Colts Win Islands
The Colt 'A' XV has captured the Island Championship after a thrilling, come from behind 19-12 victory over Oak Bay on Saturday.
The game began ominously for Shawnigan, with Oak Bay seizing upon their first real opportunity to score near the posts; the conversion that followed made the score 7-0 for the visitors. The Shawnigan lads suffered from bouts of sloppy play and poor decision-making throughout the first thirty minutes, and only a stout defensive effort prevented Oak Bay from piling on the points and running away with the game. The stingy Shawnigan defending ensured that the visitors only capitalized once, and Oak Bay headed into half-time with a well-deserved 12-0 lead.
After some inspirational words from Coaches Robertson, Doyle and Wilke, the Colts emerged refocused as the second-half began. After some back-and-forth play, the Colts managed to swing the ball wide to Avi H. The ball soon found the hands of Derek D. on the wing, who managed to shake his opposite number and score a well-taken try, cutting the deficit to 12-5.
Shawnigan's first try was a huge turning point in the game, as from that point on the field was tilted in favour of the black and gold. The team that looked so tentative in the first half began attacking from all angles and handling the ball with a confidence so lacking early on. The forward pack slowly started dominating set phase play and was rewarded fifteen minutes from full time when Alan H. stormed across the line. Avi's conversion knotted the score at 12-12 and set up a nail biting finish to the Colts' season.
The final chapter of the game featured some of the best play of the entire match, with Oak Bay regaining their composure and exposing Shawnigan defensively. The Shawnigan boys, in turn, upped up the intensity and had a number of scintillating periods of possession. With the game in the balance and the referee poised to blow the whistle for full time, man of the match Alan H. was again able to muscle through the Oak Bay defense and touch down to seal the victory and secure the championship.
Congratulations to the Colts on a memorable victory and a fantastic 2010 season!
– Ryan Panton '97
Photos by Stephen Lane