RedStorm finishes runner-up at BRRC Championship

Rio Grande Sports Information
     FORT WAYNE, Ind. - The University of Rio Grande rugby team recorded a trio of wins and a runner-up finish in Saturday's Big Rivers Rugby Conference Tournament hosted by Indiana Tech University.
     By virtue of the runner-up finish, the RedStorm earned a spot in the upcoming 2026 National 7s Collegiate Rugby Championship, which is scheduled for April 24-25 in Boyds, Md.
     Rio Grande went 2-1 in pool play, sandwiching a 21-12 win over Iowa Central Community College and a 26-0 rout of Trine University around a 26-14 loss to Marian (Ind.) University.
     The RedStorm then topped Aquinas College, 24-19 in extra time, in the semifinal round before losing again to Marian, 33-12, in the championship.
     In the opener against ICCC, tries by freshman Luke Webster (Johannesberg, South Africa) and junior Sunny Staffieri (Lostwithel, England) and a pair of conversions by junior Thibault Carrere (Dax, Landes, France) turned an early 5-0 deficit in to a 14-5 advantage.
     A second half try by graduate senior Mikey Grice (England) and a conversion by Carrere set the final score.
     Head coach Brad Sandig's squad jumped to a 7-0 lead on Marian after a try and conversion by Carrere and later tied the match at 14-all in the second half after a try by Staffieri and a conversion by Carrere, but the Knights scored the final 12 points to get the win.
     The final pool game against Trine saw Rio lead just 5-0 at half after a try by senior Will Spencer (Hemel Hempstead, England) before exploding for 21 second half points.
     The scoring after the intermission came from sophomore Jacob Griffin (Surrey, England), who had a try and two conversions, in addition to tries by senior Ielenimo Taii (Faga'alu, American Samoa) and Webster.
     In the semifinals against Aquinas, extra time looked to be the last thing that would happed after the RedStorm jumped to a 19-0 halftime lead.
     Webster had all three tries for the RedStorm in the period, while Carrere had conversions on two of the three scores.
     The Saints stormed back in the second half to force extra time, but a try by Taii gave Rio the win.
     The title contest against Marian showed the RedStorm in front, 14-12, following a try by Taii and conversion by Carrere early in the second half, but the Knights scored 19 unanswered points to claim the crown.
     Rio's first half points came via a try by Grice and a conversion from Carrere.
     The bracket for the national tournament will be announced on Saturday, April 18, at 7 p.m., at https://www.youtube.com/@TheCollegeRugbyShow.