Contact: Magdalen Dale, CARFU U23 Team Manager

This year's Midwest U23 LAUs are scheduled for April 8 and 9 at the Chicago Blaze rugby Club pitches. Head coach for the CARFU U23 women will be Chad Wamsley, head coach of the Chicago North Shore Women and assistant coach of the women's Midwest 7s program. Chad will be assisted by Midwest standouts, Farrah Douglas and Sara Corcoran.

The basic camp for CARFU U23 Women will be held on March 19th from 9am to 1pm in Plainfield, Il (exact location TBA). An elite camp and/or practice(s) will be held in the weeks leading up to LAUs. Selections will be made based on the recommendation of coaches and the performance of the athletes at the basic and elite camps.

Contact: Pat Berger

Wednesday, August 10, 2005 (7-9pm)
Monday, August 15, 2005 (7-9pm)
Wednesday, August 17, 2005 (7-9pm)

Potential test match: Saturday, August 13
LAU Tournament: August 20-21

"Horn" began her career in 1984 at U of I and then played for 9 years with CWRFC where she participated in 8 National Championship Tournaments. Horn then moved to California to play with the Berkeley Women's rugby club and to learn from the most successful coaching staff in women's rugby club history. Horn has brought the knowledge she gained back to Chicago. Horn's focus is on building better rugby players through good coaching and a strong sense of teamwork.

CARFU Women's Select Side Staff:
Meredith Horn, Head Coach
Sue Whitwell, Assistant Coach
Farrah Douglas, Manager

On Saturday, CARFU started their title defense against a combined Michigan Developmental/Indiana side.  After getting through some early jitters, Chicago racked up seven tries to run away with a 43-5 victory.  John Coughlin (Lions) opened and closed the scoring in the match en route to a stellar four try performance.  The second game of pool play was not as easy a task for CARFU as they slipped past a very game Wisconsin team 26-17.  Wisconsin pulled within two with under five minutes remaining when lock Matt “Is he really wearing #5?” Potchad (Lions) sealed the deal with a 60 meter break down the sideline, outrunning a multitude of Wisconsin backs before dotting down for the game winning try.  The successful conversion by #10 McGeachey finished the scoring.  Adam Jones (Lions) provided some great defense in the backline throughout the game to keep the Wisconsin side at bay.  

In the other pool, Michigan walked by Minnesota and upended Iowa to set up a rematch of last year’s LAU Championship.  The Blues were game as they were anxious to battle Michigan in front of the decidedly partisan home crowd. Scrum-half Dewett Leroux started off the scoring for Chicago five minutes in as he took a quick line out ball off the end of the line and scooted past the Michigan defenders after a beautiful dummy pass.  The McGeachey conversion saw the Blues up 7-0.  The game settled down after the first quick try as Chicago continually threatened the Michigan line only to be turned back repeatedly by costly turnovers and penalties.  Michigan, on the other hand, looked to be the more polished of the two teams as they retained possession while working their way up the field through multi-phase ball before finally setting their #10 free through the line.  The successful conversion evened the score at 7-7.  Chicago responded quickly however as their constant pressure finally paid off.  #10 McGeachey took his # 15 Mike Borden-Kircher (Griffins) weak side and put a nifty grubber through the line that settled in the try zone before being pounced on by Borden-Kircher.  The unsuccessful conversion left the score 12-7 into half.                

The second half started as the first did, with the Blues coming out firing and scoring a quick early try.  After multiple attacks saw Chicago into Michigan’s 22, McGeachey used a quickly recycled ball to catch the Michigan defenders on their heels and dotted down from ten meters out.  That proved to be McGeachey’s last of the day as he was injured on the play, and the unsuccessful conversion left the score 17-7.  A wave of second half substitutions brought in by Blues Coaches Bill Morrison and Chris McClellan paid immediate dividends.  Within a minute of making his way onto the field, winger Kyle Grossheider (Griffins) finished off a beautiful backline movement by racing fifty meters untouched down the sidelines.  The successful conversion made the score 24-7 and put CARFU in the lead for good.  The hard charging Michigan side used the wind at their back to play in the CARFU end for most of the second half, but came up short.  Stellar open field tackling by Borden-Kircher coupled with tough defense around the rucks by Slaby, Eric Niggas (Woodsmen) and Brian Farrell (Lions) made the going tough for Michigan all day.  Final score CARFU 24 to 17 for Michigan.  

