Aviators crush Breakers in Obetz

Ohio put a stamp on their status as top dogs in the competition as they thrashed San Diego to the tune of 44-21 at Memorial Park on Sunday. It was a miserable day for the Breakers, who simply had no answer for the high velocity Aviators attack. Ohio had the edge in phase play, but also in the tight phases with their rolling maul operating at peak efficiency.

It was the maul that gave Ohio their first try after Shaun Davies and Kurt Morath had exchanged penalties. Dylan Fawsitt was the one to come up with the ball, and the feisty hooker notched his second some 10 minutes later. This time it came while loitering out wide. A spot of rain dappened the field but not Ohio’s ambition. A short break and pass from Demecus Beach put the ball in Dom Waldouck’s hands, and the center had no trouble finding Fawsitt in support for the simple score.

The scrum also proved a problem for San Diego, and early in the second half Ohio blasted them backwards to take it against the head. Riekert Hattingh picked and galloped 40 meters around the cover defense to score a disheartening try. Spike Davis made things worse as he used his brute strength to muscle over from close range, and the big winger grabbed a second moments later as he picked off an early Christmas present from Andrew Suniula.

Effervescent flanker Sebastian Kalm ripped through for Ohio’s sixth try much to the delight of his teammates, making the score 44-9 and making the final moments a formality. San Diego finally managed to get a touchdown of their own with Tom Bliss popping up to take an offload from Mike Te’o, and big prop Epeli Kalemani flopped over the line on full-time for another consolation effort, but it was far too little, far too late.

Ohio continue their victory lap next week when they travel to play Sacramento at Bonney Field on Saturday. San Diego lick their wounds and head to Denver to face the Stampede at CIBER Field on Sunday.

OHIO 44
Tries – D. Fawsitt 2 (19, 28), R. Hattingh (48), S. Davis 2 (59, 63), S. Kalm (66)
Cons – S. Davies 2 (20, 29), R. Shaw 2 (60, 64)
Pens – S. Davies 2 (6, 16)
Yellow cards – R. McTiernan (14), A. Hanson (72)

SAN DIEGO 21
Tries – T. Bliss (72), E. Kalemani (80)
Cons – K. Konrad (73)
Pens – K. Morath 3 (12, 23, 32)
Yellow cards – I. Carpenter (45)

OHIO AVIATORS
1 Jamie Mackintosh 2 Dylan Fawsitt 3 Demecus Beach 4 Pierce Dargan 5 Ryan McTiernan 6 Filippo Ferrarini 7 Sebastián Kalm 8 Riekert Hattingh 9 Shaun Davies (capt.) 10 Taylor Howden 11 Alex Elkins 12 Roland Suniula 13 Dominic Waldouck 14 Spike Davis 15 Zac Mizell

16 Angus MacLellan 17 Derrek van Klein 18 Kyle Baillie 19 Chad Joseph 20 Allan Hanson 21 Robbie Shaw 22 Chris Kunkel 23 Ahmad Harajly

SAN DIEGO BREAKERS
1 Joe Taufete’e 2 Mike Sosene-Feagai 3 Jake Ilnicki 4 Ian Carpenter 5 Tai Tuisamoa 6 Bruce Thomas 7 Cecil Garber 8 Sione Tu’ihalamaka 9 Charlie Purdon 10 Kurt Morath 11 Phil Mackenzie (capt.) 12 Andrew Suniula 13 Ryan Matyas 14 Pono Haitsuka 15 Mike Te’o

16 Brice Schilling 17 Mason Pedersen 18 Epeli Kalemani 19 Jean-Baptiste Gobelet 20 Chris Turori 21 Tom Bliss 22 Kalei Konrad 23 Ben Leatigaga

Referee: Kurt Weaver
Assistants: Scott Green & Jamie Miller