I flew to Middlebury, VT for a Rugby Alumni weekend. While there were activities planned for both Saturday and Sunday, I could only be away for 1 day -- just too much happening at home on Sunday. It's trips like this that make having access to an airplane fantastic. Instead of 10 hours of roundtrip driving, it was only 3 hours of flying. I left White Plains at 10am in crystal clear skies and light winds. The trees in Westchester have just started to change, but as I flew north, the colors became more brilliant and intense. In Vermont, it was peak foliage weekend and the trees seemed to be ablaze!
My friend and former scrum-half Miguel Fernandez (now a professor of Spanish at Midd) met me at the airport with his son Zealon. We took a short flight over downtown Middlebury with Zealon flying the plane and then it was off to the rugby field. As we drove through downtown Middlebury, it was obvious that things have changed since I was a student 25 years ago. The previously quaint downtown seemed more upscale and commercialized than during my era. Time marches on...
Middlebury is a Division III school -- part of the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC). A few years ago, the rugby team decided to move up to Division II for a better level of competition. In May 2007, the Middlebury XV won the Division II National Championship 38 - 22 against Arkansas State at Stamford University in California -- an unbelievable feat for a school of 2,500 students.
On Saturday, the A side team was playing their last regular season match against UMASS Amherst, a division I school of 25,000 students. A few years ago, UMASS dropped down to Division II, but due to their school's size, they are always a tough opponent. Well, maybe not always.... the game was a rout as the Midd XV scored early and often. It was 58 - 0 at halftime and the final score was a ridiculous 104 - 3!! In my day, even unopposed, we didn't have enough talent and coordination to score 104 points -- these kids are fantastic. I'm looking forward to the playoffs this fall and hopefully another championship in the spring.
The day concluded with the alumni game as described by the Miguel Fernandez, the team's faculty coordinator and the game's referee:
The alumns faced a B-side with a few A squad members and were offered little respect before kick off. One underclassmen asked if they were really allowed to tackle the old guys. It didn't take long for them to eat their words as the Middlebury team found themselves down 29-0 at half time. Bewildered and bamboozled by the remarkable continuous tight play of the alumni, it took them a half to realize that they were outweighed fifty pounds to the man. The remaining A squad players were prowling up the sidelines in total frustration, keen to get in on the action. It's a complement to the alumni and their excellent play that a half dozen of them substituted in at half time. And the freshman South African flanker made a statement by running 60 meters through and around the alumns right off of the kickoff. Would the second half see a reversal of fortunes? No, the alumni are too clever for that and the ref seemed to be playing by 70s laws! Final: Alumni 55, Middlebury 12.
After the game, Miguel dropped me off back at the airport. The sun was setting as I lifted off and headed for home. Night flying is very peaceful and on this night the sky was clear and the moon was full. With tailwinds shortening my trip, I made it home in an hour and 15 minutes. It was such a nice day, I am now committed to seeing more of their games and getting back to campus more often. Days like these should last forever.
1 comment:
Did you play in the Alumni game? I wish we would do something like this at Ithaca. Maybe I will get it going!
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