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Baton Rouge Match Report - 3-6-10 |
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Written by Ian
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New Orleans hosted upriver rivals Baton Rouge at the Gretna pitch on March 6 for what both teams knew would be a hard-fought rematch. New Orleans had traveled to Baton Rouge for the first game of its 2010 matrix season and came away with the victory that day. Now four games into the season, both teams were hungry for the win on their second meeting.
"Baton Rouge is always a very tough opponent and we have a great deal of respect for them," says New Orleans head coach Jerry Malina. "I think our team showed great focus and intensity today and we were able to capitalize on some opportunities that made a big difference."
New Orleans prop Jimmy Rehkopf set the tone early, scoring a try on the first possession after a solid series of phases inside the Baton Rouge red zone. Within a few minutes center Jeff Reuther stripped the ball from Baton Rouge in contact, completed an offload and then was in position to get the ball back and run in another try. A penalty call against Baton Rouge soon set up fullback Andrew Quackenbos to add three to the tally.
Back in Baton Rouge territory again, the ball was given the hot potato treatment between New Orleans forwards and backs before it found its way to prop Matt Upton, who completed a 30-meter run to score in the corner. Quackenbos' second conversion of the day then put the score at 22-0, but Baton Rouge was soon to bring its own offensive strength to bear.
A great break by Baton Rouge center Stephen Andrus set up fullback Danny Rosenquist for the visiting team's first try, which Rosenquist also converted. New Orleans made good on another penalty kick opportunity, and later landed a long kick down by the Baton Rouge goal line. Four New Orleans players were shortly on the scene chasing it down and wing David Buckingham snatched up a bad pass by Baton Rouge and put in the try. Quackenbos converted, raising the New Orleans lead to 32-7. Then, with less than two minutes remaining in the first half, Baton Rouge mounted a furious effort near the New Orleans goal line and second row Stefan Miron made the try, which Rosenquist converted, leaving the halftime score at 32-14.
Despite resilient effort by Baton Rouge on both sides of the ball, a number of dramatic plays came together in the second half to extend the New Orleans lead and leave the home team in command. The game resumed with a great chase by scrumhalf Joel McLain down the touchline, setting up a five-meter scrum under the Baton Rouge goal posts. The ball went to Reuther, who completed a scissors pass to fellow center Eric Mackintosh and sent him on his way to score.
Coming in as a fresh reserve at center, Casey Mackintosh soon made his own monster run down the touchline, setting up an exchange through the hands of the backs that delivered the ball to Upton across the pitch for the try. Reuther then made his own big break at mid-field that forced another five-meter scrum. The Baton Rouge forwards retained the ball in the scrum but it came free in the try zone on a bad pass and McLain pounced on it to score the try for New Orleans while the packs were still locked together. Quackenbos soon put up another penalty kick, bringing the score to 50-14.
Baton Rouge was later able to keep the ball in the New Orleans half for extended play. But several threatening runs were halted by knocks and New Orleans would have the last word in the game. Back behind the Baton Rouge 22-meter line, Upton charged in for his third try of the day. Quackenbos added one more conversion -- bringing his stats to four of eight conversion attempts and three of three penalty kicks -- and closed the game out at 57-14.
In B-side action, mixed teams of old boys, veterans and new players slugged it out for an intense game that Baton Rouge carried 13-5.
New Orleans (3-1) next travels to Mobile to face Battleship on March 13.
