St. Catharines Tigers, St Kitts,  Niagara II , Niagara I at home (first game of 2015 season) and Brooker Cup IX

The venerated Brooker Cup

Grimsby Gentlemen - 5 : Niagara - a whole bunch

Venue: Alway field with the almost unrecognizable (inside) clubhouse

Referee: Ian Stewart - continued from the last game of 2014

Weather: Warm early May day of 30 degrees (way to hot to play) with a bit of a southerly wind

Sponsors: A whole bunch of new sponsors this year as we will be getting new kit, thanks to Adam.
           
                Profast:  Access Canada Equipment: Aqua flow Plumbing
                Physiotherapy @ Cruise Chiropractic
                Vital Link Wellness Center: J.J. Cores
                Steamwhistle Brewery

Attendance:  We did not hit the 500 mark which was our goal for the first game but they were enthusiastically laid back (see picture below).

followers with dog

former players Kevin and Kevin (SportXpress: Your Community Sports Connection)

Future players with Kevin (their hockey coach), Brad, Josh, Dakota, someone, and Nathan all from the Beramsville high school team

 Team: (Managed to get 16 registered by Saturday morning - so the game went on).

1. Ross Matheson, 2. Brendan Sculland, 3. Jon Millington, 4. Martin Van Den Hurk, 5. Jeremy Young, 6. Duncan Earl (first league game for Grimsby), 7. Adam Meehan, 8. Mark Woodward, 9. Nick Lemieux, 10. Derrick Weber(C) (20 min injury), 11. Bob Mavro (has not been on the wing for a while), 12. Vic Blaney, 13. Erick Alvardo (first league game for Grimsby), 14. Austin Marck (first game for Grimsby), 15. Jake D'Achille, 16. Drew Redmond (60 min) (first league game for Grimsby).

Austin Mark

Duncan Earl

Eric Alvarado

Duncan and Eric alternate codes playing union on Saturday and league on Sunday. (A lot more exertion than I would want in a weekend).

Drew Redford

Game:  The gods were not on our side this Saturday.  We have a touring team "The Misfits" from around Philadelphia coming on May 22 but our first league game would be the next day.  We are not all like Duncan and Eric (play two games a weekend) so we asked former St. Catharines Tigers now called St. Kitts which is the second team for Niagara Wasps to play last Saturday.  We only had 16 registered while they had 24 available.  However many of their players were their first team and a number of whom were or are playing for Brock University.  We were outgunned and out classed but we managed to put up a bit of a fight.  Our captain was injured after about twenty minutes (hope it is not another season like last year, Derrick) and we had to change a number of positions.  They scored a lot the first half but at the start of the second Duncan made a long run down the left wing and eventually Jake  touched down. He took a very interesting kick for the convert but missed.  We had a couple of more forays into their five between their tries but we scored no more.  We do know that if we had played them in two weeks when we were supposed to, they would have had a completely different team against us.

Winger Bob slowing down the ball for the recycle. 

Duncan making his long run

and Jake eventually scoring through all those players. 

a good catch by Martin

a drive by Brendan

The ball has been removed from the picture and you have to figure out where it should be. 

Typical rugby - everyone happy after the game (some more than others)

A good post game celebration, Vic with his usual amazing spread and special thanks to Elizabeth and Paul for stepping in and helping behind the bar.  Vic was also awarded  man of the match by Niagara, great game Vic. Next we play the Americans in a rare Friday night contest. 

The clubhouse is coming along with plumbing and electrical being worked on this week.  We would all especially like to thank Marty Vorstenboch who owns D.F, Gerow Plumbing and also Aqua Flow Plumbing.  He is the general contractor directing the renovations and he has donated five thousand dollars to the club, which is the largest private donation we have every received.  Thank you Marty. He declined a picture.