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11/7/07 Cornell Rugby Elects New Officers
    Cornell Rugby elected former Match Secretary, sophomore Gabe LaHue as President. Junior Chris Losak was re-elected for Vice President. Sophomore Ben Davies became the new Treasurer, and Freshman Andrew Foraker was elected to Match Secretary.

10/27/07 Cornell Rugby Ends Season With Loss at Home
    Cornell Rugby lost any hope of going to playoffs with a 35-5 loss to Syracuse at home. Both teams were scoreless for a long time in the first half, but Syracuse pulled ahead in the second half and handed the Cornell side their first defeat at home.

10/20/07 Cornell Rugby Wins Home Game Against Binghamton
    Cornell's A side dominated the first half of the game and was ahead at the half. The second half allowed some rookies to get in to the game, and Cornell's lead diminished, but the Big Red still managed to hang on for the 22-19 win.

10/13/07 Cornell Rugby Loses to Brockport on the Road
    Cornell Rugby traveled three hours to play an away game against Brockport, and came out slightly slow in the first half. The opposing fly half set up a few good plays for scores, but the Cornell defense rallied to hold the score close going in to halftime. Conditioning played a factor in the second half, as Brockport pulled away for the win.

10/6/07 The Big Red Wins a Hard-fought Game Against Cortland
    The Cornell A side put up some early points against Cortland, and was ahead at the half. Early in the second half Cortland put in some unanswered tries to bring the score closer, but the Big Red held on for a 30-25 win.

9/29/07 Cornell Rugby Falls to Buffalo in Second Half
    The Big Red played tough, stopping the Buffalo's forward punches with little or no gain, and kept the score close going into the second half. Unfortunately, conditioning soon proved to be a factor in the second half, and the Big Red lost 37-3.

9/15/07 Cornell Rugby Dominates Canisius on the Road
    The Big Red came out strong in their first league game with a 33-0 win against Canisius. Although play by the Big Red weakened slightly in the second half, Cornell still managed to hold on and shutout Canisius. The B side played a very physical game and had a big win for a lot of the new rookies.

8/23/07 Cornell Rugby Begins Practicing for Their Fall Campaign
    After a long summer break the Big Red Ruggers are ready to get back on the pitch and back to their winning ways. With practice beginning this week and the first test match against Colgate on September 1st, new players are encouraged to come out and learn about our exciting and fast paced sport. For information on how to join contact Matthew Zaragoza at mdz6@cornell.edu or for a ride to practice call 530-400-2729. See you on the pitch!

3/31/07 A Mixed Cornell Warms Up Against Columbia's A-Side
    Cornell lost to Columbia Saturday at Van Cortland Park, in the Big Red's first test match of the season. After taking time out to perforn a bit of community service, (read: picking glass and scrap metal out of the pitch) Cornell Rugby took the field and quickly took control of the game. With several knifing runs from senior John Friedman and dominant scrums led by forwards Morgan McGowan and Blake Dressel it seemed as though nothing would stop Cornell. Unfortunately, midway through the first period injuries began to plague the Big Red and just before half Columbia was able to sneak in a lead snatching tri. The second half saw action from many of Cornell's development players who are still new to the game. "The boys made a really valiant effort, and even though Columbia widened the lead in the second half I really think that it was worth giving some of the newer guys a chance to learn," said Captain Morgan McGowan. "You could really see guys start to get a handle on the game." The test match was an important stepping stone for the Red on their road to the Ivy League Championships later this spring.

2/12/07 A New Year Brings New Hopes, Chance at the Ivy League Title
    After a winter recess Cornell Rugby is back in action as they tune up for an exciting spring season. This spring is set to include several test matches, the Cherry Blossoms tournament, and the Ivy League Championship. Due to a scheduling conflict the Big Red did not compete for the Ivy League Championship last year, however expectations are high and everyone, most of all this year's senior class, is anxious to come up big against Ivy rivals Harvard and Dartmouth. "We have set up an ambitious and exciting schedule for this spring as we look forward to facing off against some highly ranked competition. I think that if we want to succeed on a national level, it's important that all of our players, veterans and new guys, get as much field time as possible. That’s what this spring is all about,” said President Matthew Zaragoza. We look forward to following the active schedule of Cornell rugby this season.