Overall, it was a strong performance by a green Chicago side.  Only 9 of the players on the roster had any LAU experience, and most were appearing with the Blues for the first time (see below for complete roster).  Dewett Leroux was named MVP of the weekend, doing a yeoman’s job directing the Chicago attack from the #9 and showing his versatility in playing #10 in the second half of the championship match.  Over half of the squad was invited to try out for the Midwest team, and all went away as champions.  Coaches Bill Morrison, Chris McClellan, and Mark Santiago would like to thank all players and clubs for their support of the Blues, and look forward to defending the title again next year.  

Respectfully submitted,
Bill Morrison
Head Coach
Chicago Blues

Adam Jones     Chicago Lions
Adam Scheidler     Chicago Blaze
Alex Hoguin     Chicago Lions
BJ Brick     Chicago Lions
Brendan Brown ©     Chicago Griffins
Brian Farrell     Chicago Lions
Brian Szwed     Chicago Blaze
Chad Slaby     Chicago Lions
Charlie Jacobsen     Chicago Griffins
Dewett Leroux     NW Indiana
Eric Niggas     Northwest Woodsmen
Joe Malik     Chicago Blaze
Joe Stuckey     Chicago Lions
John Coughlin     Chicago Lions
John McGeachy     South Side Irish
Kyle Grossheider     Chicago Griffins
MattDegutes     Chicago Lions
Matt Potchad     Chicago Lions
Matt Ross     Chicago Lions
Mike Bordenkircher     Chicago Griffins
Scott Hogg     Chicago Lions
Sean Cooney     Chicago Griffins

The CARFU Men’s Select Side, the Chicago Blues, traveled to Elkhart, IN this past weekend to defend their Midwest LAU Championship of a year ago.  Expectations ran high for the squad of 28 players made up of five different CARFU clubs.  The group had put four weeks of practice and a test match versus Wisconsin behind them and looked forward to the chance to test their mettle against the other Midwest Unions.

First up on Saturday for CARFU was Indiana.  CARFU hit the ground running from the very first whistle, scoring four tries in the first fifteen minutes of play, and never looked back.  Stellar multi-try performances by #9 DeWett LeRoux (NW Indiana) and #15 Mike Borden-Kircher (Chicago Griffins) set the tone for the day as the CARFU backs sliced and diced through the Indiana defensive line.  The 3rd row of #6 Andy Valcik (South Side Irish), #7 John Bryant (Chicago Lions) and #8 PJ Wesson (Chicago Lions) supported the backs well all day while stifling any offensive movement by the Indiana squad.  Indiana scored in the waning moments of the game to avoid the shutout as CARFU defeated Indiana 91-5.  

The boys from Chicago were expecting a rematch of last year’s championship against Ohio but the Ohio team was handed a dominating defeat by Michigan.  Michigan scored early and often, outworking Ohio in both set and open play.  A wave of second half Ohio substitutions could not stem the Michigan tide as they posted a 35 point win and moved on to the Championship match versus CARFU on Sunday.    

