SURREY, B.C. – The Trinity Western Spartans men's rugby 15s team fell 31-13 against the Surrey Beavers Friday at Sullivan Heights Park.
With a try, two penalties and one conversion
Ethan Kelt (Port Coquitlam, B.C.) scored all of the Spartans points in the match.
It was just the second Spartans 15s match since re-launching the Rugby program that competed from 1988 to 2004.
TWU ROSTER
- Ben Graci – Edmonton | Vimy Ridge Academy
- Scott Bowers – New Westminster | Riverside
- Josh Halladay – White Rock, B.C.
- Erik Niebuhr – Surrey, B.C. | Earl Marriott
- David Wegert – Langley, B.C. | R.E. Mountain
- Daniel Clement – Edmonton | Edmonton Christian
- Nate Schroeder – West Kelowna, B.C.
- Caleb Gerth © - Langley, B.C. | Brookswood
- Jacob Sousa – Langley, B.C. | R.E. Mountain
- Ethan Kelt – Port Coquitlam, B.C. | Riverside
- Markus Rauch – Abbotsford, B.C. | Robert Bateman
- Oliver Feagin – Harbor City, Calif. | Carson
- Ben Adkins – Nairobi Kenya | Rift Valley Academy
- Ethan Bernardin – Langley, B.C. | R.E. Mountain
- Khyree Poole – El Cajon, Calif. | Valhalla
- Patrick Garcia – Dallas Tex. | Allen
- JP O'Gorman – St. Charles, Miss. | Francis Howell Central
- Mackenzie Nordii – Nanaimo, B.C. | Nanaimo
- Nick Halladay – White Rock, B.C.
- Nate Lieuwen – Langley, B.C.
- Brian Carlson – Langley, B.C. | D.W. Poppy
- Sam Wegert – Langley, B.C. | R.E. Mountain
- Ben Hus – Calgary | Ernest Manning
- Samuel Holinaty – Summerland, B.C.
- Logan Magnan
- Benedict Makwarimba
QUOTABLE
Andy Evans – TWU Head Coach
"They've been a powerhouse in the BC first division for the last number of years. We knew we'd be in tough against them.
Josh Halladay (White Rock, B.C.) was outstanding at tight head, prop and second row.
Erik Niebuhr (Surrey, B.C.) was also phenomenal in the scrum and around the field with tackling.
"Defensively we were strong for most of the game, but Surrey was able to score off of our turnovers on our attack where we gave them the ball a bit too easily. Overall it was a positive game for us as they put us under a lot of pressure which we need as we prepare for Saint Mary's in California on January 4
th."
NOTABLE
- The Spartans were coming off their first 15s match since re-launching the rugby program, a 43-20 win against UBC Okanagan three weeks ago (Nov. 2) in Kelowna.
- The previous iteration of TWU men's rugby program competed from 1988 to 2004 and as a varsity program from 1996 until 2004.
- Formed in May 1970, the Surrey Beavers were one of the founding members of the Fraser Valley Rugby Union in 1973-1974.
NEXT UP
The Spartans are back on the field Jan. 4 when they travel to play NCAA D1A powerhouse Saint Mary's College in Moraga, Calif.
About Spartan Athletics
As official members of U SPORTS, the Spartans currently compete in 11 sports in the Canada West conference, including women's and men's soccer, volleyball, basketball, cross country and track & field, as well as women's rugby sevens. TWU also competes in the British Columbia Intercollegiate Hockey League (BCIHL) in men's hockey and as an independent team in men's rugby. The men's and women's hockey programs will begin playing in Canada West and U SPORTS in 2020-21. Since TWU entered U SPORTS in 1999, the Spartans have won 12 U SPORTS team championships and 27 Canada West team championships and two BCIHL championships.
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