100 Set for Saranac Lake
Thursday Jul 30, 2009 in Grassroots Rugby Tournaments
One of the biggest tournaments in the country kicks off Friday as the Can-Am Rugby Tournament in Saranac Lake, NY begins its 36th year.
Exactly 100 teams are slated to participate, and with 98 percent all paid up, few last-minute no-shows are expected.
All the brackets are strong, with the women’s and men’s social brackets being the areas with the biggest growth, said tournament committee member John Burns. “We have 24 teams in the women’s competition, and they will all play in pool play and then be seeded out depending on their pool finish. There’s definitely a lot of interest.”
The Over-50 division brings seven teams to the North Country, including Blackthorn (who has not lost a game in three years). Blackthorn remains the favored in a division that continues to be popular among players.
In the Over-45 division Myths and Legends will look to make it two in a row and defend their 2008 Championship. White Plains and Albany will challenge them as will home team Mountaineer Old Boys.
The over-35 division features a six-team field that includes 2008 champs Schenectady Reds. White Plains may well upend them, though.
The Men’s Premier Division is competitive, but small at sic teams. Old Blues leads the field with Brockport, Penn State, Amoskeag, Mystic River and the KC Rogues adding fuel to the fire.
Meanwhile the Men’s Club Division is huge, at 16 teams. Buffalo is the defending championships but there’s lots of talk about the East Side Hyenas. And fans should watch out for Canadians Balmy Beach as well.
Bigger still is the Men’s Social Division, with 32 teams involved. It’s tough to pick who will take this one, but organizers like the Mountaineers.
In the 24-team women’s bracket, Beantown, New York, Toronto Nomads should all challenge.
The games will be held at Saranac Lake and Lake Placid, and will finish up at North Country Community College. Admission is free.
On Friday the Old Boys get started at Saranac Lake, and then both venues will feature all divisions on Saturday. Sunday’s semis and finals will be at NCCC.
During the Premier Final halftime, there will be an exhibition 7s game of players from the USA and Canada. The teams will have been put together by selectors from the participating clubs.
Saranac Lake Participants:
| Women | Men Over 35s |
| 1. Albany Knicks | 1. Schenectady Reds |
| 2. Boston Women | 2. Keene State Grey Owls |
| 3. Brockport Alumni | 3. Monmouth RFC |
| 4. S.E.P.T.A. | 4. North Bay RFC OB |
| 5. Morris Women | 5. White Plains Classix |
| 6. NY Rugby | 6. Syracuse OB |
| 7. Doylestown Women | 7. Brockport |
| 8. Old Girls | ___________________________ |
| 9. Beantown | Men Over 45s |
| 10. Once Were Warthogs | 1. Albany Knicks |
| 11. TBC | 2. Green Mountain Geezers |
| 12. CNY Touring Side | 3. |
| 13. New England Motley | 4. White Plains Classix |
| 14. Monmouth Renegades | 5. Gitche Gumee Beach Hawaiians |
| 15. Lost Lady Lions | 6. Myths and Legends |
| 16. Mountaineers | 7. Ancient Warriors |
| 17. Seacoast | 8. Mountaineers |
| 18. Rochester Renegades | ___________________________ |
| 19. Belleville Bulldogs | Men Over 50s |
| 20. Brooklyn Womens Rugby | 1. Cardindals Rugby |
| 21. Toronto Nomads RFC | 2. Pequea Exiles |
| 22. NESSies | 3. Blackthorn |
| 23. Team Pretty | 4. Mystic River Hombres |
| 24. Hudson Valley Rebels | 5. Ottawa Senators |
|
| 6. Wild Oats |
|
| 7. Buckeye OB |
| ___________________________ | ___________________________ |
| Mens Premier | Mens Social |
| 1. Old Blue | 1. North Jersey |
| 2. Brockport Rugby Club | 2. Cardinals Rugby |
| 3. Amoskeag | 3. Akron Rugby Club |
| 4. Penn State Lost Lions | 4. Black River Rugby Club |
| 5. Mystic River | 5. Old Gold |
| 6. KC Rogues | 6. The Herd |
| ___________________________ | 7. Rutland Roosters |
| Mens Club | 8. Ottawa Indians |
| 1. Albany Knicks | 9. Hudson Valley RFC |
| 2. Brockport Rugby | 10. Mason Dixon ITS |
| 3. Danbury Mad Hatters | 11. Lockport Rugby Club |
| 4. NY Rugby | 12. Keene State Grey Owls Alumni |
| 5. Burlington R.F.C. | 13. New York All Japan |
| 6. Montclair | 14. Syracuse Univ Select Side |
| 7. Long Island Rugby | 15. The Misfits |
| 8. Ormstown Saracens | 16. Mountaineers |
| 9. Coast Guard Rugby | 17. Blackhorse Alumni |
| 10. Bell High Alumni | 18. Brookburgh Bulls |
| 11. Buffalo | 19. Saratoga Rugby |
| 12. Mystic River | 20. Rochester Colonials |
| 13. Eastside Hyenas | 21. Magnas & The Merry Men |
| 14. Penn State Undergrad | 22. Syracuse Chargers |
| 15. Caves and Ditches | 23. Muskellunge Rugby Club |
| 16. Balmy Beach | 24. Newport Rugby |
|
| 25. Cleveland Rovers |
|
| 26. Canadian Aviation Rugby Club |
|
| 27. Morris Rugby |
|
| 28. Belleville Bulldogs |
|
| 29. Ste-Anne U21 |
|
| 30. Black Squirrels RFC |
|
| 31. Ole Red Stony Brook Alum |
|
| 32. Union County Mudturtles |
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