vs. Raleigh @ Doylestown :

Brandywine advances to MARFU Finals with victory over Raleigh.

Saturday’s MARFU Semi-Final match-up pitted Brandywine against last year’s Division II National Champion, the Raleigh Vipers. Although BRFC defeated the Vipers in the Ft. Lauderdale Tournament in early February, thoughts of retribution for last year’s playoff debacle in Norfolk radiated through the Brandywine pre-game huddle.

Knowing that Raleigh’s strategy would call for excessive forward play, Brandywine set to the task of wearing out the Viper pack. The back line moved the ball wide forcing the Viper forwards to give chase, while the BRFC pack dominated set pieces, line outs, and rucks. Dave Bardwell connected on penalty points opening scoring for Brandywine. Matt Stuaffer was able to easily navigate the Viper arm tackles to score his first try of the weekend. Add to that a successful conversion by Bardwell and Brandywine would enter halftime with the lead.

If the Vipers thought they would be able to slither their way out of their deficit, all hope was vanquished as Brandywine started the second half with aggression. Forcing the ball down into the Raleigh end, Brandywine dominated play for the first ten minutes of the half. Knowing a score would finish the Viper quest for rejuvenation, Brandywine successfully won the lineout and drove the Viper pack backwards, allowing Owen Gardner to touch the ball down for the final try of the game. Dave Bardwell’s second conversion would add to the lead and dash Raleigh's hope for a second consecutive National title. Brandywine advances to the MARFU Finals with a 17-5 victory.

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