2021 Cal Recap

CATS FALL IN BERKELEY TO CLOSE 2021

#4 cAl 48

#7 arizona 7

Jon Rogers and the Wildcats close the season with much to look forward to in 2022. (Photo credits: Alex Ho)

May 3- In a year where much of the nation came to a halt, Arizona and Cal brought fans a sense that things are returning to normal with the first and only PAC Conference matchup of the season on Saturday. The visiting Wildcats looked to send the Seniors out on a strong note and started well with multiple linebreaks to set up attacking opportunities. The hosts' defense held strong and squandered opportunities for the Wildcats were the story of the first half, dropping Arizona in to a 22-0 hole.

To start the second half, Arizona's defense cranked up and the momentum started to slowly swing back to the visitors as Flyhalf Robert Figley and the Center duo of Sol Hutchings and Abe Turpen put the Bears under pressure. Two early trips in to the Cal 22 squandered was a key sequence in the match that the 4th-ranked Bears capitalized on, extending their lead. A late Jon Rogers try converted by Figley got the Wildcats on the board, but it was not to be on this day in Berkeley for the Wildcats.

The loss end the truncated season at 3-2, a winning record, and much to be proud of in the pandemic-impacted academic year. "Credit to Cal and their gameplan today. Most importantly thank you to our Seniors for their amazing four years of service to this program. They have left the jersey in a better place than when they found it and raised the bar" said Director of Rugby Sean Duffy. Those graduating Seniors were led by Captain Riley Kerr, who once again was a standout in his final match and first since his nomination for the Rudy Scholz Award given to the nation's top player. The Wildcats look ahead to the 2022 season with many returners, including the 9 underclassmen that made up the lineup on Saturday. "What this Freshmen class in particular has gone through, starting college in a pandemic, locking down in dorms, to come out and put so many in our matchday squad and then play so well tells me we have an incredible future ahead of us" said Duffy.

RILEY FOR RUDY

You can vote for Riley to make him a finalist at the link here.

SCORING VS CAL

Tries: 1- Rogers

Conversions: Figley- 1/1

ARIZONA vs CAL

1- Zach Barker

3- Harry Bluck