A Tale of Contrasting Games in D2 Semis

12.09.2022

In two completely different games IUP and Principia won their Men’s D2 national semifinal to book places in Sunday’s championship game.

IUP needed everything and more to hold off a determined NC State in a low-scoring affair. The game began with a long period where NC State has most of the territory. But IUP defended very well and their tackle rate, led by hooker Vinny Scott and centers Dominic Holmes and Tyler Johnson, was outstanding.

Finally NC State broke through, getting a nice kick deep and a good chase, turning the ball over and seeing No. 8 Max Smelly diving over.

It had taken 20 minutes to secure that try. NC State would not get another one.

Right off the restart IUP secured possession and long-striding lock Colton Moyer charged ahead. IUP got a penalty, ran it, and eventually Moyer got the ball again and was through. Johnson converted and IUP led 7-5.

Much of the rest of the game was NC State trying to find a way to score, and IUP tackling and tackling and … well sometimes it was IUP being offside, but when the penalties were called they tackled some more.

On defense a little less often, the Wolfpack defended doggedly themselves. NC State opted for penalty goal attempts at times, but those didn’t go over, and IUP held that 7-5 lead into the break.

About four minutes into the second half IUP got a free kick off a scrum and quickly moved ahead. One phase and the. Ball was shifted out to Johnson who had three defenders honing in on him and one other out wide. Johnson focused on the tackler out wide, committed him, and sent a pass to wing Joey Cosnek, who was tackled as he dove for the corner.

A long consultation with assistant referee Tor Corrigan (who has been certified as a ref since he was 10 years old) and Referee Rachel Hill and it was concluded that the tackler twisted Cosine’s body such that he rolled into touch, but not before he touched the ball down.

Try good, 12-5 lead for IUP.

Throughout the rest of the second half IUP was defending against a persistent but sometimes frustrated NC State. The Wolfpack had chances to break through but if there was a gap, it was usually closed down quickly.

Then things go weird. Referee Hill apparently had a problem with her watch and when IUP got a penalty in their 22, informed them that time was up. IUP tapped and kicked to touch. Not so fast … AR Matt Lake ran onto the field to confirm that there was actually 10 minutes left. All fixed—IUP was allowed to take their penalty with new information, and the game went on.

“I told the guys that I wanted to keep playing them for 10 more minutes,” said Moyer after the game.

Meanwhile, that penalty was actually off a play that almost resulted in a try for NC State. A kick and chase saw the ball over the line but held up, and eventually, after review, a penalty for a dangerous fend.

Finally, though, IUP held on, but not before they saw their captain and scrumhalf, RJ Beach, go down with a worrying injury that saw him taken to the hospital. He almost certainly will not be available for the final, and the injury certainly sobered the IUP team.

Principia vs Loyola started dramatically with Thunder Chickens prop Emmanuel tAiko sin-binned right off the kickoff for tackling a player in the air. Loyola moved ahead from there, got another penalty, and opted for posts, but missed.

With a little chance to breathe, Principia unleashed their pace. Wing Celino Petersen was like a spider on a hotplate, skittering in all sorts of unpredictable direction and doing it at a pace few could match.

With his speed and elusiveness he was rarely brought down by the first tackler, and one such run set up a chance for center Kudzai Chiwara, who was in.

Moments later a kick to fullback Matoka Matoka saw him just run through everyone to score. Loyola was in dangerous of giving up some other long range runs, but held on tenaciously. Realizing that kicking for territory was a fool’s game, they resorted to running out of their own 22. But to do that you can’t give up turnovers. They did, and off a scrum a nice 8-9 combo with Fran Alessio and Camilla Odunuga sent Odunuga down the line, where he grubbered ahead for Petersen to speed in to take and score.

That made it 21-0, but Loyola didn’t back down, and good pressure on a scrum earned them a penalty which they ran quickly. The forwards worked their way down the field and finally on another tap move they scored to make it 21-7.

Petersen answered for his second, a brilliant weaving run, and Principia led 26-7 at halftime.

The Thunder Chickens continued to push the pace in the second half, with flyhallf Damir Conci, Matoka, and Petersen all scoring again. Petersen also had a break that looked for all the world like another long-range try but fullback Tomaso Chiarramondia made a brilliant ankle-tap tackle and then bounced up to make another. It was a classic example of how Loyola played hard throughout.

Hooker Joshua Kliment worked especially hard, and eventually Loyola was rewarded with a late try.

Not enough, to be sure, but while the final promises to be a wonderful contrast in styles, the 3rd-4th game is for a ton of pride, too.