Colorado School of Mines clinched the Rocky Mountain Conference championship Saturday with a convincing 44-7 victory over Western State.

Mines has continued to play well since moving back up to DII from the NSCRO leagues. Western State also moved up and performed well with a young squad, and the conference, now four teams as opposed to two in 2014, looks to be the better for its expansion.

For Mines, things have gone well despite losing captain and four-year starter Ben Bymaster, a Glendale HS product, to injury. Bymaster helped anchor the tight five, but in his absence a solid group of returners has led from the front, including captain Andrew Rixon and vice captain Konstantin Rehbein. Both Rixon and Rehbein are explosive with ball in hand and very sure defenders, and have continued to improve in part thanks to playing summer 7s with the Denver Barbarians club.

Co-captain John Law and vice captain Zach Melphy have led in the backs, and Melphy's goalkicking has kept the scoreboard kicking over.

The the team is heavy with student-athletes who have played rugby in high school - most from Colorado but some from other states, as well. 

"Rugby at Mines isn't about any one single player on attack or defense," said Coach Alex Eves. "Mines prides itself on playing total team rugby."

Eves lauded several players but especially Texas product Joe Brandenburg, a hard-working flanker, Caleb Lopez out of California, a tough-to-tackle wing, and Colorado product Connor Parson, who is an active second row who handles the lineouts as well as hitting the rucks and tackles in the open field.

Add to that a solid group of newer players, including Jason Lee, Ben Long, Mac Turner, and Josh Urbonas.

It's an impressive combination, and it looks as if Mines is ready to make it work for the long term.

Mines has clinched the conference and will face off with the second-place team from the Northern Lights in the first round of the national playoffs. That will be a tough game for the Orediggers, but it will be a tough game for the Northern Lights team, too.