Final Score - New Orleans 57 - Baton Rouge 14
New Orleans RFC
1) Matt Upton (c); 2) Adam Massey; 3) Jimmy Rehkopf; 4) Jimbo Hotard; 5) Jerry Zifodya; 6) Rob Hoffman; 7) Kevin Kern; 8) Jarrett Falcon; 9) Joel Mclain; 10) Ricky DeCastro; 11) David Buckingham; 12) Eric Mackintosh; 13) Jeff Reuther; 14) Casey Mackintosh; 15) Andrew Quackenbos; 16) Jimmy Courtenay; 17) Tony Breaux; 18) Jason Rich; 19) Chris Beacher; 20) Todd Fitzgerald; 21) Ryan Andree; 22) Brad Guarisco; 23) Joe Palermo
Tries: Rehkopf, Upton (3), Reuther, Buckingham, E. Mackintosh, Mclain
Cons: Quackenbos (4 for 8)
Pen: Quackenbos (3 for 3)
Baton Rouge RFC
1) Derrick Jones; 2) Jason Mapp; 3) Jacob Verret; 4) Randy Broussard; 5) Hunter Guidry; 6) Bretton Somers; 7) Joris van der Ham; 8) Joshua Ott; 9) Wells Carville; 10) Blake Arbour (c); 11) David Solberg; 12) Joseph Bruno; 13) Stephen Andrus; 14) Brandon Leon; 15) Danny Rosenquist; 16) Sid Dobson; 17) Sam Frake; 18) Stefan Miron; 19) Morgan Landry; 20) Hank Hughes; 21) Grant Middleton;
Tries: Rosenquist, Miron
Cons: Rosenquist (2 for 2)
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Jackson Match Report - 2-27-10 |
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Written by Ian
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After giving up a stinging 20-22 defeat at Little Rock last weekend, the New Orleans Rugby Football Club picked up its second win for the 2010 matrix season at home over Jackson.
Scoring started early in the match, with the first points courtesy of a penalty kick by fullback Andrew Quackenbos. Soon thereafter a combination effort by lock Jerry Zifodya and prop Matt Upton set up a successful try by flanker Kevin Kern. Kicking proved difficult on this clear but windy day and with no conversion on that try the score remained 8-0 for a long stretch in the first half. New Orleans retained possession for much of the time, though poor offloads stymied promising runs. Threatening breaks from Jackson were stopped by good defensive effort from the New Orleans backs, however.
"Our energy was strong throughout, though execution was flawed in the beginning," says New Orleans head coach Jerry Malina. "But when we settled down and got into our rhythm the tries started coming."
New Orleans was able to pour it on late in the first half, scoring three tries within the last seven minutes. Eric Mackintosh made a good offload in a tackle to fellow center Jeff Reuther, who dragged a defender several yards before breaking loose past the goal line for the score. Soon back inside Jackson's red zone again, wing Joe Palermo struggled through defenders and made a quick offload to flanker Rob Hoffman, who scored the try. And with the first half winding down, flyhalf Ricky Decastro landed a long kick near the Jackson goal line, raced down to disrupt Jackson's recovery and was promptly joined by prop Jimmy Rehkopf to secure the ball. Scrumhalf Joel McLain set up Upton for a clean try, bringing the New Orleans lead to 27-0 at the half.
With the wind at their backs for the second half, Jackson gave notice that they were not discouraged. After a series of attacks were narrowly stopped near the New Orleans goal line, Jackson center Lee Dyson muscled through and planted a try in the corner.
New Orleans organized a quick response, however, with Mackintosh, wing David Buckingham and Quackenbos completing a series of offloads to bring the ball deep into Jackson territory. Zifodya took the ball from a Jackson lineout and McLain provided a perfect dart for Upton to charge in another try.
The score remained 32-5 as the game clock ticked on, though New Orleans reserves began to make their presence felt. Coming in at center, Casey Mackintosh set up Upton for his third try of the day. The Quackenbos conversion made it 39-5. Soon after, prop Adam Massey made a 40-yard break, though New Orleans soon was called for a penalty, killing the play. Jackson tried to kick for touch, but the ball bounced high near their own 40 meter line and fresh wing Brad Guarisco was there to leap up on the fly, catch it high and sprint in untouched for the final score of the day. Quakenbos was good for four of eight on this windy day, helping bring the tally to 44-5 for New Orleans.
New Orleans (2-1) next hosts a rematch against Baton Rouge at home on the Gretna pitch on March 6.
