Santa Fe Rugby Club 2-0 with 81-36 Win over El Paso
September 30, 2023 -DW
Second Wide Margin in Two Fall Outings
Los Santos of the Santa Fe Rugby Club downed El Paso’s Scorpions 81 points to 36 Saturday in Socorro. While technically a home match for Santa Fe, the two teams agreed in advance to meet on the home pitch of the New Mexico Tech Miners. In a nightcap match, New Mexico Tech pounded Regis University of Denver 80-5.
Milaan Van Wyk, a graduate engineering student from Namibia, touched down the first of Santa Fe’s 13 five-point tries in the first minute and Santa Fe amassed a 52 to 5 lead in the 40-minute first half to put the game out of reach. El Paso managed just one try in the first half but dug deep to add five more and actually outscore Santa Fe 31-29 in the second half.
Topping a long list of Santa Fe try-scorers was outside center Guadalupe Moron, who celebrated his first rugby match since injuring a hamstring muscle early in April by scoring three tries and kicking two conversions. Moron would have tallied four had he not generously passed the ball for teammate Justin Stallworth to touch down as they ran across the try line.
Van Wyk also bagged three touchdowns, wing Tanner Graham and scrumhalf Elijah Naranjo scored two, and chipping in one try apiece were Stallworth, Los Alamos native Mateo Cardiel, and Tommy Diaz. Flyhalf Cory Micander kicked five two-point conversions, Moron two, and Rainer Ball one.
Last week the New Mexico Brujos of Albuquerque went down hard to the Santos 69-24 at Santa Fe’s Municipal Recreation Complex. The Santos will next see action October 21 in the 51st annual High Desert Classic tournament. El Paso managed just one try in the first half but dug deep to score five more and outpoint Santa Fe’s 29 second-half points with 31 of their own.
Forwards:
Jeremy Lithgow
Ryan Weir (capt.)
Dylan Merrigan
Jason Lithgow
Julian Brittain
Backs:
Elijah Naranjo
Cory Micander
Milaan Van Wyk
Guadalupe Moron
Tanner Graham
Mateo Cardiel
Isaiah Sanchez
Rainer Ball
NOTE: Observers recorded a range of final scores as the referee checked out by relying on the on-field scoreboard (which is a thing). Apologies to anyone who is offended by the reporter's tallies.
Santa Fe Santos Capture Fiesta 10s Rugby Title
September 03, 2023 -DW
Santa Fe Rugby Club’s Santos won all four of their matches Sunday to claim the 2023 Fiesta Tens Tournament at the Municipal Recreation Complex. Santa Fe beat New Mexico Tech, 2022 winners of national small college rugby titles in both the 7-man and 15-man, in the championship match by a 42-7 margin.
Los Santos displayed a promising mix of skill, pace, and power as they approached their upcoming 2023-2024 Southwest Rugby Union season with lopsided wins over Albuquerque Brujos (36-0), University of New Mexico (29-0), and Albuquerque Aardvarks (43-5) to reach the final. NMT advanced with impressive wins over men’s division clubs El Paso, Aardvarks, and Brujos.
Santa Fe’s advantages in size and experience allowed the Santos to overpower their young opponents in the final, scoring four five-point tries to roll to a 22-0 halftime lead. As the locals added three more tries in the second half, Tech gamely tallied two of their own, hinting why Santa Fe’s 21-man tournament roster listed no fewer than six former New Mexico Tech players.
Santa Fe hooker Ryan Means received one of two best tournament forward awards, while teammate and scrum half Elijah Naranjo, who played on both of NMT’s national championship teams, was named one of the competition’s two best back line players.
A RUGBY ROAD TALE – OR TWO
As Leaked by E. Schmierer and gently massaged by the editors
January 20,2024 - ES
Los Santos gathered in the wee hours of Saturday morning, January 20, 2024. Guided by faint hints of dawn, they loaded into vans piloted by SFRFC board president Eric Schmierer and smiling deity Dylan Merrigan for the eight hour drive to Phoenix and a 3:30 pm date with Camelback Rugby Club, to be followed by a 100-mile drive to Prescott and a 10:00 am game the following Sunday. And back in time for work Monday.
