Men’s Rugby keeps undefeated season alive with win versus Ithaca
Last Saturday, Oct. 1, the Geneseo men’s rugby team had a home game against their rivals, the Ithaca Bombers. After coming in from a win against Le Moyne College and a victory via mercy rule (having a lead at any point in the game of 40 points or more) against Buffalo State, the Warthogs looked to keep their undefeated season alive.
The Warthogs’ rivalry with Ithaca College goes back a few seasons, with the Bombers historically being the Hogs’ toughest challenge in their conference. Last season, Ithaca put up an incredibly close game, with the Hogs only beating Ithaca by one try. The Hogs really put in the work to prepare, determined to prove again that they are the better team and to defend their undefeated season.
Their last game against Buffalo State was a victory, with a final score of 47-7 and the mercy rule coming into play. But their victory came with its costs, with several starting players getting injured along the way. In their game against Ithaca, the Hogs saw players stepping up to fill in these roles. Senior Dante Coccia filled in for the kicking position for junior Justin Jahrsdoerfer, who is dealing with a hand injury, and rookie Sean Roberts started out as a prop to fill in for sophomore Jimbo Dziergas, who is recovering from a leg injury.
The Warthogs opened up the game very strongly, with rookie Sean Roberts scoring his first-ever try within the first four minutes of the game. After that, tries were scored by junior Connor Coleman, and senior Mike Mamone, with two conversions kicked by senior Dante Coccia. Ithaca managed to put up one try, resulting in a score of 19-5 for the first half.
In the second half, the Hogs put up an outstanding performance. Tries were scored by senior Chris Pitre, two by junior Connor Geraghty, while Mamone scored another two, securing a hat trick. Two conversions were kicked by senior Dante Coccia and another by senior Mike Mamone for a final score of 50-5 and a victory over Ithaca via mercy rule. After the mercy rule, some of the B-side players had the opportunity to get into the game and get some good rugby experience against the Ithaca A-side.
The Hogs had a match planned against the University of Rochester for next week, however after the team forfeited their season, the Hogs’ season record moved to 4-0 and clinched home field advantage in the playoffs. Instead, the B-side Hogs will have a scrimmage to get some more experience and to help get them ready for their next challenge. The week after, on Oct. 15, the Warthogs face their final opponent in the regular season at Niagara University. The Hogs are taking advantage of this week off to prepare for their final obstacle and secure an undefeated 5-0 record heading into playoffs. If the Hogs win in the playoffs, they’re off to Massachusetts for the Northeast Regional Championship Tournament, where they hope to redeem themselves after their loss last season.