It’s not easy to run through the Midwest without losing a tournament, and yet the Metropolis men’s team did exactly that, winning all three preliminary tournaments and the Midwest Championship as well.

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That record has put the Minneapolis team squarely among the list of national championship contenders. Head coach Chalie Baleirara has an impressive group of talented players, and he benefited from the fact that many of the higher-profile players weren’t available early in the summer.

As a result, Baleirara went with youth, and he now has a deep squad — as well as an accomplished one. Now he can rest players and use the bench and not see a drop-off.

Former Minnesota-Duluth All-American Trace Bolstad played flyhalf in college, but with his height and physical strength he has transitioned to hooker in sevens. What that means is Metropolis has a good playmaker who is also a prop, and one who can win restarts and lineups.

Emmanuel Albert is a Minnesota high school product who is going into his sophomore at Lindenwood. He’s starting at Metropolis despite struggling to make the Lions’ sevens team. He’s big, got pace, and defends well.

Carter Beelman captains the squad and is a playmaker and a fit, intelligent leader. Melvin Desouza is another local product — Eden Prairie High School — who has come into his own.

The Metropolis players are mostly local products, then, but have worked with the Spearhead Rugby Academy and blossomed under the Metropolis program. 

But more than that, they have found consistency. Cup titles at the Firehouse 7s, Legacy 7s, Forest City 7s, and the Midwest Championships in Cincinnati have shown that.