HS Action Around the USA

01.19.2026HS Boys

SOC Raptors at the 2025 Boys HS National Championships. Photo Griff Hastings.

Author: Alex Goff

Here's a quick look around the boys high school, mostly around the West Coast.

Storer Classic

Cavemen came away with a 3-0 record from that tournament in LA. Here's more:

But they weren't the only teams there. The SOC Raptors went 2-1, losing to Cavemen but shutting out Tempe and beating Marin 24-7.

This was very early in the season for the Raptors. They did well to be aggressive on defense and that helped set up their win over Marin—flanker Nolan Abayeta scored two tries while No. 8 Tyrone Cullors and scrumhalf Kyle Bowen.

That was a good buildup to the Caveman game. The Raptors hung close for a while but a soft try off an imperfect exit put them two scored down and the Utah side closed it out.

Wing Alex Montero showed blistering pace to score a try and was good defensively. Prop Isaac Consoletti settled down the scrum. Both are sophomores.

Against Tempe it all seemed to come together. Abayeta scored two tries on mauls, and Cullors added another. Freshamn flanker Isaac Tingey got a playing chance and took it with both hands.

"Coming into the season, with several seniors graduating, we were not 100% sure what we had," said Head Coach Sam mcMillan. "But some of our senior and return players really played some great rugby. Add in the newcomers and players like Connor Rios at 12 and Kyle Bowen at scruhmalf, and I am really excited about this team this season."

SOC's Bs went 2-1, losing a 12-7 game to Rancho Cocamonga.

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Tempe traveled with a small squad and got his with an injury to USA U18 player Masiu Aholelei and EIRA player Gavin Hunsaker. But they toughed it out with a win over Oceanside and then losses to Cavemen and SOC.

It was a good learning experience for those teams, and EIRA prop James Tosh stepped up big this weekend.

Southern California

Yes there was that Charlotte Catholic-vs-Cathedral Catholic showdown.

Charlotte Catholic Downs Cathedral in Cross-Continental Challenge Match

But, also, St. Augustine rebounded from last week's loss to beat St. John Bosco 78-12. Orange Lutheran beat Loyola of LA 35-12, and La Costa Canyon beat Mira Costa 29-17.

That last one showed once again that LCC is pretty strong, as they held off a solid Mira Costa side that has been in close games all season.

Torrey Pines faced tourists Bishop O'Dowd, and won 33-7.

For O'Dowd, which plays Cathedral Catholic on Monday, they have graduated some very accomplished players and will be leaning on NorCal Grizzlies standout OC Lehner as captain and No. 8.

Bishop O'Dowd and Torrey Pines post-match in 2026. — Bishop O'Dowd and Torrey Pines post-match.

"This tour was always going to be an ambitious endeavor, more so now with the injuries we are carrying," said Head Coach Ray Lehner. "But when the time is right we will have a very good team and this experience will have been invaluable to our team culture and development. As they say; one eye on the present and one eye on the future!"

Lehner (the player) scored the Dragons' only try. Makani Kahn-Sky, Lehner, and Anthony Hassell showed well for O'Dowd.

Charlotte Catholic vs Cathedral Catholic January 2026. Photo Dan Caple.

IrishRugbyTours.com

Charlotte Catholic vs Cathedral Catholic January 2026. Photo Dan Caple.

North Carolina

It was a makeup weekend in the NC school league, but that was good news for Capitals.

Capitals Open Strong to Defeat South Meck in NC

Next week Capitals play Clayton, while the Huskies play Charlotte Catholic. After that, Capitals and Huskies might be tied at 3-2 in the NCYRU School Red Division.

Texas and Louisiana

The big game was Dallas Jesuit vs Jesuit New Orleans. We have details here:

Dallas Jesuit Unleashes Attacking Power Against Jesuit NOLA

But there was also league action in Louisiana, with St. Paul rolling in their opener over Hammond HS. That is another school league that is expanding.

Northern California

Meanwhile, in Northern California, Serra Rugby is part of the growing single-school league in that region, as is St. Ignatius.

Those two opened up their 2026 on Saturday.

This was a preseason match, so it won't count for the standings, but even so Junipero Serra was able to keep the elusive and speedy Ignatius backs largely in check.

Leading the way for Serra was their forward pod attack. They retained ball well and made consistent gains.

On defense, Serra made it very difficult for Ignatius to get past the gainline.

Payton Thompson scored two tries for Serra, with Parker Van Doren, Dylan Modena, and Drew Takapoutolo, on a very long, weaving run, also touching down.

Thompson is the team's No. 8 and captain and is a strong runner and ferocious tackler. He is ably partnered by sophomore flanker Van Doren, who is a NorCal Grizzlies U16 and U19 select-side player.

Takapoutolo plays flyhalf, inside center, and scrumhalf, and makes plays wherever he shows up. With young outside backs Troy Marquez and Will Orecchia they have some speed.

Serra's JV's also won, taking the game 41-26. Marquez scored two tries with runs over over 70 meters.

Head Coach Rob Benson said he has 40 players out this year, with a massive increase from last year.