The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Tag: Rugby

  • Hitting people ethically; the Cal Poly Humboldt women’s rugby team

    Hitting people ethically; the Cal Poly Humboldt women’s rugby team

    by Savana Robinson

    It was the first minute of the rugby match between Cal Poly Humboldt and University of San Francisco (USF). USF kicked the ball, Humboldt made a play, forwards crashed and Courtney Campuzano got a breakaway. After she broke through the defense, she took off towards the try line. A player pulled her back by her shorts. As she leaned down to touch the ball down to score, another player fully tackled her on the back of her leg. There was a crack, and she tore her ACL. Campuzano made the point, but her season was lost.

    A senior studying social work at Cal Poly Humboldt, Courtney Campuzano is the president and co-captain of HP Rugby.

    Identifying as a lesbian, Campuzano said that rugby is a safe space for queer folks. 

    “I love how many queer people are in the sport,” Campuzano said. “It makes me feel so comfortable and safe.”

    Campuzano said that even though it’s a women’s team, there are non-binary people, too.

    “We’ve had questions about that with the team, naming it women’s rugby and just saying Cal Poly Humboldt Rugby, HP Rugby,” Campuzano said.

    HP Rugby is the club’s moniker, but what HP stands for is a well-kept team secret.

    “I’m not at liberty to say,” Campuzano said. “The teammates know.”

    Campuzano also said that rugby is a size-inclusive sport.

    “Rugby is a sport for everybody,” Campuzano said. “There’s people of all sizes playing. That’s one of my favorite things about it.”

    Her recent knee injury has robbed her of the rest of her season, but she continues to help the team. Campuzano described the moment her ACL tore as feeling like she had just been called into the principal’s office.

    “Your heart drops to your ass,” Campuzano said.

    Before her injury, Campuzano played the position of 10, or fly-half, this season, but said she’s happiest playing center. The fly-half is usually the first player to get the ball from the forwards after the scrum, which is what restarts play. Campuzano has been playing rugby for six years and started on a whim.

    “My roommate’s partner at the time came into the dorm one day and was like, ‘Can you come to practice with me? I don’t want to go by myself,’” Campuzano said. “I loved it.”

    Campuzano said that rugby has taught her how to better deal with issues in her everyday life.

    “[Rugby] taught me to go into things head-on,” Campuzano said. “Even things that aren’t physical.”

    Campuzano said that rugby attracts a certain type of person.

    “People who want to blow off steam and are comfortable hitting people ethically,” Campuzano said.

    There are a plethora of rugby terms, but Campuzano said their favorite is “hooker.” This term is a position where the player tries to hook the ball with their foot during the scrum.

    “People love that on shirts,” Campuzano said. “Like, ‘I can say I’m a hooker and my mom’s proud.’”

  • Cal Poly Humboldt alumni destroy women’s rugby team

    Cal Poly Humboldt alumni destroy women’s rugby team

    by Savana Robinson

    The Cal Poly Humboldt alumni dominated the 2023 women’s rugby alumni game on Sept. 30. Both teams played for the same university and put their all into the match. With an end score of 87 to 5, the alumni defeated Cal Poly Humboldt, whose team is mainly made up of newcomers, many who saw their first game on Saturday.

    Cal Poly Humboldt’s team captain Courtney Campuzano caught a couple of breakaways in the game, meaning took off with the ball, escaping players trying to tackle her. Campuzano is a senior majoring in social work. Campuzano was excited to see so many alumni back to play in the match, stating it felt awesome to see alumni happy to come out. She noted that some new players played the most they ever had. 

    Rachel Gonzales runs with the ball to score during the Cal Poly Humboldt Alumni game on Sept. 30.

    “I saw these rookies get stuck in,” Campuzano said. “One’s been here for maybe two weeks.”

    Saturday was Ashlyn Broeland’s first game as a player for Cal Poly Humbolt’s women’s rugby team. A junior majoring in environmental studies with an emphasis in education, Broeland is number nine on the team. Her position on the team is scrum half, which is an important role because it forms the link between the forwards and the backs.

    “I’m really excited for our new players to get out there,” Broeland said. “This is a really good chance for them to learn the game.”

    Cal Poly Humboldt’s cheer team came to support Broeland, their cheer captain, who has been on the team for three years.

    Sophia Nielsen played on the alumni side, having graduated in 2021 with a degree in wildlife.

    Senior Courtney Campuzano avoids being tackled with the ball by Rachel Gonzales during the Cal Poly Humboldt Alumni game on Sept. 30

    “[The most fun part was] being with my teammates I haven’t seen in over a year,” Nielsen said.

    Wynnie Savageford graduated in 2023 with a bachelor’s in criminology and justice studies.

    “[I like] the camaraderie of being around everybody and just being back in the pitch together,” Savageford said.

    Head coach Catalina Leon was most excited for the team to put together the skills they’ve been working on in an actual game. Leon stated that the biggest part of their strategy was communication and putting those fundamentals to work.

    “We were able to do that because we were able to get some breakaways and it worked,” Leon said. “It also showed us the areas that we still need to work on.”

    Leon said that overall the girls played well, especially considering that the majority of the girls joined this September.

