Teamwork was the word of the day last Saturday when Mira Costa’s rugby team won its second Southern California Youth Rugby championship in impressive fashion, defeating St. John Bosco at UCLA.
The Mustangs avenged last year’s semifinal loss to the Braves beating the defending champions 46-29 to capture the White Division for the second time in three seasons.
Undefeated Mira Costa (11-0) entered the game ranked No. 6 in the nation and improved its record at 28-2-1 in the three-year history of the program. The Mustangs outscored three playoff opponents 136-41 routing Alta Vista 43-5 and Rancho Bernardo 47-7 to reach the championship game.
The Mustangs will now wait for a possible invitation to compete in the National Championship to be held in Charlotte, N.C. in late May. The team will keep sharp playing a friendly match against visiting Rangitoto High School of New Zealand on Friday, Apr. 29.
With Manhattan Beach Mayor Mark Burton in attendance, the banged-up Mira Costa squad took on the larger St. John Bosco team that was much improved since the Mustangs defeated the Braves 45-26 during the regular season on Jan. 22.
“The Costa forwards most likely gave up about 75 pounds each per man,” Mira Costa head coach Duke Dulgarian said. “We went into the game missing our inside and outside centers, our Number 8 player had a nagging shoulder injury and our scrum half, who has been playing with a shoulder separation, had a bad case of laryngitis. Barking out instructions is critical to a rugby team’s success so when your scrummy can barely talk, it’s a big deal.”
Dulgarian credits coaches Ali Taylor, Andrew Hunter and Andy Dilsaver for having the Mustangs well prepared for the challenge.
Receiving the opening kick, Mira Costa drove into Bosco territory and took an early lead when flanker Gunnar Kissman offloaded a pass to hooker Callum Lapper who scored the first Try of his career only five minutes into the game.
After Mira Costa prop Robert Fiene scored his first Try from the 3-meter line, Bosco bounced back to close the gap 12-7.
“Coming into this game we knew that Bosco was not going to lay down for us,” scrum half Harrison Dulgarian said. “They are extremely talented and have some big players, and we weren’t thinking about our regular season win because we had seen how much they had improved into a good rugby team throughout the course of the season.”
Mira Costa continued to play its style of rugby – unselfish team play with a ball-control offense and pressure defense.
Playing at outside center in place of injured Makai Elep, Justin Goring took a quick feed from Harrison Dulgarian off a ruck and burst 13 meters through the Braves defense.
Mira Costa’s Number 8 player Jonah Tavai then scored from 8 meters out. Following a Bosco possession, Dulgarian made a strategic up-and-under box kick, sprinted past the Brave’s defense and dove onto the ball as it bounced inside the Try Zone. The Mustangs took a formidable 33-12 lead into halftime.
“I think St. John Bosco was a bit surprised with the score at halftime and they came out the second half and brought the fight to the Mustangs,” Duke Dulgarian said. “The momentum shift was palpable as the Braves started playing their type of game with great physicality using their forwards to gain possession and then allowing their big strong backs to drive through gaps.”
Bosco scored two unanswered Trys but Mira Costa kept the pressure on and relentless tackling by inside center David Arredondo, fly half Brandon Espeso, fullback Sean Walker and wing Kevin Russell kept the Braves in check.
“It was indeed a team effort as prop Greg Boras came in to replace an injured Jordan Fischer early in the game,” Duke Dulgarian said. “He played the match of his life, rucking, counter rucking and tackling.”
Justin Johnson’s successful Try made him the seventh Mira Costa player to score in the game and the senior said he felt confident the Mustangs were going to win the championship after their regular-season win against the Braves.
“Beating Bosco twice this season was the goal for all the returning players,” said Johnson, who has made a verbal commitment to Penn State. “After last season when we tied the first game and lost in the semifinals we needed some revenge. Once we beat them earlier this season. We knew we would see them in the championship so we immediately started to prepare for a new and improved Bosco which we did face. The second win was even sweeter than the first.”
Mira Costa’s rugby team is mainly comprised of football players who have come to love the sport of rugby.
“What I like the most about rugby is that everyone plays a part in the game,” said Johnson, who played linebacker on the Mustang football squad. “You play offense and defense so we are more multi-sided than in football where people specialize in one position or side. In addition, our big boys that usually play line can run the ball and tackle, which they might not do in football, which I enjoy doing.”
Harrison Dulgarian feels winning the championship provides a great opportunity to spread rugby culture throughout the South Bay.
“Rugby is different than American football in the sense that once the ball is kicked off the coaches really have no say in how the game is played,” Dulgarian explained. “Unlike American football, where coaches are calling every play, it’s really up to the 15 players on the team to how the game will be played. The coaches can train you in practice – and our coaches did a great job of that this year – but we’re on our own once the whistle blows and I think that’s special to rugby and it makes for a pure game.”
