His words couldn’t have rang more true, “If it wasn’t for guys like Charlie we wouldn’t have had the opportunity to win this trophy”. Charlie was a former President of Severn River, a recipient of the Leather Balls Award and a member of the East Coast Championship team back in the day. The presentation ended the only way it could…a giant rugby family group hug with Sherry in the middle.
Honey Badger's Undefeated Record Maintained
This past Saturday, the Severn River Honey Badgers travelled to Baltimore for their second Division match of the spring. After fighting a bit of traffic from the relentless construction on 895, the Honey Badgers composed themselves and took to the pitch against rival team Baltimore Chesapeake. In 2006, Meredith McAlister and Chelsea Renoe split from Baltimore Chesapeake to form the women’s team for Severn River and neither side has been comfortable with the other since.
The Honey Badgers took the opportunity to try different configurations in both the backs and the forwards. This kind of flexibility will serve them well heading into Regionals and hopefully Nationals once again. After a hectic start that found the Honey Badgers on their heels, the team reorganized and put together an excellent series of phases that led to the first of two tries for veteran Farrah Douglas. She followed her first try with a second just two minutes later and then let the younger Badgers get some glory of their own. Mikey Williams also added two tries in the first half with returning veteran, Denisse Villaran, adding one of her own. The floating offsides line seemed to frustrate both teams and made Chesapeake’s blitz style of defense particularly difficult to read in the first half. Luckily, the strong forwards play helped the Honey Badgers to a 33-0 lead as they maintained ball control in the first half and set the backs for success after the break.
The second half featured six tries from the back line led by wings, Tiffany Paul and Aly Jost McCarty, who each had two scores on the day. Mikey Williams, in an impressive breakaway run, added another score to complete her trifecta. Chesapeake responded well to the frustration of the first half and added two tries and one conversion in the second half. Their relentless defense and strong presence in the scrums were a challenge for Severn River at many points throughout the match.
Final Score:
Severn River - 70
Chesapeake - 12
Tries:
Williams, Mikey - 3
Douglas, Farrah - 2
McCarty Jost, Aly - 2
Paul, Tiffany - 2
Hartzell, Casey - 1
Schafer, Tina - 1
Villaran, Denisse - 1
Conversions:
Bryant, Charlee - 2/2
Romanchek, Masha - 3/9
Roster:
1 - Douglas, Farrah
2 - Hiken, Gabby
3 - Williams, Mikey
4 - Villaran, Denisse
5 - Ferreira, Lena
25 - Chafin, Ashley
7 - Crovo, Dee
8 - Todorovich, Kate
9 - Schafer, Tina
10 - Romanchak, Masha
11 - Paul, Tiffany
12 - Hartzell, Casey
13 - Bryan, Charlee
14 - McCarty Jost, Aly
15 - Marshall, Katie
17 - Priddy, Rachel
18 - Whiteley, Hannah
20 - Berta, Lisa
21 - Hickock, Steph
22 - Scheidegger, Lauren
23 - Fitzgerald, Kate
24 - Rose, Amber
Honey Badgers Defeat James River to Extend to 6-0 in the Division
Continuing from the success of the fall, the Severn River Honey Badgers maintained their perfect record in the MAC South. On a beautifully maintained pitch, the Honey Badgers started off strong with a self-recovered pop kick from fly half, Charlee Bryan, that she touched down under the uprights. On the board in under a minute, the team’s confidence soared. With some excellent, dynamic play from Hooker, Gabby Hiken, and the return of Second Row, Denisse Villaran, the team was formidable at the break down and maintained possession of the ball throughout the majority of the second half. To round out the scoring for the half, Mikey Williams, Tina Schaffer, and Scrappy Whiteley added multiple tries to bring Severn River’s half time points to 31. James River fullback, Victoria Byrd, scored the only points for her team in the latter portion of the half. After missing the conversion, the teams entered the break at 31-5.
