We had an excellent time Saturday at our end-of-the-year banquet at Live.  The meal was great and the drinks never-ending.

Here is a list of the 2011 award winners:

Club Man - Matt Frech

College Crossover - Charlie Berklich
College Crossover - Davy Hamilton

Ex Pat of the Year - Jamie Hickey

Most Improved - Matt Forsyth (2010's X-over winner)

Most Valuable Back - Pete Mulhearn
Most Valuable Forward - Ryan Rogel

2011 Rookie of the Year - Dan Cameron


Jeff Hagan, Kevin Zimmer, and Zeb Clemente received honorary thanks for their helpfulness this season.

The 2010 honorees can be seen here.

15 October 2011

Ann Arbor, MI

As the Michigan team continues to gel, Ft. Wayne seemed direction-less on a beautifully sunny, chilly Saturday at Riverside Park.  Michigan has been focusing heavily on continuity at the breakdown throughout the week, and it certainly showed during the match.  While not impossible, Michigan is not likely to be given a spot in the playoffs, but they showed real heart in the 55-7 pounding of the Indiana based franchise.

A heavy down field wind was at Michigan's back in the first half, and coming off two second half losses, the boys knew they had to get working right off the stick.  Recent acquisition Jamie Hickey, slotting in at fullback, would open the scoring with a great finishing run 10 minutes into the game.  The rugby was all Michigan's; excellent work maintaining possession guaranteed plenty of space for Michigan runners.

Fort Wayne, pinned going backwards for much of the first 15 minutes, seemed aimless on attack.  Big, burly forwards did their simple work well, running straight at the defense, but the Michigan line held very strong.  Forced errors and hungry poachers kept the possession statistic heavily leaning toward MRFC.

Flyhalf Aaron Dodd made up for a missed penalty at 18 minutes by dotting down under the posts four minutes later.  He did well to ensure a kickable conversion.  The Michigan backline generated many big line breaks and hard work from the forwards saw the ball being played increasingly inside Fort Wayne's half.

Center Charlie Berklich scored of such a break 26 minutes in, and a Dodd conversion brought the score to 19-0.  Number 8 Colin MacFarlane would have the last say of the half; his try would make it 24-0 going into the shed.

Heading into the second 40, Michigan was full of energy, but now facing a big wind, the boys had plenty of work cut out.  The kickoff, Michigan's first restart of the day, was followed with good pressured and Michigan pinned Ft. Wayne in their 22, eventually forcing a kick.  A promising start.

Berklich would score not 5 minutes into the half as Ft. Wayne continued to unravel.  Michigan allowed the visitors plenty of time to regroup, though, giving referee Kevin Wornham 4 opportunities to penalize the hosts inside their 22.  Ft. Wayne had done well to gain the territory, but Michigan's defense was too strong.  It wasn't until the 4th penalty in 4 minutes that they finally worked an overload, isolating wing Eoghan McGreevy and charging over for their first (and, fatefully, only) try of the match.  31-7

Not to be outdone by Berklich, Hickey nabbed his second try of the day just moments after Ft. Wayne scored.  Scrumhalf Karl Seibert had taken a penalty quickly and caught the defense napping; Hickey caught an offload at incredible pace to score under the posts.  The Michigan backline was looking very dangerous.  For most of the final 20 minutes of the game, Michigan was in complete control, a good sign as replacements poured in and skipped no beats.

Seibert would capitalize on a massive line break in the 63rd minute, linking up with Dodd to sprint over the line. 

Berklich would grab his hat trick with 15 minutes left.  50-7 with quarter of an hour to go and it was all but wrapped up.  Michigan was not quite finished, though.

Openside flanker Josh Knight, nose to the grindstone the whole game, fabricated a line break from nothing and laid up a perfect offload to Seibert, who trotted 20 or so meters ending right under the posts.  55-7 at full time.

Michigan travels to Traverse City this weekend for their final regular season game.