12/8/06 Cornell Elects New Officers, and Toasts to a Successful Season
    After the defeat at the USMMA the men of Cornell Rugby met to reflect on a season well played and to elect new officers for the coming year. The sentiment at the meeting was one of a renewed commitment to rugby and a sense of what might have been. There was strong interest in team leadership roles for the Big Red and every executive position was filled with a capable officer. The new President in 2007 is a junior, Matthew Zaragoza. Vice President went to sophomore, Blake Dressel. Sophomore Harrison Guthorn will be Treasurer, and Freshman Gabe Lahue stepped up and took on the role of Match Secretary. Morgan McGowan will stay on as Captain through the spring. Zaragoza said, “The infusion of youth put us in a great position to be successful in the future. I’m excited about out prospects for the Spring.”
    This year Cornell returned to the one and only China Buffet for a night of entertainment and cuisine. Under the leadership of a new Coaching staff the Men of Cornell Rugby have really tried to class up their act. “The whole team is learning new words like cutlery,” said senior John Friedman. The annual awards banquet was a big test of class for the Big Red, and the consensus is that they passed with flying colors. In particularly good form for the evening was freshman Enrique “The Hurricane” Rayon. Many thanks go to the outgoing executive board for orchestrating the evening and special thanks go to President Matthew Zaragoza for serving as designated driver. A full list of award winners can be found in the stats/awards section.
    Cornell will break for finals and winter vacations but looks to come back strong in 2007.

11/4/06 Cornell Comes Up Short in Fall Campaign
    The United States Merchant Marine Academy served host to the Big Red for a Northeast Rugby Union playoff fixture with CURFC looking to rebound from their overtime loss one week previous. Cornell controlled field position and possession early, but fumbled away chances leaving the score tied at 0-0. Later in the first half USMMA found their stride and put three tries by the Big Red in quick succession. At the break USMMA led 18-0. In the second half Cornell refocused and began a comeback. Strong play in the USMMA half sprung Clayton Wood free to barrel over for the first Cornell score on the day. Mike Fradette slotted the conversion and a later penalty to cut the gap to 8 points. Cornell continued to pressure, but the USMMA defense held. USMMA added a security try before the whistle leaving the final score to stand at 23-10.
    Head coach Kevin Waizenhofer offered comment on the day, “Man for man we outsized them and in the opening minutes we drove right down the field and it looked like we were going to blow them away, but they fought like an academy team does and got the win.”

10/28/06 Cornell Falls in State Championship
    Playing through strong wind, rain and cold, Cornell faced UB at St. Lawrence University to decide the New York State Championship. The Big Red controlled the game early on and pressure in the UB half set up a Mike Fradette penalty conversion and a three point lead for the Big Red. As a tone that would ring throughout the day the Cornell defense was strong, but offense was hard to find on this day as the teams entered the half tied 3-3. The second half saw great tackling and chances for the Big Red, but no points and at the end of full time the game was still tied at 3-3. This overtime was again scoreless, but with no time remaining in the second overtime UB was able to go over and Cornell came up short in their efforts with a final score of 8-3.
    Coach Kevin Waizenhofer offered the best words on the day, “We played pretty good rugby minus a couple of times when we didn’t play smart. For the most part we played with our brains, and we sure played with heart. I’m very proud of the guys; they proved that they can play.”

10/21/06 CURFC Finishes the Regular Season With a Win

Cornell served host for Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and earned the desired result in the final fixture of the league table. Early Cornell pressure led to scores and points kept coming to give the Big Red a 39 point led at half time. During the second half Cornell worked to keep structure and their attack adding to their lead for a final score of 68-0. Jake Jolly and Greg Rossi both recorded hat tricks on the day.

