Scott "Scotty B" Brusnighan: A Loose Forward Maestro Enshrined in Severn River's Hall of Fame
In the annals of Severn River Rugby loose forward play, where legends are forged on the crucible of passion, dedication, and sheer tenacity, one name echoes through the decades – Scott "Scotty B" Brusnighan. As the hallowed doors of the Severn River Rugby Hall of Fame swing open, they welcome a player whose indomitable spirit and formidable skills have left an everlasting mark on the club's history.
Scotty's rugby journey began with an eager embrace of the sport, and for the next 30 years, he became synonymous with Severn River Rugby. Fifteen years as a stalwart on the field, followed by another 15 with the "Old Salts" Old Boys team, Scotty's commitment to the game transcended generations. His primary position as a loose forward saw him donning jerseys 6-8, showcasing his versatility and adaptability.
From the early days, Scotty's talent and passion stood out. He was a perennial "A Side" selection, becoming a cornerstone in the team's lineup year after year. In his early years with the club,Scotty earned a place on the Potomac River Union's Under 23 side and the Eastern Rugby Union's Under 23 side, playing select side rugby from 1983 to 1985. These formative experiences helped channel Scotty's aggressive play, shaping him into the formidable force he would become.
Scotty claimed the Forward Rookie of the Year not once, but twice, a testament to his rapid ascent and impact on the field. His prowess continued to impress, earning him the coveted Derby award three times for Best Forward. The pinnacle of his early career came in 1985 when Scotty played a pivotal role in the Eastern Rugby Union Championship side, etching his name in the club's history books.
Scotty's crowning achievement with Severn River Rugby came in 1992 when he was an integral member of the Men's Club team that clinched the Division 2 Championship. It was a testament to Scotty's unwavering commitment and leadership, providing the team with the grit and determination needed to ascend to the pinnacle of success.
Beyond the trophies and championships, Scotty's rugby odyssey took him on memorable tours to Ireland and England in the late 1980s. The camaraderie forged on these journeys and the indelible memories created on the field reverberate through the club's lore. Tournament play in Chicago and throughout the mid-Atlantic further solidified Scotty's status as a player who could rise to the occasion, regardless of the stage.
Scotty's on-field persona was nothing short of fearsome. A relentless competitor, he embraced the challenge of terrorizing Fly Halves and inside centers, leaving opponents in his wake. His offensive acumen, bolstered by speed and strength, made him a devastating ball carrier. Scotty's commitment to giving his all, whether in practice, scrimmages, friendly matches, or championship battles, earned him a reputation as a player with a single switch – always turned on.
As the Severn River Rugby Hall of Fame opens its doors to Scott "Scotty B" Brusnighan, it's not just an individual honor; it's a celebration of a player who embodied the essence of rugby. Scotty's legacy lives on in the stories shared by teammates, the cheers of the crowd, and the echoes of his formidable play. In the pantheon of Severn River Rugby, Scott "Scotty B" Brusnighan rightfully takes his place among the immortals.
SRRFC Hall of Fame Class of 2023-2024:
Scott "Scotty B" Brusnighan
SRRFC HOF Class of 2023-2024
It is our extreme pleasure to announce this year's Severn River Rugby Hall of Fame inductees. Congratulations to all the inductees and we are looking forward to celebrating with you on Saturday, February 3rd, 2024.
2023-2024 Class
Scott Brusnighan
Bobby DeStefano
Wendell Harsanyi
Chris Posko
(Left to Right) Scott Brusnighan, Bobby DeStefano, Wendell Harsanyi, Chris Posko
Severn Men On Tour
By: Milton Greenstreet
This August, the Severn River's men's side headed out on an international tour for the second time in almost two decades. Seven years in the making, this tour was initially planned for the summer of 2020, but anyone can guess what postponed the trip that summer. After rescheduling for 2023, the boys were able to hit the road in the first week of August, bound for London Heathrow. The previous international tour, the first in years, was to Ireland and had a mix of alumni and current players. It was all hands on deck to make the tour as viable as possible; the 2023 UK tour did not have such number problems. Severn River travelled with 41 players (a few alumni in the mix, but mostly active players) and had three competitive matches scheduled over the 10-day trip. This was a proper international tour.
