Posted: 6/27/05

EPRU U19s Fair Well at LAU All Star Challenge Cup
(June 2005) In the most recent 2005 High School All Star events, the EPRU U19 All Stars showed that they are a team on the rise.

The Under 19 All Stars defeated the Potomac Rugby Union All Stars 22 to 5 and then entered The LAU All Star Challenge Cup and played well enough to get into the championship game. The team placed second in the tournament, winning the plate.

USA U19 All Star Coach, Salty Thompson, was in attendance at this fine rugby event. The USA coach was looking for younger players who were born before 1986. This gave a few of the EPRU players the opportunity to attend the USA Under 19 All Star camp scheduled in July. Preliminary information shows that at least three players from the EPRU will be invited to try out for the USA team. Jim Rosato, Gareth Jones and 10th grader, Andrew Angellela played some great rugby in our games and we wish them luck with the USA U19 All Star try out sessions and camp!

Domino’s Pizza sponsored this year’s EPRU U19 All Stars. Over a three week period 38 EPRU high school players attended 3 hour practice sessions held at The Northeast Football Complex in Philadelphia. Players and coaches drove one and one half to two hours each night to participate in training, coming from as far away as State College, York, Allentown, Harrisburg and Wilmington.

EPRU Under 19 All Star Coordinator, Dan Benedict, Coaches Dan Currie (Archbishop Ryan), Bob Gotthardt (Allentown Blues), Bernie Cantorna (State College), and Temple University player and a former USA Under 19, Owen Jones, all attended to coach and support the team. Owen Jones was a great addition to the coaching staff as he gave up his time to assist the kids with training," stated Dan Benedict. "I asked Owen what he thought during certain situations during our training and games. With his early experiences in rugby, he gave us some very sound ideas."

This is the kind of development that we need, not only development of players but also young coaches that have a desire to teach.  Our Youth and High School rugby population is rapidly expanding and we need to embrace our local collegiate players to build a foundation for the future.

Sunday June 12th 2005       EPRU U 19 All Stars vs PRU South U 19 All Stars
                                                            EPRU 22 - PRU 5

The EPRU U19 team won the first "pre-game" and then went on to beat the PRU U19 South 22 to 5. We had a team with many wing forwards and flyhalves stated EPRU Coach Dan Currie. This gave us a very mobile pack with a set of backs all of whom had great kicking ability.

In the final game vs the PRU, the EPRU scored the last 2 tries in the game by drawing the defense in and then kicking an up and under and grub kick. The kicks came from our flyhalf-styled inside and outside centers. Support was there as the EPRU backs hustled through the line to score.

June 18th and 19th 2005:  The LAU All Star Challenge Cup 2ND Place/Runner up

Teams that competed in the tournament were The Potomac Rugby Union North, Carolina Under 19s, Metropolitan New York, Potomac Rugby Union South, New York State, and The EPRU Under 19s.

The EPRU played some tough rugby as they placed second in the tournament. The EPRU team won two games, one on Saturday afternoon vs PRU North 12 to 5 and one on Sunday morning vs Upstate New York 17 to 7. All the EPRU players gave 110% to eventually earn the honors to play in the final championship game. In the Championship game the EPRU team had to replay a tough Metropolitan NY team and lost 24 to 5. The EPRU scored a try in the first 2 minutes of the game, however Met NY had some large mobile pack players and a fleet-of-foot wing. The Met NY winger earned MVP of the tournament.

The Potomac Rugby Foundation sponsored the boys all star sides from the Eastern and Midwestern United States. This two-day event of premium U19 rugby featuring current and future USA U19 prospects was hosted by the Baltimore-Chesapeake RFC.

Domino’s Pizza and The Allentown Blues Rugby Football Club sponsored the EPRU team for the tournament. Players, coaches and parent chaperones all enjoyed the fine accommodations at the Wyndham Inner Harbor. Players and guests enjoyed the hotel pool and then had dinner near the famed Camden Yards. The cost of the trip was subsidized by an appreciated donation from Domino’s Pizza.

Parent chaperones and coaches were given rugby T-shirts and a thank you goes out to them for supporting the team. The Domino’s U 19 All Stars may be traveling to play in other events throughout the country, and possibly in Canada. The team is open to all U19 high school players in the EPRU who want to travel and experience competitive rugby in other areas of the USA, Canada. Our next event will be announced in the very near future. For more information, contact Dan Benedict at bennyinthescrum@aol.com.

THE 2005 EPRU BLUES U 19 SELECT SIDE:  Sponsored by The Allentown Blues RFC and Domino's Pizza

Eric Staley, Valley Forge
James Fitzgerald, Blackthorn
Brandon Unruh, Valley Forge
Chris McCarthy, Blackthorn
Christopher Pettine, Valley Forge
MIke Staples, Blackthorn
Weston Overson, EPRU U19
Patrick Kelly, Downingtown
Eric Bachman, Second City Troop
Zachary Valocchi, Conestoga
Eddie Schehr, Downingtown
Vince Bottaro, West Shore United
Pete Hamill, Downingtown 
Brad Kornhaus, Downingtown
Ed Kruzas, Doylestown
Jami Nazarski, Second City Troop
Brad Eisenhauer,  West Shore United
Drew Dill, West Shore United
Jared Benedict, Allentown Blues
Nathan Rorabaugh, State College
Charlie Hennessy, Bishop Shanahan
Brian Kennedy, Bishop Shanahan
Gregory Boris, Archbishop Ryan Raiders
Andrew J. Angellella, Hibernian
Chris Ponto, Bishop Shanahan
Mike Callahan, Archbishop Ryan Raiders
Christopher Dame, South Jersey
Alexander Stough, Doylestown
Hayden Higgins, South Jersey
Greg Indivero, Media United
Jonathan Intrieri, West Shore United
Jim Rosato, Downingtown
Josh Keys, Allentown Blues
Sam Kickline,  Allentown Blues
Gareth Jones, Haverford
Nick Angellella, Hibernian
Chandler Norman, State College
Nick Todorow,  Wilmington
Felix Krupa, Wilmington
Jon Reiter, Haverford
Connor Hall, State College
Bradley Kornhaus, Downingtown
Charles Nangeroni, Doylestown
Bennet Butler, Doylestown