New Trier meets Naperville for B-Side title
By Phil Gautschy
For the third year, the iYRA Championship Day includes a B-side title match. All Tier 1 rugby programs have at least two teams. The B-side teams give newer players a chance to experience the game and develop.
The two teams with the best records were selected to play for the B-side finale. New Trier finished the season 5-0 and will face 4-1 Naperville.
While the two teams did not play each other this year, they did scrimmage early in the year and are somewhat familiar with each other.
The Naperville squad is young. With several football players on the team, they have good size. Dave Bailey anchors the forwards, along with Mike Keller in the second row and Dan Teich at prop.
But the strength of the team is in the back row. Seniors Zack Latham and Derek Janacik both are in their first year of rugby, but are very fast. They have done a good job of picking up the game.
New Trier is playing in the championship for the second straight year. More than half of their players are freshmen and sophomores.
“We are a young team, but we have made some big strides,” New Trier coach Malcolm Hurcombe said. “We don’t have a lot of experience, but they are learning quickly.”
Leading the forwards are the Notari brothers, Josh, a junior, and Joe, a freshman. Hurcombe says they “look like naturals.” Number 8 Tom Coffey is a sophomore.