Backpacks stuffed with snacks, pillows, music paraphernalia, etc. were piled in the back. The road trip began, not too off schedule, at 6:09 am MST. Stephen Albritton, aka BB, up from Socorro, was scooped from the side of the road in Albuquerque. The caravan headed west under high, wispy clouds signaling unsettled weather. Drivers skillfully negotiated what is left of I-40 after a few snowstorms and at 10:00 am the Arizona state line was crossed.
Light conversation and the hum of the road dominated as the subdued passengers alternated between winks and watching the beautiful Southwest roll past. Another hour brought Holbrook, and a pause for gas, eats, and the loo. For some reason, maybe because it’s Arizona, nearly everyone bought a case of water bottles.
From Holbrook the path headed south and west onto the high Mogollon Rim. The sun, in and out of the high clouds, lit up the snow beneath the pines as the descent into the lower basin began. After a final gas stop in Payson the pines turned to saguaros, and the excitement began to rise. Loud, inspiring music got heads nodding to the beat as the outskirts of Phoenix approached. After a brief altercation with an elderly gentleman at a stop light (which turned out to be Coach Morris) the final stretch of busy, tense, metropolitan traffic was navigated.
Phoenix’s West Side Sport Complex does have distinct fields, but referring to it as a “complex” is a bit generous. The thin grass, still tan from winter, barely had a grasp on the earth below. Players emerged from the vehicles and gathered, slowly coming out of the 8 hour trance. The moist, 70-degree air was a nice change as warmups got underway.
Kickoff was punctual at 3:30 pm against Camelback RFC, who had nearly a full second side and a generous complement of fans on the touchline, no doubt curious to see a team from New Mexico. Camelback had good-sized, hard running backs and a sturdy pack as well. Both sides battled hard, taking turns making try-saving defensive stands. 14 minutes in, Santos loose prop Jeremy Lithgow opened Santa Fe’s 2024 scoresheet with a penalty kick, with Camelback returning the favor shortly thereafter. Lock Jordan Demas stormed through multiple defenders to score the first try of the season after some well-executed phase play by his mates. Los Santos finished the first half ahead 10-3.
Clouds thickened ominously in the west as the short winter day began to fade. The second half started off with a bang with tries in the 43rd and 46th minutes by scrum half Elijah Naranjo, both converted by fly half Cory Micander. Camelback answered with a try and conversion in the 62nd minute bringing the score to 24-10 Santos. Neither team took a backward step through the balance of the match, yet the Santos kept their cool while their opponents collected three yellow cards. In the dying minutes Camelback put over another try to produce a final score of 24-15 in Santa Fe’s favor.
Club president Eric Schmierer detected an air of confidence emerging among the Santos in the second half. Phase play and defensive lines improved as the match went on, as the team took advantage of this, their first time together on “grass” since last fall. As added bonuses, Santo newcomers Aidan Gurule (flanker) and Diego Cardiel (outside center), had played well and promised much more to come. .
The masses gathered and migrated to the social, a lively sports bar with pool tables and football and UFC loudly competing for attention. The ruggers had better things to do as the Santos were treated to all the pizza and beer they wanted, taken as multiple rounds of “Morris cocktails” (one water, one beer, one water . . . ). Forward of the match, Jordan Demas, and back of the match, Izzy Sanchez, handily outmatched their Camelback opposites in a short drinking challenge. The event for the evening was a 7-man boat race that clearly demonstrated the Santos’ domination of the party. The voice of reason settled in for some, and the reality of the following morning’s competition saw an early departure. This time the Santos had only a 1 1/2 hour drive north to their hotel in Prescott, site of their Sunday match versus the Black Sheep. Based on some accounts, pit stops along the route outnumbered the match score for the day. Once at the hotel there was swimming, ice baths for some, and the unforgettable moments of comaraderie that come after a very long, very good day.
