Woodlands Wins Two
Woodlands Wins Two
Woodlands won games over Celina and St. Thomas Aquinas over the weekend.
Aquinas was making the trip to Houston in a good warmup for HS National Championships.
It was a good, competitive game but this was also a rolling subs game and provided Woodlands with a chance to test some players.
The match was very even through the first quarter with each team making the other pay for the mistakes with gain in territory. Woodlands finally got on the board at the 16:20 mark with a sneaky try by scrumhalf Elijah Capiro from a scrum about 15 meters out. After giving up territory through STA phase play and penalties, Woodlands turned the tables when wing Sebastian Infante intercepted a pass and ran 90 meters for the try. In the 29th minute Woodlands center John Shaheen got over the line for a try set up by a weakside scrum move (No. 8 Grant Raper to Capiro). That made it 17-0 for Woodlands.
Woodlands started fast in the second half when Raper scored on an eightman pick. From that point it was all St Thomas Aquinas for the next 23 minutes. Good phase play and Woodlands penalties got STA on the front foot putting up 13 points in those minutes.
Woodlands was finally able to shift momentum back with five minutes left in the match when reserve prop Drew John made a fierce run dragging would-be tacklers with him over the line to make it 27-13 Woodlands. The conversion was good and the score would remain at 29-13 until full time.
The Rugby Texas semifinal game vs Celina was played following the STA game. No. 8 Ethan Scott got them going and that try was converted by flyhalf Ilen Menon, who then added a penalty goal.
Center Trace Biltz went over to make it 15-0 at halftime. Tries from lock Sky Feletoa, wing Lucas Staggs, reserve back Jadyn Tran, and center Tommy Kratt made it a 20-0 second half and a 35-0 final.
Woodlands had issues with penalties, receiving three yellow cards, but the players responded well and the defense was very solid.
Scott was named player of the game.
West Houston, meanwhile, just got by a tough Four Points team 7-6 to join Woodlands in the Rugby Texas HS Club final.
