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Luan photo credit: Countrywide Photographic
Douglas photo credit: Gillett Media

Our Under 19’s squad were pleased to finally get their 2025 season underway last weekend and did it in style by winning both their games and going top of the league table. Our lads, playing in the league as the South-East Legion, caused an upset in beating Oxford 56-30, and then followed it up with a hard-fought win against the Poole Dolphins 13-6.

It has been a difficult start to the season in the Division 2 Southern Conference after the first tournament in Poole had to be abandoned after a serious injury to a South Wales player. The Berkshire Renegades were present but had insufficient players, and so their two games were recorded as forfeits (to Poole and Bristol) while the other two games were abandoned as 0-0 ties. It was, therefore, even more disappointing when the Bristol Aztecs had to announce late last week that 15 of their 25 players were unavailable for the second league tournament here in Maidstone. They had to forfeit their games against Oxford and Poole. It sadly means Bristol have technically played half their season without actually completing a game, and both Berkshire and Bristol are now disqualified from post-season play because of the forfeited games.

Bristol’s absence gave the Legion a difficult challenge. We knew going into the Maidstone games that we would play Poole in our second game with all the usual fatigue having played one game, but they would come into that match-up fresh and with only the game against the Legion to play.

South East Legion vs Oxford Saints

The first game against the Oxford Saints could not have started better for the Legion. Olly Z took the ball 37 yards early on the first drive of the game for a spectacular opening TD. The two point extra point play gave the Legion an 8-0 lead but it quickly got worse for the Saints. On their first play of the new season, Sol forced a fumble in the backfield and it was scooped up by Luan in the endzone to make it 14-0 (see photo above right). When the Saints started their next drive, again it was first play disaster. This time Legion rookie DT Douglas forced the fumble and Sam picked it up and in no time at all Oxford were down 21-0.

The Saints were not daunted, however. Their squad features a number of Great Britain players and they quickly pulled one score back on a QB scramble as he ran 40 yards to make it 21-6. But their defense was struggling to cope with the Legion offense. Our QB Nate hit Olly Z for a 27 yard touchdown through the air and the extra point made it 28-6.

After the teams exchanged possessions without score, the Saints once again hit paydirt as their talented young running-back wearing #16 got loose and ran in from 25 yards to make it 28-12. But each time the Saints scored, the Legion answered. Olly M and Olly Z both carrying the ball on a long drive that resulted in a four yard TD run for Olly Z, his second rushing TD of the day and third overall. The high-scoring first half still wasn’t done. Inside two minutes, the Oxford QB scrambled and once again found room to run. He ran in from 25 yards out to make it 34-18 at half-time.

Oxford had the ball first after half-time and #16 again made the Legion defense pay as he reversed his field on a sweep and caught us napping. Oxford had closed the gap to ten with the score at 34-24. But the same passing combination from the first half came up trumps. Nate once again found Olly Z in space and he made it 41-24 from 26 yards out with the PAT successful.

With time ticking on, there were two quick shifts of momentum. An unfortunate fumble from Aaron gave the Saints 1st and goal and #16 converted for another TD on the very next play to make it 41-30. But the momentum swung back to the Legion on the point after. With Oxford going for two to close the gap, Sol came up with his second big play of the day by picking off the QB’s pass at the goal-line and running it all the way back. By rule, that counted as two points for the Legion to make it 43-30.

With time running out on Oxford, the Legion offense was able to keep the clock ticking as a seven play drive culminated in Olly M’s first touchdown as a member of our team. Aaron ran in the extra point to bring up 50 points. Oxford had time for one last possession but it didn’t last long. Luan grabbed an interception of his own and ran it back 10 yards for the score to get his second defensive TD on what proved to be last play of the game. Final score: South East Legion 56, Oxford 30.

South East Legion vs Poole Dolphins

The second game could not have been more different from the first. With Poole fresh and ready to compete, the Legion squad had to do their best to ease tired muscles, take some food and energy on board, and go again.

In the first half, neither side could get their offense scoring. Poole had the better of the early going and drove down the field twice and had the ball inside the Legion 10 yard line but a combination of penalties and stiff defense meant they came away with nothing. Meanwhile, the Dolphins defense proved every bit as tough as we expected them to be, limiting our running-backs yardage and shutting down the passing game.

Just before half-time, the Legion finally got on the board. Olly Z took an outside pitch, broke two tackles and raced down the right sideline for a 42 yard touchdown run. Poole’s defense immediately responded, halting Olly on the extra point play to leave it 6-0 at half-time.

The second-half started much like the first. The Legion offense found it difficult to get anything going and went four and out on their first drive. The Dolphins continued to move the ball in fits and starts but couldn’t quite finish the drives and get the tying score their play deserved. In the end, they got back on level terms through their defense. The Legion had a long drive of seven plays with Olly Z, Aaron and Nate all taking turns to move the ball downfield either on the ground or through the air. But on 3rd and goal, Nate’s outside pass was seized upon by one of Poole’s solid corners. He nicked it away from Tye and ran the length of the field to tie the scores at six.

The extra point was suddenly crucial. But, as they had done all day against the Dolphins, the Legion defense played it tough. The defensive line held up on the extra point play and the game looked to be heading for a tie.

With time running down, it was Olly Z who put the offense on his back and willed us to victory. A ‘beast mode’ style run from 25 yards out, dodging tacklers, spinning and bouncing off others culminated in a spectacular winning touchdown. Nate found Luke on the extra point play to make doubly sure and the Legion were able to hold out for a tough, tight 13-6 victory.

The other games

Bristol Aztecs vs Poole Dolphins

Oxford Saints vs Bristol Aztecs