Weston Rugby defeated Cardinal Gibbons 28-5 under the lights Thursday night in the only Florida Youth Rugby game of the weekend.

Ruiz scored three for Weston.

Weston opened up the scoring with an early try by flanker Chase Shor-Haskin following a goal-line pick-and-go. Cardinal Gibbons responded soon after, gaining territory through penalties before getting the ball out to the wing to score in the corner. The game plateaued at 7-5 following a missed conversion by Gibbons, until Weston scrumhalf and captain Alex Ruiz broke through the fringes of the ruck to extend Weston’s lead at halftime. Flyhalf Martin Mairowitz kicked his second conversion to make it 14-5 at the break.

Cold temperatures slowed the pace of the game in the middle of the field at the start of the second half, but after ten minutes, Weston put the ball through the hands down the backline and down the field to create an opportunity at the ruck for captain Alex Ruiz to score another try for the Wolfhounds.

Cardinal Gibbons worked enormously hard to defend their line and put in a valiant effort, but Weston had the momentum and Ruiz scored again off a pick-and-go to complete his hat-trick. Mairowitz was good on the kick once more to finish the game 28-5.

Weston improves to 2-1 and sits atop South Pool 3 in Florida, while Cardinal Gibbons drops to 1-2.