Another Overtime and Several Close Ones in HS Nationals Day 2
Another Overtime and Several Close Ones in HS Nationals Day 2
Here is a quick rundown of Day Two at the Boys HS Rugby National Championships, as we got yet another overtime game and some impressive bouncebacks, as well.
Tier II
St. Edward put on a nice show after many of the team had to race back home to Lakewood, Ohio last night for graduation.
They then drove back to Elkhart, slept a few hours, and opened the day with an impressive 39-3 win over St. Thomas Aquinas. While Aquinas is young and hit a bit by injury, Ed's put in a very good performance that set them up for 5th place.
They will play Eastside, which edged Fort Hunt 27-22 in the other 5th-place semi. Fort Hunt will rue some decisions close to the tryline, but Eastside battled well and showed some tenacity in edging the Virginia champs.
In the Cup semis, SOC won the battle of the Raptors, playing fast and wild against a hard-nosed and physical Raptor Rugby side from Tennessee. Caden Hartley and Tristan Gutman were good in the centers while flanker Cole Bracken was excellent as the Raptors won 24-5.
The other semi was a back-and-forth affair in which New Trier finished a bit better. KC Jr. Blues had field position and chances early but could only get a penalty goal out of it. New Trier's ability to keep possession and play smart sow them inch their way to a 15-3 lead. KC did score late but New Trier held on 18-8. Everything that New Trier does goes through scrumhalf Fatman Thorndyke, who is supremely active and gets to the breakdown quickly. Hes content to pass and pass and pass until there's something else on. His defense was outstanding also.
So it's Fort Hunt vs St. Thomas Aquinas on the White Field at 9:20AM for 7th
Eastside vs St. Edward for 5th 9:40 Blue Field
KC Jr. Blues vs Raptor Rugby for 3rd 11AM White Field
New Trier vs SOC Raptors for 1st 1PM Blue Field
HS Club
Losing on Day One was a heartbreaker for the teams in this bracket because the competition was so fierce everyone felt they were in with a shot.
Charlotte Tigers and Woodlands battled in a tight one and late tries for Charlotte saw them through 17-12 to make the 5th-place semifinal. Meanwhile, LCA shook off their one-score loss to Belmont Shore to put in a very strong performance against a speedy and talented San Mateo Wolverines side.
Two tries from Emili Pauni and tries from Matui Kaufusi, Stanley Mafoa, and Falanisi Hiliau, with three conversions from Siaosi Vaitaki won it 31-12 for LCA. This is probably the most resilient club in the HS National Championships, as they now sit 3-5 over the last three tournaments but their points-difference is in the positive. Every game they've lost has been within a try, including one in overtime. And yet they come back again and again and return to their pattern to play impressive rugby football.
They were smart in this game and won by 19.
The Charlotte Cardinals played Belmont Shore in a game of epic proportions in the Cup semis. Both teams looked to attack, and boasted superb flyhalves in Max Colson (Charlotte) and Makai Harris (Belmont Shore), along with dangerous centers Luke Zehmke (Charlotte) and Lenny Ibarra (Belmont Shore).
Both teams played enormous defense. They sped up fast, bottled up the danger men, and flew into the breakdown with abandon. Belmont Shore took a 10-3 lead thanks to a David Tonumaipea try and a conversion and penalty from Sam Edminsten. Colson had added a penalty for Charlotte.
Late in the second half, Belmont Shore was defending its tryline and seemed to secure a key poach. However, the penalty was reversed and Charlotte had one more shot. Again, phase after phase, Belmont Shore hammered ballcarriers to the ground. Eventually, though, scrumhalf and captain Porter Kuebler snaked his way over. The celebration was muted, however, as a Belmont Shore player sustained a very, very worrying injury.
The game was halted for a significant period while the player was cared for, stabilized, and taken to the hospital. Early reports are that he is resting comfortably and is stable, which is good news.
Players from both teams gathered around him to wish him well as he left the field in a nice show of unity in the game.
Back to the action, Colson converted and we had a tie game. The game remained tied through to halftime, and into overtime. Neither team allowed the other to get over. A couple of desperate tackles preserved the tie and, yes, we had to go to kicks.
This was where Charlotte had a clear advantage. The Cardinals put kicks over from Colson, Zehmke, and Kuebler, while Belmont Shore missed their first three of the series of five. When Kuebler hit his, the win was clinched. It was a game of unflinching drama.
