MORAGA, Calif. – In a very wet and somewhat wild game, Cal held off St. Mary’s 27-14 Saturday at Saint Mary’s Stadium.

Wing Evan Coleman scored two of Cal’s five tries, but it wasn’t until very late in the game that the Bears shook the Gaels completely. 

“A really good victory,” said match-day captain Michael Bush. “Everyone played their hearts out and that’s what we needed.”

Photos by Michael Geib.

With the weather and the physicality of both defenses making scoring a little difficult, neither team was able to get points until almost a half hour into the contest. Harry Adolphus and Coleman scored on some nice ball-handling by the Bears. Both went over in the corner for unconverted tries and a 10-0 halftime lead. 

In the second half, St. Mary’s regained the momentum. Gaels center Dylan Audsley burst through the line and fought his way over in a superb individual effort, which he converted to make it 10-7. Then on a kick ahead by Aaron Matthews, Adolphus got back to the ball and slid down on it just as two St. Mary’s chasers were knocked off-course by another Cal player. Referee Pete Smith awarded a penalty try - a tough call in that it certainly didn’t seem like a try was likely even if the chasers had been able to get there first. Audsley converted and St. Mary’s led 14-10.

St. Mary’s had other chances to score but passed up kickable penalties in order to go for the try. But their lineout was a source of frustration, as it didn’t fire, and it was Cal that scored next. Colemen went over in the corner to put his side ahead once more. Bears flyhalf Russell Webb did well to keep the ball in the St. Mary’s end with his territorial kicking, and the Bears started to work the clock.

“That was the game plan,” Webb said. “Full credit to the coaches for the plan, credit to the players for sticking to our system and special credit to our forwards. They were immense today.”

With the score 17-14 Cal didn’t have much of a cushion, but in the final ten minutes prop George Vrame and scrumhalf Nicklas Boyer went over to finish off the game.

“We expected a good game from the Gaels and we got one,” said Cal head coach Jack Clark. “We have a ways to go to be at our best, but today we put in a good effort and responded when we had to.”

Photos by Michael Geib.

“The difference was effort,” agreed Bush. “Effort and playing as one.”

For St. Mary’s Coach Tim O’Brien, the problems in the lineout stuck in his craw.

“Lineouts continue to be a nice source of possession for our opponents,” said O’Brien. “Quite disappointed with a handful of tactical decisions which shaped the game in Cal’s favor.”

St. Mary’s stung by injuries this year, saw scrumhalf Holden Yungert leave with a broken arm - he actually played for about 15 minutes with the injury before finally leaving the field. Brad Roberts stepped in and performed admirably in difficult circumstances. Ethan Waller held his own at hooker, and several players had some good moments for the Gaels. But Cal handled the adverse conditions and some not insignificant adversity very well, and came away with the win.

Cal 27

Tries: Coleman 2, Adolphus, Vrame, Boyer

Convs: Webb

St. Mary’s 14

Tries: Audsley, Penalty Try

Convs: Audsley 2