‘Phins go 3-0 in San Diego

The Green Machine rolled on this past weekend sweeping aside three sides in San Diego.

The Kelp started the day with a hard fought 19-14 victory over Imperial Beach. Flanker/hooker Cam Maloni started the scoring going end to end, and set up the game winner.

The Barracuda kept the mojo flowing in a comprehensive performance winning 32-5. The ‘Cudda gave up a try in the early going, but then scored the next 32 points en-route to the victory. The game saw the return of a couple of former Santa Monica players who have recommitted for the 2013 campaign. Flanker Jo Killefer saw his first action of the season as did former Blackheath wing Chin Okolu, who has been with the Dolphins off and on since 2007.

In the days penultimate game a very healthy Dolphin side looked to knock off long time rivals OMBAC. Hall of Famers Bill McEnteer and Ron Guss were in attendance and were nearly as pumped up for the game as the players.

OMBAC kicked off and the Dolphins were unable to secure possession (an all to common occurrence on Saturday). A quick penalty put the home team up 0-3 with barely a minute off of the clock. Captain Ali Ross refocused the team and lead from the front resulting in a try for the feisty fullback at the 8 minute mark. Flyhalf Michael Hobbs added the conversion, 7-3.

Frequent line breaks kept the OMBAC deep 3 busy throughout the day, and it was one of those breaks that extended the Dolphin lead at the 15 minute mark. Hobbs got caught in traffic, but a dummy pass and massive side step saw the Kiwi dart through the defense to touchdown under the posts, 14-3. OMBAC pressured and were rewarded with a penalty in the 20th minute of the period to close the gap to 20-6.

Number 8 Ken Aseme kept the scoreboard ticking over in the 35th minute. The Dolphins had a great attacking platform with a scrum deep in the OMBAC end. In the plays first phase center Alan Gibbon drove the ball forward, Aseme scooped the ball from the base of the ruck and fended off the first two defenders, then stepped the fullback at full speed before touching down, 21-6. OMBAC scored their third penalty to close the half, 21-9.

Playing into the wind in the second stanza the coaching staff warned the Dolphins not to get complacent, and rest on their lead. In the 48th minute Hobbs got the men in green back on the scoreboard. Running left after several phases Hobbs found the defense outnumbered and scrambling, he cut back against the grain and touched down his second of the match, 28-9. At the 57th minute mark wing Padraig Cremin kicked a penalty goal to extend the lead, 31-9.

OMBAC didn’t roll over however, and in the 60th minute were able to score a well earned try in the corner, 31-16. Reserve lock Brian Regal answered the home sides score three minutes later when he touched down and Cremin added the extras, 38-16. Again OMBAC had an answer, and only a minute later they scored an uncoverted try to close the gap, 38-21.

The Dolphins were not done, and in the 74th minute reserve wing Dave Martini got the ball in space and outpaced the defense 60 meters to pay dirt. Cremin missed the conversion, 43-21. OMBAC answered again, and were looking to gain at least a bonus point for 4 tries scored when they touched down following a quick tapped penalty near the Dolphin line on full time. Referee Stu Knowling allowed play to carry on and in the third minute of injury time Hobbs added a penalty to close the scoring, 46-28.

This week the Dolphins travel to Las Vegas to face a very dangerous Las Vegas team. Despite their record, the Blackjacks are a very different team at home than on the road. It’s always a tough task to win in Vegas.

SMRC- 46
Tries- Aseme, Hobbs 2, Martini, Regal, Ross
Conversions (5/6)- Cremin 1/2, Hobbs 4/4
Penalties (2/3)- Cremin 1/1, Hobbs 1/2

OMBAC-28
Tries- 3
Conversions- 2/3
Penalties- 3

1- Flake, Jon (Silverman @ 47); 2- King, Patrick (Hill @ 5-14 blood & 40); 3- Kalemani, Epi (Seemen @ 65); 4- Davis, Aaron (Regal @ 48); 5- Winter, Zac; 6- Wooley, AJ; 7- Manavian, Taylor; 8- Aseme, Ken (Killefer @ 48); 9- Carpio, Danny (Ramos @ 60); 10- Hobbs, Michael; 11) Cremin, Padraig (Serfoss @ 70); 12- Gibbon, Alan; 13- Morales, Shane; 14- Pypers, Sean (Martini @ 50); 15- Ross, Ali ©

Current SCRFU Standings
Team Record League Points
Belmont Shore 5-0 23
Santa Monica 4-1 20
LARC 3-3 16
SD Aztecs 2-2 11
OMBAC 1-3 7
Back Bay 1-3 6
Las Vegas 0-4 1