The boys hit the road on a coach bus as soon as they touched down at Heathrow and high-tailed it straight to Cardiff. Having landed on a Friday with a match on Saturday morning, the group took it easy on their first night out in the Welsh capital...only pissing off the hostel owner, staying out until 4am and nearly drinking the town out of Jagermeister. After a proper night out in the town in Wales where all the craziness happens (think New Orleans, but if it happened to be in West Virginia), the boys pulled it together early and headed straight to Canton RFC on the west side of town for their first match of the tour. It was a close match, Severn eventually falling to Canton by two tries. During the match, Mike "Butters" Gibson, Erik "Punchy" Dronberger and Uncle Larry Grassi all crossed the whitewash for the fellas from Annapolis. The weather was terrific for a rugby match and Canton's hospitality was just as lovely. This was the only team on the tour with whom Severn didn't have a previous contact - essentially, a rugby blind date. But the gentlemen from the capital were wonderful hosts, treating us to lunch and beers in the clubhouse after the match. River won the boat races inside, but lost the leg wrestling competition. After the short party with Canton, the group moved on to bigger plans in downtown Cardiff - catching the Wales versus England match in Wales' national Principality Stadium in their Canadian Tuxedos. The denim was a heavy choice with some light rain, but they were a big hit with most of the Welsh fans (at least they were told that's why they were being laughed at). Along with the international match, Wales' own Tom Jones was having a concert at the castle in downtown Cardiff that night. It turns out SR stopped into town on the busiest night of the year in the Welsh capital. The boys made sure to hit the town as hard as they did the first night.
On Sunday, the men reached their second destination, Aberystwyth, a small college town on the western Atlantic coast of Wales. Sunday was a recovery day - sightseeing, golfing, or an impromptu jam session with Better than Butters at a local pub. The guys took over the small bar and made a few Welsh friends along the way. After a bit of an early night, the boys retired to their rooms at the local university (their best accommodations of the trip) to prepare for their match against the hometown team the next evening. Aberystwyth is a small town, so news of an American touring side playing the local men's club was big news and there was a decent sized crowd of 300-400 people to greet the boys in green and blue at 6:15pm that night. Unfortunately for Severn, Aberystwyth is in the top flight of amateur rugby in Wales and they showed it on Monday night, winning comfortably 82-0. The worst loss Severn had had in years, the boys were taught a few lessons from the Welsh side that night, from excellent offloading, to consistent and thunderous tackles. To their credit, the Aberystwyth boys treated us as well postgame as they played in the actual match: beers in the clubhouse and a lovely chicken tikka masala served by the players from Aberystwyth. Most of the fellas voted this the best meal in Wales up to that point. The female president of Aberystwyth (the first in amateur Welsh rugby!) gave a lovely speech after dinner and presented team captain Jake Davis with an awesome sculpture of the Welsh Red Dragon as a gift. Then, the Severn boys rallied the troops, threw on their Hawaiians and went out on the town. Other than SR's UK tour spirit animal, Mike Divver, being carried out of the bar against his will, they had a lovely night out on the town without any bumps in the road.
After leaving Aberystwyth, the tour stopped in Swansea for a quick respite before continuing on to England. Swansea was a mixed bag of football, minigolf, Jagerbombs, rain, a training session, and some bedbugs. On to Bath.
Bath, England lived up to its lovely reputation. The architecture, the food, the people... everything was a hit with the guys. Still licking their wounds from the tough loss to Aberystwyth and the rough stay in Swansea, the stop in Bath was a vacation within a vacation... good food, roman baths, and a geothermal spa. The guys spent so much money at a local nightclub the first night, they were invited back the following night with some free bottles of bubbly for our troubles.
