Jayden Demmy scored five tries to lead West Shore United to a 38-33 comeback victory over West Chester in Rugby PA DI Club action this past weekend. 

Demmy opened the scoring in the first half  when he made a tackle, poached the ball and shook two defenders while sprinting in from 40 meters out. The conversion was missed and West Shore held a 5-0 lead.  West Chester answered quickly when West Shore United got sloppy with the ball inside their own 22.  An ill advised pass was picked off by the West Chester defense and sprinted in for a converted try and a 7-5 lead.  West Chester would strike next after a series of West Shore turnovers and penalties led to a try off of a quick tap penalty.  West Shore flyhalf Colby Rigg was able to block the conversion to keep West Shore within a converted try at 12-5. 

West Chester went right back on the attack after the ensuing kick-off. James Jaques beat several West Shore defenders on a 50-meter try that was centered and converted to give West Chester a 19-5 lead and had West Shore on their heels. Demmy stopped the bleeding for West Shore with his second try of the match, which was converted by Cam Welsh, cutting the West Chester’s lead to 19-12.  West Shore threatened near the end of the first half, but knocked-on about five meters from the tryline to end the half.

In the second half, West Chester’s James Jaques would strike fast, taking advantage of one of the many West Shore United turnovers.  West Chester was awarded a scrum after a West Shore knock on and Jaques found a gap and sprinted in from 60 meters. The conversion was good and West Chester led 26-12.

Demmy answered back with his third try of the day to get West Shore back in the match. Welsh converted to cut the lead to 26-19. Not to be outdone by Demmy, West Chester’s Jaques would strike again, this time after the West Chester pack stole a scum put-in, he raced 65 meters to score. The conversion was good and West Chester regained their fourteen point lead at 33-19 and looked to be in control of the match. West Shore United, however, were not going to go down without a fight.

Demmy, who also played some solid defense, scored his fourth try of the match, and Welsh again converted to make it 33-26. West Shore then regained possession and worked their way into the West Chester end. After a penalty against West Chester, Demmy tapped and went with the West Chester defense ready and waiting for him. Demmy took on five West Chester tacklers, but somehow came out on the other side, broke one more tackle, and carried a tackler into in-goal to touch down for the fifth time of the day. Welsh converted and the match was tied 33-33 with two minutes remaining. The ensuing restart did not travel ten meters, giving West Shore an attacking scrum at midfield with a chance to complete the comeback. West Shore launched an attack from the scrum and, after several phased, lock Eugene Rodgers made a break through the West Chester defense. As he was being tackled five meters from goal, Rodgers offloaded to fullback Cam Welsh, who dover over for the winning try to end the match, giving West Shore United and dramatic 38-33 victory over West Chester.

James Jaques of West Chester and Jayden Demmy of West Shore United, were standouts in the match, combining for eight tries.  Demmy was a force on defense as well, as he poached ball all day to get West Shore possession. Jaques and Demmy were teammates on the Atlantis 7s side that finished second in Las Vegas last month.  Alex Schlager, West Shore United and Dan Brown West Chester, were also in Vegas with Atlantis last month. Schlager with Demmy and Jaques on the U18 side and Dan Brown on the U16 team.