Brian Kaiserman
Staff Writer
Mira Costa boys rugby faced this season’s biggest test yet, and as a result of a strong second half, the Mustangs kept their undefeated season intact.
At View Park Prep on Friday night, the Mustangs struggled to find space and create big plays at the start of the game but eventually found their rhythm and never looked back, defeating the Knights with a final score of 46-20.
“Our defense definitely had to improve if we wanted to win,” junior Jonah Tavai said. “We started making more tackles in the second half and stopped them from breaking through our defense.”
Photos: Mira Costa Rugby Game Vs View Park
Early in the game, the Knights were able to use speed to find open space, putting the Mustangs on their heels.
“I felt that we weren’t ready at the start of the game,” coach Duke Dulgarian said. “In the second half, we needed to bounce back, and I thought that we did that.”
At the end of the first half, the Mustangs held a 15-10 lead, but the game was still very close.
“They definitely came out playing strong, and it was tough dealing with their physicality,” senior Callum Lapper said.
After a fiery halftime speech from Dulgarian, the Mustangs continued to extend their lead, with Lapper scoring a try in the second half.
“I was just happy that we were able to execute our game plan,” Lapper said. “The tries I scored weren’t the best, but it still felt good to help out the team and add to our lead.”
Mira Costa spreads the ball out to the wing in an attempt to open up more field in the second half against the View Park Knights. The Mustangs second half strategy worked as they would outscore the Knights 31-5 in the second half.
As the game came to a close, the Mustangs worked to increase their lead by spreading the ball to the wings. The Knights scored late, but the game finished 46-20.
“I thought we played better as a team than we have in the past,” Tavai said. “Sharing the ball and scoring on the outside has definitely improved our chances of winning.”
Costa, currently 4-0, plays against Citrus Valley High School in a home game at 7 p.m. tonight. Dulgarian said it will be a challenge due to Citrus’ physicality.
“Citrus Valley is a very big and physical team,” Dulgarian said. “Our game plan is to play a fast-paced, athletic type of game with our boys sharing the ball so we can exploit gaps in the defense.”
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