The first two rounds of Men’s DII games are done in the USA Rugby College 7s Championships, with high-profile teams showing why they are high-profile.

Priincipia were burned by Providence early but their ball movement and pace were too much in the end as the defending champion Thunder Chickens won going away 35-12. Jordan Anderson scored two tries for Principia.

Wisconsin-Whitewater were just too big and athletic for Vassar, with Timothy Grams scoring two tries and eight conversions for 26 points all by himself. Notre Dame College edged James Madison 14-12 in a game that both teams probably through could have been a comfortable win for them. Notre Dame looked to control possession but didn’t do a superb job of it, and James Madison moved the ball nicely when they got it.

A key moment came late in the first half, when NDC fumbled the ball right under their posts. JMU won the scrum ball but tried to take contact too much and were forced to knock-on inches short of the line, leaving the score at 7-7 at the break.

Both teams scored in the second half, but Notre Dame went in under the posts - RoNeil Reynolds scoring his second - and that was the difference, 14-12.

“Both teams controlled the ball really well,” said NDC Head Coach Jason Fox. “It’s good to see the top 15s teams here and playing well. When they didn’t capitalize on our mistake at the end of the first half, that would have been a big play. But our defense and our fitness was good.” 

In the second round, Principia learned a harsh lesson about executing under intense pressure. Minnesota-Duluth hammered the Thunder Chickens from the get-go, with Trace Bolstad and Zach Schwartz moving the ball nicely and Jake Luetgers punishing tacklers up the middle.

Coast Guard gave the same lesson to Providence.

UNC-Wilmington won a tight one 31-24 over Notre Dame College, with Vincent Faison scoring the game-tying try and Alex Fox scoring the winner. 

JMU won a dramatic game 21-20 over Southern Illinois. Jake Soriano had a big game for SIU, but it was an early series of pressure by Southern Illinois that netted no points that they will want to get back.

St. Louis, led by the try-scoring touch of Zach Boente, went to 2-0, beating East Carolina and Vassar. Their third-round clash with UW-Whitwater will be a huge game.