Close Games Highlight HS Club Nationals
Close Games Highlight HS Club Nationals
Over the past five years, 10 different teams have made the top four in the Boys HS National Championship HS Club bracket.
And here's another fun fact: over the last eight HS Nationals tournaments, the HS Club bracket have had eight different champions.
This is about how competitive this bracket it. Every year there's a pile of close games. Every year there's a surprise.
HS Club Scores
Round 1 (Quarterfinals)
Charlotte Cardinals 53 San Mateo Wolverines 19
Belmont Shore 41 LCA 34
Cavemen 32 Charlotte Tigers 19
San Diego Mustangs 53 Woodlands 18
Round 2 (5th-Place Semifinals)
Charlotte Tigers 17 Woodlands 12
LCA 31 San Mateo Wolverines 12
Round 2 (Cup Semifinals)
Charlotte Cardinals 10 Belmont Shore 10 (Cardinals win on kicks 3-0)
San Diego Mustangs 36 Cavemen 17
Round 3
7th-8th San Mateo Wolverines 34 Woodlands 27
5th-6th Charlotte Tigers 36 LCA 28
3rd-4th Cavemen 28 Belmont Shore 5
Final San Diego Mustangs 19 Charlotte Cardinals 14
Was there any more exciting game than Layton Christian vs Belmont Shore?
The HS Club #4 vs #5 matchup produced 75 points and was tied 34-34 with no time left. That was when Lenny Ibarra snagged a loose ball, made a move, broke a tackle, and raced off for the game-winner.
"Don't get caught!" was the thought going through the flyhalf's mind. "The boys worked hard on defense the whole game. I just had an opportunity to finish it and do my job."
It was a thriller. Unfortunately, in the semifinal, Belmont Shore saw one of their own get a pretty scary injury. The good news is he ended up recovering in the hospital and got back to the Moose Rugby Grounds in Elkhart to watch Saturday's action. That semifinal was 10-10 and went down to kicks, which the Cardinals won.
Champion: San Diego Mustangs
Most Points Scores: San Diego, 108
Fewest Points Allowed: Charlotte Cardinals, 48 (SD had 49)
Games Decided by a Try or Less: 5
Charlotte lost the final, and, in fact, it was the other Charlotte team, the Tigers, that addressed how that happened.
"We probably needed a bit more luck than some others needed because we didn't have the depth than some others," said Tigers head Coach Jason Paquette.
Right, luck and depth. When Max Colson went down injured in the final, the Cardinals were in trouble—yes they had players who could fill in, but the timing against a team of San Diego's caliber has to be perfect.
What we also found interesting was the comments from the San Mateo Wolverines comparing Tier II and the HS Club top tier. It was an adjustment to the 2024 Tier II champs. By the way, the Wolverines said nothing about having one of their strongest players staying behind for graduation. We'll say it. It might have mattered.
Among the teams that were especially strong was the Cavemen. Playing in their first ever national tournament the Utah champs went 2-1, beating Charlotte Tigers and Belmont Shore, and losing only to the eventual champs. Fast, powerful, and explosive, the Cavemen proved they belonged.
And, finally, has there ever been a player who had as direct an influence on a final? Sure everyone had to step up for San Diego's 19-14 win. Sure lock Timothy Bresenden was excellent. Sure wing Reese Reiter, center James Curtis, and hooker Carson Parlmberg impressed. But scrumhalf Spencer Huntley scored two tries, converted two tries, and, in perhaps his most impressive play, fired a pass on a line to an unmarked Reiter to set up the other San Diego try. It's hard to imagine a player doing more.
