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College, HS Talent Fuels Club 7s Nationals

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College, HS Talent Fuels Club 7s Nationals

Alex Sandstrom of Arizona State has helped get the Chicago Lions to the national championships in Des Moines. David Barpal photo.

Keep an eye out for the breakout players at the national club 7s championships.

The e-program for the club 7s nationals is here. It's a great way to follow the tournament on your laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Click the image to view.

While Goff Rugby Report concentrates more on college and HS rugby, we need to take a moment once in a while to make note of college and HS players who show well at the old levels. A large percentage of the players at the Emirates Airline USA Rugby Club 7s Championships (see program) are current or recent college rugby players, and a few are still in high school, or at least haven't matriculated at their college yet.

Here's a list of the college players - and we apoligize if we've missed a couple. Among the players to make special note of: Dylan Carrion, Harry Higgins, Gavan D'Amore-Morrison, Pono Haitsuka, Alex and Adam Sandstrom, Junior Helu, Kevon Williams, and James Tayson.

Some of the players attended college come time ago, and some didn't at all, but we put in some interesting info - such as major age-grade teams, or if they played football in college. It's n interesting mix, but overall what it says is that men's clubs have almost universally found that bringing in college players for the summer is a smart recruiting tool, and also injects speed and athleticism into the squads.

This is now expanding into high school players, where the likes Adam Channel and Chase Suznevich are already making waves. This could be the beginning of a trend, and we might see more and more accomplished high-schoolers bridge their summer between high school and college with a men's 7s team.

Also of note, is that the colleges listed are all over the place. That statement has two meanings - one is that you might see players from one college in programs scattered around the country. it also means that you will see big-time programs such as Arkansas State, but also smaller colleges such as NSCRO winners New Mexico Highlands. It's worth noting that teams that played in major 7s tournaments and didn't necessarily do well still produced players who like 7s, and are good at 7s, who kept at it and are now on successful club 7s teams.

 

1823
Alex Elkins - Oklahoma State football
Allan Hanson - Wheeling Jesuit
Chris Schade - Ohio University
Derek Patick - Miami of Ohio
Luke Markovich - Miami of Ohio
 
Austin
James Cobble - Arkansas State University
Matt Radzavich - Texas State
Pat Sullivan - Arkansas State University
Paul Steyn - Arkansas State University
Seth Saunders - Appalachian State
Skylar Talley - Texas
Zac Mizell - Arkansas State University
 
Belmont Shore
Adam Channel - HSAA, Belmont Shore U19s
Greg Daniel - CSULB
Jack Tracy - USA U19s, U20s
Jonathan Gray - Arizona
Justin Boyd - USA U19s/ Texas A&M
Marcus Tupuola - Notre Dame College
Max Paronelli - CSULB
Michael Te'o - Belmont Shore U19s/USAU19s/U20s
 
Chicago Lions
Adam Sandstrom - HSAA, USA U20s, Arizona State
Alex Sandstrom - Arizona State
Daniel Coci - Western Michigan
Eddy Long - Minnesota
Jordan Highberger - Indiana
Kevin Garbis - Principia
Luke Thiem - Minnesota
Matt Lancor - Illinois
Mike Lancor - Illinois State
Thomas Kacor - Western Michigan
 
Dallas Reds
Chase Habestroh - Temple
Kelly Kolberg - USA U19s
Zack Klump - Missouri S&T Football
 
US Army Selects
Aaron Retter - West Point
Andrew Locke - St. Thomas (Texas), USA U19s, West Point
Anthony Welmers - Grandville, Davenport
Ben Leatigaga - West Point
Will Holder - East Palo Alto, HSAA, USA U20s, West Point
Zack Forro - Notre Dame College
 
Charlotte
Cardell Terry - Notre Dame College
Chase Suznevich - Union County HS team
Chris Milledge - South U22s
Eric Dolan - Furman
Ethan Suznevich - South U22s
Khalid Williams - Notre Dame College
Matt Hughston - USA U20s, East Carolina
Maxim Bennett - Charlotte Catholic, Kutztown
 
Denver
Ben Pinkelman - Cherry Creek HS/HSAA/U20s/Colorado State
Bobby Impson - Oklahoma
Jeremy Misailegalu - New Mexico Highlands
John Huguelet - Illinois
Kevon Williams - New Mexico Highlands
Logan Collins - USA U19s, Colorado
Martin Iosefo - Montana
Maximo de Achaval - Colorado
 
Kansas City
K. Schwartze - Kansas State
Lungile Tshuma - Lindenwood
Michael Baska - Arkansas State University
Sebastian Kalm - Lindenwood
Walt Elder - Kansas State
 
Life West
Alauna Helu Jr. - Hayward, HSAA, USA U20s, Life West
Calvin Nell - Life University Marietta, Life West
Deveraux Ferris - Life West
Nemia Qoro - HSAA, USA U20s, Arkansas State University, Life West
Pita Moala - San Mateo U19s, USA U19s, Life West
Saia Uhila - Oceanside U19s, Life West
Setefano Latu - Life West
Siaosi Lata, San Mateo U19s, USA U20s, Life West
Sione Osamu - Life West
Zack Tannous - Claremont Colleges, Life West
 
Mystic River
Jared Collinson - Springfield College
Vini Daley - Springfield College
Dimitri Efthimiou - Mystic U19s, USA U20s, Northeastern
Chris Frazier - Northeastern
Pono Haitsuka - Oregon State
Jon Kokinda - Salisbury
Sean Rafferty - Stony Brook
Duran Vota - Curry College
 
Old Blue
Bobby McMahon - Columbia
Derek Lipscomb - Columbia
Dylan Carrion - Plano, Arkansas State
Gavan D’Amore Morrison - AIC
Harry Higgins - Arkansas State
Marcus Henderson - Stanford
Michael Al-Jiboori - Union (Okla.), Oklahoma
Nate Augspurger (capt) - Southside (Minn.), Minnesota
 
Schuylkill River
Ben Jansen - Penn State
Bruce Dolan - Kutztown
Dan Deal - St. Joseph’s
Jim Rosato - Penn State
Matt Berenato - South Carolina
Mitch Vanoy - Delaware
Pat Boyle - Villanova
Rob Pletcher - Drexel
Robert Stortz - Kutztown
 
Seattle
Eric Duechle - Prince William, Air Force
Kellen Gordon - Central Washington
Kevin Swiryn - St. Mary’s
Mike Palefau - Southern Utah
Miles Craigwell - Brown football
Rocco Mauer - Bowling Green
Ryan Snider - Central Washington
Shane Moore - Liberty HS
Tim Stanfill - Vancouver HS (Wash.), Central Washington
 
Santa Monica
Danny Thomas - UCLA
Isaiah Lopez - New England College
James Tayson - New England College
Mitchell Raisch - UCSB
Stuart Sharpe - UCLA
Tyler Pritchard - UCLA
Zachary Bonte - HSAA, USA U20s, UCLA