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Tigers pair service with success at 11th annual Rickerson Cup

Saturday is Rugby Day: Tigers Pair Service with Success at 11th Annual Rickerson Cup

On April 22, a chilly and wet Saturday afternoon, fans of various schools gathered at Rickerson Field — part of the West Windsor complex across Lake Carnegie — to watch the 11th annual New Jersey Rugby Championships.

The event showcased various rugby teams in New Jersey and across the northeast. This year, there were three events as part of the day: the high school state championship game, a tournament of women’s sevens rugby which included the Princeton women’s rugby team, and the state championship game between the Princeton men’s rugby team and William Patterson University. The high school championship game featured two regional powerhouses, Christian Brothers Academy and Hudson Catholic High School. Both teams entered the game undefeated, having won their regional championships. While Hudson Catholic dominated in size (some players were much larger than even those in college), Christian Brothers used technique to dominate the early portions of the game, taking a commanding 42-10 lead into the half. The team would continue its success in the second half en route to another rugby state championship.

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On the collegiate level, the Princeton women’s rugby team took part in a sevens tournament featuring teams from across the northeast. Playing in a round robin against the Rutgers A side, Western Connecticut University, and the Rutgers B side, the Tigers finished 2-1 in pool play and lost in the championship match to the Rutgers A side. The men’s game featured a battle between William Patterson and Princeton. The Tigers, who finished second in the Ivy League playoffs behind Brown, looked to end their successful season on a positive note against this local team. The first half of the matchup featured a brutal, defensive game, as Princeton slowly wore down William Patterson but failed to score a try. Late in the first half, with the score still tied 0-0, senior fullback Lucas Mazzotti was able to give Princeton a 5-0 lead. However, William Patterson would strike back, scoring a try and the conversion to take a 7-5 lead.

But, this lead wouldn’t hold for long, as freshman Greg McCord would score a try just a few minutes later in the game. Senior Max Weber would make the conversion, giving Princeton a 12-7 lead. In the second half, sophomore Andrew Slade and senior Mo Shalan each added a try of their own, giving Princeton a 24-7 lead with less than 15 minutes to go. The game would not end without some drama, though, as freshman Kwame Amaning received a yellow card in the final 10 minutes, forcing Princeton to play for the final 10 minutes with only 14 men, allowing William Patterson to score a try and cut the lead to 10. But, Princeton held for the rest of the game. When the final whistle blew, Princeton emerged as state champions with a final score of 24-12.

The men’s team not only took home the Rickerson Cup, the men’s B side team also emerged victorious in their sevens match against William Patterson. Playing for the de-facto “B side state championship,” the B side Tigers routed William Patterson, winning 41-0. Those who scored tries for the Tigers included freshman Jarret Stowe, freshman Ben Hildenbrand, freshman David Zuluaga, and sophomore Luke Hall, who earned “man of the match” honors with four tries and an assist. The win marks the first state championship for B side coach William Banes, who finishes a tremendous season at the helm of the B side players.

As both the Princeton men's and women's teams found success on the field, they also got a chance to participate in a great outside cause. The Rickerson Cup, named after Princeton rugby alumnus Stu Rickerson  '71, has partnered for several years with the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network to raise money and awareness for pancreatic cancer. Rickerson was diagnosed in 2005 with pancreatic cancer, but has continued to fight his battle and at present plays a critical role in both the Princeton rugby teams and the Pediatric Cancer Action Network. In the past few years, the PanCAN has been able to raise over $300,000 through the cup; this year, the Tigers, Penn Mutual, and others combined to help raise nearly $30,000 for PanCAN.

“More than dumb luck should decide who survives and who does not,” commented Rickerson in a statement before the tournament. “Solid science and modern medicine should play a bigger role. Until more research is funded, no one is safe or immune.” Rickerson also thanked all those who have helped contribute, stating, “Together, we can change the tragic trajectory of this devastating disease. We can double survival rates by 2020."

“Starting soon, we will begin a new chapter in a community of rugby alums,” said senior Jack Jankowski after the game. “That community starts with us; we undergraduates are the cornerstones of that community and it is our job to continue working hard and making a difference once we enter our next chapter in life.”

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