9/29/ 07
Amoskeag Defeats Connecticut Yankees 63-17
9/22/07
Amoskeag Match Report
On a spectacular September day, two of the league's premier teams met and battled hard for 80 minutes. After 5 lead changes, the Mystics sealed the outcome in the final minute of the match.
After ten minutes of back and forth play, Amoskeag was penalized for diving over a ruck, and Mystic River earned the early 3-0 lead.
The next ten minutes featured tough play and good defense by Amoskeag. The Mystics were awarded another penalty 10 meters out. A toe and go was met with a crushing tackle and Amoskeag was awarded a scrum down, which was won and the pressure was relieved with a clearing kick.
At 25 minutes, Mystics missed a drop kick after a brief incursion into the Amoskeag end. Amoskeag had several forays into Mystic territory, and at 34 minutes Amoskeag scored a beautiful, 80-meter try off of a Mystic penalty: Amoskeag tapped the ball forward and passed the ball out through the backs to speedy winger Collins Akwani who rambled for 30 meters, passing back inside to Mitch Ocholla who gained some hard yards, and after a quick ruck, the ball was delivered to fly-half Peter Ocholla who took the ball into contact and made a beautiful pass to #8 Drew Hews who steamed in from 15 meters and scored under the posts. The try was converted by Chris Pierce.
At the 37 minute mark Amoskeag was penalized for entering the ruck from the side. The Mystic scrum half toed the ball forward and delivered it to his big tight-head prop who broke 2 tackles and scored from 8 meters out. The try was converted for another lead change.
In the final minute of the first half, Amoskeag almost scored on a breakaway by fullback Dan Mayton who passed to Mitch Ocholla who was tackled out of bounds in the try zone. On the ensuing Mystic scrum down, Geoff Marcek tackled the Mystic Fly Half in the try zone, and Amoskeag was awarded a scrum-down which was stolen by Mystic who, under heavy pressure, kicked the ball out to 6 meters. Amoskeag lost the lineout and Mystic River kicked the ball out again. Amoskeag took this lineout cleanly, and after two quick hit-ups to the forwards, the ball was delivered to fly-half Peter Ocholla who faked a pass to streaking inside center Chris Pierce, and fed Geoff Marcek who dotted down under the posts to regain the lead. The try was converted by Chris Pierce, and Amoskeag led 14-10 at the half.
Amoskeag received the kickoff to begin the first half. They worked the ball down the field, through 3 phases of play. Scrum-Half Ken MacIntosh passed the ball to Peter Ocholla, and on to Drew Hews who delivered the ball to Geoff Marcek who scored in the corner for his second try of the match. The long conversion attempt was missed by Peter Ocholla, and Amoskeag led by 9.
At the ten minute mark, Amoskeag was penalized for entering the ruck from the side, and the home team scored on another toe and go. The try was not converted.
Half way through the second half, Amoskeag was penalized after a loose pass within their own 22, and Mystic made the kick to draw within a point. A couple of minutes later, Amoskeag scored on a penalty kick of their own.
The next 15 minutes was played almost completely in Amoskeag's end. Amoskeag defended their try line valiantly, but after 10 minutes of play within their own 10, the home team was awarded a penalty when Amoskeag was charged with pushing before the ball came into the scrum. Once again, the Mystics tapped the ball through the mark and pushed the ball over the try line with their big forwards to regain the lead in the waning moments.
Amoskeag pressured Mystic River on the restart, and the Mystics kicked the ball deep into the Amoskeag zone. The Amoskeag side was moving the ball well, and then an unfortunate bounce ended up in the Mystic winger's hands, and he scored from half way to seal the match and collect the bonus point.