The Hillsdale club rugby team beat Grove City 75-0 at home Oct. 28. Courtesy | Jessica Phillips
The Hillsdale club rugby team secured its fifth win of the season, defeating the Grove City College Wolverines 75-0. This resounding victory took place during a home game at Hayden Park on Saturday, Oct. 28.
With this victory, Hillsdale’s club rugby team advanced to the Allegheny Rugby Union semi-finals, and they are now preparing for the ARU League Championship. A win against the Penn West Cal University Vulcans at Franciscan University would open the pathway to the regional championship in Saint Louis, Missouri, and potentially the national championship.
The first half of the game set the tone for a lopsided contest, with Hillsdale racking up an impressive 45-point lead. The Wolverines struggled to counter Hillsdale’s relentless offense, with the first try of the game scored by senior and former Chargers offensive lineman Noah Parlee.
“We were willing to play with a lot more physicality,” Parlee said. “This is an 80-minute game, and by minute 60, if you’ve been hit in the mouth repeatedly, it gets exhausting, but our guys just pushed through. We just took it to a different level than they were willing to take it.”
Sophomore team captain Elijah Pangrazio showcased his skills with an impressive 35-yard run, breaking through five tackles. Sophomore right wing Kellan Pollack contributed with two tries in the first half.
“At this point, I still had completed no tries,” sophomore left wing Ezra Phillips said. “So I looked at him and was like ‘I’m going to catch up to you.’”
As the game progressed, the outcome became increasingly clear. Senior front row hooker Liam Martin, known for his formidable defensive tackles, contributed to the offensive effort. His brute force attack and forward crash furthered Hillsdale’s lead.
“Within 10 minutes we knew they couldn’t beat us. There was no way,” Phillips said.
Head coach and junior Robert Brandau said midway through the game, he reminded the team it needed to play all the way to the whistle.
“Score everything you can, don’t disrespect the other team, and show everyone at home that rugby is here to stay,” Brandau said. Hillsdale maintained a 45-0 lead, and the second half continued with remarkable plays.
Second row lock and freshman Luke Jones and Martin made notable contributions. Pangrazio passed the off to Pollack, who went down, but not before passing back to Pangrazio. Pangrazio ran about 40 yards, shook off three to five players, putting the ball in the middle of the try. Jones picked up the ball and punched it in 10 yards from the line. Senior Flanagan Anderson chipped the ball to himself then handed it off to Martin, who punched it in for a try. Phillips picked up the ball for another successful try in the second half.
“Phillips is such an incredible athlete that when the Grove City guy dove for the tackle, Ezra wasn’t even there,” praised Anderson.
Toward the end of the half, Martin made a successful try as freshman flanker Jonah Kirsten pulled him aside, insisting the team would feed him the ball. They tossed the ball to him as three forwards got behind him and pushed him into the try zone for his first-ever successful try.
The road to victory showcased the team’s dedication and adaptability. Brandau highlighted the application of set plays, a somewhat unusual approach in rugby. These set plays allowed the team to apply structured strategies in the midst of the dynamic game.
“This is somewhat unusual in rugby, and especially in our league because rugby is such a fluid, spontaneous, and ever changing game, but my guys were able to apply set plays in the midst of all the action,” said Brandau.
Brandau credited the team’s journey to success to its recent experiences against strong opponents.
“Prior to Grove City, we played the State University of New York at Fredonia. We only won against them 65-0, and they were a worse team,” Brandau said. “We just applied everything that we learned at Notre Dame and John Carroll, brought that into Fredonia, and gained confidence there. From there we could blow out Grove City, who was by far the better team.”
With their victory over Grove City, Hillsdale’s club rugby team is faced with a significant decision. “We’re struggling to decide if we want to travel to St. Louis, just because we’re tight on funds,” Brandau said.
