HUMBER REPEATS AS OCAA DIVISION I MEN'S RUGBY CHAMPIONS

MARKHAM, Ont. – The packed stands at Seneca College's Markham Campus Field were divided along partisan lines today as the No. 1 ranked Seneca Sting men's rugby team gave-up an early lead and lost 43-13 to the No. 2 ranked Humber Hawks in a heart-breaking Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) Division I gold medal championship game.

The Hawks, who were OCAA gold medalists in 2010-11, have won back-to-back OCAA men's rugby Division I championships for the first time since 2007-08 and 2008-09.  The Sting had gone undefeated in the regular season and playoffs (6-0-0 record) but experienced their first taste of defeat this season at the hands of their GTA collegiate rivals.

The Sting were unable to contain Humber's Phil Boone of Brampton, Ont., a second-year fly half and 2011 OCAA men's rugby Division I scoring champion, as he notched a try and four converts to lead the Hawks attack. Boone was later named Humber's Man of the Match for his efforts.

Seneca took an early 3-0 lead in the first half, on a penalty kick by second-year fly half and 2011 OCAA player of the year Matt Raguseo, a student in the Business-Marketing program from Stouffville, Ont. But Humber quickly came back, turning a 3-0 deficit into a 5-3 lead on a try by Mississauga's Curtis Ballance. Before the first half was out, the Hawks had increased their lead to 14-6, after a try by second row Graham Dewar of Kitchener, Ont.

In the second half, the Hawks continued their onslaught notching tries by Nathan Le of Collingwood, Ont. and OCAA all-star Boone, taking a 31-6 lead with 10 minutes remaining in the tilt.

The Sting valiantly attempted to mount a comeback falling short as former OCAA player of the year Eric Hannah notched a late try for Seneca rounding out their scoring effort on the afternoon with 13 points.

Sting head coach Bob McArthur, in his 14th season with Seneca, who on Friday was named the 2011 OCAA Division I coach of the year, led the Sting to their first perfect regular season since 2007 when they went 8-0-0 under his leadership. Sting scrum half and 2010 OCAA all-star Chris Boake of Stouffville, Ont., was named Seneca's Man of Match, playing both his own position and fly half for parts of today's championship final.

Source: Seneca College

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