The Peninsula Green Beavers defeated CK McClatchy 38-12 to win the Northern California Boys DI champinoship.

It was a very impressive performance by Pen Green, now 10-0.

The game started with the Pen Green Beavers quickly demonstrating their dominance in forward play and by spreading the ball to the team's hugely talented backline. Pen Green hit low and hard and denied McClatchy the gainline. Cutler Pons started the Pen Green scoring at the eight-minute mark when the Beaver halfback dotted the ball down after a series of rucks near the McClatchy goal line. At 16 minutes, HS All American Yoshi Warnock burst through several tacklers and scored the second try for Pen Green. The conversion by Tevita Mailau made the score 12-0.  The Pen Green Beavers continued to dominate the game, but did not turn that pressure into more points, as the McClatchy defense held on.

The tackle contest was intense, and Peninsula Green's Moses Ahomana got a yellow card for a no-wrap tackle late in the first half, which helped keep the Beaver attack at bay.

Penalties and being a player down didn't exactly put Pen Green on the front foot in the second half, and McClatchy capitalized with a try two minutes in to make it 12-7. But at the point the Beavers went back to full strength and replied with a perfectly-execute play with fullback Naima Fualaau taking the pass at pace from flyhalf Tala Talapusi on a reverse line that took him between two McClatchy players and offered him an unrestricted scamper for 25 meters to score under the posts. Mailau added the conversion to make it 19-7. Five minutes later, Bo Mailau added another try and Tevita Mailau converted to making it 26-7.

Pen Green continued to pound McClatchy with both forwards and backs. Outside center and Man of the Match Tavite Lopeti wove his way through traffic on multiple carries, and that helped set up a nice run up the middle by Tevita Mailau for a try. Then speedy second row Michael Mounga added the last Pen Green score. That made it 38-7. And while McClatchy tried to get some reward for their hard work, it was tough going. Wing Sami Makaafi chased down a McClatchy break, made a perfect tackle, popped up, and tackled the next McClatchy player in support.

Pen Green Coach Bob Benson likened this play to that of former Pen Green player Zack Test, who tackled three Japan players in a row during the Rugby World Cup game between the USA and Japan in the fall.

But, with the benches empty, McClatchy did get that second try in, and ended the game 38-12.

"The Peninsula Varsity team executed the complete game plan involving physical tackling and rucking, direct runs by the forwards to suck in the McClatchy forwards and smooth, diversionary back play to spread the field.  It was a complete team game of rugby," said Benson, who then refereed to Fualaau's try, which was a training-ground play. "The coaches were so pleased when the Pen Green backs executed the perfect play."

Next up for Peninsula Green is the Pacific Cup

Peninsula Green Results this season: Pen Green 15 Archbishop Riordan 12 Pen Green 35 Sac PAL 0 Pen Green 39 Solo 21 Pen Green 28 Oakland 0 (forfeit) Pen Green 45 Pleasanton 12 Pen Green 28 SFGG 17 Pen Green 39 Los Gatos 17 Pen Green 43 North Bay 12 Pen Green 28 Sierra Foothills 0 (forfeit) Pen Green 38 McClatchy 12   Photos Chris Warnock.