Washington State improved to 2-1 with a 24-19 defeat of Boise State, while Central Washington improved to 3-0 in the Northwest Collegiate Rugby Conference.

But to report it that way implies that it’s all kind of similar. Sure, WSU beat BSU in a close game, but it’s also worth nothing that Central Washington has already beaten both by unflattering scores - 129-0 and 96-3.

CWU’s victory this weekend, against a Western Washington team that is thinking playoffs, was 132-3. Former USA U20 player Vili Toluta’u scored four tries. Dan Conklin scored there. Six different players scored at least two. Josh Bower scored a try and kicked 16 conversions for 37 points all on his own. 

Against WSU, 13 CWU Wildcats scored points. Toluta’u has scored ten tries in three league games. At this rate, he should score about 23 tries for the season.

It doesn’t look like it’s going to get any easier for NCRC teams. Oregon and Washington may hold CWU to under 100, and certainly somebody’s going to score a try against them at some point. But, really, it’s not even close.

It’s a wonder CWU gets anything out of these games. Head Coach Tony Pacheco did try out Nick Siemens at flyhalf after Siemens had shown well in the B-side game against Boise State. Pacheco slid previous flyhalf, Scott Dean, out to inside center, using more of a 1st-five-eighth/2nd-five-eighth lineup. It worked wonderfully, with Siemens showcasing some aggressive running and nice balance, and an ability to put Dean into space.

The Wildcats have also shown an attention to detail and an ability to concentrate that is enviable. You don’t score 130 points by being slapdash, or by just going through the most ions. You do it by being athletic, strong, and very disciplined.

But the question remains whether this will all be good for CWU in the long run. They won’t be in the NCRC playoffs, meaning that the NCRC postseason will be a chance for someone to shine without worrying about a humiliating defeat. Instead, the Wildcats will augment their season with two games against the Seattle Saracens - easily their toughest opposition of the early spring - and then the Varsity Cup. The Wildcats are favored to make it through the first round (they host that game, after al), and likely the next round, too. That would put them in the semifinals, where all bets are off.

The question is, will they have received enough tough competition to prepare them for the likes of Cal or BYU or Utah? 

They will eventually find out. For now, Central Washington is like a variety of other colleges, such as BYU, Life, Dartmouth, and Lindenwood - isolated and looking for the best competition - competition that takes too long and has to travel too far to be seen.