Wharton Journal

Issue date: 10/20/08 Section: Insider

Pre-season skeptics counted the Wharton Wharthogs (the Hogs) out this year. "A huge loss of talent... too green... not tough enough... a lot of potential, but it's only potential... will be good, but not great." These were just a few of the knocks against a young Hog team. The only problem is that someone forgot to tell the Hogs. On the weekend of October 4th, the Hogs set out to prove the skeptics wrong and bring the Hogfest title back to Wharton, where it belongs.

Seven men's rugby teams descended upon Philadelphia on October 5th for the 13th annual Hogfest rugby tournament. The stiff competition included the likes of perennial powerhouse Columbia and up and coming squads from Yale and Cornell. After weeks of intense training, the young Hogs were led into battle by a core of savvy veterans with one goal in mind: a championship. Little did innocent bystanders know that this weekend the Hogs would run wild. Not only would the Wharton A side bring home a championship, but the Wharton B side would bring home a victory and inflict serious injury to all opponents in its path.

Day 1: Saturday, October 5th

The wake up call was early for both Wharton teams. Muscles were stretched, ankles were taped, iPods pumped and coffee flowed for the first matches of the day. It was a great day for rugby. The Wharton B side began the day against a strong Columbia team with a significant amount of experience. Led by Captains Dan "Journeyman" Scharff (WG'09) and Matt"Accent" Mitchell (Grad. Arts & Sciences School), the Hogs fought hard, keeping Columbia scoreless until the end of the first half. After a physical match, the Hogs lost, but kept Columbia to only three tries. Now, the time had come for the Wharton A side to begin its path to the trophy. The first opponent was an under matched, but perseverant Columbia B side. The Hogs came out swinging. The forward pack dominated the scrums and rucks, led by Captain Sean "I Don't Deserve Her" Plankey (School of Engineering). The rest of the work was done by a young back line that saw centers CJ "Da Destructor" Karthauser (WG'10) and Dave "Big Texas" LaLonde (WG'10) come into their own with the first of numerous tries of the tournament. Brent "Mr. Nice Guy" Boyce (WG'09) delivered the nail in the coffin with a spectacular sprint down the sidelines, through a defender and into the try zone. Final score: 18-0.

The second game for Wharton B matched the Hogs against a much-improved Cornell side. Despite hard hits by Sergio "Stache" Tache (WG'10), Loren "Big Cat" Bale (WG'09) and Matt"Mormon Fury 3.0" Marsh (WG'09), Cornell outgunned the Hogs. Minutes later, it was in game two for Wharton A that the team came together. Facing a Widener team that had beaten the Hogs in a preseason match a few weeks back, the Hogs were determined not to be denied. The game was never close. Final Score 30-0.

For the Wharton B side, its third match defined the weekend. Widener was out for blood after its humiliating defeat a few hours earlier to Wharton A. But, the Hogs showed no mercy. The scoring began with a blast through the center of the pitch by Donald "Nip and" Tucker (WG'09). Without a kicking tee, Captain Scharff dropkicked it through the uprights like Jack Black punting Will Ferrell's dog in the classic film Anchorman. Huge hits by Christophe "Don't Call Me Napoleon" Defert (WG'10), fancy footwork by Jose "Prez" Baez (WG'09) and picture-perfect passing by Mike "Bodie" Melby (WG'10) kept Widener at bay. At 7-7, the Hogs needed one more try to secure its first B side victory. Rob "Wolfman" Sebastian (WG'10) answered the call, darting down the sideline and dragging a poor Widener defender with him into the try zone. Hogs win! Hogs win! Final score 13-7. Newcomers to the game (too many to mention in this short article) played exceptional rugby in their debut.

The final two matches of the afternoon served as wake-up calls for the Wharton A side. The Hogs faced a determined NYU team and a Columbia B team that wanted nothing more than to put a chink in the Hogs' armor. The Hogs expected to roll, but both NYU and Columbia B would not give in. Fortunately, Dave "My Ball, My Ball" Chao (WG'09) led the charge with a powerful score followed by Bob "the Builder" Ruff (Penn Law) and Captain Plankey. Forwards Alex "I'm not a player I just ruck a lot" Fleming (WG'09), Ross "Conan" Mazo (Penn Med) and Donal "Try Me Mate" McElwee (WG'10) gave the forwards the much needed push to victory. Final scores: Hogs 15, NYU 0; Hogs 18, Columbia B 5.

