As you would expect from two teams expecting to contend for a title this season Saturday’s match between OMBAC and Glendale was a tight affair full of great rugby. There was little separating the two on the day except for the scoring of Zach Pangelinan as last year’s MVP led OMBAC to a 24-13 victory.
Due to the weather in Colorado, Glendale hadn’t had a chance to play a warm-up match before heading to San Diego while OMBAC had the opportunity to play the SoCal DI opponents, St. Mary’s and others. That played to OMBAC’s advantage early as Pangelinan kicked a penalty to put OMBAC up 3-0. Still, it wouldn’t last as Dustin Croy showed some quick pace to put Glendale up 5-3 after Mike Graham missed the conversion.
The first half was a back and forth affair and a little while after Croy had put Glendale ahead Pangelinan hit another penalty to put OMBAC up 6-5. Graham would then answer for Glendale to restore the advantage at 8-6. Pangelinan would make one more penalty to bring the halftime score to 9-8 in favor of OMBAC.
The second half wasn’t nearly as back and forth as the first. Pangelinan found an early gap for OMBAC and went the distance for the try to make it 16-8 after he hit his own conversion. OMBAC then widened the lead with a driving line out maul converted by new hooker Adam Clarkin to make it 21-8.
Glendale pressed hard to get back into the game and crossed the line via Josh Sutcliffe to make it 21-13 but OMBAC responded with an attack that resulted in a penalty where Pangelinan added to his point total of 19 to make the final score on the day 24-13 for OMBAC.
OMBAC 24
Tries: Pangelinan, Clarkin
Conversions: Pangelinan
Penalties: Pangelinan (4)
Glendale Raptors 13
Tries: Dustin Croy, Josh Sutcliffe
Penalties: Mike Graham