🏆Mustangs edge Belmont in the SoCal final.

The rematch between Belmont Shore and SD Mustangs squeezed every drop of juice out of this rivalry. It was a full-on dogfight.

Belmont Shore dominated possession to open the game. The Mustangs were forced to defend inside their own 22 for long stretches—not a place you want to be against Belmont’s wrecking ball runners. But they held firm and eventually flipped the field.

Around the 8-minute mark, Spencer Huntley took a quick-tap and raced in for the first try of the day.

Belmont responded with a penalty kick. But then Will Barrett, the Mustangs’ 8-man, broke through a couple Belmont defenders with a powerful run to extend the lead to 14–3.

Spencer Huntley tacked on another penalty kick before James Curtis made a highlight play of his own—a slick dummy-and-go followed by a shifty run into the try zone. Belmont finally broke through right before the break, moving the ball wide to where they had numbers and outrunning the Mustangs defense.

Halftime score: 22-10 Mustangs.

When the second half opened, the Mustangs found themselves inside their own 22 and looking for an exit. That’s when Belmont Shore sniffed out a long pass in the backline, intercepted it, and cruised in untouched. And just like that the score was 22-17. Belmont was clawing back.

A brutal slugfest ensued in the midfield. Violent ball-carrying and critical tackles were on full display for what felt like 30 minutes (it was actually about 10).

Finally, the Mustangs had a rare defensive lapse, and Belmont capitalized—thundering into the try zone to take their first lead of the game, 24–22.

But that lead didn’t last long.

After the restart and a few crisp phases, James Curtis made a man miss and delivered a perfectly timed pass out to winger Gunnar Paul. The speedster took the edge and sprinted into the far corner for a momentum-shifting Mustangs try.

Despite tired legs and a relentless Belmont side, the Mustangs were able to control possession for the last 5 minutes to close out the game. Dylan Trower booted the ball to touch and the whistle blew. Ballgame.

Mustangs 27 — 24 Belmont Shore. Final Score.

It wasn’t the cleanest game from either team—there were handling errors and lapses in discipline. But the Mustangs head to Nationals knowing they can grind it out when needed, while Belmont Shore looks set to make life very difficult for anyone on their side of the bracket.