Frederick RFC is back in it’s rightful place, number 1 in our division. We are champions and if you look around at your teammates, we have a solid, good squad. However, don’t lose sight of the masterplan. Champions of Mid Atlantic Div II North was the first step. We have a long ways to go. First will be to win the Mid Atlantic Div II outright - the Spring Play-offs. As our region has done pretty poorly at the National level - only one team advances to the play-offs. There is no room for a slip-up, no opportunity for players to miss a week for a wedding or to rest - not if we are to succeed. We all know that the off-season is where we can build our fitness, strength and team unity. That means attending Dan Makosy’s Gold’s Gym training and working out on your own. It also means helping your teammates with fund-raisers, welcoming new and returning players, and attending our Banquet. It means making the tour and every practice. If we put in the work and focus we will succeed, and you all know how much fun it is to be winners.

Please note that this is a rough draft. Just wanted to get you important dates early so you can schedule rugby into the New Year. As the schedule is confirmed this table will be updated.

#6 Doylestown 4:4 +11

#7 Severn River 3:5 -104

#8 Media - Challenged and beat Blackthorn

#8 Blackthorn - Lost challenge to Media

#9 Wilmington - Automatically relegated

In the final selection trials for the MARFU All-stars, Frederick once again had great representation. The ‘MARFU Possibles’ featuring Kenny Orndoff and Jason Delauter crushed the Collegiate All-stars in an 8 Try to 4 Try match. Jason scoring 2 Tries. The ‘MARFU Probables’ (Dave Gentzel’s team) downed an invitational ‘Assassins’ team boasting Eagle Gallagher, Martin from the Exiles and Tory Ireland from FRFC. Dave scored 3 Tries in the MARFU win, 49-16. Congratulations to New Wave who was selected to the MARFU squad in the Inter-Territorial Championships to be held in Tampa Bay Dec 5, 6 and 7!! Coach Clarence Culpepper will be assisted by Frederick’s own Coach John Redmond

After winning MARFU Div II outright in the Spring of 1996, Media lost all matches in the Fall of 1996 and was relegated to EPRU Div III. About this time Radar was posted to Philadelphia, joined the Club and has been with them this Fall as they went undefeated to capture the EPRU Div III title. Media were given the opportunity to challenge up to Blackthorn. Media won convincingly 24-5 and win promotion.

Pete Ireland’s ‘7’s squad had a great showing in Avonell Maryland over the weekend. The squad went 3 and 1 in Pool play outscoring their opponents 122 to 22. In the match of the tournament FRFC defeated the favored touring New Zealand Kiwis (bolstered by Eagle Gallagher) then with a 5 minute turn around fell to the MD Exiles in the final. We had the speed out there with Kenny, Vinni B, Mike T, Chris Sipe and Jason; the beef with Pete, Jon Hix and Tommy and the "experience" of Wilki plus a guest appearance by Coach Redmond. Welcome back to Timmy Desmond, formerly of Mason Dixon. I’m sure that pipping his former team mate Kenny by 2 in the scoring table felt good!! FRFC took home a huge trophy - well done!!

Timmy Desmond 6 5 40

Kenny Orndoff 2 14 38

Jason Delauter 6 30

Mike Thompson 4 20

Chris Sipe 3 1 17

Vince Baker 2 10

Jon Hixon 1 5

Dave Wilkinson 1 5

This Fall, in the 8 Matrix matches, Frederick fielded 29 players. This gives an idea of the depth that the squad has and is proof that if you practice hard and show well, you will be selected to ‘A’-side (ask Rabbi if you doubt me).

Tight Five: Tory Ireland, John Webber, Chris White, Mike Taylor, Dan Makosy, Darren Clarke, Pete Ireland, Ed Shafer, Jeff Lutton, Tommy Angel.

Back Row: Larry Grimm, Jon Hixon, Eughan Mcloud, Bryan Gustafson, Alex Agre, Julian Reading.

Backs: Eric Kretzer, John Triandafilou, Kenny Orndoff, Lance French, Dave Wilkinson, Jason Delauter, Vince Baker, Mike Thompson, Chris Sipe, Vince Santore, John Redmond, Rusty Schenk, Tobin Triebel.

