By Justin Woodard
The men’s club rugby team dominated the competition during the weekend like they have all season in order to advance to the Sweet 16 in two weeks in Virginia. The Warhawks defeated Western Illinois, 46-3, on Saturday, Nov. 9 in the WIIL Conference Final Four, and they won the WIIL Conference Championship on Sunday, Nov. 10, defeating Illinois State, 55-8.
The ‘Hawks have controlled their opponents all season, never allowing more than 10 points in any match. In their two matches leading up to the conference tournament, they scored more than 110 points in both contests, and they shut out both of their opponents along the way.
Seniors Tyler Fuchs and Joseph Grams have tasted an NCAA Championship before when they defeated Middlebury (Vt.), 7-3, in Pittsburgh, Pa., in 2011. They believe this year’s team has what it takes to do the same thing.
“We’re very dynamic and can do a lot of different things because of our athleticism,” Fuchs said. “We also play extremely well as a team and know how to play together.
Grams is not only a senior, but also the team president. He feels the same way Fuchs does when it comes to his team’s continuity.
“We work very well together as a team, and we are a dynamic squad that can adapt to adversity,” Grams said. “Our team can physically wear down a team and use finesse to beat them in the races.”
Junior AJ Andolino emphasized his team’s ability to play so well together as one of the main reasons for their success.
“Our team has great chemistry this year,” Andolino said. “All of our guys show up each week and work hard to get better. We all know what’s going on and where the next pass or offload is coming from. We are all on the same page.”
The old cliché goes there is no ‘I’ in team, and the ‘Hawks represent this saying week after week.
“We need to keep our level of focus and intensity,” Grams said. “Having good numbers at practice helps us continue to build chemistry and adds to the solid foundation we already have.”
The ‘Hawks will travel Virginia in two weeks on Nov. 23 to play in the USA Rugby National Sweet 16. If all goes well, they will travel to South Carolina to play in the USA Rugby National Final Four on Dec. 7-8.
Grams and Fuchs have the same expectations when it comes to the end of their season. Anything short of a National Championship would be a major disappointment.
