Pacific North Recap: Premiership Begins Anew

Samurai Sportswear Pacific Rugby Premiership:

Santa Monica Dolphins kicked of the Premiership season at home against Glendale Merlins D1.  The Dolphins swam to a quick lead and led 22-0 at the half.  Glendale would put a converted try on the board, but Santa Monica would answer that effort by doubling their first half score 44-7 behind a 24 point game from Flyhalf Maxwell Rodman. 

Belmont Shore Rugby travelled to Old Mission Beach Athletic Club (OMBAC) for a rematch of last year’s final.  OMBAC would score first with a penalty kick at 10 minutes and hold the lead late in the first when Belmont would creep in a converted try to go ahead 13-14.  No.15 Alfonso Cornu-Labat would add ten second-half points, ensuring OMBAC would retain the statement victory, 33-19. 

Reeling from a preseason loss against 2018 MLR Champion Seattle Seawolves, San Francisco Golden Gate (SFGG) would host Life West Gladiators in a rematch of last season’s third place match.  The Gladiators would come out swinging, capitalizing on two home-team yellow cards and heading into halftime with a commanding lead 3-21.  SFGG would attempt a comeback, chopping the deficit to within ten points, but Life West would have the final say and dominated the final 20 minutes with 17 unanswered points, winning 18-45.      

Northern California Women’s Division II

San Jose Seahawks would play their second game this season at home against the Sacramento Amazons.  The Amazons were itching to get the season going, and sprinted to a 0-46 lead at halftime.  Sacramento’s No.13 Ofolangi had a remarkable 25 point, 5 try day and No.15 Kristin Shum add her own hat trick of tries as the Amazons made the statement of the season with a 0-90 grounding of the Seahawks.  Berkeley All Blues D2 travelled to San Francisco Golden Gate (SFGG).  Berkeley would begin this year with a high-powered proclamation of their own, taking advantage of an early SFGG yellow card and leading 5-31 at the half.   SFGG would not go quietly, but the effort was far from adequate as the All Blues would put on a defensive show preventing any come back in the last 20 minutes, claiming the triumph in the end 17-48.