5/30/2009 Saranac Lake Mountaineers @ Saratoga Mustangs

Saratoga Stampede: 17

Saranac Lake Mountaineers: 50

Beautiful conditions, unfortunately it was a very poorly marked field. Red lines, shared with the white lines of a soccer field. Not only were the red lines barely visible, they were not parallel with the soccer lines or goal lines. This made it very difficult for the referee, assistant referees, and players, to decipher touchlines, try lines, 22s, etc.

Scoreline is not indicative of the game up until 60 minutes. Very competitive game between two evenly matched sides. Both teams demonstrated their ability the pass it out wide use their athleticism in the backline to break and/or pass out of the tackle.

Unfortunately in the 60th minute, with the score at Saranac 19 - 17 Saratoga, one of Saratoga's backline players decided to pick up a gallon of water off the sideline and throw it at a saratoga player.
No questions, the player was sent off. The floodgates then opened up, saranac scoring try after try, final score 50-17.
A very sad way to decide such a closely fought game, but there is no place in rugby for that kind of behavior.

Following the game, Saratoga hosted a great social in downtown. Food beer, the works. Here I found out the player who through the gallon of water actually had a bit of history for these types of acts....

After sometime with Saratoga I traveled down to the Albany Knicks who were hosting their annual "Family Day." By Family Day they mean, intrasquad scrimmage, beer, pig picking, then drunk touch rugby....with a beer in your hand. It was a very good time.