Jack Clark

Cal’s men's and women's divers are headed to compete in the Ohio State Invitational on Nov. 16. The Bears are looking to capture pivotal points against five other schools before heading on a holiday hiatus.

After 80 minutes of intense fighting in Houston, Cal rugby dropped the national championship to Navy, 28-22.

Even though they sometimes flirted with an unceremonious end to the season, especially during the loss-filled month of March, the Bears’ mental strength is one of the greatest foundations that the program can count on to win the title Saturday.

Thanks to a second-half surge, the blue and gold sealed the win over the Cougars 55-31 and advanced to play Navy in the championship game.

The Bears and Cougars will face off for a chance to play in the finals.

Cal took the lead at the 59-minute mark when Kealan O’Connell surprised the Saint Mary’s defense and crossed the whitewash. The lead change would be the first and the last of the game.

There is no better game than a quarterfinal to take down your best enemies and open the way to the championship.

Cal faced the Mustangs in a full-time XVs game for the first time in nearly 4 years. And, much like the performance of those Bears from back in 2019, the home team dominated. 

Saturday’s game between the Bears and the Mustangs is considered a play-in game, with the winner earning the right to travel to Moraga to face St. Mary’s.

The large gap on the score sheet raises questions about the depth of the Cal rugby program and the ability of its substitutes to impact games in the postseason.