Central Florida capped off a seven-game conference winning streak Saturday with a 57-12 defeat of South Florida Saturday, ending their regular seas at 7-1 and in 1st place in the South Independent Rugby Conference South Division.

UCF started their season losing a shocker 22-10 to Florida International. But over the fall they improved their game as FIU faded. FIU, at one point expected to challenge for 1st in the division, slipped to 3-4, and Florida State, winners of their last two games, have jumped into 2nd. Saturday’s 41-22 defeat of Florida Atlantic secured 2nd place in the division for the Seminoles with one game left in the season.

For UCF, the victory was just confirmation of what they knew.

“The win feels great,” said club president Scott Watters. “The 7-0 feels great and gives us a further boost of confidence that we are capable of playing some quality rugby. The win is a great way to transition into series of games which will be the SIRC Conference Championships.”

For the Knights prop John Sennette and flanker Erik Sasiadek led the cargo up front, with Sennette scoring twie. Wing Calvin Turner exposed the defense out wide and also touched down twice.

“We as a team just need to continue to grow from our previous performances and game experiences and to not underestimate the competition ahead of us,” said Watters. “We need to stick to our game plan and go into the Conference Championship with the right mindset. It will be a true test to play outside of Florida like it has been in the past. But I am fully confident in this team and believe we are capable of bringing home another SIRC title.”

In the North Division, things were thrown into a bit of a tizzy as previously-undefeated Middle Tennessee State lost their first conference game in two years, 36-22 to Kennesaw State. 

MTSU Head Coach Jody Hensley said his team may have expected KSU to just roll over, and so when they scored in the opening three minutes, the MTSU players just figured it would be the same for the next 77.

“But KSU got up on us and we just couldn’t catch them,” said Hensley. “They figured they’re just walk through Kennesaw.”

The result is a crucial one, but not for MTSU. Still league-leaders at 6-1, MTSU should still win the North. However, KSU is now in a position to catch Georgia Southern. KSU is now 4-2 with 19 points in the standings. Georgia Southern reportedly won by forfeit over Memphis, and that puts them at 5-2 and 25 or 26 points. If Georgia Southern loses to Middle Tennessee State, and Kennesaw State beats Georgia Tech, it all comes down to the KSU v Memphis game, which was not played March 7 and could well decide who else makes the playoffs.

As it is, MTSU, Central Florida, and Florida State are in. Either Kennesaw State or Georgia Southern will join them for a semifinal/final weekend April 4-5 at Atlanta Old White’s rugby fields in Atlanta.