New Mexico Highlands won the third annual NSCRO Men’s 7s National Championship in a final at PPL Park in Chester, Pa. May 31.

The final was the culmination of a series of qualifier tournaments and the chapionship event held in Chester during the CRC weekend.

Eight teams participated in the championship tournament:
Pool A:
The Claremont Colleges, Claremont, Calif.
New England College, Henniker, NH
Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, Pa.
Wayne State College, Wayne, Neb.

Pool B:
Lafayette College, Easton, Pa.
Lee University, Cleveland, Tenn.
New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas, NM
University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Fla.


Saturday
Claremont Colleges, playing in their first NSCRO 7s National Championship, lost a close one to defending champions New England College 14-12 in pool play, but qualified for the semifinals with a 2-1 record after beating Susquehanna 33-0 and Wayne State 22-7. New Mexico Highlands ran the table in Pool B, scoring 97 and allowing 29. Also to the semis from Pool B was North Florida, which beat Lee 24-0 and Lafayette 26-7.

Sunday
In the first semifinal, Pool B winner New Mexico Highlands dominated Pool A runner-up Claremont Colleges 33-0. The second semifinal resulted in Pool A winner New England College defeating Pool B runner-up North Florida 33-7.

Results for the Consolation matches:
7th Place: Susquehanna 24 - Lee 17 
5th Place: Wayne State 20 - Lafayette 5 
3rd Place: North Florida 28 - Claremont 17

Championship Match
In a repeat of the 2014 final, the New England College Lions played New Mexico Highlands Vatos. NEC was victorious in 2014, and this time, NEC scored late to take a commanding 19 -10 lead. NEC kicked off with 1:09 left to play, and the Vatos took the ball into contact, won the rock, and then scored under the posts. The conversion made it 19-17. With time about to expire the Vatos kicked short and high, and Jeremy Misailegalu jumped past two Lions players to reclaim the ball. One ruck later the ball went wide to Kevon Williams, who scored in the corner after the hooter had sounded. That won the game for NMHU 22-19.

Williams was named MVP. He not only scored the winner, but added a 107-meter run for another try in the first half, and scored a third as well.

An NSCRO All-Championship Team was selected by Howard Kent:

 

ALL CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM

Celester Asuega New Mexico Highlands University 

Jonathan DeRocha Wayne State College 

Cathal Finneran New England College 

Ian Luciano New England college 

Jeremy Misailegalu New Mexico Highlands University 

William Mueller University of North Florida 

Quinn Rocchford Wayne State College 

William Sanders The Claremont Colleges 

Eric Sykes, Jr. New Mexico Highlands University 

James Tayson New England College 

Nick Urban The Claremont Colleges 

Kevon Williams New Mexico Highlands University 

 

HONORABLE MENTION 

Cameron Bratlett Lafayette College 

Brian Coleman Lee University 

Christopher Davey Wayne State College 

Alex Holderbaum Susquehanna University 

 

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER 

Kevon Williams New Mexico Highlands University