The Maryland Exiles may have blown out Frederick this weekend in Rugby Maryland league play, but the well-regarded club has a rival this year, and they already know how tough.

North Bay tied the Exiles 28-28 last week, and it was a message to all in the state that there’s a challenger for the top spot. North Bay is now 3-0-1 in league play, and looking to finish undefeated.

Stefan Simmons is a good tackler, and good with the ball in hand, too. Linda Zvitkovitz photo.

Kickoff time. Flyhalf Daniel Zvitkovitz has helped marshal and effective North Bay backline. Linda Zvitkovitz photo.

Cole McDonough busts up the middle. Linda Zvitkovitz photo.

Run by Ellen and Brian Hickey, North Bay have continued to develop its program,, attacking some solid athletes who have bought into the team-first approach.

The glory, for North Bay, comes not from scoring tries, but from tackling.

“We have a green jacket we give to a player every game, it’s the Tackling Jacket,” said Hickey. “The player with the most tackles in the game gets to wear it for a week and he writes his name in it. The guys really want that jacket. It’s helped us put together a team where everyone wants to be a good tackler.”

Center Stefan Simmons has been a terror in this regard, earning the jacket more than anyone. But it does get passed around, and against Maryland, new player Nolan Clawson, a senior who has pushed his way onto the A side, got to wear it. 

“We’re excited about this team,” enthused Hickey. “We have a great group of players.”

Up front, despite some size - Cole McDonough is 6-6 and over 240 lbs - they still have some work to do. It didn’t help that they were missing their captain and also one of their props against Maryland. But Hickey acknowledges, “our backs are going to win the day for us. Our forwards know what they have to do is get our backs enough possession. Against the Exiles, they rucked like crazy.”

That backline includes Simmons, someone Hickey calls “a rare talent” and also midfielder Harrison Pfeifer. Flyhalf Daniel Zvitkovitz (one of three Zvitkovitzes on the team) is a sharp and intelligent flyhalf/scrumhalf. 

They can run and they can score. North Bay is averaging over 50 points a game, nay the Exiles have really threatened their defense. The playoffs aren’t until the end of this month, with the championship the first weekend of May. You get the feeling North Bay will be playing on that weekend, and probably against the Exiles again.

(Note on standings - Rugby Maryland gives bonus points for submitting game reports within 24 hours of the end of the game)