St. Ignatius (OH) 49 — 21 Xavier (NY)

The showdown between these two powerhouses delivered on the hype.

It was a high-tempo, emotional game, with both sides looking one pass away from a breakout try at any moment.

On a narrow field, it was Ignatius who found space more consistently—thanks to a bone-crunching effort from their forward pack and composed play from their backs. Xavier had their chances, but an aggressive Ignatius defense did well to contain their edge threats.

The referee kept the game flowing with minimal stoppages, which made the whole thing feel like it was on double speed—a pace that seemed to suit Ignatius, who thrive on a rapid-fire attacking style.

Their maul was especially effective, leading to points multiple times. If they can keep that weapon dialed in, it’ll give them a reliable platform in high-stakes matches.

Xavier showed bright spots throughout—particularly on defense—but they’ll regret a few mishandled kicks and other miscues that gifted Ignatius valuable field position.

With the win, St. Ignatius jumped to No. 1 in Mr. Goff’s rankings and leaped eight spots in our points-based standings to crack the top ten.

✍️Want more? Michael LiVigni authored an excellent writeup from the Xavier perspective HERE.

Trumbull (CT) 31 — 29 Fairfield Prep (CT)

Look out—Trumbull means business this year.

We said they could cause problems after their showing at the Jesuit NE tourney, and they just proved it with a statement win over Fairfield Prep, one of Connecticut’s top squads.

This team has spunk—and more than a few standout athletes. In the clips we’ve seen, they’re consistently breaking tackles on offense and forcing turnovers on defense.

Connecticut is shaping up to be a tight race. We already knew about Fairfield and Greenwich, but Trumbull has officially joined the conversation.

Come playoff time, don’t be surprised if they’re taking a real swing at the usual contenders.

Here are some highlights from the game, courtesy of Trumbull’s Instagram account 👇

Gonzaga Classic

We did a full writeup on the Classic, which you can find here 👇

Mustangs (CA) 52 — 8 Thunder Rugby (CA)

The Mustangs lit up the scoreboard at home last Saturday—but Thunder Rugby played them tougher than the score suggests.

The game opened with the Mustangs in control, striking twice in the early minutes to go up 14-0. But Thunder responded well, capitalizing on a Mustang penalty to punch in a try after a strong multi-phase sequence. A few minutes later, they slotted a penalty kick to bring it to 14–8—well within reach for the Carlsbad crew.

From there, though, the Mustangs pulled away.

It wasn’t a runaway right away. Thunder made them earn it—forcing long possessions and holding firm defensively. The Mustangs had to stack phases and wait for their moments, and for most of the match, breakaway chances were rare.

In fact, the only clean line break through the middle came in the final ten minutes, when fatigue started to creep in.

Still, the Mustangs are the Mustangs—they know how to finish. The last 10 minutes were a score fest.

And they never fail to add a highlight or two. This week’s came courtesy of winger Everett Glover (#14), who flew down the sideline, drew in the fullback, and dropped off a smooth looping ball to Spencer Huntley for the try. It looked too easy.

The final score read 52–8, but it doesn’t quite capture the physical toll. Thunder brought the boom—monster hits all game—and while they didn’t get the result they wanted, they definitely left a mark.

Mustangs roll on—and physical matchups like this are a great primer for Nationals, where behemoths await.

Cavemen (UT) 33 — 20 Herriman (UT)

Utah is loaded with talent. Herriman and Layton Christian have long set the pace—but the Cavemen just crashed the party in emphatic fashion.

This was a high-stakes matchup: winner advances to the state playoffs, loser goes home. The energy reflected that. A packed crowd. Senior Night. And a physical, bruising game from the opening whistle.

The Cavemen slowly pulled away, leaning on their size and physicality to grind down Herriman. Heavy hits were the theme all day.

Herriman kept it close and nearly cut the gap to a single score with 20 minutes left, but the Cavemen held firm and closed the door.

Coach Rich Vernon credited their recent run at the Friendship Cup—where they faced the Charlotte Cardinals, Woodlands, Pendleton, and Raptors—as key preparation for a game like this. Playing top national talent gave his squad a clear picture of what it takes to win at the highest level.

And the players responded.

Scrumhalf Chris Malo (9) scored twice and was sharp around the breakdown all game. Zaeden Selu (15), Caydn Keetch (6), and Easton Simmons (8) also crossed the try line, helping the Cavemen maintain control on the scoreboard. At flyhalf, Tristan Mocke (10) slotted 4 of 5 conversions despite gusty wind and kept Herriman under pressure with well-placed tactical kicks.

Captain Leo Esikia anchored the defense with physical tackles and steady leadership. Carlos Uyema (7) was a beast on defensive scrums—he never allowed Herriman’s 8-man pick-and-goes to…well…go. Jarod Iakopo (12) carved through the line with several clean breaks, while Afu Liufau (14) brought power and pace out wide—consistently gaining ground and drawing in defenders.

