Philadelphia-Whitemarsh 31
5 tries: Preston, Fischel, Sucher (2), Tulio; 3 convertions: Crowe
Boston 22
3 tries; 2 convertions; 1 penalty kick
Referee – Zinzan (South Carolina)
The Captain Rambles
PHILADELPHIA – Philadelphia-Whitemarsh enjoyed a clean sweep of Boston Saturday at Memorial Hall Field, including the club’s first Rugby Super League victory of 2002.
In the featured match, Philadelphia-Whitemarsh’s first side got out of the blocks early with tries from captain Jeff Preston and winger Brian Fischel, both of which were converted by outside center Vaughn Crowe for a 14-0 lead just 15 minutes into the match.
Preston, a physical education teacher at Germantown Academy, broke through the Boston defense from his inside center position and ripped-off a 40 meter run to tally his score. Fischel, of Lansdale, Pa., knocked back one defender on the way to dotting-down after Philadelphia-Whitemarsh stole a Boston scrum 15 meters out and spun the ball wide.
Boston tallied two unanswered scores – a penalty goal and a try – in the next eight minutes to put the score at 14-10. In the 28th minute of play, Philadelphia-Whitemarsh’s Andrey Biryukov (Cherry Hill, NJ) tipped back a perfect lineout ball and former USA Eagle prop George Sucher (Conshohocken, Pa.) went on the attack, flashing in for a try from 20 meters out. Crowe’s convertion made the halftime score 21-10 in favor of the home side.
The second half saw Philadelphia-Whitemarsh continue its dominance in the scrums, evidence that the team’s new state-of-the-art Predator scrum machine was worth the price tag.
In open field the club was led by the intense play of flanker Greg Wolfle (Lansdale, Pa.) and the veteran savvy of 8-man Jim Brill (Philadelphia).
Several hard runs by Wolfle put Boston on its heels and a nifty blind-side run by Brill set up Philadelphia-Whitemarsh’s next score.
Prop Sam Fiorelli (Yardley, Pa.) took the ball off Brill, drawing-in the defense so scrumhalf Anasa Koroitamana (Malvern, Pa.) could spin the ball to the backs. Flyhalf and head coach David Niu (Aston, Pa.) – another former USA Eagle – poked a perfect kick into the try zone, where fullback Louis Tulio (Blue Bell, Pa.) tracked it down for his first Rugby Super League try. The missed convertion left the score at 26-10.
Boston proved it would not go down easily, scoring a try of its own five minutes later to cut the deficit to 26-17. But Sucher would put the finishing touches on the victory with his second try of the day, picking the ball off the base of a ruck and charging down the blind side to dot down from 10 meters out.
The visitors would manage one more try, but it wouldn’t be enough to keep Philadelphia-Whitemarsh out of the win column. The final score read 31-22 in favor of Philadelphia-Whitemarsh.
For his inspired play, including the tackle of the day that took a Boston defender high off his feet then flat on his back, flanker Greg Wolfle was voted the Tetley’s English Ale Man-of-the-Match.
Philadelphia-Whitemarsh also received a boost from the play of winger Jack Foley (King of Prussia, Pa.), who returned from an injury to make several key runs on the day.
Philadelphia-Whitemarsh First-Side Roster
1 Sam Fiorelli (Yardley, Pa.)
2 John Grace (Chadds Ford, Pa.)
3 George Sucher (Conshohocken, Pa.)
4 Tyson Campbell (Wilmington, DE)
5 Jack Dyer (Cherry Hill, NJ)
6 Andrey Biryukov (Cherry Hill, NJ)
7 Greg Wolfle (Lansdale, Pa.)
8 Jim Brill (Philadelphia)
9 Anasa Koroitamana (Malvern, Pa.)
10 David Niu (Aston, Pa.)
11 Jack Foley (King of Prussia, Pa.)
12 Jeff Preston (Philadelphia)
13 Vaughn Crowe (Blue Bell, Pa.)
14 Brian Fischel (Lansdale, Pa.)
15 Louis Tulio (Blue Bell, Pa.)
Substitutes: Joe Cassidy (Wayne, Pa.) for Wolfle; Dair DiRemiggio for Sucher; Marc Frey (Philadelphia) for Crowe
Philadelphia-Whitemarsh’s third- and second-sides began and ended the day with victories, giving the club a clean sweep for the day.
