💪Torrey Pines starts the season with dominance.

Torrey Pines has long been the crème de la crème of HS rugby in Southern California. They have a resume that includes Nationals titles, State titles, and a general reputation around SoCal for kicking butts like clockwork.

2025 looks to be shaping up similarly for Head Coach Matty Sandoval’s squad. The SoCal season began in December, and they have already beaten two opponents by a combined score of 114-14 👀.

The first victory came in the season opener, a 49-14 drubbing of a talented San Clemente team. That was back on December 14th. Next on the menu was Coronado HS on December 21st — this one ended up 65-0 for Torrey Pines. Another notch in the belt.

Well January is here, the boys have had a few weeks off for the holidays, and now the season starts in earnest.

Torrey Pines faces a very good Loyola LA team on Monday, January 20th. Coach Sandoval shared “they’ll be good this year, should be a good match for us.”

We’re curious to see how Torrey Pines does in that game, especially after hearing that Loyola considers this a team-defining opportunity.

The BIG game that is definitely highlighted on Torrey Pines’ schedule is against Cathedral Catholic, another SoCal powerhouse.

Coach Sandoval noted that Cathedral has incredibly talented kids across their roster, including USA U20 standout Spencer Huntley at scrum half. (And Sandoval has great familiarity with their roster since many of those boys also play on his San Diego Mustangs team during the Spring Club season.)

That matchup with Cathedral happens on January 31st, but first Torrey Pines will need to deal with Loyola and the St. Augustine Saints — both tough opponents on the rise. And both would love to take Torrey Pines down a notch.

Heavy is the crown and all that jazz. 👑

The Big Questions:

• Can Torrey Pines maintain their winning ways in 2025?

• Will they avoid the trap of overlooking opponents like Loyola and the Saints?

• How will they fare against “the best team on paper” when the cleats hit the turf, no more paper involved?

Players to watch:

📋 James Curtis | Captain | Scrum-Half

A 3 year starter who is headed to Cal next year. Curtis has a big rugby brain and loads of talent to back it up. He also plays for The Mustangs in the Spring Club season.

📋 Sam Violet | Outside-Center

Another Cal commit with massive experience under his belt.

📋 Will Barrett | 8-Man

Another 3 year starter. A bruising force of nature in the pack. Run at him at your own risk.

Our Take: Until proven otherwise, Torrey Pines and Cathedral Catholic are the teams to beat in Socal. But SoCal rugby feels like it is heating up, with more competitive teams today than in years past, and some newcomers are rising quickly too. That’s good for SoCal rugby as a whole — and it should keep Torrey Pines and Cathedral Catholic on their toes.

Stay tuned.