XV:

1. Douglas Chapman
2. Ted Pixley
3. Brian Zimmer
4. Doug Chenoweth
5. Matt Frech
6. Ryan Rogel
7. Josh Knight
8. Colin MacFarlane
9. Karl Seibert
10. Aaron Dodd
11. Kyle Harris
12. Pete Mulhearn
13. Charlie Berklich
14. Eoghan McGreevy
15. Jamie Hickey

16. Naveen Aravapalli (Zimmer, 63')
17. Jeff Burke (Pixley, 63')
18. Avi Giladi (Chenoweth, 55')
19. Matt Daniel (Frech, 63')
20. Neil Mattouka (Mulhearn, 58')
21. Raj Patel (McGreevy, 66')
22. Tobi Ebouda (Rogel, 67')

Tries: Berklich (3), Hickey (2), Seibert (2), Dodd, MacFarlane
Conv: Dodd (5)
Pen: -
Drop: -

8 October 2011

Flint, Michigan

Despite a handy lead heading into the final fifteen minutes, Michigan was helpless to stop the onslaught of Flint runners, succumbing to the locals 33-31.

The game started all Michigan; Flint chose to have Michigan kickoff only to have the men in blue nab their own kick, beginning a territory and possession laden first half.  Michigan was in good control for most of the first 40, but several breaks and half breaks by Flint kept Michigan working relentlessly on defense.  The first score wouldn't be until the 20 minute mark, when center Charlie Berklich broke through the Flint defense.

He would follow that try up with a second just over the half hour mark; the Michigan pack, heavily outweighed by their Flint counterpart, stole a scrum at Flint's 5 meter line against the head, Berklich burst through the line after some excellent passing.  Without flyhalf Aaron Dodd's conversion the score was 12-0, a promising start.  They'd go to the shed with that lead.

The second half continued the momentum of the first, prop Doug Chapman scored a brilliant solitary effort in the 49th minute.  Taking an 'old-school' tap and pass penalty, Chapman charged through Flint's paltry line of defense to score just left of the posts.  19-0.

Flint was finally rewarded for their many breaks in the 51st minute with a converted try.  At 59 minutes, though, replacement flanker Josh Knight scored a well orchestrated try off Dodd's hip, 26-7.

In the final fifteen, Michigan began to slip.  Missed tackles left and right, Flint scored in the 64th minute and the 67th minute, 26-19.

No matter what rallying the Ann Arbor boys did, Flint seemed to have a very simple answer: run hard.  Another try in the 72nd minute brought the score even, 26 all.  Michigan fans were really feeling the pain, a game that looked sealed up suddenly broken wide open.

The 74th minute saw Flint take their first lead of the game, and with an all important conversion, led now 33-26.

Pete Mulhearn was too experienced; he caught a pass on the run and beat several would-be tacklers to score in the corner, reminiscent of his try last week in Kalamazoo.

The angle would be too much for Dodd, though, and at full time, Michigan, mouths agape, saw a losing scoreline, 31-33.

They next play at home, a 12:00pm kickoff against Fort Wayne.


XV:

1. Douglas Chapman
2. Ted Pixley
3. Brian Zimmer
4. Matt Forsyth
5. Matt Daniel
6. Doug Chenoweth
7. Marshall Poland
8. Colin MacFarlane
9. Karl Seibert
10. Aaron Dodd
11. Pete Mulhearn
12. Kyle Harris
13. Charlie Berklich
14. Davy Hamilton
15. Jamie Hickey

16. Naveen Aravapalli
17. Dan Cameron
18. Jeff Lampley
19. Josh Knight
20. Avi Giladi
21. Neil Matouka
22. Eoghan McGreevy

Tries: Berklich (2), Chapman, Knight, Mulhearn
Conv: Dodd (3)
Pen: -
Drop -

         
24 September         
Battle Creek, MI         

In a 10 try score-fest, Michigan held on to an early lead to win their third straight bonus point victory.

