Having Fun out There: Bearkats Star Stokley on How SHSU Keeps Winning
Having Fun out There: Bearkats Star Stokley on How SHSU Keeps Winning
It’s been a pretty good 10 months or so for Sam Houston State.
After the Bearkats went winless through the R7CC 7s tournament in Atlanta last May, Sam Houston turned it around and won the DIAA bracket at the CRC two weeks later.
They followed that up in the fall with a Lonestar 7s championship, took a Bowl win at the CRC fall championships, and then, this past weekend, won the Lonestar Conference 15s championship.
That last one is a bit of a meat grinder, as the quarterfinals and semifinals are played on the same day Yes they are 50-minute games not 80-minute games, but it’s still pretty intense. Sunday sees the winners play in the final.
“It was a tough weekend, but it was satisfying,” said SHSU captain and inside center Jaxon Stokley. “Those first two games are only 25-minute halves but it’s still a lot of rugby. Winning isn’t even real for me; it hasn’t set in yet.”
The final was an intense one, with Texas State scoring three straight tries to turn a 17-5 deficit into a 24-17 lead. Stokley, who had score his team’s third try of the first half, was on the sideline for some of that thanks to a yellow card. In fact SHSU ended up shorthanded by more than one player but were able to settle down and regain the lead for good.”
“One of our guys three an interception and we came together and I said, ‘guys, we’re not having fun. We have to go out there and do our thing and have fun. That’s when we play our best. We’ve held them and we just need to finish it off,’” explained Stokley.
That idea of just enjoying the moment, enjoying being on the team is a huge part of how they succeed.
“Our message to each other for a while now has been all about positivity,” said the SHSU captain. “We can get down on each other. If the other team sees that they know they’re in your head. So we came together and that’s how we won in the CRCs in New Orleans. I had torn my MCL in Atlanta and we all just said, ‘man, let’s just play rugby and have fun.’ We went to NOLA with 10 guys and won it.”
Many players had a hand in this Lonestar championship. Mathew Alvarez stepped in from wing to become the flyhalf when the team was struggling to find the right chemistry at that position. His leadership was important. Etienne Tenie’s attacking ability and kicking was huge, Drake Torno is part of a cadre of freshman talent that is making itself known, and Preston James sets the tone at prop.
“I could name our whole roster,” said Stokley. “Everyone is doing what they need to do.”
Chief among them Stokley. A big, powerful inside center with a sidestep and significant leadership abilities, Stokley comes right out of central casting, as if USA rugby pathway personnel said “huh, we need an American-born-and-bred interior back who is tall, powerful, smart, and is a leader.” Well, pathway scouts, here he is.
And here Sam Houston State is, with a spring playoff spot ahead of them now, they aren’t done looking for hardware.
