CONSHOHOCKEN, PA – The USARL Hawks, USA Rugby League’s (USARL) National All-Star Team, routed the Jamaica Reggae Warriors with a decisive 54-4 win Saturday, 23 July, at Garthwaite Stadium in Conshohocken, PA, USA. This was the second of the three-game Rugby League Americas Championship Series.
Saturday’s contest followed the Canada Wolverines 34-2 pulverizing the Reggae Warriors from game one, played in Pennsylvania on 16 July. The series will wrap up on 24 September, when the Hawks take on the Wolverines in Toronto, ON, Canada.
USA shuts out Jamaica in the first half
The USARL Hawks, coached by Robin Peers, started the scoring early in the game, Taylor Alley scoring a try in the first ten minutes of the contest. Mike Timpano missed the conversion, leaving the score at USA 4 – Jamaica 0. Just past the ten minute mark Timpano makes up for missing the conversion by scoring a try of his own. Though he missed the conversion attempt, the Hawks nonetheless extended their advantage over the Reggae Warriors to eight points.
At the midway point of the first half, Junior Vaivai scored a try, and successfully kicked the conversion, giving the USARL Hawks a 14-0 lead over the Jamaica Reggae Warriors. With eight minutes left in the first half, Taylor Alley scored his second try. With Mike Timpano’s successful conversion kick, the USA took a 20-0 lead over Jamaica. The Hawks would take this lead with them into halftime, keeping the Reggae Warriors out of the try zone during the first 40 minutes of the game.
Hawks haul in win with second half dominance
Just a few minutes into the second half, the USARL Hawks committed a penalty, allowing the Jamaica Reggae Warriors the choice to kick for points or for field position. Jamaica opted to try for the two points, but missed the kick, leaving the score at USA 20, Jamaica 0. The Hawks scored an unconverted try eight minutes into the second half to extend their advantage to 24. The USA soon responded with yet another try from Gabe Farley. Following the successful conversion kick by Mike Timpano, the USARL Hawks built their lead over the Jamaica Reggae Warriors to 30-0.
USARL Hawks Captain Nick Newlin (Atlanta Rhinos) scored his first try of the game before the midpoint of the second half. After the conversion kick by Mike Timpano, the USA took a 36-0 lead over Jamaica. However, the Reggae Warriors’ Ronaldo Wade finally scored an unconverted try for Jamaica with 20 minutes left in the game. This put the Reggae Warriors’ first (and only) points on the board, ever so slightly closing the Hawks advantage to 36-4.
After Jamaica’s try, the Hawks dominated the rest of the matchup. The USA’s Timpano scored a try and a conversion with 13 minutes left in the game to bring the score to 42-4. Barthlemey Longchamp (Central Florida Warriors) punched in another try with seven minutes left. After yet another successful conversion kick off the foot of Timpano, the Hawks led the Reggae Warriors48-4. With just two minutes left in the game, the Hawks struck once more, with CJ Cortalano scoring the contest’s final try. After Timpano’s successful conversion kick, the Hawks took a 54-4 lead, which also served as the game’s final score.
Part three of the Rugby League Americas Championship Series
The last matchup in the three game Rugby League Americas Championship Series, the Canada Wolverines vs. the USARL Hawks, will take place on 24 September in Toronto, ON, Canada. With large losses to both the Wolverines and the Hawks, Jamaica now heads home with only six points in the tournament. The winner of the Canada vs. USA matchup will clinch the 2016 Rugby League Americas Championship.
To watch the replay of Saturday’s USARL Hawks vs. Jamaica Reggae Warrior’s game, please click here. For more photographs from Saturday’s game, please visit Gene Thorpe’s Facebook page. To learn more about the USARL Hawks and their drive for the 2017 Rugby League World Cup (RLWC), scheduled next October and November in cities across Australia and New Zealand, please visit the Hawks website and the 2017 RLWC website. For more information about the USA Rugby League (USARL), please visit the USARL website and Facebook page.
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