by thepom02 | May 14, 2018 | Featured, Fundraising, News
Once again, LPRFC will be participating in St. Baldrick’s – Buzzed for Babies event to raise money to conquer childhood cancer.
The event will be held Sunday, May 20th at Murphy’s Bleachers from 1-5. Last year we raised over $2,000 and Jahner has had a shaved head ever since.
The only requirements to participate are to show up and drink. We’ll take donations through the team page below, there will be 50/50 raffle tickets on sale, a silent auction, and you can shave your head if you like.
Here is the link to our team page, please share and donate:
https://www.stbaldricks.org/teams/mypage/120865/2018
Here is the link to the event summary from last year:
https://lincolnparkrfc.com/2017/04/st-baldricks-fundraiser/
by thepom02 | May 6, 2018 | Featured, Match Reports, News, Rugby
LPRFC 55 Wisconsin 30
On the seasonal Friends and Family Day, Park indulged their enthusiastic supporters with a try-laden performance. Credit too must be given to their opponents Wisconsin who contributed to a game of entertaining, attacking rugby on a hot spring day.
Due to the last minute cancellation of their scheduled second game opposition, Oconomowoc, Park made the choice to get all players available into the single game. This effectively meant wholesale changes at half-time, but by then Park’s starting XV had put up 43 points to no reply.
It was as good a start as Park could have wished with 3 tries in the opening 12 minutes. A 40-yard run from Schwartz began the day after just 2 minutes; a run that probably covered closer to double the official total as he cut back and forth across the field. Branham doubled the lead just 3 minutes later taking advantage of an overlap created wide on the left.
When Schwartz added his second score, this time from a measured 80 yards, Park were well on their way to victory. Park did have to weather some pressure from Wisconsin but when their opponents were finally driven back from Park’s line, Park once again resumed control.
Countering from a Wisconsin kick, Park attacked the left-hand side and Marunde took a Bean skip pass the distance for his try.
Two tries from the skipper, Brady, the second an interception run back under the posts put Park firmly in control and a Jahner try on the stroke of half-time pushed the scoreboard past 40.
In the early stages of the second half, Wisconsin struck back with two tries of their own before Park regained their momentum, now with a completely new team. A long run from Olander setup Aeillo on the short-side and Leyman added to his scoring run of late, this time with a more pedestrian stroll. However, the heat obviously did affect his speed as “the fastest prop you have ever seen” was caught from behind despite stepping his opposition fullback.
Wisconsin finished strongly with 4 tries in the final quarter but Park saw out the game for a convincing win.
Thanks to all who came to watch and support the club; your continued presence at our games is a huge motivational factor in our performances.
Squad: Lund, Boroski, Boghani, Perrizo, Schaede, Togher, Schwartz, Jahner, Brady, Bean, Finnegan, Griffin, Branham, Ehlert, Marunde, Sowa, Harvey, Primdahl, Leyman, McCaffrey, Hildreth, Jewell, Beatley, Aeillo, O’Malley, Boretti, Huschen, Frisch, Weed, Olander, Mullen, Horan, Wright, Rosenfeld, Prengeman, Hill, Andrus, Piekarski, Erik,
Try: Schwartz 2, Brady 2, Branham 1, Marunde 1, Jahner 1, Aeillo 1, Leyman 1
Con: Bean 4, O’Malley 1
by thepom02 | Apr 29, 2018 | Match Reports, News, Rugby
LPRFC D2 22 Fox Valley 19
After pulling away to what was starting to look like a winning lead, Park was forced to dig deep and make their tackles to keep a spirited Fox Valley team from gaining a home field win. As in many recent games, Fox Valley provided a stern test for Park.
Playing with the wind in the first half, Park did take an early advantage when Finnegan recovered a dinked, chip kick over the Fox Valley defence in the right corner. Playing on a wider field than the previous week, Park’s young wing often found a little more space to show a little of his attacking potential throughout the game.
With the backs a little out of sync, and finding it difficult in the wind to time their passes, it was the forwards who put Park on the front foot. Allen was as always a willing carrier in the close quarters and the rest of his pack did their own share of the graft.
Rasmussen doubled Park’s lead with what is fast becoming a trademark run. Time and again this season, the hooker has looked to have been held only to break free with a strong leg drive. This week was no exception as he broke clear to score close to the posts.
A quick retort from the Maoris pulled them back within a converted try before Bean dived over from short range following a break from Finnegan with good support by Davis.