SUNDAY
Breakfast at the hotel was “not too shabby” and banter with a pair of friendly servers contributed to an upbeat scene. The thermometer read 38 moist degrees as the vans pulled out under low, rolling clouds that fully obscured the sun. The rugby field at Embry Riddle University, sits on the high side of this hilly town of 45,000 residents. The make-shift posts looked like an elderly couple holding each other up in their last loving moments together (Poetry by Schmierer, available for weddings, etc.). The 10:00 am kickoff saw the Santos up against a scrappy side of 13. Prescott came out pumped and did the first damage with two tries in the first six minutes.
“As a young team, they were predictably unpredictable” noted Santos coach Richard Morris. “They had some good athletes who ran hard, and we started slow. But generally the guys kept mental control.”
In a cold, steady rain Santa Fe began a slow, steady build up of intensity, bringing their team skills and determination into the game. The Black Sheep would score no more in the first half, while team captain Ryan Weir and flanker Dane Robergs each tallied tries, followed by the sudden onslaught of two tries each from center Jason España and flanker Aidan Gurule. Cory Micander modestly added a conversion kick for a halftime lead of 32 points to 10.
The rain ceased by the second half kickoff, and a subsequent back and forth of scoring proved Prescott Black Sheep to be a tenacious lot. Elijah Naranjo, Diego Cardiel, Dane Robergs, Max Palmer, and Leon Wilson all scored tries and Cory “Corn Dog” Micander kicked a penalty. Try conversions somehow eluded both teams, with Cory hitting those melancholy posts twice. When the mud cleared it was Santos 60, Prescott 34.
Socializing (for the passengers) followed in downtown Prescott at the Whiskey Tavern. As with the evening before, Los Santos sank the opponent’s social boat. Dane Robergs, another in a long line of NM Techies who’ve gone on to play for Santa Fe, was named Los Santos’ outstanding forward. Leonidas “Simba” Wilson, raised on South Africa’s Western Cape, received kudos as Back of the Day. And for all of us who will never forget our first outing, there was the blooding of young Luke Sotelo, who got his first taste of rugby at a wing position. Welcome to The Club, Luke!
The boys felt justifiably accomplished with two wins for the weekend, which when added to fall 2023 wins over El Paso and Brujos brings their Southwest Union record to four wins against no losses. For the standings, Santa Fe has earned 20 points: four for each victory plus one bonus point added for each game with four or more tries scored. Happily that plateau has been achieved in all four victories. (4 x 4) + (4 x 1) = 20.
Coach Richard eschewed (look it up) credit for readying the team in just three sessions, all indoors. “We’ve got a lot of skilled, experienced players with high rugby IQs. It’s mostly a matter of organizing things.”
Head captain Ryan Weir praised the attitude and resilience of his teammates over a challenging weekend. “On day one, everyone was excited to be there, in spite of just having traveled eight hours. The second morning’s game was tough, coming off an 80-minute rock fight just a few hours before. I don’t think we were at our best, but that’s testament to our potential.”
Echoing his coach’s use of the term “high rugby IQ”, Ryan said he also appreciates how many seasoned players are on this year’s roster. “It helps having different leaders out there to help.”
The return from AZ contrasted markedly from the trip out. Some players slept, yes, but others were too buzzed on the adventures they’d crammed into the past 36 hours. The Santos arrived home without incident (that we know of) and were tucked away in bed by midnight.
A pause to honor the supportive (and weatherproof) families of Mateo Cardiel (Margaret & Billie) and Angel Villa (Brianna, and mom Ana). And the DDs. Viva la familia!
NEXT UP
Predictably, the recent collapse of the Albuquerque Aardvarks has led to a radical restructuring of the SW Union. With the February 24 match in Tucson canceled, the Santos don’t have anything set in stone until two home appearances in March (Scottsdale 3/9 and Flagstaff 3/30).
On an optimistic note, a friendly versus El Paso in Socorro now looks likely for February 10. One or more matches may be arranged with Rocky Mountain Rugby clubs in Colorado, and there are rumors of a reincarnation of the club in Clovis.
On an ambitious note, Santa Fe has placed a bid to host the SWFU championships April 19- 20 on the union’s premier pitches, Santa Fe’s Municipal RUGBY Complex. That tournament will involve two men’s divisions and one women’s division and require as much help as we can muster.
In compliance with the board’s directive to mention The Club’s sometimes-annual Winter Banquet on February 3: The Club’s sometimes-annual Winter Banquet is February 3.