The last leg of the tour was in London. The boys were flagging a bit, sapped of energy after a long week of rugby and rugby-related hijinks, but they managed to get up for the last match of the tour under the lights against East London RFC on Friday night. The team's resident Englishman, prop James Nutland, came to join us for the match. Severn was also supported by the only fan in town for the match, as former Head Coach Dave Egar flew in across the Irish Sea to root for his old pupils. By contrast, East London's fans came out in full force. Armed with all kinds of shit talk, a huge stereo to be played during our lineouts and an enormous megaphone, SR was definitely in enemy territory. The match went back and forth, with East London going out to an early lead, Severn fighting back to take the lead, only to relinquish it in the last moments of the game. There were some bright spots for the blue and green: four tries, including a blinder of a finish from Butters Gibson, beating two on his own to touch down. John "Gio" Giovingo and Punchy Dronberger found the try zone as well. The last try, put in by Sam "Hot Pants" Leone, via a deft kick assist on a counter attack by back row Milton Greenstreet. Dronberger also had a good night off the tee, with 3/4 conversions and a penalty from the field. For all the ferocious offense and fanfare from East London, their hospitality was just as intense. Our connection with East London was developed from SR's previous trips to Ampthill, England. Coach Pete Freeman's personal connection with Ampthill led us to contact Alister Gonse, son of a former Ampthill player and friend of Pete's, who spent a good chunk of his career at East London. Not only helping us arrange the match in London, Alister was honored for reaching a large number of caps with the London Club. After the ceremony, East London Chairman Simon Crick had a few lovely words for Severn and presented head coaches Pete Freeman and Mike Posko with gifts. After a few words from the coaches, the Friday night drink up kicked into full gear and the boys tucked in. Tables were broken, songs were sung and a 15-man boat race was won by the good guys. Severn could have headed back to central London and lived it up, but instead, heeded the advice and continuing hospitality from East London and took their rompers on the tube further into East London. After closing down the club's sponsor bar (who stayed open an hour past close to accommodate us) a good chunk of the Severn team took East London up on the next invite to a house party further East into the burbs, stayed out until Sunrise and had an absolute blast. It's safe to say Severn River officially has a brother club down the road from Big Ben. After all that craziness, a few drinks were had on the following Saturday, bags were packed and the boys headed home. It was a long, arduous and wonderful tour. The only question discussed on the bus ride back from Dulles that Sunday night was, Where are we headed next?
Honey Badgers Go to Ireland
By: Th. Go.
During the summer leading into the 2022-2023 season, the Severn River men began planning an international tour to Wales and England. No stranger to the excitement of playing across the pond, they guys were buzzing with excitement and ideas, when the Honey Badgers perked up their ears and began planning a tour of their own. It’s hard to pin the thought to its originator as long time Honey Badgers Charlee Bryan, Casey Hartzell, and Lenni Ferreira felt confident that they'd have the numbers to make it happen. In the same way many brilliant Severn River ideas are born, over beers at the legion, Ireland 2023 began to form.
The trio sent out feelers for interest and received an immediate wave of yeses. From players with a decade with the club under their belt to players in their first season with the team, the tour group began to form, and planning was underway. Fundraisers, flights, games, attractions, hotels, it all began to come together.
Charlee had been a part of previous international tour attempts. “This was honestly something I thought we may never accomplish. We tried planning a tour close to ten years ago and could barely get three people to commit.” Casey agreed, adding, “It really shows how much our team has grown over the years.”
On August 3, the men took off in their matching team airplane t-shirts to the UK. For many of them it was their first tour, but they had a few seasoned touring ruggers in their ranks. Just a week later, on the night of August 10, a ragtag group of 20 mismatched Honey Badgers met at the airport, and handed out tour shirts on the shuttle. They had no idea what to expect, but they were on their way there and they were together; that was all that mattered.
The tour started in Belfast, Northern Ireland and the Badgers went immediately from plane, to bus, to their first practice. The training session was held by some incredible Ulster Rugby players and the Badgers had a great time shaking off the jet lag. The Severn River Honey Badgers played their very first international game against Cooke RFC on the most incredibly green field. The Honey Badgers came out on top with a 31-20 win after a back-and-forth match with a mid-game rain shower. Getting to meet the players and play against a new club was a huge honor and a moment the Badgers will never forget.
The team spent 4 days in Belfast, touring Giant's Causeway, visiting museums and shops, and hitting the local bars, of course. The group could be found in the back of The Dirty Goat singing songs at the top of their lungs and sharing pints and laughs. Lenni emotionally recounted, “I remember one night, the group had taken over the dance floor, everyone was smiling and singing, and [longtime team member Katie] Tuner said to me, look at that, we are all here because of you guys. Meaning, here in Ireland because of me helping with planning the trip. I felt a lump in my throat because all I could think was, 'I’m here because of you guys. Meaning here on this club because of the players before me like Turner'.”
After exploring and enjoying Belfast, the Badgers headed down to Dublin for another training session and their second and last game of the tour against Mullingar Senior Women’s RFC. The Badgers were a little worse for wear after their adventures in Belfast. But, no amount of travel and beer-drinking could wear down Sara Mercado, who contributed a hat trick in the 36-27 loss to Mullingar. The club was another incredible group of welcoming players. “We are humbled that we were fortunate enough to experience the welcoming culture of these clubs,” Charlee and Casey remarked.
