batonrougetigers

This Just In: Tampa Match Postponed

May 4, 2017May 23, 2021batonrougetigers

Due to factors beyond control, the St. Pete Swans will be unable to make the trip to Baton Rouge this coming weekend and instead will be coming into town September 23rd with the Atlanta Kookaburras.

But footy will be played in Baton Rouge this Saturday, as the Tigers will take the field for their third Metro League game of the season. So come on out to Westdale Middle School at 2:00 on Saturday, May 6th to see the Tigers in action!

The afterparty will still commence at Happy’s Downtown starting at 5:00, so be sure to stop in for some lip-smackin’ jambalaya and happy hour specials all night long!

Next Up: St. Petersburg Swans/Tampa Bay ARFC

May 1, 2017May 23, 2021batonrougetigers

The Tigers enter this weekend’s contest brimming with confidence, having notched a neutral/road victory in Houston two weeks ago; a feat they failed to accomplish in 2016. They hope to build on that success against the visiting Swans and protect their home turf, where they were undefeated last year.

The St. Petersburg/Tampa Bay will be looking to go home from Baton Rouge with a better outcome than last year, where Baton Rouge defeated then 12.9.81 to 9.4.58. The Swans, who are consistently a good traveling club, will bring a strong and determined side with something to prove, having made the Division IV Finals at the 2016 Nationals, whereas the Tigers finished 5th.

Both sides are poised to make a lot of noise in 2017 and this match is setting itself up to be a great contest. So, if you like tough, hard-nosed football then you need to be at Clark Park on Saturday, May 6th at 2:00 p.m.!

Following the match, we are “happy” to welcome anyone and everyone to join us for the afterparty starting at 5:00 p.m. at Happy’s Downtown in downtown Baton Rouge. A special thanks to them for agreeing to hosting the event.

2017 Ruggles Cup Summary

April 27, 2017May 23, 2021batonrougetigers

After three months of hard training, the Tigers left Baton Rouge Friday night in search of their first live action of the USAFL season. After taking in the sights and sounds of beautiful Houston, Texas, they made their way to Cullen Park for their annual showdown with the Lonestars.

The Tigers’ first match of the day for the Ruggles Cup was against a Houston squad that just defeated Tulsa/OKC by a comfortable margin. It was easy to see that the Lonestars continued to fire on all cylinders early in the first half as the Tigers struggled for answers to slow down the Houston midfielders and keep the ball out of our defensive 50. After several halftime adjustments, and with some encouragement from Coach Heintze, the second half saw a group of Tigers playing with an increased confidence and intensity around the ball that helped them to win a few more contests and eventually kick 2.2.14 for the match. However, it was not enough to stop the Lonestars from kicking 12.7.79 and retaining the Ruggles Cup for 2017. Tigers Best: Ryan Baldasarro

The Tigers took a few breaths and regrouped to face off against Tulsa/OKC in their second game. We expected a tough, well coached club to make the trip down from Tulsa and they did not disappoint. However, the adjustments made in the second half of the first match were carried over into this contest, and there was no lack of intensity to be found from the Tigers in this one. As a result, the Tigers had more success moving the ball forward to impact the scoreboard than the Buffaloes. In the end, we pulled out our first victory of the season with a final of 7.7.49 to 3.5.23. Tigers Best: Austin LeBouef

All three clubs and supporters gathered at The Pheonix on Westheimer to celebrate the day. Meat pies were devoured, ice cold beers were drank, and rookies did their shots! A wonderful way to end a fantastic day of footy!

Next up: St. Pete/Tampa Bay on May 6^th at 2pm at Clark Park in Baker, LA.

2017 Ruggles Cup Preview

April 11, 2017May 23, 2021batonrougetigers

In memory of our late, great, teammate, opponent, and friend Craig Ruggles, the Annual Ruggles Cup between the Houston Lonestars & Baton Rouge Tigers will take pace on April 22nd. This day also commemorates ANZAC Day, where the AFL in Australia remembers the Australian & New Zealand soldiers lost at Gallipoli in WWI.

