The JBAA faithful who made it to the game yesterday were treated to a very exciting afternoon!
The game kickoff was delayed for about half an hour. For starters, the ferry from the mainland was 15 minutes late. Secondly, access to James Bay was restricted by police intent on limiting dangerous horn-honking, flag-waving rabble from accessing the area. Noise was indeed down, although driver frustration and CO2 pollution were at all-time highs.
Once started, the game was full of action. The Meralomas play a traditional-style game, using the boot effectively to gain field advantage and combining a solid balance of forwards and backs on offence. The Bays on the other hand are far more adventuresome, running from anywhere and everywhere, even when coming downhill with a gale force wind at their backs.
The visitors opened the scoring with a soft try through the centres, jumping into a 7-0 lead. A JBAA turnover allowed another Loma try in the corner and with the score now 12-0, it looked a tad bleak for the home side fans. However, the JBAA forwards, led by captain Blake Van Heyningen, hooker Austin Creighton and big Alex Jordan storming from #8, began to take charge. Youthful enthusiasm cost the Bays two certain tries; a dropped ball in open space and no downward pressure between the sticks…yikes! Undeterred, our forwards completed an effective pick-and-go to tighten the core at 12-5 and moments later Mitch Sora found a gap to score between the posts and the easy Burton convert knotted the score at 12.
A Burton tally was matched by a Meraloma score and the half-time whistle blew with the scoreboard reading 17-17.
Coming downhill, with the wind, the Bays were in good position to control the second half and did so, but not with the expected kicking but a continuation of the run-and-gun. Burton scored 3 pts. 5 minutes into the half on an easy penalty after a long run by winger Gio Douyon. A Bay knock-on moments later allowed the Lomas to jump back into a 22-20 lead, but that would be the end of the scoring for the visitors. Sora once again found his way between the posts midway through the half and with the convert, JBAA led 27-22. A Dakota to Gio to Thomas moved the needle to 34-22. A Burton penalty made it 37-22 and with time winding down and the Lomas inside the home team’s 22m line, a kick to touch would seemingly end the game. Not a chance…instead the Bays ran the ball again and sprung speedy Keith Graham for an 80 metre sprint that ended the game with a final scoreline of 42-22 in James Bay’s favour.
(It is worthy to note that young Ryan Boothroyd had an impressive showing at #12.)
Our team’s performance reminded one of a slogan from the past…
When you least expect it,...expect it!