A lack of execution in key moments put an end to the Pen High Lakers senior boys’ rugby season.
The Lakers lost 17-12 in overtime to the Salmon Arm Gold in the AAA Okanagan Valley semifinal at McNicoll Park Thursday afternoon.
The extra time, an especially physical affair, saw both teams struggle to mount any offensive attack in the first half. The Gold finally broke the deadlock in the second half.
“We definitely played with a lot of heart,” said Brown, who was in his second and final season with the Lakers. “It was tough trying to play fair on very uneven ground. The overtime was absolute hell. An hour worth of energy pushed into 10 minutes. It was just hammer after hammer after hammer. I feel proud. I think we did good.”
Brown said the Lakers could have changed their fate had they been able to move the ball.
“We couldn’t make the ground,” said Brown, adding that the Gold were good in finding gaps.
After the Gold scored a try early in the second overtime half, the Lakers were unable to take advantage of wind and move the ball up the field.
“Overall it was probably one of the better games they played,” said Lakers coach Ken Sommerfeldt. “They came up against a team that was probably a little bit hungrier. We didn’t capitalize on the good opportunities that we had.
“The wind was a critical factor in the game,” Sommerfeldt continued.
The Gold scored both their tries in the first half, then were camped in their zone the entire second half. In that time, graduating Laker Nakai Penny went to work scoring both tries on his way to man of the match honours. Sommerfeldt said they weren’t able to get anything done during the last five minutes of overtime as the Gold were quick to tackle and prevent any big runs.
“They tackled better than we did,” said Sommerfeldt.