Costa Ruggers come up short again to Bosco
The Mira Costa Rugby team played host to the Braves of St. John Bosco on Senior Night. Just like earlier in the season the Mustangs fell to the Braves by 7 points dropping this match 17-24.
Once again Costa jumped out to an early 7-0 lead as Fly-Half Evan Anderson made a nice dummy, broke a tackle and raced 12 meters into the Try Zone. Outside Center Kaden Loversky converted. That would be all the scoring for the Costa boys for the balance of the half as they more often than not found themselves playing defense in their own half. Despite stellar defense by the Mustangs the Braves finally broke through when #8 Cama Cyrile drove the ball deep into Mustang territory where Braves Winger N’Kosi Bohannon took the ball in for the score—the conversion failed for a 7-5 halftime score.
Bosco used their new found momentum to their advantage in the second half. Just 6 minutes into the half the Braves Fly Half George Holani found the Try Zone off a quick pass to put Bosco in front 7-10. Less than 3 minutes later, a Mustang mistake lead to what might have been the pivotal play of the game as the ball squirted out of a Costa ruck where Holani alertly picked up the ball and raced 42 meters unmolested down the Touch line for the score. Holani converted his own Try to push the score to 7-17. Once again the Braves were knocking on the Mustangs’ door as they managed to turnover Costa and drive the ball deep into the Costa territory. A Mustang penalty gave the ball to the Braves on the 12 meter line as Holani took the tap and blew by the Mustangs for the Try and then conversion pushing the score to 7-24.
However, this Mustang squad is full of fight. Following a penalty just inside the Braves zone Outside Center Kaden Loversky kicked for points making it 10-24. With 3 minutes to go Team Captain, Number 8, Jonah Tavai who played the entire match with a severely sprained ankle powered through the Bosco defense for a score. Lock PJ Leilua hit the conversions and suddenly the Mustangs were only one score away from tying the match. Unfortunately, time ran out on Costa.
The loss puts the playoff bound Mustangs in a road match against the #1 seed from San Diego.