They looked brilliant at times, and downright pitiful at others, but Michigan used their attacking prowess to build up a handy bulk of points which gave the last gasp burst from Battle Creek no chance of changing the outcome. 

BC came out swinging, using early territory to great effect.  At just five minutes in, having camped out inside the Michigan half for the entirety of the five, the Griffons hit a penalty right out front.

Michigan answered at 12 minutes with a try from standout center Charlie Berklich.  Flyhalf Aaron Dodd made the conversion.  Ten minutes later, relentless attack from Michigan gave winger Davy Hamilton a try in the corner.  The backs looked threatening each time they ran with ball.

Battle Creek took advantage of another penalty in front of the posts to cut the lead to 12-6.  Referee Scott Albers seemed to struggle managing the game and leaned on his whistle pretty heavily.  Michigan were given a breakdown related penalty, and capitalizing on BC's lazy type forwards, scrumhalf Karl Seibert went quick, dishing to Dodd for an easy tr y just before the half hour mark.

At 33 minutes, Berklich scored probably the try of the game, starting inside the Michigan half and breaking countless tackles and evading even more to burst through under the posts.

It looked to be 24-6 at the break, but a desperate Battle Creek wore away at the Michigan fringe defense until they dished to their inside center who scored in the corner.  24-11 at half.

At half loose forward Doug Chenoweth and inside center Gerrit Yntema came on for Matt Forsyth and Pete Mulhearn, and though Forsyth and Mulhearn both had plenty to hang their hats on, there was no drop off with the two replacements.

The Michigan backline continued its dominance, working the ball easily through the hands.  Berklich grabbed his hat trick 50 minutes in, and Dodd even converted the try.  36-11. 

The next try would be for the skipper, a darting little run of the base of a ruck that resulted in a pinball style missed-tackle-fest giving Seibert 5 points.

With ten minutes left in the game, Berklich ran over a fourth try and signaled the apparent and unfortunate end of Michigan's involvement in defense.  41-11 would have been a fine score, but Battle Creek rushed in two tries at 75 and 80 minutes, a discouraging and questioning end to the game for Michigan.

Michigan next face Kalamazoo in Ann Arbor on Saturday.

XV:
1 Doug Chapman
2 Ted Pixley
3 Brian Zimmer
4 Matt Daniel
5 Matt Frech
6 Matt Forsyth
7 Ryan Rogel
8 Colin MacFarlane
9 Karl Seibert
10 Aaron Dodd
11 Andy Schwarzkopf
12 Pete Mulhearn
13 Charlie Berklich
14 Davy Hamilton
15 Eoghan McGreevy

16 Naveen Aravapalli (Zimmer 60')
17 Doug Chenoweth (Forsyth 40')
18 Dan Cameron (Daniel 60')
19 Jeff Burke (Pixley 50')
20 Gerrit Yntema (Mulhearn 40')
21 Tom Stulberg (McGreevy 60')
22 Neil Matouka (Schwarzkopf 50')

Tries: Berklich (4), Hamilton, Dodd, Seibert
Conv: Dodd (3)
Pen: -
Drop: -

         
21 September 2011         

After a strong showing against Detroit two weeks ago, the Michigan side sees just a few changes.  Senior players Karl Seibert, Aaron Dodd, and Brian Zimmer return to the squad after missing the match 2 weeks ago, shifting around the backfield and front row just slightly.  Olde Blue Weekend was a smash success and the Club Side presence in the scrimmages was undeniable.  The team is looking as good as it ever has.

1	Douglas MacArthur Chapman
2	Ted R Pixley
3	Brian Zimmer
4	Matthew Daniel
5	Matt H Frech
6	Matthew Forsyth
7	Ryan Rogel
8	Colin Macfarlane
9	Karl William Seibert
10	Aaron Dodd
11	Andrew Schwarzkopf
12	Peter A Mulhearn
13	Charles Jeffrey Berklich
14	Eoghan Alexander McGreevy
15	David Hamilton
16	Michael John Dahlgren
17	Dan Cameron
18	Jeff A Burke
19	Thomas M Stulberg
20	Neil Matouka
21	Naveen Venkata Aravapalli
22	Doug Chenoweth

         
The annual Olde Blue Weekend was a great success and many current club players featured in the games.
         

