A slow start handicapped the Sea to Sky Eagles Rugby League football club in the team’s opening game against Kelowna on May 12 but against the Surrey Beavers on Saturday (May 26), it was the opposite problem.
After 15 minutes of play, the Eagles had scored two converted tries to take 12-0 lead against the Beavers, but Surrey scored 36 unanswered points to win 36-12.
While the Eagles had experienced a game against Kelowna already, followers of the B.C. Rugby League (BCRL) had been considering the Beavers as favourites for the B.C. championship, with a team that's loaded with potential representative players.
But someone had forgotten to tell the Eagles that, as they put Beavers under pressure with several defensive moves that forced errors. After 22 minutes, Surrey finally scored an unconverted try but good defence meant no more scores and the halftime score was 12-4 lead for the Eagles.
The Beavers came out playing a tighter game in the second half with a better completion rate, fewer mistakes and going forward before passing out wide. The tactic worked better for them and a nice offload led to a quality converted try early in the second half.
Another unconverted try allowed the Beavers to finally take the lead 14-12 and the score stayed there until 69 minutes into the match, when injuries and the warm weather finally hit the Eagles.
In the last 11 minutes this close contest opened up as Surrey showed its talent with four more tries to account for the final score.
The Eagles fall to zero wins and two losses on the season and will next be in action on Saturday (June 2) when the Bayside Sharks come to town. Kickoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Mamquam Elementary School.
