Sports
(PHOTOS) Southside Minneapolis Rugby Wins State Title
The Barbarians repeated as state champions, but it took all 60 minutes and a last-second kick to beat Edina for the Division I championship
Perhaps the Southside U19 boys rugby team underestimated rival Edina. Maybe the Hornets took their game to a new level.
Either way, it took the Barbarians all 60 minutes to secure its second consecutive Division I title and an undefeated season—something they’ll gladly take. Southside’s Tomas Barbegelata’s game-winning kick in the 59th minute gave the Barbarians a 15-14 win over Edina in Sunday’s state title game at The Blake School.
“They just wanted it more and we were coming out cocky like we’re No. 1 and nobody could beat us,” senior Southside's Ayrton Scott said. “We just weren’t ready in the first half. The second half we got up, and there you go.”
Find out what's happening in Southwest Minneapoliswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Southside (10-0-0) is made up of students from schools across South Minneapolis. The Barbarians entered the championship game having spent the season as Division I’s top-ranked team, but they quickly found themselves in a hole as Peter Wikman scored to give Edina an early 5-0 lead.
That lead quickly ballooned to 11-0 at halftime thanks to solid tactical play by the Hornets, who controlled the ball and neutralized Soutside’s athletic talent.
Find out what's happening in Southwest Minneapoliswith free, real-time updates from Patch.
“They came out and they had their act so together it was scary,” Barbarians coach Eric Salverda said. “They were putting on a clinic, no doubt about it.”
After a Jack Healy kick put Edina (8-2-0) up 14-0 in the second half, Southside slowly began to take over. Scott, who was named the game’s MVP, dove for the Barbarians’ first try to cut the lead to 14-5. An additional try by Nick Herrmann and a conversion cut Edina’s lead to 14-12, setting up Barbegelata’s game-winning kick with seconds left on the clock.
The win gave Southside a perfect season and its fourth Division I state championship since 2006.
Salverda said the team handled the adversity of being the favored team all season long, but it wasn’t an easy task.
“You know people are coming after you. You’ve just got to bring it,” Salverda said. “I think the thing that’s fun about this team is they can rise to a challenge.”