The next few days were packed with incredible activities. The Honey Badgers got to try out Gaelic Sports with Na Fianna CLG, testing their skills in Camogie, Gaelic Football, and Gaelic Handball. Two of the touring Badgers, Scrappy and Turner, play for the Baltimore Gaelic sports club here in Maryland, and their teammates loved watching them show off their skills. The Badgers also got to tour Croke Park Stadium, Home of G.A.A in Ireland.
The Badgers enjoyed scenic attractions during the days and pubs during the nights. The laughing, singing, and dancing continued. Lexi Decker tossed her name into Ireland Tour Hall of Fame when she convinced the local performer in a bar to play two of the Badgers' favorite songs, Cotton-Eyed Joe and of course, Zombie.
On their final day in Ireland, the Honey Badgers had what any rugger would call a perfect Saturday: a Saturday full of rugby. First, the badgers got to watch the Ulster vs Leinster women’s match in Donnybrook Stadium. Being able to support women’s rugby anywhere they are is paramount to the Honey Badgers, and it was such a treat to see how women’s rugby was supported in Ireland. Next up was the professional men’s Ireland vs England test match in Aviva Stadium. The feeling inside the stadium was electric and Ireland taking the win was the perfect cherry on top of the day. When asked to reflect on the trip, Katie Marshall remarked, “Ireland was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. What is better than going on vacation with a motley team that became a family and playing the sport you all love?!” Casey and Charlee shared that they were proud to organize a trip that others will remember for the rest of their lives.
One day, the touring group will have the matching team plane shirts and players with a tour or two under their belt. But for their first tour, everything went just right. The Honey Badgers made it home safe and sound and ready to begin their fall season in Maryland.
A note from your organizers-
Thank you to everyone who donated to our Ireland Fundraisers to help get us there. Thank you to every Severn River player who came before us and grew this club to what it is today. Thank you to everyone in our lives who has supported our rugby careers. Thank you to our bus driver, Jon. Thank you to the amazing clubs in Northern Ireland and Ireland for hosting us. Thank you to every pint of Guinness we had while we were there. And thank you to the group of 20 players who trusted us and went on this crazy and historic adventure with us.
-Lenni, Casey, and Charlee
Summer 7's: Severn Men
By: Milton Greenstreet
The Severn River Men’s 7s 2023 season was odd and truncated in comparison to years past. The boys’ practices were relocated to the city of Annapolis, to give the home pitch in Manhattan Beach some much needed recovery time and TLC. Additionally, with the United Kingdom Tour looming large in August, the team’s brain trust decided a light 7s schedule was a wise choice.
The first tournament of the season was in Harrisburg, a familiar stomping ground for the SR 7s squad. Unfortunately, this would be the high-water mark of the season for the SR men. Nearly going 3-0 in pool play, Severn played outstandingly with an inexperienced group of rookies and forwards not normally tapped for 7s duty. Two big wins over Old Gaelic and Montgomery County Bucks, the third pool game was a tight loss to familiar foes Arbution Revolution. SR looked to go ahead in the dying minutes of the game through Isaiah Perry, but due to some issues with the field lining, this try was not awarded and Arbution claimed a narrow 14-12 victory. The 2-1 record was good enough to make the knockout round for the cup of the 22-team tournament. Severn drew South Jersey in the play-in round of the knockouts and this matchup would be their best showing of the day. South Jersey had size and experience, sporting a lineup of what looked to be full of tight 5 forwards, but the boys from Annapolis had the pace. They walloped South Jersey 36-0, with beautiful tries from prop Devin Nichols and scrumhalf Ryan Keaton. River’s reward for the thumping they gave Jersey was a date with #1 seed Lehigh Valley. Lehigh got the better of Severn, winning 25-12. LV would eventually fall in the cup final. The fellas comported themselves well against one of the favorites of the tournament, scoring tries on either side of halftime, keeping it close until LV scored a try in full time to close out the match. There were solid performances all day long from the guys in blue and green, and Nichols would take away Man of the Match for the day with standout play in his first 7s tournament.