TEAM PHOTO
Back, L to R:
Richard Morris (head coach), Jason Lithgow, Jeremy Lithgow, Tadeo Herrera, Dylan Merrigan, Stephen Allbritton, Dan Robergs, Aidan Gurule (1st SFRFC appearance), Jordan Demas, David Jondreau, Ryan Weir (captain), Luke Sotelo (1st rugby outing), Jason España, Eric Schmierer (Fwd coach, mgr, board pres)
Middle, L to R:
Max Palmer, Elijah Naranjo, Isaiah Chavez, Angel Villa, Leonidas Wilson, Ryan Means, Cory Micander
Front, L to R:
Justin Stallworth, Mateo Cardiel, Billie Cardiel, Diego Cardiel (1st SFRFC appearance), Isaiah Sanchez
(Rugby ball airbrushed to protect participants)
Santos & Anasazi Active on Two Fronts
August 26, 2023
Support for Collegiate Rugby / Prep for Fiesta 10s
Last Saturday the SFRFC demonstrated our reach by cooking and playing ball in different regions of the state, on the same day. While a dedicated cadre of Santo chefs arose alongside the beautiful Pecos River before dawn to stoke the fire required to cook 17 pork butts in preparation for next week’s Fiesta Tens tournament, seven magnificent Santos and their coach were carpooling I-25 to stir the coals of a longstanding talent pipeline with a preseason scrimmage session with New Mexico Tech’s team.
As reported by SantoNews eyewitnessTanner Graham, he and team captain Ryan Weir, head coach Richard Morris, and players Leonidas Wilson, Elijah Naranjo, Tadeo Herrera, Willie Uhrle, and Dane Robergs made the early morning trip to Socorro in response to a request from Tech’s interim coaches for help preparing for their 2023-24 campaign. In keeping with a longstanding SFRFC tradition Tanner, Elijah, Tadeo, Willie, and Dane are all New Mexico Tech graduates. According to Tanner, the boys acquired a loaner from NMT and warmed up with some ball handling and light tackling before launching into an 8 (SF) v 9 (NMT) live session.
According to Mr. Graham, “the intensity was high throughout the session. We all were soaked in sweat at the end. Tech had some missing/injured guys so they only had 10 players in total. Tech grad student Freddy Puriza ran the session and refereed the scrimmage” and fellow Namibian Milaan Van Wyk, who played for Santa Fe in last year’s Southwest RFU championships was also in attendance.
In the rugby way, “burgers/dogs and ‘other refreshments’ followed afterwards at the grill near Torres Hall. They (Tech) showed international rugby in a conference room inside on a big projector. It was a good day.”
Meanwhile, in the cool air beneath the spectacular cottonwoods towering over the beautiful riverside glen graciously loaned by Village of Pecos icon Pancho Adelo, Cory Micander & Son, Travis Hudson, and Jared Skillman were standing watch over the huge mobile oven used annually to cook the meat the club freezes for use at our annual tournament as well as home matches throughout the season.
A happy crew of families and couples arrived throughout the early afternoon to pull (shred) and package the mass of pork for frozen storage at Santa Fe’s Municipal Rugby Complex. Ryan and Eldora Means’s three young sons and that rascal Oona explored the river and woods and Anna Villa pitched in on the disassembly line alongside her son Angel and Mrs. Villa. Other perennial Anasazi helpers were there with significant others too, including Jon Zucker, David Jondreau, and Jo Bitsui (with manservant D Wheelock).
Your next chance to join in the family fun comes this Friday, August 2, as The Club prepares the pitches and clubhouse for the 48th (?) running of the Fiesta 10s (formerly 7s). Stay tuned to the various mechanical devices that run your life for updates.
Duffing For Dollars
August 12, 2023
The Santo Classic Golf Tournament
43 men and women golfers (plus 4 other guys - see bottom)competed for top honors in Santa Fe Rugby’s annual golf tournament on August 12, the greatest turnout in recent years for aClub classic that originated in 1977.
