The UVU men’s rugby team closed their regular season on a high note by defeating the Utah State Aggies on senior day Saturday. This rematch of last year’s Division I AA Championship ended with a final score of 54-12.
Before taking the field, the team gave a sendoff to their seniors in front of the home crowd. This was to be the final regular-season game for Luke Vanisi, Domus Go, Sean Hall, Matt Martin, Zach Burr, Talatama Sperry and Chase Hobson.
UVU got off to a strong start. Hooker and Bryce Boyer scored the Wolverines’ first five points. This led to a total of 27 unanswered points by the Wolverines in the first half.
At the half, head coach David Logsdon informed his team that one thing they were missing was following-up on support causing the teams turnovers.
After the half, the Aggies came out with something to prove, scoring their first points of the game a few minutes into the second half. However, this attempt would fall short as the Wolverines proved too much for them to handle.
After a breakaway 50-meter run by loose head Jeffrey Mann, winger Porter Thomas scored what would be the final try of the game, giving the Wolverines the win with a final score of 54-12.
After the win, outside wing Dallin Carlson, who was responsible for two of the Wolverines’ scores, spoke about how intense the game was. “It was a little dirty from the get-go,” Carlson said. “A lot of high tackles, but that’s the great thing about rugby, in the end you’re always brothers.”
Carlson said that with Utah State being a Division I team, they wanted to send a message to all Division I teams, that UVU is coming for them.
For Logsdon this was a bittersweet game, as after this season he will no longer be the head coach. “It was a very intense, very high emotional game for both sides.” Logsdon said. “They had something to prove and we really shut them down on that.”
With this game behind them, the Wolverines can now focus their attention on repeating last year’s championship run.
