When Duke Dulgarian began the Mira Costa rugby program in 2013, the head coach relied heavily on players from the Mustang football team, who joined the sport after the gridiron season was compete with the encouragement of football coach Don Morrow.
This season’s campaign is no different, but unfortunately the same injuries to football standouts that hampered the Mustang’s football season will carry over into the rugby season.
Dulgarian acknowledges that it will be difficult to enjoy the same success as last year’s squad that captured the Southern California Championship and finished 7th in the nation at the National Championship Tournament in North Carolina.
The season officially gets underway on Friday, Dec. 16, with a 7 p.m. home game against. Servite when Mira Costa will attempt to keep its undefeated home record (18-0) intact.
The Mustangs travel to San Diego for a friendly contest this weekend playing a half each against San Diego powers Torrey Pines and La Costa Canyon high schools.
Along with having to replace eight players who graduated, including flanker Justin Johnson and inside center Justus Tavai, the Mustangs will be without the services of David Arredondo and Justin Goring, both who sustained knee injuries during the football season.
Inside center Jordan Fischer and fullback Sean Walker also suffered injuries on the gridiron but are expected to return.
Team Captain and four year starting scrum half Harrison Dulgarian and No. 8 player Jonah Tavai will spearhead this year’s Mira Costa squad.
“Harrison has developed into a premier scrum half as he is a fantastic game manager (similar to a quarterback in football),” said his father, Duke Dulgarian. “While he won’t be the guy scoring the points,Tavai will be adding to his all-time Costa scoring record. The two players know each other well as they have been playing together for the past eight years. Jonah is an unbelievable player with the ability to eventually play on the United States National Team. Not only is Jonah a big, physical and extremely fast player, but he also possesses a vast knowledge of the game which makes him a force that is feared by the opposition.”
The forward pack is led by three standout seniors in flanker Gunnar Kissman, hooker Callum Lapper and lock Alec Oshita. All three players were on the Los Angeles County All Star team, with Oshita advancing to the Southern California All Stars. Juniors Blake Curtin (lock) and Rob Fiene (prop) round out an fast and athletic forward pack.
The backline lacks experience but will make up for it with speed. Along with Fischer and Walker will be senior outside center Kevin Russell, a hard runner with a huge upside. The critical fly half position, vacated due to Arredondo’s injury, will be manned by Kaden Loversky. Although the position is new to Loverksy, the game of rugby is not. Last year he played wing for the Mustangs as well as handling all kicking duties. Additionally, he was able to parlay that into becoming a star for the Eagle Impact Rugby program, one of the premier rugby programs in the country. The team will rely on Loversky’s intelligence, speed and kicking gamer to distribute the ball and keep all the backs involved.
In just three years, Duke Dulgarian has built the Mira Costa rugby program into a powerhouse with a combined record of 29-4-1.
More than 50 boys are playing this season and, at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 17, the Mira Costa Girls Rugby program which will play its first match.
