Dana Hills Wins Big Early Game in LA
Dana Hills Wins Big Early Game in LA
The Mira Costa rugby team lost their first game, ever, Friday night as the Mustangs pst 35-12 to their rivals Dana Hills.
The two teams had met for the Southern California Blue Division championship last year - the Blue Division is a development division for new teams - with Mira Costa winning. But with both teams now in the Varsity White Division, the Dolphins turned the tables on the Mustangs.
“This was a great victory for Dana Hills,” said Dana Hills Head Coach Ian Ibbetson. “Mira Costa brought their usual physical game and Dana matched them up front. It was one of my most satisfying wins of my coaching career. Obviously we wanted to win, having lost in the finals last year. But they played fantastic rugby and it was beautiful to watch. I am very honoured to be able to coach the boys at Dana Hills Rugby Club.”
The loss was the first for the Mustang rugby program in 12 games, and also marked the first loss for Head Coach Duke Dulgarian, who was undefeated in 22 games in rugby and JV football.
The game was played on a football-sized pitch in the rain, which didn’t make for a lot of open play, so it was down to who could win the point of contact.
Mira Costa was without hooker Juwan Johnson and inside center Justus Tavai, and had to deal with a bigger Dana Hills team.
The match was played between the 22 meter lines for most of the first 20 minutes., and then Dana Hills struck with a nicely-executed forward drive that led to a try in their midfield.
Mira Costa replied with a try from freshman No. 8 Jonah Tavai, but Dana Hills replied to lead 14-5.
In the second half, Mustangs flyhalf Isaiah Leilua burst through the Dana Hills backline to make it 14-12, but Dana Hills had the measure of the contest up front, and kicked well to pin Mira Costa back. The pressure began to tell and three more tries made it 35-12.
Dana Hills got big performances from Adam Page, Nash Parker, and Jonathan Fer, who bolstered the forward effort.
“We rucked very well, mounting multi-phase attacks,” said Ibbetson, whose team also scrummed well. “The combination of heavy forward runners punching holes in Mira Costa’s defense and fast skillful backs helped with the victory.”
Gabe Wahl played well testing the Mira Costa defense and distributing to the backs.
“Fitness also played a huge part,” added Ibbetson. “Dana is not a football team that plays rugby. We are an experienced team that has grown together and playing some exceptional rugby. Our assistant coach Craig Hartley has been focusing on fitness and it showed in this game. Teams can't keep up and our stamina showed in the second half as we had plenty left in the tank.”
Palos Verdes defeated Stern MASS 34-15 to move to 1-0 in the LA Varsity White. View Park Prep played a non-league game, which they won 51-17 over Citrus Valley.
So with two weeks done in the LA Varsity White, Dana Hills is 2-0, Palos Verdes 1-0, Mira Costa 1-1, View Park 0-1, and Stern MASS 0-2.
