The numbers don't lie - Southeast Polk is, in the last five years, 71-0-3 in the Iowa Youth Rugby Association Boys 2A competition, and once again emerged winners of the state championship this past weekend.

In Iowa, teams play 7s, meeting every week or two to play two games per team leading toward a championship tournament. It's a relatively unique approach, but one that has allowed the sport to grow in the state with teams associated with specific schools, and large crowds assembled for each tournament. And in the past five years, SE Polk has been at the top of heap.

"You look at the record and you think we've been in control, but we really haven't," said SE Polk Head Coach Brent Wheeler. "We've had games we've tied, and we've had games where we won by just one try. The league is getting more and more competitive. Five years ago I got lucky and got a bunch of athletes and we were able to win. It's not like that anymore."

Although, SE Polk still gets athletes. Last year's top performer was Deion Mikesell, who went on to play rugby for Lindenwood, the USA U20s, and then the USA senior national team, all in the space of about seven months. Maybe you can't expect that sort of fast-tracking all the time, but that is an indication of the sort of athletic ability the school produces.

"We have a very elite wrestling program, and wrestlers take to rugby like a duck to water," said Wheeler, who points to Mikesell, Paul Emerick, and Tom Billups - all former wrestlers who went on to play for the Eagles. 

But, as Wheeler said, it's not getting any easier. Going into this season it seemed like it would be as hard as any year. SE Polk graduated 100% of their starting lineup and in fact returned just one player who had any varsity experience. Most of the players were learning the game for the first time, and it took a lot of work. In their second game, they ended up tied with the Iowa City Trojans, 21-21.

"We were up 21-7 with 43 seconds to go, but when you give up 11 penalties in a 7s game you're going to struggle," said Wheeler. Lincoln scored twice in the final minute to tie the game.

But after that shocker, Polk rebounded, and won on two shutouts the next week. Then on April 15 they faced Des Moines Lincoln, and won, but barely 21-14.

"Lincoln has really come on," said Wheeler. "They had a bunch of freshmen and sophomores and they had a tough time, but not those kids are juniors and seniors and they are very good."

The next week, Ankeny Centennial pushed Polk in a 28-7 decision. But after that Polk ran off four straight shutouts before giving up 14 to Urbandale in a 28-14 win. 

So on to the championship tournament on Friday, where Polk defeated Dowling 49-14 in the opening round. It was a barnburner of a first round for others, as the Ankeny Hawks edged Iowa City 28-21, and Ankeny Centennial just held off Urbandale 35-28.

In the semis, Polk faced Lincoln, and in what Wheeler said was the toughest game of the year, Polk survived 14-7.

Ankeny Centennial beat Ankeny Hawks 21-7 to set up the final, which Polk won by a try, yet again, 28-21, to win the state.

Polk was led by prop Daniel Ramirez, a powerful presence who also was one of the team's leading try-scorers. Wing Parker Drees provided the speed and was a finisher and also one of the team's leaders in try assists. Sophomore Nathaniel Flynn was a presence all over the field, while Hunter Salyers led the team in tackles.

It was an impressive showing, perhaps all the more impressive because Polk started with a bunch of new players, and the opposition is getting tougher every year.