Ann Arbor, MI        
17 September 2011         

In the annual University of Michigan Olde Blue Weekend, club alumni faced undergraduate teams in three matches.
1. Brian Zimmer
2. Ted Pixley
3. Dan Mascellino
4. David Perpich
5. Nate Schafrick
6. Colin McFarlane
7. Ryan Rogel
8. Evan Pratt
9. Karl Seibert
10. Aaron Dodd
11. Paul LeBlanc
12. Charlie Berklich
13. Kyle Harris
14. Gerrit Yntema
15. Tim Farrow

16. Matt Forsyth (Perpich 49')
17. Marshall Poland (Harris 40')
18. Naveen Aravapalli (Mascellino 54')
19. Eoghan McGreevy (LeBlanc 56')
20. Ray Govus (Rogel 40')
21. Davy Hamilton (Pratt, 38')
22. Tom Stulberg

Tries: McFarlane, Dodd, Yntema
Conv: Dodd
Pen: Harris
In the second game of the day, UMRFC "B" side gave the OBs a healthy heaping of soiled meat and sand right off the stick.  What would be the highest scoring game of the day started with 27 minutes of scoreless play.   Matt Forsyth burst across the line to just crack open the faucet.  Less than five minutes later, standout scrumhalf Stu Roche raced through several of the defense, putting it down right between the posts, giving himself an easy conversion.

Now up 7-5, the young boys played with great confidence, scoring again just before half.  5-12 was a steep incline for the old men, but one of the most "experienced" players on the field would touch down next - Glenn Zatz scored a ripper at 48 minutes, bringing the score much closer at 10-12.  Ten minutes later, Roche scored and converted again, which would be the young boys' last points on the day.

Giving the B side some real tutelage, Coach Trenary scored at 68 minutes, slicing the young boys' lead to a mere 4 points, 15-19.  Kyle Harris would set off a domino chain of tries, scoring at minutes 71 and 73 (converting the second).  Pete Mulhearn, star of last week's Club side demolition of Detroit Tradesmen B, would score at the final whistle, making it 34-19.

Olde Blue XV:
1. Naveen Aravapalli
2. Tobi Eboda
3. Kevin Owens
4. Brandon Yelen
5. Matt Forsyth
6. Angelo Tocco
7. Charles Berklich
8. Sam Upton
9. Neil Matouka
10. Jack Fisher
11. Tom Stulberg
12. Kyle Harris
13. Pete Mulhearn
14. Andy Schwarzkopf
15. Tim Farrow

16. Michael B. Olszewski (Eboda)
17. Tom Raboine (Tocco)
19. Ted Pixley (Berklich)
20. Ray Govus (Upton)
21. Jeff Burke (Aravapalli)
22. Glenn Zatz (Stulberg)

         
16 September 2011         

The Michigan Club is proud to debut its new 2011 Jersey.  The team worked at several options before deciding to work with English company Kukri on the strip.  Kukri worked in conjunction with several senior Michigan players on the design.

The horizontal stripes emphasize the tradition of the club, now in its 52nd year, while the UM color scheme highlight the tight relationship with the school; most players are either alumni or grad students at the U.  While the fit, collar, and fabric of the jersey reflect the technological advances made in the last several years, the jersey remains a tribute to history.

While Michigan has used solid color or non-traditional patterns on their shirt since the 1980s, long ago the standard was the "hoop" design.

Special thanks to sponsors HyperFit USA and Frech Family Hops.

The team will debut the new look this weekend against middle-of-the-table Battle Creek Griffons in Battle Creek.

