Arizona, Saint Mary’s, UCLA, and Cal all won this weekend in notable D1A matches, while the Red River heated up in the run to the championship.

Both UCLA and Arizona logged convincing victories over California Conference opposition, with each staking a claim to a strong ranking tat could lead to a D1A playoff spot.

Wildcats run wild

Arizona scored two tries - scrumhalf Matt Rogers and flanker Sinclair Clinton - within the first five minutes. And while San Diego State replied with a try from flyhalf Carlos Ramirez, that was all the Aztecs could muster.

The score stayed 15-7 Arizona for about 30 minutes until Anton Grigoriou kicked his second penalty of the day. The Wildcats added a try, and then in the final ten minutes or so Arizona exploded for three more tries to put the game away 42-7.

Bruins outlast Mustangs

UCLA against Cal Poly was much the same story, although the game closer for a bit longer. The teams traded tries through the first half, and in fact Cal Poly led 14-10 at the break. It wasn’t until Cian Barry’s 46-th-minute try (which he converted) that the Bruins took the lead for good. The two youngest Barry Brothers did plenty of damage for UCLA. Freshman Shane Barry, starting at flyhalf, scored a try and was instrumental in the attack. Can Barry scored three tries and added 11 points with the boot for 26 overall. 

UCLA rolled 46-19.

Gaels 236 to the good

Saint Mary’s had very little trouble in two conference games on Saturday. The Gaels slammed Santa Clara 113-0, and UC Santa Barbara 123-0. The Gaels ran out two completely different starting 15s on the day, mixing regular 1st-team starters with 2nd team players, and that proved to be a potenti combination. Four players who started one game were on the bench for the other, while the rest of the bench was largely the same for both games.

Saint Mary’s scored 38 tries in the two games, 19 in each game. Wing Kaipono Kayoshi scored four tries against Santa Clara, and wing Antoine De La Fontaine scored three. Center Brandon Calk scored 18 points and got a yellow card, so he had a full day. Kayoshi also came off the bench to score a try against UCSB.

Center Derek Ellingson scored four tries against Santa Barbara, while flyhalf Joe Yacoubian scored 38 points with two tries and 14 conversions. Saint Mary’s is 3-0 in California Conference play with Cal Poly, San Diego State, and Grand Canyon left to play.

Cal wins big

It was much the same story in Berkeley as Cal hammered UC Davis 136-0. Wing Marcus Shankland scored four tries, and wing Sam Cusano three, as did center Christian Dyer. Flyhalf Elliot Webb scored 23 points.

Red River tightens

If you were looking for some more competitive games, then you might want to take a look at the Red River. Oklahoma continued its run of improved performances with a 35-20 defeat of a solid Arkansas team. The Sooners got tries from No. 8 Robert Ogilvie, prop Matthew Gladden, flanker Cooper Coil, flanker Logan Ronan, and center Vincent Fairbarin. 

Ronan’s try broke an 18-18 deadlock at 60 minutes; flyhalf Richard Papenfus converted, and added a conversion of Fairbarin’s try and a penalty to seal the game 35-20.

North Texas took it to Texas Tech to follow up on a 22-21 defeat of LSU the week before. LSU, meanwhile, defeated Baylor in Waco 44-33. 

Texas A&M took care of Texas 98-3.

Oklahoma is now 1st in the Red River North with a. 5-1 record. Arkansas has the same record but OU has more bonus points.

North Texas improves to 3-3 in the North while Tech drops to 0-6.

In the South, Texas A&M leads the division with a 5-1 record, while LSU and Baylor are both at 2-3. Texas drops to 1-5. A&M has clinched 1st in the South and awaits the final two league games from Oklahoma and Arkansas to figure out who the Aggies will play in the final.

Oklahoma has LSU and North Texas left to play. Arkansas has Texas and Texas Tech. For the Razorbacks, this is a significantly easier road, and OU will have to be on point to remain in 1st place.