(Salt Lake City) Nick Boyer delivered a pair of vital tries as Jesuit raced past Xavier 50-27 for the high school championship.
Also on Saturday, Highland bested United 38-24 to farewell longtime coach Larry Gelwix with a third under-19 title, to go along with 17 schoolboy crowns won under the old format.
Both contests matched the 2010 champs against the teams they unseated, and duly the 'single school' final's lead changed hands 3 times in the first 30 minutes.
Chris Mattina opened Xavier's scoring account with a penalty goal, before Jesuit wing Ryan Shuler darted into tryzone after a bruising run from skipper Chris Fry.
The injury departure of Marauder flyhalf James Poindexter after 13 minutes marked a turning point, leading to Xavier backs Nicholas Conte and Ed Sullivan scoring inside 5 minutes of one another. The second touchdown, initiated by Sullivan's tap move and also converted by the fullback, gave the New Yorkers a 15-7 edge.
Back came Jesuit with a trio of tries showcasing the Sacramentans' trademark support play. Each of the deep three backs figured in flanker Clancy Smith's unconverted score; Patrick Barrientes was prominent in the phases leading to eightman Michael Bush's go-ahead try; and then Boyer dotted the afternoon's most elegant score.
Coming as Xavier was driving just before half, the long-range score featured skillful passing among wing Mathew Chipman, Bush, and Boyer, and transformed Xavier's hopes of reclaiming the lead into a nine-point Jesuit advantage, 24-15.
Moments into the second period, Chipman flummoxed three sideline defenders from a standing start for a sensational solo goal. By now it was evident that Xavier was struggling to contain their up-tempo rivals, particularly when yielding turnovers.
Jim Wolfer answered with a converted try in the 43d-minute -- halves being 35 -- after flanker Adam Duignan broke Jesuit's line. Again Boyer answered, this time beginning from a scrum pickup and using Chipman as a decoy.
Ahead 36-22, Jesuit copped a yellow card but Chipman again evaded Xavier's defense for a score that clinched the game. Duignan and Barrientes, whose improbable rebound from a semifinal injury proved important to Jesuit's surviving Poindexter's exit, then traded tries as time wound down.
Gonzaga downed Charlotte Catholic 17-15 for third place, after racing back from a 15-5 deficit. With the Carolinians down a man, Joe Taylor scored the game-tying try and Sam LaPaille booted a pressure conversion. The Eagles were overwhelmed 45-7 in their semifinal clash with Jesuit, while Charlotte dropped an 18-17 contest to Xavier in a penalty shootout.
In the U19 final, Highland ran in four tries after intermission as the 12-7 affair turned into a contest notable for solo playmaking and one-on-one matchups. Anthonly Lavemai nabbed a pair, and the center's contest against opposite number Kisi Unufe, who also claimed a brace, was among the most interesting battles.
At the second half's outset, Lavemai's 36th-minute try was quickly countered by a Russ Parai penalty goal and Unufe's intercept touchdown. Eightman Douglas Ferris than cruised over the line from a setpiece pickup to make the count 24-17, where it remained until 10 minutes to go.
A brokenfield scoring run by Joshua Faagalu, his second, stretched the lead to 14, until Unufe's 35-yard effort, made by Parai's simple cutout pass, brought the game back to a single score with 6 minutes to go. Lavemai's second proved the decider.
With the win, Highland presented Gelwix a retirement gift to embellish his place in American rugby history. Only Cal's Jack Clark has a national record worthy of comparison.
A father figure to players and tenacious opponent to rivals, some of whom have wondered about the team's Polynesian cast, the local businessman started coaching at Highland in 1975, a year before USARFU's formation. Many years before the school game was fashionable, Gelwix lead the union's youth committee, championing investment in participation and also nationalized competition. Dozens of his players became All-Americans and several won caps. In 2008 his successes were portrayed in the movie Forever Strong.
Jesuit 50 Xavier 27 (halftime: Jesuit 24-15)
Jesuit
Tries: Nick Boyer (2), Mathew Chipman (2), Ryan Shuler, Clancy Smith, Michael Bush, Patrick Barrientes
Conversions: Nick Boyer (5)
Frank Ramos; Mathew Chipman, Todd Cameron, Patrick Barrientes, Ryan Shuler; James Poindexter (Matthew Tiernan), Nick Boyer; Andrew Cowie, John Brown, Trevor Breault, Patrick Rockwell, Chris Fry (captain), Willem Bos (Anthony Calnero), Clancy Smith, Michael Bush
Xavier
Tries: Nicholas Conte, Ed Sullivan, Jim Wolfer, Adam Duignan
Conversions: Christopher Mattina (2)
Penalties: Christopher Mattina
Ed Sullivan; Charles Guiraud, Joseph Wolfer, Nicholas Conte, Jim Wolfer; Christopher Mattina, Andrew Brosnahan; Thomas Boule, Luna Mishoe (Martin Freda, Christian Mattera), Ricky Comis (Bryan Carley), James Kondrat, Connor Sweet (Michael Gorman), Patrick O'Grady, Adam Duignan, Joseph Corrado (captain)
Referee: Aruna Ranawera (Pacific Coast and United States)
Attendance: 750 (estimate)
Highland 38 United 24 (halftime: Highland 12-7)
Highland
Tries: Anthony Lavemai (2), Joshua Faagalu (2), Jayce Hansen, Douglas Ferris
Conversions: Kobi Harris (4)
Jayce Hansen; Richard Vakapuna, Anthony Lavemai, Joshua Faagalu, Moses Lotulelei; Kobi Harris, Kepu Lauti; Kesni Tausinga, Kingston Liava, Logan Daniels, Kapi Pauni, Alai Motuapuaka, Josh Randel, John Kacinski, Douglas Ferris. Replacements unconfirmed
United
Tries: Kisi Unufe (2), Siona Hausia,
Conversions: Russ Parai (3)
Penalties: Russ Parai
Brandon Benavides; Zach Webber, Kisi Unufe, Mateaka Hausia, James Schultz; Russ Parai (captain), Marlin Green; Avalisi Bloomfield, D'vairo Auelua-Notoa, Wlater Murray, Brandon Wilde, Thayne Soloai, Robin Rudolph, Siona Hausia. Replacements unconfirmed
Referee: Paul Bretz (Pacific Coast and United States)
Attendance: 1,750 (estimate)