Rugby Indiana is set for its finals weekend with semifinals and finals going on in several brackets.

The Boys D1 playoffs got going this past weekend with their quarterfinals. Pendleton, ranked #26 by GRR among HS Clubs, won their playoff game in fairly comfortable fashion 47-5 over Leo/Angola. Marian cruised by the Chargers 64-0, while #35 Avon beat Westfield 34-10 and Carmel beat Louisville 24-7.

"It was a great game with some players stepping into unfamiliar positions due to injury," said Avon Head Coach Steve Nicholson. "It was a great performance from one through 15."

Prop Spencer Domogalik stepped in as team captain as the regular Avon captain was out injured. He was a rock up front for the team and also did an excellent job leading the team. Scrumhalf Gage Poland is usually the team's flyhalf but was called in to play #9 for the first time ever. He was smart and calm under pressure and kept the attack moving. He also scored a try coming in as a support runner, taking the offload and breaking through from long range. 

Center Josh Jones continued to be a force as a strike runner—he was Avon's player of the game in a 17-15 loss to Pendleton a week earlier, and was just as effective this week.

Carmel's win was just another step in a solid season for the club. 

"Our team has been working very hard for the last five months," said Head Coach Leo Romero, who started the squad practicing indoors at IvyTech in Noblesville and the school cafeteria space. With a roster of 30, most of whom are freshmen, sophomores, or new to the game, Romero has put together a very effective outfit.

"All of them have stepped up to match up with the most experienced players we have," Romero said. "Our culture and philosophy always have been 'we are a team,' and as such, we have no heroes." Now, at 6-2, they face a very good Avon team.

"We are looking forward to a good match," said Romero.

Matchups

The Boys D1 has Carmel vs Avon and Pendleton vs Marian.

The Boys Super League final four had Royal Irish already set and filled out the rest of the bracket based on last weekend's results. Bishops Dwenger plays Brownsburg and HSE takes on Royal Irish.

HSE, Dwenger Get Key Wins in Indianas Super League

The Girls semis see Carmel taking on Chargers and Noblesville playing North Central. Carmel beat Warsaw 46-5 last week to advance, and North Central edged Fort Wayne 19-10. Noblesville and Chargers got byes to the semis. Warsaw plays Fort Wayne in the girls Challenge Cup final.

The Challenge Cup was supposed to be a final four of the teams in Boys D1 that lost last weekend, but with Leo-Angola and Chargers both sustaining injuries, they opted out and it's now a straight final with Westfield vs Louisville.