Unicorns Qualify for the National 7s Championships!

The Unicorns entered the Belmont Shore National Sevens Qualifier Tournament on July 25, 1998.  Belmont Shore, after winning a qualifying tournament the previous weekend, entered a second team in the qualifying bracket.  The other teams entered were OMBAC, Tempe, and Santa Monica.  With only five teams, the qualifier was set as a round-robin tournament.  Tempe started off the day with a big win over Bemont's seconds.  The Unicorns drew OMBAC for their first game, and in a stunning upset, they defeated OMBAC 31-14.  Next up for the Unicorns were the Tempe Old Devils, and the Unicorns, perhaps still celebrating their earlier victory, were set back 38-12.  OMBAC turned it around with victories over Santa Monica and Belmont's seconds, so when the Unicorns faced Santa Monica they knew it could be a critical game.   The Unicorns answered the call with a 35-7 victory over Santa Monica, and followed it with a win over Belmont's seconds.  That left the deciding match, Tempe vs. OMBAC, as the final game of the day.  OMBAC fought for their lives and defeated Tempe, but their winning margin of seven points wasn't enough, as Tempe and the Unicorns qualified based on the point differential between the three teams, Tempe with a +19, and the Unicorns qualified with -9.  OMBAC's -10 left them one point shy.

The Unicorns are off to Philadelphia for the National Championships August 15-16.  The championship format is four pools of four teams.  On Saturday, the teams will play the other three teams within their pool in a round-robin format.  On Sunday, the four first place teams from each pool will compete for the National Championship and spots 2-4.  The four second place teams will compete for places 5-8, the third place teams 9-12, and the fourth place teams 13-16.

Pools  for the USA Rugby National 7's

SEEDING     (based on finish in last years tournament)

1) Pac Coast 1 - San Mateo
2) Pac Coast 2 - Sacramento
3) MARFU 1 - Phily-Whitemarsh
4) So Cal 1 - Belmont Shore
5) South 1 - Orlando
6) So Cal 2 - Tempe
7) MARFU 2 - Potomac Athletic Club
8) MARFU 3 - Northern Virginia
9) Northeast 1 - Montauk
10) Midwest 1 - Nashville
11) Northeast 2 - Hartford
12)West 1 - Kansas City Blues
13) Pac Coast 3 - (TBA)
14) South 2 - Charlotte
15) So Cal 3 - Huntington Beach Unicorns
16) Midwest 2 - Milwaukee

POOL A
#1 - Pac Coast 1 - San Mateo
#8 - MARFU 3 - Northern Virginia
#9 - Northeast 1 - Montauk
#16 -Midwest 2 - Milwaukee

POOL B
#2 - Pac Coast 2 - Sacramento
#7 - MARFU 2 - Potomac Athletic Club
#10 - Midwest 1 - Nashville
#15 - So Cal 3 - Huntington Beach Unicorns

POOL C
#3 - MARFU 1 - Philadelphia-Whitemarsh
#6 - So Cal 2 - Tempe
#11 - Northeast 2 - Hartford
#14 - South 2 - Charlotte

POOL D
#4 - So Cal 1 - Belmont Shore
#5 - South 1 - Orlando
#12 - West 1 - Kansas City Blues
#13 - Pacific Coast RFU #3

Results of the National Sevens

Unfortunately, this trip was one the Unicorns will chalk up as a learning experience.   They sufferred four losses, three by seven points or less.  The Unicorns led each of those three games, but somehow they were able to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory each time.  Belmont Shore, seeded first in their pool also lost all four of their games.  It was left to Tempe to carry the banner of the Southern California Rugby Union, and they carried it to the final, where they lost to defending champion, San Mateo.