Apr 1, 2022
—Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Returning players for the Fort Dodge Stags are, front row (left to right) Orion Larson-Trott and Alex Read. Back: Isaiah Caldwell, Ben Egli, Cael Mason and Collin Munter.
The Fort Dodge Rugby Club went from a start-up squad to a state championship frontrunner during a whirlwind three-year stretch under head coach Tom McClimon.
Now the Stags have some rebuilding to do. Graduating a tough and talented senior class has left some question marks, but McClimon feels like the strength of the program will surface during this transition.
“Everything is coming together,” said McClimon, a Fort Dodge Middle School teacher who played football and later rugby at the University of Northern Iowa. “We lost some really skilled guys to graduation, but this is an opportunity for this group to create its own identity and bridge that gap.
“It’s going to be exciting watching the guys who were sophomores and juniors (during a 12-2 campaign a year ago) take the reins as the new leaders of the team.”
Seniors Ben Egli and Cael Mason join juniors Orion Larson-Trott, Alex Read and Collin Munter as experienced upperclassmen. Sophomore Isaiah Caldwell was in the regular rotation a year ago as well.
“We’ve talked about our goals: we want the boys to be good people first who are a part of a program that has earned the respect of our school and community,” McClimon said. “No success (on the field) matters if we aren’t taking care of each other and the people who support us.
“We have to keep learning the game. That’s an on-going point of emphasis; to grow and evolve. And, of course, we want to win the right way.”
McClimon has 13 other athletes to try and fill the void left by 2021 seniors Sam Daniel, Thomas Daniel, James Daniel, Kody Cook, Matt Surles-Davis, Antonio Prates and Michael Daniel. In 2019, Fort Dodge was in its inaugural season as a program. Two years later, the Stags were the top seed at state and a semifinal participant.
“We’re building not just for the top-end guys, but the younger athletes and lower levels now,” McClimon said. “We want to play as many junior varsity matches as possible. It’s important to get everyone who is out for rugby at this point (the) valuable experience (of live action).”
McClimon will again be assisted by Corey Peterman. Joe Lippert — an assistant to head coach Brent Nelson at Iowa Central — is also helping out.
The Stags, who are not directly affiliated with Fort Dodge Senior High or the Fort Dodge Community School District, will again compete in the Iowa Youth Rugby Association’s Class 2A against the likes of defending champion Waverly-Shell Rock, Southeast Polk, West Des Moines Valley, Ankeny, Des Moines Roosevelt, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids Washington, Des Moines East, Des Moines Lincoln, Urbandale and Iowa City.
Fort Dodge hosts an invitational on Friday, facing Roosevelt at 6:50 p.m. and Urbandale at 8:50 p.m. inside Dodger Stadium. The Stags’ JV squad faces Bondurant-Farrar at 7:30 p.m.
“They’re really excited to play in front of friends and family on their home turf,” McClimon said. “A good turnout would mean everything to them. All the hard work they’ve done in the dark to get the program built up both on and off the field…they’re ready to see it all pay off and put on a show.
“We’re very thankful for those who have supported this program from the start. And the district has been awesome; even though we’re not a sanctioned sport and there are limitations, we appreciate the belief people have shown in these kids and their dreams of making rugby a prominent sport in Fort Dodge.”
FORT DODGE RUGBY CLUB
Roster
Orion Larson-Trott, Alex Read, Kale Myers, Cael Mason, Ben Egli, Carlos Elias, Tyreese Hill, Jackson McQuillen, Jake Erickson, Gavin Pederson, Keaton Nichols, Brodie Anderson, Collin Munter, Connor Ely, Gavin Doebel, Isaiah Caldwell, Brayden Reimers, Cody Hamburger, Raily Merida-Samayoa.
Schedule
April 1 — Fort Dodge Invitational (vs. Des Moines Roosevelt, 6:50 p.m.; vs. Urbandale, 8:50 p.m.); 8 — at Waverly-Shell Rock; 15 — TBA (at Crimmins Field in Fort Dodge); 22 — at Southeast Polk; 29 — at Central Springs.
May 6 — at Bondurant-Farrar; 13 — state tournament in Des Moines.
Today’s breaking news and more in your inbox
Today’s breaking news and more in your inbox
Copyright © Messenger News | https://www.messengernews.net | 713 Central Ave., Fort Dodge, IA 50501 | 515-573-2141 | Ogden Newspapers | The Nutting Company