Rankings Ramifications: D1A Weekend Wrap-Up
Rankings Ramifications: D1A Weekend Wrap-Up
A look at the results in D1A rugby and what they mean.
The strong stay strong in Men's D1A College action with six games played this weekend.
Cal won twice, putting out a relatively young squad on Friday against Santa Clara and coming away 76-16 winners. Wing Taylor Damron and flanker Jason Severance both scored three tries for the Bears, while flyhalf Sam Walsh logged 19 points.
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"We didn't play at the level we wanted tonight and Santa Clara capitalized on some of our mistakes," said Severance.
PAC Conference
On Saturday, Cal took on Utah in a PAC Rugby Conference clash and won 118-0 in the latest of a series of 100-point games that have sadly been plaguing D1A competition.
There's not much a winning team can do when the game gets out of hand like that. Cal's Homecoming Weekend game was a huge win for the Bears, though, with fullback Troy Lockyear and wing Marcus Shankland both touching down four times.
| PAC | W | L | T | PF | PA | PD | BT | BL | PTS |
| California | 3 | 0 | 0 | 298 | 0 | 298 | 3 | 0 | 15 |
| Arizona | 2 | 0 | 0 | 113 | 33 | 80 | 2 | 0 | 10 |
| UCLA | 2 | 2 | 0 | 142 | 127 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 10 |
| Arizona State | 1 | 3 | 0 | 44 | 291 | -247 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| Utah | 0 | 3 | 0 | 35 | 191 | -156 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Next up in this conference, Cal and Arizona face off in a clash of undefeated teams. Seeing as Cal is averaging just under 100 points per game and has allowed zero, the Bears have to be favored to clinch. But if the Wildcats hang in there, they can score some rankings kudos.
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California Conference
Saint Mary's made it six wins out of six in the California Conference with a 128-0 defeat of Cal Poly. the result more than doubled Cal Poly's points-allowed total as the Mustangs drop to 2-3 in the conference.
The key game left in this conference is UC Davis vs Grand Canyon. The winner will have an excellent shot at a D1A playoff spot. The loser might, too, but it will have to be close.
| California | W | L | T | PF | PA | PD | BT | BL | PTS |
| Saint Mary's | 6 | 0 | 0 | 646 | 18 | 628 | 6 | 0 | 30 |
| Grand Canyon | 4 | 1 | 0 | 271 | 127 | 144 | 4 | 0 | 20 |
| UC Davis | 4 | 1 | 0 | 144 | 135 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 20 |
| San Diego State | 2 | 3 | 0 | 116 | 256 | -140 | 2 | 0 | 10 |
| Santa Clara | 2 | 4 | 0 | 104 | 297 | -193 | 2 | 0 | 10 |
| Cal Poly | 1 | 3 | 0 | 88 | 232 | -144 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
| UC Santa Barbara | 0 | 6 | 0 | 52 | 363 | -311 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Mid-South
Davenport put in a gritty performance and kept it close for about 60 but Life pulled away late to beat the Panthers 39-9. Jamie Berrisford, Brian Mutanga, and Nikey Roberts all scored tries. Harley Wheeler put the game away with two tries in the second half, and Duncan Van Schalkwyk kicked the rest.
But Davenport made the Running Eagles work for it, and it was only 13-9 at halftime.
Flyhalf Mathew DeVilliers scored all of Davenport's points with three penalty goals.
With that result, Life improves to 4-0 and will clinch the conference with a win at Lindenwood next week. Davenport slips to 1-3 and has Arkansas State left on the schedule. But the Panthers may have done themselves some rankings favors but keeping Life close.
| Mid-South | W | L | T | PF | PA | PD | BT | BL | PTS |
| Life | 4 | 0 | 0 | 180 | 45 | 135 | 2 | 0 | 18 |
| Navy | 3 | 2 | 0 | 172 | 80 | 92 | 2 | 2 | 16 |
| Lindenwood | 3 | 1 | 0 | 142 | 47 | 95 | 2 | 1 | 15 |
| Arkansas State | 2 | 2 | 0 | 108 | 81 | 27 | 2 | 1 | 11 |
| Davenport | 1 | 3 | 0 | 55 | 131 | -76 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| Clemson | 0 | 5 | 0 | 46 | 319 | -273 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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Independents And Crossovers
While Texas did not make the trip to Tucson, leaving Arizona with no one to play, San Diego State did face off with UCLA, with the Bruins taking a 46-11 decision.
Central Washington played Utah Valley in a game that was critical to both teams' rankings futures. CWU came away with a convincing 71-3 victory.
Siddique Newkirk scored two early tries to negate a UVU penalty goal, and Cole Zarcone, Noah Christy, and Vanya Sturm helped stake the Wildcats to a 40-3 lead after 50. Deven Marshall added one and Wendling two late in the game. Zarcone and Sturm both got their second, while Newkirk completed his hat trick on a fine afternoon for him.
"I think we fronted up," CWU head coach Todd Thornley said. "We knew they were going to be very physical. Our guys got low and adapted to the referee's interpretations well. The guys were eager to get off the line and be physical themselves. It could have been a long day at the office we weren't physical."