Santos Ironman Side Falls Short
El Paso 32 Santos 20
Las Cruces, NM
April 2, 2022 - DW
Los Santos’ attempt to replicate El Paso’s iron man win in Santa Fe two weeks ago fell just short on the NMSU campus in Las Cruces Saturday. Arriving with the bare minimum of players, our boys duked it out with the since-replenished Scorpions and but for a few bad bounces and a mental lapse may well have pulled off the upset.
Mateo Cardiel continued his confident rise since recently migrating to our shores. The Los Alamos youth rugby product scored all 20 of Santa Fe’s points through three tries, one conversion, and a penalty goal. According to Mateo, youngest son of Demetrio and nephew of former NMSU great Aaron, one try came from his own chip kick, one from a simple passing move to the outside, and the third on a short-range dash through the middle.
The lads at training last night reported a careless slapdown of an opponent’s pass by a Santo in an offside position led to a yellow card and either one or two easy tries for the Scorps.
Quadarius Miller turned up despite his nagging hamstring and John Bent postponed his back rehab when he found out the team was short and made Friday evening plans to be there. As the thermometer hit 87F, Jared Skillman gave his all and was named Los Santos’ Man of the Match. With one match remaining in a grueling schedule of six consecutive weeks, every man who showed up bathed himself in honor (cue Dire Straits).
This Saturday is our last match of the campaign, against the unbeaten Aardvarks, at 1:00 pm at the Municipal Rugby Complex. The Varks beat Brujos 95-5 Saturday. A perplexed Ray Marrone, aka “Papa Vark”, told me the match was “over before it started” because “the Brujos just didn’t look up for it”.
Training numbers last night hovered around a half dozen. We can and should celebrate that by hook and by crook, we have apparently fielded a team for each of our league matches. The El Paso game, while revealing that our numbers challenge will be ongoing, has established a strong core of fire-tempered men. Going into our last match, the only unknown is who will reinforce them.
Santos Roster v EP 4/2/2022
1. Dan Allinder
2. Ryan Means
3. Jack Lastovka – Big Jack goes 80 in 87F
4/5. Jared Skillman
4/5. Jeremy Lithgow
6. Mando Herrera
7. Jason Osborn
8. Ryan Weir
9. John Bent
10. Dustin Webb
12. Justin Money Stallworth
13. Jaime Terrazas Lozano
11. Quadarius Miller
14. Jonathan Lithgow
15. Mateo Cardiel
Replacements: “Levi H. Caizza”
NEXT UP
The SFRFC board is arranging a booth for us at Santa Fe Brewing Co’s first Spring Runoff on April 16, 2022. Stay tuned for details.
https://happeningnext.com/event/spring-runoff-eid3a08ip30e5
There are rumors of a tournament, probably 15s, in Juarez, Chihuahua on April 30.
We have also received a feeler from Aspen Gentlemen about playing a friendly over the summer.
The annual “mountain rugby” thing will be happening amongst Colorado’s ski towns, including olde Santa Fe fave The Cowpie Classic tournament in July. We haven’t won that one for a few years . . .
It’s also up to YOU to decide whatever else the club might do – touch, river run, picnic, hikes, etc?
Would a SEASON REVIEW be useful?
