While it's clear that Saint Mary's is the big dog in the California Conference, there's a chase to see who can challenge the Gaels, and, furthermore, a chase to see who can emerge from the pack.
This weekend, with Saint Mary's on tour in New Zealand, there were plenty of opportunities for statements.
Statement #1
UCLA hammered UC Santa Barbara 92-0. The Bruins were able to create space almost at will and the Gauchos struggled to maintain their defensive organization. UCLA looked clinical and their outside backs Sergio Roccia, Jett Bunch, and Sam Reade all enjoyed getting space and opportunities.
For UCSB, this was a harsh lesson but they were burned in part by the variety of weapons the Bruins were able to unleash.
Statement #2
Cal Poly had opened their season with a lopsided loss to Cal but they are better than that. This week the Mustangs exploded for a 91-26 victory over San Diego State.
Coby Baker scored 26 thank to 13 conversions, while his midfield partner Thomas Hartanov scored three tries for the Mustangs. Wing Nate VanderKlugt also scored three in a comprehensive win for Cal Poly, which put them at 3-0 in the California Conference South. UCLA is 4-0.