This year, the Tulsa Buffalos will also be joining for a 3-way tournament.

When the Baton Rouge Tigers faced off against Houston and Tulsa in 2016, the contests were notable for lopsided contests. In the 2016 Ruggles Cup, Houston kept the Tigers on their heels and off the scoreboard, coming away with a commanding 4.7.31 to 0.0.0 victory. However, when the teams faced each other again in Baton Rouge in September, Baton Rouge held serve, running away with a 6.9.45 to 0.2.2 home victory.

In 2016, the Tigers would not meet the Buffaloes until Day 2 of Nationals. In what was effectively the season finale for both squads, the Tigers ran away with it to the tune of 11.4.70 to 1.0.6.

With plenty of offseason acquisitions and departures for all three teams, everyone is eager to test their progress in their first USAFL games this season.

The action commences at 11:00 when Houston takes on Tulsa. The full game schedule is:
11.00am – Houston vs Tulsa
12.00pm – Houston vs Baton Rouge
1.00pm – Baton Rouge vs Tulsa
2.00pm – All-Comers Game

Stay tuned for updates.

Metro League Matchup – Part Deux

April 11, 2017May 23, 2021batonrougetigers

The 2017 Metro League season thus far for the Baton Rouge Tigers is proving instrumental in terms of mastering the elements. After opening the season in a torrential downpour, the Tigers were challenged by Mother Nature once again this past Wednesday with strong wind serving as a key tactical factor for both sides. The Tigers were once again paired off into their current and classic looks but with different groups from the week before.

The New Jerseys were made up of Brookes Guay, Michael Cussen, Josh Cartmill, Austin LeBouef, Shivaraj Kandhasamy, and Adam Mullavey, Matthew Heintze, Cole Hilgenkamp, and Neil Stebbing who alternated between playing and umpiring.

The Old Jerseys were made up of Rob Montanaro, Ryan Moran, Garrett Remson, Ryan Baldassaro, Lachlan McQueen-Miscamble, Duncan McLeod and Adam Mullavey and Neil Stebbing who alternated between playing and umpiring.

It was a tight contest featuring fantastic skills, effort, and remarkable toughness, most accurately demonstrated by Garrett Remson, who took a huge hit in the first quarter and came back later to finish the game without the use of his left eye. In the end, the New Jerseys once again walked away victorious with 4 majors in the last quarter of play.

1st Quarter (“Old Jerseys” kicking with the wind)

“Old Jerseys” 2 goals, 1 behind “New Jerseys” 0 goals, 0 behinds
Umpire: Matthew Heintze

2nd Quarter (“New Jerseys” kicking with the wind)
“Old Jerseys” 3 goals, 2 behind “New Jerseys” 2 goals, 1 behinds
Umpire: Neil Stebbing

3rd Quarter (“Old Jerseys” kicking with the wind)
“Old Jerseys” 5 goals, 4 behind “New Jerseys” 4 goals, 2 behinds
Umpire: Adam Mullavey

4th Quarter (“New Jerseys” kicking with the wind)
“Old Jerseys” 6 goals, 6 behind “New Jerseys” 8 goals, 4 behinds
Umpire: Cole Hilgenkamp

Following a short break for the Easter holiday, the Tigers begin their Home and Away schedule on April 22nd with the annual Ruggles Cup against the Houston Lonestars and this year welcoming the Tulsa Buffaloes. As always, friends, family, and anyone interested are always welcome to spectate or participate.

Metro League Matchup

April 2, 2017May 23, 2021batonrougetigers

March 25, 2017 marked the official start of the 2017 season with the Tigers’ first Metro League games. The teams were divided and sported the Tigers’ current and classic look.

The New Jerseys were made up of Matt Smith, Garrett Reason, Ryan Baldassaro, Josh Cartmill, Neil Stebbing, Rob Montanaro, and Lane Moran.

