Philly Whitemarsh Rugby Two Wins from National Championship

In February of 2011, Philadelphia Whitemarsh RFC (13-0) sat down after winning three games over the previous two seasons and recommitted themselves to get back to the top of the heap in club rugby.  Last fall, PW rode that desire to an undefeated regular season and then a perfect sweep of the EPRU playoffs.

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This spring, they turned their EPRU crown into a MARFU Championship trophy and a ticket to the USA Round of 16.  Now, they are headed to the National Semifinals for the first time since 1989.  Philly Whitemarsh defeated the Gainesville Hogs (FL) on Saturday 33-19 and the Syracuse Chargers (NY) 31-16 on Sunday to punch their ticket to Glendale, CO for the USA Division 3 Final Four.

PW arrived in Cheswick, PA on Friday night and was well rested for their first match on Saturday afternoon.  While the hot sun may have been more familiar to their opponent from the Sunshine State, it was Philly Whitemarsh who came out of the gate hot. 

Not long after kickoff, PW was awarded a penalty and Jim Rosato’s kick was true to put PW up 3-0.  Minutes later, Prop, Andrew Fusco took a feed from fly half Conway Maraki, broke a tackle and scored the first try of the day.  Philly Whitemarsh’s captain Bob Haller dove across the line in the corner not long after and it was quickly 13-0 PW.

Gainesville did not drive all the way to Pittsburgh to roll over. The number two seed from the south region promptly marched down the field on the back of strong runs from their centers and scored under the posts. 

The scoring slowed down for a period while both teams had trouble with knocking the ball on and penalties in the rucks.  Eventually, PW put together a few phases and then turned a scrum on Gainesville’s 5 meter line into 5 points and led 18-7.  Jim Rosato added 3 more points before the half on a penalty, and the halftime score read 21-7.

The Hogs regrouped at halftime and started the second frame with constant pressure at the PW goal line.  Although, they crossed the goal line twice, PW’s defense did not let the ball touch the ground either time and eventually was able to win possession and get the ball out of their end unscathed. 

A few minutes later, PW struck again.  They maintained possession and marched the ball down the field until winger Cliff Webster was pushed into touch while diving for the goal line.  Kevin Denehy however single-handedly jumped and stole the ensuing lineout and dove across the line to put PW up 26-7.   The Hogs, undaunted, marched right back down the field and scored making it 26-14. 

PW appeared to be reeling after a few key injuries and then a yellow card was given to Maraki. Gainesville took advantage and scored again with five minutes remaining in the match.  A missed conversion left the score 26-19.  PW was able to rally. 

They returned to full strength with under three minutes remaining and promptly won a scrum just over midfield and made a break for the goal line.  Bob Haller again dove across the line on what ended up being the final play of the game and the final score was 31-19.

Although, they walked away with the ‘W’, the mood after the game was far from ecstatic.  Thoughts of missed opportunities and poor team play lingered and the boys from PW knew they would have to play much better collectively to walk away with the same result on Sunday.

In the game before theirs, PW saw last year’s runner-up Syracuse defeat the St. Paul Jazz Pigs (MN) 38-14 and knew the Chargers were the only team that stood between them and a trip to Colorado.  With the match scheduled for 11:15 the next morning, PW iced down, ate a team dinner at a local watering hole and hit the hay early.

After a light breakfast and a quick team selection meeting, the club arrived at Founder’s Field to a light drizzle that would continue throughout most of the day.  The game started with a decent crowd despite the weather.  All in attendance were eager to see which club would advance to the national semifinals with a win.

Play remained near midfield for the first five minutes of the game while both sides, unfamiliar with each other, got a feel for how each side liked to paly.  Eventually, Syracuse won a lineout at the PW 22 and drove a maul to within 10 meters of the goal line and then scored two phases later to take the 7-0 lead, 7 minutes in. 

PW took the punch and responded, marching down the field with strong phase rugby.  Syracuse was given a yellow card 10 meters from their goal line and PW ran a penalty play to perfection, resulting in fullback Louis Tulio touching down under the posts.  Rosato’s conversion tied the game at 7, 13 minutes into the game.

Soon after the Chargers returned to full strength, PW again was awarded a penalty, this time closer to midfield.  Two phases later, Tulio found room on the weak side and broke through from 20 meters out and scored again.  Rosato knocked through the conversion to put PW up 14-7.  The two sides went back and forth over the next ten or so minutes, neither getting to within striking distance. 

PW finally broke the stalemate.  They won a line out just over midfield and succeeded in getting the ball wide to Tulio.  He drew his defender and flipped the ball to a streaking Brennan Conway on the wing.  Conway, getting his first start for PW since the fall became the unlikely hero and sprinted the final 35 meters, broke a tackle and the goal line and scored.  The score put PW up 19-7 and was the last score of the half. 

It was not, however, the last we would hear from Conway.   The experienced Syracuse side chipped away at the lead, hitting two penalty kicks over the next 10 minutes.  With 20 minutes remaining, PW prop, Andrew Fusco was given a yellow card and Syracuse again knocked through the penalty attempt to cut the lead to 3 at 19-16.

The Chargers threatened to at least tie the game with 15 minutes remaining, but on a scrum deep in PW territory, they were called for a foot up early and PW was given a free kick.  PW, still playing a man down, put together the best drive of the day when they needed it most, eating up both clock and field with pick and go play from their forwards.  PW turned it over but got Fusco back from the bin with 10 minutes remaining. 

Syracuse could not get out of their own end due to the strong defense in the centers by Rosato and John Knab and unwavering defense around the rucks by the forward pack.  PW got the ball back, and drove right to the goal line.  Scrumhalf, Bryan Oteri ran a switch move with Maraki, who walked in to score.  Rosato’s conversion put PW up 26-16 with just over three minutes remaining.

Syracuse quickly gained possession and targeted the PW goal line, however knocked it on near the PW 22.  With the referee playing advantage, Conway was there again. 

He scooped up the loose ball and scampered 70 meters to score with under a minute remaining in the match, putting the game out of reach at 31-16.  Syracuse’s last ditch effort never yielded points and Philadelphia Whitemarsh celebrated their first trip to the final four in the last 23 years.

PW now heads to Infinity Park in Glendale, CO for a June 2^nd matchup with the number one seed out of Southern California, the South Bay Rhinos.  New Orleans RFC, the number one seed from the south region will face the 3 seed from Southern California, the Tuscon Magpies in the other national semifinal. The winners will meet on June 3^rd to determine the D3 National Champion.