Granite Bay remains on top of the Rugby NorCal Premier league after they edged SFGG 29-26 to remain unbeaten.

Two tries from flanker and captain Carter Keller paced a Granite Bay side that did well at controlling possession. 

A try from Keller and one from center Talan Fairbanks staked GB to a 12-0 lead. SFGG scored late in the first half and added two converted tries in the first 10 minutes of the second period to take the lead at 19-12.

But penalty trouble plagued SFGG.  

“We had like 20% of the ball,” said Head Coach Tony Wells. “We have been good defensively; we’ll hold ‘em for four or five or six phases, and then we’d be offside or we would not roll away. We’ve got a real problem with penalties and it hurt.”

Granite Bay got a penalty goal and a yellow card for SFGG put them on the back foot a bit.

Keller then scored to make it 22-19, and then scrumhalf Deacon Ogden capped off a counter-attack move to make it a two-score game at 29-19. SFGG scored to make it a three-point match, but Granite Bay held on.

“They’re very good at holding onto the ball,” said SFGG’s Wells. 

“Where we lack in size and speed we make up for in heart and discipline,” said Granite Bay Head Coach Chris Miller. “They are a resilient and passionate group of boys.”

They are young, too, with 11 of the starting lineup juniors or sophomores.

On a sunny Senior Day in Sacramento Jesuit honored its graduating seniors and celebrated with a 29-17 win over Motherlode.

The visitors jumped out to a lead scoring an unconverted try at the 7-minute mark. Jesuit Captain Jack Patock evened the score seven minutes later and that try was followed by junior center Barrett Saich. Senior wing Cannon Davey converted for a 12-5 Jesuit lead at halftime.

Motherlode opened the scoring in the second half to tie the game. It took some time for Jesuit to break down their defense, but some gaps appeared; junior wing Miles Hubbarb was able to get over the line twice and Saich added another. Davey hit one more conversion. Motherlode kept fighting and scored right at the end.

"This was a much improved Motherlode team than the one we saw on film from earlier in the season,” said Jesuit Head Coach Andrew Acosta. “They made us dig deep. Our goal was to score four tries, get the win, and get some of our younger players on the field. We achieved those goals and got to honor our seniors."