HS Nationals Club Latest from Day Two
HS Nationals Club Latest from Day Two
For the first time since 2017 there will not be a Californian team in the final of the HS National Championships Club Division.
A brilliant tactical game from Charlotte Cardinals and a powerful performance from The Woodlands put those teams into the final.
The Woodlands
Woodlands and Belmont Shore traded scores throughout their game. Belmont Shore looked to exert dominance with their forwards but the Woodlands pack is pretty strong, too, and they defended well.
Flanker Grant Raper was a big part of the defense, while Sky Feletoa was a monster running with the ball. The center pairing of Jace Hernandez and Zane Smith tested the Belmont Shore defense while there were opportunities for the likes of Elijah Lolesio-Pua and Lenny Ibarra, Shore did not run away with it.
Raymond Gomez scored two tries and Jasiah Lolesio-Pua scored one for Shore, but tries from relatively early tries from Junior Alatini on an excellent cutback, Mason Wilson powering over at hooker, and wing Sebastian Infante finishing off a long period of pressure, Woodlands won.
With Neel Menon's excellent goalkicking producing two conversions and a penalty, and Belmont Shore getting into penalty trouble, Woodlands took the game 22-17.
Charlotte Cardinals
The Cardinals were tactically smart and some brilliant, fast play with pick-and-go's keeping the pressure on, the Cardinals forced the San Diego Mustangs into mistakes and penalties.
Bradan Scott's excellent try for the Mustangs were countered by some good open-field play to put Max Colson and Finlay Mitchell over. A perfect grubber from flyhalf Zach Colson set up his brother's try. Nate Rawls was outstanding at No.8. and he got a try. A nifty keeper from Will Kuebler put him over in the second half and they capped it off with a rambling run from loose forward Jacko Ah Hoy.
San Diego scored late to make it 33-12, but really once they avoided penalties the Cardinals were in control and certainly impresses.
Also ...
After losing their first four National Championship games by close margins, Layton Christian Academy held off Eastside 28-21 to win their first championship game. Emili Pauni, Feleti Fekiton, Tifaga Havili, and Siaki Fekitoa all scored tries for LCA.
With the score 21-21, Fekitoa's try sealed it for LCA in a game that was a nice contrast of styles. When LCA played free with the ball, they were hard to stop.
LCA will play Okapi for 5th after the Florida champs edged Pendleton 16-13 thanks to some smart goalkicking.
For Pendleton, this was the second very close loss in two days, but, the players, said they just need to have a short memory and turn it around to face Eastside.