Beating Herriman proves the Cavemen’s Friendship Cup performance was no fluke—they’re legit.

For Herriman, the loss stings—but the season’s not over. Next up: the Montana Classic, followed by Nationals in Elkhart, Indiana, where they’ll compete in the Single School division. Just like the Cavemen, they’re battle-tested and ready for the next challenge.

Belmont Shore (CA) 31 — 29 SOC Raptors (CA)

A thrilling match between two SoCal powers ended with Belmont Shore edging out the SOC Raptors, 31–29.

The Raptors played with real intent, stringing together some of their best attacking sequences of the season. But after each first-half score, miscues on the kickoff returns gave Belmont short fields—and they capitalized every time.

The physicality was high throughout, with both teams putting in big defensive shifts. Belmont center Kingston Muta (#13) stood out as a constant threat with ball in hand, combining strength and speed to punch through the line.

On the Raptors' side, Nolan Abayeta put in a gutsy effort despite taking knocks early on. Shea Summers looked sharp at flyhalf, and Caden Hartley showed serious commitment—suiting up straight off a flight and playing with full intensity.

The Raptors are still in the mix and improving each week. With postseason play approaching, they’ll be aiming for another shot at Belmont or the Mustangs—and if they tighten up a few details, they’ll be a tough out.

Belmont, meanwhile, just clinched their trip to Nationals with this win. They’ll be a problem for everyone in the Club Division and we can’t wait to watch.

***This just in: The Raptors have also secured a spot at Nationals. That’s great—because these guys are good and will challenge most teams.

Bishop Dwenger (IN) 24 — 20 Pendleton (IN)

Huge result for Bishop Dwenger.

When we spotlighted them a few weeks ago, one name on their schedule stood out: Pendleton.

Well, they can grab a new highlighter—because Dwenger just knocked off their toughest opponent in dramatic fashion.

The match had a bit of everything: swings in momentum, high intensity, and a game-winning try after the clock hit zero. Oh—and Dwenger played the final 44 minutes a man down after a red card in the first half.

Pendleton punched in back-to-back tries to take a one-point lead with 90 seconds left. It looked like they were about to close it out, but Dwenger had other plans.

Off the restart, Pendleton tried to kill the clock but committed a penalty. Dwenger kicked to the corner for one final chance.

Lineout. Five clean phases. Then a wide ball—and Junior fullback Noah Hughes dotted it down in the corner for his second try of the match and the win.

Freshman Isaac Moga also scored twice in the back-and-forth battle, as Dwenger showed serious grit and composure in the face of adversity.

Bishop Dwenger, you have our attention boys.

La Salette (IL) @ SLUH Tourney

La Salette continues to rock the midwest.

Even Mr. Goff has taken notice, bumping these boys into the top 10 in his rankings for the first time this year.

Rightfully so—they followed up their early strong performances with a phenomenal appearance at the SLUH tournament.

They knocked off Marquette (WI) in a very tight 17-10 match, and also shut out St. Thomas Aquinas (KS) 21-0.

Opposing coaches note their tremendous discipline and high work rate. They make few mistakes and play a cohesive brand of rugby—the type that frustrates opponents to death.

Nationals is shaping up to be a good one, and it’s fun to see smaller schools like La Salette going beast mode at the right time. We’ll keep tracking them.

Coach’s quote👇

More…

In Ohio D2, Walnut Hills has impressed. They’re currently 4-0 and have put up a silly amount of points in their games. Most recently, they defeated Perrysburg 50-10. We’ll keep an eye on them.

Detroit Central Catholic is laying a beatdown in the region as well. A 60-38 victory over Moeller (OH)—their latest accomplishment—places them in our “certified contenders” category. 3-0 looks good on you, DCC.

St. Martin’s (KS) doesn’t play until after Easter, but it’s straight into the fire for them—state semi-finals loom immediately after break. They have the tools to make a run at a title, but they’ll need to refocus after a couple rough outings this month.

In Texas, The Barbarians advance to the State Semi Final
This squad has compiled a very solid body of work this season. Their latest feat was this 57-16 win over Plano in the quarterfinal—a dominant effort that leads them straight into the regional meat grinder: The Woodlands. That’s who’s up next in the semifinal.

The Barbarians have sought out some strong competition this year and have performed very well. We’re looking forward to seeing how they do against Woodlands in round 2.

Strake Jesuit won back to back games to reach the TX/LA final. First, they defeated St. Thomas Houston, and followed that up with a very tight victory over Lake Travis in the semifinal.

On the other side of the bracket, Dallas Jesuit and Celina face off next week to determine who will meet Strake in the final.

Busy days for Texas rugby!