Vienna will play the SOC Raptors in the Boys HS National Championships Tier II final after both won semifinals Friday.
Vienna won big against an Aspetuck team that was just a hair slower to the breakdown. That hair was part of the difference, but also Vienna's bend-don't-break defense was in full force in this game. Vienna defended well and forced Aspetuck to maintain excellent continuity. When they didn't, Vienna punished turnovers.
Andrew Evan was a powerhouse in the centers and crossed the tryline multiple times. Owen Lebkisher at flanker and Juan Cat at No. 8 were immense and Vienna took control early. Scrumhalf Diego Gonzalez had a very good game setting up his runners, while hooker David Kendig, back in his preferred #2 jersey, led from the front.
It started to be a bit of a flood and Aspetuck was struggling to stay afloat. They did score two tries late in the game but Vienna rolled in perhaps their best overall team performance 57-14.
The Raptors came into the tournament as favorites to win Tier II and being the favorite isn't always an easy place to be.
In this semifinal against a big, powerful KC Jr. Blues team, the Raptors benefited from a superb game from flyhalf Keegan Hannon. He pulled the strings nicely, using the boot, his sidestep, and his passing to challenge the KC line.
KC sent their big runners at the Raptors and it started to work. But ultimately a very tenacious Raptors defense made it tough on the Blues. An early try from lock Joseph Vavrina got the Raptors going and center Jacob Bower was soon over the tryline.
SOC held on 29-19.
Resilience
Having lost 57-3 on Thursday Berks fell behind 10-0 on Friday against the Raleigh Redhawks. But they fixed their defense, led by Jake Stelluti, and Matt Cleland set up the Berks runners. Ulices Ramirez scored three tries and Marquan Guzman made perhaps the defensive play of the day chasing down a kick that looked for all the world to set up a try for the Redhawks. Knowing he couldn't dive and grab the ball, Guzman instead flew in the kick it out of the mid-air into touch-in-goal.
Berks bounced back with a 29-17 win.
Penn controlled the pace and were powerful as they traded tries for penalty goals against St. Thomas Aquinas. The tries kept coming for Penn and they won 36-6 to set up a game vs Berks for 5th.
