Rocky Mountain Challenge Day 1 Wrap-up
Rocky Mountain Challenge Day 1 Wrap-up
Nine Eagle Impact Rugby Academy teams went 11-7 in the Rocky Mountain Challenge Boys Tier 1 action on Saturday, with five of the teams winning or leading their pools.
In Boys Tier 1:
The extensive HS all-star event saw EIRA Midwest Blue defeat Rhinos Rugby Academy 40-21, and 5785 Green 55-5. EIRA Heartland eked out a 29-22 result over the Badgers Selects out of Wisconsin, but lost 31-5 to 5785 Blue. EIRA SoCal won its pool easily, beating EIRA Midwest Red 80-7, and Rugby Colorado 50-0.
EIRA Midwest Red was the only EIRA team not to win a game on Saturday.
Meanwhile, 5785 Blue won Pool B, beating the Badger Selects as well as EIRA Heartland.
So that sets up today's knockout rounds in Tier 1. The top eight teams go into a semifinal bracket for the top four and the next four:
Cup Semis:
EIRA SoCal vs Rhinos Academy
5785 Blue vs EIRA Midwest Red
Consolation Semis:
EIRA Heartland vs 5785 Green
Colorado vs Badger Selects
The winners of the semis will face off and the losers of the cup semis will face off.
The losers of the Consolation semis will each play EIRA Midwest Red to figure out the 7th, 8th, and 9th placements.
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In Boys Tier 2 (essentially JV), EIRA SoCal, EIRA Heartland, and EIRA Midwest Blue all went 2-0.
EIRA SoCal dominated with wins of 48-0 over EIRA Midwest Red and 5785 Green, but for the most part the other games were very competitive.
With Pool A having four teams, instead of three, pool play will finish up today, with the 2-0 Badger Selects against 2-0 EIRA SoCal. EIRA Midwest Red will take on 5785 Green; both are 0-2.
Once that's figured out, the knockout rounds can be confirmed.
EIRA Heartland and EIRA Midwest Blue will face off regardless, with the winner playing the winner of Pool A for the championship. The loser will play the 2nd team in Pool A for 3rd.
Arizona plays Colorado and 5785 Blue plays Rhinos Academy in the consolation semis, with Pool A's 3rd and 4th coming in later.
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In the Tier 1 Girls, which only, sadly, featured four teams, Rhinos Academy is 2-0 and takes on 1-1 Colorado today. 5785 (1-1) plays 0-2 EIRA SoCal.
The Tier 2 Girls event features only two teams. Colorado beat 5785 48-26 on Saturday and they meet again on Sunday.