Knoxville Rugby Football Club

MTSU tops rival Nashville in 7s final

December 4, 1994

Water and December weather in East Tennessee don’t mix.

A Middle Tennessee State University player found that out the hard way at the third annual Santa Claus 7s on Dec. 3, 1994.

Seems the poor fellow drank a gallon of water trying to make the necessary 200-pound weight requirement.

He didn’t – and felt miserable the rest of the day. His teammates ended up feeling fine, dispatching Nashville in the championship.

 

Prelims

Nashville emerged from pool play as the top seed, going 3-0 and outscoring its opponents 97-5. MTSU was seeded No. 2 after going 2-0 in the prelims.

Nashville had a quarterfinal bye and then dropped the University of Tennessee in semifinal play by a 29-12 count. MTSU slugged Knoxville’s first side 26-7 in the other semi.

Final

MTSU struck first when prop Jay Johnson fed hooker Brandon Sentell off a loose ball to go up 5-0.

Moments later, MTSU center T.J. Westerman exploited an overload and put wing Brian Savasta away for a 40-meter try. Flyhalf Clete Ledford converted for a 12-nil lead.

Westerman chipped ahead following the kickoff, allowing Sentell to beat the cover and touch down his second try. Ledford converted as MTSU led 19-0 at the break. Savasta later added his second score and Ledford converted to end the final in MTSU’s favor at 26-0.

 

MTSU                      Nashville

Johnson         1       Caviness

Sentell            2       Johnson

Lee                  3       Gregory

Hensley           4       Huffstickler

Ledford           5        Haverstick

Westerman      6        Craig

Savasta            7        Brooks

Ref: Rick Knowles

Johnson City tripped up Knoxville’s second side in the consolation final.

Knoxville downs UT in Dogwood championship

April 18, 1994

The Possums beat up some future teammates as Knoxville handled the University of Tennessee 26-8 in the championship of the fifth annual Dogwood Tournament.

The event was held April 16 and 17, 1994 at John Tarleton Park.

In pool play, the Possums stopped Greenville, S.C., 12-5 and Johnson City 31-10. UT was upset in overtime 10-7 by Chattanooga before rebounding to defeat Findlay, Ohio, 25-0 to advance to the championship on Sunday.

Final

Seven minutes into the match, Knoxville center Tom Wilon slotted a 35-meter penalty to give the Possums a 3-0 lead. UT hooker Jason Kallivakos answered with a 30-meter shot to make it 3-3.

With 17 minutes gone, Wilson hit a second penalty (6-3), and shortly thereafter was instrumental in the game’s opening try.

As Knoxville pressured the Tennessee tryline, Wilson drew two defenders and opened up a spot that flyhalf Pat Dorwin dived through, the try giving Knoxville an 11-3 halftime lead.

The Possums contined the pressure in the second stanza and it paid off when No. 8 Brian Niekerk scooped up a loose ball and fed center Steve Cunningham on the burst for the try, 16-3.

Moments later, the 6-foot-3, 240-pound Niekerk collected a poor clearing kick and rambled in for the try. Wilson’s conversion made it 23-3.

The next 20 minutes were a scoreless stalemate until UT wing Chris Dulin called for a weakside feed off a scrum and went in for a try. With eight minutes remaining, Wilson closed out the scoring with a penalty and the match ended 26-8 in Knoxville’s favor.

Knoxvillle                                     UT

Sandman (C)          1                     Pledger

Miller                      2                   Kallivakos

Salansky                 3                   Huskey (C)

Christopher             4                   French

Roads                       5                  Lawson

Klaehn                     6                    Jones

Powell                      7                    Dixon

Niekerk                    8                   Brown

Muniz                       9                   Brant

Dorwin                     10                 Gower

Bennett                     11                Sweeten

Cunningham              12               Olson

Wilson                       13                Carter

Altoonian                   14               Dulin

Blalock                        15               Clardy

Ref: Tim Wright

Notes

The versatile Niekerk would lineup at eightman, inside center and lock during his career at Dogwood tournaments. Steve Cunningham was also comfortable at a number of positions – hooker, flanker, scrumhalf, center and wing.

Blalock was named 1994 Dogwood MVP – thanks to his strong defense at flyhalf when he and Dorwin would switch positions when the Possums defended. Dorwin was primarily a wing and fullback, but also saw Dogwood time at scrumhalf and flyhalf.

UT fullback Don Clardy would later play for Knoxville and Greenville in Dogwood tournaments.

Years later, John Tarleton Park became home to the currrent high school league, spearheaded by longtime Knoxville flyhalf Marty Bradley, who was out of town for the 1994 Dogwood tourney.