Varsity Cup Final Set As Cal & BYU Win

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Cal and BYU will play in their seventh title match in the last eight years as both came away with blowout wins in the Varsity Cup semi-finals. BYU will host the final this weekend in Provo. The final will be aired on the Varsity Cup YouTube channel.

Cal 74-6 Navy

In front of a full house Cal had not difficulty with Navy as they ran in 12 tries in a comprehensive 74-6 victory. The Midshipmen were the first to get on the board after fly-half Jack McAuliffe hit a penalty in the third minute. But Cal struck back as Seamus Kelly scored the first of his team-high four tries only a few minutes later. Jack Anderson converted to give Cal a 7-3 lead. Jack O'Beirne would scored ten minutes later to increase Cal's lead before McAuliffe hit his second penalty of the day.

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After the penalty Cal reasserted itself and controlled the match. Tries from Kelly, Harry Adolphus, Alec Gletzer, and Brendan Daly gave Cal a commanding 34-6 lead. In the second half the Golden Bears continued the onslaught. Tries from Danny Barrett, two from Kelly, O'Beirne, Nick Boyer, and Gletzer finished off the scoring. Overall, Navy shoed the physicality that is expected of a military academy but ultimately didn't have enough to keep up with a very strong Cal team.

BYU 53-20 Central Washington

Central Washington had the makings of an upset as they got out to an early 15-7 lead in Provo before ultimately giving up 46 answered points to BYU in an eventual 53-20 BYU win. The Cougars got on the board first through Will Taylor but the Wildcats (where are the Panthers, Pumas, Leopards, or the Lions?) came back with a Sean Wanigasekera try in the 11th minute. Alex Reher would add a try a few minutes later to give Central Washington a 8-7 lead. The Wildcats extended their lead in the 22nd minute as Josh Bower finished off a long distance try.

But that was as much as Central Washington would get for the next 50 minutes as BYU regrouped and asserted itself. Wing Chris Wernli would scored in the 30th minute while Ishmael Tilialo would scored shortly before the half to extend the Cougars lead. They would then get another try from Wernli, as well as tries from Luke Mocke (2), Seki Kofe, and Ryan Roundy in the second half to finish off the match. Central Washington would have the last word as Shelby Williams scored in the 58th minute.