After a couple of substitutions at the half, Severn River found themselves fighting to maintain their continuity from the first half. Despite some early frustrations, they remained strong on defense and prevented James River from capitalizing on a couple of opportunities. Coach Dolla Harmse challenged the Honey Badgers at the half to hold the other River to zero points and the team certainly delivered. With no scoring for the first twenty-two minutes of the second half, Center, Aly Jost McCarty, broke the line to end the drought. This initial effort was followed very quickly by a breakaway run from 8-Man, Kate Todorovich, who made a beautiful offload to Scrum-half, Tina Schaffer, for her third try of the day. Another try three minutes later from Wing, Tiffany Paul, completed the scoring for the day at 46-5.
The Honey Badgers are shifting their focus to Baltimore Chesapeake for April 6th and are working to maintain their place at the top of the Division. Pittsburgh is coming…
Tries:
Schafer - 3
Bryan - 1
Jost - 1
Williams - 1
Whiteley - 1
Paul - 1
Conversions:
Bryan - 3/5 and Romanchek - 0/3
Roster:
1 - Mikey Wiliams
2 - Gabby Hiken
3 - Kerry Lammers
4 - Denisse Villaran
5 - Lenni Ferreira
18 - Scrappy Whiteley
7 - Samantha Bottorf
8 - Kate Todorovich
9 - Tina Schafer
10 - Charlee Bryan
11 - Tiffany Paul
12 - Casey Hartzell
13 - Aly Jost
14 - Kathleen Clement
15 - Katie Marshall
16 - Jazz Harrison
19 - Masha Romanchek
20 - Lisa Berta
21 - Dee Crovo
22 - Lauren Schiedegger
23 - Kate Fitzgerald
24 - Amber Rose
25 - Ashley Chaffin
Men Clinch #1 Spot in the Central Mid-Atlantic Conference
A beautiful day to end the regular season at the American Legion Post 175 saw Severn River Men take an early lead against the visitors from D.C. After lovely hands from the host, as Quinn Freeman stiff armed his way into the try zone after being sprung by Erik Dronberger, inside the 22. On the ensuing kick off, Severn displayed their pace and vision, with Quinn rumbled and tumbled his way pass the try line for his second. The scoring wouldn’t stop as Zachary Lammers, Richard Maldanado, Erik Dronberger, and John Sage all touched down for a try before the half, with the Renegades sneaking one in before half time. With a half time score 38-7 and some subsitutes coming in, Severn River kept the foot on the gas with tries as John Sage and Erik Dronberger added their second, while Mike Blimmel and Aldo Batubara got involved, with an additional penalty try which will give credit to Quinn. Final score Severn River 69 vs. Renegades 7. With the win Severn River Men win the Mid-Atlantic Conference Central division and first seed in a playoff between the top four to see who advances to the next round. Severn River hosts Rocky Gorge DIII this Saturday (4/6/19/) at 1:00 P.M. at the American Legion Post 175.
The Killer B’s fell short of victory 38-30 despite a drop kick goal from Milton Greenstreet and several hard hitting tackles from Steve ‘Scuba’ Palmer.
St. Patty's Day at the Pitch
The Severn River Women started their spring with a strong win against Philly. In their 53-10 victory, there were plenty of tries to go around. At the 1:45 mark, Mikey Williams took a perfect diagonal run with a quick pop from Tina Schafer for the easy score. The forwards continued to shine with a strong assist from Farrah Douglas that ended in a Kate Todorovich try. Mikey added another try to her tally and the backs took over from there. Madam President, Aly Jost McCarty, had three tries on the day despite being sicker than sick this past week and Tiffany Paul, Casey Hartzell, and Tina all added tries before the day was done. Most impressively, Farrah at prop was involved in a number of the tries and showcased her hard work in the off season. Masha Romanchak has returned to Severn River after graduating from Towson this fall. Her four conversions are a sign of excellent things to come. Rookie Lisa Berta found herself learning defense under the gun and prevented at least two breakaway runs on the outside. Overall, the women showcased their work in the off season and recognized the work they still have left ahead of them. It’s going to be a great spring. Forward of the Match: Kate ‘Todo’ Todorovich Back of the Match: Masha Romanchak
Coming off a frustrating loss against Washington Irish, the Severn River Men were looking to rebound with a solid showing against Baltimore Chesapeake. Severn benefited from an early yellow card by BC, and fullback Colin Gotimer was able to find the try zone while the boys were playing a man up. BC had several attempts to kick for points in the first half, but was unable to find the space between the uprights. Outside center, John Sage, topped off the first half with a bruising run, leading Severn River into the break at 14-0. The men came out swinging in the 2nd half, with a quick try 3 minutes in from fly half Erik “Punchy” Dronberger. Severn River forwards demonstrated utter dominance in set pieces by driving BC’s scrums backwards as if on skates and mauling out of line-outs for gains. Flanker Aldo Batubara, inside center Quinn Freeman, and scrum half Adam Dondero all jumped in on the scoring with a try each. Severn River finished the half with 1 more try from 8-man Mike Blimmel and an impressive defensive stand on their own 5 meter line to seal the 47-3 victory. Post match laurels were awarded to Forward of the Match Mike Blimmel and Back of the Match Erik “Punchy” Dronberger, who also slotted 6 of 7 conversions.
