University of San Diego took one more step toward the CRAA D1AA semifinals with an impressive victory over American River College.
This victory won the overall California Conference for the Toreros, and, for the most part, fans expected a close game. Instead, USD won 68-22, taking scoreboard control early and keeping ARC at arm's length. Flyhalf Lucas Troughear was outstanding as a goalkicker and a manager of the game. Veteran center Paul Habeeb had a huge game. The USD forwards were very good in a game where the breakdowns were very chaotic.
A penalty and maul produced USD's first try, which Troughear converted. The flyhalf would add a penalty kick, and then Habeeb scored after a long period of USD pressure. Troughear's conversion made it 17-0.
ARC had hardly seen the ball, and certainly not in the USD half. It continued. Troughear kicked another penalty, and then ARC started to get in trouble with infractions. When they didn't retreat on a penalty five metrrs from their tryline and made a tackle, that was enough—penalty try and it was 27-0.
After that, ARM finally got the ball in the USD half and moved the ball well, snapping it through the hands to hooker Michael volavola on the wing.
But there was still a ton of work to do. USD finished the first half working their way down into the ARC 22. The Beavers got a scrum, but gave up a penalty right in front of their posts; USD tapped, and eventually prop Cody Going burst onto the ball and scored. Troughear converted again, not missing yet, and it was 34-5 at the break.
