Overtime Ending for Utah Final
Overtime Ending for Utah Final
Cavemen defeated LCA 36-31 in sudden-death overtime to win the Utah Youth Rugby Boys Teir 1 championship.
This was a rematch of a game that saw a 5-5 tie the last time Cavemen and LCA played.
In a back-and-forth, wild game, the teams traded tries throughout the first half.
Both teams tried to control the gainline with some very physical defense, but the enthusiasm sometimes left little gaps to exploit.
And with both teams showcasing players who can run, can sidestep, and can bull over tacklers, it started to become a bit of a track meet.
LCA opened the scoring, Cavemen responded. LCA scored another impressive try, and Cavemen who stretch the defense and go over.
LCA took a 21-14 lead into the closing moments of the halftime break only for Cavemen to once again work their magic. Both teams kicked very well for goal and it was 21-21 at halftime.
The second half was not as thrilling. LCA did score relatively early, and Cavemen did tie it up 28-28, but, overall, the teams had expended a ton of energy in the first half. Now they started to align a little too flat and mistakes—passes behind players, knock-ons—started to creep into the game. And that was disappointing because neither team really scrummed particularly well so the contest devolved into a series of not-pretty scrums and some frustration on both sides.
LCA slotted a penalty goal to make it 31-28 and Cavemen tried to equalize only to miss. But late in the game they did indeed with Tristan Mocke putting over a majestic kick.
Both sides had chances to add to that, but couldn't quite finish it off, and full time saw the teams deadlocked once more, this time 31-31. Two games and close to 140 minutes of rugby and these teams were 36-36.
In the overtime Cavemen missed a penalty attempt, and then, as the period was coming to a close, LCA got close only to lose control of the ball near the tryline.
Cavemen worked their way down the field and worked several offloads to burn down the sideline. But LCA held on and forced the ball into touch. LCA worked the ball wide and, with maybe 30 seconds left, tested the left sideline. However the ball bounced around a little bit. Fullback Zaeden Selu stepped in and nabbed the ball and raced down the sideline. Try, ballgame, state title.
Cavemen won it 36-31 in OT. It was drama all over the place.
