MISFITS CAPTURE THIRD IN THE NATION!
TEXT:  ROB PENSACOLA
PICTURES:  CORRIE KOLSKY

Six hundred miles and sixteen teams are but two of the challenges the Misfits had to overcome in their quest to secure the number 3 ranking in the 2010 Military Nationals Rugby Tournament held in Fort Benning, Ga. last weekend. The South Georgia heat and the fact that the Misfits battled with only eighteen players (ten short of the roster maximum) were two other challenges the Misfits had to negotiate. “ Although we could not pull a full roster, all the guys really wanted to have a good showing. Despite only bringing eighteen guys (two of which were rookies) we made up for it with determination and veracity.  It’s important to end the season on a high note and move into next falls fifteens season with momentum.�  Said head coach and star Hooker, Mike “Scooby/Zeus� Skordoulis.

The tournament covered two long days of matches culminating in a Championship Match on Sunday between Fort Benning RFC and the President’s Fifteen.  The match was hard fought and ended in a score of 19-7 in favor of Fort Benning. The entire affair was marked by athletic efforts by all participants and a magnanimous attitude by every team. 

In the first round the Misfits dropped a close one to Hunter Airfield, aka, the 1st Ranger Battalion, in a true slugfest.  The teams matched up well in size, athletic ability and skill, but the Rangers managed to steal one from the Marines and continued deep into the tournament.
In the second match of the first day, the Misfits faced off against the 10th Mountain Division of Fort Drum, NY. in what proved to  be one of the closest contested matches of the tournament, the Misfits lost the lead as the final whistle blew. When the dust settled, Ft. Drum had fought back to be rewarded with a 15 –15 tie. All-Stars of the match were Thomas “I Smell Blood� Ojulu who score two tries and Timothy “ Paper Mache Face� Berger whose try should have been the nail in the coffin, the first day proved disappointing, but at the team dinner, the Misfits regrouped for the next days attack.

On day two, the Misfits drew their arch-nemesis, Cherry Point, excited to further their dominance of Marne Rugby, Lejeune went head to head with a solid Cherry Point Squad. Although the score of 42-5 doesn’t reflect it, it truly was a back and forth battle. The Cherry Point “Emus� simply could not break the staunch Misfit defense. Tries were scored by “Zeus� Skordoulis, Cody “Face-Push� Kolsky, Johnny “Belt-fed, Air-cooled� Joyce, Dave “the Mad Hawaiian� Hautamaki, Azzi “ Crazy-Legs� Idehenre, and Doc Shane “Prom Date� Drake. All tries were converted off the golden boot of Nick “Folding-Chair� Pisacano. The irony of it is that despite a last ditch effort by the Emu fullback blazing down the field, Jeff “ Cement Boots� Liddic literally seemed to come out of nowhere to land such a devastating tackle on the shifty Emu Fullback that it force a knock-on, a forward fumble, as time expired to end the match.

For their heroic effort, Camp Lejeune was awarded the honor to play for the Consolation Championship and third in the Nation. Despite being hobbled from multiple injuries to an already thin roster the lads to the pitch valiantly in the ninety-two degree South Georgia heat, against the a bloated thirty-three man squad from Fort Hood and other Army bases (they would have been more aptly named “the Army Select XV’s). The match was characterized by a very high tempo and bone-rattling hits by the Marines. The Aging Misfits Pack (only three of the misfits pack are under thirty four) literally put on a clinic, manhandling the opposing set pieces, scrum-downs and line-outs, at will during the hard fought win. Mike “Zeus� Skordoulis stole all but one of the opposing teams scrum-downs and lost none of the Misfits, while Tim “Paper Mache Face� Berger disrupted or stole all but one of Fort Hood’s line-outs.  In a true display of champagne rugby, Brad “Lights out� Baack, caught an “Up and Under� kick from Nick “Folding Chair� Pisacano only to be caught near the Try Line. Tries were scored by Tim “Paper Mache Face� Berger who powered across the line early in the match and by Vincent “The Postman� Phelps who, despite his lack of size, was able to sneak across the line shortly after.  The forth and final try was scored by David “Dad� Pidgeon who, after a penalty put the ball into touch at the opponents five yard line with surgical precision. At the ensuing line-out, which turned into a driving Maul, “Dad� broke from the back of the Maul and weaved his way through a disoriented defense to put the figurative nail in the coffin.

The third try was a penalty try awarded due to the lack of discipline of the Army Squad (they received too many penalties near their try-line while the Misfits were driving for another score).  Fort Hood refused to give up and in a valiant effort managed to score two tries of their own against an unforgiving Misfit defense. The most athletic play of the tournament was witnessed by all when Fort Hood mounted a final offensive attack and got to the outside of wing Azi “Crazy-Legs� Idehenre, who fell in his attempt to make a tackle and the opposing wing flew by him, on his way to the try zone. “Crazy-Legs� picked himself up and ran the wing down slamming him to the ground, regained possession of the ball and mounted a counter attack of his own, in which he broke three tackles before being brought down. The Match ended when Nate “Yellow Card� Cromwell wisely kicked the ball into touch. After three whistle blasts, the Misfits cheered triumphantly and raised the Third Place Eagle Trophy aloft in celebration. “This was one of the hardest and most gutsy victories the team has had in seven years!� stated Mike “Zeus� Skordoulis.    

As the Misfits head into their summer season they are always looking for new players, no experience is necessary, as long as you courage is the stuff of legends you will be welcomed to the team.