Auks win state rugby title as Sals player is remembered

BRANDYWINDE HUNDRED – Delaware’s first rugby 15s state high school championship had a deeper meaning besides crowning a winner Thursday at Alapocas State Park.

It also served to recognize and honor someone who couldn’t be there.

Archmere Academy prevailed 20-5 over Salesianum School in the type of bruising tussle that is typical for the sport. There were cuts, bruises and grass stains galore.

For the Auks, there was also a state championship trophy named the Rugby Delaware Tyler Brown Memorial Cup.

Archmere’s Noah Niumataiwalu (left) is tackled by Salesianum’s Patrick Cronin in Archmere’s 20-5 win at Alapocas Run State Park Thursday.

Brown, a senior who played for Salesianum, died in a March 11 traffic accident in Middletown.

“It’s important to honor Tyler because he was not the most experienced rugby player but he was embodiment of what this game is,” said Salesianum coach Chris Wells.

“He had a positive attitude. He played hard and respected the people he played with and against, respected the referee, which is what rugby is all about. If you’re going to take a poster child for rugby, it’s a kid who may not be the fastest, biggest, strongest, whatever, but his attitude and work ethic makes him a good player.”

Steckline makes the right adjustments as Jaguars top Hawks

Archmere’s Dan Bark (left) tries to fend off Salesianum’s Joshua Szep in Archmere’s 20-5 win at Alapocas Run State Park Thursday.

Despite its rough nature, rugby is also known for the camaraderie among combatants and its inherent unity.

“It’s the ultimate team sport,” Archmere coach Andrew Cocco said. “You’re hitting, you’re running, you’re doing everything athletic, and kids love it because everybody gets the ball.”

Paying homage to Brown on Thursday allowed for soft touches after a matchup with considerable contact.

“We’re honored and anything that perpetuates Tyler’s memory is a good thing for us,” said Russ Brown, Tyler’s father. “This way every year his name will be mentioned and people will ask why it’s named that way and people will remember him.”

“Tyler left a mark,” his mother, Susan, said. “Every parent thinks their kid is special but we didn’t know how much other people recognized him. When you have a 17-year-old who creates a legacy that Tyler seems to have woven, it’s incredible.’’

Archmere had also won the seven-on-a-side state title over Salesianum last weekend. The 15-on-a-side final was slated for two weeks ago but moved because of Archmere’s schedule conflicts, and Sallies’ chances were hurt when it lost a couple key players to injury in a subsequent game against D.C. powerhouse Gonzaga.

St. Mark’s, Smyrna-based Central Delaware Red Storm and a Delmarva team from the Rehoboth Beach Area are the state’s other high school rugby programs.

Sussex Tech powers past Smyrna in softball

Scoring tries for the Auks were Tanner McIlRath, Danny Bark, Noah Niumataiwalu and Nick Udovich. Bark, a hard-to-bring-down 6-foot-3, 195-pound sophomore who also plays football, was named title game MVP.

“Our forwards really stuck it to them,” Bark said. “We have a strong group. Sallies played a tough game but we got great leadership from our captains [Niumataiwalu and Udovich]. It was a rough game but we came out on top.”

P.J. Cronin scored Sallies’ lone try.

“You have to control the ball,” Cocco said. “It’s a game of possession, just like American football. So you have possession and you want to draw the defense to one side, be patient and then strike when it’s time.’’

Contact Kevin Tresolini at ktresolini@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @kevintresolini.