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Rugby remains a passion for local squad
"Crouch!"
"Touch!"
"Set!"
With each command, the 16 players representing both teams responded accordingly as the ball was tossed below them. With each team throwing their combined weight against the other, the goal was simple -- gain control of the ball and drive to the goal line.
It's something that Hugh Stevens knows all too well. For nearly a quarter century, it's been an active part of his life. As president of the local Mountain Home rugby club, he's spent the past several years building a team that is setting its sights on competing against veteran teams across the region.
Known locally as the Mongrels, the squad includes 35 players on its active roster, featuring people from all walks of life. Among them are former high school soccer players and wrestlers.
Officially founded in 1999, the club has remained fully active since 2010. Since then, the Mountain Home team has grown in recent years, giving it some needed flexibility each time they compete, according to Stevens. In addition to fielding the required 15 starting players, their bench is now large enough to have five substitutes on the sidelines along with two more that are only called in if someone is injured during the game.
On Oct. 19, the Mongrels faced off against the Mutineers from Nampa and Caldwell during a conference game at Optimist Park in Mountain Home. Affiliated with the Pacific Northwest Rugby Unit, the contest marked the fourth match during the club's fall season, which Stevens said is normally shorter than their spring season.
After a disappointing first half that kept Mountain Home off the scoreboard, the Mongrels rebounded with 10 points in the second while limiting the Mutineers to five points. However, the team was unable to overcome the 31-point deficit as they fell to the visiting Treasure Valley squad.
Injuries hampered the Mongrels in the opening half with one player leaving early in the game with a dislocated shoulder. The team lost another of its starters a few minutes later due to a hip injury.
"Having two of our key players out of the match didn't help," Stephens said.
However, both men are expected to return to the field the next time the team competes, he added.
That dedication to compete is one of the factors that drew Stephens to the sport when he was just 18 years old. He responded to a newspaper article that was looking for players to field a rugby club.
After 23 years, he's remained a diehard rugby fan. He admits the game is geared for those "who enjoy contact sports -- a person who enjoys adventure."
It's this sense of adventure that drew people like Cody Hardwick to the Mongrels four years ago. Already a fan of the sport, his interest persuaded him to help form the local high school club before he became old enough to join the adult league, which is geared for those ages 19 and up that are out of high school.
Others like Ryker Poston joined the Mongrels two years ago.
"It's a Mountain Home thing and the most fun thing to do here," said Poston, who plays the weak side lock position on the team.
Other types of sports wrap their players up in helmets, pads and protective gear with frequent timeouts, Poston added. That's not true with rugby.
"It's 80 minutes of straight play," he said. "It's the best sport there is."
With their fall season drawing to a close, the Mongrels are considering requests to accept invitations from two division teams, including Central Oregon College.
However, they have bigger plans on their plate. With the team's bench continuing to grow, Stephens is hoping the team will move up to Division II status to reach "that next step" of competition.
"We have a good nucleus" of players, but the squad is always looking for more individuals with a willingness to learn the sport.
Currently the Mongrels are listed as a Division III team -- a designation normally reserved for new or smaller clubs. For more information on joining the team, call Stephens at 794-4895.