    Lauren Bankerd, a junior majoring in kinesiology, scored the only try (goal) on Cal Poly Humboldt’s side. It was her third career goal, having previously played one semester.

    “[The most exciting part is] sprinting down the line, the adrenaline pumping because you don’t know if someone’s behind you or not, and you’re just gunning,” Bankerd said. “The crowd screaming and everything.”

  • Women’s rugby returns to practice after long hiatus

    By Jake Knoeller

    Cal Poly Humboldt has a women’s rugby team for the first time since 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic and some conflicts with the school kept them off the field for multiple years, but they are finally practicing again.

    The team has practiced a total of six times in 2023, and despite their low amount of time playing together, the connections are good within the team.

    “There’s a lot of relationship growth going on since our first practice,” said head coach Catalina León. “They’re finding their love for the sport.”

    The team currently has just over 10 players, but León is hoping to extend their roster to at least 20 players.

    “We have a small group now, but they’ve been coming consistently,” said León. “They’re really grasping the concept of the game and the skills needed.”

    The enthusiasm was clearly present as Humboldt practiced on Monday night under the lights at Redwood Bowl, joking around and getting started on warmup drills upon arrival.

    “We’re happy to be back,” said centre Courtney Campuzano. “I’m excited to see how the new season is gonna be.” 

    Their first game is not scheduled yet, however there is speculation of some friendly games coming soon.

    “We have a lot of new players so we’re gonna have some friendly games going on,” said Campuzano. “We might do a tournament in Oregon.”

    The Cal Poly Humboldt women’s rugby team practices at Redwood Bowl, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays, and from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Wednesdays. 

    “I encourage anyone who is interested to stop by even if you just want to learn more about the sport or team, you do not have to commit to us,” said fly-half Zelaya Ceja. “So far we have had lots of new faces that are sticking with the sport and are hungry to learn more.”

    This team has a welcoming nature that is evident just from being around any of their practices.

    “Community is a big part of rugby,” said Ceja. “It brings me joy knowing Humboldt women’s rugby is finally welcome back on campus.”

    The first season back is viewed as a rebuild for Humboldt and the beginning of a potential-filled future.

    “We’re looking forward to rebuilding the team and just hoping to have more players who enjoy working out and being part of a team sport,” said León.

  • Rugby is the closest sport to football HSU has left

    Rugby is the closest sport to football HSU has left

    With Humboldt’s Lumberjack football gone rugby can take the spotlight.

    Rugby will never be able to replace the gap left by Humboldt State University’s football departure. If youth athletes within the Humboldt community want youth to play a contact sport and watch anything that resembles football, it’s rugby. Not only are they going to be able to watch a contact sport, but they are also going to watch a top level team.

    HSU’s rugby team has been a part of the campus since 1973. The team was Division 1 and battled with the likes of Cal Berkeley and Chico State until 1998, when they became a Division 2 team.

    As a Division 2 team they had their most success in 2005, when they made it to the National Championship but came up short to Colorado State.

    Since then, HSU Rugby has been a part of the National Collegiate Rugby league. The team had great success over the last four years, ranking seventh in the nation without the chance to play the national championship due to COVID-19.

    Much of the team’s success is thanks to ex-football players at HSU and the recruiting of local and Division1 club rugby. Latufeao Kolopeaua, a junior at HSU and former football player, was recruited to join the rugby team after the football team was disbanded in July of 2018.

    “If it weren’t for rugby here at Humboldt I would have transferred over to Montana Tech to play football,” Kolopeaua said. “Even though I sometimes dislike the decisions by this university, I’m very happy I was able to stay here and play rugby because the university is cheap, close to my home of LA, compared to Montana, and I really like it here.”

    HSU Rugby is a great opportunity for local high school athletes, like myself who went to McKinleyville High and played rugby for Chico Rugby club, to still play a contact sport while also staying local. Tali Fonoti, an incoming freshman for the rugby team, was a running back for St. Bernard’s Academy’s team, who won the Division 3 state championship.

    “I wouldn’t be staying here if it weren’t for rugby,” Fonoti said. “If Humboldt offered football then I would be playing for them. I’m happy to be able to stay here and play a sport and to be honest, the rugby team is the only reason I’m staying up here. It is my first time playing rugby, but it is something I’ve watched a little bit growing up. There is just no youth rugby in Humboldt which is the only reason I didn’t play.”

    Picking up rugby came easy to Fonoti. He believes rugby could be the sport to fill the gap of HSU football for local high school athletes.

    “I don’t think it is that hard to transition from football to rugby,” Fonoti said. “I was always in a sport so I am confident in my ability to pick one up easily. The fundamentals of tackling and running the ball are almost the same. If any high school kids wanted to stay up here and play a contact sport I would be for sure talking them up to play rugby because it’s not that hard to learn.”

    Logan McDaniel, a freshman from Belmont, never would have heard of HSU if it weren’t for rugby.

    “I would be playing rugby or football at another school,” McDaniel said. “Humboldt wouldn’t have even been on my radar. I’m happy I was recruited and they have some sort of contact sport at Humboldt because I love it up here.”

