2016 Season Preview

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The Hammerheads are back this fall to compete for another ERC championship, coming off of a league winning performance last fall and a second place 7’s season in the spring. The team has lost five players from last year, including leading try scorer Alex Hodgkinson, who has moved on to play with the Sacramento Express in the Pro Rugby League. This hole and the others that were left by the graduating class of 2016 have been filled in by upperclassmen and rookies alike. The Hammerheads are packed with experience in both the Backs and the Forwards and look to keep a strong defense that lead to the Hammerheads great season last year.

 

 

 

Backs

 

SURFC’s backs have been changed almost entirely in terms of position, sophomore Dallas Haskins (‘19), a former Hong Kong U-18 National Team Member slides from outside center to play Scrum Half this year and use his extensive Rugby knowledge to bring some play to our back line. 5th year Senior Matt Hoalcraft (‘16) has moved from wing to Flyhalf, using his speed and strong passing to bring some bite to the back line as soon as the ball gets sent out wide. Juniors Eddy McCarthy (‘18) and Jake Smith (‘18) will be holding the Center positions down this season. Jake Smith has been moved to the back line from Flanker, using his skills as one of the sharpest runners and the best tackler on the team to help secure the middle of our back line. With Matt Eddy and Jake creating some steel in the middle, Matt Magargee (‘18), Patrick Voorheis (‘17) and Ethan Palleschi (‘17) will be running free in the back three.

 

The Experience of our back line will look to use the speed and skills that they hold to bring the Hammerheads some high scoring matches this season. A year ago the Hammerheads averaged 40 Points a game, and with the skill of this back line they look to reach peaks like that again this year.

  

Forwards

 

Our Forward pack is coming back stronger than last year, led by three-year captain Angus Bishop (‘17) who received All-ERC honours last year playing as the 8 Man, leading the Line outs and the Scrums. In front of Angus, Sam Reimnitz (‘18) and Ryan Sanford (‘17) are holding things together as the Locks. Ryan has taken everything he could from this pre-season, getting his first long run with the first side in his four years with the club, and scoring his first A-side try in our last pre-season warm up match against Queens University.  Both Sam and Ryan are looking to fly this season as two of the best jumpers on this team in set pieces. Tj Attanasio (‘18) and David Fathers (’19) of Cardiff, Wales, together add, experience and some steel to the defensive side of our pack.

 

Our front three stays bound together from last year bringing experience to the pack with seniors Michael Ordorica (‘17) and Alex Amico (‘17) will be Propping up the Hooker this year, creating a strong drive from the front. Junior Greg Fligor (‘18) will be back as our hooker this season, looking to win every scrum-down for the Hammerheads this season. The forward pack will be filled with depth with Andrew Burdsall (‘18) coming back from injury in the coming weeks.

 

 

The Hammerheads will be facing Fordham in their Season opener Sunday September 11th at Hookway Fields to kick off their pursuit to reclaim their ERC championship.