The 2018 Rugby Rampage was a smashing success! Excitement filled the air on Day 1 as this year’s Rugby Rampage would serve as the first competition of the season for most teams. From the opening whistle, it was readily apparent that the MedStar Punishers would be one of the top teams of this round-robin tournament. As the first day rolled on, the Monttawa squad and Oscar Mike Militia would show everyone that they were also in the hunt for the trophy. The most intriguing match of the day was the battle between Oscar Mike and Monttawa, with the Militia coming out on top, 50-44.
On Day 2, the Punishers took on Monttawa in a match that would decide the tournament champion. Although they kept it close early in the match, Monttawa eventually fell to the superior MedStar Punishers squad, 54-43. The Punishers would eventually finish the weekend undefeated and take home the crown.
The most noteworthy match of Day 2 was Oscar Mike vs. the Connecticut Jammers. Being relatively new, the Jammers were having a difficult time against more experienced teams. In a great show of sportsmanship, the teams agreed to play a mixed-squad match as the Oscar Mike players helped the Jammers improve their game. It was the closest contest of the weekend as Oscar Mike won 47-46 on a last-second goal by Connecticut’s Joe Stone.
We were thrilled to bring you into this year’s Rugby Rampage and share with you the excitement of this competition. We can’t wait to do it again and look forward to seeing you all next time!
2018 Rugby Rampage is coming!
The 2018 Rugby Rampage is almost here and we’re thrilled to be bringing the action to you again this year! Top wheelchair rugby teams from around the US and Canada will meet September 29 & 30 at Hamel Recreation Center in Durham, NH. If you can’t be there to see the games, you can watch right here!
Day 1
Day 2
2018 USQRA Wheelchair Rugby Championship recap
The 2018 USQRA Wheelchair Rugby National Championship tournament took place at the Ability360 Sports & Fitness Center in sunny Phoenix, AZ, April 19-21. 16 teams from around the country came together for the chance at the Division I and Division II championships.
The teams who would eventually make it to the Division I & II championship matches generally dominated pool play throughout the first two days. However, the most intriguing match during pool play was in Division I, the #1 University of Arizona Wildcats vs. #3 360 Heat. The highly anticipated meeting between these two teams did not disappoint, with the Wildcats winning by two points in overtime, 56-54.
The other contest of note during pool play was a 46-41 upset by the #4 Texas Stampede over #2 Minnesota.
The Division I semifinals saw the Ability360 Heat vs. the Texas Stampede, as well as the University of Arizona vs. Minnesota. Both Ability360 and the U of A emerged victorious and set up a rematch…this time for the Division I title.
On the Division II side of the tournament, the Grand Rapids Thunder and Northridge Knights were on a collision course to the championship match. Both teams left no doubt who belonged in the title match, as they dispatched every other opponent they faced along the way.
In the Division II championship, both teams played close early in the match. However, Lars Mertens of Grand Rapids put on a dominant defensive show and was the biggest difference in the match. He forced numerous turnovers, which led to points for the Thunder. In the end, Grand Rapids was too much for Northridge and won 58-52.
The energy surrounding the Division I championship was palpable. The Ability360 Heat were keen to avenge their Day 2 loss and defend their national title against the University of Arizona.
The match remained close throughout the first quarter, but a couple costly mental mistakes near the end of the first allowed the Wildcats to take command of the match.
Throughout the rest of the match, the Wildcats remained firmly in control and dominated the Heat. With a final score of 55-44, the University of Arizona Wildcats were named the 2018 USQRA Division I Champions.
Congratulations once again to the winners! It was a pleasure to provide commentary for the championship matches and we look forward to returning to the tournament next year in Rockford, IL!
On the Road to Phoenix!
We are heading to Phoenix this weekend! The US Quad Rugby Association Wheelchair Rugby National Tournament is taking place at the Ability360 Sports and Fitness Center. If you’re in the area, come by to see the top teams from around the country. If you can’t make it, you can get more info on the tournament page.
NESHL Sports4Life Classic games on our YouTube channel
Single games from the 2018 NESHL Sports4Life Classic are now available on our YouTube channel! Relive the exciting action from this year’s tournament! With three days of sled hockey to watch, there is plenty of footage to tide you over until the Disabled Hockey Fest in Chicago!
NESHL Sports4Life Classic webcast schedule
Our live stream of the NESHL Sports4Life Classic starts on Friday, March 2! Click the schedule below and go to our YouTube channel! We hope you can join us for what will be intense, fast-paced action from the rink! See you soon!
NESHL Sports4Life Sled Hockey Classic!
The Northeast Sled Hockey League (NESHL) Sports4Life Classic is coming March 2-4, and ParaSportsLive will be there to cover the action! Teams from around the region will battle for the league championship as they prepare for the national tournament in Illinois! You’ll be able to watch games from all three days on the ParaSportsLive YouTube channel, including championship matches on Sunday. We are thrilled for the opportunity to show you the fast-paced action of sled hockey! Be sure to check back for details on the webcast. See you the first weekend of March!
Highlight of the Day – February 1, 2018
Our Highlight of the Day comes from the Northeast Power Soccer League! Check out this nice team goal by the PRHC Chariots! Got video of great adaptive sports highlights? Send them to email hidden; JavaScript is required and you could be featured!
Our first webcast was a success!
Our very first webcast, the 2017 Kennebunk Savings Rugby Rampage, was a success! Although Day 1 had a few bumps along the way, our crew pulled together and smoothed out the ride on Day 2. A big thank you goes out to everyone who tuned in online. We hope you enjoyed watching the event as much as we did bringing it to you. We even had people watching overseas!
The tournament was fantastic, as the sound of colliding rugby chairs filled the venue Saturday and Sunday. Congratulations to Montréal Quad Rugby for winning the competition! For a full recap of the weekend, check out the story by our friends at Athletes Roll.
Overall, the weekend was a thrilling ride for all of us and the response has been overwhelmingly positive. Many thanks to Northeast Passage for giving us our first gig. We are grateful for their faith in us to produce a quality webcast. We would also like to, once again, thank all our crowdfunding supporters. Without your belief in ParaSportsLive, none of this would have been possible. THANK YOU!
Although our first event is in the books, our mission to change the game on adaptive sports has only begun. We can’t wait to get back out there and bring more adaptive sports to people around the world. See you again soon!
First event is this weekend!
ParaSportsLive has been planning for months and our first event is finally here! This weekend we are live streaming the Kennebunk Savings Rugby Rampage! Check out our coverage starting at 9 am ET on Saturday. We are streaming games all day and our coverage continues Sunday with Day 2! Before we launch, we want to take a moment to thank everyone for their support and encouragement. Without you, our mission to change the game on adaptive sports is just an idea. This weekend, because you you, that idea becomes a reality.
Click here to watch the Kennebunk Savings Rugby Rampage, Day 1