Chris Sipe 3 5 6 43

Kenny Orndoff 1 11 3 36

Jason Delauter 7 35

Eric Kretzer 5 25

Julian Reading 3 15

M.Thompson 2 10

J.Redmond 2 10

D.Wilkinson 1 5

Larry Grimm 1 5

Pete Ireland 1 5

B.Gustafson 1 5

J.Triandafilou 1 5

Lance French 1 5

Jeff Lutton 1 5

E.Mcloud 1 5

Alex Agre 1 5

Tobin Triebel 1 5

Darren Clarke 1 5

Tory Ireland 1 5

Standings:

1 West

2 Southern Cal

3 Pacific Coast

5 South

6 Midwest

7 Northeast

8 Combined Services

Next year’s ITT 15’s championship will have a two division format with the top four playing off against each other, and the bottom four playing one another. There will then be promotion/relegation matches. Jack Clark announced that the Eagles budget is $1.5 million annually and the Eagles Program returned $350,000 to the USAFRU. He also established an eight member Selector Advisory Panel for the ITT’s and they watched all the matches from an elevated lift. After each match they met to discuss different players from that match.

Ed. note. Dave’s finger was apparently pointing in 3 directions. No doctors at the field - but the South Coaches gave him a splint while waiting for the ambulance. Unfortunately the bone was exposed - stuck to the wooden splint and hurt a little when the paramedics removed it!! Thanks to Dan Lyle, former Washington RFC, current Eagles Captain and star for Bath in England who was introduced to New Wave by his MARFU team mates Gonzo and Simon. Dan picked up the tab for Dave’s dinner and drinks all night

The FRFC workcrew was called back into action for another $1000 manual labor fund-raiser. Thanks go out to Ron Hemby for setting the whole thing up. The job was basically to clear dirt, rubble and trash from a basement as part of a renovation project for the new home of the Creekside Cafe. Unfortunately for Pete Ireland, Dave Wilkinson and I, the basement ceiling was only 5’5’’ and to add to that there was a maze of very painful pipework hanging off it. The hard working Keeblers Tool, Kretz & Sponge didn’t seem to have too much trouble!! Al’s bow legs were also an advantage under these conditions!! As with past fund-raisers, people trickled in until we had a 15 man strong workforce. John Fox played the role of inspector. Ed got the whole crew lunch - thanks! Mike Grunwell, Chris Sipe, Boos, Irish and Pat O all worked for the whole time. Seth "Heavy" T was summoned by Larry’s prayers?!? and had a couple of good looking contusions on his bald head by the end of the day! Captain Tory arrived in time to help with advice on how to drain oil tanks. Thanks to everyone who pitched in to help!!

This year has seen the Club be transformed from a poorly administered, bankrupt social club, to a well run organization. All our bills have been paid on time and FRFC will go into 1998 in the black! This has been due to two things. First, we the club members, have been kept in the picture and have helped out by organizing fund-raisers and paying our dues. Second, the group of Club Officers that we elected last year have done a good job taking care of the business end of things. Along the lines of, "If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it", the Officers elected were mainly the incumbents. In order for us to grow, we will need to start getting new blood into the administration, but for right now this makes sense. Here are the Club Officers:-

President: Pat O’Connell

Vice President: Stu Levine

Governor/PRU Rep: John Fox

Treasurer: Stu Levine

Dues Collector: JT Triandafilou

Sponsorship/Cable 10: Ed Shafer

Fund-raiser Coordinator:Jon Hixon

Accountant: Dan Makosy

Congrats and thanks to the members who have volunteered to help run the Club. Please make their roles easy by paying dues and attending Fund-raisers.

In the world of International Sevens, NZ took the trophy in Dubai, beating the defending champions Fiji in the final 24-21. The USA did well in Pool play and went on to the Plate bracket. In the quarter finals the US downed Tonga 15-0 In the a tighter semi-final match the US beat a festival side, the Marauders 21-15. In the final, the US ran out of luck and fell to Zimbabwe 17-19.