Photos: Jennifer Joyce
The Ft. Miami vs. Orlando rivalry is a well known one, but Jacksonville is ready to be a more permanent member in the Florida DII conversation. Last year, Jacksonville came within 10 and then four points of Orlando, and then on Saturday, the Sinners won 34-29. It wasn’t the first time Jacksonville has defeated Orlando in a matrix match, but the previous victory occurred in 2015. The hope is that this special season keeps building.
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Jacksonville is in an adjustment period, as new coach Ciara Lehane settles into the head coach role. Having relocated from New York City, Lehane (New York RC, Village Lions) served as backs coach in the fall and was voted in as head coach at the end of 2017.
“I was pumped to take over,” Lehane said of the promotion. “In the fall, I introduced them to new concepts that I just picked up from playing in New York City and being coached by Wil Snape and James English. I thought the players were responding to training and just needed to be challenged more.”
The team picked up seven rookies in advance of the spring matrix season, a boon that Lehane credited to the social media team’s recruitment. The bench refueled and lent another element to a sometimes tricky player pool, which combines active military personnel and a core of local civilians. Fortunately, Lehane has veterans like co-captains Stacey Nemeth (hooker) and Samantha Norman (flanker/lock), as well as difference-makers like flyhalf Keina Crawford and prop Hayley Wortmann to motivate and lead the squad.
But Saturday’s game against Orlando did not start as a unified effort. A logistical snafu delayed Lehane’s arrival and affected the team’s warm-up. That pre-game energy waivered, and it translated onto the pitch.
Wing Erin Fields scored the first points of the match, converting her own try 20 minutes in, and Orlando lock Jamie Vance answered right away. Flanker Shontavia House’s try and Jacqueline Edge’s conversion put Orlando out front 12-7, until Nemeth dotted down before the half, 12-all.
“The girls knew they slept through the first half,” said Lehane, who winced as she recalled some of her more colorful word choices for her halftime speech. “I had been sitting on the bench fuming, because we’re high performers and we weren’t acting like it.”
Early in the second half, House and Edge teamed up again for a converted try (19-12) before rookie Asia Bell crossed for five points.
“She has an insane work ethic on the field, and is very fast and very strong,” Lehane commended the flanker. “She also scored two tries in our first game [against Tampa Bay].”
The try-trading continued. Vance and inside center Zoe Sanchez scored for Orlando, and Fields scored her third try of the day. With a minute left in regulation, Orlando led 29-22, and then Jacksonville’s Wortmann scored. Sinners founder and scrumhalf Melissa Butler added the conversion for the 29-29 scoreline.
Shortly afterward, the referee blew the full-time whistle.
“I was relieved that we didn’t lose, but then there was some confusion and there were actually 40 seconds left,” Lehane recalled. “Orlando kicked off and the entire team’s eyes were like lasers. I knew they were going to score; I just didn’t know how long it would take.”
Fullback Mary Blizzard and reserve Daniela Charry tore down the sideline, and the wing touched down the game-winning try, 34-29.
The immediate reaction was one of intense celebration, but once the adrenaline abated, some somber conversations needed to happen.
“It should have been an easy game. I still don’t know what was going on, but they were able to turn it on and play like they should,” the coach said.
“There were a lot of hurt feelings after Orlando, and it was not my best coaching day,” Lehane said in spite of the win. “No one quit, and we’re on speaking terms. And the team knows I genuinely care about them. We promised each other we’ll do better.”
There were issues about playing time and how the competitive season affects the lineup and substitutions. In retrospect, Lehane realized she needed more transparency and communication to address this misalignment in expectations, and that’s the goal going forward.
“I do, and I’ve been telling them that we’re a good team, and we just have to prove it,” Lehane confirmed that a special season is underway. “Everyone is really excited because they know they’re on the way up.”
Jacksonville will play its third matrix match against Indian River (0-1) this weekend, and then Tampa Bay, which the Sinners already defeated 81-0. The Orlando rematch is on Feb. 24, and then March includes the two Ft. Miami games and a second Indian River match.
“We’re excited to challenge to Ft. Miami – that’s what we’re going for,” Lehane said
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