ELLENSBURG, Wash. – The Central Washington University men's rugby team travels to Utah for a fixture with Brigham Young University.
 
FIXTURE INFORMATION
Saturday, March 20
At Brigham Young
Helaman Field
Provo, UT
12:00 PM PT
WATCH
 
QUOTABLE
"A great opportunity to respond after a very rusty performance last weekend," CWU Head Coach Todd Thornley said. "BYU are a great program who will put us under pressure in all areas of the game. Our student-athletes have responded well this week in training and are prepared to try and win at a place where we have never won. We have confidence from last year's performance but know BYU will come back hard at us so it should be a great spectacle. Regardless of the outcome we are just so grateful to be doing what we love again and know we wouldn't be here without the support of our administration."
 
SCOUTING BYU
The Cougars recorded a 32-5 win in their 2021 season opener over Utah Valley University.
 
Tiellu Sagala recorded a pair of tries in the victory. Both Bryce and Billy Tenney notched tries for the Cougars, while Ishmael Taleo and Wyatt Brinkerhoff each recorded a try as well.
 
In the last matchup between the Wildcats and Cougars, CWU came away victorious in a 51-7 affair.
 
Cole Zarcone scampered up the right wing and grounded the ball for a try in the fifth minute, giving the Wildcats a 5-0 lead.
 
Jack Wendling was next in for Central.  A sustained possession from the Wildcats opened up an offload to Wendling who made his way under the uprights for the try.  Lewis Hollidge tacked on the conversion for a 12-0 Wildcat advantage.
 
With a penalty against the Wildcats near mid-pitch in the 25^th minute the Cougars elected to kick for points.  The penalty attempt had the distance, but was dragged wide left by the wind.
 
Five minutes later, Noah Wright plunged over the line for a try.  The Wildcats worked the width of the pitch before Jake Szumski took an offload and bolted up the left wing.  He met resistance from the Cougars and was wrapped up.  Before he went down, Szumski slipped an offload to Wright for the try. 
 
Dawson McRea scored the Cougars' only try in the 38^th minute.  A prolonged engagement at the try line finally broke in favor of the Cougars and McRea grounded the ball for a try.   Central took a 17-7 lead into halftime. 
 
McRea's try at the end of the first half briefly swung momentum towards BYU, but Zarcone swung the pendulum back towards the Wildcats with his second try of the game in the 42^nd minute.
 
Hollidge added a penalty goal in the 46^th minute, bringing Central's lead to 27-7.  Three minutes later, Calvin Liulamaga made his way over the line for a try following an offload from Zarcone.  Hollidge added the conversion, then added his second penalty goal of the contest. 
 
Central Washington tacked on a pair of tries in the 77^th and 80^th minutes.  Mitchell Hirose gave the Wildcats a 44-7 lead when he bolted over the line after receiving an offload on the left wing.  Wendling added his second try in the game's final phase to secure the 51-7 victory.


LAST TIME OUT
The Wildcats fell to No. 1 Lindenwood University, 29-12.
 
In the first two minutes, the Lions found the try line. The opening kick went deep into Wildcat territory, but a turnover saw the Lions take over in CWU territory. After a strong defensive showing from the Crimson and Black with their backs against the try line, Lindenwood finally punched through for the game's first try.
 
Central's first look at Lindenwood's try line came in the 10^th minute. A scrum just outside the five-meter line led to a Wildcat knock-on, relieving the pressure for the Lions. In the 15^th minute, the Wildcats threatened again. The Crimson and Black won a lineout and drove forward, earning every meter. Again, however, the Lions' defense held and forced a scrum with the feed to Lindenwood. A strong push in the scrum gave the Lions possession and lifted the pressure.
 
Lindenwood struck again in the 22^nd minute. The Lions utilized the full width of the pitch, reversing play across the field, before diving over for the try. The conversion from the sideline made it 14-0 Lindenwood.
 
Central's defense found itself against the try line again in the 31^st minute. The 'Cats held the line and warded off the Lions attack until an off-load out wide for a 19-0 lead.
 
The 37^th minute saw the Wildcats driving towards the try line once again. Central worked its way out of a maul and drove wide, inching forward as they went. Ivan Pula found his way over the try line, but it was called back due to an obstruction play. The Lions were denied a try in the 39^th minute, the officials ruling a Lion had played the ball out of a ruck offside.
 
Two minutes into the second half, the Lions received a five-meter scrum. After the push, the ball popped loose and was dived on by the Wildcats. Alexander Cleary forced a line break, but a quick turnover gave Lindenwood possession again. The Lions quick capitalized for a 24-0 lead.
 
A lineout in the 51^st minute was reeled in off a tipped ball by Noah Wright, who drove to the Lions' five-meter line. The Cat's continued to surge forward, searching for a hole in the Lions' defense. Again, the Lions were able to stall Central's offense.
 
Central was denied another try at the end of the 71^st minute. After pounding away at the Lions, a rabble of players went over the try line but the refree ruled the try was held up. A high tackle from Lindenwood gave the Wildcats a tap-and-go, allowing Nikolas Haviland an opportunity to ground the ball for a try. Lewis Hollidge tacked on the conversion, bringing the score to 24-7 in favor of Lindenwood.
 
The Lions added another try in the 76^th minute, extending their lead to 29-7. Alex Mackenzie notched a try in the fixture's 83^rd minute, plunging over the try line to make it 29-12.