In the fourth and final Empire GU qualifier, once again Old Blue met New York in the women’s final. This time New York prevailed 14-7 to secure their first tournament championship of the series. To reach the final, New York dispatched Morris II 45-0, the Village Lions 50-0, and Monmouth II 42-0 and drew Old Blue II 12-12. Pool play for Old Blue I included wins over the Village Lions II 54-0, Monmouth 42-5, New York II 33-0 and Morris 35-0.
Old Blue II also ended pool play undefeated, but their +111 point differential fell short of New York’s point differential by three scores. Old Blue II went on to claim the tournament third place with a 24-0 shutout over Morris.
Take the jump to read more.
This weekend, Old Blue I & II, as well as New York I & II will join the Boston Belles in Saratoga Springs, NY for the Northeast Championship, also known as the Schuyler Cup. The top two finishers will earn a trip to the National Tournament to the newly relocated championship location Seattle.
MVP honors went to Rebecca Hall (Old Blue/ Wooden Spoons) and Rosalie MacGowan (New York).
Cup Final
OB Black 7 NY I 14
OB Black: Ball Camous Knight Super Heavner Thomas (Johnson) Gauthraeux Schmitt R Cruz
NY I will kick off. OB knocks on at the far side at our 30. NY set, NY loops wide to the corner, KG @ 1 min 0-7 NY. NY is penalized for not releasing in the tackle. OB answers immediately with tremendous individual efforts when two OBs make an 80-m jailbreak. Against only a single pursuing NY defender, the offload is too soon. OB knocks on in the LO. NY set 20 out on the near side. NY use it to again to loop and score. KG, 0-14 NY.
2nd Half
OB opens the 2nd period with an aggressive attack; and probes the corner ourselves, but inside the 20, NY this time happens to have someone just close enough to jersey tackle OB into touch. Phaidra does expert work in rucking them off the ball and it goes to Becky, who powers to center posts @ 3 mins, Hannah KG 7-14 NY. OB seems overly anxious and keeps creeping up. Off the LO, OB set at the 5. The ball goes free when the runner takes her eye off the ball and NY is off for 90-m, but they throw it forward and OB dodges a bullet. OB set, but there is a stoppage and the whistle ends play.
OB: Ball (T), Gauthreaux (C).
NY: 2T, 2C
Cup 3rd Place
OB White 24 Morris II 0
OB White: Filer Cammock Pratt Verdonik Olman Zambon Hawkins. G Cruz Calcano Terrado.
OB opens with immediate withering pressure, led by #9 Amy Verdonik, who smothers her opposite off the set. Morris is overwhelmed by a tidal wave of white jerseys as they struggle to regather ball and are backed up toward their goal. OB makes a massive line break on the far side line and are off to the races; but OB tosses a blind pass that is mishandled into touch to stop the sure try. The heavy pressure continues from the LO, as everyone pours through to force play inside the ten. The hosts try desperately to clear wide from pressure, and are forced into a poor pass that Mel steps into and dashes in for the easy centered try. JP KG 7-0 OB @ 2 mins.
OB tackles off the restart and on 2nd phase ball center Denisse Zambon drifts wide and switches inside to Olman at pace. Mel is through the over-pursuit and dots down center posts, JP KG 14-0 OB at the half.
2nd Half
OB swings ball across the pitch to Gio who goes into contact hard. OB support is first to the ruck and gets quick ball to Mel, who has space to race in from 10 for her third consecutive try. KNG 19-0 OB @ 2 mins. Morris set on their own five after an OB knock on going in. Verdonik continues to make life miserable for the Morris attack and for their #9 in particular. The ball is kicked out and Amy buries her and the ball pops away. They try to distribute, but toss it in goal with Amy, quickly to her feet, one step behind to easily touch it down for a try. Once more, determined defense creates tries. KNG 24-0 OB @ 5 mins. Play remains the same for the remainder of the match, as OB White completes the shutout with a surge of white jerseys that are on the ball a split second after it reaches any Morris player.
OB White finishes undefeated, 4-0-1, clinches 3rd Place in the Morris 7s, and a spot in the NRU Women’s Championships.
OB: Olman (3T), Pratt (2C), Verdonik (T)
NRU Qualifier Pool B
OB Black 54 Village Lions II 0
OB Black 42 Monmouth II 5
OB Black 35 NY II 0
OB Black 40 Morris II 0
NRU Qualifier Pool A
OB White 26 Village Lions I 0
OB White 12 NY I 12
OB White 47 Monmouth I 7
OB White 50 Morris I 0