San Diego Impressive in California Conference D1AA Final Win
San Diego Impressive in California Conference D1AA Final Win
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.
San Diego played smart in that they understood this was a playoff game—tries are nice but points of any kind count. So Troughear slotted an early penalty to keep pressure on ARC. The Beavers responded, coming close to scoring several times. They were held up twice and while they had the territory, San Diego made it very difficult for them. Still they worked hard and sent it out to Tuku Tolo score a try in the corner.
The Toreros worked it down the field more methodically with some solid efforts from the forwards and Daniel Suhr making a key run. Troughear then lofted a perfect kick for wing Chase Basson to catch and touch down. Right after that Josh Butler came on as a reserve and the former football running back charged on for 60 meters, beating several defenders in the process, and San Diego now led 49-10.
ARC answered, sending prop Frank Leilua through and over. The Beavers started working the offloads and playing a bit more random, which worked for them. Edgar Montes was shoved over by his teammates and, with the conversion, it was now 56-22.
San Diego capped it off, with Gavin Saville powering through after a long series of passes, and then Habeeb charged down the sideline for a highlight-reel try. Troughear converted that last one for 23 points on his own. But San Diego as a team laid down a marker and showed by GRR has them ranked #1, which is where they've been ranked all spring. With a hard-working pack, and smart playmakers, they can play fast, they can play slow, they can be brutal, or subtle ... they can play.
Next up for San Diego is the West Coast Regional at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Wash. on April 19.
