Rugby wins third-straight league game

The suddenly streaking Keelhaulers improve to 3-1 on the 15s season in a 74-3 victory over Cal State University Monterey Bay at home on Saturday.

The Otters opened the scoring with a kick to put them up 3-0 and had done a good job of controlling the pace and time of possession early on.

But the Keelhaulers would answer back, methodically churning their way down field before Jonah Wolfe snuck in from short distance for the try and he would convert on the kick. That gave Cal Maritime their first lead of the day at 7-3 over CSUMB and they would never trail again.

Wolfe would scoop up a fumble by the Otters after a scrum and after a kick to line out Cal Maritime starting mauling. The pile shoved Monterey Bay backwards and Gerald McLarnon punched it in for another try for the Keelhaulers to put them up 12-3 with 22 minutes to go in the first half.

Keelhaulers added to their lead when Josh Bates caught a pitch on the right side and shaked-and-baked his way past defenders stiff arming one along the way and leaving another grasping for the speedy sophomore. That try put Cal Maritime up 17-3 with 11 minutes until halftime.

The Keelhaulers got back-to-back scores in under a minute with a 30-yard run from big number eight Alex Cortessis up the gut which was immediately followed by Wolfe breaking free at midfield and streaking down the sideline before pitching to Andrew Cavinta who would take it in for the try as Maritime would lead 31-3 at the half.

Cavinta was not done as he'd start the second half with a 50+ meter score down the sideline right out of the gate and the conversion kick was good for a 38-3 lead. Cavinta would punch in a third try on the day by weaving through defenders from 20 yards out as the two-sport Sophomore put the Keelhaulers up 64-3 with nine minutes to go before Cal Maritime would eventually win 74-3

UP NEXT: Cal Maritime will host a friendly with Army West Point Wednesday, March 11 at 6 p.m. Food, beer, and wine will be served at the Lookout Point beginning at 4 p.m. before dining and beverage service moves inside Bodnar Field at kickoff.