Jesuit, Cal Rugby Teams to Play Saturday in Carmichael

A national college rugby powerhouse is coming to Carmichael in a homecoming game for 10 of its players.

Cal Rugby, ranked first in the Rugby Magazine College Premier Rankings and defending National Collegiate Rugby Champions, will take on the UC Davis Aggies at Saturday at 1 p.m.  Ten Jesuit alumni currently play on the Cal Rugby Team.

Prior to the Cal vs. UC Davis match, the Jesuit Rugby Team will play Elsie Allen High School of Santa Rosa at 11 a.m.  Jesuit is currently ranked first in the National High School Rugby Rankings by Rugby Magazine, and has won five National High School Rugby Championships.  The Marauders finished third in the nation last year. 

Construction at Memorial Stadium on the University of California, Berkeley campus has forced the Cal Rugby Team to play an all away schedule for 2011.

"It's surreal for (the former Jesuit players) to come back where they started and learned the game," said Jesuit rugby head coach John Shorey. "We're very excited for (today) and they have represented Jesuit well."

The Cal roster includes the following Jesuit alums- prop Jeremy Deterding of Carmichael, flanker Tyler Colin, center Daniel Collins, prop Joe Donaldson, flanker Jason Fry, flyhalf Brandon Kraft, lock/flanker Jason Law, wing Blaine Scully, flanker Sam Weich and No. 8/lock Nick Westerman.

“We are excited about being able to host collegiate rugby here at Jesuit High School,” said Chris Fahey, Jesuit director of athletics.  “Not only will we be hosting one of the best collegiate rugby programs in the nation, but we will also be welcoming back several alumni who currently play for Cal.”

You might say Jesuit Rugby is a feeder program for Cal Rugby, with a steady number of former Marauders going to the Golden Bears program for more than a decade.

"We have a very strong tradition of Jesuit players matriculating at the University of California," said Cal Rugby head coach Jack Clark."Jesuit as a college preparatory (school) does a great job with students so academically, they're prepared."

"(At Cal) we're in the business of top-class rugby and Jesuit is the best if not among the best programs in the country," Clark added.

Indeed, Jesuit rugby is 8-0 this season and won its kickoff tournament in late January at Sacramento's Granite Park. Shorey said in past seasons when Jesuit won that tournament, they have gone on to win the national championship.

"The team is starting to gel," he said. "We feel they're going to be good."

Tickets for Saturday are being sold online at www.jhssac.org and will also be on sale at the gate, starting at 10 a.m.  Tickets are $8 for adults, $5 for students and $3 for children age 3-10.  A reserve grade match will follow the Cal vs. UC Davis Varsity match.