K-State vs. Oklahoma

 

Played on March 7, 2010 at Kansas State University

RugbyMag story here


 

Score: 24-20 K-State

Summary: This matchup was to determine the champion of the Central division, and decide which team would go on to the Western playoffs.  The game started off as a back and forth affair with more defense than offense.  KSU dominated possession but was unable to capitalize and the game was scoreless for about the first 20 minutes.  Oklahoma was able to get on the board first with a penalty goal.  There was a lot more defense for the remainder of the half until a KSU player made the bad decision to throw the ball backwards to no one out of a tackle and Oklahoma scooped up the loose ball and went in for a try at the end of the half.  The OU kicker missed the conversion and the half ended with OU up 8-0.   In the second half, KSU came out with some more intensity.  On the opening kickoff, Joe D'Agostino kicked the ball deep and KSU forwards Dan Knapp and Percy Billingsley hit the OU player hard immediately after catching the ball.  Tyler Hodges was able to poach the ball in the tackle and KSU had the ball deep in OU territory.  Moments later, OU's blindside flanker threw an elbow to a KSU player's head in a maul and was subsequently red-carded.  D'Agostino hit the penalty goal to give KSU its first points of the game and bring them within a try at 8-3.  Soon after, KSU was able to score again with Kenny Scott breaking through for the team's first try of the day.  D'Agostino broke the tie by slotting the conversion and giving K-State the lead at 10-8.  Oklahoma scored the next try to regain the lead at 13-10.  D'Agostino scored a try off of a mishandled kick by OSU and slotted the conversion to give KSU the lead for good.  Minutes after entering the game as K-State's lone substitution of the day, freshman Parker Staats scored his zulu try after OU mishandled another kick.  D'Agostino continued his perfect kicking for the day by making his third conversion to make the score 24-15.  With 10 minutes to play, Oklahoma was not done yet, however.  They scored a try on a long play from a scrum involving most of their backline.  With the score 24-20, Oklahoma was never able to seriously threaten again, and the game ended deep in OU territory, with K-State as the 2009-10 Central Division Champions.

Special recognition is deserved for rookie Quentin Hoover who was able to step in for senior and 4 year starter Jordan Pfenninger (out with the flu) at prop, and play well, helping to keep the K-State scrum solid. Of the 10 forwards who played this weekend, only 3 were with the team at this time last year, and 4 are freshman.


Lineup:
1. Q. Hoover
2. D. Knapp (c)
3. F. Khamis
4. L. Hirschler
5. M. Bertrand
6. E. Talbott
7. P. Billingsley
8. T. Hodges
9. Jar. Dull
10. J. Knutsen
11. B. Fearing
12. C. Stafford
13. Jak. Dull
14. K. Scott
15. J. D'Agostino

Reserves:
16. R. Schmidt
17. P. Staats (Khamis @65)
18. T. Knapp
19. M. Chen
20. S. Waters
21. J. Hensleigh
22. E. Looft
23. J. Pfenninger (sick)