The Severn River Killer B’s faced off against Delmarva. While they ultimately fell 51-14, they were able to get newer guys plenty of playing time and will be able to use this experience to improve in the future. Back of the Match and Forward of the match were awarded to Joe Asselin and Joe Milluzzo, respectively.
On Sunday, a group of Old Boys headed to the Edgewater American Legion for the Annual Poltroon’s 10s Tournament. Claiming the best social of the season, the ‘Old Salts’ put in their work both during and after the matches and proved yet again that no one really quits playing rugby. While the rest of us were sleeping off our hangovers, these gentlemen were getting it done on the pitch. A huge thank you to Scuba and Zach for putting this together.
Rugby and the Workplace...You Can Break Away with the Right Support
From the desk of Deb Dulin.
When people told me that I should start my own business, I used to laugh it off. Early in my design career, I was perfectly content to be an employee and let higher-ups take care of the business side of running a business. But as time went on, going into business for myself became a realistic and practical option for me. There are many things that school doesn’t prepare you for, but life experience does—and playing rugby was part of the reason I gained confidence in going out on my own. In 2011, I took my side-hustle in graphic design into a full-time endeavor. Eight years later, Dulin Design is a full-fledged branding studio with a team of content experts, collaborating with businesses to develop their branding and accelerate their marketing efforts.
Getting started
When I first started playing rugby in college, it was because of the encouragement of friends who were on the team. Like for all rookies, there was a steep learning curve. The support and patience of my teammates kept me coming back and trying harder. In business, there is no textbook on how to get started—you do your own research and seek guidance on how to set up legal and financial matters. And, having a supportive family is a tremendous asset for entrepreneurs as we navigate building a business.
Changing positions
I spent most of my time with Severn River playing second row and flanker, but in college I was a wing and center. My positions changed with the needs of each club and what our strengths were as a team. Similarly, as businesses grow it’s common for products and services to evolve with customer needs. When I started out, the design services I planned to offer were different from what I offer now. As I built a client roster, they kept coming back to me for additional projects that we tackled with gusto. In fact, one of the more popular services now is brand strategy--helping clients get comfortable with evolving their marketing and messaging to align with their current target audiences.
Being prepared for unexpected twists
Like any sport, rugby requires training and practice to be prepared for such a fluid game. Players can (and do) make mistakes, get back up again and charge right back into the action. Grit is a trait that rugby players gain in spades. In work, projects can take unexpected turns, the goal line moves, things happen outside of our control—we pound away and drive to done, trusting in our ability to do the work.
Building a team
It’s not news to anyone who has stepped on a pitch that rugby is a team sport—“15 as 1.” Dulin Design has grown into a virtual team—we are designers, writers and developers spread across the United States. It gives us the ability to take on a greater variety of projects and continue to collaborate with our clients again and again. Just like on a rugby pitch, there are times when certain players step up and shine and the team supports them. Each person has a specialty, so team members are chosen based on the needs of the project and our team members’ strengths. I truly enjoy working as a team and making the end results better based on our collective creative efforts.
There is no doubt that I bring what I learned in rugby to my business—and to my life. Would I have had the courage to make the leap without these skills? Probably not. I may have continued playing it safe. After eight years of being self-employed, I can say the rewards are worth it. Every day, it requires flexibility, tenacity, and the support of my team—but like in rugby—the feeling that comes from achieving something you’ve worked hard for, surrounded by those who are equally passionate and dedicated, is truly a victory.
