Rancho Bernardo may have lost their opening league game in the SoCal Varsity White San Diego division, but since then, it’s been nothing but win.

After the opening loss to Mira Mesa 29-19, the Broncos have defeated Mission Vista, San Pasqual, and, most recently, Alta Vista.

The reason for that first loss is easy to see, too. Rancho Bernardo won the state Division III-A football championship this past December, with many of their rugby team - such as their top two tacklers - a key part of that. The Mira Mesa rugby game was played the day before the football championship game, so, obviously, Rancho Bernardo was missing some starters.

Among them, flanker and football linebacker Devin Dunn, No. 8 and football defensive end Wes Anderson, and scrumhalf and football running back/defensive back Nathan Lovato.

Those three and others joined the squad in time for the rest of the SoCal rugby season and since then Rancho Bernardo has won three in a row, 43-12 over Mission Vista, 27-5 over San Pasqual, and 29-12 over Alta Vista - a game in which Lovato scored twice.

“That opening game was useful for us to give our JV guys and some younger guys a taste of it,” said Coach Joe Yellen. “Overall our defense has been really strong and I’m really happy about our fitness and how we’ve finished games.”

So now it comes down to Friday night and undefeated University City Honey Badgers. This fixture could have already ended very differently, and much earlier. UC was supposed to play Rancho in December, but demurred because of the football season. They could have secured a victory, but decided instead to push the game back to the end of January to ensure the game would be as tough as possible.

“It was a nice piece of sportsmanship on their part,” said Yellen. “We know it’s going to be a really tough game.”