    Although HSU football is disbanded and can never be fully replaced by any sport, rugby could be the one that comes closest to filling the gap for the community. Local athletes will be able to stay home, save money and play for a nationally ranked collegiate team.

  • Rugby captain frustrated with CSU’s hasty actions

    Rugby captain frustrated with CSU’s hasty actions

    Club sports member expresses disappointment in administration inviting SJSU to campus 

    You know there is a huge lack of communication between the Humboldt State University’s administration and its students when an email is sent only a day before the arrival of an entire football team from San Jose State University. 

    It’s very frustrating there is such a disconnect between our administration and it’s student body and community. As a member of club sports it is disappointing to see another team from another school practice on a field that I can not touch with my teammates. 

    From spending 14 hours a week all of last year, at the Redwood Bowl or College Creek field with my teammates building my skills to now, possibly suspended for even gathering with a small group of teammates is frustrating to say the least. All clubs such as Men’s Baseball and the Mountain biking club can not join together because of the guidelines given from HSU. 

    Last time I checked, you have to already be six feet away in order to shoot a baseball. Also I don’t know if anyone in the Humboldt administration has ever mountain biked, but normally bikers keep distance like cars in order to avoid an accident or sudden stop. 

    I will say that my sport, rugby, brings more challenges to social distancing. I still can not go to the field with non-house members of my team to kick or pass a ball and even train. 

    So this is where I find it ridiculous that a football team, a contact sport to say the least, consisting of 141 players and personnel are able to play on the same field we at club sports cannot. 

    I will not blame or send hate towards the players or coaches of SJSU because I respect them leaving their homes in order to possibly have a chance at playing at the next level. If I was in the same situation, I would do the same thing. 

    But I will turn all my blame and anger towards the administration of both universities and the Chancellor of the CSU system. 

    I do not understand how my rugby team cannot practice because of rules given by the Chancellor and the HSU administration but a large football team can travel across multiple county lines, probably making a stop or two, in order to practice for just a week. 

    To put a whole community at risk is baffling to me. The decision to allow another university to send their football team approximately 360 miles to us is terrible. 

  • Annual Alumni Rugby Games

    Annual Alumni Rugby Games

    Men and women’s rugby play against former players during alumni game

    Humboldt State’s alumni rugby games began with women’s teams. To advance during plays, players must use their upper body strength to block others and throw the ball.

    During the first half, HSU student and kinesiology major Libby Treu helped her team gain yards, but defensive plays and staggering hits from the alumni team prevented the students from making points.

    Hannah French (left) and Libby Treu pose for a photo during the alumni game halftime on Sept. 28. | Photo by Alberto Muro

    During the second half, HSU junior Zelaya Ceja attempted to make a recovery during a kick-off. She managed to gain momentum and maneuver around the alumni defense, but multiple alumni players closed in on Ceja and thwarted her possession of the ball which allowed a recovery for the alumna.

    • Libby Treu maneuvering through the defensive HSU Alumni team on Sept. 28 during the women’s match. | Photo by Alberto Muro
    • Hannah French taking on Zelaya Ceja during the Annual Alumni Rugby Game on Sept. 28. | Photo by Alberto Muro
    • A fight for possession ends on the ground during the women’s rugby game on Sept. 28. | Photo by Alberto Muro
    • HSU alumni loses possession during the first half of the women’s alumni rugby match on Sept. 28. | Photo by Alberto Muro
    • HSU Junior Zelaya Ceja taking on alumna players during the Sept. 28 women’s match. | Photo by Alberto Muro

    Multiple occasions of yards gained and ball possession helped the alumni seal a concluding victory over the students. A loss for one team did not diminish the clubs spirit. After the game, they lined up for a traditional handshake and got together.

    When asked, Treu said she took the game as a learning experience.

    “The alumni always win,” Treu said. “That’s part of it, but this is the best game of the year because we learn from it.”

    The women’s rugby season doesn’t start until spring 2020. For now, they look forward to training and fixing problems they encountered during the game against former players.

    Some alumna keep in touch with the younger generation of HSU players to help them work on their plays. Rugby is a tough sport, and HSU women’s player Hailey French knows that tackling is crucial.

    “I’m definitely pleased with the alumni today,” French said. “I’m impressed with the girls too, but they need to work on their tackling.”

    • HSU alum Seth Perez (’07) before the men’s match begins on Sept. 28. | Photo by Patrick McGown
    • Volunteer Forward Coach Nate Whittington (HSU alum ’01) during the pregame speech on Sept. 28. | Photo by Patrick McGown
    • Volunteer Coach Nate Whittington (’01) makes a hard tackle during the first half of the men’s alumni rugby game on Sept. 28. | Photo by Patrick McGown
    • Adonnis Johnson kicks the Gilbert toward opposition during the alumni men’s rugby game on Sept. 28. | Photo by Patrick McGown
    • Tumanako Te’i breaks a hard tackle during the alumni men’s match on Sept. 28. | Photo by Patrick McGown

    Delivering hits the right way ensures that players do not experience injuries early on in the game.

    During the men’s game, alumni Ricky Gomero gained possession of the ball and moved his team down the field. It was another well-executed run and pass technique that seemed endless before the students delivered a hit causing the alumni to lose possession.

