Rugby player gives perspective of championship

WRITTEN BY: JESSE OLESON | STAFF WRITER

Game one: 4/23/2016.

Our flights were all on time, checking into the hotel went fine, and everyone was playing well during warm- ups before the game. Everything was going according to plan.

Then everything didn’t.

After some costly mistakes, we were down 14 points at the half.

14 to zero as a matter of fact.

Our coaches were upset. We were upset. We flew 2,000 miles and raised thousands of dollars for this. We were better than this.

Within two minutes we scored two tries. The tide was shifting. Back and forth IUPUI and PLNU scored leading up to the final minutes of the game. With five minutes left, IUPUI scored putting PLNU down 23-29.

That’s when the cheering began. Everyone knew it would come down to this last two minutes of play. Each team captain was egging on their teammates, one team to hold them and one to score. With two minutes left in the game, Riley Cannon scored and with the conversion kick by Markus Lewis we were up 30-29. The clock winded down and Pablo Kaprielian kicked it out and ended the game.
We were on our way to the championship game.
Most of the kids on our team haven’t played for a televised championship game with teams from around the country. PLNU Rugby went to sleep that night with our sights on the championship. Tomorrow we will be playing Salem State University. West Coast versus the East Coast.

Game two: 04/24/2016

We came out strong but it wasn’t good enough. We never gave up but we came up short. The better team won today but we are keeping our heads high.

I’d like to say thank you on behalf of the rugby team. Thank you to the amazing support of our friends and family. You are the bedrock on which this club is built on. To the alumni: thank you for your encouraging words and financial support.

We hope we made you proud. And lastly, thank you to our school. The funding and moral support made our small club seem recognized and it spurred us forward.

Cheers to an amazing season. Hey, second in the nation ain’t too bad. You’ll see us again out on the pitch in the Fall.

photo by pointloma.edu