The DII Spring College Rankings are frustrating, as conferences vary widely in their consistency, number and pacing of league games. So while the rankings consider recent strength and performance in the regional playoffs, they’ll start to consider strength of schedule at this point in the spring.
The West Coast and Pacific Desert conferences are in decent shape. The former has 10 members, everyone plays each other once, and league games began in late fall. Even though teams like USF and Sacramento State have forfeited matches, developing programs like University of the Pacific have been able to supplement the roster so an unofficial game could still occur. That’s precisely what happened in the Cal Poly vs. USF match Saturday. Consistent competition is so crucial to being playoff ready, and it’s one reason why Santa Clara has been added to the rankings. The South Bay team has played seven matches and just beat San Jose State (which also has a good case for a rankings spot) 36-33. Stay tuned for interview with Santa Clara coach Kyle Domingue.
UN Reno is also in the West Coast and picked up its fifth win of the season: 32-17 against visiting UC Santa Cruz. The Banana Slugs actually took a 12-5 lead into the break (tries from centers Loren Roundtree and Layla Scott) and with only five minutes left in the match held a 17-15 edge. But then Reno sent Tori Jaques into the try zone for the outside center’s second try of the day, and wing Audrey Snow ran in two more before the buzzer. Jenna Rowan and Krista-Denise Matsumura also scored tries earlier in the day.
The Pacific Desert doesn’t have the numbers of the West Coast, but teams aren’t forfeiting matches – and that goes a long way especially when comparing the rest of the spring-based leagues. Claremont is still a tier above the competition and just banked a 104-22 win against UC Irvine. Flyhalf Ali Parker led all point-scorers with 32 on two tries and 11 conversions. Fullback Kendal Kipper accounted for 25 points on five tries, centers Madeleine Masser-Frye (3) and Robyn Collins (2), wings Molly Ferguson and Asia Anderson, and loose forwards India Soranson Way and Maya Nichols also scored tries. Reserve Adeena Liang topped it off with a conversion.
Long Beach State beat MiraCosta, but just barely. The teams were tied on multiple occasions in the first half, and stayed with a score of each other until the fourth quarter. After MiraCosta scrumhalf Sophia Rizzotto scored and fullback Britni Ebert converted (41-38 Long Beach), the 49ers responded with four-straight tries through Erika Morales, Jamie Conlon, Alanna Butron and Shannen Cruz. With Conlons’ conversions, Long Beach led 67-38.
But MiraCosta did not give up and is officially on the watch list after putting down three tries in the final 10 minutes. Rizzotto and Ebert (2) scored and the fullback kicked all three conversions for the 67-59 final.
The eastern and southern regions were relatively quiet. Salisbury stayed active with friendlies against DI teams, as did Eckerd, which dominated the University of Florida 91-0 in a non-league game.
SIRC was idle, although UGA is due to play its second round of matrix matches this weekend at Kennesaw State, but Alabama will have to wait until March 7. Carolinas was idle, too, but Coastal Carolina was supposed to play Appalachian State, but instead took its third forfeit win of the season. The team is scheduled to play its final matrix match in a month, March 21. UNC Charlotte also has a month between its previous game against UNC Wilmington (which was actually a 7s and 10s day) and its final matrix match on March 14 against UNC Greensboro, which has forfeited to Coastal and College of Charleston this spring.
The field was looking forward to seeing Pittsburg State get back on the pitch, especially after a solid outing at the Mardi Gras tournament, but the University of Central Missouri canceled. It’s possible that the team game might be rescheduled for March 14.
And finally, William & Mary is still idle but will active this weekend with a series of friendlies. Remember that the Tribe (and Salisbury) operate in the Capital conference, which contests its entire season in the fall and then opts for the spring post-season. Thus, all of Salisbury and William & Mary’s games this spring will be friendlies, until the spring regional championships.
