“In three years of playing varsity, I think that was the best Xavier Rugby has played,” said senior fullback Padraig Long and Man of the Match when describing the Knight’s win over Shawnigan Lake High School, a top tier rugby program in Canada. “The boys were on top of it from the beginning,” Long said.
According to head coach Greg Norris, the Knights were determined to set the tone of the match from the first kickoff. Shawnigan ran through about eight phases and Xavier turned the ball over early, but Shawnigan was charged with a penalty a minute or so into the match. Xavier took the points vice captain and outside center Benedetto Loria put them up 3-0.
“The game started off hot,” said captain and No. 8 Emir Yuksel. “We started it off with Benny’s penalty goal for three points, but Shawnigan came back immediately with a try.”
The Knights would not be denied and answered back with two tries of their own, one by Long and one by inside center Max Wyckoff (on an interception). Wyckoff intercepted the ball to keep Xavier’s momentum moving in the first half. Loria made both after try conversions putting Xavier up 17-7 at the end of the first half. But the game was far from over.
According to Yuksel, Xavier was “great from the tee, but lineouts were tough.” Yuksel credited the disruption to Shawnigan’s big lock, Seb Isherwood, who disrupted Xavier’s normal lineout game. This resulted in the removal of lineouts as a reliable go-to option for the Knights. But running options on penalties allowed Xavier's open play to shine.
“Padraig Long, Sean Kull, and Benny Loria on the wing together, passing to each other was a beautiful combination,” Yuksel said and added that if the trio keeps growing together and developing chemistry, they will be a force to be reckoned with on the field. Yuksel also noted that the Xavier forwards were good with the pick-and-go offense on the goalline.
“They stayed patient and confident and knew where to be and what to do at the right time,” Yuksel said.
04.05.2024HS Boys
The Knights came into the second half confident with Loria running 30 meters to put one across three minutes in.
Flanker Medhi Merah, later named Man of the Match, added another try five minutes later. This put the Knights up 29-7, but Shawnigan remained determined and scored two tries in quick succession to close within 10 at 29-19.
Faced with an all-out Shawnigan onslaught at the end of the match, the Knights dug deep and stayed calm. There were standout performances by younger members of the team, making the fight against Shawnigan a full team effort. According to Merah, sophomore flanker Liam Averill “was everywhere making the right decisions on the field, at the right place and at the right moment. He saved us a couple of times on the edge, making life-saving tackles. He was just a dog the entire game.”
Shawnigan used the edges more than any team the Knights have faced this season, forcing Xavier to focus on defense. “We had to get into position a lot quicker and they pushed us to be a better team,” Merah said.
It was with that kind of tenacity that the Knights refused to yield, staying calm and patient as on-field leadership took control of the game.
Norris noted that this was a pivotal moment for the 2024 Knights. “The boys decided what they wanted to do in those last nine minutes of the match. They listened to the sideline but took ownership themselves. In past years, teams have gone up ahead of us and we capitulated to them. Not this team. They knew they had nine minutes to play but instead of waiting down the clock, they went after it. Not in a panicky way. They were very patient on how they moved that ball up the field. They played to their strengths, they knew what they were dealing with and not only did they defend their lead, but they added to it, and that was huge.”
In those last nine minutes, the Knights added two tries, one by junior hooker William Scariano. Long added the conversion and a few minutes later he scored Xavier’s final try leaving the final score 41-24.
“The whole team stood confident in this match and that was great for us,” Long said. Merah agreed and said “Shawnigan came out strong and it was a tough game with good competition. It is always great to play against teams with skills as good as theirs. They made us better.”
“We have fully grown as a team,” Yuksel said. “This tour is going to show who we really are and what we will bring back to the states. The chemistry is building. Every member of the team noted how confident we were and what we are capable of. That showed on the field.”
Xavier's second side were defeated 33-15. Second Side Head Coach Ski Bailey said this was a good test for his players.
“Shawnigan Lake really moved us back, and left to right over and over again. They found a lot of success in the five meter channel. We bunched up around the break down which led to more and more points for them.” But Bailey expressed pride in the Knight’s performance. “We did a really good job attacking in shape and our structure.” Bailey said adding that “physically I think we were able to bully them around the field, but we failed to adjust to the level of skill they had, not only in their hands but their use of the pitch’s width.”
—Mike LiVigni
