(Salt Lake City, Utah) Tala Tuumaialu and Braydon Anderson scored second-half tries as Highland wore down Jesuit 24-8 for its 17th high school championship Saturday.
In an evenly balanced and entertaining contest, Highland’s two-point edge looked set to fall as center Ian Forner lined up a close-range penalty attempt seven minutes after half. But the kick sliced left and as so often happens, the favorites then pulled away.
The result reversed the outcome of last year's title match, won 19-13 by Jesuit. Bruising, gainline-breaking forward runs stood out in the Salt Lake side’s second-period surge, and perhaps too the effects of Utah’s rarefied air on the Sacramento, California, team.
“We had a lack of focus … and had a talk to the team at half,” Tuumaialu said afterword. “Then it was eight [players] working hard together.”
Xavier captured the tier ‘B’ championship with a 26-0 victory over the Los Angeles Cougars. Mike Tolkin’s New Yorkers previously captured the premier title in 1985 and 1993.
In 2007’s main event, Jesuit fell behind when wing Isi Sofele scored in the eighth minute. A moment earlier, the Marauders had appeared to escape a try by center Fetaiaki Tonga, called back for a forward pass; but Jesuit lost the put in, presaging setpiece problems throughout the afternoon.
Eliot Telford responded in the 24th minute, Jesuit's reward for passages of skillful continuity between backs and forwards. During the middle period of first half, the Californians effectively controlled play. Booming tactical kicks from flyhalf Fou Tuumaialu and his teammates’ disruptive scrummaging and lineouts kept Highland from being pinned in its own end.
Highland took the lead again at 29 minutes with an unconverted try to wing Mark Goldhart, a playmaker throughout the afternoon. A Jesuit dropout directly into touch gave Highland the attacking platform for a multiphase score.
After the turnaround, shifty running by flanker Scott McFarlane led to a Forner penalty goal, making the count 10-8. But the number 13, who had been key to the semifinal win over Penn, could not convert Jesuit’s first chance to take the lead.
Subsequently the younger Tuumaialu and company turned the game for good with bollocking runs, creating time and space for brother Fou’s long cutout passes, which exploited outnumbered backline defenders.
The eightman’s score capped a cross-the-field-and-back movement, while Anderson’s try after 20 minutes (of a 35-minute half) saw the second rower carry at least 2 would-be tacklers over the line.
Fou Tuumaialu was named MVP. Brother Tala as well as Jesuit second rower Cori Nicodemus and counterattacking fullback Brian Gagliardi also deserved consideration.
Watched by an estimated 1,100 – not counting the 14 teams comprising the rest of the high school contenders – the crowd may have been larger and more lively than any other Murray Rugby Field gathering since the 2002 World Cup qualifier versus Chile. (Paid attendance for that event was 2,075.) A large troop of Jesuit parents vied with local supporters in a good-natured rivalry, made all the louder under the covered stand.
In the Super League quarterfinals, all of the home teams won while OMBAC failed in its title defense.
The Chicago Lions bounced the San Diegans 46-28, while the first-year Chicago Griffins downed 2005 titlists NYAC by 28-15. In California, title favorite Belmont Shore edged PAC the Dallas Harlequins 20-10 and Golden Gate handled the Dallas Harlequins Old Blue 38-20.
The results set up an intra-city semifinal between the two Chicago teams and an intra-California contest. Notwithstanding players away with the Eagles, unbeaten Belmont and the once-defeated Lions (by the Long Beach side) will be favored.
Highland 24 Jesuit 8 (halftime Highland 10-5)
Highland
Tries: Isi Sofele, Mark Goldhardt, Tala Tuumaialu, Braydon Anderson
Conversions: Fou Tuumaialu, Sione Lauti
An Other; Isi Sofele, Zach Taylor, Fetaiaki Tonga, Mark Goldhardt; Fou Tuumaialu, Sione Lauti; Brandon Dovros, Bryson Sofele, Spencer Vickery, Scott Metcalf, Braydon Anderson, Zach Bellamy, Jordan Price, Tala Tuumaialu (replacements not available)
Jesuit
Try: Eliot Telford
Penalty: Ian Forner
Brian Gagliardi; Will Wegener, Ian Forner, Kellen Holmes, Tanner Heaphy; Trent Fischer, Connor Worden; Jeremy Deterding, Jake William Sehr, Ryand DeAnda, Shane Barnes, Cori Nicodemus (captain), Nathan Esch, Scott McFarlane, Samuel Welsh Welch (replacements not available)
Referee: Davey Ardrey (West and United States)
Attendance: 1,100 (estimated)
Quick correction: the SFGG victory in the Superleague quarters was over Old Blue New York, not the Dallas Harlequins. It was a very entertaining game that may have been closer had OBNY not been consistently bullied in the scrums. The SFGG front row had a fantastic game and gave the home team the lion's share of possession.
Posted by: Dan Ransom | 21 May 2007 at 10:34
Yikes! Corrected. Thanks Dan
Posted by: Kurt Oeler | 21 May 2007 at 19:10
Another quick correction. The Jesuit player's name is Samuel Welch not Samuel Welsh.
Posted by: Goeagles | 21 May 2007 at 21:39