South Championship Match: Chapel Hill Highlanders v Alpharetta Phoenix

In bright and blustery conditions, the Highlanders walked over to Furman University's Roberts Rugby Field to take on Alpharetta Phoenix of Fulton County, Georgia for the 2010 U19 South Championship at 1.30 on Sunday afternoon.

Playing with the wind and sun at their backs, the Highlanders received the ball from the kick-off and immediately were into their game, however it was Alpharetta who opened the scoring after 7 minutes with an unconverted try: Highlanders 0, Alpharetta 5.

Just 3 minutes later the Highlanders' presssure won them a penaly which Arthur Wagner scored from 48 meters with the precision of a marksman. Highlanders 3, Alpharetta 5. They had a chance to kick themselves into a one point lead on the 16th minute, but Wagner's kick went just wide.

Alpharetta's resulting posession play led to a try under the posts, which was easily converted to widen the margin to nine points: Highlanders 3, Alpharetta 12.

The Highlanders went right back deep into Alpharetta territory and won another penalty, which again sailed wide of the uprights.

The vocal North Carolina supporters, (which sportingly for this game included the players, coach and followers of The Union County Lions), did not have long to wait, as Jonathan Marshall ran in the first Highlanders try on 26 minutes to make the score; Highlanders 8, Alpharetta 12.

Alpharetta stepped up a gear for the rest of the half, and mounted a series of close range attacks within 22 meters of the Highlanders' line. This paid off just on the stroke of half-time when a converted Alpharetta try widend the lead to eleven points; Highlanders 8, Alpharetta 19.

In the second half the Highlanders were playing into the wind, and had a more even share of the posession and territory as they set about overturning the eleven point deficit.

The scores remained unchanged for virtually all of the second half, with both teams missing an opportunity to score 3-point kicks. Alpharetta scored their final try with 4 minutes to go, but failed to convert.

At the death, Sebastian Torres scored a scorching breakaway try to make the score Highlanders 13, Alpharetta 24.

So with the final whistle it was the turn of Alpharetta Phoenix to represent the South Region at the National Championships in Salt Lake City in May.



While understandably disappointed, all concerned with Chapel Hill Highlanders Rugby congratulate Alpharetta Phoenix as well as Single School Champions, Charlotte Catholic, on their wins and wish them both well as they compete with the best in the nation next month.

Meanwhile the Highlanders are focused on the State Championship semi-final, and another match against the Union County Lions on May 2nd at Cedar Falls Park in Chapel Hill.

Saturday Evening: Seafood, Song .... and Feet

After Saturday's game against Spring Valley, the players, coaches and supporters dried out, changed and headed off to a local seafood restaurant in Easley. Following dinner, the Seniors (and there are a lot of them this season!) serenaded the various Team Moms with a "unique" version of a song from the Lion King, "Can you feel the love tonight?"
We certainly did ...... and you too can relive the moment when ever you wish. So what about the feet reference? You'd have to ask a Coach about that...

Video courtesy of Coach Carl Dornan and photograph courtesy of Team Manager Carlos Torres. Verbal ramblings via Blackberry from our designated Driver, Richard Jordan!

Game 2: Highlanders vs. Spring Valley (SC)

Having beaten the top seed in the first game of the day, the Highlanders had to wait until 5.30 to face Spring Valley from South Carolina, who had earlier narrowly beaten a spirited VC Gold side after extra time.

During the day much rain fell over Furman, but the pitch held up extremely well throughout the afternoon.



Any concerns about this game being dominated by forwards playing a traditional English-style game (keeping and endlessly recycling the ball through multiple phases), were dispelled after 2 minutes when Sebastian Torres capped a fluid move by touching down. Arthur Wagner converted, to make it 7:0.

As the Highlanders imposed their territorial superiority, Ian Toth was quickest to react to a fumbled  Spring Valley scrum and grounded the ball on 11 minutes. Wagner converted for the second time - 14:0.

On 15 minutes Jonathon Marshall burst through the Spring Valley line to score between to the posts, and with the third Wagner conversion the scoreboard read 21:0.

With a minute left in the half, Dallas Owens scored an impressive try from a Highlanders lineout. Half-time and the scoreboard read 26:0.