10/15/06 Cornell Gets Back to Winning Ways

Playing a rare Sunday fixture CURFC traveled to SUNY Cortland for a match vital to the league table. Cornell started with strong discipline and the reward came with Greg Rossi slotting an early penalty. Midway through the frame Morgan McGowan finished a strong series of creative play to extend the Cornell lead by five. The defensive organization was strong and the Big Red kept a clean slate until a penalty got Cortland on the board shortly before the half.

After the break CURFC struck first with Greg Rossi finding a gap to touch down for the second try of the day. However Cortland came back and pulled within a score by converting a try with fifteen minutes to play. Facing a determined side the Big Red defense was tested but Cornell held strong and at full time they had earned a 13-10 win having lead throughout. The regular season finishes next weekend at home against RPI as CURFC looks to earn their fourth consecutive trip to the state championship game.

10/8/06 Big Red Face First Loss of the Season

Traveling to Buffalo for a match that would decide the top of the league standings CURFC came up short in their effort. A slow start hurt the Big Red as Buffalo paced the early part of the game and took a 15-0 lead. Cornell played well throughout in the set piece, and by settling into disciplined play they started to climb back. Before the half CURFC cut into the deficit thanks to two penalties from the boot of Greg Rossi.

Cornell kept pressuring in the second frame and opened the scoring with another penalty pulling them within a try. But the comeback faltered and lapses in Cornell play led to a flurry of Buffalo tries. A consolation try for the Big Red came late, but could not beautify the final result standing 44-16 in favor of Buffalo . Next week the Big Red travel to Cortland for another contest with playoff implications.

The B-side struggled likewise, showing periods of strong play, but not earning a victory.

10/1/06 Weekend Results

Saturday saw CURFC continue the league season, hosting Syracuse . Playing strong defense Cornell was able to hold Syracuse scoreless through 80 minutes; however the Big Red could not finish their chances and played to a full time scoreless draw. The winner on the day was the wind, which played a role in sending 5 penalty kicks away from goal. During the first half CURFC played a strong field position game, but the Syracuse defense was able to hold preventing any score. The second half saw further Cornell efforts within the opposition end, but none could be finished; final score, a disappointing 0-0. The Big Red now enters a crucial point in the season with their next pair of games coming against competition likewise near the top of the table.
The B-side picked up a well played victory over Syracuse , notching three tries and playing strong defense holding the opposition to none. Syracuse made it onto the board with a pair of penalty kicks, but Cornell finished strong answering with tries. The final whistle saw CURFC on top 17-6.

The full weekend saw the B-side play an additional Sunday fixture against the Johnson School of Management. They tackled well through the day, and their defensive efforts were matched by offensive success. Always leading play CURFC dotted down 5 tries before full time, to only one for the Johnson school. At full time, 29-5.

9/23/06 CURFC Improves to 4-0

Playing their third away game in four weeks, the Big Red took the field against Brockport to extend their perfect fall campaign. CURFC went to work early with Clayton Wood finishing for Cornell’s first try. John Friedman broke the line and raced in for a second score shortly after. Cornell played with an advantage territory and possession through the half, and the Big Red pack was effective in the scrummage. Showing strength as the half carried on, Cornell added three more tries before the half with Greg Rossi nailing two conversions to give the Big Red a 29-0 lead going into the half. The second frame lacked creativity, and Brockport scores came as a result. Before the final whistle Mike Fradette added a final Cornell try on the day.
The B-side played a strong game carrying through the first half. However their offensive efforts came up short as they fell by a score of 7-6.

