Pagans take demotion in stride, look forward
Series of losses sees team sent back to lower division for 2019
It wasn’t the season the Peterborough Pagans envisioned but they feel they’ll be better for it in the long run.
The Pagans fell 48-36 to the Burlington Centaurs in openinground McCormick Cup playoff action Saturday at Nicholls Oval.
It was another in a series of tough losses which have resulted in the Pagans being sent from the Ontario Rugby Union’s Marshall Premiership back to the Championship Division for 2019. It was the club’s first year in Ontario’s top league.
But all is not lost, say players and coaches. The Pagans are as deep in young talent as any point in their history fielding three men’s teams this year.
“Now we know what it takes to play at that level,” said assistant coach Aaron Stinchcombe, with head coach Paul Hunter overseas on a Rugby Canada assignment. “We actually thought it was going to be a lot more difficult. If you look at our scores we were right in a lot of the games. There were only a couple we thought we didn’t play well. Other games we played quite well but with a little more experience here or talent here we win four or five of them. Moving forward we’re confident we can win our way back up very quickly.”
“Everyone has their head down a little bit about how the season ended up,” said Alex Sicker, who had one of the Pagans' tries versus Burlington. “We didn’t lose too many games by a blowout. We tried our best and it was a good learning point going to the Premiership; just the pace of the game and skill level of all the players.”
Hunter’s focus is building club depth and Stinchcombe feels they’re well-positioned.
“We’re getting there,” he said. “We’re still a young team compared to the other Marshall teams. We were starting guys who were 19 and 20 on our top team. Not many teams are doing that. Our U17 boys won provincial silver this year. We have a real solid group coming up.”
Burlington jumped ahead 38-12 before Peterborough scored three consecutive tries to make it 38-31. They couldn’t finish the rally. Jack Smith scored two tries for Peterborough while Jimmy Taylor,
Mike Jorgenson and Chris Harris also had singles. Josh Boyles kicked three converts.