The top 16 Men’s DII College teams are down to eight as the Round of 16 games are done.

There were two upsets, but they weren’t startling upsets. Vermont, ranked #11 by Goff Rugby Report, edged SUNY Oswego, ranked #8, 22-19. They will take on #2 Wisconsin-Whitewater, which thrashed Bentley (#25) 69-0.

In the other side of the same bracket, Salisbury had little trouble with Roger Williams. Paced by Nock Rodriguez’s two tries and with Jonathan Mbagwu, Tyler Savoye, and Zach Wheeler adding to the scoreboard, the Sharks won 41-0.

Salisbury will face Notre Dame College Sunday. The Falcons (#7) edged #14 Furman Saturday. Notre Dame scored a try from prop Alec Janotka, which flyhalf Logan Weinstock converted, and that was tacked on to a penalty from Weinstock for a 10-7 lead at halftime. Notre Dame scored once more, with wing Roneil Reynolds capping off a nice movement. Weinstock’s conversion made it 17-7. But Furman mounted a comeback, kicking a penalty and adding a try. But the conversion was no good and the Falcons held on 17-15.

In the other side of the bracket, Minnesota-Duluth (#1) hammered #10 Colorado College 71-5. They will take on Wisconsin-Stout, the #12-ranked team that upset #8 St. Louis 31-26.

“This was one of the best games of rugby we’ve played,” said Stout club president Ben Jondle. “We won all of the scrums except for the last one of the game, and while our lineouts weren’t all that good, overall our forwards were great. We feel we’re clicking as a team and while we respect all of our opponents, we’re not afraid of anybody.”

Captain Damon King led the forward effort, while scrumhalf Peter Wikman kicked well.

And finally in the last two games, James Madison beat Rowan soundly 55-14, while Towson beat Grand Valley State 55-24.

Roan hurt themselves with penalties and turnovers and JMU punished them repeatedly. Meanwhile, GVSU’s captain Patrick Hart went down with a knee inure before kickoff, forcing a freshman to step in for him. The freshman, one of seven starting for the Grand Valley, did well, but Towson were the stronger team.

“Excellent ref crew, very well organized with USA Rugby and Towson. The coaches and players could not have been better representatives of rugby,” said GVSU Head Coach John Mullett. “For that matter, even though frustrated and disappointed, my guys finished the game with effort. We were pretty thoroughly outplayed. Towson carried play for extended periods. We carried only in short spurts. When successful with what we do well, we would then go away from it.”

Towson got their first three tries from the Shields brothers, two for Tim and one for Brian. Brian set up Tim for his second. Tim Shield ended up with three tries, while Goff Rugby Report Player of the Week Pat McKenna was a monster all game and set up several tries, along with scoring a couple. Eric Sweeney had an excellent game kicking.
“We are really looking forward to James Madison tomorrow,” said Towson forwards coach Tony De Cesare. “It’s going to be a great game.”