The Solo Youth Rugby Club closed out its high school team’s final home game of the season with a strong performance, capping a year marked by growth across all levels of the program and a near run to the championship match. Photo courtesy of Solo Youth Rugby Club

DIXON, CA (MPG) – The Solo Youth Rugby Club closed out its high school team’s final home game of the season with a strong performance, capping a year marked by growth across all levels of the program and a near run to the championship match.

The club’s high school side finished second in its six-team league, losing only to reigning champion Chico during regular-season play. Solo entered the playoffs with momentum but fell just short in a high-scoring semifinal against Santa Cruz, 49-45, after a late comeback bid.

“I would say the season went well overall,” said club president Kelley Evans. “We played in our league and came second of six teams. The only league game we lost was to Chico, who is the current champion of the league. We beat everyone else convincingly.”

The playoff loss was closely contested. Evans said the team applied early pressure but struggled to convert scoring opportunities in the opening stretch. Santa Cruz capitalized late in the first half, putting Solo at a disadvantage heading into the break.

Solo responded with a second-half surge, reclaiming the lead 45-42 with five minutes remaining. Santa Cruz, however, scored decisively in the closing minutes to secure the win and advance to the championship game.

“That game, we applied tremendous pressure the first twenty minutes but only scored once,” said Evans. “We kind of fell apart near the end of the first half. We staged a fantastic comeback with five minutes to go, leading 45-42. Unfortunately, Santa Cruz scored once more.”

The high school team will next compete in the bronze medal match at 10 a.m. May 9, at Stanford in Palo Alto. Photo courtesy of Solo Youth Rugby Club

Despite the result, Evans alluded to the team’s resilience as a defining moment of the season, along with strong performances in the final two league games.

“Our last two league games before the playoffs for the high school team were superb because there was great support play on the attack and excellent defense,” said Evans. “I would say the comeback in the second half of the playoffs was very heartening, but unfortunately, we fell short.”

The high school team will next compete in the bronze medal match at 10 a.m. May 9 at Stanford in Palo Alto.

Beyond the varsity level, Solo Youth Rugby Club reported progress throughout its developmental programs. Participation numbers increased and younger teams showed improvement as the season progressed.

“We’ve grown in numbers. We’ve developed our youth teams,” said Evans. “Our middle school struggled at the beginning of the season, but at the end, they improved and won a couple games. Our under-12s are developing and won as many games as they lost. The true highlights of the season were the under-10s, who won the majority of their games and played excellently.”

Evans also credited community support in Dixon as a key factor in the club’s continued development.

“We very much appreciate support from parents, players and the general community coming out to support the team,” said Evans.

Looking ahead, the club plans to focus on recruitment and continued growth, with hopes of contending for a league title next season. Most of the high school roster is expected to return, providing continuity for the program.

“We want to build further and recruit more players to come,” said Evans. “We’re hoping to take the next step to become the league champions next year. Most of our high school team is returning, so we’ll have a strong foundation for the game.”

The club will remain on break until November before preparing for the next season.

Evans expressed appreciation for the efforts of players, coaches and supporters, while also recognizing the program’s graduating seniors: Roman Conner-Owens, Christian Homampha, Mateo Reyes, Kamani Santos, Risati Siaosi and Dylan Teitgen.

Looking ahead, the club plans to focus on recruitment and continued growth, with hopes of contending for a league title next season. Most of the high school roster is expected to return, providing continuity for the program. Photo courtesy of Solo Youth Rugby Club

“I’m very proud on all levels of how they have shown dedication to the game and how they have improved in their abilities,” said Evans. “I want to thank all the coaches who volunteered their time, board members for volunteering their time, various parents and the city for their help.”

For more information, visit soloyouthrugby.com or email [email protected].