With Penn State and Army not playing conference games this weekend, others in the Rugby East looked to gain some ground.

Wheeling Jesuit defeated Buffalo 29-7 in a game that was perhaps closer than many expected. WJU Head Coach Tom Duffy said UB did well to work the ball quickly and put his team under pressure. The Cardinals got tries from Ryan Graggs, Joji Vakasisakala, Killian Cause, Taylor Ozmont, and Cause again, with Vakasisakala and Joe Broderick adding converisons. 

UB has been getting some good work from the likes of Colton Kells, Luca Wrabatz, Matt Webber, and Madajerit Singh, and are improving. WJU is now 6-1.

Iona handed West Virginia a 73-14 defeat. Eliot Collins and John Powers both scored twice for Iona while Lavar James, John D'Allara, Matt Crowe, Santi Mascolo, Bryce Stanback, and Mike Marino all scored once in a nice team performance by the Gaels. Iona improves to 3-4. 

And Kutztown improved to 5-1 with a 62-19 defeat of Delaware. KU started as many as six freshman on the day, and continue to be a young team - young and exciting, in that their new players, including Joe Thatcher, who scored four tries at No. 8, are aggressive and know how to play. Young also in that they sometimes force the issue, and send 50-50 passes that turn over possession.

Head Coach Gregg Jones said he is taking the good with the bad and seeing the bad less and less.

"We have talent and athleticism, and we're learning," he said. "And these players are fun to watch."

Brandon Boon, another freshman, scored three tries.

So what this means is that there are three teams with one loss going into the last few weeks of the Rugby East Conference season. All are chasing Penn State. WJU is now tied on points, but has played (and lost) one more game. Army is right behind, and Kutztown has a game in hand.

Kutztown and Army play each other next week, the same day Penn State plays Wheeling Jesuit. A week later PSU is at Kutztown. 

(Standings include corrections as earlier we double-counted a couple of games)