The Highlanders faced off against the Northern Colorado Flamingos in a friendly match bright and early this past Saturday, August 29th to kickoff the fall season. The Highlanders got off to an early start driving in a sizable cluster of tries in the first 20 minutes of play. Notably a familiar face at 8-man, Clinton Camp found the try line for the first time since returning to the Highlanders, with some crafty play scampering down the far sideline off a maul formed from a lineout. Scrappy hooker Eric Smolensky would earn Man of the Match honors stealing several balls from the opposition in scrummage play. The men of Northern Colorado, not deterred by the early point deficit, showed grit and determination by fighting back and capitalizing on a string of Highlander mistakes to score their first try of the match. They would be prove challenging, embattling the Highlander’s goal line and defensive resolve on more than one occasion. Michael Backens, Nate Roe, and several other Highlanders would find their way to the try line for points before half time. 

 

As the second half drew on, both teams expressed gratitude for whoever had the foresight to start the game at 10:00AM, as the heat of the day began to cast itself down onto the field.  Habib Guerrero would not be deterred by the muddy puddles under the goal post left by the previous night's rain, sliding between the posts and across the water for the day’s sloppiest try. The game was hard fought, hard hitting, and certainly felt closer than a final score of 52 to 14 at the referee’s final whistle. Congratulations to new head coach, Adam Price, on his first victory. He and the other coaches, Dylan Gill and Stu Campbell, certainly have a lot of work ahead for the Highlanders and will be looking to clean up mistakes and sharpen the Highlanders' play before our next match home versus Boulder in two weeks.

 

View photos of the match here.

 

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