Ruck protection: The Gaels secure the ball after a tackle while scrum half Hunter Modlin ’24, MBA ’25 prepares the pass. / Photo by Rebecca Harper
Gaels Beat the Wildcats in the Quarterfinals, and Men’s Rugby Run for the National Championship Continues
SMC defeated Central Washington in a riveting 53–48 match at Saint Mary’s Stadium. Now the Gaels prepare to take on Cal in the semifinals. And SMC's John Wilson is a finalist for the Rugby Player of the Year.
The defending national champs in Division 1A Men’s Rugby are one step closer to another championship match: In a seesaw bout on Saturday on their home field, the Saint Mary’s Gaels defeated Central Washington 53–48 in the quarterfinals. Now their sights are set on a semifinals clash with arch-rival Cal in Berkeley on April 19.
The script for Saturday’s rugby match in Moraga featured plenty of scoring and contested play early on. Coming out hot in the second half, the Gaels looked primed to win comfortably and advance to the next round. However, the Wildcats from up north did not go down without a fight, and made the last five minutes as tight as it gets for the Gaels. After securing another hard-fought victory, Saint Mary’s is once again playing for a chance to represent the western region in the national championship.
Central Washington got on the board first in just the fifth minute, with an excellent kick forward that took a high bounce and was snagged by the Wildcats’ winger. Taking it into the try zone and adding a conversion kick gave them an early 7–0 lead.
Saint Mary’s answered quickly with the first try of the day by Siale Ofa '28—this one an easy jog in after John Wilson ’26 broke a line in the stout Wildcat defense. The backs played entertaining and fast rugby all afternoon, which got them another scoring opportunity in just three minutes. This time it was sparked by Mario Storti ’25 and finished by Brian McKeon ’25 in support of the attack. The Gaels took their first lead of the day at 10–7.
But that lead didn’t last. The Wildcats gave an answer of their own and used their forward pack to gain momentum and score a close range try, moving back in front 12–10.
The next sequence showcased exactly what the Gaels can do when they get comfortable on the offensive side. Ollie Cline ’26, who transferred from Central Washington last summer, sent a chipped kick over the Wildcats' defenders that bounced into the arms of Dominic Besag ’26. Besag found Sosaia Pongi ’26, and the ball continued to move to Sione Ofa ’27 to get into the try zone. That gave the lead back to the Gaels, 17–12. As in that execution, Cline’s kicking was crucial throughout the match.
“We knew Central Washington’s defense was tight, so the kicking game was going to open up,” Cline assessed afterward. Indeed, he managed to feed his teammates throughout the afternoon with kicked passes that were right on the dime.
“We knew Central Washington’s defense was tight, so the kicking game was going to open up.”
—Ollie Cline ’26
Before the Gaels could extend their lead, the Wildcats were in the try zone again. First, a well-placed kicking attack helped to level the score, before a fortuitous bounce and strong run moved Central Washington ahead 24–17.
With just three minutes to play in the opening half, a five-meter scrum was swung all the way out to fullback Mario Storti ’25, who picked up the try and helped the Gaels even the score as they headed to halftime. Storti was tantalizing at fullback for Saint Mary’s with multiple great carries for distance, and he found his teammates time and again in beneficial positions to finish off scoring plays.
Gaels Take the Lead
The Gaels exploded early in the second half. In just mere moments, Storti had once again ignited an attack on the outside, which resulted in Siale Ofa jetting past the backline of the defense. The first-year wing was not the only one to pick up a pair of tries on Saturday afternoon; Iosefa Toia’ivao ’26 also scored back-to-back tries on the opposite wing. The two wings were electrifying on the outside as they always are, and the Gaels had a comfortable 43–24 lead after scoring 19 unanswered.
Brian McKeon was the next member of the Saint Mary’s side to get his second try of the playoff matchup, running in support of John Wilson, to make it 50–31. Ollie Cline kicked a three-point penalty kick to put the Gaels ahead 53-31—a full four possessions, which seemed like an insurmountable lead in the 73rd minute.
But the Wildcats were not ready to surrender their chance at moving on in the postseason. They scored 17 straight to finish the match, but it was too little, too late. The Gaels poached possession with no time remaining, and after an attempt at kicking into touch bounced awkwardly back into play, it was the speedy Siale Ofa who came up with a kick save to punch the Gaels' ticket to the semifinals.
Brian McKeon had never scored two tries in a match in his entire rugby career, but he stepped up in his final home game of the season. San Francisco native McKeon was particularly enthused about helping the program advance to another semifinal matchup with Cal. “After we lost to Cal in the regular season, we knew we just had to win playoff games to get another crack at them,” he said.
“After we lost to Cal in the regular season, we knew we just had to win playoff games to get another crack at them.”
—Brian McKeon ’25
Newcomers were also thrilled about the chance to move on to a national championship match. “I have never made it to the semifinals in college rugby, so for me personally it is really exciting,” said Ollie Cline. The flyhalf did not get the chance to play his old team in the regular season; he was dealing with a shoulder injury in February. But his elation was evident when talking about the opportunity next week.
The win over Central Washington sets the Gaels up for their chance to go to a third national championship game in the last four seasons. And they continue their run at repeating as national champions. Journeymen like Brian McKeon and first-timers such as Ollie Cline all share in the excitement of continuing to survive and advance.
John Wilson a Finalist for the Rudy Scholz Award
On the heels of the Gaels’ victory over Central Washington, more good news arrived on April 15: SMC’s John Battle Wilson has been named one of five finalists for the Rudy Scholz Award. The award honors the top collegiate rugby player in the country and is presented by the Washington Athletic Club in Seattle. Twenty-two players were nominated this season, including teammate Dominic Besag. The winner will be recognized at a gala in Seattle on Saturday, June 7.
NEXT UP: The Gaels face the UC Berkeley Golden Bears in the CRAA D1A Semifinal game on Saturday, April 19, at Witter Rugby Field in Berkeley. For the eastern region semifinals, Lindenwood University faces Life University.
Story updated April 16, 2025 at 9:30 a.m. Pacific.