The Old Jerseys were made up of Stuart Johnson, Michael Cussen, Brooks Guay, Shivaraj Kandhasamy, Ryan Moran, and Tim Lala, with Adam Mullavaey, Cole Hilgenkamp, and Matthew Heintze alternating between playing and umpiring.

Although dark skies and thunder threatened the game, eventually the skies parted (for a time) and it went forward in true footy weather with the ground completely saturated. The game was eventually called early in the 4th quarter as small hail came in to accompany the waters that flooded several streets for a time, but the scores through then are as follows:

1st Quarter
“Old”: 1 Goal, 0 behinds “New”: 3 goals, 3 behinds

2nd Quarter
“Old”: 3 goals, 1 behind “New”: 4 goals, 4 behinds

3rd Quarter
“Old”: 6 goals, 5 behinds “New”: 4 goals ,6 behinds

4th Quarter
“Old”: 7 goals, 5 behinds “New”: 5 goals, 6 behinds

We wish to extend our thanks to all who came out in support of the event, and those who followed us at the Family Day Event after. And a special thanks also to Steve Guillory for his support and coming out to photograph the event (The full photo album can be seen online at https://marksteveguillory.smugmug.com/Footy/FOOTY-BRT-Metro-League-032517-Gold-v-Navy/ and all pictures are available for purchase), and Tin Roof Brewing Company to their hospitality for hosting the after party event on their patio.

After such a great weekend, the Tigers will look for a similar (but hopefully drier) result this Wednesday, April 5th at 6:00 p.m. at Westdale Middle School for their second Metro League match of the season. As always, friends, family, and anyone interested are always welcome to spectate or participate.

Spring Metro League Begins!

March 23, 2017May 23, 2021batonrougetigers

Saturday marks the beginning of our 2017 Metro League season, and the first live game action this year in which the Tigers can test the skills they’ve been building on since January.

The game kicks off at 10:00 at Highland Road Park and will feature the Gold and Navy squads going head-to-head. Family and friends are always encouraged to attend and support their Tigers and anyone with an interest in the game is invited.

Following the siren, the players will be holding a Family Day event at Tin Roof Brewing Company at 2:30 p.m. From 2:00 – 6:00, Tin Roof will be celebrating the Rusted Rye IPA release with live music and a chicken wing cook-off and have graciously invited us to be a party to the festivities.

Anyone and everyone is invited to come on out and support the Baton Rouge Tigers as we get ready to kick off the 2017 Season!

2017 Season Kick-Off

February 7, 2017May 23, 2021batonrougetigers

At the conclusion of the season, the Tigers held their annual AGM meeting at the always-hospitable Tin Roof Brewing Company to discuss election of officers, proposals for new merchandise, sponsorship, recruitment, and team dues for the 2017 season. Your newly elected 2017 officers are:

President: Josh Cartmill

Vice President: Cole Hilgenkamp

Treasurer: John Zimmerman

This group is committed to representing a Tiger squad that has never looked stronger following an impressive showing at Nationals. Led by coach Matt Heintze, the 2017 Tigers look to build on the success of the back end of last season and take their winning ways at home on the road this year!

Although official training sessions and Metro League games have yet to begin, you’ll find the Tigers shedding the offseason rust Saturday mornings at 10:00 at Westdale Middle School. For official updates on the Baton Rouge Tigers training schedule, visit the Baton Rouge Tigers Australian Football Club on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/13181053834/.

