The USA Boys High School All Americans defeated the Ontario Blues U19 select side 27-14 Thursday at Appleby College in Oakville, Ont.

The Americans rode a strong scrum performance to relatively comfortable first-half lead, pinning the Blues in their end for most of the initial period. Ontario made some adjustments at halftime and battled back. The HSAA team led 20-7 late and then extended the lead with an interception for a try. 

Ontario came back with a try of their own to make it 27-14, which is how the game ended.

The HSAA team had many opportunities to score in the early going, getting two lineouts at five meters and a scrum five meters as well. However, the lineouts didn't quite work out, and while the tourists won that attacking scrum, the ball popped out on the wrong side and Ontario was able to defend what happened next.

As a result, despite dominating possession and territory, the All Americans were unable to score until the 22nd minute, when West Shore United center Jayden Demmy went over. With the conversion from flyhalf Marcus Young (Key Biscayne), that try gave them a nice seven-point reward for all their hard work.

The team seemed to relax after that and wing Luke Bienstock (Greenwich HS) raced in four minutes later to give the HSAA team a nice 12-0 lead. Just before halftime, Ontario scored to close the gap to 12-7.

But in the first part of the second half the HSAA team took control. Young kicked a penalty, and then scrumhalf Ruben de Haas (Arkansas Jr. Stormers) zipped over for a try and a 20-7 lead. It remained a little more of a struggle to secure possession for the tourists in the second half. This was partly due to the fact that Ontario ran in a series of subs in the front row to put pressure on the tiring USA tight five. Tighthead prop Karem Odeh (Brunswick HS) played the entire game.

Later in the second half, sub flyhalf Brandon Boon (Unionville) intercepted an Ontario pass and went the distance for a try. De Haas hit the conversion for the 27-7 lead. Ontario scored at full time, but overall, despite a few miscues and fielding several players new to the age-grade national team, the HS All Americans recorded an impressive victory.

HS All Americans 27

Tries: Demmy, Bienstock, de Haas, Boon

Convs: Young, De Haas

Pens: Young

Ontario Blues U19s 14

HSAA Lineup:  1 Jonas Petrakopoulos (Royal Irish) - Sub Satchel Carnine (Penn High School); 2 Jake Hedge (Shore School, Sydney) - Sub Zachary Biggs (Penn High School); 3 Karem Odeh (Brunswick); 4 Steven Benson (Little Rock Junior Stormers) - Sub Joshua Schnell (Katy); 5 Reid Brandt (Charlotte Catholic); 6 Jack Miller (Brookline HS); 7 Zach Heisterkamp (St Edward) - Sub Joe Rusert-Cuddy (Palmer Terrors); 8 Bronson Teles (Katy) - Sub Bailey Wilson (United); 9 Ruben de Haas (Little Rock Junior Stormers) - Sub Luke Persanis (Pelham HS); 10 Marcos Young (Key Biscayne) - Sub Brandon Boon (Unionville) 11 Luke Bienstock (Greenwich HS); 12 Jayden Demmy (West Shore United) - Sub Andrew Baldado (St. Ignatius); 13 Mike Jennings (Staples) - Sub Isaac Good (Brownsburg); 14 Grant Broeder (Eureka) - Sub Eric Naposki-Abdalah (Fairfield Pegasi); 15 Jack Bradfield (St Edward)  

DNP: Nathan Watts Dallas Harlequin Colts