    In what looked like a stack of bodies piling up, the fight for possession of the ball continued as both teams delivered hits.

    HSU senior and psychology major Glenn Denning was injured during the play, but instead of worrying about his foot he quickly had it wrapped up and went back onto the field.

    Glenn Denning gets patched up before heading back onto the field to finish the rugby alumni game on Sept 28. | Photo by Alberto Muro

    While the alumnus put up a fight, they eventually fell to the students. After the game, they lined up for handshakes and shared advice with one another.

    “Rugby is a lot of chemistry base,” Denning said. “It’s all about cohesion and commodity as a team. You gotta know where your partner is gonna be at.”

    Positive team chemistry has an impact on any sport. Rugby can be tough, but a clear head is what makes the experience enjoyable.

    (From left to right) Cameron Whitney Jr, Ricky Gomero (alum ’18) and Chris Armstrong after the men’s alumni rugby game on Sept. 28. | Photo by Patrick McGown

    Gomero graduated last year, but his dedication to return for an alumni game drove him to play hard and have fun. Before the match, Gomero was in Colorado playing in the Aspen Ruggerfest 52nd Annual Rugby Tournament.

    “I just got done playing the Ruggerfest in Aspen last week,” Gomero said. “I figured I needed to come and give the boys support.”

    Gomero plans to head back to the University of Boulder to pursue his graduate degree in law. He also gave some advice to all future graduates of HSU, to make sure to live life and love it.

  • Women’s Rugby Preps for Upcoming Season

    Women’s Rugby Preps for Upcoming Season

    HSU Women’s Rugby trains for a new division placement and tougher opponents

    An evening of practice with the Humboldt State Women’s Rugby team consisted of preparation for their first home game of the season on November 23 against Sacramento State. The team has recently moved to Division II which means this season they will be competing against 10 schools as opposed to five.

    HSU athletics is no stranger when it comes to long distances of travel. Rugby athlete Libby True spoke on the recent division transition.

    “I began playing during my freshman year,” True said. “We started off playing against 10 games then to six games and now back to 10.”

    Having additional opponents gives the team an opportunity to capitalize on more wins and get an early lead in their division. They are making modifications to their practice routines to prepare for the extensive weeks of play against opponents they have never faced.

    “We’ve never played against them, so we aren’t sure what we’re up against,” player Hanna Hartman said. “But with the way we’ve been practicing it shouldn’t be a problem.”

    Despite the unknown challenge that awaits, there is no denying that the team will utilize techniques that keep their players operational. Whether it’s taking hits or falling, Hannah explained that playing efficiently is key to avoiding unwanted injuries.

    Junior Zelaya Ceja throws the ball to a teammate during a touch game in practice for the women’s rughby team on September 5. | Photo by Thomas Lal

    “We learned how to hit and fall properly,” Hartman said. “There’s a right way to do it safely.”

    Rugby is physically demanding with frequent body collision and the occasional injuries, therefore players are encouraged to work on their endurance to take hits routinely.

    Claire Branson has played rugby for three years at HSU and provided her input on avoiding injuries.

    “Keep your core muscles strong, when you get tackled it’s a lot of core strength,” Branson said. “Make sure it’s tight, so you’re not pulling muscles.”

    During practice, players utilize precautions to ensure safety. When playing an impact sport like rugby, building endurance is essential.

    Safety Officer and player Janay Aoga has high expectations with endurance training, since it lands on days that players invest their time working out.

    “On our conditioning days we focus on staying strong and fast because fit rugby is fun rugby,” Aoga said.

    A sport can’t be fun if there’s no one around to play, but it’s a different tone when it comes to the HSU women’s rugby team. Their love for the sport shines through their resilience and determination.

  • Jacks rugby slides into postseason with dominating performance

    Jacks rugby slides into postseason with dominating performance

    It was do or die for the HSU rugby team heading into their game against the Sonoma State Seawolves on Saturday. If they won, playoffs would await. If they lose, their goal of winning a national championship in their division would have to wait another season.

    The excitement and anticipation was in the air before the game as the coaches and players fired themselves up in the pregame huddle and stressed what was on the line and the need for teamwork and execution. It was also the final home game for the seniors, which added to the motivation for the team to deliver and send the Lumberjacks to the playoffs.

    Tackle
    Men’s rugby team being tackled by Sonoma state. | Photo by Abel Anaya

    And deliver they did, the HSU rugby team dominated Sonoma State by a score of 73-22, with the game never seeming to be in doubt at any point.

    “Now we’re playing a lot of clean ball and keeping possession,” senior Andre Hascall said. “And just not doing stupid things.”

    It only took one minute and 17 seconds for the Jacks to get their first try on the board, as Thomas Bradley punched the ball into the end zone to get the Jacks an early 5-0 lead.

    Sonoma State followed that up with a try of their own to tie the score 5-5, but three minutes later HSU scored with Jose Rodriguez getting the try for the Jacks and giving HSU the lead at 10-5.

    Following that score, Sonoma State would not have a sniff of the lead again as HSU would score 22 unanswered points to make the score 27-5. Since the 5-5 tie early in the game, the Jacks would outscore Sonoma State 27-10 down the stretch in the first half to make the halftime score 32-15.