For more information about Deb’s company, Dulin Design, CLICK HERE.
Deb Dulin has 15 years’ experience in graphic design, focusing on print design and environmental graphics. Combined with a background in project management and a passion for asking questions, she prioritizes clear expectations, schedules and budget to create solutions customized to meet the client’s needs.
As an alumni of Severn River Rugby, Deb continues to contribute to the club’s efforts to promote rugby in the mid-Atlantic region. In her spare time, she enjoys powerlifting, hiking and cheering on the Baltimore Ravens.
40th Anniversary Celebration Weekend
The 40th Anniversary weekend could only be described one way…EPIC! People came from near, far and even across the ocean to reunite with their rugby family.
Alumni weekend kicked off on Thursday with a Ryder Cup style golf tournament set up by Joe Helpa, at Renditions in Davidsonville. Thirty-two “golfers” teed off that day to play a mix of scramble, best ball and alternate shot and one two-man team came out victorious; Jon Holtzman and friend Brock Anderson. Others may argue that Amanda Noss and Dave Pick really won that day since they led in several categories, including ‘most shots drank’, ‘most carts stuck in the marsh,’ and finally, ‘most holes not actually played.’ The SRRFC Alumni Association may also like to claim the win on the day by getting Moose drunk enough to become the first ‘Legacy Level’ member. Whoever claims the big win, all can agree it was a fun afternoon.
River wasn’t done for the day though. They gathered at one of their former glorious hang outs; Ebb Tide in Annapolis. If you have ever been a patron in this fine establishment you might think ‘no way you can get kicked out of here’, but a few…a proud few, still there at the late hour of 9:30pm, managed to do it. With nowhere to turn, the remaining ruggers decided that Stan and Joe’s could provide some food and shelter for the remainder of the evening. Amazingly enough, the only casualty that night was Jason Dunbar’s flip flops.
Friday’s activities began in the afternoon as Severn looked to Mike Johansen to inspire the day’s fun. We gathered at Laurel Park Racetrack for some VIP treatment in the Sports Book Lounge. The ruggers enjoy complimentary wings and 2 for 1 beers while trying to win a couple dollars on the ponies. Severn headed to the winner’s circle after the “Fallen Rugger Memorial Race” sponsored by the club. They presented the winning jockey with a plaque and rugby ball. Joe Helpa and Wendell Harsanyi showed up that day, not only with hopes for a pony ride, but also for the rare chance to be in a picture with a man shorter than them. Unfortunately, this jockey measured in just above the two hopefuls.
As the sun began to set, it was time to head back to Severn’s sponsor bar, Stan and Joe’s, for some more shenanigans. The Alumni filled the back half of the bar and was engaged in a hugging frenzy as they received friends many hadn’t seen in 20 years. The current team showed up later in the evening in full ninja costumes to celebrate the Halloween weekend in unison. Some crawled from bar to bar, others went home early to be refreshed for the Alumni vs Current team match ups the next day, a few spent their night feeding shots to the current team while enjoying a refreshing glass of soda water and lime, hoping the youngsters would be too hungover to compete in the early morning.
Saturday’s A Rugby Day! The weather could not have been more perfect at the American Legion Post 175, in Severna Park that day…birds were chirping; sun was shining…oh wait that was a different day. THIS day was freezing cold and it was raining like a cow pissing on a flat rock. Good thing Severn likes the mud! The ladies started the day by lacing up their boots and zipping up their dresses, for a prom dress Alumni Vs Current team match up. Referee, Pete Freeman and touch judges Milton Greenstreet and Phill Denton also looked strikingly beautiful in their gowns. The alumni women were victorious on the day, but did give up a break away try to Aly McCarty and interception try to Charlee Bryant. After the women got the field nice and muddy it was the Men’s turn to slop around. The current team took the win by a couple tries that day, but onlookers might say it took them way too long to realize the man across from them was-in some cases-twice their age. Perhaps the best plan of attack would be using their speed advantage on the outside, however, the night’s revelry took control of their cognitive abilities. In the end, the whole Severn River family gathered, with representation throughout the 40 years of the clubs’ existence, for a center of the field group photo.
