St. Louis Takes the Lead

Saturday, March 26, 2005

 
The St. Louis Bombers moved into first place in their conference by topping the GOATS in Omaha 24-7 on Easter weekend. St. Louis claimed the five bonus points with the victory and four tries.

Lock Hayden Mexted opened the scoring by crashing over the line after several phases of possession near Omaha's line. A well executed lineout drive resulted in flanker J.P. Shen touching down and increasing the Bomber's lead to 12-0. Wing Jim Crutchfield, playing his first black side match, finished off a backline move by scoring in the corner from a Brian Harthill pass. Mexted's conversion gave the Bombers a 19-0 lead at the break.

Omaha winger Steve Viljoen scored the GOATS's only try from a charged down kick early in the second half to bring the score to 19-7 Bombers. St. Louis scrumhalf Brian Lay played a terrific match and was rewarded with a late try to bring the final score to 24-7 in favor of the Bombers.

The Bombers face Springfield RFC next Saturday in St. Louis, with the winner earning a home playoff match in USA's CR#2.

The Bomber white side captured their second victory in a row by winning 15-12 in a very entertaining match. White side coach Ed Reed used this opportunity to give players a chance to play unfamiliar positions and develop a better all-around understanding of the game. The first half saw a flanker Brian Harthill try and flyhalf Hayden Mexted penalty kick give the Bomber's an 8-7 lead. Center Leon Scott crashed over for a match-winning try in the final minutes to secure the white's 15-12 victory. "Big Josh" Weissflung went the full match for a career first. Prop Andy Adank led strongly from the front.

The white side will be competing in the "A" division this weekend at the annual St. Louis Ruggerfest this weekend in Forest Park.

Black Side:
Lafata (Dix)
Hess
McBride (c)
Mexted
Reed
Shen (Mingala)
McPheeters (Gunnell)
Reives
Lay, B.
Monette
Hoffmann
Gall
Harthill
Crutchfield
Giljum, Z.

White Side:
Weissflung
Dix
Adank
Gunnell
Gall
Hoffmann
Harthill
Giljum, Z.
Hess
Mexted
Moyer
Crutchfield
Scott
McPheeters
Lay, B.