The Christendom men’s rugby squad delivered a masterclass at the James River RFC Christmas 7s tournament this past weekend, capping the event with a nail-biting 22-17 overtime win over the University of Richmond in the title game. The tournament marked the team’s first rugby 7s competition of the academic year, setting them up well for their upcoming spring season.
After wrapping up their 15s play in November with a Cardinals Conference Championship, the team shifted gears to 7s rugby with their first tournament of the year in Richmond, Virginia. They made a statement early in the first game of the tournament, steamrolling Longwood 55-0 behind a balanced offensive attack that saw seven different Crusaders find the try zone.
In their second matchup, the Crusaders faced off against the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. This time, Charlie Ackla and Frank Woltering stole the show, with Ackla crossing the line twice and Woltering adding a crucial late try to seal a 19-10 victory and secure a spot in the championship game.
In the final against the University of Richmond, Christendom got to work fast, with Chris Santschi, Woltering, and Jacob Kristine all scoring tries to give the team a 17-0 lead at the half. But the University of Richmond wasn’t about to back down. A furious second-half rally saw them score three consecutive tries, knotting the game at 17 and forcing sudden-death overtime.
That overtime? It lasted only seconds. The opening whistle of OT had not even fully echoed when Will Kolesar caught the opening kick and sprinted down the field, dodging defenders before leaping over the try line to give Christendom a dramatic 22-17 win.
The team outscored their opponents 96-27 during the tournament — a huge margin, and the perfect way to set the tone for the team as they prepare for the official start of the rugby 7s season in the spring.
For more infoformation, visit christendomathletics.com.