As always, for any questions or to join the Baton Rouge Tigers for the 2017 season, please send an email to batonrougetigers@gmail.com

2017 Match Schedule

January 15, 2017May 23, 2021batonrougetigers

The Tigers’ 2017 Home and Away Schedule is one of the most impressive in recent memory, featuring clashes in four different cities and no less than six clubs testing their mettle. The Spring begins with an opening trip to Houston for the annual Ruggles Cup match and finishes in Little Rock with the Central Regional Tournament. The full schedule is as follows:

April 22 – Houston Lonestars, Tulsa Buffaloes (Houston, TX)

May 6 – St. Petersburg Swans (Baton Rouge, LA)

May 20 – Atlanta Kookaburras (Atlanta, GA)

June 10 – Central Regional Tournament (Little Rock, AR)

After taking a pause for the inevitable summer scorchers, the Tigers resume play in the fall by traveling to Tulsa to face the Buffaloes and concludes with the National Tournament in sunny San Diego.

August 26 – Tulsa Buffaloes, Denver Bulldogs (Tulsa, OK)

September 9 – Houston Lonestars, Nashville Kangaroos (Baton Rouge, LA)

September 23 – Atlanta Kookaburras (Baton Rouge, LA)

October 21-22 – USAFL National Tournament (San Diego, CA)

With so much time before the season begins, these dates are still subject to change, so keep an eye out for updates. As always, for any questions or to join the Baton Rouge Tigers for the 2017 season, please send an email to batonrougetigers@gmail.com

2016 Season Summary

January 3, 2017May 23, 2021batonrougetigers

It’s been quite some time since our last update, due in no small part to the massive flooding from August that affected and continues to affect the entire Baton Rouge area. Many Tigers were displaced from their homes, and everyone on the team was impacted in some form or fashion. However, this heavy burden was lightened due to the boundless generosity and support of the entire USAFL community, who donated over $3,000.00 so that those most affected could continue playing the game we all love.

The second half of the season started on a sour note, as the Atlanta Kookaburras lit up the scoreboards against a skeleton squad of Tigers to the tune of 19.24.138 to 5.8.38. Not to be perturbed, the Tigers used that loss as motivation and re-doubled their efforts leading up to their September 17^th Tailgate game, when they hosted the Kooks and neighboring Houston Lonestars.

In an inspiring performance, the Tigers swept the weekend and finished their home and away schedule with a 3-3 record. In the first match of the day, they stunned the same Atlanta team that had dominated them only a month earlier by the score of 8.11.59 to 2.0.12. But perhaps the biggest surprise of the weekend was holding the always-impressive Lonestars to only two behinds in a 6.9.45 – 0.2.2 victory. For the complete game footage of this weekend’s action, click on the links below:
https://youtu.be/45WRoy1bEXc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQxNrlnoqU0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0r0r94vNfv0&feature=youtu.be
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnU94JVb5dg

October 15^th marked the first day of Nationals in Sarasota, Florida. In their first match against the Des Moines Roosters, the Tigers had a difficult time adjusting to playing with the Atlanta Kookaburras and found themselves down 3.6.24 to 0.3.3 at halftime. After gaining some familiarity with their new teammates, the “Kookatigers” outscored Des Moines 1.1.7 to 3.0.18 in the second half, falling just short as Des Moines secured a 4.7.31 to 3.3.21 victory. Bouncing back with a 5.4.34 to 3.5.23 win over the Denver Bulldogs later in the day, the Tigers ended the day in hot contention for the Division IV semifinal.

After some heartbreaking calculations, the Kookatigers just missed the semifinal and instead found themselves paired against the Tulsa Buffaloes in what would be their last game of the season. Determined to stake a claim for next year’s Nationals seeding, they blew past the Buffaloes with a final score of 11.4.70 to 1.0.6, finishing with a 2-1 record in the division.

After an inspiring 5-4 season, which included an undefeated home record, and having finished out the season with the 2016 Grand Final Party, our 2016 Annual Meeting, and having piled on the pounds during the holiday season, the Tigers will be returning to action in the coming weeks. Check back for updates on the 2017 training schedule or check out the Baton Rouge Tigers Australian Football Club on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/13181053834/. For any questions or to join the Baton Rouge Tigers for the 2017 season, please send an email to batonrougetigers@gmail.com