BOYDS, Md. – Kutztown men's rugby ran through its first four matches like a buzz saw, but upstart Wheeling stymied the Golden Bears in the Collegiate Rugby Championship National 7s Premier Cup championship match, 29-12, Saturday night at the Maryland SoccerPlex.
 
Kutztown reached the CRC 7s national title match for the fourth time in program history with a 24-14 victory over Iowa Central Community College in the semifinals earlier Saturday evening. The Maroon and Gold were looking for their second championship in three years after winning their first title back in 2022.
 
It wasn't to be on this night for KU, however, as Wheeling turned a few Golden Bear giveaways into long try runs and scored the first 19 points. Saturday night's defeat to the Cardinals snapped a 12-match 7s winning streak for KU, which came into CRC's having captured the Fighting Irish Invitational and Monumental 7s qualifying tournaments. Coincidentally, Kutztown's last loss in 7s play came to the same Wheeling squad back in the final of the Maryland Terrapins 7s tournament on March 9.
 
Kutztown wrapped up its 7s season with a 20-3 record.
 
PREMIER CUP SEMIFINALS
Kutztown 24, Iowa Central CC 14
 
Iowa Central looked to strike first with the maiden possession but Kutztown forced a turnover near the halfway line and turned it into points. Off the restart, the Bears worked the ball across the field. The last pass from Giorgi Kuparadze (Brooklyn, N.Y./P.S. 162 John Golden) went to Benedict Quinn (York, England/St Peter's School) who carried it into the try zone in the second minute. Archie Grayson (Bristol, England/Clifton College) was good on the conversion to make it 7-0.
 
Kutztown forced another turnover off the restart and was right back on the attack but could not capitalize as they gave it right back to the Tritons.
 
For the better part of the next two minutes, ICCC struggled to penetrate Kutztown's defensive front. Eventually they were able to push the ball forward but not without giving away possession.
 
Kutztown cashed in off a scrum deep in its own territory with Kuparadze outrunning the Tritons for a try. Grayson was successful on his second conversion, growing the lead to 14-0.
 
Cameron Thurtell (London, England/Pearson Edexcel) added a late first half try to put the Golden Bears up 19-0 at the break.
 
Iowa Central got in the scoring column early in the second half to trim KU's lead to 19-7 but Thurtell answered with his second try of the match to push the Bears' advantage to 24-7.
 
A late ICCC try closed the final gap to 24-14 but Kutztown was off to the national championship match for the second time in three seasons.
 
PREMIER CUP CHAMPIONSHIP
Wheeling 29, Kutztown 12
 
Kutztown's run through the Premier Cup bracket as the tournament's No. 1 seed ended abruptly in Saturday night's national championship match.
 
The Golden Bears had chances to break the Wheeling defense early but a couple miscues were returned for long tries and had Kutztown chasing the match the rest of the way.
 
Wheeling broke free from its own 10-metre line for a try in the fifth minute that they put down between the sticks. A routine conversion made it 7-0.
 
Another turnover from the Bears resulted in a Cardinal try as the first half came to a close, pushing Wheeling's edge to 14-0.
 
Early in the second half, the Cardinals' Shadreck Mandaza struck for his second try and a 19-0 Wheeling lead.
 
Mate Kvirikashvili (Kutaisi, Georgia/Monroe Woodbury (N.Y.)) got KU on the board in the 11th minute with a try after Aidan Smith (Trumbull, Conn./Trumbull) had advanced the ball deep into Wheeling territory. The conversion was no good, however, and the Bears trailed 19-5.
 
Mandaza completed the hat trick with his third try of the match in transition for a 24-5 lead and Wheeling added one more to seal the deal in the 13th minute.
 
A late try from Kvirikashvili and subsequent conversion brought the Bears within 29-12 at the final whistle.