Walnut Proves Themselves to Worms

DATE: SATURDAY APRIL 23 at OHIO RUGBY CLASSIC
CONDITIONS: Snow in low 40's
The night before the match we discovered this online: (posted by a Westerville player)
"Fellas, forget the past, wins and losses...It doesn't mean anything tomorrow. Come out and play hard, fast, and low. Play with a controlled urgency. Play like Worms. Talk is cheap and actions are all that matter. 5 years is too long not to have won this tournament! B-side...you are expected to rock the D-II bracket as well. Play for yourselves and your buddies--nothing else matters once you step over the touch line and onto the pitch. Come ready to play and ready to dominate. Get the swagger back. Walk onto the pitch with the knowledge and understanding that these teams that are there are not worthy to play you. They will be playing the best team of their high school careers tomorrow and Sunday. Trust me, they will be. Make them remember that team and talk about with their buddies 10 years from now. None of these teams deserve to play you. Once you get that mindset, PROVE IT!!!! The Worms ARE cocky, they ARE good, but they sure as hell go out and justify it with their play. 15 hearts as 1. F it--enough talk just go out and play"
DEEDS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS

WALNUT HILLS 15- WESTERVILLE B 5

With conditions unfavorable Walnut Hills wondered onto the pitch against the host team . The match started back and forth with the unproven Nuts showing they would not be imtimidated by the expierenced Westerville Worms. Then 15 minutes into the first half, #8 Luke Elsenear broke off the weak side of a scrum 15 meters out to put Walnut on the board. With this score Walnut kept on the attack. With some nice open field runs by wing forwards Jordan Kleinhenz, Luke Elsenar and Chris Darbie, Walnut Hills found themselves inside the Westerville half for the rest of the first half. Strong rucking by the tight five led to Hooker Joe Strite picking a ball of a ruck from 7 meters out to give Walnut a 10-o lead. Franklin Perry added the conversion. Five minutes later Walnut capitalized on a Westerville penalty for diving over to give them a 15-0 halftime led.
The second half saw both teams bringing the wood. With the wind going against us, we relied on the packs scrumming to carry us in the second half. Walnut held off a feroicous attack by the Worms, who scored on the final play of the game. For the first time Walnut played 15-man rugby and the results showed.

WALNUT HILLS
1- Tony Kuehling
2- Joe Strite
3- Willie Griffes-captain
4- Ryan Braunn
5- Joe Baxter
6- Jordan Kleinhenz
7- Chris Darbie
8- Luke Elsenar
9- Gareth Griffes
10- Mike Englender
11- Kris Koch
12- Franklin Perry
13- Tyler Doerman
14- Mick Lynch
15- Nikko Godoy

Subs
Kenny Haber @ 20 min. 2nd half for W. Griffes

Nuts hold off Westside to win first league game

Walnut Hills 23~ Westside 19
Conditons: overcast, mid 40's
Field: Walnut Hills

The first league and home game in the 2005 campaign marked a real emotinal victory for the Walnut side. It was the first time we have beaten one of the original members in the league. Walnut came fired up right out of the gate. Nine minutes into the first half Andy Messer booted the ball fifty yards off a penalty kick into Westside territory. The Outkasts fullback recovered the ball where he was smothered by Mike Englender. Walnut rucked over the ball and Tony Kuehling pitched it to Nikko Godoy who went 40 yards down the sideline to put Walnut up. With Walnut fired up ,they got the kickoff and marched back into Westside territory. Five minutes later, Westside had a five meter scrum and passed it out to their backs. Englender tackled the center and Gareth Griffes wrestled the ball away from Westside for the score. Walnuts attack continued when Andy Messer scored on a #8 pick-up 10 yards out to put Walnut up 15-0. This brought Westside to life and the Outkasts went on the attack. Westside got a penalty try to bring the score to 15-7. Then Andy Messer booted a 40 yard penalty kick to make the score at halftime 18-7.
In the second half the more expierenced Outkasts applied constant pressure to the Walnut defense. At one point Walnut held off 15 straight phases inside their 25 yard line. Flanker Jordan Kleinhenz was key in the Walnut defense as he made every other tackle during the Westside barrage. Westside eventually broke down the Walnut defense and scored under the posts; making the score 18-14 with 15 minutes to go. The play went back and forth with niether team able to score. After several missed penalty kicks, Andy Messer broke off a scrum from 10 yards out. He then dished with no regard to Chris Arnold, who picked off the pass one handed and dotted down for the try. Walnut was now up 23-14. Westside stormed back into Walnut territory with time winding down. On the last play of the game, they stole a Walnut scrum from five yards out and scrambled in for the try. Conversion no good.
Final Score: Walnut Hills 23- Westside 19.
Mike Englender was the man of the match for Walnut. If you have to ask why you were'nt paying attention to the game.

