Oswego State’s club rugby, the Oz Wizards, were promoted to Div. I for this season, and the new season in a new division has come with many experiences and challenges.

A “reality check,” is how Captain Sam Baker and President Garret Mackenzie described their first season in the more competitive and tougher Div. I. Baker and Mackenzie spoke on the season in the new division with smiles on their faces, and those smiles seemed to reflect the energy around the team.

Before this season, Baker noted the team was in Div. II of club rugby and said the team routinely dominated the opposing squads.

“Going up to Div. I was an eye- opener and learning experience for the team,” Baker said. “We went from being used to steamrolling over teams to struggling to compete against teams.”

The Oz Wizards started off its new season in Div. I with a four-game losing streak. Its transition to the new division started rough and was not what the team was accustomed to.

Along with the struggles and rough patches of the season, the season has also provided the Oz Wizards with some positive revelations. The lessons learned throughout the eight-game-long season seemed to have helped turn the season around for the Oswego squad.

Baker and Mackenzie both said the season helped reinforce the unity amongst the team, and the Oz Wizards are approaching the end of the season with something to prove. They also added that the team as a whole is ready to approach its next season with the same mentality it is ending this one with. 

In this long season, there have been many highlights and notable games. With the Wizards rugby club being the new kids in town and underdogs, they were able to hand out to some upsets and surprise their opponents. The most notable game, according to Baker and Mackenzie, was their game against SUNY Albany’s rugby club on Oct. 7.

The Oz Wizards entered that game as underdogs, and SUNY Albany’s rugby club was undefeated. Despite this, the Oz Wizards were able to defeat SUNY Albany by a score of 24-12.

Another notable victory for the Wizards of Oswego State was their most recent game against The College at Brockport on Oct. 15. The Oz Wizards defeated the Golden Eagles in a true blowout, with the final score of 44-7.

Those two wins signaled the turn around to the poor start Oswego State Wizards had to start off their season.

Baker and Mackenzie are eager to say the team’s current success is nothing short of a full team effort.

Every team, according to Baker and Mackenzie, has a standout player,  and sophomore Chris Machena is taking that title, nicknamed a “beast.”

With about three weeks left in the Wizards’ season, they are trying to finish the season strong. The Wizards’ next important game is on Oct. 27, against The U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where the Oz Wizards are looking to continue to  turn there season around. 

Photo by Greg Tavani | The Oswegonian