When another supporting run by Davis saw the fullback score for himself, Park was beginning to look like they may pull away but Fox Valley fought back.
A clever kick to the corner saw them add to their first-half score about midway through the second and with still 12 minutes remaining a converted try – flipped back inside from their scrumhalf – brought them within three points.
Park looked to have made the game safe when Marunde scooped up a loose ball and ran it back a full 90 yards, only to have the try brought back for a Fox valley knock-on advantage.
Fox Valley probed Park’s line in the final few minutes, but Park held firm for a nail-biting win.
Team: Lund, Rasmussen, Waryjas, Allen (Barnard), Perrizo (Togher), Schwartz, Laux, Jahner, Brady, Bean, Finnegan, Peirino, Branham, Marunde (Ehlert), Davis
Try: Finnegan 1, Rasmussen 1, Bean 1, Davis 1
Con: Bean 1
MOM: Rasmussen
LPRFC D3 48 Fox Valley 29
After a to and fro first half, Park finally settled into their rhythm and came away with a comfortable win against a Fox Valley team who for a spell looked like they had Park on the ropes.
Park began the game brightly with Huschen, Frisch and Ehlert making good ground in the backline and the forwards doing enough to give the backs front-foot ball. Huschen, in particular, turned back the clock with a couple of long breaks stepping inside his covering man.
Weed opened the scoring after 5 minutes, following up intricate passing down the right wing from Ehlert, Rosenfeld and McDowell. Then, still only ten minutes into the match, a slanted Frisch cut-back run saw the centre touchdown under the posts.
Aeillo scored the first of his two tries to add to Park’s total taking a weakside pass from Jewell after Park had stolen a Fox Valley scrum.
With three tries in the first 15 minutes, Park was starting to look comfortable but failure to keep up the pressure eventually allowed Fox Valley back into the game. A pushover try gave Fox Valley their first points at the 30-minute mark before two more quick scores in the next 7 minutes brought them back to within two points.
At this point, Park was on their heels with several missed tackles putting themselves under undue pressure.
Right before the half-time whistle, Park edged away a little further. Park’s kickoff from the Maori last try was caught by McDowell and returned close to the Fox Valley line and when Park’s opponents were caught offside, Togher took a quick tap penalty to score.
In the second half, despite making changes, Park regained their earlier fluidity. Spurred on by a chippy, verbal Aeillo at scrumhalf, Park soon had the momentum in their favour. Another Huschen break was well supported by his No. 9 for his second try.
Kowalski moved the scoreboard and the pile of defenders to dive over from short range from another short tap penalty before new boy Pat split a couple of Maori scores scampering under the posts.
Schwartz completed the scoring returning what looked initially like a dropped kickoff, 80 yards for the try.
All in all, a well-deserved win for Park in a good performance despite the short let down at the end of the first half.
Team: Sowa (Olcum), Mullen (Harvey), Kowalski (Primdahl), Leyman, Baum (Adrian), McDowell (Hildreth), Jewell, Togher (Pat), Aeillo, Huschen, Rosenfeld, Frisch (O’Malley), Weed (Olander), Andrus (Piekawski), Ehlert
Try: Aeillo 2, Weed 1, Frisch 1, Togher 1, Kowalski 1, Pat 1, Schwartz 1
Con: Huschen 2 O’Malley 2
MOM: Aeillo
by thepom02 | Apr 22, 2018 | Featured, Match Reports, News, Rugby
Four wins from four games propelled Park to a well-deserved victory in their first year entering this tournament. With a mixed roster of D2 and D3 players, this was a true club performance keyed by a stalwart defensive effort with only 3 tries conceded across the four games and two of those coming with practically the final play of the game.
An early morning kickoff versus their cross-town rivals, the SS Irish, saw Park begin their campaign with a convincing win after a cagey start. Only a Bean penalty separated the two teams midway through the first half but Park pulled away over the second ten minutes. A long Ehlert break set up Allen and then two lineout steals from Schwartz saw him score one try and set up another for Dougherty to slam-dunk for his score.
Ehlert completed the first half scoring and even after making multiple substitutions in the second half, Park never lost their momentum with Griffin and debutant Pat both adding to the total before the Irish dived over from short range on the game’s last play.
The second match against Fox Valley proved to be the most difficult of the day with Park’s opponents proving tough to break down and a physical team on attack. Despite having a lot of territorial advantage, Park was unable to break through in the first half. There was some fine counter-attacking from Borretti, Finnegan, and Davis from the back three but the Maoris held firm.
