Thomas More defeated University of Kentucky 24-15 Saturday night in a matchup that is fast becoming a strong rivalry.

The teams were evenly-matched through much of the game although the Saints held a decided territorial advantage. It was tenacious and aggressive UK defense that kept the game in the balance throughout.

Played under the lights at Thomas More, the game started with the Saints in Wildcat territory and trying to find a way through. But this was an early-season game and the players made early-season mistakes. Connections for the Thomas More outside backs weren’t quite there early on and they squandered a potential scoring chance because of that.

Kentucky battled on and had a penalty chance 15 minutes in, but the 45-meter kick drifted wide.

The game was very hard-hitting and emotions boiled over at times, but tempers cooled just as quickly.

The 0-0 deadock was finally broken 25 minutes into the contest. Kentucky attacked down the sideline, earned a penalty, ran it, and then, when they got another penalty, decided to go for posts. Jack Phillips popped the kick over and Kentucky led 3-0.

Thomas More, however, had the lion’s share of territory. They were winning the kicking contest, aided by a light breeze. Kentucky’s defense held firm and the Saints appeared to get a bit more frantic. They missed a penalty kick and then finally the dam broke. With a minute to go in the first half an excellent scything run from Matias Caramuti put him under the posts. The flyhalf hit the conversion as well and Thomas More led 7-3.

The second half started off well for the Wildcats. A high kick wasn’t gathered by the Saints (lost in the lights?), and when they finally got the ball under control they were hit hard, the ball popped loose, and second chaser Joe Keogh, a freshman, swooped in to grab it and score. It was a perfectly-executed high ball attack and with the Phillips conversion, the Wildcats led 10-7.

Kentucky then had a chance to press their advantage when Thomas More got a yellow card. But the Saints held on nicely and then took the lead after an excellent run down one sideline and then a nicely-weighted high ball (not handled well by Kentucky—lost in the lights?) for Tomas Casares to chase in to score. Caramuti converted and it was 14-10.

Kentucky had some good chances to score after that, including right off the restart. They got the ball and were within meters of the line, but a backline miscue coughed up the ball and a smart grubber kick suddenly had a lineout well inside the Kentucky half. Those sorts of turnarounds were a feature of the game.

Soon thereafter Thomas More scored a key try. A stab through the line set up a five-meter scrum, and then from there the Saints bashed at the line, and eventually Santiago Zorraquin picked up and dove over. That was a huge score for the Saints as it put them two scores ahead.

And they needed it as Kentucky sped over with a nice team try capped off by flanker Aidan Gill. That made it 19-15 and the game was still on a knife edge.

But off the restart Thomas More players pressured well and charged down a clearance kick. They kept the pressure up, got the ball back and, finally, executed an odd-man rush on the outside to put Pancho Cuscuna in at the corner. That finished it off and Thomas More had won.

Both sides were missing a couple of players, and this wasn’t a league game, but it was a key warmup for Thomas More as they look ahead to the Big Rivers Conference. This was also the night that Thomas More players received their rings commemorating their 2021 D2 national championship.