The second tournament of the season came quickly after Harrisburg: Cheesesteak 7s hosted by Wilmington RFC. The day got off to an inauspicious start, with traffic causing a few of the boys to arrive right at kickoff against the Washington Irish. Severn lost a close one, 5-10 to the Irish. If you ask the boys, had they arrived on time, the scoreline would have read differently. The second matchup of the day was against Mark Dombrowski 15, a memorial side of Archmere Academy and St. Joseph’s University graduates put together to honor their former teammate that passed away several years prior. It was a tight matchup, with tempers flaring and some questionable calls. Severn looked to steal the win at the death, with a try by newcomer Adam Corder, which tied the score at 17. Adam’s conversion was a bit rushed and went wide, so the guys had to settle for a draw. The last matchup of the day was against Schuykill River II, which proved to be a rough draw for River. It was one way traffic with the eventual winners of the Open Division, Schuykill going up early and not looking back, the final score was 30-0. The tie against MD15 cost SR a trip to the knockout round, so the guys had a quick beer in the shade and went home early.
The last tournament on deck was Surfside Sevens in Stone Harbor, NJ. The guys had been dying to return to this tournament since their last trip in 2019, as it is well known to be one of the most fun tournaments in the Mid-Atlantic, given the high level of competition and oceanside pitches. As the UK tour was coming down the pipe, SR had a tough time getting bodies for the squad at the beach. The fellas only travelled with 9 players, which made for an uphill battle all day long. Playing against two local Jersey squads packed with numbers didn’t help. The first loss was against St. Augustine Alumni, 32-7, the sole bright spot coming from veterans Erik Dronberger and Milton Greenstreet combining for the only points in the game for River, fresh after parking at the tournament 30 seconds after the game had started. Beach traffic sucks. Along with having a light squad, River’s luck wasn’t any better with the draw. St. Augustine and Coventry (River’s second opponent) would go on to finish third and sixth in the 20-team tournament. The second match against Coventry was worse than the first, Severn going down 36-0. The last game of the day for River was against Morris NJ Rugby for seventeenth place. The brass of the 7s team decided, with no injuries yet for the skeleton squad and fun times in Wildwood to be had that evening, they would challenge Morris to a friendly boat race to decide the 17 th place match. It was a tight one, but Severn pulled it out at the end, with boatrace stalwart Mike “Butters” Gibson coming through in the clutch to give SR their first win of the day. The guys would retire to their AirBnB in Wildwood after the tournament and do their very best to win the party at the beach that night. Drinks were drunk. Dances were danced. Fun was had. The boys will be returning to Surfside 7s with a full complement of players soon, way too much fun, even with the losses.
In keeping with the odd 7s season, the 7s awards have not been announced as of yet and will be given out in a small ceremony at the Legion in the coming weeks. Even though the season wasn’t full of wins for Severn, it was still a great year to get some young guys experience and have some forwards working on their ball skills and back play. The boys in green and blue will return in Summer 2024 with a vengeance.
2023 Most Valuable Player – Taylor Gavigan
2023 Wave King – Mike Divver
Best Forward 7s Debut – Devin Nichols
2023 Top Try Scorer – Jake Sandruck
2023 Rookie(s) of the Year – Johny Huynh and Ryan Keaton
New Officers Voted In and By-Laws Ratified
On Thursday, June 29th, 2023, the active team reviewed new By-laws and voted to ratified them.
These By-laws will allow the Active team and Alumni to merge into one unified group
A 12-member board of directors (six alumni; six active players) will be created to help shape the long-term visions of the club, as well as to meet annual financial obligations to achieve this vision.
The E- Board will still be in place and will handle the day-to-day operations of the club as it has always done.
The Board of Directors will have the overall fiduciary responsibility for "THE CLUB". As stated above they will not be involved in the day-to-day operations.
The Board of Directors will work with the E-Board to oversee the finances and budget to help protect SRRFC's financial status.
Over 12 months ago the alumni came to the current Executive Board to speak about about merging the active club with the alumni. This request makes sense for a number of reasons. Over the past few years, the Alumni have come together like never before and have been able to provide support for the active players on the team, both with fundraising, as well as other no monetary support. Unfortunately, as the By-Laws are currently written the Alumni are not recognized in any way, only active members are part of the club.
In parallel with this support from the alumni both the men's and women's teams have seen growth in both level of play, as well as the player base. This influx in both players and support means that the club has the ability to for the first time in years look ahead years down the line and not just season to season. The merger would allow us to establish a 12-member board of directors (six alumni; six active players) that will guide the CLUB as it fulfills its mission to grow and sustain Severn River RFC. The Board will provide a vision for fund development, recruitment, alumni and player development, and cultivation. It will also focus on pursuing additional fields, youth development, and support. A series of committees composed of both active players and alumni will be established to support these efforts.