CARFU made a number of changes to their Sunday line up as they readied for what would be a tough match against a very physical and unrelenting Michigan side.  Both sides came out firing as CARFU looked to match the physical play of the Michigan forwards in the first few minutes.  Despite CARFUs mounting pressure, it was Michigan who scored first with a penalty kick from thirty meters out.  CARFU answered the bell, however, as the Blues scored five unanswered first half tries, four of which were ably converted by Team Captain #13 Scott Peterson (Chicago Lions).  #14 Brendan Brown (Chicago Griffins), #12 Lance Houia (West Side Condors), #2 Chris Brankin (Chicago Lions) and back rowers Joe Chesak (Chicago Lions) and Matt Kelly (South Side Irish) all dotted down in the first half.  CARFU was seemingly in control at half-time with a comfortable 33-3 lead.  

Michigan, however, was not about to go down without a fight.  Using the second half wind to play in the CARFU end, Michigan applied constant pressure to the CARFU line.  Helped by a number of CARFU mishandles and turnovers, Michigan was able to get on the board early in the second half to cut the deficit to 33-10.  CARFU quickly responded, however, to put the game out of reach as Houia broke through the Michigan line and waltzed in from thirty meters out.  The successful conversion by Peterson made the tally 40-10.  Michigan was not to quit however as they kept the ball in the CARFU end and pressed the line, scoring three more ties, including one in the last minute, before the final whistle.  In the end, CARFU got the win 40-29 and successfully defended their Midwest LAU title.  

Thanks goes out to all of the players and clubs who supported this year’s CARFU squad as we successfully defended our title.  Weekend honorees included Most Valuable Forward Dustin Hugen (Chicago Lions), Most Valuable Back Dave Selimos (Chicago Lions), and Newcomer of the Year TJ Kennedy (South Side Irish).  The Midwest Senior Select Side, the Thunderbirds, selected 20 of the 28 players on the CARFU roster for inclusion in the squad, their names have been listed below.  

CARFU will look to three-peat next year.  The CARFU coaching staff will be attending club games throughout the Union over the next year to establish a list of invitees to tryout for next year’s squad.  One again, the coaching staff would like to sincerely thank the players, clubs and coaches who have supported our efforts during the year.    

Respectfully submitted,
Bill Morrison
Head Coach, CARFU/Chicago Blues  

Congratulations to the following players from CARFU who have been extended an invitation to participate in the Midwest Men’s Select Side program:

Nate Ellis (Chicago Lions)
Chad Slaby (Chicago Lions)
Chris Brankin (Chicago Lions)
TJ Kennedy (South Side Irish)
Dustin Hugen (Chicago Lions)
Scott Hogg (Chicago Lions)
MC Laubscher (Chicago Lions)
Joe Chesak (Chicago Lions)
Matt Kelly (South Side Irish)
John Bryant (Chicago Lions)
David Selimos (Chicago Lions)
Jeremiah Cowin (Chicago Lions)
Lance Houia (West Side Condors)
Scott Peterson (Chicago Lions)
Scott Jones (Chicago Lions)
Jeremy Nash (Chicago Lions)
Brendan Brown (Chicago Griffins)
John Coglin (Chicago Lions)
Mike Borden-Kircher (Chicago Griffins)
Jim Pelton (Chicago Lions)

Interested players: email your intent including name, position(s), club, and contact number to Gary MacLeod. Location for all trainings: Chicago Blaze fields in Lemont.

Training - Wednesday, August 3, 2005 (7:30pm)
SCRIMMAGE - Saturday, August 6, 2005 (1:00pm) in Milwaukee, WI
Training - Wednesday, August 10, 2005 (7:30pm)
Training - Sunday, August 14, 2005 (time TBA)
Training - Wednesday, August 17, 2005 (7:30pm)

LAU MATCH #1 - Saturday, August 20, 2005 (time TBA) in Elkhart, Indiana
LAU MATCH #2 - Sunday, August 21, 2005 (time TBA) in Elkhart, Indiana

CARFU Junior Men's Select Side Staff 2004
Brian Downes, Head Coach
Christopher Brankin, Forwards Coach
Philip Eloff, Backs Coach
Dean Ott, Team Manager
Terry Connors, Technical Manager