The CRAA U19s have clinched their spot in the RAN U19 Championship final with a pool-play game to spare.
The Americans beat a hard-working but taxed Cayman Islands side 52-0 Thursday morning in Querétaro, Mexico.
CRAA U19s got going early, with flyhalf Cal Edgerton popping a well-weighted 50-22 to set up an attacking lineout. From there the CRAA side put flanker San Diego Mustang ((and Lindenwood commit) Shay Farkash through and around under the posts. Edgerton converted for a 7-0 lead.
The forwards swarmed in to add to that a few minutes later with Ohio State front-rower Sam Bosco diving over.
CRAA came very close to scoring off a backline move from a scrum, but they couldn't quite connect, and a little after that they knocked the ball on at the tryline.
That kinds of impatience wasn't really hurting them in this match, but in tougher matches to follow this would be something they would be eager to fix.
Finally, No. 8 Flynn O'Connell (Cal commit) ran low off a short pass and scored the CRAA's third. Edgerton (American River College) converted his third and it was 21-0 with halftime approaching.
Another knock-on at the tryline ended the half.
In the second half the scoring seemed to open up.
CRAA pressure allowed for a nice counter-attack that saw the ball go through multiple pairs of hands before the ball was recycled and Farkash burst onto a tips pass for his second.
Edgerton was once again accurate with the conversion.
Off set-piece the CRAA side spun it out to Long Beach State center Abe Antrobus and he was through. With the kick it was now 35-0. Then right off the restart CRAA got a penalty and scrumhalf Fatman Thorndyke, who is also the team captain, tapped quickly was raced down the field. He made about 60 meters before he was ankle-tapped down just short of the line.
However, he was not held, and the former New Trier HS standout popped back up to his feet and was able to score a brilliant individual effort.
