Cal Wins High-Scoring Thriller D1A Final
Cal Wins High-Scoring Thriller D1A Final
In a game that saw nine lead changes, the California Golden bears rode three late tries and the adventurous approach to their game that they had pursued all season to defeated Life University 55-38 Saturday night in the D1A final in Indianapolis.
Held at Kuntz Stadium, the new rugby facility in Indianapolis, the championship match was a spectacle. With a boisterous crowd supporting both teams, the game provided plenty for both to cheer about.
Cal opened up the scoring with a Filip Edstrom penalty goal. But Life answered by getting close to the Cal line and then sending it wide for wing James Rose to dive over in the corner. Bradley Crane hit the touchline conversion for the 7-3 lead. Cal worked their way down to the Life tryline to answer and powered Dom Paga over for a 10-7 lead.
Right off the restart, however, Cal was penalized for obstruction and the Running Eagles mauled it over with ruthless efficiency. Penalties and a little impatience put Cal on their back foot, and the Running Eagles ran the maul once more, worked it wider, and again powered over. Now it was 19-10 for Life.
Cal opened up their attack once more before working it over with freshman prop Oliver Kirk breaking tackles to score. Then a bit of magic as a kick ahead was chased down by Edstrom, who fell on the ball and popped it up in the same movement for Max Threlkeld to take and score.
The Bears had the lead back at 24-19. Undaunted, Life responded with a long, weaving run from Kade Cunningham. That made it 26-24 for Life. Another lead change.
With halftime approaching Cal launched off a lineout and sent it wide where Emmett Cook, on for a blood sub, took the pass on the right wing and cut back for the try. Conversion good and it was 31-26. That is how the half ended, but there were signs of difficulty for both teams. Life's Philani Simamane was forced to leave with an injury, and that forced a shift in their backline. Meanwhile, Cal lost lock Tom Dixon early and while Byron Finley was an experienced replacement, it was clear he had not expected to take the field that early.
After such a torrid scoring pace the tries came a bit slower for a while, Cal had been willing to run out of their 22 and finally they were able to explode out of trouble with Masi Koi racing to paydirt on an 85-meter movement. Life, however, ramped up their defense and the game slowed a bit. Down 36-26 the Running Eagles stormed back. They worked Seth Kramlich over and then once again worked the maul for a try a few minutes later.
It was now Life 38 Cal 36. Cal would have the last laugh. Oliver Newall shook off cramps to get back in the line in time to take a pass and score. Joe Kiraton was set free wide, and then Koi scored a brilliant one, kicking ahead and gathering as he dove over.
It is impossible to convey the shear adventurousness of both teams. It is impossible to convey to tension as teams traded the lead back and forth. It was a dynamic, engrossing game and a brilliant piece of entertainment. Both teams had freshmen score tries. Both teams led multiple times. Both teams combined for 93 points, the most points scored in a D1A final ever.
Both teams ran into little mistakes. Crane lamented a couple of key exits that didn't go well. For Santos, it was about digging deep and trusting each other.
Cal, once the team that won every year, had not won the D1A final since 2011. Finally they raised the trophy once more. Life stood and watched the celebration, classy in their appreciation of the champion team, and college rugby was the better for it all.
