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December 10 - Babson overcame an 11-point, second-half deficit to claim the Small College national championship Saturday at SaberCat Stadium in Houston, TX, defeating Wayne State, 27-23. Babson flyhalf Reed Santos was awarded the MVP, and outside center Jack Byzio the Heart & Soul Award.
With the win, the Beavers are now the reigning 7s and 15s national champions, having won the Collegiate Rugby Championship in April. The loss makes Wayne State back-to-back runners-up in 15s, as the Wildcats finished second to Cal Poly Humboldt last year. In Sunday’s third-place game, the LumberJacks defeated Catholic, 31-21.
Wayne State flyhalf Jaedyn James and Babson No. 10 Reed Santos traded penalties around the 15-minute mark, knotting the game at 3-3. Wing Asante Rikhato then scored the first try of the match, reestablishing Wayne’s lead at 10-3.
The Beavers cut the deficit with a man in the sin bin in the 38th minute, as Reed Santos notched his second penalty kick. The Wildcats carried a 10-6 lead into halftime.
They extended it two minutes past the break, with hooker Banele Jiyane rumbling in on the wing off a lineout play. Wayne State led 17-6 with the wind at its back, but three second-half yellow cards and Babson outside center Jack Byzio proved too much. The dynamic German U20 product violently sliced through the Wildcat defense for two tries, sandwiching a crucial James penalty kick, to bring Babson within three in the final four minutes.
Wayne committed a breakdown penalty 40 meters from their own line, giving Santos a shot at goal to tie the game. He missed, but Babson was able to regain possession and march back into the attacking end, thanks in large part to a gashing Byszio run.
He connected with Santos, who was brought down a few meters in front of the whitewash. Wayne State looked like they may win a clutch turnover, but the ball squirted out the back of the ruck, and first-year Babson lock Charles Price gathered it and rumbled over from short range for the walk-off try at the death.
