Boston College High laid down a marker Wednesday with a 20-7 defeat of previously unbeaten Belmont High to move to 3-0 in Massachusetts Youth Rugby Boys DI league play.

In a physical, intense game, BC High got the better of the breakdowns, and that proved to be the difference. Belmont was plagued with penalty problems in the rucks, but still kept it code until the very end.

BC High scored first, capping off a period of pressure with a try from sophomore flanker Jeff Calci on a pick-and-go ten minutes in. Belmont responded, marching the ball into BCH’s half with runs from Bryce Christian, Nick Ryan and Marco Perrone. Senior captain Darren Chan distributed ball quickly, but BC’s commitment to the counter-ruck hurt Belmont’s quality of possession. Still, on their 5th visit to the BCH 22, Belmont scored when Chan dummied and raced in from 25 meters. Fullback Luke Gallagher, whose running had also tested BC, kicked the conversion to put Belmont up 7-5.

BC High replied with scrumhalf Billy Connors lofting some well placed box kicks to gain territory, and flyhalf Aalok Patel organizing the attack from there. Huge carries from center Billy Coughlin brought BCH into Belmont territory, and then the forwards took over, taking pick-and-goes and passes from Patel to surge on. No. 8 Terry Cullen finally picked and scored to put his side up 10-7.

It remained a tight game after that.

“Belmont was able to frustrate us at lineouts by stealing and disrupting our play,” said BC High Coach Paul Carty. “But we were gaining large chunks of territory off of line breaks and overlaps, and the forwards controlled the breakdown.”

That would be Peter Durkin causes problems in the lineout, and the line of touch proved to be Belmont’s best source of good possession.

It wasn’t enough. BC High was aggressive in sending in their extra tackler to poach the ball, and, along with their effective counter-rucking, forced penalties and turnovers. In the second half. Patel found center Chad McMahon on an overlap, who took the ball into the Belmont 22, and then Cullen picked and powered over. 

At 15-7 the game was still in the balance, but BC High ended on a high with Patel setting up Cullen for his third try and the 20-7 victory.

Also on Wednesday, Xaverian Brothers beat Needham HS 31-26 to improve to 1-1, while Needham dropped to 0-3. Bishop Hendricken improved to 1-1 with a 25-5 defeat of St. John’s Prep, who drop to 1-2.

BC High now sits 3-0 and next face Xaverian Brothers in two weeks. Belmont, how 2-1. departs for the team’s 3rd international tour in club history, going to Lisbon and Monte Gordo, Portugal with matches against Sintrense Rugby Club in Sintra and Evora Rugby Club. The boys will also be performing community service with Communidade Vida e Paz in Lisbon.