Peninsula Green continues to go from strength to strength in Northern California's DI Boys HS league, and finished the regular season undefeated after beating a tough North Bay team 43-12.

At the Man-of-the-Match ceremony after the game, North Bay Coach David Cingolani said: “This Peninsula Green team plays rugby as well as any high school team that I have ever seen, and I have seen a lot of them from all parts of the United States and the World. You will beat Danville. You are coached by a great coaching staff and you are playing exciting rugby.” 

Heavy words from a former Cal star. 

"This was perhaps the most enjoyable rugby game to watch that I have ever seen – high school or otherwise," added Peninsula Green Coach Bob Benson. "The Pen Green combination of fast, physical defense and fluid offense was exciting.  This Pen Green team can beat any high school team in the nation.”

The game started with North Bay testing Pen Green by pounding the ball North South with their forwards - William Tongauiha leading the charge. Pen Green hit low and hard and denied the gainline, and when the ball went out to the North Bay backs, the Pen Green centers met their opposites five meters behind the gainline and dropped them with the same low and hard tackles.  And there was always the Pen Green backup tackler to complete the job.  

Having set the tone defensively, Pen Green got to scoring when Bo Mailau made a 30-meter run to within ten meters of the North Bay line. The following ruck resulted in a steal by North Bay and then a counter-steal by Bo's brother Vita Mailau, and it was Vita who touched down under the posts. 

Within 2 minutes Tavite Lopeti took a pass and juked and juked until he scored under the posts to make it 12-0. After a nice run by Tala Talapusi, Bo Mailau took the ball again on a penalty tap and touched the ball down. The last score of the half came after a 50-meter run by Tavite Lopeti resulted in a ruck at seven meters. First Yoshi Warnock advanced the ball, and then Jay Everett bulled through for the try. The conversion by Tavita Mailau made it 26-0.  

North Bay did not give up and continued to run their pod pattern with their forwards. The Pen Green fierce tackling continued to stop the well-orchestrated barrage, but Vaea Mainiukainiu received a yellow card for not wrapping on a very low tackle about three minutes before the referee blew the whistle to end the half.

The second half commenced with Pen Green Beavers on the offensive again. However, a few Pen Green penalties and being down a player due to the yellow card gave North Bay the initiative. Pressure and patience put the ball over for North Bay's first try. Back to full strength after that, Peninsula Green sent Yoshi Warnock crashing through, scattering North Bay defensers. NB was penalized near their line and Vaea Mainikunia bulled over. 

After some chaotic give-and-take, scrumhalf Cutler Pons settled the play enough for Cutler to feed a crashing Tavita Mailau, who ran for 30 meters to score. Pen Green emptied the bench and North Bay kept playing and scored their second try. The last score of the game was the result of a long run by Tavite Lopeti, who then fed speed merchant Sami Makaafi for the try.

Peninsula Green's JV team was no less impressive, beating Berkeley 47-0 to improve to 8-0.

They showed some nice team play, and also benefited from the elusive running of Aidan Israelski, who scored four tries, and Alex Lopeti, who peeled of an 80-meter run and was a terro in the tackle.