Date: Saturday, September 27, 2003
Philadelphia-Whitemarsh 19
NOVA 14
Site – Memorial Hall Field
Referee – SpankyPHILADELPHIA – Philadelphia-Whitemarsh showed more depth than it has all season when a fresh second-15 made tidy work of almost the entire NOVA first side in a 19-14 victory.
Speedy winger Dan "Deon" Kateusz returned to action after a long absence and made his presence felt, scoring the first try of the day in the second minute of play and putting relentless pressure on NOVA’s back three.
Kateusz chased down a deep Stephen Siano kick, blocked the kick attempt by NOVA’s fullback and picked up the blocked ball for a try that went uncoverted. Score: 5-0 P-W.
Another blast-from-the-past was provided by long-time second-side captain Eric "Grandpa" Ebert, who dotted down in the 19th minute. G-Pa got the ball from 12-meters out, spun out of one tackle and ran through and arm tackle before hitting paydirt. Joel Venables’ convertion put P-W up 12-0 at half.
NOVA’s backs made a big break early in the second quarter and got their side back into the match with a try and convertion. Score: 12-7, P-W.
But less than two minutes later lock Julio Vergara blasted in off the blind side of a ruck and dotted down a try. Vergara, playing for the first time since the Spring, was impressive on several hard runs throughout the day.
Venables’ convertion put P-W up 19-7, a score that remained unchanged until the final minute of the match, when NOVA’s quick scrumhalf went in for a try that was later converted, making the final 19-14.
Notable performances were turned in by flanker and former club captain Andy Newcombe, who played his first match of the Fall season as he begins to gear up for the Spring, and lock Tom O’Malley, who was recognized for making the hit of the day.
Earning Michelob Man-of-the-Match honors were 8-man Mark Nuttal and scrumhalf Keith Cassidy.
P-W Roster
1 Andrew Fusco
2 Eric Ebert
3 Joel Venables
4 Tom O’Malley
5 Julio Vergara
6 John Moore
7 Andy Newcombe
8 Mark Nuttal
9 Keith Cassidy
10 Stephen Siano
11 Dan Kateusz
12 Mike DeAngelo
13 Justin Cassidy
14 Spiros Malaspinas
15 Ted Loos
Substitutes: Anthony Fiorelli, flanker; Don Foy, flyhalfMichael Badger, Club Scribe