CRAA Challenger Cup Opens With Some Excitement

04.07.2025College Men

CRAA’s new Challenger Cup playoff in Men’s D1A action had a pretty successful first weekend with two very competitive games.

Utah State held off UC Santa Cruz 39-21 in the western match. Loosehead prop Franco Tellechea logged 14 points with a try, three conversions, and a penalty goal, while fullback Austin Clark scored two tries. Fisher Anderson, Jake Anderson, and Bradley Taylor also touched down.

“We started off a little slow, with some simple mistakes,” said USU’s Sam Gatherum. “At halftime we were able to calm down and play our game. I think the big difference-maker in the second half was Austin Clark’s and [flyhalf] Matt Gatherum’s ability to kick the ball and keep pressure on.”

The forwards worked well to win the physical battle.

“We really set the tone of how we were going to run,” said Gatherum, who was back for his first game this spring after injury. “I was having a great time being back out there and now our focus shifts to GCU.”

Ohio State ran out to a 23-0 lead only to see Air Force Academy come storming back.

Buckeyes fullback Tommy Kilbane was heavily influential. He slotted into the backline to burst through early-on and score wide on the left. Kilbane then put over the tough conversion, and moments later added a penalty goal for a 10-0 lead.

Through much of the next portion of the first half Ohio State would make inroads only to give up a holding-on penalty. Air Force didn’t see much ball or much time in the Ohio State half, but they defended doggedly—Micah Frigaard was a punishing tackler.

Eventually, however, OSU got into scoring position again thanks to a big run from Kilbane. The Buckeyes were pushed back a bit and then worked their way forward; Air Force was penalized, and scrumhalf and captain Jack Dulik tapped and sliced through for the try.

Kilbane slotted another tough-angled conversion, and now it was 17-0. As the game progressed, Ohio State opted to take points when they could. Twice Air Force was penalized inside their half—both times over 40 meters from the line—and Kilbane booted a penalty goal each time. That made it 23-0 at halftime.

Ohio State pressured right off the second-half kickoff and looked to score again, but Frigaard intercepted a pass and raced 85 meters to score under the posts for the Zoomies. Kyle Hulme converted and Air Force had a lifeline.

And when OSU was penalized for obstruction, the Zoomies kicked to touch and mauled it close. OSU was penalized again, Air Force tapped, and the forwards helped shove it over.

A tighter game using the forwards was working for Air Force, and they kept it up. A break from lock Trevor Kauer and link with center Cole Norris had the Zoomies on the front foot once more. OSU was penalized again, and here perhaps Air Force made a tactical error. They had a penalty right in front of the posts and opted to pass up an easy three points. Instead they tapped and lost the ball. The Buckeyes were able to clear, and survived another AFA visit into their 22. Those were crucial.

Meanwhile, when Ohio State finally got an attacking chance, they got a penalty, and Kilbane once more put the kick over. The fullback was just so calm under pressure in this game.

Even so, Air Force kept coming. In the end they were able to exploit penalties and use their forwards to score twice more—No. 8 Jack Brown, hooker Dallas Wright, and Kauer at lock all scored to make it 31-28—Hulme was a perfect 4-for-4 on conversions.

That last Air Force try was scored with about a minute to go, but OSU was able to finish it off after that.

“We got off to a rough start,” said AFA Rugby Program Director Jeff Burrows. “Too many handling errors and penalties. We were better in the second half where our fitness helps us exploit things.”

For Ohio State, their overall team performance, especially in the first half, was impressive and they made smart tactical decisions. Vice captain Ian Fairfield at lock led a hard-nosed effort up front.

“Obviously we’re very pleased with the result as a whole,” said Ohio State Coach Pete Malcolm. “It was a great test for our boys to play a team as big and physical as Air Force and to get the job done. We have more growing to do as a group, and we can’t let good teams back into the game in the final quarter. Credit to Air Force; they are a well-coached team that pushed us to the brink.”

Next up for these teams, Ohio State is at Mary Washington on April 19, while Utah State visits Grand Canyon.

The final will be May 3 during CRAA’s championship weekend in Indianapolis.