Final Score - New Orleans 44 - Jackson 5
New Orleans RFC
1) Matt Upton (c); 2) Michael Gibbs; 3) Jimmy Rehkopf; 4) Jimmy Courtenay; 5) Jerry Zifodya; 6) Rob Hoffman; 7) Kevin Kern; 8) Jarrett Falcon; 9) Joel Mclain; 10) Ricky DeCastro; 11) David Buckingham; 12) Eric Mackintosh; 13) Jeff Reuther; 14) Joe Palermo; 15) Andrew Quackenbos; 16) Jason Rich 17) Adam Massey; 18) Timur Alptunaer; 19) Chris Beacher; 20) Brad Guarisco; 21) Ryan Andree; 22) Casey Mackintosh
Tries: Kern, Reuther, Upton (3), Hoffman, Guarisco
Cons: Quackenbos (3 for 7)
Pen: Quackenbos (1 for 1)
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Baton Rouge Match Report - 2-6-10 |
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Written by Ian
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The New Orleans started its 2010 matrix season the right foot with a 41-7 victory over Deep South rival Baton Rouge.
The two teams traded blows for a while on the muddy pitch until a penalty by Baton Rouge set up fullback Andrew Quackenbos for his first kick at goal, which was good. New Orleans was successful in keeping the ball in the Baton Rouge half, though the score stayed 3-0 for some time as a series of good-looking runs were scuttled by knocks or poor offloads.
But New Orleans kept the pressure on, and soon their attacks found the right rhythm. After a quick series of goal line runs with good ball retention, prop Jimmy Rehkopf bulled it in for a try near the goal posts. Shortly, a Baton Rouge penalty near their goal line set up another New Orleans try by prop Matt Upton. A second penalty kick at the end of the half brought the score to 20-0.
But as the second half began, Baton Rouge quickly demonstrated that they would not give up. Joseph "Rudy" Bruno batted down a New Orleans kick near the goal line, gained the ball and ran in for the try. Though it was to be their only try of the day, the Baton Rouge squad continued to threaten throughout the match and put up a stout defense
The New Orleans offense, however, found a way to pour it on as the second half progressed. Center Jeff Reuther hit a hole near the Baton Rouge 40 and dashed the ball across the try line. He did it again a few minutes later and then scored his third try in this second half off a take-away. Quackenbos had a great day kicking, successfully converting all five tries and making two of three penalty goals. Reserves added fresh punch late in the game and helped seal the score at 41-7.
New Orleans (1-0) next travels to Little Rock, Ark., for a Feb. 20 matrix match, then hosts Jackson on Feb. 27 for the first home game of the spring season.
Final Score - New Orleans 41 - Baton Rouge 7
New Orleans RFC
1) Matt Upton (c); 2) Michael Gibbs; 3) Jimmy Rehkopf; 4) Jimbo Hotard; 5) Jerry Zifodya; 6) Rob Hoffman; 7) Kevin Kern; 8) Jarrett Falcon; 9) Joel Mclain; 10) Ricky DeCastro; 11) David Buckingham; 12) Eric Mackintosh; 13) Jeff Reuther; 14) Brad Guarisco; 15) Andrew Quackenbos; 16) Jimmy Courtenay; 17) Tony Breaux; 18) Jason Rich; 19) Chris Beacher; 20) Pat Shubert; 21) Ryan Andree; 22) Mike Eller
Tries: Rehkopf, Upton, Reuther (3)
Cons: Quackenbos (5 for 5)
Pen: Quackenbos (2 for 3)
Baton Rouge RFC
1) Derrick Jones; 2) Jason Mapp; 3) Jacob Verret; 4) Stefan Miron; 5) Hunter Guidry; 6) Bretton Somers; 7) Hank Hughes; 8) Joris van der Ham; 9) Craig Gothreaux; 10) Blake Arbour (c); 11) David Solberg; 12) Josh Ott; 13) Tasker Hewitt; 14) Brandon Leon; 15) Danny Rosenquist; 16) Sid Dobson; 17) Gift Egbelu; 18) Wells Carville; 19) Stephen Andrus; 20) Jerome Crawford; 21) Joseph Bruno; 22) Morgan Landry
Tries: Bruno
Cons: Rosenquist (1 for 1)
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SPRING SCHEDULE
Our first matrix match, at Baton Rouge, is not far off. Here's the full spring schedule:
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