    HSU men’s rugby team forms a ruck
    HSU men’s rugby team forms a ruck to continue after being tackled by Sonoma state. | Photo by Abel Anaya

    If you thought the Jacks did well in the first half, they would do even better in the second half. They dominated the Seawolves by outscoring them in the second half 42-7 cementing their place in the postseason and making the seniors last memory of playing at home a good one.

    HSU player Nako Te’l would add two tries to the scoreboard during the game as well as Jose Rodriguez and Cameron Whitney both tapping the ball into the end zone twice for the Lumberjacks.

    The celebration on the bench began well before the final whistle sounded, as both the players and coaches knew what they were able to accomplish in their biggest game of the year so far. But it was about more than the game itself as the coaches celebrated the seniors who were playing the last home game on the North Coast.

    HSU coach Vince Celotto said it brings him a lot of joy to have players that come to the rugby program and continue to to stay.

    “We want to make them happy,” Celotto said. “They deserve to be on the pitch and have their friends watch them play.”

    HSU men’s Rugby team
    HSU men’s rugby team forms a Line-out to gain possession of the ball. | Photo by Abel Anaya

    The Jacks have one more league game and then it’s off to Monmouth, Oregon on March 30 to start their quest for the ultimate goal, which is the national championship.

    HSU coach Greg Pargee said he finds it it incredible to watch the players grow as student-athletes.

    “I’m passionate about the sport, but I’m equally as passionate watching these guys grow as young men,” Pargee said.

  • Jacks brave the elements and beat the Otters

    Jacks brave the elements and beat the Otters

    Men’s rugby handled the cold, rain, and hail and still beat Cal State Monterey Bay 24-22

    Players, coaches, and fans braved the bitter cold, rain and even a little hail as the Humboldt State men’s rugby team pulled out a close victory over the Otters of Cal State Monterey Bay, 24-22.

    IMG_9404.jpg
    Jacks rugby alumni Dallas Hamilton goes full savage superfan as he watches former teammates get the win at College Creek Field. | Photo by Matt Shiffler

    It was a tough and physical game at the College Creek Field as HSU dominated their share of possession and won the majority of the scrums, where the players lock arms with their opponent and try to get the ball to their side of the formation.

    The weather made for tough conditions throughout the day as passing and ball movement for both teams seemed sloppy.

    “The weather was a big factor in the game,” HSU coach Vince Celotto said. “It was an ugly looking game, if I was a fan, I wouldn’t have enjoyed it at all.”

    IMG_9303.jpg
    The Otters try and contain Adonis Johnson from breaking off another run long run Saturday at College Creek Field. | Photo by Matt Shiffler

    Scoring was hard to come by for the majority of the first half but finally, HSU was able to put a try on the board and add the extra conversion by sending the ball through the uprights to make the score 7-0.

    A turnover near their own try line for the Lumberjacks resulted in a breakaway try for the Otters later in the first half cutting the Jacks lead to 7-5. HSU was able to get to the try zone a couple more times late in the first half, making the score 19-5 heading into halftime.

    IMG_9366.jpg
    Former football player Tumanako Te’i deciding on which play to make during the second half of Feb. 9 game at College Creek Field. | Photo by Matt Shiffler

    The sloppy play continued for the Lumberjacks in the second half as they were outscored by the Otters 17-5, including a late score from a turnover by the Lumberjacks. This led to a late Otter try right before the final buzzer sounded, making the final score 24-22 in favor of the north coast squad.

    Teammate and club Vice President, Andre Hascall said that there are issues that the team needs to work on together.

    “We didn’t pass the ball when we should’ve, and a lot of selfish ball was played,” Hascall said.

    IMG_9378.jpg
    Photo by Matt Shiffler

    Even though the Jacks ended up winning the game, the mood among the team was anything but celebratory as the team felt like they let the game slip away.

    HSU’s forward, Latu Kolopeaua said that as a team the men’s rugby needs to work on their fitness.

    “We felt like we were getting too tired too early in the game,” Kolopeaua said.

    In the postgame huddle the HSU coaches stressed teamwork and taking care of the ball has HSU finished the game with 36 turnovers.

    “As coaches, we felt that we performed poorly as a team,” Celotto said. “We felt like we should’ve beaten this team by a lot more than what we did.”

    Celotto also stressed the importance of re-evaluating and refocusing the team heading into next weekend as the Lumberjacks head down to Moraga, California with a 2-0 record in conference play to take on a strong St. Mary’s squad.

    The next home game for the Lumberjacks is March 2, at 1 p.m. where they take on Sonoma State with a berth in the playoffs on the line.

    IMG_9372.jpg
    Adonis Johnson and the rest of the Jacks push CSUMB back trying to gain possession during the scrum. | Photo by Matt Shiffler

  • Tigers zero, Jacks rugby heroes

    Tigers zero, Jacks rugby heroes

    Jacks triumph in the Redwood Bowl

    The Jacks dominated scrum set pieces winning all seven keeping the ball in possession for its high-powered offense. Restarting play using the scrum, the forwards packed closely, head down, and engaged the other team, gaining the ability to swing the ball out to a potential line breaker. A series of excellent passes and jukes found HSU with a 2-on-1 advantage looking to score.