The end goal of the merger is to allow the active players to still control the direction and culture of the club as it grows and changes with each new player, but also allow the alumni to continue to help guide the team they worked for years to create and cultivate. This will also help remove some of the administrative burdens from the current leadership roles of the team, and make them more approachable to players who want to support the team more than just on the pitch.
Severn River Rugby is at a crossroads, we have never been better positioned with both active players and alumni. The ratification of the By-Laws and the creation of the Board of Directors will allow us to become the premier team in the Mid Atlantic, and allow us to grow not only on the pitch but in the community as a whole.
2023 - 2024 EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS
Club President: Colin Gotimer
Club Vice President: Samantha Bottorf
Club Treasurer: Steve Long
Club Secretary: Lindsay Morris
Club Social Media Manager: Lenni Ferreira
Men's Team President: Joe “Spaceman Joe” Milluzzo
Women's Team President: Bri Leonard
Mens Team P-Board
Men’s Team President: Joe “Spaceman Joe” Milluzzo
Men’s Team Governor: Mike Divvers
Men’s Team Treasurer: Nick Stratchko
Men’s Team Match Secretary: Michael “Nips” Nichols
Men’s Team Field and Equipment: Daniel Wooddell
Men’s Team Social Chair: Mike “Butters” Gibson
Men’s Team Social Media Manager: Omar Ledezma
Men’s Team Selector: Richard Maldonado
Men’s Team Captain: Jake Davis
Womens Team V-board
Women’s Team President: Bri Leonard
Women’s Team VP: Maria Russo
Women’s Team Treasurer: Lily Soliday
Women’s Team Field and Equipment: Angela Moore
Women’s Team Match Secretary: Bri “Breezy” Noewinski
Women’s Team Social Chair: Victoria Zito
Women’s Team Social Media Manager: Caroline Heimerl
Women’s Team Alumni Relations: Katie Turner
Women’s Team DEI Chair: Lexi Decker
Women’s Team Captains: Hope Wasserman & Tanya Salinas
(Left to Right) Men's Team President: Joe “Spaceman Joe” Milluzzo, Club Secretary: Lindsay Morris, Club Vice President: Samantha Bottorf, Club President: Colin Gotimer, Club Social Media Manager: Lenni Ferreira, Women's Team President: Bri Leonard, Club Treasurer: Steve Long
(Left to Right) Men’s Team Match Secretary: Michael “Nips” Nichols, Men’s Team Governor: Mike Divvers, Men’s Team Social Media Manager: Omar Ledezma, Men’s Team Selector: Richard Maldonado, Men’s Team Social Chair: Mike “Butters” Gibson, Men’s Team President: Joe “Spaceman Joe” Milluzzo, Men’s Team Treasurer: Nick Stratchko, Men’s Team Captain: Jake Davis
Men’s Team Field and Equipment: Daniel Wooddell
(Top, Left to Right) Women’s Team Captains: Hope Wasserman, Women’s Team Alumni Relations: Katie Turner, Women’s Team President: Bri Leonard, Women’s Team VP: Maria Russo, Women’s Team DEI Chair: Lexi Decker, Women’s Team Field and Equipment: Angela Moore
(Bottom, Left to Right) Women’s Team Captain: Tanya Salinas, Women’s Team Social Media Manager: Caroline Heimerl, Women’s Team Social Chair: Victoria Zito
Women’s Team Match Secretary: Bri “Breezy” Noewinski
Women’s Team Treasurer: Lily Soliday
Honey Badgers Nationals Run
By: Caroline Heimerl
Your Honey Badgers are proud to call themselves the runners-up of the 2023 D2 USA Club Rugby National Championships!
After closing their 2022 spring season at the Atlantic Regionals, the Honey Badgers were committed to putting in the work needed to punch their ticket to Nationals for the first time since their 2012-2013 season. Spring practices were dedicated to conditioning, agility work, strategy, and team cohesion.
Thanks to their diligence, and the unwavering support of their communities, the Honey Badgers fought their way to St. Louis after clawing their way through a harrowing Regionals weekend against Phoenixville Whitehorse and New Haven. These matches prepared the Honey Badgers for the fight to come in St. Louis.
