GAME SIX
20TH FEBRUARY 2010 - TAMPA BARBARIANS VS NAPLES BEARS AT TAMPA
BARBARIANS 26 NAPLES BEARS 34
The weather had been kind and allowed us our first game this season on our home field. Naples are the defending State Champions so this game was keenly anticipated. The game started hard and the Barbarians put early pressure on the Bears line. An infringement 10 minutes into the game by the Bears gave us our first penalty and Charlie Hutchings took the shot at goal achieving 3 points. Five minutes later another penalty awarded to the Barbarians and another 3 points added to the total. Straight from the return the Bears had a penalty kick at goal but missed. 3 minutes later they had another chance from in front of the posts and were successful. Another penalty kick made by Charlie Five minutes later put the Barbarians further ahead and then a great break from Jordon Worlds saw him cross the line and score under the posts. Charlie made the conversion. In the last minutes of the first half the Bears struck back and scored a converted try, narrowing the gap.
At the half time the score stood at 16-8 to the Barbarians.
Naples came out a different team in the second half playing much more through the forwards. This work paid off 5 minutes into the half resulting in an uncoverted try bringing the score to 16-15. Five minutes later, another penalty kick was awarded to the Barbarians and Charlie slotted it to move the Barbarians a total of 4 points ahead of the Bears. Shortly after Matt Nakamura and Tristin Knighton received knocks which saw them leave the field. The momentum then changed in favor of the Bears and two further tries (one conversion) moved them up to 27 points to the Barbarians 19. With seven minutes to go on the clock Ben Nakamura crossed the line to score and Charlie Hutchings converted bringing us back to within one point of the Bears. The Barbarians took heart and pressured their line looking for either the try or to get into position for a drop-goal. Unfortunately the ball was turned over in the ruck and in the last minute the Naples Bears broke away and scored a converted try as the last play of the game.
This was another tight, exciting game that could have gone either way.
Final score Barbarians 26 - Bears 34. The three players nominated by Naples as outstanding Barbarian players were Jordon Wolds, Rusty Nordlund and Charlie Hutchings.
Man of the Match - Jordon Wolds
Hit Stick - Not Awarded
Try scorers - Jordon Wolds, Ben Nakamurra
Conversions - Charlie Hutchings x 2
Penalties - Charlie Hutchings x 4
The B team also had a full game although supplemented by a couple of the
spare Naples players, and beat them convincingly 32-3. Kyle Noble had
an outstanding game at Fly-Half and was rightly awarded the Man of the
Match award for his outstanding efforts.
GAME SEVEN
13TH MARCH 2010 - TAMPA BARBARIANS VS CAPE BLACKHAWKS AT TAMPA
BARBARIANS 6 CAPE BLACKHAWKS 5
The weather did not cooperate for our last home game of the season and once again our home field was waterlogged and the venue was switched to the Boys & Girls Club of Tampa. The Blackhawks were one point ahead of us in the standings, each team had 2 games to play so were rivals for the last playoff spot. Crucial game for both teams with everything to play for.
With strong winds against them the Blackhawks kicked off. The first half was a game of stout defense and strong tackling by both teams with the Barbarians winning the possession and territorial battle staying in or near the Blackhawks 22 for the majority of the half with the Blackhawks maintaining a very strong defense. Toward the end of the half Barbarians were awarded a penalty and Charlie Hutchings kicked it in for a 3 point lead.
At half time the score stood at 3-0 to Tampa Barbarians.
The second
half started with the Barbarians laying into the strong wind. Eight minutes into the 2nd half the Blackhawks brought their #15 into the line creating an overload and a rare venture into the Barbarians half resulted in a try 5 meters to the right of the posts. The conversion was missed so the Blackhawks went ahead by 5-3. The Barbarians repeated their play from the first half and kept the game in the Blackhawks half for the remainder of the game. With 10 minutes remaining on the clock a penalty was awarded to Barbarians, Charlie kicked it in and the Barbarians again took a one point lead.
The final score stood at 6-5 to the Barbarians. With the territorial advantage that the Barbarians maintained throughout the game they should have scored more tries. Was it nerves that stopped them? The next match is a must win for our final league game in order to make it through to the playoffs so lets hope that nerves can be put aside and the team plays to their full potential.
Man of the Match -
Penalty scorers - Charlie Hutchings x2
