Jesuit, Cal Rugby Win Matches in Blowouts

The Marauders rugby team is one of the top high school squads in the country and its influence showed Saturday in Carmichael as the defending national college rugby champion California Golden Bears, with 10 Jesuit alumni on its roster, blew out UC Davis following a lopsided Marauders win over Elsie Allen High School of Santa Rosa.

Jesuit Rugby won 83-5, while Cal Rugby won 106-0.

For Cal, being at Jesuit was a homecoming game for 10 of its players.

Captain Blaine Scully, a Jesuit alumnus who plays the wing position at Cal, and flanker Tom Rooke both scored hat tricks as the Bears recorded their ninth shutout of the season while notching 16 tries of their own.

"Today was a good event to support high school rugby in the area," said Scully, who played water polo, basketball and swimming while at Jesuit.

Jeremy Deterding of Carmichael, who plays the prop position, said he was excited to be back on the same field he played on for Jesuit when they one one of their five national rugby championships in 2006 (the others came in 1999, 2004, 2008 and 2009.

"It's amazing to see this atmosphere, with Jesuit supporters and Cal supporters," Deterding said. "The field hasn't changed and it's good to see people out here today."

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

Cal Rugby is ranked first in the Rugby Magazine College Premier Rankings. Construction at Memorial Stadium on the University of California, Berkeley campus has forced the team to play an all away schedule for 2011.

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.

By beating Elsie Allen, Jesuit won the Matt Eshoo Cup, named in honor of a former Elsie Allen player. Following the match, players from bith sides shooks hands and gathered in a huddle.

"This is an important win to us," said Jesuit's Chris Fry, who plays the No. 8 position, "This game will help prepare us for nationals (in May)."

Flyhalf James Poindexter said the Marauders are in awe of the Bears program, in part because of the strong relationship between both schools.

"(Cal being here) puts a lot of pressure on us to perform well," Poindexter said. "We respect Cal for being here."

Cal (17-0, 2-0) next faces Sierra College in Rocklin on March 19.