Tension and humidity filled the air at Mount St. Mary’s University, as the Bethesda Roosters defended their U19 Rugby Maryland Championship Title
and added a record to their storied rivalry with the Maryland Exiles.
The Roosters were seeking to avenge a tight loss earlier in the year in which they only managed to field a team of 12. The tension, however, would not last, as the
Roosters quickly took a seven-point lead when flyhalf Cameron King split the Exiles backline and offloaded to French center Calliste Le Lay, who dummied and
scored with a successful conversion by fullback Santiago Karklins. The Roosters quickly extended the lead to 12 after rookie Ben Sibileau dotted a try in the
corner.
The Exiles responded, with wing Van Mahoney breaking through the blue-and-red line and managing to place the ball down for a try. The half progressed, with each
side scoring an additional try, the Exiles relying mainly on a one-pass-crashes off the scrumhalf, while the Roosters combined hard-hitting carries by the forwards
with spicy footwork and passing by the backs, with some dubious kicks mixed in.
The Roosters looked to finish the half ahead by nine points, but a penalty late in the half, compounded by a series of offside calls culminating in a yellow card,
resulted in a try as the teams headed into the break: Roosters 19, Exiles 19.
