First College 10s Tournament Goes Off with a Massive Bang!

The very first USAFL College Australian Football Tournament went off with a massive bang at Veterans Park in College Station yesterday... literally.  With severe thunderstorms rolling through southeast Texas, the tournament was under threat of being abandoned even before it began.

Circumstances would conspire to both enable the games to happen, but also eventually to stop them short, with the Grand Final having to be abandoned with a Thor-like thunderclap and lightning strike that coincided with what was supposed to be the siren to begin the second half.  Instead, it would be the siren to announce that we could risk play no more.

Adding to the melodrama was the scoreline. Hosts Texas A&M were deadlocked on 20 points with a Texas Tech team that, if first impressions mean anything, highlighted how massive the potential is for the college game.

Alert; this will not be the last time you read the word “massive” in this post.

The facilities at Veterans Park were nothing short of impressive. A massive expanse of soccer fields welcomed us as we drove into the complex. All grass fields had been shut down due to the rain, with only the newly built synthetic Soldier and Sailor Fields remaining open. Alongside them sat a massive pavilion which would be our shelter when we could dodge the storms no more.

The first game started on time with UT and LSU combining to take on Texas Tech. As Tech ran onto the field in their all black shorts & specially made (and appropriate) singlets, a very audible gasp could be heard around the ground. It looked like the Tech wrestling team had taken a wrong turn at Albuquerque and ended up in College Station. You guessed it. They were massive!

The physically impressive Texas Tech Australian Football Team.

It would not take long for their intimidating presence and athleticism to get on top of UT/LSU, with Wes Mitchell, Sadiq and ruckman, Pederson, controlling possession in the middle and across half back. UT/LSU would put up a valiant fight, but the massive units of Tech would prove too strong, running away with a 46 to 14 victory.

Game two would see A&M take on the University of Houston in what would also be a hard fought game, that was ultimately dominated by Revo & Aggie alum, Ben Carpenter and his A&M teammates. They would outlast UofH 49 to 14

As dark storms rolled by on either side of Soldier Field, somehow the worst of it seemed to miss us, and while intermittent rain fell the games would continue. A&M would post a five goal victory over UT/LSU, 52 to 22 while Tech took care of UofH, 51 to 15.

With great foresight and superior scheduling, we now had our last game which would also double as the final. The physically massive and athletic students (only) from Texas Tech would take on A&M, who had a mixture of students and more experienced alumni. The Aggies would strike first through Holub, before a quick reply from Tech, courtesy of Mitchell. Rick allowed the Aggies to regain the lead, with a great snapshot on the run, as the intensity of the rain increased.

The players of the first USAFL College Tournament

Linking up well, Tech ran the ball into the arms of Dimmit in the goalsquare on his own and scores were tied up again. The rugby background of the Tech boys shone through as they would repeat the process to score another major via McKinney and take the lead for the first time. But the Aggies were not out of it and tied the score up yet again. Five minutes remained on the clock for the first half and the intensity of the battle would only be matched by the rain that fell. Both teams would add a minor score to go into halftime locked in at 20 points apiece.

With the storm well and truly upon us and sheets of rain pouring down, the teams took to the field to start the second half. As the ball was thrown into the air, it must have hit a button in the vortex that produced a huge sheet of lightning. Just seconds later, a deafening roar of thunder sent the players scurrying for the pavillion.

It would be the last we would play for the day. Maybe to not have one winner was appropriate as there were many winners on the day: 

• College Station for putting on a great venue and tournament
• Synthetic turf and 10 a side on a full sized soccer field
• The approximately forty players who played their first game of Australian football
• The College game and the historical importance it will have for the USAFL.

It was nothing short of massive!