9/16/06 Cornell Earns League Win and Bonus Point
    Playing their first home contest of the season Cornell produced a solid win over visiting Canisius College . Cornell quickly took play deep into Canisius territory and a well developed overlap allowed Morgan McGowan to score the first try. Later a strong counterattack freed John Friedman to break the line adding another Big Red try. Mike Fradette added slotted three points off of a Canisius no-no, and Cornell entered the half with a 13-0 lead.
    In their first attacking phase of the second half Greg Rossi scored a breakaway try taking the Cornell lead to 20. Cornell dominated in the set piece and played disruptive defense throughout the day, and maintained the pressure as they began to substitute freely. Continuing to attack, Mike Sturm scored the fourth Cornell try of the day earning the bonus point in the league tables, and taking the score to 27-0. Credit Canisius for heart, as a consolation try left the final score at 27-7.
    The Cornell B-side played came to play after a short rest from their recent mid-week contest. The first half saw Cornell trailing, but adjustments at the half combined with ballsy play saw the Big Red even the game at 3 tries each. Next week the B-side will look to build in their strong points and get back to their winning ways.

9/12/06 B-Side Notches First Win of the Season
   In a re-scheduled mid-week fixture the CURFC B-side notched a 3 try victory over SUNY Binghamton. Final score Cornell 15 @ Binghamton 0.

9/9/06 Cornell Opens the League Season With a Win
    For their first match of the NYSRC season CURFC traveled to Binghamton and picked up a win through strong team play. Early Cornell pressure yielded a mid-field penalty which Greg Rossi was kind enough to convert into a 3 point lead. Later in the first half a yellow card left Cornell playing man down, and Binghamton was able to use the advantage to take a 7-3 lead lasting into half time.
    After the break Cornell regained form and Tyler Solloway went over to put the Big Red back in the lead. Gaining a man advantage from a Binghamton yellow card Cornell capitalized with Dave Casariego working in space to dot down the second CURFC try. Mid-way through the second half the game was called due to lightning with the final score standing Cornell 15, Binghamton 7.
   Weather forced the B-side match to be rescheduled for Tuesday 9/12.

9/2/06 The Trophy Stays
    CURFC took the pitch on a rainy Saturday in Hamilton , NY for their first match of the fall season against Colgate University . Working out early season kinks both teams started slow and Colgate made it onto the board first slotting a penalty kick. CURFC responded mid-way through the frame with their first try from Dan Irvin to take a lead they would not surrender. Before half time Matt Zaragoza dotted down a second Cornell try off of a strong scrum, and Mike Fradette converted to send the CURFC into the break with a 12-3 lead.
   The second half saw Colgate draw closer as an early try pulled them to within four points, but Cornell responded with a full field attack producing a penalty that added three points to their lead. The Big Red defense was tested but stood strong near the goal line and Dan Irvin went over again for Cornell to set the final score of the match. The final score saw CURFC retain the Claret Mug 20-8 victory.
   The B-side played an inspired match featuring brilliant tackling and creative play, but fell by a score of 0-3. Coach Kevin Waizenhofer was pleased with both sides, but had special praise for the effort of the B-side on the day.

8/31/06 White Tops Red in Preseason Action
    The Red/White game gave CURFC a first chance to show the benefits of their summer training as Morgan McGowan led the White team against John Friedman and the Red side. The first half saw strong defense and great athleticism from new players, with a scoreless streak running late into the first half. With few penalties both teams played a flowing style and White was able capitalize when Mike Sturm went over to break the deadlock and score the first try of the fall. Evan Loewenstein converted and a try from Quico Cunha followed to send White into the break up 12-0.
    The second half saw Red almost go over with early efforts on the White try line. However field position was surrendered by penalties and White took the ball deep into Red territory before Matt Zaragoza touched down the third try of the day. Mounting a comeback Rich Menger finished off a strong Red attack to get on the board, but the riposte could not be completed as time expired during the Red resurgence. At full time: White 19, Red 5.
    Coach Kevin Waizenhofer was pleased to finally get his side playing real rugby. Next up, Colgate for the season opening Battle for the Claret Mug.