    2.jpg
    Adonis Johnson picks up a loose ball resulting in a turnover for the Tigers. | Photo by Matt Shiffler

    Senior number 14 Adonis Johnson caught the high pass and secured the ball. Johnson didn’t pass and instead just kept running full speed ahead, straight for the UOP player and try line.

    ”I saw him and I was thinking, I’m going to run him over,” Johnson said. ”And I did but somehow he kicked the ball out of my hand as he fell backward.”

    The offense was led by Johnson, who would score 12 total points in the 38-0 shutout against the University of the Pacific Tigers in the Redwood Bowl on Feb. 2.

    The Jacks played an effective first half, putting 19 points on the scoreboard. These points came from field awareness and handling the ball quickly off of passes. This edge helped momentum and was able to showcase the speed of center all-league selection number 15 Dalvin Jamal-Milton. Jamal-Milton was on full display as he caught a pass, made one Tiger miss breaking their line, and rocketed down the near sideline. With two Tigers to beat, Jamal-Milton threw a forearm that stopped the incoming tackler in his tracks. The second Tiger was too late or didn’t want to get the same outcome and Jamal-Milton tiptoed past the line for his first try of the game.

    “Our team is aggressive this year,” coach Greg Pargee said. “We play as a team and we are looking 100% better than we were this time last year.”

    The UOP squad had size but couldn’t keep pace with the Jacks in the second half. During loose play, HSU was able to steal nine of the Tigers possessions. Many of these came deep down the pitch, forcing the Tigers to lose clock and energy with zero points in return. When the Tigers finally broke out with big runs past the Jack’s line Jamal-Milton was there cleaning up in the open field, with chase-down tackles and monster hits. Number 12 of the visiting Tigers found space to run outside multiple times and you could see him scanning, trying to find where Jamal-Milton was flying in from.

    The Jacks offense closed out the game with another 19 points. Try scorers for the Jacks were Adonis Johnson (2), Cameron Arnold (2), Dalvin Jamal-Milton (1), and Cameron Whitney (1).

    “We were able to see mistakes early and coaching was great,” senior center and rugby club vice president Andre Hascall said. “Big positive is that 38-0, got to love that.”

    3.jpg
    The referee calls out instructions during a scrum between HSU and UOP. | Photo by Matt Shiffler

    It’s early in the season but the Jacks can’t help but be excited with returning players like Dalvin, Adonis, flanker Thomas Bradley, Cameron Whitney, and two props Colin Coletto and Joseph Johnson. To add more depth to the already impressive roster three former HSU football players, Tumanako Te’i, Jason Uipi, and Latufeao Kolopeaua, took their tackling from the gridiron to the pitch.

    National championship aspirations are on everyone’s mind from both players and coaching staff. Last year the Jacks were able to reach the regional championships but fell to Mira Costa. The Jacks are celebrating 45 years of rugby in the redwoods and coach Vince Celotto played for the Jacks in the 1980s when they competed against top schools and old division-I rivals.

    When asked about the possibility of HSU turning club rugby into one of its official sports to fill the void created by the loss of the football program.

    “We’re like the kids in an amicable divorce. Community and administration are at odds right now and we’re just trying to make it clear to everyone that we want to win a national championship this year,” Celotto said. “We understand the commitment and our trip is to make these guys the best rugby players they can be, some people want to see us succeed and others want to see us fail.”

    Come support Jacks rugby as they face the Otters of Monterey Bay this weekend at 1 p.m. on the College Creek Field.

  • Seniors stunt in final home game

    Seniors stunt in final home game

    Kayla Maulson is a senior child development major at Humboldt State who has been affiliated with the rugby team for more than five years. Maulson took a year off, because she gave birth about a year ago. She felt incredible scoring in her last game as a Lumberjack.

    “If you’re not first, you’re last,” Maulson said.

    The Jacks women’s rugby team crushed the University of California, Berkeley in their matchup on March 3 at College Creek Field. Maulson was the first of seven Jacks to score in this matchup.

    It was a bittersweet moment for the Jacks, as it was their last home game of the season. Each senior who played for the Jacks was a key component in the game.

    The Jacks started off strong thanks to the help of head coach Meredith Conrad-Forrest. Before the game even started, Conrad-Forrest recognized that the defensive line needed to be shifted around.

    “The energy we had going into this weekend seemed really positive, because we beat Berkeley before,” Conrad-Forrest said. “It was beautiful for them to have their last game end that way.”

    At halftime, the score was 26-17. Even though the rain picked up, nothing was able to stop the Jacks from keeping their momentum alive.

    Out of the four seniors on the rugby team, each would cross the goal line, contributing to the 51 total points that were scored.

    Lila Bell, a senior child development major at HSU, was an important piece in this new formation. Typically, she plays the 13 position, which focuses on maintaining the outside lanes. She lined up at the 10 position, which is similar to a quarterback in the sense that you call out the shots and dictate where people will line up.

    The Jacks were in between the halfway point and goal when Libby Treu executed a play that Bell called out.

    “We picked a play that would allow me to run right through their defense,” Bell said. “We took them by surprise!”

