Two Ties on a Friday Night in the ARC
Two Ties on a Friday Night in the ARC
It was a bizarre Friday night in the ARC as both games on the conference slate ended up tied.
Queens and Wheeling played to a 36-36 tie. Flyhalf and Iowa Central transfer Taku Misingqini slotted a long-range penalty with no time left to secure the deadlock fo the Cardinals.
Queens opened the scoring by punishing a Wheeling penalty and mauling it close before hooker Joshua Schwartz put it down. Scrumhalf Hilton Olivier converted. Wheeling answered with a long penalty from Musingwini, whose kicking on the night was astonishing.
Queens then caught a break. They got a penalty from a scrum and took the lineout. At the lineout Wheeling did not contest the maul and referee Diego Villalobos allowed the drive to continue. His reasoning, as we understand it from some observers, was that the ball had not been passed back to another player, and so there was no obstruction. That may be true, but a flying wedge, which is driving forward in open play with more than two players, is illegal and should have been penalized. Instead, Queens drive a group of five players over the line untouched and got a try for it. Olivier's conversion attempt hit the post, and it was 12-3.
Another Musingwini penalty inched Wheeling closer, but it was a bit of a back-and-forth match in which Queens made ground with hard carries and their kicking game, and Wheeling broke off some impressive runs. Queens ended the first half with a strong run from center Wihelmus Wessels, who worked his way thrugh several tacklers to take it into the corner. That made it 17-6.
However, as the game progressed that started to change. Queens flyhalf Zach Colson started to slice through gaps and set up his runners, while Wheeling struggled a bit to match Queens in set piece.
The Cardinals, however, scored next with another Musingwini penalty, and then center Alex Nyamunda broke through the middle, chipped over, and almost scored. Wheeling moved in to support and quick ball saw Nyamunda on the wing for a try. Musingwini had no trouble with the kick and it was 17-16 for Queens.
Queens answered with an excellent link-up between Colson and wing Jack Rice, who was ankle-tapped but managed to get back up to score under the sticks. Olivier's kick made it 24-16.
Wheeling's speed started to tell, and when Colson had to leave with an injury Queens struggled to really open up the game.
Wheeling scored off a quick tap that put Nyamunda down the tramline. Musingwini again converted from the sideline, and then added a penalty for a 26-24 Wheeling lead. Nyamunda then ran a nifty give-and-go with fullback Shdreck Manadaza, and it was Mandaza speeding to the corner. Try Wheeling, and, of course, Musingwini again smacked over a kick. Now it was a two-score lead for Wheeling at 33-24.
But Queens retained their composure. They ran another maul (a real one this time) and lock Tertius Dietrichsen was over. Moments later the big man scored off a pick-and-go, and, with Olivier's conversion, it was now 36-33 for Queens. Time was almost up, and when Wheeling got a penalty at midfield they had to ask Musingwini for one more miracle. He delivered, and the teams tied 36-36.
Queens 36
Tries: Schwartz, van Dyk, Wessels, Rice, Deitrichsen 2
Convs: Olivier 3
Wheeling 36
Tries: Nyamunda 2, Mandaza
Convs: Musingwini 3
Pens: Musingwini 5
Not to be outdone, Walsh held conference leaders and potential #1-ranked St. Bonaventure to a 25-25 tie in North Canton, Ohio.
This was a game in which both teams wanted to play field position and be smart about where they played their rugby. Walsh's defense, with one or two exceptions, has been good and they hit hard. So it wasn't a surprise when, after 12 minutes, Bonnies opted for a Koen Webb penalty attempt from 50 meters. The kick hit the post, and while Walsh got out of that mess, they were eventually penalized again and Webb took the three points.
Walsh does have a tendency to get into penalty trouble and they did again in the first half of this game. This time Bonnies took the lineout, spun it wide and worked the offloads before the forwards drove Tanya Takaendisa over. Webb had no trouble with the kick and SBU led 10-0.Bonnies was offside at midfield and gave up a useless penalty that wing Eliot McKinney put over from long range. That got Walsh on the scoreboard, and McKinney soon followed that with another, somewhat easier kick.
It remained 10-6 until late in the first half when St. Bonaventure got a scrum right on the 22, when to the large weakside, and scored in the corner. McKinney added another for Walsh and it was 15-9 at the break.
And that is typical of Walsh, a team that doesn't go away easily. McKinney slotted another difficult kick 10 minutes into the second half and Bonnies led only 15-12. Really Walsh hadn't gotten that close to the tryline, but St. Bonaventure's lack of discipline in their own half was being punished.
St. Bonaventure could punish pointless penalties, too. A high tackle at midfield set up Webb for a 47-meter kick that flew majestically over the bar. Now it was 18-12.
Walsh's maul has become a strength for them and they used it to good effect to finally take the lead. They opted for the lineout on a penalty and drive it over from 10 meters out. McKinney converted, and Walsh had a 19-18 lead. They added to that ith another McKinney penalty, although Bonnies might be a bit unlucky to have been penalized that time. McKinney was good on the kick and Walsh now led 22-18.
Bonnies needed a try. Actually, first, they needed the ball. And the impatience to get the ball back was probably why they were offside once more, and why McKinney was able to make it 25-18 with about 10 minutes to go.
With six minutes left on the clock, St. Bonaventure kicked out of their end and an excellent chase and tackle produced a holding-on penalty. The kick to the corner got them close, and when Walsh edged offside, Bonnies opted for a tap penalty move. Try St. Bonaventure, despite Walsh's protestations. Webb slotted the goal, and we were all tied up at 25-25.
Bonnies got back into Walsh territory as the game came to a close, but Walsh was able to kick clear, and that's how it ended.
Both teams will be unhappy with the result, one suspects. Neither was able to truly play the game they like to play.
All of those shows how close the ARC is. In eight games so far, five have been within a try (including two ties). Only St. Bonaventure over Belmont Abbey, Wheeling over Kutztown, and Bonnies over Kutztown have seen the teams separated by more than seven points.
Friday's results also mean that both Walsh and Wheeling are still in the conversation for 1st in the conference. Five of the six teams make the NCR playoffs, so really the chase is about getting a favorable seed. Queens, who have not won a game yet, are still in the hunt thanks to bonus points, and with Belmont Abbey, Kutztown, and Walsh left to play, they could make a run for the top spot.
| ARC Standings | W | L | T | PA | PA | PD | BT | BL | Pts |
| St. Bonaventure | 3 | 0 | 1 | 143 | 78 | 65 | 3 | 0 | 17 |
| Wheeling | 1 | 1 | 1 | 94 | 81 | 13 | 2 | 1 | 9 |
| Walsh | 1 | 0 | 1 | 51 | 49 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
| Queens | 0 | 1 | 1 | 65 | 68 | -3 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
| Belmont Abbey | 1 | 1 | 0 | 36 | 62 | -26 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| Kutztown | 0 | 3 | 0 | 54 | 105 | -51 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