8/25/06 CURFC Welcomes a New Sponsor, 4x3 Web Design

4x3, a design studio and web development firm located in suburban Philadelphia provides creative solutions for corporations, small businesses and non-profit organizations. Look for them to feature in the fall program.

8/9/06 Meet & Greet with New Head Coach Kevin Waizenhofer
Thursday 8/17 CURFC will host a casual meet and greet social with coach Waizenhofer! The event will be held directly after training at 107 Edgemoor Lane.

5/19/06 Fall Fixtures Announced

Cornell will open their fall campaign looking to retain the Claret Cup at Colgate and the regular season features three home matches for the Big Red.

5/6/06 Juniors Claim the Slope Day Sevens Crown

CURFC faced off against their most hapless opponent in years as they geared up to play the Slope Day Sevens against…themselves. Paced by smart play and strong team defense the Junior side placed top of the table with a 2-0 record in round robin play scoring seven tries whilst only surrendering one. When interviewed junior captain Morgan McGowan explained “My Bear, Ninja, Hunter skills were weak today, but fortunately my teammates picked it up and played through the fatigue.”

The Sophomore side grew into the darling of the tournament with impressive play from an underdog position. The final fixture of the tournament saw the Sophomores play a strong match against the Senior side, but the Seniors grabbed second place in the table with a dramatic overtime win. During the post-match interview senior captain Alex Norton rationalized “We may not have won this tournament, but I rock at Bear, Ninja, Hunter.”

4/9/06 Cornell Splits Fixtures with Academies
In a colorful first round of Cherry Blossoms Cup play Cornell faced the United States Air Force Academy. Great team play and strong scrums established Cornell early and Joe Mertz was able to block a clearing kick and chase it down for the games first score. The Big Red tackled well and went into the half with a 7-0 lead. During the second half of play both sides threatened to score early, but defenses held. Halfway through the second frame a yellow card forced the Big Red to play man down and the Zoomies capitalized on their advantage, leveling the score at 7-7. Immediately after returning to full strength, the Big Red took their moniker too seriously and picked up a red card, but the defense held strong and Cornell even looked likely to take a lead man down late in the game. Time expired with the game knotted at 7-7 and Cornell received the win for having scored first.
In the semi-finals of Cup play CURFC took on the United States Naval Academy. Cornell struggled early and never found their stride going into the half in need of a comeback effort. The Big Red showed glimpses of their skill in the second half, but their scoring chances fell short against the eventual tournament champions.

4/8/06 Cornell Bests George Washington in Cherry Blossoms Pool Play
On a rainy day in our nations capital the men of CURFC provided a strong start to their Cherry blossoms campaign. Playing 20 minute halves, Scott Campbell opened the scoring in the first frame finishing off a series of well supported forwards phases. Later in the half the Cornell pack won a scrum against the head to start an attacking phase that produced their second try. After the break Cornell kept up their staunch defense and Andrew Mitchell picked up the final score of the game on a strong run from distance.

4/1/06 CURFC Starts the Spring With a Win

Thawing out after a long winter the Big Red traveled south to face the West Chester University Rams in an inter-league friendly. Faced with unsporting play early CURFC kept their composure and put their true skills on display picking up the games opening try when an organized backs effort dotted the ball down in the corner. Minutes later the forwards took control of the game and Kelvin Yap dotted down Cornell’s second score. Then, as time expired in the half Greg Rossi dotted down the Big Red’s third try and CURFC went to the break ahead 17-0. In the second half Cornell kept the pressure up and seamlessly used their full bench. Jeremy Dworken shined with many line breaks and strong defensive plays, but Andrew Mitchell reopened CURFCs scoring log as he dotted down the Big Red’s first try of the second half. Thereafter Greg Rossi picked up another score on the day earning his second try with a display of breakaway pace. Not to be outdone Andrew Mitchell broke a 40 meter try run capped with “The Bus is FULL!!!”

    On the day Cornell came out on top in a 34-5 victory and Greg Rossi earned Man of the Match Honors. Looking forward Big Red will work to develop upon this success and carry the lessons learned into the rest of the spring.