Up next that day was the social under the Pavilion. Some hosed off but others just embraced their mud covered faces. Ruling over the event was Current Player Princess, Charlee Bryant and Alumni Queen, Meredith McAlister, the women of the match that day. On the men’s side Richard Maldonado and Quinn Freeman were awarded men of the match for the current team while Aaron Cree, Jason Dunbar, Donny Stevens and Steve Palmer represented for the Alumni. After making short work of the pasta and beer, everyone headed to the showers to make themselves presentable.
The Gala was definitely one for the books. Severn entered the Mainsail ballroom at the Doubletree Hilton in Annapolis at 7pm that night. As the group enjoyed their dinner, club Co-founder, Henry Posko opened the night with a few remarks. Milton Greenstreet, Club President, was the master of ceremonies for the evening and continued the program with a heartfelt thank you and a few jokes for the evening’s table sponsors. Next the women’s team captains, Casey Hartzell and Lenni Ferreira presented this year’s recipients; Tiffany Paul, Katie Marshall, Scrappy, Ashley Chafin and Tina Schafer with their rings. Lenni Ferreira was awarded the ‘Player’s Player’ plaque by her teammates for her dedication to the team. The men followed with derby’s for John Sage, Punchy, Nick Stratchko and Colin Gotimer presented by Milton Greenstreet, Captain, Colin Gotimer and Men’s Team President, Brad McCarty. Mike Posko, Club Co-Founder got up next to present the ‘Leather Balls’ award to Dan Gotimer and Jerry Gallion. The club took a moment to thank the hard working coaching staff; Dave Egar, Chad Newcomb, Dolla Harmse, Katie Fitzgerald and Rachel Priddy, with some much appreciated gifts. Meredith McAlister, Katie Fitzgerald and Jenn Fenzel snuck in to the program to surprise Rachel ‘Sloth’ Priddy with being crowned the ‘Gala Queen’. Mike ‘Bergie’ Bergeson brought a very special gift for the family of the late, great, and forever missed Tom ‘Dr. Doom’ Guidotti. It was a bottle of the last beer Dr. Doom ever brewed. The family was grateful for the special gift and the gesture brought the crowd to their feet. Next, Jerry Gallion spoke on what is important for the ‘Legacy and Longevity’ of a club that has been around for 40 years. Finally, the the main event…Marty O’Neill inducted long time friends Mike Posko, Henry Posko and Pete Freeman into the SRRFC Hall of Fame. The three gentlemen looked absolutely dashing in their Navy HOF blazers, lined with Black watch plaid and sporting the crest on the breast pocket. It was a sight that brought tears to their friend’s and family’s eyes and the crowd to their feet once again. (I’m not crying, you’re crying!) Finally, it was time to shame all those that had been a dick that year. Lenni Ferreira made the women’s team proud keeping the YAD with them after she sent some questionable pics to the team GroupMe text. And the Golden YAD could not have possibly gone to any other person than, long standing club dick, Bill ‘Mouth’ Dennison. Severn managed to squeeze in some dancing and drinking before being steered towards the hotel bar. After some more drinks, and rugby songs, Severn was finally sent packing and off to bed.
As the sun rose on Sunday morning, a few managed to make it to the hotel restaurant for brunch. With the smell of bacon and shame in the air the group discussed the previous nights’ antics.
Alumni Weekend Awards
Men of the Match: Richard Maldonado, Quinn Freeman, Aaron Cree, Jason Dunbar, Donny Stevens and Steve Palmer.
