Thriller LA as Wildcats Edge Bruins
Thriller LA as Wildcats Edge Bruins
In one of the more evenly-matched high-scoring games in D1A, Central Washington pulled out a dramatic 47-41 win over UCLA Saturday in Southern California.
It's common to say a game was back-and-forth, but this one really was. Teams would answer try-for-try, both got into penalty trouble, and there was plenty of emotion, too.
Off the the UCLA has become involved with a program supporting kids with illnesses—Team Impact matches children with life-threatening illnesses and college sports teams to help both do something special. A young boy who was suffering from cancer was one they connected with, and that boy, Dylan, ended up designing a special on-off jersey for the team. Dylan viewed the UCLA players as heroes, so his shirt design was that of a Star Wars Jedi, complete with lightsaber design.
The UCLA players worse the game jerseys in honor of Dylan, who, thankfully, has now been declared cancer free. The jerseys are now being auctioned off to raise money for Team Impact (teamimpact.org).
It was a very touching part of the game, and for the Bruins the only sad part was that they didn't win the game.
UCLA scored off a complete field-position shift helped along by CWU miscues. It started when Central blocked a UCLA box kick. The ball bounced awkwardly, leading to a knock-on and a UCLA scrum deep inside their half. From there, a free kick for UCLA, another for not being 10 meters back, then a penalty, and off that lineout-and-maul, another penalty. Now UCLA had a lineout five metrrs out, and they mauled it over.
"Frustrating to give them a try like that," said CWU Head Coach Todd Thornley.
Central responded, running aggressively and using flanker Tiai Vavao to great effect on the edge. But they also tested the Bruins up the middle and finally lock Oliver Dyrhsen crashed through to score. That tied it up 7-7.
Off the restart CWU failed to catch the ball and in rushed the Bruins to grab it and score mere seconds after that kickoff. UCLA 12 CWU 7.
But Central once again came back. When they played with continuity they were successful and once again Vavao, along with prop Kellan LaFave, were prominent. Eventually their efforts earned a penalty, and, like UCLA, the Wildcats have a pretty good maul game—hooker Campbell Robb scored off that. CWU flyhalf Jac Tregoning converted and it was 14-12 CWU after only 12 minutes.
UCLA put together a very good, patient sequence and with their interplay working they set it up for lock Will Sherman to smash through under the posts. Now UCLA led 19-14. Just to shake up the sequence, UCLA scored again. After holding off the Wildcats with a good defensive sequence the Bruins put Central under pressure.
Finally Sherman galloped through the middle and offloaded to No. 8 and captain Logan Turner, who finished it off. Now up 24-14 UCLA had a bit of breathing room ... for about three seconds.
An excellent cutback from from wing Oscar Treacy and more power in traffic from Vavao set up another try. Tregoning converted to make it 24-21 UCLA. CWU's kicking game was hit-and-miss but when it worked it really helped them. One exchange in particular worked as UCLA ended up knocking on a kicked ball. This set up a scrum for CWU inside the UCLA 22, and they ran a nice play to put fullback Benji Ward right up the middle for an excellent try.
Tregoning, who had been almost perfect on kicks, lined up the conversion attempt in front of the posts and promptly clanged it off the post. Halftime CWU 26 UCLA 24.
Both teams were giving up penalties in kickable range but this seemed to be a game you'd win on tries. UCLA got a penalty right in front of the CWU post (but about 35 meters out)s early in the second half but passed up the kick to go for the lineout. It worked out fine as scrumhalf Andrew McCarthy zipped over. More CWU penalties once again set up a lineout and maul, and 52 minutes it UCLA now led 36-26.
"When we got into our pattern were could score but we needed to match that physical side of the game," said UCLA Head Coach Harry Bennet. "I think we fell short of that."
Hooker sam McMillan was huge for UCLA, especially in those lineouts and mauls, but also in open field. But there was also a really compelling battle between the UCLA center pairing of Joe Sykes and Dayen Joyce against CWU's midfield of Taine Jones and Sam Dwyer.
Down 36-26 Central Washington came back. They started to fire a bit on their lineouts with flanker Andrew Miller playing especially well. They scored off a lineout to make it 36-33, and seemed in place to take the lead after a long maul and a spin out wide. But they couldn't handle the ball and UCLA held on.
Time was winding down now, and despite some setbacks CWU was winning the territorial battle. Finally the forwards worked it over in the middle with replacement lock Nick Powell doing what a closer should do, make an impact.
UCLA responded immediately with an excellent offload from Freddie Jobber (another reserve making an impact) setting up McCarthy for a run. CWU infringed and McCarthy smartly tapped quickly and was over. UCLA 41 CWU 40.
The CWU bench continued to get some work done with Brock Kluempers in the front row and Arona Taulili dealing hits. Treacy, who has been a danger on the wing for the Wildcats all season, hadn't seen a ton of action, but he got a shot this time and was good for the try. Tregoning converted from the touchline in brilliant fashion. That was a big kick because now UCLA was behind 47-41—they needed a converted try to win it.
The game concluded with UCLA working the phases again and again. CWU defended and wisely didn't try to push the poach, as they wanted to avoid a penalty. As it was the game ended the old fashioned way, with a thundering hit causing a knock-on.
This was a thriller and hugely entertaining. Neither coach was pleased with the soft tries and the penalties, but both were impressed with the level of intensity.
For Bennet this game showed the strides UCLA has made and that, he said, made losing that much harder. "We know we could have won this game, perhaps should have won it."
For CWU, they haven't played a ton, and to come in from Washington and win on the road against a very strong team was a big boost for them. "We had a game canceled on us and that has hurt us a bit," said Thornley. "We've got some things we need to do better—a lot of things—but we'll take it."