Despite the challenging heat during their first game against Milwaukee Scylla, the Badgers did not slow down. The team, provided the first four tries of the match thanks to scorers Kathryn Todorovich, Shanna Davidson, Sara Mercado, and Alyson McCarty. A conversion kick by Casey Hartzell cemented a strong early lead. While Scylla responded with two tries before the end of the half, Severn continued their dominance in the second half with another three tries by Taylor McLean, Kaitlyn Marshall, and Maddie Steele and a conversion by Charlee Bryan. With Scylla only securing another two tries, the Honey Badgers walked away with 39 points to Milwaulkee’s 24, advancing to the championship final.
On Sunday, a determined Severn River faced off against 2022’s runners- up:, the Knoxville Minx. Again, Kathryn Todorovich brought the first try of the game, which Knoxville returned with their eventual tournament MVP, USA Eagle Jennine Detiveaux. Severn reclaimed the lead with a try by Tanya Gouws, but the Minx pulled ahead with the score sitting at 10-19 at the half. The Honey Badgers remained ferocious in the second half, providing the support for another two tries by Kathryn Todorovich and Cheryl Johnson. Adding their own two tries in the second half, and a total of four conversions, Knoxville came out on top, ending the game at 22-33.
While the outcome wasn’t what they had hoped, Severn enjoyed a night of celebration as the 2nd best D2 women’s team in the nation. The silver plate was escorted back home to Maryland by trusted members of the men’s team, and now sits proudly at sponsor Stan and Joe’s Saloon. The Honey Badgers would like to thank all their friends, family, and supporters for their part in an impressive championship run. They look forward to improving on their performance next year as the Honey Badgers continue to enthusiastically reach for the gold.
Severn Men: Recap and Look Ahead
By: Milton Greenstreet
Severn's D3 men side wrapped up their 2022 with mixed results. Their regular season performance may have been their finest in years, going 5-0 in the regular season (with a +196 point differential). Along the way, they dispatched familiar foe Washington Renegades easily 57-10, comfortably routed eventual champion North Bay 31-10, and had other resounding victories as well. They also had their first playoff win in almost a decade, beating newly-promoted Loudoun 41-0 at home. Loudoun pushed SR to the brink in a regular season match in Virginia, with a depleted 20-man side from River only pulling out the win 20-19. But the boys from Annapolis thought they should flex a bit when Loudoun came to the Legion for their first playoff match in Division 3.
While all of those results were exceptional, the only way Severn would look at this season as a success was if they were able to be crowned division champions of D3 Central. Unfortunately, they fell short, losing to familiar rivals North Bay, 25-28 in a very tight match. "That was deep heartache at its finest," said fly-half Erik Dronberger, summing up the tough loss. "There were some tough calls, but we did plenty ourselves as well. Credit to North Bay, they are a solid side, but losing two years on the bounce, by 3 and 5 points is a tough pill to swallow." Head Coach Mike Posko said, "While I feel we outplayed North Bay, the scoreboard didn't show it. We can't change the past and we are looking towards the future. We've scheduled a tough gauntlet of games for the boys in the spring in hopes of becoming stronger as a club." Division 3 looks to build on their strong momentum from the regular season in the spring by facing a tough, stacked schedule in 2023. A few matchups against squads from higher divisions should sharpen Severn's fangs for their 2023-2024 campaign.
The D4 men's side also blew a little hot and cold in 2022. While the side is only in its second full season as a competitive team fighting for playoffs, they competed all season long - strong enough to finish 4-4 and in contention for a playoff spot. While the team had roster shakeups from week to week, given the tough schedules both teams faced, Captains Mike Divver and Omar Ledesma kept things consistent from the front. They will look to build on the experience gained in 2022 and grow further in 2023.
One of the more exciting things planned for 2023 for Severn's Men's side is their tour to the United Kingdom. This tour was initially scheduled for 2020, but was derailed by COVID. Coach Posko, along with some of the senior players continued to plan the trip and Severn's second international trip in 7 years is slated for August 2023. While numbers were squeezed for their 2017 trip to Ireland, the fellas in green and blue have rallied 40+ players to join the cause of invading England & Wales this summer. With a full slate of games, towns to visit and pro teams to watch, Severn's 2023 summer is looking very bright.
Team Captain Steve Long summed it up. "Although we didn't accomplish our ultimate goal, the season was a success for the club. We won our first playoff match in years, the D4 side is competitive every week, and we have had more than a dozen new players put in a shift this season. We're really excited for the coming months as we test ourselves for the fall season and the trip across the pond." It really looks to be an exciting 2023 for Annapolis' favorite men's rugby team.
