On October 18, 2014 Wheeling Jesuit visited Davenport University and came away 39-10 poorer in a non-league game.

Now, exactly six months later, we’ve got the same matchup at the same field, only this time it’s a DIA quarterfinal playoff game.

Both teams are better now than they were a half year ago. Davenport has JP Eloff back and healthy, and has battled through a seriously difficult Mid-South Conference season, finishing 2nd to Life in the process. But the Panthers will be without their captain and best player, Angus MacLellan, as the prop assembles with the USA Selects team ahead of their trip to South America. So everyone on the team is a better player - that is likely - but they are missing an important piece. 

Of course, Eloff was on the field for the WJU game last year, too, and MacLellan wasn’t with Davenport then, either, as he was on international duty.

Still, things have changed, and they have changed for Wheeling Jesuit as well. WJU came out of the Rugby East Conference with a 3-3 record, and on the bubble for the DIA playoffs. Since then, though, the Cardinals beat Navy and West Virginia, showing enough improvement to move up in the rankings.

Taking on tough opposition is just fine for WJU Director of Rugby Eric Jerpe.

“ would rather get beat by a team and we learn something than play a game where we win big,” he said. “It’s helped our team grow. We’re starting to mature and get more serious about the way we play.”

When WJU became a varsity program, Jerpe concentrated on developing his freshman class. It took a while, as the young Cardinals grew into the level of competition. The second year, the now-sophomores who darted the program were a little iffy about meshing with the new group of freshmen. All of that was a maturing process. Now those freshmen are juniors, and starting to trust everyone in the program.

“We’ve got a more mature mental outlook,” said Jerpe. “The players are maturing as adults, as everyone does in college. They are developing as a team as opposed to a group of individuals, and it’s showing on the field.”

Davenport, meanwhile, just claimed their first Mid-South victory, and continues to bash their heads against the walls of tough opponents. 

“We’ve been a little hot and cold at times,” said Coach James Wood. “But looking at the win over Lindenwood, I was pretty happy with what I saw. Against Life we had way too many unforced errors. We resolved to limit them, and we did. We have to be smarter.”

Wheeling Jesuit needs to be stopped at the gainline, warned Wood. “If they start to get behind you they work those offloads and they are very dangerous. We have to meet them before they get going forward. And if they do break through, we have to cut off their passing lanes.”

Davenport is not thinking about that 39-10 win six months ago. They know WJU is better now.

Meanwhile, Jerpe says the same thing, only from his team’s perspective.

“We’ve got to pressure Davenport’s backs,” said the Wheeling Jesuit coach. “We’ve got to take it to them. We know there’s no entitlement in the playoffs, or anywhere. We get want we want through hard work. That’s it.”

Peter Malcolm continues play brilliantly for WJU at No. 8, while young flankers Andrew Waggoner, a sophomore Xavier HS product, and freshman Ryan Mann from Montana have emerged as young and dynamic additions to the back row.

They will be up against a strong loose forward contingent from Davenport, led by Dominique Bailey and Conor Schilling (also a hooker).

So in short, Wheeling Jesuit looks poised to be better, tougher-minded, and more polished than they were six months ago. Davenport has figured out a few things, too. This sets up an exciting DIA quarterfinal, but it’s hard to imagine WJU is 29 points better this time around.