Eastside Exiles Come Back to Win Wisconsin Final

06.01.2026HS Boys

Eastside Exiles celebrate winning the 2026 Rugby Wisconsin boys championship. Photo Badger Kings.

Author: Alex Goff

The Eastside Exiles defeated Elkhorn 19-12 over the weekend to take the Rugby Wisconsin Boys D1 championship.

The Demons Elks put the Exiles under pressure at the start, taking a dropped kickoff and working patiently through the phases, forcing Eastside to make tackle after tackle.

Finally flyhalf Tommy O’Brien dummied and took a gap and the forwards swarmed in to finish—Cam Perkins doing the honors for a 5-0 Elkhorn lead.

After a restart error by Elkhorn, Eastside had a scoring chance but a turnover at the breakdown stymied that. Little errors, and a frustrating lack of consistent lineout ball hurt several early Exiles scoring chances.

At the 14-minute mark, after another lost Exiles lineout, Eastside got the ball back on a knock-on. Mason Hansell carried hard and the ball went through the hands to the edge. After several phases Eli Law picked up and was in at the corner to tie the game 5-5.

A penalty by Elkhorn gave Eastside a chance to kick for territory, but the Exiles once again lost the lineout. And the Demon Elks took advantage, with O'Brien dummying his way into space again before the forwards capped it off with hooker Jordan Zoellner getting the five points. Van Klopfer converted, and Elkhorn led 12-5.

Elkhorn kept the ball but the Eastside defense held form for the rest of the first half and it remained 12-5 at the break.

Eastside turned the momentum early in the second half. Just a minute in Elkhorn was penalized for use of the boot in the ruck—red card.

More penalties by Elkhorn but Eastside still couldn't win their lineout. Still they pressured and pushed at the Elkhorn defensive line. The Elks held, got the ball back and marched down to the Eastside line. There followed a long Eastside goalline stand that, after several phases, ended in a penalty for Eastside.

That was the last time Elkhorn was in scoring position.

Ten minutes into the second half flyhalf Jax Zukowski quick-tapped on a penalty, set up Dom Melone, and now Eastside was in Elkhorn territory.

They largely stayed there.

Melone would be involved again, as flanker Melvin Hunter dove on a loose ball, scrumhalf Owen Pederson sent it wide, and out it went to Schiltz immediately recognized the chance to play fast.

Pederson moved the ball quickly to the backline. Zukowski found Endres, Endres moved it to Malachi Schultz, who took off downthe sideline.

After a recycle the ball got to Melone, who powered 25 meters before offloads to Zukowski, and the sophomore sped 35 meters to score.

That tied it up 12-12.

Another turnover in Eastside territory allowed the Exiles to turn the tables again. Zukowski was in the middle again, using his speed and elusiveness to cap off a long run to score and, with Kinley Endres converting, Eastside had the lead for the first time at 19-12.

And they held on from there.

Neither team was perfect in this, but Eastside was patient and didn't implode when they were struggling to score. Clearly the red card made a difference, but in the end Eastside's long goalline stand and then the turnaround to score was the big play.

Thanks to Wisconsin Rugby News for the framework for this report.