Rugby Colorado High School EM Semifinals: 5.4.24
East v Monarch
It is to be Denver East High Angels versus Valor Christian Eagles for the Rugby Colorado State Championship on the upcoming RugbyDay down the Kettle at Infinity in Glendale after each topped their opponents on Saturday: Angels with the 21-12 win over a doughty Monarch XV, and Eagles, who decisioned a lively NCOS Falcons side, 38-24; both victories coming on home turf.
Cool and cloudy before kickoff of the initial match of Rugby Colorado Emerging Men’s High School Division 1 semifinal and stirring the strains of bagpipes at the onset of Denver East High Angels v Monarch Coyotes on Saturday. Denver had beaten Monarch in the league game and would look to reprise that act, while Monarch looked to redress that early spring result as the sides warmed up and the chill dissipated.
A canny 50-22 from the boot of visiting flyhalf, Marco Lapierre, the subsequent won lineout, and an outside back popped through a hole in the host defense to touch down for Coyotes: 5-nil travelers in the 6th minute of action.
East drew level on a try in the 19th, then took advantage with successful conversion: 7-5 for East, then.
With time waning in the half, a series of pick-and-goes (p-and-gs) from breakdown in Monarch territory, each making the gainline via Highway 1, brought the Denver attack into Monarch’s business district, ten meters from goal. Pick, go and drive across the paint for touch down and subsequent conversion made
for tallies of 14 and 5 at referee Chris Huff’s midpoint signal. Each XV was successful in steady, rhythmic phasework at times, though breakdown penalties affected continuity, causing possession exchanges.
Much work by both sides between the 22s but no further scoring until a combination of Monarch pickand-goes into the near channels and ball swung wide, had Monarch in possession just outside Angles 22 meter line. A Lapierre show-and-go, backed by the number 10’s swift incision on a streaking line to goal, made a try for the 10, then its conversion, and a scoreline of 14-12 in the 18th minute of the second half hour
East had the final shout, after a dozen pounding p-and-gs closeby goal, with a try and its conversion only just before time in the match. Scores of 21-12 and Denver East would be the first ticket punched to the championship final on Saturday.
Sky had cleared for the first boot of the second semifinal between Valor Christian Eagles and Northern Colorado Springs Falcons and conditions ideal for the match. Eagles had topped the Falcons in the league, 33-15, and looked to recreate that outcome once again.
Falcons with first blood as standoff, Troy Heroldt, split the sticks after the home side was pinged for infraction at tackle and 3-nil travelers in the 3rd .
Valor claimed the lead in the 8th on a try and its conversion by 10, Zach Maughan: 7-3 home side then.
Valor extended their lead in a series of gainline plus p-and-gs made for touch down by first five eighths, Zach Pickett, then its conversion by Maughan: 14-3 at ’13.
It appeared Valor were poised to run away with the match at that point, but Falcons responded well with an arcing, 40-meter, sweep into goal by Heroldt for his own conversion and 14-10, yet in the home side’s favor, in the 25th
Valor v NCOSValor’s backrow were able to fill the three-quarters channels in support of the Eagles lightning service from breakdown and blindside flanker, Ethan Poinsett, made touch down on a cutter to goal from 22 meters. Maughan’s plus-2 had a scoreline of 21-10 nearing time in the half.
NCOS grounded a score at the end of the period to draw within four again, 21-17, and it was lads to lockers for hydration and instruction at field magistrate Chris Brewer’s halftime signal
Valor touched down a short-handed try eight minutes into the last half to increase its lead to 28-17, but with the field spread wide by swiftly swung ball to the three-quarters by freshman halfback, Rhys Spragg, and flyer, Brody Andrew, grounded for Heroldt’s completion and four points the difference again, 28-24, at 16 minutes into the final period.
A yellow card shown to a Falcons player ensured that the visitors would be short a man until near time. Maughan made Eagles lead seven on a sticksplitter: 31-24 with ‘6 to go.
A bashing, crashing run into goal and touch down by Valor reserve, Flynn Latta, with scant minutes ‘til time, was made seven by Maughan and had the final at 38-24, and Valor would advance to the championship match this upcoming Saturday.
