Game report courtesy of Barry’s social member email newsletter.
Both our women’s team and Division 1 men’s team were on the road Saturday, with the gals in Chilliwack and the men in Cowichan.
Let’s talk about the women’s game first. The Jen Ross-coached women travelled to Chilliwack in a school bus driven by their part-time manager, Thomas Woods. The majority of the squad are still in their teens, but what they lack in experience, the make up for in speed and enthusiasm. The hometown roster was filled mainly with mature players relying on brute strength. Chilliwack was able to use this strength and maturity to power over for 4 tries during the game. However the speedy Bays were able to sprint over for 14 tries during that same time! Sarina Brookes led the visitors to an 80-24 trouncing with 3 tries and 4 converts while Raelee Mulholland, Maggie Swan and Haley Clarot had 2 each. Single tallies were added by Saffron Brookes, Erin West, Sarah Walker, Charlotte McKay and Kylie Good, who also chipped in with a convert. The day was long…and successful!
Up in Cowichan the men’s team came away on the short end of a 26-20 result in a game that had moments of excitement and long stretches of whistle-filled messiness.
Despite having 18 players unavailable for the game, Coach White was able to dress 24 men to have a chance to step up and show their stuff.
Neither team had sufficient front row players for contested scrums, so all set pieces were uncontested. At the 8 minute mark the larger Cowichan forwards showed their dominance when they bullied over for the first score of the game, jumping into a 7-0 lead. Two minutes later talented JBAA fullback Craig Mitchell-Hermann slotted a penalty. At the 20 minute mark a flubbed JBAA kick was cleverly re-grubbed, allowing young Jhye Graffi to scoop up the ball and score to make it 8-7 for the visitors. Moments later, Gio Douyon, playing prop, but clearly the fastest man on the field, raced away for a 60 meter converted-try to make it 15-7 for the Navy Blue. A scant 4 minutes later, Gio made another break, then dished to Ryan Boothroyd who sprung Jaden Prigione for the Bays third try and a 20-7 lead and seemingly on their way to a victory. However, after a wicked dump tackle on Gio was ignored, during the ensuing cacophony of indignant rage, Cowichan bullied over for their second try to tighten the score at 20-12 ending the first half.
The first 10 minutes of the second half saw multiple handling errors by both squads although the dogged Cowichan pack was once again able to barge over the line, making it now 20-19. At this stage the game begins to deteriorate with multiple errors by both teams and confusing arm-flailing by the head official also thrown into the mix. The ensuing kick-off after the Cowichan try contributed to the craziness, as it went backwards, without the aid of the wind…amazing.
A bizarre succession of penalties led to a goal line stand by the Bays, ending in a pile of entangled bodies, including a referee who had been knocked over, sending his Go-Pro flying, signalling a try for Cowichan from a prostrate position. It was almost too much to watch while sober.
With a scant 5 minutes remaining, the whistle blew to end the fiasco and allow fans and players alike to enjoy the sun and renew old friendships with our Cowichan buddies.
Next week is a triple-header at MacDonald Park with the women/girls hosting Langley and our men’s teams facing off against CW. See you there.
Check out our Facebook Page for the photo album for Reserve Men’s game.