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Missed Opportunities - The Story For Philadelphia-Whitemarsh Location: Memorial Hall, Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, PA Date: Saturday, March 31, 2001 Result: Philadelphia-Whitemarsh 10 Washington 12 Referee: Steve Scott (Canada, A-1) Field: Wet and muddy Scoring: P-W – 1 try (Palena); 1 convertion (Crowe); 1 penalty (Crowe) Wash. – 2 tries; 1 convertion Philadelphia-Whitemarsh Roster 1 Dair DiRemiggio 2 Brian Dunbar 3 Paul Sundquist 4 Jack Dyer 5 Mike Verrill 6 Michiel Laubscher 7 Scott Palena 8 Jim Brill 9 Kris Johnson 10 Adrian Stoch 11 Joe Cassidy 12 Jack Foley 13 Vaughn Crowe 14 Joe Eichinger 15 Don Foy Substitutions: Phil Tahana, wing; Big Irish Donald, second row Missed opportunities were the story of the day for Philadelphia-Whitemarsh, which suffered its second Super League 2001 loss to a Washington side that hadn’t won a league match in a year. Playing in the sloppiest conditions yet this Spring, Philadelphia-Whitemarsh started off on its heels, allowing a Washington push-over try in the fourth minute of play. The convertion failed and the score was 5-0. Solid defense by Philadelphia-Whitemarsh kept Washington at bay for most of the remainder of the match. In the 12th minute, Philadelphia-Whitemarsh flanker Scott Palena chased down a high up-and-under kick from flyhalf Adrian Stoch and Washington was penalized for not releasing in the tackle. That gave the home side an opportunity to close the gap with a penalty kick, but the heavy, wet ball and difficult footing undid normally accurate outside center Vaughn Crowe and the score remained 5-0. Washington got what would be the game-winning score in the 23rd minute when it brought down a lineout ball deep in Philadelphia-Whitemarsh territory and a flanker broke off the ensuing driven maul for an easy try. The convertion put Washington up 12-0. Philadelphia-Whitemarsh dug in and began to fight its way back, pushing the ball into Washington’s end on several long breaks. Finally, in the last minute of the half, P-W scored when flanker MC Laubscher kicked ahead and the Washington fullback dropped the ball in the tackle. Philadelphia-Whitemarsh prop Paul Sundquist picked up the ball and fed a bursting Palena, who took it in for a try from 30 meters out. Crowe’s convertion brought the halftime score to 12-7. Philadelphia-Whitemarsh seemed poised for a comeback when Crowe nailed a penalty kick in the 11th minute of the second half, bringing the score to 12-10, but the field conditions worked against both teams for the remainder of the match, which would see no more scores. Crowe and Stoch both were unable to take advantage of penalty kick opportunities late in the match and Philadelphia-Whitemarsh walked off the pitch knowing full well that a victory had just slipped through its muddy fingers. For his all-around performance on the day, try-scorer Scott Palena was named the Tetley’s English Ale Man-of-the-Match. Michael Badger, Club Scribe