Day 2: Sunday, October 5th, Championship Day

On Sunday, four teams were left standing: Wharton A, Columbia A, Yale and Cornell. Yale had dominated play in Day 1 and was on track for an upset championship. To stop the Yale train, the Hogs first had to defeat the biggest and arguably most physical team in the tournament, Columbia A. Undefeated to this point, Columbia was confident they would roll over an inexperienced Wharthog team. Again, someone forgot to tell the Hogs that they were supposed to lose. From Buenos Aires, Captain Eddie "Take off that Sweater" Sarian (WG'09) sent words of motivation to the team via email. "It's about caring less about yourself than for the 14 other guys," Sarian wrote. "We are better because we know we are and there is no team that will make us think different. P.S. If you are going through hell....keep going." (An unedited version of the quote could not be published by the Wharton Journal). The Hogs took the captain's words to heart. From the start, the much anticipated match was all it was hyped up to be. It was a forwards game, each team scrapping for every inch, each hit escalating the stakes of the game. Tempers flared, but the Hogs kept their cool. A penalty kick presented the Hogs with an opportunity, and "Pettie" Pablo Lema (WG'10) connected. Dave "Scrumcap" Dennis (WG'09) and Keith "Night Train" Washington (WG'09) led the fight up front, anchored by Ryan "Dr. Strangelove" Kotton (Penn Med). With blood and sweat left on the pitch, the Hogs showed who the more physical team was. Hogs 3, Columbia 0. Now it was time for Yale.

Coach Anthony "Shrek" Sawtell (WG'08) had just the anecdote for the quickness of Yale. The Hogs put forth its "Wild Hog" lineup with young Dan "Machine Gun" Lennon and Matt "Lock Me Up" Gallagher and savvy vet, George "Prize Fighter" Coles for added agility and speed Injured, but determined Hogs popped the Advil and lathered on the Bengay. The Hogs came out strong, pressing into Yale's field of play throughout the first half led by scrumhalf Tak "I am El" Niino (School of Veterinary Medicine) at the helm. Eric "Dr. Mom" Hanson (Penn Med) converted a crucial penalty kick to put the Hogs up 3-0. The Hogs battled, Lou "Baryshnikov" Marchetti (WG'09) stole line outs and Bob "the Builder" teamed with Mike "Booty Call" Chamberlayne (WG'09) to deliver deadly blows that kept Yale's dynamic team in a daze. And then it happened... what will be forever called in Hogfest lore as "the Kick." With a yell in his thick British accent, James "Mr. Nasty" Williams (WG'10) called for his teammates on the complete opposite side of the pitch. Only 10 meters from the touch line, Williams booted the ball high in the air, sending "Big Texas" LaLonde and "Mr. Nice Guy" Boyce chasing like a pack of crazed dogs. A tip back by Boyce and an acrobatic catch by LaLonde landed him and the ball in Yale's try zone. Silence followed for a brief moment, and then a whistle from the referee confirmed Yale's worst fears... it was try time for the Hogs. Hogs 10, Yale 0. A determined Hog team led by Patrick "Scrumbag" Sullivan (WG'09) and the Hogs' iron curtain defense kept Yale's explosive team out of the try zone and brought home the championship. Final Score: Wharton 10, Yale 3. Weary and bruised, the Hogs raised the Hogfest trophy high in the air in the city where it should have never left, Philadelphia. Our heart goes out to the numerous Hogs that puts their bodies on the line at Hogfest and left the field with injury, most notably, Tim "Hollywood" Sherrod. You are the Hogs we play for going forward.

A much deserved congratulations to the Wharton Wildebeests who brought home the women's Hogfest championship after a dominating performance. A special thanks to Donald "Nip and" Tucker (WG'09), Hogfest Director, who spent endless hours to make the tournament possible. Most importantly, we would like to thank our sponsors: Noble Group, Probitas and Carib Beer. You make our victories possible.

Next stop for the Hogs is Phoenix to defend its Thunderbird tournament title on November 8th.

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