Women of the Match: Charlee Bryant and Meredith McAlister
2018 Men’s Team Awards
Rookie of the Year: John Sage
MVB: Erik 'Punchy' Droberger
MVF: Nick Stratchko
Unsung Hero: Colin Gotimer
2018 Women’s Team Awards
Rookie of the Year: Tiffany Paul
MVB: Katie Marshall
MVF: Hannah 'Scrappy' Whiteley
Unsung Hero: Ashley Chafin
Steel Tits: Tina Schafer
Players Player: Lenni Ferreira
Gala Awards
Leather Balls: Dan Gotimer and Jerry Gallion
YAD: Lenni Ferreira
Golden YAD: Bill ‘‘Mouth’ Dennison
Gala Queen: Rachel ‘Sloth’ Priddy
Inaugural Hall of Fame Inductees
Mike Posko
Henry Posko
Pete Freeman
Inaugural Class of the Severn River Rugby Hall of Fame Inducted
Pete Freeman, Mike Posko, and Henry Posko became the inaugural members of the Severn River Rugby Hall of Fame on October 27, 2018. With some remarkable words by teammate and lifelong friend Marty O’Neil, these three set a daunting precedent for future inductees. Marty’s remarks about each inductee are summarized below:
Pete Freeman
Pete began his rugby playing days in 1978 at what was then known as Frostburg State College. That same Frostburg side not only gave us Pete, it’s players formed the backbone of Maryland Old Boys (MOB) for years. You may not know this but Pete is actually a biology major masquerading as a skilled craftsman and I have vivid memories of riding to matches in that old Toyota pickup and getting a play by play of the flora and fauna from Hagerstown to Morgantown.
Well, Pete brought his talents back home to Severna Park in 1979 and has continued to be an active player ever since. Pete has also laced his boots up for the PRU Select Side, BASS or Baltimore Areas Select Side, ERU, Louisiana Exiles, Virginia Cardinals, Wilmington Old Boys, the CRABBS and of course the Severn Old Salts.
He was a multiple winner of Most Valuable Back and Unsung Hero. He captained the club for 3 years, coached for 3 years, served as Secretary and of course was Mr. Field and Equipment forever.
Pete is drenched in rugby. He continues to referee, coach the Severna Park Green Hornets youth program, teach at coaching clinics, introduce his boys into the sport and stay in touch with scores of ruggers - old and new, international and domestic.
When we played, you wanted to be around him because he was always first to every breakdown. On the social side, you wanted to be around him because he made it so easy to just be yourself.
Mike Posko
Mike, along with his brother Henry founded Severn River Rugby in 1978 and Mike, in some form or fashion, has been roaming the Severn River pitch ever since. Mike also suited up for the Old Salts, CRABS, UMBC Alumni, Virginia Cardinals, Chesapeake Old Boys, Wilmington Old Boys, Gorge Old Boys, PAC Old Boys … there is an OLD theme here …Poltroons, and Roosters.
Mike won the Most Valuable Forward (twice) and the Most Valuable Back award. He was also a select side player on four different occasions, won the Leather Balls twice and impressively, had an Eagle tryout in 1986.
Mike also served as Captain, Selector, President, Vice President and Governor. He coordinated a number of tours ranging from England in 1981 to Ireland in 2017. He coached both the 15’s and 7 sides for a number of years but perhaps his unwavering affection for rugby reared it’s unrealistic head when at the age of 50, he challenged the props to get fit and as a result, Mike ended up playing A side.
Most of all, Mike was the difference maker in all of the key matches. Fearless at the back of a scrum and never afraid to stand toe-to-toe with any opponent, Mike leads by example and his passion for this club and the game have impacted countless ruggers along the way.
Henry Posko
Henry was the scrum half and outside center for Old Red Rugby from 1974-1978. Wanting to play a bit closer to home, he co-founded this very club with his brother Michael in 1978.
Henry owns virtually all the ‘firsts’ with Severn River. First Coach, First Captain, First Selector, First Scrum Half – until Pete later bailed him out. It should not go unnoticed that Henry also was also the ‘first check book’ – getting the club off the ground takes union dues, money for jerseys (those funky brown things), parties, and field expenses.
Off the field, Henry has served as President, Vice President, Governor, Match Secretary and Field and Equipment guy. He was the Inaugural recipient of the “Leather Balls” award back in 1978 and won his derby for Most Valuable Back in 1979. Henry also coached the first Coed youth rugby for the Green Hornets and sandwiched his virtually lifetime relationship with the Club with two international tours: England in 1981 and Ireland in 2017.
Henry has always been the role model for this club. A reserved, dignified and elegant man that was happy to see others be in the spot light, that wanted to make their dent in the universe. He set the initial direction for this club, has mentored leaders up close and from a distance and will always be our compass.
