National Champs: Mustangs, Ignatius, and SOC Celebrate
National Champs: Mustangs, Ignatius, and SOC Celebrate
The Boys HS Rugby National Championships is done and we've got a quick rundown.
SOC Raptors played fast and faster and pulled away from a tough New Trier side to win Tier II 31-14.
Jesse Torres was brilliant for the Raptors. How counter-attacking on kicks was a huge asset for SOC throughout the three days of action and he added an additional factor with his defense and his goalkicking.
For the Raptors, this was the culmination of some unfinished business. They have been coming to HS Nationals year after year but had not been able to come away with hardware. Last year's team felt they had the right combination to win Tier II, but it was San Mateo that took away the spoils. This time, SOC stuck with their approach, always stretching defenses and not getting drawn into what other teams were doing.
Raptor Rugby out of Tennessee won comfortably over Kansas Cty Jr. Blues to take 3rd. Going 2-1 Raptor showed was testing yourself does for you as they played in the Friendship Cup and learned much about playing tough opponents in a short period of time.
St. Edward took 5th in a thrilling game against Eastside out of Washington. No. 8 Patrick Andrews was excellent as a hard runner and defender. It was his attacking lines that sealed a 17-10 victory, while center Tommy Graham's goalkicking was also hugely important as he converted both St. Edward tries and added a crucial penalty goal.
And 7th place went to Fort Hunt over St. Thomas Aquinas. The pressure of the national tournament had seen Fort Hunt lose two close games in the first two days. However, they rallied nicely to take that 7th place.
San Diego Mutangs won a very exciting HS Club game, beating the #1-seeded Charlotte Cardinals 19-14. Scrumhalf Spencer Hundley was the star, scoring a brilliant individual try and adding another that was built nicely by the team. But the opening try came when the Mustangs worked their way down to the tryline and went into their short yardage game. But when Williams Reiter ended up free on the wing, Hundley sent a laser pass to him for the try.
So Huntley was directly responsible for all of San Diego's 19 points. However, his contributions were backed up by several impressive players, led by lock Timothy Bresenden, who was a lineout forward and a strong carrier throughout.
Charlotte was hurt badly by an injury to flyhalf Max Colson, but got a huge performance from center Luke Zehmke and No. 8 Kai Campbell.
The good news in the 3rd-4th game was that Belmont Shore's Troy Taavao was out of the hospital and attending the game. That was enormously welcome news for everyone. However, as far as the game went, it was Cavemen's. This was another example of how tournament play and traveling helped a team new to the national tournament perform well. Fullback Chris Malo scored three tries as Cavemen won 28-5.
In overtime, Charlotte Tigers beat LCA 36-28. The Tigers battled hard in this game, felling behind, and stormed back to tie it up. A penalty and a try sealed it in OT for the Tigers to take 5th.
That wasn't the only overtime game of the day. Woodlands and the San Mateo Wolverines battled to a 27-27 tie at full time. The Wolverines broke through to score and win it in OT 34-27.
In the single-school match, things were just as tight. St. Ignatius and Herriman battled in a game of smart tactics, key moments, and intense physicality.
Herriman caught a bad break early in the game. Just after the kickoff flanker Cannon Brinton went out injured. Brinton had been a force for the Mustangs in their semifinal win over Xavier, scoring the game-winning try. His loss was felt.
St. Ignatius scored first, pressuring the Mustangs and, with a penalty advantage, seeing scrumhalf Mark French launch a high ball that wing Tommy Passerallo caught. He was tackled but was able to offload to the looping Coin Spellacy and Ignatius led 5-0.
Herriman broke through soon thereafter with a brilliant weakside move that put wing Troy Ellermeier through for a pong run. Herriman consolidated from there and prop Mote Kinikini powered over. That made it 5-5.
Both sides had prime scoring chances, but this game was on a knife edge throughout. Every play was hugely important. Both teams made crucial plays at the goalline to stop tries.
St. Ignatius broke the deadlock after a Herriman penalty with an almost perfect maul. They took the 10-5 lead into halftime. In the second half, Ignatius made their way down to the Herriman tryline and worked their short-yardage pattern through a series of phases and finally flanker Charlie Worthington got it down over the line. Conversion good and it was 17-5 for Ignatius.
Herriman responded. While they had trouble in the lineout—Marcello Woodberry, Rafe Gabrovsek, and Gavin Vollmer all contributed there, with Woddberry the go-to man when it was Ignatius's throw—the Mustangs were strong in the scrum and was able to launch from there. In fact, as the game went on they passed up taking the lineout on penalties to either take the scrum or just tap it. Off one scrum they sent Ellermeier through the middle and he beat everyone to score under the posts.
That made it 17-12 and it stayed that way for a long time. Herriman threatened to break through again using wing Ikaila Nau and fullback Lucky Fisiipeau, and they almost did it. But the Ignatius cover defense did just enough.
Ignatius got out of trouble with a long kick from fullback Hank McGowan and a chase that forced a mistake—offside on a small kick. McGowan tapped quickly and the Ignatius forwards backed him up. They went into their short yardage once more and went through—get this—40 phases on the goalline. Herriman defended brilliantly, but eventually were penalized (after 40 tackles, mind you). McGowan slotted the goal and it was a two-score game at 20-12.
Time was not Herriman's friend. Once again they unleashed their strong runners with captain Logan Youngblood leading the way. When they didn't have the ball they were able to keep Ignatius in their 22. Ellermeier was almost in at the corner but Gabrovsek and flyhalf Connor Gallagher put him into touch. But the pressure told and Youngblood tapped and scored off a penalty close-in.
But that was it. There was no time left. Ignatius held on 20-17 in a superbly well-played game from both sides. Herriman was certainly good enough to win it and Performed without a key player. Ignatius ran a well thought-out substitution plan that saw them start some usual finishers because other players, the coaches felt, could last into overtime if need be. The back row of Charlie Banaszak, Woodberry, and Worthington were outstanding, as was French at scrumhalf and Spellacy at center. Woodberry was named game MVP.
For 3rd place, Notre Dame de la Salette came back to kick a penalty at the death to win it 35-34. Jesuit was impressive in a 26-14 win over Gonzaga to take 5th. Greenwich ran out to an early lead, absorbed a response from Strake Jesuit, and then smartly pulled away thanks in part to two tries from lock Teodoro Ballerio to take 7th.
This was an excellently-played tournament. For the most part games were very competitive to very, very competitive. Two of the finals were within a try. Of the 36 games, four went to overtime, and nine more were decided by a try or less.
