M. Rugby sees weekend action

The cheerleaders didn't count pushups. The band didn't play at halftime. Nobody threw toast.

Franklin Field was barren this weekend, but at least one Penn sport still carried on in Philadelphia on Saturday -- the men's club rugby team played against Delaware at Fairmount Park.

In the wake of Tuesday's terrorist attack, the University canceled all varsity athletic contests early Thursday evening, following the lead of the NFL, MLB and NCAA Division I-A football.

Penn's club teams, however, were given the option to play on.

Originally, the rugby squad thought it would not be playing at all. But when it was decided that club sports could play this weekend if they wished to, the Quakers mulled their options.

"We talked it over through e-mail, and there was a lot of support in favor of playing," team president Mark Hutson said. "We decided that it would be good for us to go out and play."

So the Red and Blue took to the field Saturday afternoon at Fairmount Park in West Philadelphia.

The game was originally scheduled for Bower Field, but the University moved the game, claiming the field was too wet to play on after Friday morning's rains.

None of the Quakers' players knew anyone who was directly affected by the tragedy on Tuesday, although they say that did not influence their decision to play.

"It was a hotly debated topic," junior Mike Sussman said. "We maybe felt we shouldn't play, but club sports are more recreational -- us playing is not that much different than someone playing pick-up football in the Quad."

Despite the fact that they played this weekend, the rugby players fully supported the decision of any teams that decided to cancel their contests. However, they felt that their sport was different from the professional games that were called off.

"In the NFL, the players just didn't want to play, and there were security concerns at the stadiums, as well," Sussman said. "But with us, we don't have a stadium of fans, and we wanted to play."

Hutson said his cousin usually works in the World Trade Center, but had his appendix out that day, and therefore missed work.

"It was a good idea to play, to get back into a routine," said Hutson, a junior. "We can't let these terrorists force us to be afraid."

The Quakers did not think Tuesday's events made their game any different, although Sussman said the season -- and, perhaps, everything -- was going to be strange for a while.

Once the game actually got going, the Quakers fell to Delaware, 44-21.

Despite having practiced for only a week, the Quakers stayed close to the Blue Hens for a half, before digging themselves too big a hole early in the second half.

Penn junior Jack Catalano scored his first collegiate try in the second half, but it was too little, too late for the Quakers.

"We have the same problems as any club sport," Hutson said. "We hadn't had much practice time before this game -- we could have played much better."

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.