NEWPORT, R.I. – For the second time in three seasons, the Salve Regina University men’s rugby club has claimed the New England Small College Rugby Championship and advanced to the Division III National Championship Final Four, to be played in April 2011 in Virginia Beach, Va.
The Seahawks (10-0) defeated Providence College 31-13 and Springfield College 53-21 this past weekend in Wellesley, Mass. to win their second straight New England crown.
In the championship game against Springfield on Sunday, the Seahawks jumped out to an early 14-0 lead and never looked back. They opened the scoring with a converted try in the eighth minute and followed with another converted try three minutes later.
Springfield got on the board in the 21st minute with a converted try of their own, but with five minutes left in the half, Salve Regina added an unconverted try and then scored again with time winding down to take a 26-7 half-time lead.
Salve Regina kept pouring it on, scoring five more tries and one conversion in the second half to run away with the title.
New England Rugby Referee Society (NERRS) match referee Don Jennings praised outstanding performances by sophomore Glen Miles, juniors Paul Schacter and Clive O’Mahony, and seniors Brian Mauhs, Quinn Turner and P.J. Fargo.