Honey Badgers: Recap and Look Ahead
By: Lenni Ferreira
Coming off a very successful fall season, Severn River's women's side, the Honey Badgers, have been keeping busy through the winter. With fun events, touch 7s, and winter workouts, the squad is keeping minds and bodies occupied, as to not let the rugby withdrawal set in.
The Honey Badgers have partnered with Grounded CrossFit in Hanover again this winter to ensure everyone stays in good shape for spring. Grounded has a beautiful facility, and when paired with two team captains that both have personal training backgrounds, the perfect Saturday workouts are the result. The music is blasting, the weights are moved, and the Honey Badgers are sweating. Winter workouts will come to a close at the end of February as Saturdays will again be filled with rugby games!
The winter workouts have mostly been attended by the women’s side with a few special guests from the men’s team, but you can find a true mix of club members at 7s. Playing outside on Saturdays at Kinder Park or the Legion, and on Wednesday nights at an indoor facility, Severn River ruggers have been getting together for fun and fitness to play touch 7s. During the competitive season, the women's and the men’s sides don't do a lot of on-field collaboration, but touch 7s offers the opportunity to play with a bigger, fresh pool of players; the club has partnered with Annapolis Social for indoor 7s. Getting fresh blood familiar with the game of rugby and staying warm from the chilly weather has been keeping the winter blues at bay.
The Honey Badgers have been well-represented at Capital Selects this winter, as well! One of the camps was closer to home this year, and had a great turn out. A few of the Badgers traveled down to Raleigh to play with Capital Selects and further their skills. A huge shout out to Scrappy, Taylor, Maddie, Tina, Caroline, Lindsay, and Tanya! The whole club is so proud of you all!
All of this hard work and fun is leading into a big season for the Honey Badgers. Having only lost 8-5 in the quarterfinal of Nationals last season, this squad continues to have their eyes on the prize. The season is packed with league games, challenging D1 friendlies, and plenty of B-side opportunities to develop new players' skills and confidence in the game. This season features many home games, so the Badgers are hoping for some good home crowd turnouts to propel them toward their goal of another trip to Nationals.
The Spring season will be packed with so much fun, but no doubt, a lot of hard work. Looking forward, past all of the hard games and late practices, the Honey Badgers have a thrilling experience on the horizon- its first international tour. The men’s team has gone abroad before, but this will be a first for the women's side. For 10 days in August, over 20 players will be flying out to Ireland to play rugby and explore a new country. This is not an opportunity many women’s teams get, and none of the Badgers are taking it for granted. Everyone is grateful for the robust numbers at practices and the support of an incredible club. The community and Severn River ruggers past and present should keep an eye out for fundraisers to throw a few bucks towards an unforgettable trip!
Brian Bratton Memorial Match
Brian passed away suddenly on January 1st, 2023 and will be greatly missed by his family, friends, and his sweet puppy Lindy Lou who has been his sidekick for the last 14 years. There will forever be an image of his big bright smile in all of our minds, he was an unforgettable son, brother and friend.
Brian was most known for his humor, life of the party attitude, and his love for all things active including rugby, free diving, and paddle boarding.
Brian graduated from Arundel High School with a partial Soccer Scholarship to Ohio Wesleyan University. While at OWU he was spotted by the Football Team and dropped Soccer to become the Kicker for them. After a couple years he started playing Rugby because he was bored with Football and so the Rugby history begins. He played for Severn River when he would come home on break and immediately following his graduation from University of Delaware with his Masters in Exercise Physiology and Cardiac Rehab. Brian moved to Northern Virginia and joined Washington Irish where he played for approximately 8 years. He was an excellent player, tackler and as Bernie (father) would say “Fast as Shit”. Brian would always credit Severn’s own, Marty O’Neill for taking him under his wing and teaching him how to play #15.
Match Details:
Severn River vs Washington Irish
Saturday, March 4th @ 9:30am
American Legion Post 175 in Severna Park
832 Manhattan Beach Rd
Severna Park, MD 21146
Celebration of Life:
Saturday, March 4th from 12-4pm
Annapolis Elks Club
2 Pythian Drive
Edgewater, MD 21037
**If you are part of Brian's Rugby family, we invite you to wear your team's Jersey (Severn River or Washington Irish) that day, as well as your Rugby derby.