Rugby Playoffs Begin

By: Luke Jackson

The John Carroll rugby team visited Mount St. Joseph Thursday in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association rugby semifinals to kick off the playoffs. Archbishop Spalding was to host Loyola Blakefield in the other semifinal.

John Carroll has been a longtime rugby power, but slipped to the No. 4 seed this season. The Patriots went 1-3 in the MIAA A Conference, with their lone win coming against Calvert Hall, the only team not to make the four-team playoffs. Mount St. Joseph, the No. 1 seed and 3-1 in the conference on the year, had its only loss come against Loyola.

Mount St. Joseph defeated the Patriots, 41-38, April 18. But John Carroll senior fly-half Evan McGann is confident that his team can turn around the score because team chemistry has improved drastically over the course of the year, a vital aspect during the playoffs.

"[We have to] play together as a team," said McGann, one of three captains on the Patriots. "We've been playing together for a whole year now, so we know each other now."

McGann's Patriots have gone through a rebuilding year, losing 13 of 15 starters from last year due to graduation and other circumstances.

"We lost [a lot of people], so we lacked confidence," said McGann. "We had to fill in some positions with new players."

Though John Carroll went through a rebuilding year, it lost all of its conference games by just one try.

"We had a chance to win every game we played," said McGann.

McGann says that the coaching of Chris Powell and the Patriots' athleticism are John Carroll's biggest strengths.

"We are very well coached and we have a pretty athletic squad," said McGann.

Archbishop Spalding, the No. 2 seed and 3-1 in the conference, will take on Loyola (the No. 3 seed), also 3-1, Thursday, in the other semifinal. Spalding's lone loss came against Mount St. Joe, 8-5, April 10. Loyola fell to Spalding, 24-7, April 18. By virtue of Spalding's victory April 18, the Cavaliers will host Loyola.

The winners of the two games will face off against each for the MIAA championship Monday.

Posted May 2, 2008