Walnut Hills
#1 Tony Kuehling
#2 Joe Strite
#3 Willie Griffes~ captain
#4- Ryan Brann
#5- Luke Elsenear
#6- Jordan Kleinhenz
#7- Tyler Doerman
#8- Andy Messer- captain
#9- Gareth Griffes
#10- Mike Englender
#11- Chris Darbie
#12- Nikko Godoy
#13- Isaac Privitera
#14- Derek Zipkin
#15- Franklin Perry

Subs
Chris Arnold for Jordan Kleinhenz with 10 minutes left

Scoring
TRYS: Walnut 4 (Godoy, G.Griffes, Messer, Arnold) Westside 3
CONV: Wal 0, Wes 2. PEN: Wal 1 (Messer) Wes 0
Score at Halftime: WAL 18-WES 7; Final Score: WAL 23- WES 19

Nuts win over Marysville

Walnut Hills 31~ Marysville 0
Conditions: mid 30's with melting snow
Field: Marysville
The first game in the 2005 campaign marked a first for the Walnut Hills rugby club~ we had a full team plus subs. Early on the Nuts took it straight to Marysville kicking it deep into there territory. Five minutes into the game Andy Messer put the club on the score board with a 15 yard try off a #8 pick-up. The rest of the first half Walnut used a stiff wind to keep the ball on the Marysville side. Eventually we dotted the scoreboard again. On a 22-meter drop-out wing Isaac Privitera recovered the kick and scampered down the sideline relatively untouched to give us a 10-0 led at halftime.
Halftime: Walnut Hills 10- Marysville 0
The second half was marked by the strong defensive effort by the Walnut forwards in open play. Second half scoring involved scrum half Gareth Griffes picking up a loose ball to run it five meters for the score. With Marysville down a few players they charged into Walnut territory for the first time half way through the second half. But Tyler Doerman came up to tackle and strip the Marysville ball carrier passing it off to Messer. Messer then went 80 meters down the sideline eluding the Marysville team. After this Walnut slowed down the game and played good phase rugby. As time expired Jordan Kleinhenz ran a penalty play 30 meters for a try.
Full time: Walnut HIlls 31- Marysville 0

Walnut Hills
#1- Tony Kuehling
#2- Joe Strite
#3- Willie Griffes- captain
#4- Ryan Brann
#5- Luke Elsenear
#6- Jordan Kleinhenz
#7- Tyler Doerman
#8- Andy Messer
#9- Gareth Griffes
#10- Jordan Nader
#11- Isaac Privitera
#12- Mike Englender
#13- Nikko Godoy
#14- Mike Lynch
#15- Franklin Perry

Subs
Chris Arnold for Ryan Brann @ halftime
Chris Darbie for Mike Lynch @ halftime
Tommy Hopkins for Jordan Nader @ halftime

SCORING
TRYS: WAL 5 (Messer 2, G.Griffes, Privitera, Kleinhenz) MAR 0
CONV: WAL 3 (Messer 2, Perry) MAR 0
Final Score: Walnut 31-Marysville 0