Back To Back State Titles!
Well, well, well… another page has been written in the ever growing story which is the Kingfisher and Thomas Aquinas rivalry. After suffering 2 straight losses to the Saints earlier this season, it became evident the Kingfishers would have to dig deep into the bag tricks to put away the challengers.
With many of our starters returning from injury, such as Joseph Moleski (Scrum-Half) and Ben Skinner (Outside-Centre), the game was expected to be nothing less than epic. Little did we know, “epic” would not do it justice. To describe this game, one could try as I am, but you had to live and breathe it. In just four years, St. Martin’s and Thomas Aquinas’ rivalry has ignited to the point of perhaps a sports rivalry of 30+ years. The fans, the coaches, the players, whether rooting for a team or just neutral, this may have been one of the greatest games ever played in high school rugby history no matter who came out on top.
In the heat of a sunny Saturday in Lawrence KS, Aquinas took their positions on the field as the boys’ battle hymn “Crucem Sanctam” rang out across the complex. The whistle from the referee announced the kickoff and started the next hour and a half of a lifetime.
The first 5 mins began with the Kingfishers holding offensive possession as they drove down the field seeking some early points. Aquinas held out and forced a turnover before the boys had a chance to capitalize. This moment would define the first half, Aquinas would keep the ball for 25 of the next 30 minutes. The Saints were deliberate and accurate with the ball and would be the first to get on the board with a try. With the first score finally out of the way, the fans and players took a deep breath, and began to settle in. With multiple penalties being called on the Kingfishers, they were forced deep into their territory, and made a stop of their own on the 22 metre line. Attempting a clear, Will Van De Ryt (12) sent a kick down the sideline where the Aquinas winger graciously kept it in play and sparked a counter-attack. The Kingfishers held for as long as they could, but the pace of play and some nifty work from the Aquinas forwards brought home another score. With a missed conversion the score sat at 12-0 to the Saints.
The boys would spend the next 12-15 mins under fire from Aquinas possession. Lineouts were not on par from either side, as both teams struggled with throwing straight and executing their plays. It would change the game as both teams opted out of kicking to touch off of penalties. With time dwindling down for the first half, there was a sudden surge as the Kingfishers created a turnover. With a roar from the boys and fans on the sideline, songs broke out and back they came from the depths. With calculated attacks and some tough ground work from the forwards, they forced the Saints to commit a penalty on the 5 metre line. Fortune favours the bold, Joseph Moleski (9) tapped the ball and blazed towards the tri-zone shaking off multiple tackles and placed the ball down to answer back. W. Van De Ryt would knock the 2pt-conversion through and put the boys within one score (7-12). The whistle blew and the first half came to its conclusion, and the momentum looked perhaps to be switching.
Gathering the boys, Coach Prezzia had some words for the lads. And as intuitive as he is about the game, he really had no comments on the strategy. The team who would win the game he said was: “...the team who burns harder for each other. The team who is willing to go out there and bleed out for each other. That’s what will decide this game…”
As the two squads marched out from their respective team talks, it became evident that the next 35 minutes would be eccentric. Both teams took their positions on the pitch, and both teams shared the same body language: they meant business.
Now, I will do my best to detail this second half to the extent as I am able. The truth is, as a coach and an unduly passionate alumnus who knows how it feels to be on the field, my memory is a fair bit clouded by the intensity of these 35 minutes but remember enough to lay it out.
Fire and brimstone was first on the docket as both teams traded blows of possession to open the half. No side had any particularly strong hand for about 10 minutes. In the 45th minute though, Aquinas would break through the game line and advance to the Kingfisher 22. Coach Kluempers of Aquinas trains his boys well on how to be clinical in front of the tri-zone and eventually they would poke through for another 7 points.
The next 15 mins would prove dire straits for St. Martins. Scattered moments of free play and set pieces for both sides, and yet neither side would give in. Both teams held their lines respectively. Suddenly the referee of the match could not continue due to injury, and a replacement was brought in making for a 6 minute break in the middle of the half.
Each made grand efforts to make stops and turnovers, causing cheers from both sides of the field from fans looking on. The boys had their answer as they casted deep into Aquinas territory, and on a supreme effort at the try-line, a penalty try was awarded when an Aquinas player committed a high-tackle, bringing the score to a tight-knit 14-19.
With 10 mins left, the most bizarre events would play out. Ben Skinner would break through the line twice in 5 phases after a cheeky poach by Prosper Owen (5). Others would pitch in as they pursued the opponents tri-zone. After a minute of pressure, Ben Skinner would cap off what he started and punch in a score to tie the game, unfortunately W. Van De Ryt could not convert the kick leaving the score at a teeth chattering 19-19.
Those 15 mins of nervous, anxious, angry, joyous moments made the world's finest roller coasters seem miniscule. The eruption of pure emotion and release of relief was second to none. No Chiefs super bowl score or any sports team following could compare to what was felt at that moment. On the sidelines (the game was not even over) I was in tears because my body and mind had no idea what to do, being through all the emotions in that short span of time.
“All to play for…” seemed to be the quote to describe what was coming next. However, a nerve-wracking pause would come with 7 mins left as the replacement referee would tell captain Joe Moleski that time had expired. In the mix up having to be brought on, her watch held the wrong amount of time left. Moleski would advise Van De Ryt to kick the ball straight out of bounds in Kingfisher territory to end regulation and go to extra-time. The referee blew her whistle to end the match. Suddenly the assistant referees were out convening and discussing the matter at hand, causing much tribulation for both fans and players. After sorting things out, 6 mins were back on the clock, but because the Kingfishers had kicked the ball out, Aquinas would retain possession with a lineout on the Kingfisher 5 metre line: prime scoring position.
The next 5 mins seemed to take years… Aquinas phase after phase kept barraging the Kingfishers who made tackle after tackle on the tri-line. Heroic efforts were made to stunt the most ferocious of what Thomas Aquinas had to offer. The boys were running out of time, and they couldn’t hold on for much longer. That is when an Aquinas forward got over the top and dove for the ground to get the ball down, but before he could, several boys flew underneath and two grabbed the player and ball and refused to let him down. After pushing him back and completing the tackle, one Aquinas player was too reckless and was called for diving into the ruck resulting in a penalty for the Kingfishers with 1 minute left.
The boys now needed all the composure in the world. They took their lineout from their penalty kick at about their 40 and began the march. After 4-5 strikes into the heart of the line from the forwards, a disguised back door pass was given to Ben Skinner who plunged through the gap twisting and turning from outstretched tacklers’ arms. He was then tackled and Aquinas committed another penalty on their half of the 50. Van De Ryt would be beckoned to put the game on ice with a difficult 43 metre kick (for football fans about a 48 yd kick!).
The kick went up and had the distance… missed just right of the post. Aquinas then had a drop kick to take from their goal line. They booted the ball as far as they could. Received by Van De Ryt, the boys returned back into their territory just as quickly as it left. Time has at this point fully expired and the Kingfishers had to hold possession for the game to continue. They patiently crashed for a couple phases looking for any hole they could find. It was then that the fatal mistake was made for Thomas Aquinas. An offside penalty was called at their 5 metre line where Joseph Moleski (9) took the ball and charged the line. Weaving and dodging he blazed for the corner. Twisting his body so as not to be taken into touch he slammed to ball down at the corner while being high-tackled. The referee could have awarded either a penalty try or the try Moleski scored. She ran underneath the posts and awarded the penalty try and blew the full-time whistle: 26-19 for the Kingfishers and the 2nd State Title!
