Thriller at Witter as Cal Edges Navy

03.07.2026College Men

It was a big day at Cal vs Navy. Photo Cal Rugby.

Author: Alex Goff

Shorthanded and in a tie game, Cal scored a late try through No. 8 Oliver Teague to edge Navy 52-45 at Witter Rugby Field.

This was a clash of the GRR #1 Navy and #2 Cal, and it didn’t disappoint.

Cal lost starting openside flanker Chris Biller to injury in the first two minutes, but shook off that setback and soon thereafter scored.

Oliver Newell sliced through as the Golden Bears were looking to exit, and raced 80 meters to score.

Cal continued to pressure but the Navy defense held right in front of their line.

The Bears did well wide, however, sending it wide to Newell, who popped in inside to Michal de Beer, who sent it back outside to Nate Comiskey for the speedy wing to finish nicely in the corner.

Captain and flyhalf Rand Santos slotted the touchline conversion and it was 14-0 Cal.
Navy’s time in the Cal 22 yielded a penalty in front of the posts and Roanin Krieger opted for points and put it through.

The Midshipmen soon added to that. They took a lineout and set up the maul. Scrumhalf Michael Strehle took the ball off the back and then popped a perfect flat pass to Avion Ganse, who cut through to score.

Navy looks to finally take the lead. A snipey run from Jake Cornelius got them close and then lock and captain Austin Taylor charged over the line only for Cal’s Emmett Cook to get under the ball.

Cal, however, had committed a penalty. Off the next lineout, the Navy maul spun and they were able to get it over. Krieger converted and it was now 17-14 for Navy.

A bruising run from Drew Baublitz added to Navy’s score, capping off a long series with the ball in Cal’s 22. Conversion good and Navy had a 24-14 lead.

Cal answered. Off a penalty scrumhalf Solomon Wiliams tapped quickly, and after a forward surge, the ball went out to Cade Chris, who hit a looping Santos. The flyhalf who broke through and fed de Beer, who cut back to score under the posts. 24-21.

With halftime approaching, Navy was able to make another statement.

They went wide off a lineout and Baublitz angled his way through a gap and headed for the corner. Newell pushed him toward the touchline but Baublitz launched himself into the air and touched the ball down while he was in the air.

It was a well-finished run and, after Krieger sent the conversion through the uprights from the touchline.

Halftime, Navy 31 and Cal 21.

Navy

FINAL

3.07.26

Cal

Cal was the team to score after halftime; after a close call they got a penalty and took the lineout. The maul did the job and Elliot Lewis, who had come on for Biller, was the man to finish it off.

After holding Navy in a check a bit Cal then retook the lead. About 12 minutes into the second half Max Threlkeld charged into contact and offload brilliantly to Newell for the fullback to race on to paydirt. Newell was in under the posts and Santos hit the extras to make it Cal 33 Navy 31.

Off the ensuing restart a worrying collision happened as Lewis ran into Ian Bullock, who was going high for the ball.

Lewis had to leave the game.

Before his yellow card Rand Santos was perfect from the tee. Photo Cal Rugby.

Navy responded immediately. They got close, ran their short-yardage plan, and then a pass off to Ganse and some pushing sent the wing over. Krieger once again slotted the difficult conversion and Navy now had the lead at 38-33.

Midway through the second half the Cal forwards thundered ahead. And when the Bears used their backs Santos set up Comiskey for a run that almost made it to the line. Quick ball, and Santos angled to the corner.

The conversion didn’t make it and the teams were tied 38-38.

Navy’s response was a long maul that must have covered 20 meters. As Cal took that maul down and Navy had the penalty advantage, the Midshipmen went wide, and Ganse bumped off a tackler and sniped in for his third. Conversion good and it was Navy 45 Cal 38.

But Cal had some magic of their own. Threlkeld sent a grubber through for Masi Koi to chase. He got to it and toed the ball ahead before getting the big bounce and scoring under the sticks. Conversion good and we had a tie ballgame at 45-45.

With less than 10 minutes to go Cal missed touch on a penalty. Krieger countered, and then Ganse beat a couple of defenders and was galloping down the field. Santos stormed in and tackled Ganse high, and the referee Will Nelson went into his pocket for a yellow card.

Down now to 13, the Bears kept playing. A short ball to Oliver Teague put the No. 8 through a gap that Navy would be unhappy to see in their defensive line.

Teague went in under the posts. Koi added the extras and, amazingly, Cal had scored despite being shorthanded.

With time winding down Koi attempted to ice it with a penalty kick, but that attempt hit the post. Still, Cal pressured and were knocking on the door when a Navy knock-on ended the match.

It was a barnburner, to be sure. Cal will come out of this with yet another high-scoring win and yet more questions about their penalty count. Their pack put in a superb shift.

Navy of course got the three tries from Ganse, who was dangerous everywhere. But they will rue a couple of defensive lapses on the big occasion.

Cal 52:
Tries Newell 2, Comiskey, de Beer, Lewis, Santos, Koi, Teague
Convs: Satos 5, Koi

Navy 45
Tries: Ganse 3, Sand, Baublitz 2
Convs: Krieger 6
Pens: Krieger