Allen scored early in the second half but Fox Valley replied with just a few minutes left leaving the game finely balanced.
With a prop shortage, Park was forced to adapt throughout the day and kudos must be given to stand-in props Dougherty and Leyman for resolutely holding up Park’s scrum bolstered by a couple of guest appearances from Bitar and ‘The Godfather”, Bob LaPorte.
It was the front-row who eventually broke the deadlock but not in their usual manner. If you are thinking of grisly. gnarly mauls, then think again. A 60-yard burst from the self-proclaimed “World’s Fastest Prop”, Leyman, rounding the opposition fullback, gave Park their lead for good.
An adjusted schedule meant Park were faced with back-to-back games in the afternoon. To balance the fatigue factor, Park started their usual finishers and they stepped up to the mark to propel Park into the final.
Finnegan opened the scoring, the recipient of a Huschen chip kick and ‘Little Joe” Drew debuting at 10 added to the score. Piekarski could have further added to the total but proved to be too fast for the short try zones. A Schwartz try put the game beyond doubt but the NIU team showed good determination to get a late try of their own.
And so to the final against suburban rivals Chicago Blaze. This was a game keyed by superb defense. Time and again, the Blaze put together 1o-12 phases of play but rarely did they even edge forward as Park, lead by their back-row of McDowell, Laux, and Schwartz stood firm and stopped dead each Blaze runner.
For the second time on the day, Park went in at the half tied at 0-0. However, in the second half Park turned on the style. From the opening kickoff, recovered by Schwartz to run under the posts for the first try of his hat-trick to his game-ending score, Park was on the ascendency.
Schwartz’s second score was the result of following up a Brady half-break and taking a pop pass as Brady stumbled and Finnegan added Park’s third try, touching down in the corner after his forward pack had rumbled inside the Blaze twenty-two with a driving maul.
All in all a fine all-around performance.
Squad: Dougherty, Leyman, Primdahl, Bitar, Laporte, Rasmussen, Mullen, Allen, Baum, Jahner, Schwartz, Laux, McDowell, Johnson, Hildreth, Pat, Brady, Aiello, Bean, Drew, O’Malley, Griffin, Marunde, Huschen, Frisch, Boretti, Finnegan, Piekarski, Weed,Ehlert, Davis
by thepom02 | Apr 1, 2018 | Match Reports, News, Rugby
St Louis Bombers 22 LPRFC 5
With a relatively inexperienced squad, containing many fringe and upcoming players, and against an opponent who is the current D2 National Championship runner-up, Park gave their opponents all they could handle.
In wet conditions, the difference between the two sides proved to be the effectiveness of converting created chances; in terms of possession and territory, Park stood up to and matched their more experienced opposition.
Park began brightly and after weathering initial pressure with a disciplined defence, they turned the momentum. Strong running from Schaede and especially Perrizo put Park on the front foot. It was also welcome back to Terhaar, who not only anchored a steady Park scrum but found opportunities in the loose to barrage over more than one Bomber defender.
Eschewing a very makeable penalty kick at posts, Park continued to look for the try, and when they found a little space close to the left sideline, Andrus with a strong run and dive stretched out for the score.
The Bombers replied 6 minutes later creating space wide on their right wing but it is doubtful that their fullback remembers the pass he made to put away his winger, taking a big Davis hit as he released the ball.
Throughout the game, Park’s back row more than made up for their lack of pounds with quickness across the field. Johnson (continuing his brief but impressive appearances last season), Jewell and the seemingly omnipresent Laux were a constant threat both as ball carriers and at the breakdown. Rasmussen too added the qualities of a back row player from his hooker position.
A second, late, first-half try and two more in the second period edged the Bombers to what turned out to be an unassailable lead but Park never gave up. Kowalski was held up over the line and Branham was beaten by inches to a clever kick and chase under the posts.
All in all, this was a tough road trip but one in which Park has shown the future is bright with many newer players stepping up. Some of the new training methods too were seen to be paying dividends, with the twinkle-toed Boghani putting the ladder footwork drills to effective use with a sidestep last seen on the dance floor.
Team: Bogani (Terhaar), Rasmussen, Terhaar (Kowalski), Schaede, Perrizo (Boghani), Johnson (Jewell), Laux, Jewell (Jahner), Brady, Bean, Holmes (Olander), Branham, Jahner (Weed), Andrus (Finnegan), Davis (Holmes)
Try: Andrus
MOM: Laux