    All together, the Jacks have won two and lost five games. Even though they have lost a total of five games, they still have a chance at making the playoffs, because of their total points scored throughout the season.

    The Jacks walked away in their final game with a 51-22 point victory over the Cal Golden Bears.

    The Women’s College Division 1 Elite Playoffs of rugby begins on April 20. The championship round of 16 takes place over a three-day period and will conclude with a championship bout on May 5.

  • Jacks men’s rugby dominates the turf

    Jacks men’s rugby dominates the turf

    Adonnis Johnson is a junior majoring in art, and he has been playing for Humboldt State’s rugby team since his freshman year of college.

    Johnson is kicking the doors down this rugby season, as he has already scored eight times in just four games. He is a versatile athlete that plays the mid-center, wing and fly-half positions.

    “I try to get that open space and make room for my teammates so I can either take it and run, or I can dump it off to the next open man,” Johnson said.

    HSU was able to out-hustle the University of San Francisco Dons on Feb. 17 as the Lumberjacks beat the Dons 31-17 at College Creek Field.

    Humboldt State scrums with the University of San Francisco on Feb. 17 at College Creek Field. Photo by Garrett Goodnight.

    The Dons started out strong as they lead 12-7 at the end of the first period.

    As a nearby power outage was restored, the scoreboard was turned on at the beginning of the second period. It felt as if that new source of energy somehow sparked the Lumberjacks into hyperdrive.

    “The guys have learned to trust the system of rugby they are practicing,” HSU head coach Greg Pargee said. “They are trusting the system and good things are happening.”

    The Lumberjacks kept their momentum alive, as they took the lead by scoring four times.

    One of the key pieces in every scoring drive was HSU’s kicker, Chris Armstrong. Armstrong was able to knock in four out of the six extra points with his foot. On top of Armstrong’s ability to kick, he also plays the wing position.

    Chris Armstrong (right) runs for the try zone as he helps the Jacks win the game 31-17 on Feb. 17 against the University of San Francisco. Photo by Garrett Goodnight.

    Early on when the game was all tied up at 12 a piece, Armstrong was lateraled the ball. He took off for the outside lane with relentless energy and momentum.

    “I just saw an open field and I went straight for the end zone,” Armstrong said. “Nobody followed me as I got into the end zone so I tried to get a straight shot to make it easier for the kicker.”

    Wherever the ball touches the ground in the end zone, the kicker is forced to laterally line up with that location to attempt their kick. Armstrong wanted to get as close as possible to the pylons to make it easier on himself.

    The Dons were able to score one late attempt to make the game 31-17. That was not enough as the Lumberjacks walked away with the victory.

    The next home game is on Feb. 24 at College Creek Field against University of the Pacific at 1 p.m.

  • Jacks rugby team still on the hunt for first win

    Jacks rugby team still on the hunt for first win

    On a wet and windy Feb. 11, the Lumberjacks women’s rugby team fell to the Stanford Cardinals 36-27 in a hard-fought battle to the end at College Creek Field.

    The team has yet to find a win, but there are five games left and they are finally starting to play well together. Head coach Meredith Conrad-Forrest was proud of her team’s effort.

    “The score board was a little underwhelming,” Conrad-Forrest said, “but they put it together. The forwards and the backs, as a team, really played together. They showed true [Humboldt Pride] heart.”

    The game was back and forth as each team kept taking the lead with hard-hitting scrums and outside runs. The kicking game was a problem for Humboldt State as they missed three goal conversions.

    The size and strength of the Jacks seemed to play into their scheme, because of the downpour. But they were not able to take advantage of the smaller, faster Cardinal team.

    The Jacks were up with five minutes remaining, but Stanford was able to put back-to-back tries in the end zone to put the Cardinals up for good.

    Jacks forward Libby Treu remains optimistic about where her team stands currently.

    “This is one of the best games we’ve played all season,” Treu said. “We played as a team and everyone was there to support each other.”

    The Jacks next home game is on March 3 against Cal Berkeley at College Creek Field at 11 a.m.

  • Jacks women’s rugby falls short against UC Davis

    Jacks women’s rugby falls short against UC Davis

    It was a nail-biter in the women’s rugby home opener against the University of California, Davis Mustangs on Feb. 3.

    Humboldt State University found their fuel a little too late, as the Mustangs took home the victory 49-31.

    The Mustangs scored the first three tries of the match. It was not until HSU switched their lineup that allowed them to answer back by scoring their first try.

    “We had really good subs come in, and they had the fire in them, just from watching and seeing what was happening,” head coach Meredith Conrad-Forrest said. “They were able to respond to that and bring the rest of the team up.”

    Thanks to the help of Libby Treu’s performance, the Jacks were able to bring the score within three tries just before the half, 27-12.

    To keep their hopes high, they were looking to build off of their newfound momentum and carry into the second half. The Jacks were hoping not to repeat what happened in last week’s season opener, which was a last-minute loss to Stanford University.

    “If that energy dies just a little bit, then everybody gets unmotivated and lazy,” said Celeste Valencia. “We really need that one person to keep everybody hyped up. That’s how you get the game going.”

    Just as the second half began, the Jacks were able to score two more unanswered tries, bringing the score within three points, 27-24.

