Photo: Dana Duncan
Fallbrook is undefeated in the Southern California Youth Rugby (SCYR) U18 division, and if the league sponsors a culminating tournament or placing matches, then the Warriors are the heavy favorite for the 7s title. But there will be other opportunities for the larger community to view the team in play, as Fallbrook is heading east again, this time to Falcon 7s in Little Rock, Ark.
2021 was always going to be different for Fallbrook. First, longtime coach Craig Pinnell joined his wife, Marin, and former coaching partner in rugby retirement last summer. John Duncan, who has been coaching the Warriors at various age grades for more than a decade, is now head coach. He’s joined by daughter Taylor, a Fallbrook and Central Washington University alumna, on the coaching staff. Second, Covid-19. In SoCal, it kept teams off the game pitch for more than a year, and thus threatened the figurative health of all teams. Fallbrook saw its feeder program take a hit as well.
“We didn’t get any middle schoolers this year,” Duncan said. “There were 16 that wanted to try it but couldn’t because of lockdown. There were restrictions with numbers and field usage, so we couldn’t have them out.”
Fallbrook does have the numbers to field two teams in the U18s: Fallbrook Red, the top side, and Fallbrook White, the developmental side. Analese Sandoval Dalton (“Ace”) is the senior leader, and the third-year player controls the game from scrumhalf. Duncan praised the halfback’s intelligence, athleticism and her ability to get things done. When Dalton needs backup in the rugby IQ department, she can rely on several juniors – like Jordan Duncan and Tiahna Padilla, among others – who have been playing for ages.
The team resumed outdoor training in late February 2021 and played its first scrimmages a month later.
“It was scary at first. ‘Am I making the right decision? Are we all going to get sick,’” Duncan said of returning to play. “We had a quasi-schedule [in SoCal] at first but it kept changing. That’s why we went to Tropical 7s. So we go out there and it’s our first competition in over a year.”
RELATED: Tropical 7s Preview: Pool B
In early April, Fallbrook traveled to Orlando to compete in a 13-team high school division. The Warriors started the tournament with a 43-0 win against Rogue Ridge (Mich.) and then 41-0 win against Alaska. That’s when a Covid-19 alert from back home reached the team, and an immediate exit was required. Fallbrook flew home after two games.
The SoCal league started in late April, and through three weeks of play, Fallbrook Red outscored Empire, Los Al, Belmont Shore and two San Diego Mustangs teams 235-0.
“Most teams you come up against, they have 1-2 players who are threats, so if you can coordinate your defense and attack strategies, then it’s easy to shut those players down,” Duncan said of difference-makers this season. “Every single player is a threat on defense and attack this year. That’s how we’ve been able to run through everyone this season. Everyone’s IQ is on-point. I think this is the most talented team I’ve coached in 11 years.”
Last weekend, Carlsbad Thunder scored the first try against Fallbrook all season, a game the Warriors won 34-5. Also for the first time all season, Fallbrook’s two sides played each other.
“We weren’t having our A and B sides play each other at these small tournaments because I don’t want to break the Bs’ spirit. We’re trying to build them up, so what’s the point in running them against the top side,” Duncan posed. “We took the same approach with our opponents. Belmont Shore, for example, has two sides, but if my A side smacks their A side, why would I play my As against their B side? You’re not building anyone by getting smashed. And maybe that’s why young teams aren’t lasting.”
Instead, Duncan thought it made more sense for the teams’ A sides to play each other twice, but that didn’t happen.
San Clemente was a no-show last Saturday, so in the interest of more game time, Fallbrook’s two sides played each other. Red won 43-0. Otherwise, the White team and all the U15 players have benefitted from playing up in the U18s, and the experience has been an important building block for the younger classes. [Note: Fallbrook White’s record includes three 28-0 forfeit losses to Fallbrook Red.]
There are still two more weeks of league games, and it is still unclear whether a final tournament will be played or a champion named. In the meantime, Fallbrook will continue to focus its energy inward, finding competition within its ranks, and relying on each other to improve.
Photo: Dana Duncan
“For the most part, they’re just happy to be out there, because we lost an entire year and weren’t sure if we’d get it back,” Duncan said. “But it’s been challenging keeping everyone motivated.”
That’s another reason why Fallbrook is returning to the road. American Rugby Pro Training Center (ARPTC) is a USA Rugby National Development Program (NDP), and founder Jules McCoy has created the Falcon 7s with two girls’ high school divisions. The Elite division is meant for select sides and NDP teams, while the Club division is for stand-alone teams. That said, Fallbrook is Elite quality and hoping to be included in the top competition.
Fallbrook does not participate in SoCal’s summer 7s series anymore and seeks out events that prioritize the girls’ high school competition. That’s why Tropical 7s and Falcon 7s were good fits (Fallbrook also had plans for Pink 7s in Salt Lake City but had a scheduling conflict). In the meantime, Duncan indicated that a bunch of players will get referee certified this summer and continue to contribute to the game with the whistle.
See the most current SoCal standings and results here: socalyouth.rugby/spring-2021.