In the first game, Philadelphia-Whitemarsh’s third-side earned a 29-12 win behind two tries apiece from young English winger Robert Leslie (Malvern, Pa.) and outside center Sal Raniello (Langhorne, Pa.). Also scoring for Philadelphia-Whitemarsh was veteran back Jim Rosato (Downingtown, Pa.)
The third side also received excellent play from flanker Ed Curran (Malvern, Pa.) and 19-year-old hooker Eric Consolo, who earned Tetley’s English Ale Man-of-the-Match honors for his performance.
Philadelphia-Whitemarsh’s second side capped-off the day with a hard-fought 29-22 win, led again by the punishing running of flanker Zack Padgett of Levittown.
Padgett, who garnered Tetley’s English Ale Man-of-the-Match honors, tallied one try and broke off numerous big runs to keep Philadelphia-Whitemarsh on the attack.
The home side also got a boost from a trio of Conestoga High School graduates. Veteran 8-man Alexander McCurry turned in another solid performance while brothers Bob and Joe Cassidy each ripped-off big runs from their scrumhalf and flanker positions, respectively.
Former Villanova University Rugby captain Mark Sanders (Havertown, Pa.) also turned-in an impressive performance from his prop position.
Other scorers for Philadelphia-Whitemarsh were Australian winger Matt Smith, now of King of Prussia, Pa., and fellow wing Fred Backhaus of Langhorne, who dotted down twice.
Fullback/hooker Brian Dunbar (Media, Pa.) added nine points on three convertions and a penalty goal.
Philadelphia-Whitemarsh 2nd-Side Roster
1 Mark Sanders (Havertown, Pa.)
2 Eric Ebert (Ardsley, Pa.)
3 Dair DiRemiggio
4 Fred Koniecki (Philadelphia)
5 Paul Sundquist (Norristown, Pa.)
6 Zack Padgett (Levittown, Pa.)
7 Joe Cassidy (Wayne Pa.)
8 Alexander McCurry (Chester Springs, Pa.)
9 Bob Cassidy (Lansdale, Pa.)
10 Mike Badger (Phoenixville, Pa.)
11 Fred Backhaus (Langhorne, Pa.)
12 Spiros Malaspina (Mullica Twp. NJ)
13 Phil Shipos (Morrisville, Pa.)
14 Matt Smith (King of Prussia, Pa.)
15 Brian Dunbar (Media, Pa.)
Substitutes: Marc Frey; M.C. Laubshcer; Sal Raniello; Rob Smith
Philadelphia-Whitemarsh 3rd-Side Roster
1 Matt Hull (Malvern, Pa.)
2 Eric Consolo (Phoenixville, Pa.)
3 Robert Shannon (Phila.)
4 Tom O’Malley (Phila.)
5 Jez Batten (NJ)
6 Mike McKenzie (Aston, Pa.)
7 Ed Curran (Malvern, Pa.)
8 Keith McLean (Charlestown, Pa.)
9 Howard Kim (Bryn Mawr, Pa.)
10 Stephen Siano (Haverford, Pa.)
11 Robert Leslie (Malvern, Pa.)
12 Marsh Pennington (Royersford, Pa.)
13 Sal Raniello (Langhorne, Pa.)
14 John Walton (Devon, Pa.)
15 Steve Hynes (Collegeville, Pa.)
Substitutes: Matt Szkotak; Marty Blash; Steve Bugh; Jim Rosato; Taku Mizutani; Ed Logue
Michael Badger, Club Scribe