Western Washington Takes Control in PNW

Western Washington as much as clinched 1st in the Northwest Collegiate Rugby Conference Saturday with a 62-7 defeat of their closest rivals, University of Washington.

UW upset WWU in the conference championship game last year (there won't be a similar game this year), and the Vikings got big revenge this weekend, moving to 6-0 and dropping the Huskies to 4-1-1. While technically UW can still surpass WWU, the chances are very slim that this will happen, and Western will represent the NCRC in USA Rugby's DIAA playoffs.

Because the USA Rugby playoff schedule was not released until after the NCRC schedule had been set, the NCRC playoff system to decide a conference champ has been scrapped. Instead, teams ranked #2 through #5 will participate in a playoff for a conference trophy. Just about everyone is still in with a shot at that playoff. Boise State made a move this week with a 44-8 defeat of previously unbeaten Gonzaga.

As for Western Washington, Head Coach Paul Horne was pretty pleased. 

"Our forwards were pretty dominant in the set piece and we got a nice pushover try as on of the four tris by the forwards," said Horne. "Our defense was solid and put them under pressure."

Noah Hanks logged 17 points with a try and six conversions. The back row of Nate Regan, Nate Muir, and Matt Motylewski was superb on the game.

WWU still has Western Oregon and Gonzaga on their schedule, and while if they lose both and Gonzaga wins their remaining four, or Washington wins thir remaining two, it's highly unlikely that will happen.