IUP Caps Comeback to Win DII
IUP Caps Comeback to Win DII
It was a weekend of comebacks and IUP capped it all of with a little comeback of their own to win the Men’s DII NCR championship Sunday in Houston.
Having ended the fall of 2022 as runners up, IUP salved that pain with their second-straight CRC 7s title. But they wanted the 15s crown, and had attacked this season with that goal in mind. In their way? A University of Memphis team that had shot up the rankings with explosive win after explosive win.
This was how the was stage set for a sunny, chilly, windy Sunday final.
The speed of the Memphis Tigers hurt IUP early and they showed they could score from long-range. In fact, IUP had been threatening to score when they lost the ball forward and Memphis attacked off a scrum five meters from their own line. One crashball and then out to wing Tyler Rogers. The speed outside back took off down the sideline, cut infield, sold a dummy, and then cut back the other way. He was dragged down by Dominic Holmes about 10 meters from the UP tryline. But quick ball saw No. 8 Harry Hagan take the pass and flyhalf Conor Dempsey loop around him to get the offload and score in the corner. From scrum put-in at their own 5 to Memphis scoring was 39 seconds, seven passes, and two rucks. It was an astonishing try.
Not long after Memphis was back on the front foot. The forwards surged close to the IUP tryline and then Dempsey grubbered through a hard-charging Hawks defensive line and regathered his own kick to make it 10-0. Dempsey converted also to make it 12-0, but he’d also caught a boot to the midriff or groin as an IUP player had tried to kick away that grubber.
IUP redoubled their defensive efforts and were determined to keep Memphis pinned deep. A penalty goal attempt was missed but it still kept Memphis in Memphis territory.
Finally, straight hands down the backline after a tap move on a penalty and Luaks Masikas took off for the corner to make it 12-5.
Both teams ramped up the physicality as they learned a little more about each other during the first half. IUP started to work the phases more and testing the Memphis tacklers. The Hawks got close and prop Cam Taylor went over. Ryan Hornickel converted and we had a tie ballgame going into halftime.
Energized, Memphis started the second half strong and finally regained the lead eight minutes in. After absorbing an IUP run and getting the turnover, the Tigers countered. Rogers, once again, was the instigator, and this time the finisher, as he took a pass 12 meters inside his own half. The wing sped between two defenders, stepped past another, and outpaced a fourth to score a huge try. Now it was 19-12. But there was trouble on the horizon. Dempsey, the architect of the first two Memphis tries, left the field injured and would not return (although he tried).
Playing into the wind UP had to run it to get anywhere. This is where Holmes was hugely important.
“He had an incredible game,” said IUP center Trent Stalling, who wasn’t so bad himself.
Holmes repeatedly was able to run IUP out of trouble.
Once he got the Hawks moving, Taylor and his fellow prop, Hayden Kovalick produced big carries, And that set up a chance for the Hawks. Memphis infringed and when IUP quick-tapped, Rogers had not retreated at all and tried to make a tackle. Another 10 meters, and a yellow card for Rogers. Moments later, Hagan came flying into a ruck in a reckless way and he, too was yellow carded.
Now down two players, Memphis was in trouble and when Holmes tapped and ran with his forwards shoving him ahead, it was only a matter of time. Memphis 19 IUP 17.
Off the restart IUP tried to get another but lost the ball forward. But a drop in the backline led to IUP getting the ball back and racing up the left sideline. After a couple of hard carries, RJ Beach (who was playing with a bad groin injury and really couldn’t be a running threat) pops a little chip kick that Hornickel gathered. He kept running and when the defense keyed on him he passed back inside to flanker Jayce Brooks, who did the rest. It was very good awareness for the IUP players and they now had a 22-19 lead. IUP started trying to run out the clock from there. They ran hard, and worked even harder to win rucks. Memphis did have chances but little mistakes started to creep into their play.
IUP, meanwhile, showed a ton of awareness, kept the ball alive, and ensured they didn’t needlessly go into touch.
But they did get a little loose with the ball, and one turnover was turnoved over almost immediately when flyhalf Santino Fischio knocked the ball loose and flanker Dylan McAnulty scooped it up and charged ahead 30 meters. The ball was recycled quickly and Stalling charged through a tackler and was in at the corner.
That was crucial because now it was a two-score game at 27-19.
Memphis worked to come back. They passed up a kick at goal to go for the try, and when IUP prop Kovalick was sin-binned the Tigers had to feel like they had a shot.
But IUP held, and when Holmes got the ball he was able to run out of his own 22.
Memphis kept coming, but IUP survived and was able to close out the game.
It was a thrilling game with a lot of different styles. Memphis, we are sure, will be back.
And when they are, Holmes, who was named game MVP, has some advice.
“It is sweeter now because we lost last year,” said Holmes. “Knowing we came close and didn’t get it, we came together and dedicated ourselves to this and just worked together. We know how tough it was to lose.”