         
10 September 2011         

In a convincing win over a team that defeated Michigan last year, MRFC seems to be gelling quite well.  Without scrumhalf Karl Seibert and flyhalf Aaron Dodd (the wedding of former UM and MRFC great Evan Currie kept them away) and veteran prop Brian Zimmer, the depth of the team commanded serious attention.  It was fourteen minutes before the first score, sloppy play and unconvincing performance at breakdown from both sides the culprit.  Rookie back Davy Hamilton scored the first of what would be the team's eight tries, with center-turned-flyhalf Charlie Berklich converting. 

Detroit nailed a penalty nineteen minutes in, and it would be a hard fought ten minutes before Michigan got across the line again.  Detroit's physical technicality at scrum time outclassed Michigan again and again. 

Veteran center Pete Mulhearn, who had a particularly strong game, gave a good case for inclusion in the first XV with the next try, converted by Michigan rookie Kyle Harris.  The Tradesmen scored a conversion-less try at 35 minutes and a penalty at 37, but with just 2 minutes before the halftime whistle, the men in blue grabbed a try-a-minute, Harris and Berklich both touching down; Harris making both conversions. 

They'd go to the shed leading 28-11, a confident start from a team lacking three senior players.

Three minutes into the second half, Harris, hungry for points, trotted over the line and made his conversion, bringing the lead to 35-11, where it would stay until fresh legs came on at minute 60.  Matt Forsyth, who did well at number 8 from his usual position of lock, scored a well orchestrated try, just before captain Josh Knight, leading the side for his first time, crammed another try into the in-goal. 

Detroit scored a second try with ten minutes to go, but Upton couldn't let the losing side have the last word.  He inserted from fullback to put the nail in, ending the game 52-16.

Michigan played very well in the loose, suffered heavily at set piece, but showed great courage and depth from the bench.  Michigan veterans Seibert, Dodd, and Zimmer must be questioning if they've shifted into the "washed up" category.  With Mulhearn, 45, playing as well as he did, all three players can hope for long and fruitful careers ahead.

Starting XV:

1 Doug Chapman
2 Ted Pixley
3 Dan Cameron
4 Matt Daniel
5 Matt Frech
6 Ryan Rogel
7 Josh Knight
8 Matt Forsyth
9 Davy Hamilton
10 Charlie Berklich
11 Andy Schwarzkopf
12 Pete Mulhearn
13 Charles Berklich
14 Eoghan McGreevy
15 Sam Upton

Replacements:
16 Jeff Lampley (Chapman, 65)
17 Naveen Aravapalli (Aravapalli, 55)
19 Jeff Burke (Pixley, 65)
20 Tom Stulberg (Mulhearn, 60)
21 Kyle Harris (McGreevy, 30)
22 Raj Patel (Hamilton, 60)

Tries: Harris (2), Upton, Hamilton, Berklich, Mulhearn, Forsyth, Knight
Conv: Harris (5), Berklich
Pen: -
Drop: -

         
27 August 2011         

The Tri-City Barbarians didn't have too far to travel Saturday as they met Michigan at Ann Arbor's Riverside Park Rugby Stadium.  As they arrived, their warmup seemed to lack luster and direction; however, the "motley" nature of the red and blacks has become a sort of hallmark - and a successful one.  They've bested Michigan on the last two occasions, beating them last season 18-10 in Midland and in 2009 in Ann Arbor after captain-for-the-day Aaron "Tex" Dodd made the famous "Now let's not run up the score too bad" remarks.  Michigan would have the last (non-ironic) laugh this time around, t aking the big boys 32-19.

Tri-City kicked off to start and managed to keep pressure on the maize and blue, not letting them out of their own half for several minutes.  Flyhalf Dodd employed what would be a nearly flawless kicking-for-territory game and nestled Michigan into threatening land.  On the seven minute mark, Try-City botched a line out throw on their own 5 meter line, tossing the pill straight into debut No. 8 Kyle Harris' hands.  He couldn't have asked for an easier first-try; his feet didn't move as he fell straight over the line.  While Dodd's on field kicking looked sharp, his kicking for goal was shaky at best, perhaps owing to the infancy of the season.  He would miss 3 out of 5 conversions.