Twelve teams competed in the 4-member Scotch Foursomes event with the low score of 20 under par posted by the team of Nick Thomas, Preston Miles, Hector Morales, and tournament coordinatorJeremy Lithgow.
Other familiar names in the field or in supervisory roles were Jason Lithgow, Dylan Merrigan, Rainer Ball, Mark Kelly, Joe Bonham, “Corn Dog” Micander, Wm. Travis Hudson, the One and Only Derek Gordon, Chris Bonahoom, newly minted board members Elijah Naranjo and Tadeo Herrera, Santo debutante Dane Robergs, Mighty Mateo Cardiel & Family, and James Fallt, a former Tech Pygmy the Santos will hopefully snag one day. The only shame is everyone can’t play on the same team (next year?).
The prize for Straightest Drive was won by Ryan Turner while Jeremy Lithgow made the Longest Putt. Separate holes designated for Closest to the Pin honors were won by Hector Morales and Kandus. And in a heart-breaker for Dylan Merrigan, Sabrina Chavez bested his effort to claim Longest Drive honors. (It requires mention that Mr. Merrigan played the entire event wearing bare-nekkid feet.)
BUSINESS AND PLEASURE DO MIX
As always, in order for the masses to enjoy, someone must put in the hard yards. Once again this year, the brotherhood of Jeremy and Jason Lithgow accepted responsibility for producing a profitable day for the club and a helluva good time to boot. They led the hustle for sponsorships, gathered a ton of raffle items, and hooked in several friends to round out the field. Watching Jeremy handle the predictably “lively” awards presentations with the required combination of poise, purpose, and humor served notice that the torch is being successfully passed to a capable younger generation.
A tip of the scrum cap also to Joe Bonham, a Cochiti Pueblo member who helped grease the skids for a fine outing at this stunning place.
Tadeo Herrera, Rainer Ball, and Dear Leader Eric Schmierer were evident throughout the day, whether manning registrations, coordinating backscene operations, or delivering overpriced refreshments to dehydrated contestants (“Hey, it’s for the club . . . ”).
THANK YOU
Of course, a special Thank You goes to our sponsors. Please bear these names in mind as you choose where to spend your shekels. As our only annual event prioritizing fundraising, we should aim to surpass this year’s harvest in 2024. It’s never too early to consider who you might ask!
GM Emulsion – Patriot Golf – Tadeo’s Prima Priddy – Santa Fe Brewing Co. - Credo Rugby – Coach Richard Morris – Rothstein & Donatelli – Outback Santa Fe - Dirty’s Golf Shop – Uptown Rio – Whiptail Eatery – Santa Fe Country Club – Hidden Mountain Brewing Co. - Box Car – Stag Tobacconist – AppleBees – Cochiti Golf Club
AFTER THOUGHTS: A HORSE IN THE RACE?
All teams were arbitrarily assigned names which appeared on their carts. The Dirty Wet Noodles, or alternatively “The Techies” do not in fact all have connections with New Mexico Tech, but three of us do: Santo front row institution Dylan Merrigan, former Santo and current Southwest Rugby referee Mark Kelly, and your humble narrator, who ran the NMT asylum for 19 years (without being fired, jailed, or head-hunted). Our fourth was ginger-haired Ivan Calhoun, who graced Santa Fe’s pack in the and went 1990s and went on to distinguish himself as a writer, prize-winning cook, and founder of the first online rugby news site, Rugby Today.
The scoreboard shows the Noodles, without the services of any actual golfers, managed a 4-way draw for Last Place.
Another team demanding consideration was that consisting of Micander, Hudson, Gordon, and Bonahoom. I mean, can you imagine?
Distinguished Traveler Joins SFRFC Hall of Fame Brendan Morris, CEO of SANZAAR
Santa Fe, NM
June 21, 2023 - DW
Brendan Morris, a native of Sydney, Australia, holds the post of chief executive officer of SANZAAR, an alliance taking its acronym-based name from the major rugby nations of the southern hemisphere: South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and Argentina. Each year SANZAAR conducts The Rugby Championship, an annual competition between these nations’ national teams, as well as Super Rugby, the professional club competition involving teams from Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands.
