True Champions: Two Players Overcame Challenges to Help Lead Belmont to Rugby Crown

Under normal circumstances, they should not have been there.

Junior Toussaint and Barrett Lyons were scheduled to be on the starting 15 for Belmont High School's Football Rugby Club who were set to battle nationally-ranked Bishop Hendricken High School of Rhode Island on a gray, blustery Saturday, May 25 in Devens, Mass. for the Massachusetts Youth Rugby Division 1 state championships. 

Not only was it for the state crown, for Belmont it was an opportunity for redemption; a chance to counter the defeat the Marauders suffered to the Hawks earlier in the season. 

But for Toussaint and Lyons – who play next to each other on the field and were important players for the entire year – the odds of lining up with their teammates on the wet, dank grass field appeared to be long due to recent events.

Toussaint – who plays the speedy fly-half position – suffered a serious strain to his medial collateral ligament in the team's semifinal victory against Boston College High, an injury that left the senior in pain and needing help to move after the game.

Told that he faced an elevated chance of damaging his knee again – possibly permanently – if he played, Toussaint and the coaches discussed the options with his mother. Since he was 18, it was left in his hands whether he would be in the line up. 

There never was a doubt to his answer, said Toussaint on Saturday.

"There was no question that I was going to be here," said Toussaint, who wore a protective brace on his knee.

"There was no way I wouldn't be with my family today," said Toussaint, referring to the coaches and his fellow players.

While his teammate faced a physical challenge, Lyons' was emotional; his grandfather died on Friday, the day before the championship showdown.

"It's been a difficult time for the family," said Lyons' mother who was at the game. 

When word came down of the death, Belmont's Head Coach Greg Bruce spoke to Lyons on participating on Saturday in his critical role as a Number 8 on the field. 

"I told him of a challenge I had when I was young that was somewhat similar," said Bruce, who teaches special education at Belmont High.

After some thought, Lyons declared that he would honor his grandfather by dedicating his play in the championship game to him. 

Just before the game, Bruce spoke to Lyons.

"I told him he could play out-of-control, running only on emotion or he could play for his grandfather," said Bruce.

No one on the team or the coaches would have thought less of the pair if they didn't play, said Bruce. But when the opening kick was launched into the air, both Toussaint and Lyons were on the pitch.

Approximately two hours later, when the referee blew the final whistle, Toussaint and Lyons join their teammates around Jon Comeau as the senior captain held the state trophy high above their heads, after Belmont took a tough but well-earned 17-5 victory over Hendricken, securing Belmont's first Division 1 championship.

In the moments after the game, Bruce announced that Toussaint and Lyons were named "Men of the Match," an honor going to the players who demonstrated not just their prowess on the field – Toussaint and Lyons scored each of Belmont's 17 points – but their leadership and team spirit in the biggest game in the club's seven years of existence.

"They truly earned the honor," said Bruce.

Not yet recognized by state interscholastic 

Unlike most high school state championships held at large stadiums or on college playing fields, the three championship games held Saturday in a continuing mist and rain was held on a field in the state's newest town. 

No stands, no scoreboard, no shelter. Even the goal posts appeared as if they would fall over if a gust of wind blew through the field.

Rugby has yet to be confirmed the status of a recognized sport by the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association since there are so few schools with varsity-level teams. 

It is the reason why Hendricken could play for a "Massachusetts" state championship since it's the only varsity team in Rhode Island and was invited to play by the Massachusetts Youth Rugby Organization which is the governing board in the Bay State.

While highlighted by open-field runs and solid hits, rugby is a game whose heart lies in the scrum; where two groups of eight players – three up front, four just behind and one in the back – shoulder-to-shoulder, and head-to-head, attempt to win possession of the oval-shaped ball pitched into the middle. 

Like medieval armies that clash in the middle of a field, the scrum is controlled brutality as each team force their physical and mental will to their advantage by pushing the pile in their direction. 

In the center of the crush was Comeau, the team's only captain, who Bruce said from the start of the year took ownership of the team and had them set their sights on becoming champions.

"[Comeau] carried the torch for this team. It was inspirational what he did this year," said Bruce.

The big man – a top-ranked wrestler and football player – again and again steadied the front line as the scrum was engaged, rocking the Hawks forward line with Brendan Sullivan and Pat O'Connor.

With the ball in his hand, he was both feared and nearly unstoppable. One such scamper saw 10 of Hendricken's 15 players attempting to halt Comeau's progress.

And when the Hawks backs did get free, the defense from centers Nick Pearson and Alec Lockett – who assistant coach Derek Tommy pointed out pregame as key in the team's defensive set up – halted their gains with solid tackles. 

Second half domination 

By the second half, Belmont's eight began moving the Hawks back to their end of the pitch. In addition, four times Belmont held up a Hendricken's player so he could not advance nor fall to the ground, resulting in a penalty that turned the ball over to the Marauders, once within five yards of the Hendricken's goal at the end of the first.

After Hendricken's scored the first try – crossing the goal – Belmont took advantage of throw ins and keeping possession as they battled down field to where Lyons took the ball and powered his way across the goal line to even the score at 5 to 5 (each team missed their kick after the try which like football is a single point).

In the second half, Belmont's physical and play making including solid tackling behind the play opened up opportunities for Belmont's half-back combo of Sam Tommy and Toussaint to exploit the Hawks trying back line.

Toussaint scored early in the second from close in and then converted the point after to give Belmont a 12-5 lead.

Then Toussaint told Lyons "if you get me the ball, I can beat their fly." And just after the midpoint of the second half, the senior took Lyons' pass off to the left side of the pitch and out ran the Hendricken backs to the goal line to give Belmont a solid and secure lead. 

When the final whistle was blown, despite playing for more than an hour of at times brutal non-stop play, the Belmont team – along with a good number of parents, former players and supporters – took to the pitch for a celebration worthy of the season long and game effort.

"This means the world to me and the team," said Comeau post game, holding on to the small, plastic trophy. 

"The (title) is staying in Massachusetts!" yelled Comeau, to the delight of his team mates. 

Enjoying the scene while hugging as many of his charges has he could, Bruce said the win means a lot for the program. 

"It was an incredible game just for shear competitiveness; it was as close as it could be so winning it this way is just great," he said. 

"We had boys who were with us for four years and four months and they all contributed; some of the newest members played varsity," said Bruce. 

Bruce said that he has the title "head" coach but the season and the victories could not have been accomplished without this assistants – Tommy and fellow Belmont High teaching colleagues Adam Zilcoski and Jesse Borle – "which makes coming to practice a pleasure." 

"I can't believe they pay me to do this," Bruce said with smile, as his team sprinted by to slide into the end zone.

Belmont High School's Football Rugby Team at Saturday's game: