Senior Chuck Lobrano advances the ball across the try-line for the first score against LaSalle on Thursday.

NEW: TUNE IN TO JESUIT VS. REGIS JESUIT RUGBY – Saturday, March 10 at 2:30 pm (Central Time)

This past weekend the Blue Jay Rugby Club hosted two out-of-state schools, the Jesuit-Dallas Rangers rugby team and LaSalle College Prep rugby team of Philadelphia.

Jesuit vs. LaSalle

The Blue Jays played LaSalle Thursday evening to a heartbreaking, last-minute loss, 19-17. Early in the contest the Jays set the tone on defense, punishing the LaSalle runners with consistent and repeated double-tackles. The first, executed by seniors Zac Beckman and Patrick Gallagher, resulted in a five meter loss for LaSalle. Then, one by seniors Johnny Tindal and Paul James resulted in a loss of three.

The Jays soon gained possession and went on the attack. Powerful runs by the Blue Jay forwards led by senior Charles Lobrano punched holes in the LaSalle defense. The Jays drove a powerfully built “maul” across the try-line, which Chuck Lobrano dotted down for the match’s first score. The remainder of the half saw the Jays consistently pressuring LaSalle, leading to another Jays score when Zac Beckman executed a lightning-fast pick’n’go over the try-line.

LaSalle, a proud rugby school, however, managed to use its powerful inside-center to find a seam through the Jays’ defense for a LaSallian score, which was later followed by a cheeky score by the LaSalle number two, who snuck around the back of a pileup to dive over for LaSalle’s second try. The Jays later regained the lead after senior Matt Palmer saw an opportunity to “quick-tap” off a penalty and use his swift feet to dash through a flat-footed LaSallian defense for the Jays third score of the day. The conversion kick was good by Gabe Massey. Jays 17, LaSalle 12.

The match reached “full time” with the Jays leading. LaSalle had the ball with one play left in the match. Any stoppage of the clock would end the match. LaSalle was awarded a lineout after Jesuit errantly kicked the ball out of bounds. With zero seconds on the clock, LaSalle threw a lineout to its back lifter, who under the cover of a nearly set sun and dark pitch, sprinted past an unaware Jays defense for a centered try. LaSalle then kicked the conversion, to steal a 19-17 victory from a stunned Blue Jay squad.

The captains of all three teams with Fr. Kevin Dyer, S.J., after the rugby Mass. Seniors Matt Palmer and Gabe Massey are pictured to Fr. Dyer’s left and right respectively.

Tri-School Rugby Mass & Social

The following day, the Blue Jays, Jesuit-Dallas, and LaSalle all met for a skills camp hosted by our local professional rugby team, the NOLA Gold. Marconi and Harrison saw 100 rugby players from the three schools all meet to work together to improve their rugby technique. Thereafter, all three squads met at Jesuit for a tour of the school, followed by a first-ever “rugby Mass,” which was led by school chaplain Fr. Kevin Dyer, S.J. The hungry ruggers all then met for a social of fried catfish and mac’n’cheese in the Commons. The LaSallian players from distant Philadelphia, being unfamiliar with fried catfish, initially demurred, thinking the Jays were serving fried chicken on a Lenten-Friday. They quickly learned their mistake, to their bemusement and eventually happy delight.

Jesuit vs. Jesuit-Dallas

The following day saw more great rugby action. The Jays took on the Jesuit-Dallas Rangers in an action-packed blitzkrieg of a rugby match.

The belligerents were evenly matched, with each team attacking the other’s defense line without sustained success. Jesuit-Dallas would gain meters, only to lose possession repeatedly to senior Gabe Massey, who  consistently ripped possession from unsupported Rangers. Despite this, Jesuit-Dallas drew first-blood, when their fleet-footed fullback found a seam through the Jays’ defense and took the pill over the try-line, Dallas 7-0.

The Jays soon answered, after Massey executed a crafty “show’n’go” only to then lead a one-man assault on the Rangers’ defensive line. The Rangers were found wanting, as four of their players could not stop a determined Massey, who touched down for the Jays first score. Massey good for the conversion, 7-7.

The match was a see-saw contest thereafter. The Rangers gained considerable territory into the Jays’ red-zone after a questionable penalty call. A series of powerful runs found the Rangers again in the Jays’ try-zone, Dallas 12, Jays 7. Thereafter the Jays would control most of the action. Zac Beckman received a clever pass from junior Langston Goldenberg, which he took round a pileup and into the maw of the Rangers’ defense. From there quick and crisp passing from senior scrumhalf Brady Moran to Gabe Massey saw Massey dive over the try-line for another conversion. Massey’s conversion kick sailed wide, however, and the match ended a 12-12 tie.

This coming weekend the Jays next take on Regis-Jesuit of Denver, in Denver, at professional rugby stadium Infinity Park, as a curtain-raiser match for a professional match between NOLA Gold and the Glendale Raptors. The Denver match will be the Jays final pre-season match.