    “It’s important to keep that energy up,” said Tiana Barron. “My priority now is getting it to my team, to make sure we score.”

    Barron is trying out a new role this season: the fly-half position.

    As the game progressed, the Mustangs were able to flip the momentum around and outrun the Lumberjacks, scoring four more tries.

    Unfortunately, it was too late for a last-minute comeback, although the Lumberjacks were able to score one more try before the time expired.

    The Lumberjacks are looking to earn their first victory in this weekend’s match-ups at College Creek Field on Feb. 10 and Feb. 11.

    They face California State University, Chico and Stanford. Kick-offs are at 11:00 a.m.

  • Humboldt State Men’s Rugby beats Sonoma State on Freshman’s first try.

    Humboldt State Men’s Rugby beats Sonoma State on Freshman’s first try.

    By Curran Daly

    On a wet and windy March 4, the Humboldt State Men’s Rugby team defeated Sonoma State 24-17.

    From the beginning of the game, Humboldt State was pressing Sonoma. For much of the first half it looked like the Lumberjacks would score the first points of the game. However, a number of defensive stands by Sonoma at their own try zone, rugby’s end zone, kept the game deadlocked at zeros.

    Sonoma’s biggest stand came with seven minutes left in the first half. Soon after, Sonoma was able to break through the Lumberjack line to score the opening try. After a successful conversion Sonoma led 7-0. Justin Herrera, a senior in the lock position, admitted that getting scored on was a bit of a shock to the Lumberjacks.

    “We were kinda a little bit lost at first, we got scored on, then we focused up and got it together,” Herrera said.

    Humboldt came right back and was pushing deep into Sonoma’s end, but were unable to score. The half ended with Sonoma leading 7-0.

    As halftime the weather began to turn. What had been a drizzle in the first half, turned into a full on onslaught of rain. According to Ricky Gomero, a junior scrum half, the shift in the weather caused the Lumberjacks to shift their approach to the game.

    “It started to rain, we know our game has to be a lot different,” Gomero said. “After the first half, we started seeing our guys focusing down, nailing it, and running like good rugby players.”

    The Lumberjacks came out fast in the second half scoring a try after only three minutes of play. A missed conversion left Sonoma in the lead 7-5.

    The game was back and forth, until Humboldt scored again 10 minutes later to take a 10-7 lead. Then, Sonoma scored and missed the conversion to lead 12-10 with 20 minutes remaining.

    The Lumberjacks kept pushing, but could not find a way to put points on the board. At one point the Jacks celebrated a try only to have it called off by the ref. With five and a half minutes remaining the Lumberjacks would not be denied anymore. Freshman winger Cameron Arnold, picked up the ball off of a Sonoma kick and ran through the line to give the Jacks a 15-12 lead. After a successful conversion the Jacks lead 17-12.

    “The turning point of the game was when Cameron scored a try, because that just really put us over,” Herrera said. “He ran it all the way back from the 22, that was the uplifting point, we were like ya we can do this and we had it on lock down.”

    Arnold’s go ahead try was his first try for the rugby team.

    “It was a great feeling, scoring my first try for the team,” Arnold said. “It got the team pumped up.”

    Humboldt went on to score another try pushing the score to 24-12. Sonoma scored on what was the last play of the game and the game finished 24-17.

  • Humboldt Hogs ready for redemption

    Humboldt Hogs ready for redemption

    By | Andre Hascall

    Men’s lacrosse player Shane Hayes played one of his best games so far, being awarded with Humboldt’s player of the game sledgehammer on Feb.25. Despite losing 13-3 to  Sierra Nevada College at their home field, Humboldt State Men’s Lacrosse, otherwise known as the Humboldt Hogs, still has hope for the season.

    “We’ll be in playoffs,”Hayes said.

    The Hogs stand at a 2-3 record overall, but their record in league matches is 1-1. Head coach Tony Silvaggio was

    Logan Salcuni walking off the field after defending a score from his opponents of Sierra Nevada. | Juan Herrera

    looking forward to the season immediately after the game.

    “If things work out, we’re going to see them again,” Silvaggio said.

    With a loss, it is important to look at what you can improve on. Two of the Humboldt Hogs defenders, Logan Salcuni and Matt Lopez, know which part of their game they would like to work on prior to the next match.

    “All day, everyday practice,” Salcuni said. “I feel like we have to communicate in a positive way, and no shitty shots.”

    Salcuni wants to switch the focus over to lots of work with an emphasis on taking shots at the net at the right time.

    “Work on the basics, passing and catching and definitely conditioning,” Lopez said.

    The hogs look forward to a chance to play Sierra Nevada, who were last season’s champions, again as there are high tensions between the two teams. Sierra Nevada seemed to have talk more trash than the amount of goals they scored.

    “These guys are wealthy and they recruit, they think they are D-1 [Division One] but they’re not,” Lopez said.

    The Hogs will be getting the month off after the loss, giving them plenty of time to improve before going on to play University of the Pacific on April 1. in Stockton, Calif. This is followed by a match against UC Davis the day after on April 2., at Davis.

    The Humboldt Hogs next home game will be on April 15., against San Jose State, on the College Creek Field at 1 p.m.