NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. -- It was a crisp autumn morning as the team bus cruised north on I-78 toward New York City. The Golden Bears were on their way to Iona College and the Quarterfinal matchup of the first, National Collegiate Rugby, D1 national tournament. The Iona Gaels were the 2021 undisputed, undefeated, Liberty Conference champions. They amassed a season record of eight wins and one loss. The only loss was a non-conference tilt with the always powerful,University of Indiana. There was a lot at stake for Iona and it wasn't only the ability to advance to the semi-finals in the tournament. It was also the opportunity to defeat Kutztown, in a fifteens match, for the first time in Iona history. For Iona and the Liberty Conference, this was a test match! Kutztown was entering this game as the third seed, out of the Rugby East Conference. Surely an unfamiliar seed for the Golden Bears but an uncanny rash of injuries throughout the season had forced Kutztown to juggle the lineup, week in and week out. It's quite evident that both teams wanted to advance but there were underlying factors to that mindset. For Kutztown it was about pride and ensuring that they wouldn't suffer a defeat. They entered the contest with an overall record of four wins and four losses. Head coach Doc Jones took over the reins in 1986 and under his tutelage, it's been an amazing thirty five years, that a Kutztown rugby team, has never endured a losing season. A Golden Bear victory today, would ensure that the streak stayed alive and this talented Kutztown team was well aware of what was at stake. For the Golden Bears, this day was about tradition and legacy. 
 
To make it even more interesting, the match was being broadcast nationwide on ESPN3 and each program was being cast into the spotlight. The stage was set, as the Iona Bagpipe band led the Gaels onto the pitch for the opening kickoff. It was heated from the first moment as Kutztown appeared to dominate the play but was repeatedly being penalized for an aggressive, risky style of rugby that saw them throwing their bodies into defensive rucks with reckless abandon. Iona took advantage of the penalized possession and attacked repeatedly, coming around the corner as if they were running down hill. At the twenty nine minute mark, Iona's talented number eight raced twenty yards to touch down under the posts. The Iona faithful were overjoyed and their enthusiasm filled the stadium. The conversion was true. Iona 7, KU 0. Then the Golden Bears took the ball in hand and proceeded down the pitch. Their attacking lines and ball handling were focused and crisp. Within two minutes, scrum-half, Kekoa Kauwe found a seem near a ruck and ran twenty five yards to touch down under the posts. Fly-Half, Thorne O'Connell (Johannesburg, South Africa/Jeppe) kicked the conversion and the scoreboard read KU 7 Iona 7.  That seemed to be a turning point as the Golden Bears began dominating the possession. The bigger Kutztown forwards were battering the gain line and crossing it on almost every attempt. The Kutztown backline was moving the ball wide and stretching the Iona defense. Then O'Connell sensed the opportunity and called a move that saw the Kutztown fullback, Benedict Quinn (York, England) strike the middle of the line at full pace. He streaked forty yards through the Iona defense, that was caught completely out of position and touched down near the posts. O'Connell struck the conversion and Kutztown had the lead. KU 14, Iona 7. Kutztown was running on all cylinders when the ball went wide to wing, Aaron Gray (Washington, D.C./Perry Street Prep). Gray ran fifty yards, as he sidestepped four hapless defenders, on his way to scoring under the posts. O'Connell's conversion was on the mark again and at the thirty five minute mark, it was KU 21, Iona 7. Then in the waning moments of the first half , Kutztown had a successful line-out maul near the Iona try line. As the Kutztown forwards, trudged ahead and the maul moved toward the opposition try line, Kutztown winger, Mate Krivikashvili (Kutaisi, Ga.) ran a weak-side line behind the maul, as Kauwe fed him a pass. The talented wing did what he has been doing all season, he scored once again. O'Connell slotted the conversion and the first half ended with Kutztown in the lead. KU 28, Iona 7.
 
The second stanza began with Kutztown contesting the kick-off and stealing the ball in the air, from Iona. Within minutes, the Golden Bear forwards were pounding the pill towards the Iona try line. Kauwe saw a Kutztown jersey running a hard line of his right shoulder and fed the ball to lock, Cameron Thurtell (London, England). Thurtell was on the gallop and streaked into the try zone, untouched. O'Connell was automatic on the conversion attempt and the scoreboard lit up once again. KU 35, Iona 7. At the fifty four minute mark, Kutztown's  talented flanker Logan Bachman (Kutztown, Pa./Central Catholic) received a yellow card for reaching into an Iona ruck, after they had made a line break to advance within inches of the Kutztown try line. Bachman left the game and Kutztown had to play the next ten minutes with a man down. Iona resumed play by pounding at the Kutztown try line with numerous pick and go moves. The Gaels eventually squeaked over to touch down amongst a pile of bodies, converted, and the score was KU 35, Iona 14. Iona was playing a great deal of defense throughout this game and the fatigue was starting to show throughout their squad. At the sixty two minute mark, O'Connell started a movement to the wide side of the field. The ball was shared by several Golden Bears, as they ran straight at the Iona defense and distributing timely offloads to one another. The bread of heaven, eventually found it's self in the hands of Quinn. Once again, Quinn demonstrated his speed as he outraced the Iona defenders down the touchline for thirty yards and put it down in the corner of the promise land. The conversion was off the mark and Kutztown was tacking it on at this point. KU 40, Iona 14. At the sixty six minute mark, Kutztown was once again camped near the Iona try line. When the Golden Bear number eight, Breyten Maritz (Cape Town, South Africa/Paul Roos) picked up the ball at the back of a ruck and steamrolled his way into the try zone for yet another Golden Bear try. O'Connell struck it true and the score board read KU 47, Iona 14. Approximately eight minutes later, Kutztown was awarded a penalty about ten yards from the Iona try line. O'Connell saw the opportunity and quick tapped the ball to the surprise of the Iona defenders, as he bullied his way into their try zone. He then converted as well. KU 54, Iona 14. With two minutes left in the game, Iona scored on a pick and go move at the Kutztown try line . KU 54, Iona 19. On the very last second of the game, Iona intercepted an errant Kutztown pass and ran nearly the length of the field to touch it down and end the game. Iona missed both of those late game conversions and the final score was KU 54, Iona 24. The Golden Bears will advance to the semi-finals of the NCR national tournament and the club legacy of 70 consecutive winning semesters was intact. Iona fought a valiant battle and will surely improve from this test. The Golden Bears will play the semifinal game on the Penn State Berks campus in Reading, Pa., Saturday, December 4th, 2021. The kick-off is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. The opponent will be the tournament's number one seed, St. Bonaventure University.

RUN WITH THE BEARS !