Almost an Upset; Cal Poly Pushes Saint Mary's in Moraga
Almost an Upset; Cal Poly Pushes Saint Mary's in Moraga
Cal Poly pushed Saint Mary's in a rather surprising meeting of the top two teams in the California D1A Conference, but the Gaels held on 43-38.
The game started well for the Gaels. They moved into Cal Poly territory and spun it wide to freshman Aisake Tukuafu, who sped in to touch down. Ollie Cline slotted the extras and it was 7-0.
Cline, back on the field after a rough injury against BYU, was very effective as a runner and kicker. It was his sidestep and break, followed by an offload that set up flyhalf Tatum Pappas for the next try, which Cline converted.
The Gaels added to that with a strong sequence of phases and a nice catch-pass from Nate Deegan to set up prop John Wilson. Cline converted again and it was 21-0 after 13 minutes.
The Gaels weren't done. Dom Besag went beats mode for 45 meters, thundering through several tackles. However, as he went over to score wing Nathan VanderKlugt knocked the ball loose to save a try. Cal Poly was able to get out of that and after a nice run from flyhalf Nicho Domine, scrumhalf Paddy Casey picked up from the base of the ruck and was in at the corner.
Saint Mary's responded with a nice 50-22 from Besag. While the Gaels didn't score right off that, they did a minute or so later when Pappas grubbered through for Tukuafu to chase down for his second.
That made it 26-7. Tukuafu scored his third of the half from a pretty simple but effective play off a scrum. Domine and Baker were instrumental in getting Cal Poly close, as was No. 8 Ryan Wenstrom, and finally flanker Dean Hall was over.
But during that sequence Cal Poly lost Casey to an injury. It seemed like Casey suffered the injury while making a tackle on Saint Mary's fullback Mario Storti on a kick chase. Both players were a bit slow to get up, but they returned to the action, only for Casey to take a knee a about 30 seconds later.
With halftime approaching Storti fielded a kick and scrumhalf Hunter Modlin box kicked about 50 meters to get a 50-22. Saint Mary's capitalized, winning the lineout and mauling it close to the line. Cal Poly was penalized and when the Gaels opted for a scrum they were nicely poised for No. 8 Ben Hatch to pick up and score. That made it 38-14 at the break, and no one could have expected Saint Mary's not to score again for about 39 minutes.
Cal Poly came out on fire. They surged down to chase their restart, and worked their way to the tryline before the forwards were over. Flanker Brett Dowgiewicz was the man to get it down, and Coby Baker converted to make it 38-21.
Cal Poly held Saint Mary's out and finally got out of trouble with a massive break from Baker. The Mustangs recycled only for Saint Mary's to get a yellow card for a deliberate knock-on. Cal Poly capitalized, taking the lineout. The forwards crashed it down to the line before the ball was sent to Baker, who stepped off his right foot and was over.
The center's kick was good again and it was 38-28.
The Mustangs did a good job of keeping the ball out of Saint Mary's hands, and spent a good deal of time in Saint Mary's territory. The Gaels just couldn't quite open up the spigot the way they like to.
So Cal Poly got within a score when Baker launched a high ball. The chase was on and wing Peter Mazolewski slammed into Storti, knocking the ball loose, and fullback Julian DeRaffele dove on the ball. 38-35. Now
Cal Poly continued to pressure. They lined up two makeable penalty goals and, for once (or, really, twice) Baker missed. He argued that the first one had gone over, but no joy in Mudville for Baker. Instead the teams kept trying to get that big play. It didn't come. Saint Mary's were not getting the kind of ball they liked.
Until they did. Late in the game the Gaels finally got to play with the ball a little. What followed was their best sequence of the half, with Besag sending a briiliant offload to Cathal Coakley (who was outstanding on the day), and he quickly passed to Atelea Si'i Tengei, who did very well to dive and score in the corner.
That made it 43-35 and very little time left. Cal Poly worked their way into the Saint Mary's half but couldn't get close enough. With time essentially up and Baker off for a blood sub, Domine slotted a penalty goal from long range to get his side within a try at 43-38. It was a smart move because there was time left. However, the Mustangs couldn't get that precious final try.
Saint Mary's had survived an excellent challenge from a motivated Cal Poly team.
For the Mustangs, Baker was once again excellent and Dowgiewicz had a huge game.
For Saint Mary's, the veterans, including Coakley and prop John Wilson, were crucial. Besag ripped the ball free in the tackle to end the game, and that was the sort of play he often makes.
Saint Mary's clinches the California Conference, but it's fair to say Cal Poly took a huge step forward.
