UNITED STATES QUAD RUGBY ASSOCIATION
February, 2008
Texas Thunder Invitational
The Texas Stampede hosted the first annual Texas Thunder Invitational at St. Stephens Episcopal School in Austin Texas. The tourney featured members of statewide club teams as well as Paralympic Team USA members.
Round Robin play was centered on development and upcoming
post season play. Some of the key match ups featured Division II hopefuls
Pasadena and San Antonio going head to head as well as previously defeated
Texas (lost to San Antonio and Pasadena in 07) trying to find their winning
form again.
In the Pasadena v San Antonio tests, it was evident that advancement to
Louisville would be front and center on the minds of both squads. Pasadena
led by former Team USA member Steve Kearley rallied both newcomer Tim (Mike)
Jones and veterans Alan Bailey and Mike Peacock against a seasoned San
Antonio line featuring Juan and Gil Garcia and the 1.5 work of Ramos and
Boothby.
The first game saw the two heavy weights exchanges goals at an up-tempo
pace. The first turnover caused at 3:14 was caused by a stifling Ryder
defense which caused the hurried pass from Bailey (6 points in the game) to
Peacock to go off the waiting gloves. While the first quarter saw the score
10 – 9, the teams continued the stepped up pace. San Antonio went to their
bench and took advantage of skilled low pointer Landon “Lando” Groff and his
sticky front end to hold Pasadena’s high pointers. As the teams entered the
half several unforced turnovers saw Pasadena fall behind 17 – 23. The 3rd
and 4th saw several runs by both sides, however in the end the Ryder’s were
too much for the Texans taking the first match 45 – 38.
The next big match was the Stampede B team meeting San Antonio. Stampede B
led behind Paralympian Mark Zupan and Jace Beck (Team USQRA) showed up ready
as they jumped up early against the hi/low line of Garcia and Huizar. Texas
held a 15 – 8 lead going into the 2nd where they expanded there charge to 28
– 14. Said James Gumbert “It was a great opportunity for our veterans to
play with the new guys and gain valuable court time”. The Stampede was able
to expand their lead in the second half winning the game 55 to 36. Zupan
whose game high 35 points was a season high was joined by Beck (12 points)
for accounting for the majority of the team's effort.
Fresh off the Stampede B win, the entire Stampede team divided to play one
another. New vs Old, Present vs Future it was all there to be counted as the
players who beat the heck out of one another in practice, played for
bragging rights. The A’s lead by Zupan and Lyduch took on Honl, Beck, and
veteran Hogsett of the B’s. In a classic match the youth of tomorrow proved
it had game for a half but the wisdom of A’s experience showed there was no
changing of the guard today. A’s win 47 – 39. B member Jesie “Beekeeper”
Honl.(17 points in the match) said “We could not stop Zupan, he was too much
for us today”. “We want a rematch”!
Rematch indeed as the tournament came to a close. The Texas “conference”
which usually sees one another up to 4 times a year is already planning the
next test games. A big thank you goes to tournament director Kelly Gumbert,
the Staff and administration at St Stephens, Mark Zupan and the great people
at Wahoo’s, Texas State volunteers and the athletes and staff of the
Stampede who helped in hosting this sporting event.
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