Michigan did well to play some very classy running rugby, but coughed up ball on too many occasions to 'run up the score'.  After wave after wave of attack, Michigan scored from an unlikely reversal of positions - Dodd passed to halfback Karl Seibert off the base of a (rare) well-constructed ruck, giving the side's captain just enough space to trot over the line.  Dodd would miss the conversion, bringing the score to 10-nil just 11 minutes into the game.  Man-of-the-Match and debutant Charles Berklich would be the next to score in the 29th minute, using his overly dramatic, yet effective, sidestep to one-two shuffle his way in.  Beating the defense so definitively, scoring under the posts was no problem, which gave Dodd his first conversion of the match 29 minutes in.  Michigan would head to the shed leading 17-0.

Upon receiving the kickoff, Try-City seems to catch its stride a bit; whatever halftime wisdom captain Bill "BigBallaBill" Becker grunted paid off almost immediately.  Using their sheer bulk, Try-City "mashed" through Michigan's fringe defense, giving winger "Corbin" a generous gap through which he made a most hasty entry to score.  Ten minutes later, the same "mash" play worked, this time giving out-center "No Name" a ticket to "Try City".  A more "ask not what your team can do for you  . . ." player than Tex, Try-City's goal kicker was 2 for 2 thus far, bringing the score to 17-14 with a half hour left to play.

Referee Robin Petersen, no favorite from either team so far in the match due to some novel and questionable interpretations of certain laws, awarded Michigan a kickable penalty 56 minutes in, which Dodd, for once, considered making, and did.  20-14 seemed to give the boys some breathing room, while Try-City just seemed to breathe a lot.  Completing the trifecta of new players scoring, outstanding fullback Davy Hamilton dove over the line at 70 minutes, which pushed the scoreline just out of reach for the chubs, 27-14.  Rally they needed to do, and rally they did, with a strong drive down field following the restart; scoring an uncharacteristically skinny try, Try-City's 120 lb scrumhalf worked some magic, besting the fringe defense and nabbing a fiver at 73 minutes.

The last word on the day would come from "point a minute" Sam Upton, who, as an impact player and dentist-in-training, scored in the dying moments of a sunny, hot, exhausting match.  Dodd would miss the conversion.


Michigan next plays Detroit Tradesmen DIII on September 10th, in Detroit.  Check www.michiganrugby.org for details.

Starting XV:

1 Doug Chapman
2 Ted Pixley
3 Brian Zimmer
4 Matt Forsyth
5 Matt Frech
6 Doug Chenoweth
7 Josh Knight
8 Kyle Harris
9 Karl Seibert
10 Aaron Dodd
11 Andy Schwarzkof
12 Ryan Rogel
13 Charles Berklich
14 Pete Mulhearn
15 Davy Hamilton

Replacements:
16 Mike Dahlgren (Forsyth, 60)
17 Dan Cameron (Frech, 70)
19 Naveen Aravapalli (Chapman, 51)
20 Tom Stulberg (Mulheran, 67)
21 Gerrit Yntema (Knight, 47)
22 Sam Upton (Schwarzkopf, 62)

Tries: Harris, Seibert, Berklich, Hamilton, Upton
Conv: Dodd (2)
Pen: Dodd

         
14 August 2011         

Michigan will play 7 matches with Olde Blue weekend off to participate in the festivities.

Aug 27 - Tri Cities
Sep 10 - @ Detroit
Sep 17 - Olde Blue (no league match)
Sept 24 - @ Battle Creek
Oct 1 - Kalamazoo
Oct 8 - @ Flint
Oct 15 - Fort Wayne
Oct 22 - @ Traverse Bay

It seems this schedule is subject to change.  For scores, locations, and times look to the Schedule page.