East High Rugby secured its first conference win this past weekend in their last conference game against Skyline High School.  It was a very wet and rainy day for a rugby match.  East kicked off to Skyline.  About 5 minutes in to the game East lost a player due to an accidental dump tackle and needed to play the rest of the game with 14 players instead of 15.  Shortly after that Skyline scored the first try of the match.  The conversion was no good.  Minutes later East matched the score when Joe Tukuafu picked the ball and ran from 30 meters out.  Nate Asper missed the conversion.  Skyline answered and scored again on the far sideline.  The conversion was missed.  East then battled back down the field and Nate Asper pulled the ball off the edge of the ruck for the try.  The Joe Tukuafu conversion was missed.  The score was 10 to 10 with 15 minutes remaining in the first half.

Momentum shifted into East Highs favor when Preston Burnett stole the ball at the midway line and sprinted in for the score.  The Osaiasi Tuifua conversion attempt was good.  East continued to charge the remainder of the first half.  The ball was circulated out through the back line from about 60 meters out and Ula Toluta’u had a strong line break and broke 2 tackles for the score.  The Osaiasi Tuifua conversion was missed.  The Leopards finished the half with one more score from Osaiasi Tuifua off of the edge.  East finished their strongest half of rugby all season.  It was a great team effort and the score at the half was 27 to 10.

East started the second half firing on all cylinders.  Sione Mafi had a nice pick up of the edge of the ruck for the score from about 20 meters out.  The Joe Tukuafu conversion was successful.  Moments later Malakai Solovi with a nice chase scooped up a Joe Tukuafu kick from the midway line and took it in for the score.  The conversion was missed.  This extend the East lead 39 to 10.  Skyline made a bit of a comeback scoring 3 consecutive tries but time was not on their side and East Rugby secured victory.  “It was a fantastic team effort and the best we have played all year” said Coach Andrew Swindle.  “We will be in the playoffs and we are beginning to build some momentum and it could come at a better time.”

With the win, the Leopards are the 3 seed from the Wasatch conference.  This puts East as the 8 seed in the Northern Playoff bracket.  The first playoff opponent will be the number 1 seed Hunter High School.  Other teams from the Wasatch conference include Olympus High School and Highland High School.