By Bernie Decker (Dustin Gordon on a burst for Glendale with Andre Bachelet in support. Chris Swallow photo)

Glendale Raptors and Colorado Springs battled to a 34 – 34 draw Saturday under ideal fall weather conditions at Glendale’s South Park. The teams were as heavyweight boxers, trading roundhouse blows toe-to-toe, in a crowd-pleasing and hard-fought demonstration of rugby skills.

The win, however was left on the turf as each team failed to convert four of their tries.

It was to be a contest of two forms: Colorado Springs banging the ball upfield into touch and relying on their forwards to obtain possession and rumble-maul, while the Raptors elected to swing it wide, feeding their talented young backline, and then punch through into space. The visitors drew first blood after winning a lineout at Glendale’s 22; flyhalf Jim Rohr secured possession in traffic and wended and banged his way through an onslaught of defenders before touching down in the corner: Colorado Springs 5 – 0 with three minutes gone.

The Raptors got theirs back immediately as the Springs failed to find touch and Glendale punished them with a screaming line break that approached the visitor’s goalline. Raptor halfback Jordan Schmitz snatched the ball from a loose piece at the Springs five meter line and dove across goal to score an unconverted try: five points for everyone at 5 minutes. In the next ten minutes furious activity by both sides at the breakdown provided possession that was subsequently squandered by minor rule infractions (forward passes and knock-ons) until Glendale stole a Springs lineout and elected to run from inside their 22 meter line.

A floater between the centers hung lazily on air and Colorado Springs outside center Scott Mears timed his felony perfectly, pinching the ball in mid-flight and trotting across the line to score centerposts: Colorado Springs 10, Glendale 5 fifteen minutes into it. The Springs maintained pressure and after a fine kick for territory stole a lineout eight meters from goal, then slowly mauled forward and sideways. Glendale countered mightily, but Springs tighthead prop Cody Wagner obtained possession and never could be denied, plunging into goal for the five-pointer converted by Mears in the 25th minute: 17 – 5 to the visitors.

At this juncture Colorado Springs looked to make it a runaway, but their attack was blunted when they were judged to be handling at the breakdown. Raptors booted for touch and won the ensuing lineout, capitalizing their advantage by laboring ten meters upfield and laterally in a ponderous, mobile pack. The ball was then spun wide and second center Vonshay McArthur sliced 30 meters through an unsettled Springs backline to score an unconverted try: Springs 17 – Raptors 10 three-quarters of the way through of the first period. Glendale continued their comeback, aggressively attacking at every opportunity. They were rewarded when winger Bryan Evans turned the corner on the defense and rocketed away from pursuit for a 65-meter sprint-and-score up the touchline at the halftime whistle: Colorado Springs 17, Glendale Raptors 15 at break.

Shortly after the start of the second half Glendale’s #2 and Colorado Springs’ #1 were deemed party to foul play; referee Craig Tarr packed the pair off for a tenner each, and things settled well as the teams got back to rugby.

Raptors then claimed their first lead of the day, electing to run a short penalty play from close-in, and then lock Gavin Griffith, in support of a crisp backline movement, collected ball and dove across the line for the try converted by replacement flyhalf Andre Bachelet and a 22 – 17 Glendale lead at 51. Scant minutes on, in a powerful display of individual effort, Springs #8 Nick Piche gathered in a long lineout toss just inside Glendale’s 22 meter line and crashed through half-dozen would-be tacklers to regain the lead for Springs, 24 - 22 at 53: conversion by Springs #12, Ryan Napoli.

Glendale returned the favor with a multiple-phase movement, weaving together splendid forward-back interaction, and their own eighthman, Dain Bassert, would not be denied the score as he powered across from three meters out for a Bachelet-converted goal and a Raptor lead, 29 – 24. Colorado Springs roared back up the pitch, hoisting the garryowen into space. It was gathered well by the defense, but after furious forward duty at Glendale’s ten meter line and a brace of possession exchanges, a Raptor kick into space dead-ducked off the foot of Bachelet and wobbled into the arms of replacement three-quarters Bernie Antoine who flippered a defender, spun through a pair of tacklers, and dotted in the corner at the conclusion of a spirited 25 meter scoot to draw the Springs even: a pair of 29s at 68 minutes.

The travelers kept things heated as wing Brett Norton covered his own kick in goal in the 74th minute for a 34 – 29 advantage which looked to be the game-winning tally. Desperate defense and inspired offense were on order for the final minutes-plus-injury-time as each team spiked and sparked valiantly until the Springs weakside winger punted an ill-advised banger inside the Raptors 22 meter line. Fullback Dustin Gordon gathered ball and calmly sliced through the Springs defense for 70 meters before off-loading to perfectly-positioned replacement flanker Isaac Valdez who crashed into goal for the last score of a thoroughly enjoyable display of sport, and a final score of 34-all.

Glendale Raptors: (15) 34
Tries: Schmitz, McArthur, Evans, Griffith, Bassert, Valdez;
Cons: Bachelet (2)

Colorado Springs: (17) 34
Tries: Rohr, Wagner, Mears, Piche, Antoine, Norton;
Cons: Mears, Napoli

Referee: C. Tarr