United of Salt Lake City won their first HS Club national title since 2010 with a 24-10 defeat of defending champs Cathedral Royal Irish.

Cathedral started the game on the front foot and pinned United back in their 22. After United committed a penalty near their goal line, Cathedral opted to tap and run. United's defense, however, held, and that would be a theme of the game. Some minutes later Cathedral did indeed score for a 5-0, but United came right back to score and lead 7-5.

After that United continued to frustrate the Cathedral attack. The Royal Irish ruck as well as any team in the country, with excellent technique, but United met them hit for hit at the breakdown, and as a result were able to put the Cathedral backs under pressure. In a game of ferocious intensity, United scored two more times to lead 17-5.

In the second half Cathedral continued to press, but with United's scrum pushing them back and the lineout not firing, they had few options when a penalty came their way other than the quick tap. United defended brilliantly. With the score 17-10 a turning point came with Cathedral pinning United back on their own line. United's High School All American center Zach Webber danced around two tacklers and burst upfield, gaining about 40 meters. That killed Cathedral's best last scoring chance, and soon thereafter United scored to put the game away.

United 24 Cathedral 10
In other action in the High School Club bracket, Danville capped off an excellent weekend with a 40-5 defeat of Colorado Springs to take 3rd, and the San Diego Mustangs finished their weekend 2-1 after beating the Kansas City Jr. Blues 15-3 for 5th. San Diego's only loss was 17-15 to Danville.

Marin took 7th with a 21-12 defeat of Westerville.

OMBAC and Denver Barbarians are through to the National DI Club Quarterfinals after each won hard-bitten matches Saturday in Dallas.

It was a windy day and certainly the wind affected tactical decisions all day.

For both teams, the key was their forwards.

The Barbarians played against the wind versus Santa Monica and resolved to keep the ball in the first half.

"We had about 80 percent of possession," said Denver Assistant Coach Karl Savimaki, running the team this weekend. The danger in controlling the ball like that is if you make a mistake, the turnovers can kill you.

"Our forwards were very disciplined," said Savimaki. "We had only two penalties the entire half, and they worked hard."

The teams changed ends with the Barbarians up 10-7 and feeling that, with the wind at their backs, they could extend their lead. It took them a matter of seconds, as Kyle Hitt got the ball just after the kickoff and raced 60 meters for a crucial try. Denver kept playing their possession game, and scored a couple more times before the Barbarians reverted to a field-position tactic. Using the boot they pinned Santa Monica in their end and closed out the game 35-17.

Taylor Howden received praise from Savimaki for his control of the game from flyhalf, but it was the Denver pack, doing so well to recycle the ball and starve the Dolphins of any scoring opportunities, that won the game.

Meanwhile OMBAC edged the Dallas Harlequins 31-27 to advance. The game was one of collisions, with both teams knocking the ball on a bit too much. But in this game also the winning forwards sparked their team.

"I have to give it up to the pack, they worked really hard," said OMBAC flyhalf Zach Pangelinan. "We had some injuries and some younger guys came in for us and did a great job. We didn't take care of the ball the way we should, but we toughed it out."

Jarvis Albury had to come on as a early sub and was instrumental for OMBAC. Chris Bergquist-Turori was one of those youngsters who played well for OMBAC today.

These two teams will meet up Sunday. Players invited to national team camp had been asked to not play, but reports are that Pangelinan has received permission to play before leaving Dallas for camp.

OMBAC 31-27 Dallas Harlequins
Denver Barbarians 35-17 Santa Monica