We have a lot of gamebreakers this week as the National Championships and a few state finals were going on. Here's a list of some top performers. We didn't get them all, but we tries.

 

Isaiah Bird marches forth for Budd Bay.

Fotu, Herriman, Tamara Tidey photo.

Dryer kicks for distance for Jesuit. Tamara Tidey photo.

Hannon tries to make something happen for Royal Irish. Steve Lagorio photo.

Cusano for Granite Bay. Steve Lagorio photo.

Isaiah Bird, Budd Bay, Wash.

The powerful No. 8 helped lead the Budd Bay Barbarians to a stunning upset of Liberty and a Washington state championship.

 

Isaiah Tschumper and Webb Bolstad, Hopkins, Minn.

Tschumper was a center and Bolstad a flyhalf before the Hopkins coaching staff had them switch positions. It was a genius move and both have flourished and paced Hopkins to an undefeated season so far in Minnesota.

 

Angel Santiago, Doylestown, Pa.

The unassuming flanker and captain for Doylestown is the emotional leader of a squad that not only went undefeated in Rugby Pa play, but allowed only ten points, and those in the state final, as they beat Downingtown to be Rugby Pa champions.

 

Kalisi Moli, Herriman, Utah

A No. 8 and prop, Moli was a massive part of Herriman’s 3rd-place finish at the Boys National Championships (single-school).

 

Jack Iscaro, Dante Lopresti, Jack Carroll, Gonzaga, DC

Iscaro is the HS All American prop who played hooker because his fellow Gonzaga props are massive, and one of them Lopresti, has had a series of excellent games this season. Iscaro and Carroll have, over their four years at Gonzaga, won two national championships, and lost a total of four games, Jesuit in the 2013 final, Capitolina, the top school team in Italy, Catolica, a rep side team from Chile, and the Uruguay U17 team.

 

Leki Fotu, Herriman, Utah

Fotu helped spark the Herriman comeback that didn’t quite finish off Gonzaga, and at No. 8 and lock was a key part of Herriman’s success this season.

 

Chase Bixby, Granite Bay, Calif.

The rangy lock had another big weekend at the Boys National Championships. His performance in the semifinal against United was truly outstanding.

 

Malik Fisher, Xavier, NY

The sophomore loose forward scored big tries for Xavier as they finished 2-1 at the Boys National Championships, and in 5th place. He is set to make an impact on high school rugby in the next two years.

 

Sam Cusano, Granite Bay, Calif.

Every team that faced Granite Bay this season, including Royal Irish in the HS Club National Championships final, said that they were worried about Cusano's ability to break tackles and counterattack. He was certainly one of the most dynamic and dangerous runners in the tournament this year.

 

Jack Weigold, Greenwich, Conn.

Perhaps better suited to being an openside flanker, Weigold suited up at No. 8 for Greenwich and was effective all over the field. 

 

Inoke Moali, Penn, Ind.

Perhaps the best No. 8 in a field of wonderful No. 8s at the Boys National Championships, Moali was a big reason Penn overcame Xavier in overtime on the first game.

 

Eamonn Matthews, Xavier, NY

A brilliant passer, Matthews kept the game moving for Xavier at nationals.

 

Brian Hannon, Royal Irish, Ind.

Goff Rugby Report’s Player of the Week, Hannon scored two tries and kicked three in a  21-15 defeat of Granite Bay in the Boys HS National Championships HS club final.

 

Nick Costa, Union County, NJ

The Mudturtles prop helped his team to a Tier II win at the Boys National Championships. Costa was a defensive stalwart, help organize the defensive front, and was a hard worker in tight, too.

 

Rahshan Jones, Gonzaga, DC

The Eagles center scored two big tries in the Boys National Championships single-school semis, and it was his run tat led to the key try for Gonzaga that set up their 13-3 win over Jesuit in the final.

 

Lennin Rodriguez, Capital HS, Idaho

With his team’s regular goalkicker in the sin bin, Rodriguez, a flanker for the Capital High School team in Boise, Idaho, kicked an overtime penalty goal to win the state championship over Mountain View.

 

Austin Barnes, Union, Okla.

A second row forward for the Union team was a force in the lineout in Union’s state final victory over Bixby.

 

Joseph McRae, Beaverton, Ore.

McRae was the difference two weeks ago when his conversions lifted Beaverton over Eastside in a league game, and sat weekend in the Oregon HS club final, it was the same story as McRae converted all four Beaverton tries, while Eastside scored five tries, all unconverted, and Beaverton won 28-25.

 

Tomasi Tonga, Herriman, Utah

Tomasi Tonga was a brilliant fullback for Herriman. His tackling, unselfish running on the ball, and decision-making showed real class.

 

Christian Dyer, Jesuit, Calif.

The flyhalf for Jesuit showed skill all over the field as he directed Jesuit to their 8th national final in the last ten years.