IUP Rugby is a national champion again. The Crimson Hawks won their second straight Division II national title yesterday with a 38-29 grind-it-out win over Northern Iowa, on the heels of their double-overtime victory over Norwich on Friday night.
Ethan Miller and Cam Taylor put IUP up two scores early before Northern Iowa got on the board, but IUP’s Dylan Deasy fielded the kickoff and launched a kick that he ran down himself on his way to the Hawks’ third score and Santino Fischio added another one. But UNI cut the IUP lead to seven at the half, then scored again early in the second half but missed the conversion, keeping IUP up two.
Fischio scored again for IUP but again UNI rallied to draw within two before the back-breaker, when IUP’s Declan Cringle broke free. He was caught just before he got in, but he set up Cam Taylor for the final score, spotting the ball down under the sticks for the final score of the game.
IUP’s Grant Euker was named Division II Finals MVP.