Severn River Men take down NOVA
Severn River came out of their bye week looking to make a statement against mid table rival, NOVA, on October 20th and their plans started with mixed results. While Severn were able to quickly grab the lead, through a quick-tap try from Fly-half Erik “Punchy” Dronberger, NOVA evened the score a few minutes later via an interception by their outside center. Dronberger again found the try zone immediately after this NOVA score and in the 33rd minute, Number 8 Mike Blimmel, put the visitors up, 17-7. But a fourth try was disallowed by the referee after it was initially called. This seemed to bolster the NOVA squad, as much as it deflated the boys from Annapolis. NOVA preceded to put another converted try and a penalty kick on the board, leaving the game knotted up at 17. At the stroke of halftime, Blimmel found the score sheet again, putting the green and blue up 24-17 at half. This back and forth nature of the match seemed to be put to bed by Head Coach Dave Egar’s halftime talk, as Severn came out flying in the 2nd half, with a brace of tries from veteran flanker Jim Benson, as well as a hard earned try from his open-side partner, Nick Stratchko. The final score came to 43-22, as Severn cemented a three game winning streak. Stratchko and Outside Center John Sage were awarded Man of the Match honors. Severn are home for their 40th Anniversary Alumni match on October 27th, kickoff is at 1pm.
Tries: E. Dronberger (2-5), M. Blimmel (2-4), N. Stratchko (1-2), J. Benson (2)
Conversions: E. Dronberger (4 of 7; 16 of 21)
Honey Badgers are 5-0!
Wrapping up the fall season at 5-0, the Honey Badgers are feeling good. The leadership from the Captains as well as the quiet leadership exhibited by players who are willing to try new positions and support each other has been the key to each victory this season. Against the Furies D-2 side on Saturday, the team showcased their hard work and commitment to each other’s success.
The line-up for Saturday included Kerry and Mikey at prop supporting Gabby at hooker. Seconds were Captain Lenni and Burris (in her last match for SR before moving to Germany with her fiancee!). In the loose, Chafin, Scrappy, and Todo took their spots with Tina at the 9. Connecting to the backs was simple with Charlee at fly, and Captain Casey, Aly, Tiffany, and Marshall rounding out the strong side. For the first time, Shelly started at wing where her speed and agility led to an outstanding first full match. With a strong bench that included Lara, Sammi, Soup, Niki, and some old girls who still think they can run, the team was poised to finish the season strong.
From kickoff, the Honey Badgers took control. Todo had two tries in the first six minutes of the match and by minute thirty-four, Severn River was up 64-0. The second half allowed the subs some room to gain good game time experience and proved that they will be gunning for those starting spots in the spring. By the end of the match, the Furies continued to play with heart and tenacity, a true testament to their commitment to the sport and each other. After wrapping up the day with a 103-0 victory, both teams celebrated at Stan and Joe’s over some pasta and more than a few pitchers of the finest brew.
Scrappy earned Forward of the Match for her remarkable tackling, scoring, and supporting efforts, while Tiffany earned Back of the Match for shutting down the outside and chasing every ball.
Tries: K. Todorovich (3), M. Williams (3), H. Whiteley (2), A. McCarty (3), S. Bottorf (2), K. Schafer (1), L. Ferreira (1), K. Marshall (1), A. Hiken (1)
Conversions: C. Bryan (7 out of 11), A. McCarty (2 out of 2), K. Marshall (0 out of 1), K. Todorovich (0 out of 1), T. Paul (0 out of 1), H. Whiteley (0 out of 1)
#1-Williams, Michal, #2-Hiken, Allison, #3-Lammers, Kerry, #4-Burris, Lauren, #5-Ferreira, Lena, #6-Chafin, Ashley, #7-Whiteley, Hannah, #8-Todorovich, Kathryn, #9-Schafer, Kristina, #10-Bryan, Charlee, #11-Freeman, Shelly, #12-Hartzell, Casey, #13-McCarty, Alyson, #14-Paul, Tiffany, #15-Marshall, Kaitlyn, #16-Bryan, Lara, #17-Bottorf, Samantha, #18-Wachtel,Candice, #19-Suprun, Darian, #20- Fitzgerald, Kathryn, #21- Priddy, Rachel