I Kid You Not: VC Avengers win big in first-ever home rugby match

Brandon Candito scored three tries for the Avengers on Saturday. (photos by Teresa Everett)

By BEN EVERETT

It was a busy Saturday for the Valley Center Avengers last weekend; in fact, you may have noticed them if you drove down the right stretch of Valley Center Road in the morning. They were the ones prancing about in capes and spandex.
It was not without reason, however—the U19 team was promoting a rummage sale to raise money for their upcoming trip to Nevada to play in the Las Vegas Invitational Rugby Tournament, and based on the results of Saturday’s match, our boys have reason to look forward to the tourney.
The sale was over by noon, but the Avengers were just getting started on the day, which would see the team play its first-ever home game against the Temecula Wildcats. At first glance, it promised to be the closest contest of the season for the hosts, who for the first time were facing another first-year club, one struggling with an unlucky rash of injuries no less. Once the crowd had settled in alongside the middle school football field, the game was underway, and it soon became apparent that while it may have been an even match on paper, it was quite the different story on grass.
Valley Center received the opening kickoff and wasted no time in laying waste to the Wildcat’s defense with a bruising breakaway from captain Chris Turori. The romp set up an easy try (rugby’s method of scoring and precursor to football’s touchdown) for Ben Everett and a lead that the Avengers would only see widen. Because in rugby a team is not considered to lose possession when scoring a try, the squad scoring the points receives the ensuing kickoff, an opportunity which allowed Valley Center to dominate possession for the remainder of the half, adding tries from Brandon Candito, who had three on the day; Turori, who finished the game with five; and JJ Evans.
The Avengers continued in much the same fashion after halftime, with consistent scoring– including two tries from co-captain John Turori, the elder of the two brothers–, sustained possession, and some spectacular kicking from Alessandro da Silva proving more than enough to make up for two Temecula tries. When the dust finally settled, Valley Center emerged with a 85-12 victory and a renewed optimism for the season to come.
Saturday’s game ended the high school campaign for the Avengers, but as regular Roadrunner readers may remember, the year is not yet over for them. The club will scrimmage at La Quinta this Saturday in preparation for the next weekend’s Las Vegas tournament, where our home team will be matched against squads from across the continent. Then comes the beginning of rugby’s club season, a longer and more competitive stretch of games than the two-month long high school season. While Valley Center has the will and the talent to compete in the new league, the departure of several athletes from the current team will leave them lacking in numbers. Any local athlete born after Sept. 1, 1992 who is looking for a fast-paced, hard-hitting sport is encouraged to give rugby a try; the Avengers’ practices, held Monday-Thursday from 3:30-5:00 at the Lower Elementary football field, are open to all comers. For more information, contact Coach George Turori at gtx5@aol.com or 760-522-6194, or get in touch with the team at their Facebook page, “Valley Center Rugby Club.”

Alessandro da Silva had a great game at fullback for VC: