The Savannah Shamrocks went to St. Simons Island this past weekend to for their second match with the Golden Isles Hammerheads. Savannah was in for a much tougher matchup this go around from the Hammerheads and with a lot of new Shamrocks earning starting positions this week in the pack the Rocks leaned heavily on the experience in their backline. The Savannah back line jumped into the action quickly behind starting fly-half, Cheffren Canady, who scored in the 3rd minute of the game, conversion by Thomas Moentmann (Savannah 7 – Golden Isles 0). The game would settle into its regular flow of hard rucking and even harder running by both teams forwards for the next ten minutes until Savannah’s scrum-half, Matt Rutkowski, was able to squirt through a break in the defense for the try in the 14th minute, conversion by Moentmann (Savannah 14 – Golden Isles 0). Continued pressure and quickly recycled ball allowed the back to repeatedly attack until they were again rewarded when Canady drove through the backline for the try in the 22nd minute, conversion by Moentmann (Savannah 21 – Golden Isles 0). The Savannah backs found the try zone again quickly when rookie wing, Bradly Smith, was awarded a penalty try after being high tackled near the goal line, conversion by Moentmann (Savannah 28 – Golden Isles 0). Savannah’s other starting wing, Mark McWhorter, was not to be outdone as he pushed over his own try only minutes later, conversion missed (Savannah 33 – Golden Isles 0). Just before the end of the first half the Shamrocks’ forwards finally got in the action when flanker, CJ Regnet, bowled through for a try in the 40th minute, conversion missed (Savannah 38 – Golden Isles 0)
Halftime: Savannah 38 – Golden Isles 0
The second half picked up where the first half left off and the Shamrocks’ back line was quickly given good ball after several phases and center, Chad Cooley, scored his first try of the season in the 54th minute, conversion missed (Savannah 43 – Golden Isles 0). The Shamrocks’ experienced scrum-half was again able to find the try zone in the 60th minute as Rutkowski touched down for his second try of the game, conversion by Moentmann (Savannah 50 – Golden Isles 0). In the 64th minute Canady was able to complete his hat-trick of tries on the day when he broke through and was able to score near the posts, conversion by Moentmann (Savannah 57 – Golden Isles 0). In the 66th minute Canady would show his day of scoring would not be complete until he had struck a drop goal which was successful (Savannah 60 – Golden Isles 0). Perhaps a sleeping giant was woken by this drop goal because a mere minutes later, George Skarp, of Golden Isles would squeeze through for the Hammerheads’ first points of the day, conversion missed (Savannah 60 – Golden Isles 5). Just as the first half came to a close, so did the second half, with a try by Regnet, conversion by Moentmann (Savannah 67 – Golden Isles 5). Savannah now looks forward to closing out their first undefeated season in memory as they prepare for their longest road trip of the season against second placed Valdosta State on November 9.
Final Score: Savannah 67 – Golden Isles 5
