First All-Jersey Shore High School Rugby Match

By MIKE BADGER
The first meeting of two high school Rugby squads from the Jersey Shore saw St. Augustine Prep run in three second-half tries to down Jersey Cape Storm 31-0 Sunday, March 29.
Impressive kicking by senior fullback Nick Hurff and two tries from senior outside center Brian Cicali paced St. Augustine in a match that was evenly matched through the first 15 minutes.
In the initial phases, both first-year squads tackled well and neither side was able to make significant headway with the ball in hand. Hurff and his St. Augustine teammates, however, were able to use strong scrummaging and well-placed kicks to pin Cape Storm in its own end for most of the half.
In the 16th minute, a penalty gave St. Augustine the opportunity to kick at the posts and Hurff put the ball cleanly through the uprights for a 3-0 lead.
Eight minutes later, senior eight-man Bobby Dalton ran in St. Augustine’s first try of the day and Hurff nailed the conversion kick for a 10-0 halftime lead.
Despite solid defense from Cape Storm—led by sophomore hooker Pat Hughes (Lower Cape May), junior prop Kevin Loveless (Ocean City) and senior lock Tom Mohr (Lower Cape May)—St. Augustine was able to keep the ball in the Storm’s end.
An errant Storm kick from deep in its own territory saw St. Augustine counter attack into space, finishing off with a try from Cicali. Hurff converted and put his side up 17-0.
In the 30th minute of the half, St. Augustine flyhalf Nick Flamini blocked a kick that bounced back into Cape Storm’s try zone, where he pounced on it for another try. Hurff’s conversion kick put the home side up 24-0 with five minutes to play.
Cape Storm threatened with several penetrating runs from junior outside center Mike Fancher (Ocean City), junior flyhalf Mike Angelucci (Ocean City) and senior wing Eric Danze (Lower Cape May), but weren’t able to find the try zone.
In the final moments, another long counter attack saw Cicali cut through the Storm defense and dot down again, with Hurff converting to put the final tally at 31-0.
Cape Storm forwards Loveless and Mohr and inside center John DeHainaut (Cape May Tech) earned Man-of-the-Match honors for their side.
In the second side match, Cape Storm reversed its fortunes, coming back from an early 8-0 deficit to post a 10-8 win.
St. Augustine got on the board first with a try from freshman eight-man Pat Finnerty. Several minutes later, junior outside center Ryan Leaf kicked a penalty goal to up his side’s lead to 8-0.
With senior eight-man Mike Acuff running hard off the base of the scrums, Cape Storm penetrated into St. Augustine territory several times, eventually springing Fancher for a long try in his first match at flyhalf.
With only a minute left on the clock the Cape Storm back line moved the ball out to Angelucci on the wing and he went over the try line for the match-winning score.
Acuff earned Man-of-the-Match honors for the Cape Storm forwards while Ocean City junior Tim Dilling got the nod in the backline for his solid performance at wing and fullback.
Next Sunday, both squads travel to Pennsylvania for league matches. St. Augustine (3-0) will face Bishop Shanahan while Cape Storm (1-1) meets Downingtown. Both teams are coached by members of the Jersey Shore Sharks, a men’s Rugby club based out of Galloway.
For more information about high school rugby, visit capestormrugby.org