SUNY Oneonta plays Manhattanville Sunday for the Tri-State Small College final, and these are classic small college stories.

Manhattanville draws from a tiny pool of players, said Coach Chris Dahlem. The school boasts about 1,700 students, two-thirds of whom are women.

“We have a good bunch of guys who really work hard, but depth is always an issue,” said Dahlem. “We get one or two injuries it hurts us.”

Still they’ve managed to hang in there, winning four and losing one. Last week’s 34-22 win over Bard College cemented their spot in this title game. Manahattanville had rugby on campus decades ago, but the program faltered before being revitalized two years ago. The college rugby alumni jumped at the chance to support the team, and with Dahlem at the helm they have emerged as a power in the Tri-State NSCRO league.

But not the top power. SUNY Oneonta boasts that position, having finished league play 5-0, and allowing just ten points a game while doing it. They have accomplished all of this without a coach.

Player Tom Connors, who is in his 5th year at the school, is coaching the squad along with the other two players who had previous rugby experience. This is Oneonta’s second season in its current incarnation. The previous rugby team was kicked off campus, and it took Connors three years to talk the administration into giving the sport another change.

“They remembered what the other team was like and we had to show them that we were different,” said Connors. “We get no funding, but we are allowed to play, and that’s what we wanted.”

The Oneonta team is small - few big guys seem to be on campus, but they are athletic and committed.

“We’re playing well as a unit,” he said. “Everyone on the team has scored a try. We’ve been studying as coaches and I got my certification, and we implemented a new offensive system this year - kind of a New Zealand offense. We basically have a team full of flankers so we have everyone do everything. If you’re closest to a ruck, you ruck, and if you’re in the first receiver position, you get the pass.”

Sunday’s game will be a challenge for both new programs. Manhattanville brings a power running game to combat Oneonta’s more fluid view of attack. But both, having brought rugby back to campus and overcome obstacles - small player pool, no coach, suspicious administration - have won something already.