San Francisco Golden Gate HS Rugby finished their NorCal club season undefeated with an impressive 37-17 defeat of Lamorinda Saturday in Rugby NorCal's championship event at Stanford University.
Lamorinda came into this match having survived the tiebreaker with the San Mateo Wolverines. The 2nd-vs-5th teams in NorCal were all about the same record with about the same standings points. Lamo had the better points difference, however, and that definitely rankled the Wolverines, who had won the head-to-head matchup between the two teams.
More on that later.
Both SFGG and Lamorinda came in with players in their lineups who had not been in their first meeting earlier in the season, so there were some questions to answer for both.
In the initial going SFGG pressured early with flanker Jared Carnara getting a lot of work done. They worked the offloads close-in and finally the passing found prop Devin Baisman to score in the corner.
SFGG also looked to kick to pin Lamo back, but when a kick rolled dead, Lamorinda was able to launch from the ensuing scrum at midfield. They ran it wide left and wing Quincy Hansen was in. Then a burst by center Anthony Hassell got Lamo going again. That break was ended only with a high tackle. With the advantage in effect, Lamorinda spun it wide to wing Aaron Oliver to put his side ahead 10-5.
As the first half ticked away SFGG started to put some attacks together. Forwards Ellis Connolly and Havin Maguire were instrumental in this, making some key runs in traffic and just being aggressive in contact.
Finally they worked a flat pass from flyhalf Laurence De Vries-Ravano to one of his centersand they were in under the posts. Conversion good and it was 12-10 SFGG.
That's how the half ended, and the words from SFGG Head Coach Tony Wells was to slow things down, make sure they had the pieces and place, and then build from there.
That patience allowed Golden Gate to play more quickly, strangely. Once they had solid possession SFGG could work their support lines and offload.
The results were immediate, with center Ollie Firth charging onto another flat pass and soaring in under the posts.
It all started to work from there. and two tries later it was 29-10.
Then a yellow card put Lamorinda up a player and they chased a kick by flyhalf Thomas Parrott and with No. 8 OC Lehner leading the way they surged over.
At 29-17 it was a tense game now, but SFGG worked off the rest of the yellow card, and even got a penalty goal from fullback Clive Gabrielsen to make it a three-score lead at 32-17.
The SFGG backs them diced up the Lamorinda defense to score in the corner and ice it 37-17.
Maguire center Elijah Farrah, and the flankers Camara and Connelly were active, smart, and relentles for SFGG.