So Charlotte advances and will meet the San Diego Mustangs. San Diego unleashed too uch pace and also power in contacts against Cavemen. Six tries from six different players—Reese Reiter, Will Schreckengaust, Sam Violett, James Curtis, Shay Farkash, and Everett Gllover put San Diego past Cavemen 36-17.
The Mustangs were clinical, got a big game (of course) from scrumhalf Spencer Huntley, and did not let Cavemen get too close.
So the matchups are:
Woodlands vs San Mateo at 10:40AM for 7th on the Red Field
LCA vs Charlotte Tigers at 12:20PM for 5th on Red
Cavemen vs Belmont Shore at 4PM for 3rd on White
Charlotte Cardinals vs San Diego Mustangs for the championships on Blue at 2:40PM
Single-School
Having lost in the quarterfinals for the first time since some of their players were born, Gonzaga unleashed on Strake Jesuit 44-5, working the angles nicely and taking advantage of the increased time and space Strake afforded them.
For Strake, they had put so much into their QF game vs Xavier that this game was a bit of a lesson.
Jesuit of Sacramento, meanwhile, also impressed with their win over Greenwich 34-5.
In the Championship semifinals, St. Ignatius and Notre Dame de la Salette played a truly entertaining game. With the wind St. Ignatius ran out to a 19-0 lead paced by smart kicking from Mark French, Connor Gallagher, and Hank McGowan, and with the forwards capping off the movements with the forwards executing their close-in attack well. Charlie Banaszak and Sam Leopold scored tries that way, and then wing Rafe Gabrovsek spun out of a tackle and charged down the sideline.
McGowan's goalkicking was good and they led 19-0. However, a brilliant counter-attack run from Connor Hanlon sliced up the Ignatius defense to make it 19-5. For the second half, La Salette would have the wind and perhaps sme of the momentum. Was a 14-point lead enough for Ignatius?
La Salette spent a huge part of the second half in the Ignatius half, and, like many before them, Ignatius found it difficult to get out of that hole. La Salette pressure finally saw the Lions score in the corner to make it 19-12. Once again pinned their own end, thanks to some penalties and the wind, Ignatius got a big play when French at scrumhalf slipped through a couple of tackles, took off down the field, and chipped ahead. From there Ignatius pressed on and after a couple of big runs No. 8 Gavin Vollmer scored to make it 24-5. That was a big one as it had taken a long time for La Salette to break the Ignatius defense and time wasn't their friend.
As it was, Ignatius put Bobby Rosol through for a game-sealing try, and that was it. La Salette had tested the Wildcats, but the #1 seed was in.
Would the #2 seed follow?
In a physically punishing game, Herriman struck first with Asher Coleman slicing through for a try. At the time, two Xavier players were down on the ground having taken the worst of the contact. Both would have to be replaced.
Herriman pressed again but it was Xavier that would answer with a brilliant dummy and run in from center Max Wyckoff.Herriman answered by working the forwards close. Hooker TJ Tuia was a handful as was lock Kemper Castro and flanker Cannon Brinton.
Xavier defended well but were finally overwhelmed.
Xavier responded, and some excellent work from Wyckoff saw him score his second. For the New Yorkers Liam Averill was brilliant in the lineout and Malachi Young, coming in as a reserve, put in a ton of work.
The teams changed ends tied 12-12 and Xavier had the wind. They used that to put Herriman under pressure, but little errors and decision-making issues cost them. They passed up kickable penalties, and while flyhalf Edward Marquez-Miles would eventually slot a goal for a 15-12 lead, at other times they passed up points. This would turn out to be a mistake.
Herriman did break out with No. 8 Logan Youngblood and center Macrae Parker challenging defenders. Inside the Xavier 22 Herriman sent flankers Jaden Mangelso and Cannon Brinton on hard carries. After a couple of good carries, Brinton broke through to score. Coleman converted and it was 19-15 for Herriman.
Xavier had a couple of chances to score, and might have thought that a penaltu goal would at least get them wthin a point—then catch the restart, kick deep, and force another penalty. Instead they took a scrum, ran a weakside move, and Herriman wing Ikalia Nau raced in to intercept a pass and race 60 meters to seal the game. Herriman 24, and a battered, bruised, and brave Xavier 15.
So that sets up Day 3:
Strake vs Greenwich at 12:40PM for 7th on the White Field
Jesuit Sacramento vs Gonzaga at 11:20AM for 5th on Blue
Xavier vs La Salette at 2:20PM for 3rd on White
St. Ignatius vs Herriman for the championship on Blue at 4:20PM
