Miners Finish Second In ABQ

By Dave Wheelock, Tech Rugby Coach

ALBUQUERQUE — The New Mexico Tech Rugby Club overcame four opponents in the 40th annual High Desert Classic before bowing to the Clovis Nomads in Sunday’s collegiate division championship match, 13-7. The Pygmies fell just short in their second comeback rally of the day after defeating New Mexico State University 12-10 in a collegiate semifinal nailbiter. The Nomads were competing in the nine-team collegiate division by virtue of their first-year status in the Rio Grande Rugby Union.
The Pygmies are scheduled to host the NMT alumni team, The Ancestors, at 4:30 p.m. Friday in the traditional kickoff of New Mexico Tech’s 49ers celebration.
Denver Black Ice clobbered the Atomic Sisters of Albuquerque 60-6 to win the 13-team women’s championship while Glendale, Colo., beat the University of New Mexico 40-8 for the eight-team men’s premier division title.
The Pygmies overwhelmed the Adams State College Grizzlies 36-7 in their opener Saturday morning. Center Nick Aldape and wing James Fallt each touched down twice while head captain Jay Herrera and utility back Dustin Webb also contributed a try each. Herrera connected on three of six two-point conversion kicks.
Against the Vatos Rugby Club of Las Vegas, N.M., Aldape, Webb, and wing Mason Timm reaped two tries apiece, and fullback Isaiah Sanchez chipped in one. Herrera kicked three conversions and Dustin Webb added two to complete Tech’s 45-12 win.
History was made as New Mexico Tech squared off against their first-ever Mexican opponent, Chihuahua Rugby Club, in the Saturday nightcap. Tech led 12-0 at halftime on tries by Aldape and Sanchez. In the second half, though, Matt Kretz and Graham Payne became Tech’s first forwards to score, joined by Herrera with two more tries. Herrera was two-for-six on conversion kicks.
Sunday morning, the Pygmies staged a dramatic 12-10 win against New Mexico State University in semifinal play. The Chiles led 10-nil at the half, but Royce Beaudry and Dustin Webb scored tries in the second half.
In the championship match Clovisflyhalf Andrew North had thundered two penalty kicks through the uprights for a 6-0 lead, and a strong run early in the second half by Clovis’ Dean Richards stretched the Nomads’ advantage to 13-0.
Tech finally worked the ball within range with less than 10 minutes remaining. Several battering runs were repelled by the Nomads, until finally Nick Aldape slithered over the try line with a couple of teammates in close support. Herrera’s successful conversion made it 13-7. The Pygmies almost pulled off the upset when lock Graham Payne shot through a gap, but his difficult pass to Isaiah Sanchez traveled forward, and the Nomads breathed a sigh of relief a minute later when the final whistle blew.

Pictured: New Mexico Tech freshman Enrique Koerdell is tackled by a Clovis defender after making a break Sunday in the championship match of the High Desert Classic in Albuquerque . The Nomads edged the Pygmies 13 to 7.
Photo by Dave Wheelock
 

Miners Finish Second In ABQ