New Zealand touring side Rangitoto College faced off with SoCal single-school champs Mira Costa this past weekend in what turned out to be a real back-and-forth contest.

Mira Costa, which won the SoCal Varsity White Division back in February, hadn't played as a unit since then, but is now gearing up for a run at the Boys NIT. This game with Rangitoto was quite the wakeup.

After the two national anthems, presentation of the game ball and gifts from Manhattan Beach Mayor Tony D’Erico and a Haka presented by Rangitoto, the match got underway with a large crowd looking on. The Mustangs controlled possession early and did well to recycle possession against a physical Rangitoto defense. It took a while, but seven minutes in senior captain and flanker Justin Johnson blew through the Rangitoto line to put the Mustangs on the board 5-0.

Rangitoto replied with two tries to lead 12-5 at halftime. 

That momentum stayed with the tourists in the second half as they reeled off three converted tries in the first 15 minutes, punishing Mira Costa mistakes, and leading 33-5. However, the Mustangs refused to go quietly. After a punishing attack by Costa, junior lock Alec Oshita drove forward, and sidestepped a defender to score. Sophomore wing Kaden Loversky provided the conversion to give the Mustangs some life at 33-12.

Rangitoto kicked off and once again the Mustangs were on attack.  The much smaller Costa boys playing with heart and determination, and set up junior outside center Justin Goring, who used his speed and shiftiness to get close to the Kiwi line. Rangitoto got into penalty trouble and with the ball near the New Zealanders' line, Mira Costa scrumhalf Harrison Dulgarian quick-tapped and offloaded to senior inside center Justus Tavai who came in at full pace to score. 33-17.

Rangitoto started to get frustrated and after repeated warnings to Rangitoto by referee Bert Moeller about verbal abuse, the Rangitoto captain received his second yellow card of the evening for a cheap shot on a Mustang. Loversky scored a brilliant try for Costa to make it 33-22, but it wasn't enough. The damage done during the first 15 minutes of the second half meant it was a Rangitoto win, 33-22.