PANTHERS

2004

Host site: Philadelphia, PA

Participants: Furman, Central Connecticut State, Bentley, Albright

Semi-finals: Furman 32 Bentley 7; CCSU 26 Albright 17

Consolation: Bentley 29 Albright 10

Championship: Furman 14 CCSU 5

Most Valuable Player: Richard Wrenn Furman

PHILADELPHIA -- With Furman clinging to a two-point lead in the East Coast Division III finals against Central Connecticut State University Sunday, Furman fly-half Greg Dover broke into open field and outraced a CCSU defender for a try.

With more than 30 fans, who had made the long trip to Philadelphia , cheering loudly, Dover 's score – and successful conversion by Michael Parker – gave Furman a 14-5 advantage and broke the spirit of a very athletic CCSU team. The 14-5 advantage held as the Paladins went on to claim the team's second consecutive division III championship.

The win also put a cap on a 10-0 undefeated season – the first ever for the Paladins.

“This was really special win for us,” said Furman head rugby coach John Roberts. “The only thing more difficult than winning a championship is successfully defending one. Everyone was really gunning for us this year, but the team showed why they are champions.”

The Paladins advanced to Sunday's finals by defeating Bentley College ( Boston ) 32-7 Saturday. Philip Prince, Mikael Jacobs, Will Brantley and Richard Wrenn scored trys in that contest, which saw the Paladins race to an early 24-0 halftime lead.

CCSU defeated Albright College ( Reading , Pa. ) 26-17 to advance to the championship game.

In the finals, Scott Greenwood, a freshman prop for the Paladins, scored the Paladin's only try in the first half from a designed five-meter penalty play. After Greenwood 's score the match was evenly played, with both teams pressuring for scores.

The larger CCSU squad pushed Furman in the scrums, but the quicker Furman pack held the advantage in loose play.

With 20 minutes remaining in the contest, CCSU scored a try from a five-meter lineout that cut the Paladin's lead to 7-5 after
the unsuccessful conversion.

But Furman responded by pushing the ball into CCSU territory and pressuring until Dover 's try sealed the victory. Richard Wrenn, a senior flanker, was named the tournament's most valuable player.

Roberts said, CCSU was larger and more athletic than Furman, but the difference was execution and team play.

“Our guys really communicated well and did not make any big mistakes,” said Roberts. “Our backs, in particular, did a fantastic job of containing the CCSU outside center and fullback, who are extremely explosive.”

Approximately 15 members of the Furman's women team and more than a dozen parents, and Furman rugby alumni traveled to Philadelphia to support the team.