Brendan is also a Santa Fe Santo, having played flyhalf for us from 1994 -1996. In Los Angeles this week representing the global south in World Rugby meetings, the resourceful Mr. Morris squeezed in a 24-hour detour to visit with old mates over, and somewhat after, dinner at Del Charro on Wednesday, June 21.
The club’s fortunes took a decidedly upward turn after Brendan and traveling partner Brett Derwin, a flanker, found their way to Santa Fe through the efforts of Larry Smith, father of fellow hall of famers Darren and Greg. The young Aussies had concluded a playing adventure in Ireland and were interested in spending time in the States. Brett may have gotten more than he expected, as he married an American gal and now lives in the Colorado Rockies. Unfortunately he was unavailable to greet his old friend this week due to travel to Hawaii.
Brendan was known as a strong performer both on and off the pitch and he loved exploring downtown Santa Fe. Thus it was natural for him to check into the former Desert Inn, whose pool and recreation room served as the Club’s post-match social center during Brendan’s time with us.
For some in attendance, Wednesday provided the occasion to thank Brendan once again for his generosity toward old mates who have made the trek to Oz. The legendary wit and huge smile were on display throughout the evening as Brendan was showered with gifts, including a 50th anniversary jersey.
In one of the few serious moments of the evening Brendan Morris became, through emergency declaration, the latest inductee in the SFRFC Hall of Fame.
The following day Mr. Morris returned to business in LA before flying on to London for additional meetings the following week. We wish to thank him for his undying loyalty, both to Santa Fe Rugby and the Game They Play in Heaven. Hopefully he’ll get some well-deserved time off after returning home to Sydney. Hasta la vista, mate!
P.S.
A member of Santa Fe’s fourth estate turned up to interview Brendan prior to dinner and the result is the lead story in the Friday, June 23 sports section of the Santa Fe New Mexican. Pick up a copy.
SANZAAR announces new Leadership team - Super Rugby Pacific | Super Rugby Championship news, results and fixtures from Super XV rugby
2023 Santa Fe Los Santos Golf Tournament
June 14, 2023
August 12, 2023 at the Cochiti Golf Course.
Entry fee $125 per person, includes practice balls.
Other details (see 2023 Santos Golf Flyer.PDF)
Register and pay entry fees with Google Form, click here or email santaferugby@gmail.com.
Be a hole sponsor, support Los Santos Rugby in our annual Celebration!
• Details (see 2023 Santos Golf Flyer SPONSOR.pdf)
• To sponsor, Email santaferugby@gmail.com
For entry or sponsorship payment (if you do not use the Google form) use these links or send an email santaferugby@gmail.com for other options
Venmo payment: @santos-rugby
Paypal payment: santaferugby@gmail.com
AGM and Election Results
Santa Fe, NM
May 21, 2023 - DW
The Club’s AGM - annual general meeting – and board of director elections took take place on Saturday, May 20 at the MRC.
Core Board Positions
President: Eric Schmierer (succeeds Seth Johnson)
Vice President: Tadeo Herrera (succeeds Wm Travis Hudson)
Treasurer: Danny Torrez (succeeds Eric Schmierer)
Additional Positions
Secretary: Wm Travis Hudson (succeeds Adam Jobes)
Communications: Elijah Naranjo (no immediate predecessor)
Match Secretary: Jeremy Lithgow (succeeds Dan Allinder)
Past Player Representative: No election conducted (latest occupant D Wheelock)
Congratulations to all Incoming board members and hearty thanks (and a beer?) to all Outgoing office holders!
AGM and Election May 20
Santa Fe, NM
May 8, 2023 - DW
The Club’s AGM - annual general meeting – and board of director elections will take place on Saturday, May 20 at the MRC. Some manner of weenie roast &/or touch match may be scheduled if enough participation looks likely.
Discussion with the board @ 11:00 am
Your voice is needed in order to carry our reputation for competitiveness and rugby ethics into the next year.
Board Elections @ 1:00 pm
THINK ABOUT running for a board position. Although board members often combine efforts, the current titles are: Pres, VP, Treasurer, Secretary, Match Secretary, and Past Player Rep. Contact the website or Contact@SantaFeLosSantos.com to express your interest, or come loaded on May 20.