VMI, Radford, and NC State all won in the opening weekend in the Cardinals Collegiate DII Conference as the season kicked off.

For NC State it was a new competition for the Wolfpack as they moved into the Cardinals from the defunct (for 15s) ACRL. NC State ran out 40-13 winners over a solid Old Dominion team which finished 4-0-1 in last year’s conference season. 

Radford defeated Virginia Commonwealth 40-31, but Head Coach Mick Turk was unimpressed. Both teams muffed easy try-scoring opportunities. Radford started to finish better in the second half and led 33-14, nay to see VCU come back to make it 33-31. One more try at the end of the game made it 40-31.

“We made a lot of penalties and we’re out of shape,” said Turk. “Neither team was good.”

VMI took care of UMBC 67-19. Head Coach Wayne Howe was relatively pleased.

“We still need some polishing but we played well at times,” Howe said.

In the backs, Paul Conteh and Conner Robertson sparked the attack, while up front Peter Chapin had a big game.

“Our backs this year are going to be fantastic,” said Howe. 

VMI has graduated several members of their forward pack from last season, and this year’s front eight is somewhat smaller than in past years.

But Howe said he had high hopes. With NC State in the mix and starting so well, “it will be interesting to see how we match up against them.”

Notes: The Hampton Heat U23 team and Virginia U23 team were slated to play this weekend but their game was rescheduled.