Scores from Sweet 16 Action in Austin, Texas :

After defeating Clinton Muddy River Club 34-20 this afternoon, Brandywine faces Sacramento Sunday. Sacramento defeated North County Gurkahs 18-17.

Saturday's Sweet 16 Match-up Results
Final: Detroit (51) v. South Shore (27)
Final: New Orleans (14) v. Tulsa (47)
Final: Riverside (45) v. Hartford (24)
Final: Charleston (22) v. Wisconsin (36)

Final: Albuquerque Aardvarks (17) v. Jacksonville (32)
Final: Norfolk (5) v. Red Mountain (55)
Final: Brandywine (34) v. Clinton Muddy River Club (20)
Final: Sacramento Capitals (18) v. North County Gurkahs (17)

USA Rugby Pool Display

With the exception of the meeting between the No. 9 seed Sacramento and the No. 8 seed North County Gurkhas, which saw Sacramento come out on top 18-17, all of the higher seeds were victorious throughout today’s Division II competition.

The top-seeded team in Division II team found the road a bit bumpy on its way to the next round as Brandywine was able to prove itself worthy, but not invincible, in its 34-20 win over Clinton Muddy River. Brandywine will meet the ninth-ranked Sacramento Team in its Round of 8 encounter.

Last year’s runners up, Red Mountain handed Norfolk a 55-5 defeat to remain in the hunt for the title this year. The Arizona team now moves on to meet Jacksonville, which recovered from a sluggish start and came from behind to defeat the Albuquerque Aardvarks 32-17.

“The team showed true dedication and tenacity out there in the second half to come back and win this one,” Jacksonville Head Coach Ricky Brown said. “All credit to the Aardvarks though, they played a great game today.”

After finishing fourth in last year’s Senior Men’s Club Championships, Tulsa came out with a vengeance against New Orleans, dominating possession and the scoreboard in the second half to run up a 37-0 lead before the half and holding its opponent to just two tries in the second half for a 47-14 final.

Tulsa moves on to face the Detroit Tradesmen at 8:30 a.m. for a shot to advance to the Club Championships in Glendale, Colo. After holding a commanding 39-3 lead at the half, the Tradesmen fended off the mounting second half attack from the South Shore Anchors to come away with a 51-27 victory.

Although the Riverside Rugby Club are ranked third, they were considered by some as the underdogs, fielding one of the oldest rosters in Division II. But, as Coach Teleso LeungWo proves - with age comes experience - and the Riverside Rugby Club defeated the younger Hartford side, 45-24, on Saturday.

At the same time, the sixth-seeded Wisconsin Team battled it out against the No. 11 Charleston Rugby Club for the chance to go on to play Riverside in the Round of 8 tomorrow. Charlotte actually led for nearly 12 minutes in the second half, but Wisconsin slowly built up a 19-point lead by half and enough buffer to secure a 36-22 victory for the Midwest side.

Men's Club Division II 2008 Seedings
1 Mid-Atlantic #1 - Brandywine
2 Pacific #1 - Red Mountain
3 Southern Cal #1 - Riverside
4 West #1 - Tulsa
5 Midwest #1 - Detroit Tradesmen
6 Midwest #2 - Wisconsin
7 South #1 - Jacksonville
8 Southern Cal #2 - North County Gurkhas
9 Pacific #2 - Sacramento
10 West #2 - Albuquerque Aardvarks
11 South #2 - Charleston
12 Northeast #1 - South Shore Anchors
13 South #3 - New Orleans
14 Northeast #2 - Hartford
15 Mid-Atlantic #2 - Norfolk Blues
16 Midwest #3 - Clinton Muddy River

On Sunday, the rugby action starts all over at 8:30 a.m. featuring Division II pool consolation and championship matches throughout the day as teams vie for the chance to travel to Glendale, Colo., for the USA Rugby Club Championships at Infinity Park, May 31-June 1.

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