SD Legion Academy Leads the Way in MAAC Tournament
SD Legion Academy Leads the Way in MAAC Tournament
The San Diego Legion Academy won the MAAC academy/select side tournament Saturday at Mount St. Mary's.
The Legion beat the Sabercats Academy 24-7 in the final of this U19 tournament.
The Legion were led by the Belmont Shore star prop Max Amasio but the Sabercats put the Legion under pressure early. Two early penalty attempts by the Sabercats went wide.
The Legion for back into Sabercats territory with No. 8 Rocco Burdett making yardage, and then finally they worked the open field passing to put Masi Koi over. A brilliant run from hooker Ray Taele broke through. He passed off and Burdett's brilliant backhanded offload got it back to Taele for the Legion's second try.
Keegan Hannon converted both and it was 14-0. Early in the second half a nifty grubber from Koi was chased down by center Bradan Scott and he was able to scoop up the ball and go in under the posts. That made it 21-0 and the Legion Academy was in control now. San Diego added a penalty goal from Hannon to make it 24-0. The Sabercats answered with some concerted pressure. Finally, after a yellow card and repeated penalties near the Legion tryline, culminating in a playing-on-the-ground infraction, resulted in a penalty try with about two minutes left.
That was it. The Legion showcased the outstanding depth of talent out of Southern California in coming across the country to win this tournament.
We don't have all the scores. But we do have a bunch of them. Here's what we have:
Young Glory 10-7 Free Jacks Academy
Sabercats Academy 21-12 Jaguares
Sabercats Academy 29-7 Ohio Aviators
SD Legion Academy 65-0 NCYRU
Thunderbirds 12-19 Jaguares
SD Legion Academy 26-0 Young Glory
NCYRU 3-59 Free Jacks Academy
Jaguares 24-12 Ohio Aviators
Thunderbirds 28-20 Jaguares
Thunderbirds 5-5 Sabercats Academy
Young Glory 7-7 Jaguares (YGDC wins on kicks)
Final: SD Legion Academy 24-7 Sabercats Academy
U16s
Young Glory 7-24 Jaguares
Thunderbirds 15-5 Jaguares
Jaguares 17-5 Young Glory
Girls Showcase
In the Girls Showcase Young Glory scored in the first minute via wing Mac Aluise (Knightmare) set up by Zoe Tate out of North Carolina. But the Ohio Aviators took control in the first half, scoring two converted tries. Maggie Booher (Warrior) and Adina Castillo (Perrysburg) scored two nice open-field tries with Lulu Zeisloft converting. That made it 14-5 and the Aviators held on from there. Young Glory would inch closer led by Aaryah Redhead (Knightmare) but could not overcome the Aviators.
The Aviators extended their lead early in the second half off a tap penalty move with forward Tiara Alo (Walnut Hills) powering through some arm tackling. Zeisloft converted again to make it 21-10. Some big cover tackles by the Aviators kept it 21-10, but their desperate defense led to two yellow cards. Up 15 players to 13, Young Glory powered head through Tate and Nathalie Allen came on in support to score and make it 21-17.
Nathalie Allen-Atlanta Valkyries from Goff Rugby Report on Vimeo.
Alo almost scored another for the Aviators and it took several Young Glory players to drag her down. Finally Perrysburg scrumhalf Alicia Shepler tapped quickly and was over. Young Glory answered with a try out wide from wing Sydney Haddon, who twisted and turned out of several tackles before racing in to score and convert on a drop kick.
But that was as close as Young Glory would get at 26-24. Ziesloft's kicking proved decisive and their defense late did also.
