JV Rugby Wins California State Title
Saturday, May 5, 2018 - Stockton Soccer Complex
The culmination of the Jesuit Marauders Junior Varsity 2018 campaign saw the Marauders facing off against the Peninsula Youth Rugby Razorhawks. Their name is somewhat deceptive, as the Razorhawks looked like a junior college team. The Razorhawk forward pack may have been the largest pack at the tournament, varsity teams included. It consisted of at least six players who weighed in at over 250 lbs. Contrasted against the Jesuit pack, which only had two players that weigh over 200 lbs, the size disparity was immense. The backline comparison was every bit as lopsided as the forwards. Almost all of the Razorhawks were quite a bit larger, and more powerful. Spectators and coaches, unfamiliar with the Jesuit Rugby program, took one look at the two teams before kickoff and lamented how Jesuit was going to get steamrolled.
But there is an old saying: “It’s not the size of dog in the fight; it’s the size of the fight in the dog.” Throughout the week of training, the message was that the outcome of the game would not necessarily be determined by what happened ON the field, but rather it would be won or lost before the game even began with proper training and mindset. The Marauders knew that they would be put to the test and would have to endure a physically brutal match. However, the boys went in with a warrior mindset, played for each other, and didn’t concede anything. The Jesuit JV Marauders made the impossible, possible, and left the entire Razorhawk contingent, as well as the spectators and coaches of other programs, shocked at the result. Congratulations to the 2018 NorCal Junior Varsity Rugby Champions, Jesuit Marauders!
SCORELINE:
- Try Razorhawks: JHS 0 – RH 5
- Try Mauricio Murguia-Sarin, conversion Hunter Modlin: JHS 7 – RH 5
- Try + conversion Razorhawks: JHS 7 – RH 12
- Penalty Modlin: JHS 10 – RH 12
- Try Kyle Cazneaux, conversion Modlin: JHS 17 – RH 12
- Penalty Modlin: JHS 20 – RH 12
- HALFTIME SCORE: Marauders 20 – Razorhawks 12
- Try + conversion Razorhawks: JHS 20 – RH 19
- Try Cazneaux: JHS 25 – RH 19
- Try + conversion Razorhawks: JHS 25 – RH 26
- Try Davin Kelly: JHS 30 – RH 26
- Try Nick Blake, conversion Modlin: JHS 37 – RH 26
- Try Hunter Donelson, conversion Modlin: JHS 44 – RH 26
Man of the Match honors went to: flyhalf Tommy Dreyer and tighthead prop Aiden Goveas