Boise State Makes History As Broncos Run Table in PNW
Boise State Makes History As Broncos Run Table in PNW
When NCR releases its DIAA playoff bracket Boise State won't be in it, not because they aren't good enough and not because they weren't invited.
The Broncos won't be in the playoffs because they are by far the most Western team in NCR DIAA and traveling for all three playoff events (if they make it that far) would be cost prohibitive. But they deserve a nod regardless. This past weekend Boise State beat Western Washington for the first time ever, taking the game 43-26. It was the culmination of a fairly dominant showing in the Northwest CRC in which they beat Washington, Oregon, Oregon State, Gonzaga, and Washington State.
Only the game with Oregon can be considered especially close, with the Broncos prevailing 14-10. This was also the first time they had ever beaten the Ducks in Eugene.
Club president Kyle Curry said the team has come together with a unified goal under new coach Nardus Wessels. They remember losing to Virginia Tech in the playoffs in 2021 with eight strters injured, and, Curry said, "we came into this season with a chip on our shoulder."
And some new ways of playing. Wessels opened up their attack and stressed basic skills.
"We are a very skilled team this year," said Curry. "Oregon is a lot bigger than us but we used our speed and intensity and we worked together."
Boise State gets a lot of talent from Northern California. The school is close enough to NorCal that they can visit family if they want, and the tuition is noticeably lower than many California colleges. So wht the Boise State team ends up getting are players who have a lot of rugby experience from high school and who know each other as teammates or opponents in high school.
At least six Boise State players suited up for Granite Bay, another four players for Jesuit Sacramento, and three more played for Mother Lode.
Among the leading performers is Bennett Mantz, who is a forward but has some strong open-field skills and sometimes plays like a back with a single digit on his jersey. The midfield of Andrew Bergey and Dakota Thompson has been exceptional. Bergey is a defensive leader and Thompson always seems to come out with a big play—interceptions are his specialty.
So it's been a wild ride for the Broncos, and only the realities of collegiate rugby —players usually have to pay their own way—will prevent them from seeking an NCR championship.
But we might still see them at NCR's finals weekend. They could well be in a bowl game—the players can swing the one trip, it's the $100,000 for three trips that gave them pause.
And whichever team they play, they will have ause, too, because this team out in the wilds of Idaho is one to watch.
