By Tony Brown
Head Coach

NEW YORK, NY (October 21, 2007) -- This was a tale of two halves. After the first 40 minutes Columbia led 10-7 and it had been an absorbing first half. Vassar had squandered three good attacking opportunities and might well have led at the interval. They moved the ball well and rucked very quickly to set up opportunities. But a few basic mistakes, missed tackles, and some exceptional open field running by the home team, put Columbia in the lead. The stage was set for a great second half but nobody, neither coaches nor players from either team, expected the offensive explosion from Columbia that demolished the Brewers.


Vassar College Men 7 v Columbia University Men 46
Tries: Chris Magnani (1).
Cons: Garrett Montgomery (1).

Rarely has a Vassar team been so demolished. Maybe Columbia wanted to avenge last fall when the Brewers scored 47 points in an emphatic win, in any event the Columbia players were eager and more committed in the loose.

Ironically, the first half was for the most part Vassar monopolizing the ball and Columbia on the defensive. The home team kicked poorly a couple of times, passed the ball deep along their backs and were caught in possession, and they were being shoved around in the scrums!


Having said that they looked very dangerous in open play and Vassar did not turn possession and territory in to points. It was to prove part of their undoing. After the first 20 minutes, which saw Vassar go ahead 7-0 when Chris Magnani squirmed over for a try, the running off the ball was almost lethargic. There was no change of pace and it seemed like Vassar was going through the motions.


The backs were certainly out of sorts both in attack and defense. The Vassar wings need to keep on the outside shoulder of their opposite number if they are to prevent themselves from being skinned as happened a couple of times. In addition Omar Fayyaz at 10 offered no threat when he ran plays because he ran either sideways or backwards. This put the whole line on the back foot and made defending easy for Columbia.


Columbia scored 2 tries in that first half but not until the final 5 minutes. Both were the result of some awful tackling as Columbia players danced left and rght and off loaded to support players until they found space. Even after that Vassar had a lineout 10 meters from the Columbia tryline that they almost drove over, but then knocked-on! So the teams turned around at 10-7.


Right from the re-start Columbia turned over Fayyaz and then barged in for the important first score. They led 17-7 after the conversion and you could see the Vassar heads drop. Vassar did not enter the Columbia 22 for the remainder of the game! It was a case of bad decisions, poor tackling, and a complete meltdown. Two ill-advised kicks were returned for scores and then a couple of promising linebreaks by Vassar were halted and the ball turned over. The turnovers led to either great field position for Columbia or a try!


Columbia did an excellent job of disrupting the set pieces and the Vassar backs never imposed their defense on the game. Too often they were outflanked or not up quickly enough and the tackles themselves were not hard enough.


So Vassar finishes at 5-1 while Columbia is 6-0. Columbia advances to the Met. NY Division I title game and will face USMMA next Sunday at Vassar.


Vassar will compete in the Met NY Division II playoffs as they face Seton Hall University at Vassar on Sunday October 28, 2007. This is the semifinal and if they make the final they will go to the regional playoffs. If they win the final, to be played later that same day, the Brewers will go as the number 4 regional seed.


There is still a lot to play for, but far more importantly this team needs to regain it's self-respect.

Team: 15 Stefan Schwartz 14 Connor O'Neill 13 Tom Szymanski 12 James Cantres 11 Garrett Montgomery 10 Omar Fayyaz 9 Chris Magnani 1 Winston Clement 2 Jeff Rubesin 3 Dan Kalmus 4 Nick Mason 5 Rupert Johnson 6 Luke Parker 7 Kaedin Jemiolo 8 Garret King.
Subs: Kevin Frodell for Jeff Rubesin, Iain Gordon for Kaedin Jemiolo, Nick Schmidt for Tom Szymanski.

Overall record 2007-08: 7-1-0.

Next weekend: Sunday October 28, 2007 Met. NY Championships at Vassar College 10:00 am start.

Vassar College Men "B" 5 v Columbia University Men "B" 30
Tries: Nick Schmidt (1).

The second game of the day pitted the Vassar "B" side against Columbia's "B" side. Both teams attempted to move the ball and establish their pattern of play and it was entertaining to watch. Columbia had some very strong runners and they broke more tackles that allowed them to take the initiative. There was a gutsy effort from the Brewers but in the end they shipped 6 tries and only managed to score 1. Nick Schmidt went over for Vassar's lone try.


Team: 15 Miles Fineburg 14 Tony Viti 13 Martial Ntamatungiro 12 Nick Schmidt 11 Richard So 10 David Fried 9 Danny Thomas 1 Rhys Bambrick 2 Kevin Frodell 3 Nate Orians 4 Iain Gordon 5 Rupert Johnson 6 Mike Ilardi 7 Owen Haller 8 Aly Massoud. Subs: Jeff Rubesin for Rhys Bambrick, Tony Pinggera for Richard So, John Scott for Nick Schmidt, Winston Clement for Nate Orians.