SoCal Latest: San Clemente Wins Again
SoCal Latest: San Clemente Wins Again
Here's a rundown of what's going on in Southern California Boys HS rugby:
San Clemente hammered Fallbrook 94-0 in league play. Fallbrook is having trouble with numbers on the varsity level, and the game was 12-on-12. The game was tight for the first ten minutes or so, but then San Clemente started to run their pattern and scrumhalf Blake Allen ran the tempo nicely on attack.
Notably, the Fallbrook JV team looks much stronger, and while San Clemente won that encounter 33-7, it was a more competitive game. Allen started at center in this game (he's a freshman) and was very effective, including with his kicking. Fallbrook was physical and resilient and this JV outfit could be quite effective in the coming years.
Cathedral Catholic shut out a young Mira Costa team 42-0 with a very strong team effort, while St. Augustine opened its season with a 31-10 defeat of La Costa Canyon.
San Clemente now leads the SCIRF league with a 2-0 record.
| SCIRF Standings | W | L | T | PF | PA | PD | BT | BL | Pts |
| San Clemente | 2 | 0 | 0 | 113 | 14 | 99 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Cathedral Catholic | 1 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 0 | 42 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| St Augustine | 1 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 10 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| Torrey Pines | 1 | 0 | 0 | 75 | 7 | 68 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| La Costa Canyon | 0 | 2 | 0 | 24 | 50 | -26 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| John Bosco | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mira Costa | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 42 | -42 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fallbrook | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 169 | -162 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
(No four-try bonus points given for games played under 15-on-15)
SoCal Youth Rugby Varsity White
Wilson HS beat Marina HS 19-5 in a shortened non-league game. Los Alamitos won a midweek warmup with Lakewood HS and then Saint Anthony beat Los Al on a late try in a non-league warmup this weekend. Saint Anthony 28 Los Alamitos 22.
Westview produced a very nice result 31-12 over Del Norte, while Warren HS shut out California HS before losing their cool and ending the game poorly. Warren had the game in hand and decided to start the off-the-bal stuff and that will not go down well in the league.
For Westview, it was a good day for a young team—only seven of the players have played rugby before. Kai Stoddard at flyhalf is a key leader (and one of those seven) and fullback Dayen Joyce can blow up a game at any time, while No. 8 and captain James Fordam leads the way in the pack.
Murrieta Valley beat Great Oak HS comfortably in a non-league game.
Senior flyhalf and captain Connor Hannon ran the offense superbly, while his brother, Asher Hannon, sparked several attacks from the fullback position. His kicking from the hand and the tee has been very strong this young season.
The Hannons have another brother, Keegan, also on the team, and the Van Buskirk brothers, Nate and Joe, are also playing well for Murrieta Valley. Keegan Hannon is a smart, savvy scrumhalf, John Van Buskirk is a powerful presence up front, and Nate is a speedy wing who looks to slide in at fullback as time goes on.
