March 13-14, 2004 -- The Nash Bash Rugby Extravaganza

Every year, Nashville hosts the "Nash Bash" -- two days of non-stop rugby for various clubs around the country. This year, they held a "Nash Bash" for high school clubs, a couple of weeks earlier than their regular event.

The Maryville squad sent three teams -- the "A" side (where Jeff, TJ, Sparky and Joseph play), the "B" side, and the girls team. To their credit, the A side was matched with the best non-Tennessee teams (the same teams that Brentwood, last year's state champion, played).

• Game #1 was at 9AM against "Parkhill" high school's A team. Parkhill is from Missouri (Kansas City, I think), and has had a rubgy squad for 12 years. Parkhill won, 12-7, in a very closely contested battle. Although no one likes losing, it speaks well for the Maryville squad, who is still in their first year of existence. Jay et al have done an amazing job of crafting the boys into a Rugby squad. Here is a line out, won by Curtis, of Maryville. Parkhill had some fantastic line-out plays -- we assume that as the Maryville team matures, it will learn to defend those better, and come up with good plays of their own.
• T.J. had to come out early, due to some bloody nose issues. He returned once he got it under control.
• It appears that Jeff is down, and Adam is pulling the ball out.
• Coach Jay watches as Joseph engages some Parkhill players. Curtis is joining in with his "skull cap."
• Jeff appears clost to scoring here. He didn't, nor did Maryville. Maryville had the late lead, 7-5, but some tank from Parkhill plowed almost the entire way down the field, and Parkhill scored the decisive try (touchdown).
• This appears to be the play after Jeff was brought down. This is where Maryville needs experience. Rather than pulling the ball out, one or more of Maryville's players should "ruck over", by diving over Jeff, and providing a barrier so that Parkhill cannot legally get the ball. Then Charlie (#2) or Joseph (#6) can pull the ball out at greater leisure, and the rest can start an offensive play. Not easy to do, but very effective.
• A scrum for Maryville.
• It's after halftime -- Suzy and I are roaming the far sideline, as Jeff plays wing and will be mostly on this sideline. I must say I enjoyed talking with the Parkhill coaches and parents that were on the far side -- very nice people.
• Parkhill with the ball.
• Random playing -- there's Jeff (near), Danny (tackling), Tim, Kelly and Alex (watching intently), and to the left, Charlie, coming to join the fray.
• Tony (Baker) kicks the ball. Tony scored on an exceptionally heads-up play -- while most of the Parkhill players were complaining to the ref about some call or non-call, Tony, with advantage, took off. 7 points (with this kick) for Maryville. I don't think I will offend anyone if I say that Tony has by far the best Rugby brain on the team -- good fakes, and smart decisions. And he has a good leg for kicking.
• Charlie, ?, BJ, and Kelly on a line-out.
• More line-out action. I think this was ours, and Charlie threw it long to Kelly (in the back there).
• T.J. had the skin over his right eye ripped open, and is calling his mother to inform her that he will be scarred on his return. Thor looks on happily. As it turned out, the trainer on site put some good adhesive stuff over his eye, and he played later in the day with the aid of a "skull cap."
• More Parkhill action.
• And still more Parkhill action.
• Jeff takes off toward the left corner.
• And gets tackled. You'll note, that is not a good offensive position because Jeff is too far ahead of his help.
• The final picture of the Parkhill "A" side game.
• The game is over -- they prepare for the B side game.
• More of the same.
• A line out in the B side. Jeff played the first half (trading off wing with Sparky, who played the second half, and got hurt).
• Parkhill B action.
• More of the same.
• More of the same -- Junior tackles.
• We went to lunch (San Antonio Taco, which was, unfortunately, disappointing -- I remember them as being better), and returned to find the team waiting to play. It was informative, as we all watched the Nashville men's team destroy a team from Greenville, SC. Man, were they good -- every time they went down, it became an offensive play. Impressive...
• BJ and the coaches watch.
• More watching.
• Time to play. This opponent was Penn High School, Indiana. These kids were amazing. First, they were huge. They had at least 6 coaches roaming every side and base line with walkie talkies. We later found out that they were in the semi-finals for the nationals. And that they have a $40,000 budget. Man -- these guys are serious. Unlike Parkhill, their coaches were not very pleasant -- all business.
• Some stall in the action -- they killed us -- 35-0 or somethine like that.
• A line out.
• More action.
• Junior and Alex start a run.
• Jeff has passed the ball to Alex, and has been chucked aside. These guys are big, no?
• Maryville gets the ball out.
• Tony passes to Ryan. It does not look as though Ryan has anywhere to go with it.
• More action. That was the last of the Penn game. We were happy no one got hurt.
• The next morning was game #3, against Carmel High School's A side. This is another school from Indiana, who evidently even has a middle school Rugby program. They were of normal size though, and Maryville had control of most of the game. Here, Carmel wins a scrum.
• It was raining. The team walks back after Sparky (#9) scored Maryville's first try. 7-0, Maryville.
• Tony kicks it way out to Jeff, who fields in cleanly and scores!! Unfortunately, it was called back as it was a forward pass.....
• Carmel kicks it out of their zone (to either Jeff or Alex).
• More action -- I'm not sure who is down, but that's a nice set. T.J. appears to be about to "ruck over" and Jeff will likely pull the ball out.
• It started to rain more heavily, so covered the camera. B.J. score in the second half, and then Jeff. Here is Jeff, following his score.
• Team photo following the victory.
• Team Photo #2 (I thought #1 was the best).
• Team Photo #3.
• Team Photo #4
• Team Photo #1, spruced up. Let me know (plank@cs.utk.edu) if you want a copy -- It'll be $.35 for a 4x6, $.99 for a 5x7, $3.99 for an 8x10, $7.99 for an 11x14. If someone helps me, I can work on putting names on the bottom.