Homecoming Weekend and Middlebury
After an eventful weekend on and off the pitch, the boys had another good week of practice. The main focus was defense across the board. With some good contact sessions, confidence in tackling grew. Despite some rain, Thursday night was our best practice. On Friday, we had a messy but helpful Captains’ Practice. After Captains’ Practice, we met some of the team of 2001 alumni, and Harps attempted to cook burgers and hot dogs. “Attempted” because we could not figure out how to turn on the grill, and once we did, the temperature was too low. In the face of this hardship, we were able to hear some of the incredible stories from the team of 2001 (some things never change). Eventually, we figured out the grill and demolished the food.
Then came Saturday. The game was a tough one. Middlebury is a solid team, and we needed a little more time to mesh. The scoreboard tells a much worse story than what we took from the game. The good thing is that many of our mistakes were clear and fixable. Our play was far from all bad. Our defense was strong again, forcing almost every try they scored into the corners. Our forwards held the line in the middle and consistently brought down their big runners. We just could not value the ball on offense. In all, there is no doubt we all learned from the game and will be better for it this week.
Following the A-Side and B-Side games, the Alumni Game was a good show. Despite heroics by Coach Gareth, the Alumni were able to come back and beat the already battered students, 20–17. Yet, this result is in dispute, as the referee, Giles Kinsella ‘27, is under investigation for throwing the game.
On Saturday night, the students, alumni, and family reunited at the Cram Alumni House for more good times. After some initial mingling and exploring the open bar, Coach Scala and Lesley told stories of Truc Huynh, a Bowdoin Rugby legend who epitomized the leadership, fire, and community this game calls for. Every Homecoming, we are reminded of that spirit, and a current player who best embodies his qualities is given the Truc Huynh Spirit of Rugby Award. 
A leader on the field already, with the competitive fire rugby needs, Gus Litowitz ‘29 was honored this year. Moments and memories like these remind us that this group is so much more than a team; it is a family. As Coach Scala says, “Look around you, these are the guys who will be at your wedding.” We all ate together and continued to share stories across students and alumni.
Remember the team of 2001? After dinner, they were not ready to be done. First, they brought back the songs of their time. Will we add them to our repertoire? Most likely not, but they were catchy. After clearing out the beer at Cram, we hosted afters at Harps. The team of 2001 joined us and brought the party. Lessons were learned from both the alumni and student sides. We were taught another song. Again, catchy, but adding it to our lineup? We may have to hold off.
It was a great weekend for your BRFC. The game taught us a lot, and the time with the alumni reminded us what this is all about. Up next is Endicott on Friday night. It will be another test, but we know we will put together a more complete showing.
Also, here is a link for the Team Nike Store that puts the logo on athletic clothing. The user name is Bowdoin, PW is Rugby
Written by John Donoghue ‘27, BRFC President
