The Herriman boys rugby program’s Gold team ran its record to 18-0 in the Fall 7s series by winning its third straight tournament.  

The series started back up after a month long layoff and saw the level of skill improved on the heels of the 1Team Atavus camp, which Rugby Utah put on the night before. In the camp, players and coaches had the opportunity to learn from rugby legend Waisale Serevi as well as several members of the Atavus staff.  

Herriman and United both breezed through pool play fairly comfortably, although Portneuf, an improved Kau Toa squad, and Wasatch (Murray) gave good competition as as always. Herriman handled Wasatch with surprising ease with a blowout in the semifinals, while United had little problem dispatching Kau Toa.  The script from Leg 2 of the series would once again repeat itself, with a final that saw Herriman overcome a late deficit to notch the come-from-behind victory.  The game would prove to be a contrast in styles, with United's team speed and prowess in the kicking game colliding with Herriman's gritty, physical mentality.

United would strike first with a long distance try down the sideline, one of many instances in which they showed off their tremendous pace by outrunning Herriman defenders. Herriman wasted no time in drawing the score level as a couple of phases found first-year player Zach Izatt through an arm tackle and gone on an inside gap, 7-7.  Herriman would take the lead with Levi Hunt providing some thump.  Hunt, a fifteens flanker running at center in the fall, put a shoulder in to a United defender on attack, causing him to remain on the ground for several minutes, and finished off the possession by collecting a deft offload from Anthony Perschon for an unconverted try, 12-7.  United would level the score before you could blink, as they took the kick, sidestepped a would-be Herriman tackler, and bolted for their second long distance try of the game.

A bit of back-and-forth play, with some expert technical work at the breakdown by United, would slow the play a bit until just before the half.  Herriman U16 EIRA player Gabe Mahuinga continued a stellar tournament with a 40-meter break before being caught by three United defenders, which he dragged for several meters before going to ground.  United was penalized at the ensuing ruck and Jaeron Masina found Izatt off of the tap for a timely score at the break.  Masina, converting at an 80% clip on the season, was good for a 19-12 lead.

United would tighten up the defense in the second half with a renewed vigor, and the Mustang attack would move only sluggishly as a result. There seemed to be a United defender in every gap, at every turn.  Herriman's frustration at the tough United D became apparent as they were pinged for a series of penalties, the last one occurring at midfield, where a United speedster tapped and then popped a perfect kick over the top of the defense and outraced them to scoop up the ball on the bounce and put himself away for a beautiful try under the posts and tie the game up.

Herriman would continue to commit infractions, and United would once again take advantage, this time with a 10 meter try on the edge from the tap.  The tough conversion was missed but United had regained the lead 24-19.

Herriman would move the ball down the field on the ensuing possession, frantically trying to get back on top, but United did well to tackle them out of bounds 5 meters from the try line.  Following the ensuing lineout, rookie player Karson Hammer would make his presence felt and turn the tide of the game.  Hammer, living up to his moniker, was a force on defense, making three straight tackles on United ballcarriers and forcing a poor kick that would go sideways and find its way in to Herriman hands.  United was penalized for not rolling away at the breakdown, but Herriman would be held up on the scoring attempt.  The ball would find itself wide out to Izatt, but he was brought down 5 meters from the line.  Masina - perhaps the only rugby player ever to play prop in XVs and flyhalf in 7s - showed his front row side by picking up off of the base of the ruck and powering over for a try to level the score.  Presumably reverting back to his flyhalf side, he calmly slotted the conversion for a two-point lead with the final whistle imminent.

United made a final push, but the Herriman defense would hold on for the narrow victory.