One of the things that is rare to nail down is how some conferences match up with others.
This can be especially true within NCR, where the short runway of the fall means that inter-conference games mid-season are a luxury.
Still, this past weekend Thomas More faced off against Queens in a Big Rivers vs ARC matchup.
For Thomas More, this was a loss, but a loss that carried weight.
Two Ties on a Friday Night in the ARC
“It was a great back-and-forth, classic match,” enthused Thomas More Head Coach John Fox. The Saints lost 33-27, and were held-up in-goal at the end.
“Class act all of them,” said Fox. “We both played well and it was a good pre-playoff match and we look forward to seeing them again.”
The message between the lines is that Thomas More took a lot from that and part of what they took is the confidence that they can hang with a team like Queens.
For Queens Head Coach Tyree Hill, this was the latest in a series of challenging matches in and out of conference, which included a win over Kentucky, a loss to Navy, a win over Belmont Shore, and three nailbiters: 32-29 loss to St. Bonaventure, 36-36 tie with Wheeling, and 33-26 over Thomas More.
“We’re improving because we’re learning how to play as one — how to play complementary rugby,” said Hill. “By that I mean we’re starting to understand how to connect our scrums, lineouts, and open play so that the forwards and backs feed off each other. And honestly, time has been a big factor. We have new coaches, new standards, and new ways we want to play. The boys have really bought in, and it’s starting to come together — though we know we’re not there yet.”
Hanging on in a close one tells the coaching staff something, and Hill praised his team’s final goalline stand.
“The boys had to make tackle after tackle, stay low, and recycle well on defense — and they did just that. It was about toughness, communication, and trust in each other. We’re learning a lot from these tight matches. First, that the ball can bounce either way and calls can go either way, so we’ve got to do our best to control what we can and limit those critical moments. Second, we’re realizing that to be a great program, we have to play for the full 80 minutes — all the way to the final whistle.”
Zach Colson was 4-for-5 on conversions and added a try to lead his side with 13 points.
With the NCR D1 playoffs on the horizon, getting to the playoffs is one thing, seeing how the brackets fall is another.
Thomas More will want to win the Big Rivers and get themselves in a strong position as a result. Queens is safely in 3rd in the ARC with two games to play. They face Walsh November 1 in a game that probably decides who is 2nd in the conference.
Thomas More it top in the Big Rivers East, and while they have a good shot at making the final, who they play will be tougher to predict as Marian and Aquinas both have enjoyed good seasons.