1/18/06 CURFC Begins Preparations for the Spring Season
    The Big Red have finalized a competitive schedule for the spring of '06 and now can begin focusing on turning their off-season effort into in-season wins. All players, A-side, B-side and rookies should attend the Spring Meeting to be held on Thursday January 26th from 7:00-8:00pm in Willard Straight Hall Room 413.

11/26/05 CURFC Z-side Wins the Bowl at the New York 7s
    On a cold and blowing day all too reminiscent of the North Campus pitch of yesteryear, the Cornell Alumni Z-Side took part in the 47th Thanksgiving 7's held on Randall's Island, NY off the coast of Manhattan , on Saturday November 26th. With alum's spanning the last 4+ years it was an interesting lot to say the least. The Z-siders lost the first game to the Canadian Side TMR by a score of 24-0 and lost the second game of the day to eventual finalists Montreal Wanderers 47-0 before they found their stride against the Princeton Athletic Club winning in fine fashion 31-17, led by two tries from Brooklyn 's own Ray Gearity. The 1-2 record in pool play put the Z-side into the plate playoffs where they shook off the rust and smacked French Canadian side St. Jean Barracudas 37-0, paced by Rory Sawers 3 tries and Mac Cook's thunderous hits. In the plate final the surprised Z-siders took the pitch against yet another French Canadian team RCM and after some heckling and arguments over the coin toss and length of halves, after all they couldn't speak a lick of English, the game got underway. JoJo Bucci scored the opening try and the Z-Side never looked back as they won the Plate final 19-7. Rory Sawers was named man of the tournament for the Z-Side. In all the day was a resounding success with some alumnae coming from as far as Utah and Texas for the day. It was great to see old friends and meet some of the guys that were only talked about as legends. We hope to do another event like this next year so look out for it. We hope to see you there.

11/19/05 CURFC Wraps up the Fall Campaign with Annual Awards Banquet
    The results of the executive board elections and the recipients of team awards are posted. Congratulations and thanks go out for a hard fought season.

11/13/05 CURFC Finishes the Fall Campaign
    The Big Red stumbled during their trip to the Northeast Final Four and dropped both of their games on the weekend. Army brought in a high level of play CURFC had yet to see this season and captured a victory on the first day. Scott Campbell scored CURFCs lone try and Nick Beale played the strongest game of anyone on the pitch. Sunday saw Cornell facing Buffalo in what has become a familiar matchup. Morgan McGowan scored a first half try to tie the score, but the gap widened before Andrew Mitchell dotted down CURFCs second try late in the game. The fall season for the Big Red was a successful campaign, but it also leaves a taste of what could have been.

11/5/05 CURFC Downs Harvard to Earn a Spot in the NRU Final Four
    On a pleasant fall day in Ithaca, NY the Big Red took the field against Harvard fighting to extend their season. A win would earn CURFC a bid to the NRU Final 4 and a loss would end the fall campaign. Backed against the wall and realizing that losing is about as cool as a boner in the shower the Big Red played inspired rugby on the day. Cornell played tough, relentless defense in first half and controlled the ball well, but they were unable to maintain field position and went into the half trailing 6-0 off of two Harvard penalties. The second half saw the Big Red catch their stride offensively and they began to pour on strong runs. Joe Mertz made great ground all day and the pack played strong rugby in support continually controlling the breakdown. Andrew Mitchell was able to dot down the first try of the day for the Big Red with a great display of strong running. Cornell now trailed 5-6 and wasted no time in taking the lead as Morgan McGowan was presented with a gift at the back of a strong maul that he dotted down for what would be the game winning try. Alex Norton’s kick sailed true and the Big Red now led 12-6. Harvard played strong through the second half and pulled within one point but the Big Red defense, led by a great performance from Matt Zaragoza, held on to secure a 12-11 victory. This week man of the match honors are split between the whole 22 for a great team performance.