LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- The Kutztown University Men's Rugby Team opened the 2019 Seven's season at the Las Vegas International Rugby Seven's Tournament on the first weekend of March.

The boys had just spent a month training inside the Field House and everyone was anxious to get outside and shake off winter's rust. The Golden Bear's were returning to the nation's largest rugby tournament as the defending 2018 Collegiate Champs.

On Thursday 2/28/19, Kutztown opened up pool play against Fordham University. The Golden Bears dominated the game physically, while starving the Rams of possession. Aaron Gray (Washington, D.C./Perry Street Prep) led the charge for Kutztown with two trys. Jake Rice (West Chester, Pa./West Chester Rustin), Brandon Boon (Unionville, Pa./Unionville) and Daquan Perry (Philadelphia, Pa./Conestoga) also 
crossed the try line. Thorn O'Connell was four of five on conversions and the Bears shut out Fordham 33-0.
 
The second match of pool play saw Kutztown lined up against another tournament favorite, Utah Valley University. The Wolverines have been
on the upswing since the BYU coaching staff  and various players moved across town to Utah Valley. Kutztown found themselves in a heated , seesaw battle that resulted in a close win for Utah Valley, 26-19. Once again, Aaron Grey scored twice, with Thorn O'Connell touching down one time. Thorne O'Connell (Johannesburg, South Africa/Jeppe) also slotted two of three conversions. 
 
The Golden Bears had one pool play game remaining and they had to score as many points as possible, in order to advance to the quarter finals, on point differential criteria. Kutztown had a game plan in place. Kutztown defeated an overmatched UNLV team, 69-0. Keagan Barnes was outstanding with four trys. Gerald Lowe (Pretoria, South Africa/Die Hoerskool Menlopark) and Lucas Ortner (Melbourne, Australia/Box Hill) followed with two trys a piece. Individual trys were scored by Jake Rice (West Chester, Pa./West Chester Rustin), Jackson Clark (Greenville, S.C./Greenville Senior High Academy) and Tai Kauwe (Orem, Utah/Pleasant Grove). The big win and positive point differential of +95, sent the Golden Bears into Friday's Quarter-Finals.
 
The Golden Bears were seeded seventh in the knock out rounds, and once again found themselves facing second seeded Utah Valley. 
The team reviewed the game film from the day before, a strategy was devised and the boys were ready for the undefeated Wolverines. 
Kutztown brought their "A-Game" and physically took Utah Valley behind the woodshed in the first half of the game. Utah Valley was not to be denied and fought for a score. Kutztown scored twice in the second half to insure the victory but the Wolverines scored late in the game to make it respectable. Gerald Lowe (Pretoria, South Africa/Die Hoerskool Menlopark), Keagan Barnes and Thorne O'Connell (Johannesburg, South Africa/Jeppe) scored for the Golden Bears. Thorne O'Connell (Johannesburg, South Africa/Jeppe) was three for three on conversions. The final score was 21-14 in favor of the Golden Bears. An excellent Utah Valley team was eliminated from Cup competition and Kutztown moved onto the Cup semi-finals for the second consecutive year. Their opponent would be the University of Colorado.
 
Colorado was undefeated in the tournament and had cruised to a 33-7 quarterfinal victory over the University of South Carolina. They were an
excellent side. It was an hour and a half after the quarter-finals when the Buffaloes kicked off to Kutztown. Colorado jumped out to an early 12-0 lead and the Golden Bears were scrambling as they played catch-up rugby. The Golden Bears clawed their way to a twelve/twelve tie with thirty 
seconds left in the game. When Aaron Grey broke a tackle to score in the corner and put Kutztown in the lead, 17-12. Kutztown kicked off to Colorado with only a few seconds remaining. However, anything can happen in those unpredictable fourteen minutes which is a rugby seven's game. This was no exception, a Colorado player slipped a tackle, found a crease, cut back and ran fifty yards to touch down under the posts. Colorado converted with no time remaining and stole the victory from Kutztown 19-17. Once again, Gerald Lowe (Pretoria, South Africa/Die Hoerskool Menlopark) touched down for Kutztown and Aaron Gray (Washington, D.C./Perry Street Prep) scored two trys, to prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that he is one of the most dynamic collegiate rugby player's in America. Thorne
O'Connell was one for three on conversions. 
 
Kutztown's  leading scorer on the weekend was Thorne O'Connel with fourteen conversions and two trys, giving the freshman a grand total of fifty two points. The leading try scorer for the Golden Bears was Aaron Gray (Washington, D.C./Perry Street Prep) with six trys, for thirty points. Keagan Barnes was a step behind with five trys and twenty five points. Gerald Lowe (Pretoria, South Africa/Die Hoerskool Menlopark) was in the hunt with four trys and twenty points. Jake Rice (West Chester, Pa./West Chester Rustin), Lucas Ortner (Melbourne, Australia/Box Hill) and Thorne O'Connell (Johannesburg, South Africa/Jeppe) had two trys for the weekend, followed by Jackson Clark (Greenville, S.C./Greenville Senior High Academy), Tai Kauwe (Orem, Utah/Pleasant Grove), Brandon Boon (Unionville, Pa./Unionville) and Daquan Perry (Philadelphia, Pa./Conestoga) dotting down with one time.
 
In review, it was a heart breaker to miss the Cup Finals at the buzzer but thats seven's. It was an impressive outing for the start of the season 
and Kutztown Rugby is off and running. It will be an exciting season with an outstanding array of tournaments as the Golden Bears take on the best that collegiate rugby has to offer.