The second half saw a number of player rotations as the Highlanders large squad came into its own and within one minute of the re-start, the damp but delerious crowd was treated to a classic Highlanders try.
The ball was spun out to the wing and Chris Jacques rounded a superb move off to make it 31:0.

With 8 minutes to go Tim Torres increased the margin further to 36:0, and the Highlanders sealed an impressive performance with an additional converted penalty slotted home by Sebastian Torres. Final score: Highlanders 39: Spring Valley 0.



The Highlanders play for the title and the right to represent the South at the National tournament in Salt Lake City, tomorrow afternoon. Their opponents will be Georgia's Alpharetta Phoenix.

Photos and Notes on this game transmitted from under a big umbrella via Blackberry by Richard Jordan.

2010 Souths! Game 1: Highlanders vs. Chapin (SC)

Early morning showers at Furman University left a wet surface on the Roberts Rugby Field.

Highlanders (seeded 4) were first up against 5th seeded Chapin, the top South Carolina team in a game of 2 twenty minute halves.

Chapin kicked off and immediately had the Highlanders under pressure, winning a penalty that Chapin missed after 2 minutes.


On 4 minutes Highlanders got a penalty that Arthur Wagner converted from a difficult angle to take a 3:0 lead.



In a tense first half, possession and territory were evenly matched with the Highlanders steadily exerting pressure, resulting in another penalty on 15 minutes. From 40 meters, Wagner converted to make it 6:0.



Chapin started a period of concerted pressure in the Highlanders 22, but thanks to stout defending the score remained unchanged at half-time.

5 minutes after the re-start the Highlanders got another penalty closer to the posts but the Wagner's kick drifted wide.

Another period of Chapin pressure and strong Highlander defence followed with Chapin even opting to run a kickable penalty during this phase of the game.



16 minutes into the half the Highlanders had another opportunity to go nine points clear, but again Wagner's kick just missed the uprights.

A sustained period of Chapin pressure followed, but the Highlanders resisted and proceeded into the next round where they will play either Spring Valley from South Carolina or VC Gold, the team they narrowly lost to on the first day of the season.


Head Coach Robert Joseph said; "a real nail-biter against a very capable Chapin team, but resolute defence and discipline won the day".



Notes on this game transmitted by Blackberry from our expert and reliable correspondent on the field Richard Jordan! Photographs by Emily Prins and WebMastery by Jan Prins. Click images for larger versions.

Highlanders 2010 Rugby season finally underway

The Highlanders Youth Rugby Club of Chapel Hill kicked off its 2010 season late last month with an afternoon feast of U13 and U15 games as well as the NC Under-19 league fixture against state rival Vance Cabarrus Gold.

Recent wintry weather effectively delayed the season opener by three weeks, but the club started its seventh season in perfect conditions on a full-sized pitch at Cedar Falls Park in Chapel Hill, complete with proper rugby posts, bought by the HRC and installed by the town.

VC Gold started aggressively and scored an unconverted try after 5 minutes. Highlanders soon found their rhythm, and pulled the score back to 3-5 thanks to a Willem Prins penalty. Gold stretched their lead off an interception and still led 10-8 despite a try in the 29th minute by HRC's Sebastian Torres.

The visitors spent nearly 25 minutes with 14 men on the field, with the referee enforcing tight discipline for dangerous play and other infringements. Despite the numerical advantage, it wasn't until the 59th minute that the Highlanders were able to take a one-point lead, thanks to another Prins penalty kick. That score remained until 3 minutes before the end, when a spirited VC Gold attack breached the Highlanders defense for a try under the posts, which the visitors duly converted. The final score: Vance Cabarrus Gold 17, Highlanders 11.

"It was a tough game yesterday but there's lots of good learning that we can take away," said HRC coach Robert Joseph. "It was good to see the boys playing at last and there were a lot of positives too. One of these is that we had four new players -- Ian Toth, Gordon Morris, Matt Leary and Stephen Belch -- get significant game time which is great."

Perhaps just as great for the HRC was the goal posts, said Joseph. "We're very grateful to Butch Kasiah, Susie Whaley and Bernard Leach, who we worked with to install the posts."

-- Richard Jordan