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A promising first half from the Breakers was washed away by Denver in a totally one-sided second half as the Stampede trampled San Diego by a score of 59-23 at CIBER Field on Sunday afternoon. The lackluster showing was well short of what the visitors might have hoped for coming in, with Denver allowed to run rampant for large stretched of the match.
Two opening tries came just a little too easily for the home side. Max de Achaval went over in the corner after a bit of phase play that looked straight off the training ground, and Peter Dahl added a second picking from a ruck with no post defense in sight.
San Diego suffered more woes when Kurt Morath went off injured in between the two, but Kalei Konrad was up to the task on two successive penalty attempts. The Breakers looked to be gathering momentum when Timana Tahu made a huge break from his own end, passing back inside to Hanco Germishuys in support and the flanker took it the rest of the way for a cracking score.
Joe Taufete’e got one back for the Breakers as he peeled off the back of a maul to crash over in the corner. San Diego kept the pressure on but couldn’t find any points, and again Tahu ripped through and nearly created a try but for Andrew Suniula to spoil the break and earn himself a trip to the naughty chair. Denver spurned the opportunity for goal and instead took the lineout, with Zach Fenoglio rewarded for their ambition with a try after the hooter had sounded.
The Stampede started where they finished after the break. With Suniula still off the pitch a deft grubber from Will Magie found Mike Garrity wide open to collect and cross for the score. Zach Pangelinan got one back for San Diego after a dreadful clearance attempt from de Achaval was gathered by Cecil Garber, but bright spots were few and far between for the Breakers after that.
Germishuys broke through for his second moments later, and Fenoglio nabbed his second just a few brief minutes after that as he dove over from close range. Garrity got in on the second helpings thanks to a lucky bounce off the toe of Mike Te’o, and Tahu finally got one himself as the clock ticked down, though he can be thankful the officials missed a clear forward pass from Ata Malifa that put him away.
Ryan Matyas gave San Diego the final say with a fine finish in the corner, but it was scant consolation for a dismal afternoon in Denver for the visitors. The Breakers head back to California to play San Francisco at Boxer Stadium on Saturday, while Denver host Sacramento on Sunday with another big performance needed to get closer to the title.
DENVER 59
Tries – M. de Achaval (7), P. Dahl (13), H. Germishuys 2 (22, 53), Z. Fenoglio 2 (40, 58), M. Garrity 2 (42, 64), T. Tahu (74)
Cons – W. Magie 6 (14, 23, 40, 54, 59, 65), A. Malifa (75)
SAN DIEGO 23
Tries – J. Taufete’e (30), Z. Pangelinan (50), R. Matyas (77)
Cons – K. Konrad (51)
Pens – K. Konrad 2 (15, 19)
Yellow cards – A. Suniula (40)
DENVER STAMPEDE
1 Ben Tarr 2 Zach Fenoglio 3 Chris Baumann 4 Logan Collins 5 Casey Rock 6 Hanco Germishuys 7 Peter Dahl 8 Pedrie Wannenburg (capt.) 9 Mose Timoteo 10 Will Magie 11 Timana Tahu 12 Ata Malifa 13 Chad London 14 Mike Garrity 15 Maximo de Achaval
16 Nick Wallace 17 Jake Turnbull 18 Soane Leger 19 Luke White 20 Zac Pauga 21 Bobby Impson 22 Kyle Hitt 23 Dustin Croy
SAN DIEGO BREAKERS
1 Mason Pedersen 2 Joe Taufete’e 3 Jake Ilnicki 4 Sione Tu’ihalamaka 5 Tai Tuisamoa 6 Nikola Bursic 7 Cecil Garber 8 Chris Turori 9 Charlie Purdon 10 Kurt Morath (capt.) 11 Ben Leatigaga 12 Andrew Suniula 13 Ryan Matyas 14 Pono Haitsuka 15 Mike Te’o
16 Mike Sosene-Feagai 17 Kakalea Pule 18 Brice Schilling 19 Jean-Baptiste Gobelet 20 Bruce Thomas 21 Tom Bliss 22 Kalei Konrad 23 Zach Pangelinan
Referee: Scott Green
Assistants: Leah Berard & Kurt Weaver
