Mira Costa and Dana Hills are now at the top of the Los Angeles Conference in Southern California's Boys HS Varsity White Division after both won big games this weekend.

Dana Hills defeated Wilson HS 27-5 to improve to 4-0. Gabe Wahls scored three tries for Hills, while Gunnie Amouroux added a try of his own and Anton Grigoriou, just back from the HS All AMerican winter camp, kicked two conversions and a penalty. Dana Hills played without Head Coach Ian Ibbotson, who is in the UK attending his father's funeral services. Without their coach, the Dana Hills boys played some inspired rugby in a tough, physical match.

Wilson had several promising scoring opportunities but were repreatedly stymied at the Dana Hills goal line. Frustrated, Wilson finally mamaged to score late in the first half, but that was it. The second half was all Dana. Wahl kept up his scoring run while blindside flanker Sam Elliott led a solid defensie effort, recording the most tackles of any Dana player, and poaching the ball in the ruck at key moments.

Assistant Coach Craig Hartley called this a complete team effort.

Meanwhile, Mira Costa defeated View Park Prep in a wild one. The Mustangs jumped out to an early 7-0 lead as they employed a physical ball control game. Hooker Juwan Johnson scored for Mira Costa from eight meters out, and Mustangs captain and flyhalf Isaiah Leilua kicked through the conversion. View Park responded to make it 7-5, but Costa answered with another Johnson try and Leilua conversion, making the score 14-5.  In what was a sign of how the game would progress, View Park again answered the Mustangs' score.  With the halftime whistle sounding the score was 26-10 and Mira Costa looked in position to blow the game open.

But View Park hung tough and opened the second half by going blindside and taking advantage of a defensive breakdown to score. Two more tries from View Park and suddenly they led 26-29.

The teams battled on and with eight minutes to go MIra Costa prop Joshua Madden alertly saved a loose ball. With Costa in possession, freshman No. 8 Jonah Tavai took the ball on a short burst from five meters out to score the go-ahead try.

Down 33-29, View Park drove the ball down the field and threatened to regain the lead. But key tackles from Mustang flankers Lincoln Personius and Greg Boras kept View Park out. Then lock Justin Johnson managed to gain possession, and with three minutes left in the match, Juwan Johnson sealed the Mustangs victory with a try from 12 meters out making final score 40-29 and deny View Park a close-loss bonus point.

Update: St. John Bosco defeated Stern MASS 35-7 to impove to 1-1, while Stern drops to 2-2.

Mira Costa is now 2nd in the LA Varsity White at 2-1. But it's Dana Hills who are in control at 4-0, with Stern and St. John Bosco left on their schedule.