GRR: BYU
The higher-ranked teams all won in the first round of the DIA playoffs Saturday.
BYU and Central Washington won by relatively large margins, while in the lone game in the East, Life had to battle through a tough Navy side.
Saint Mary’s defeated BYU 60-29 in Provo Saturday in a game where turnovers absolutely killed the Cougars’ chances.
Most of the Saint Mary’s try-scoring sequences started with the Gaels on defense, and either a mistake by BYU or an excellent play by Saint Mary’s—often both—result in points for the Californians.
Cal scored a try at the end of the game to haul in Brigham Young University and turn a 21-17 deficit into a 24-21 victory Saturday in Berkeley.
It was a back-and-forth affair at Witter Rugby Field, and Cal needed every minute to get past the Cougars.
BYU made the trip to Ellensburg, Wash. and handed Central Washington a tense 22-17 defeat Saturday.
The Cougars bounced back from a loss at Saint Mary's last week, and this time overcame a red card to prop Billy Tenney in the first half to hold off a Central Washington comeback.
The nuts and bolts of the Saint Mary's win over BYU are pretty straightforward.
Tayson Hammer scored early for the Cougars, and converted before the Gaels replied with two tries and a 12-7 lead. With Saint Mary's No. 8 Kaipono Kayoshi in the sin bin BYU scrumhalf sniped over from short range and Hammer's conversion gave them a 14-12 lead.