# 1988 National Collegiate Rugby Championship

The 1988 National Collegiate Rugby Championship was the ninth edition of the official national championship for intercollegiate rugby. The tournament took place concurrently with the 30th Pebble Beach Rugby Classic on Collins Polo Field at Pebble Beach, California. The Cal Bears won their seventh title with a victory over Dartmouth. Chris Tahta of Dartmouth was named best forward while Chris Williams of Cal was best back.

## Venue

California :
| Collins Polo Field | Collins Polo Field |
| Pebble Beach, California | Collins Polo Field |
| Capacity: | Collins Polo Field |

## Participants

Dartmouth Qualified for the National Championship by advancing from the Eastern College Championship on April 16–17 at Rexford, NY.
* Dartmouth W-L Old Dominion
* Dartmouth 19-0 Loyola Baltimore
Roster:
Coach- Phil Hansell, Jim Calmus Captain- Corbus
Record-
Andy Axel (Center), Pat Brophy (Fullback), Eric Butz (Flanker), Clay Corbus (Flanker), Bob Fitzgerald (Lock), John Harris (Prop), Greg Hawes (Flanker), Jay Henry (Flyhalf), Jim Hughes (Center), Dave Jaskwich (Lock), Chris Lena (#8), Brian Loftus (Wing), Dave McConnell (Lock), Brett McDonald (Wing), Jason McGinness (Center), Toby O'Conner (Lock), Reid Parker (Wing), Jake Reynolds (Scrumhalf), Rich Schneider (Lock), John Scott (#8), Mike Silberling (Wing), Larry Socher (Hooker), Bob Sproull (Scrumhalf), Chris Tahta (Prop), Bill Washington (Prop).
Bowling Green
Qualified for the National Championship by winning the Midwest Universities Cup on April 16–17 in Bowling Green, OH.
* Bowling Green 14-3 Ohio State
Roster: Coach- Roger Mazzerella, Tony Mazzarella Captain- Gus Saponari Record- 29–5–2 Scott Ault (Fullback), Dallas Black (Flanker), Tom Brademeyer (Hooker), Al Caserta (Flanker), Kyle Fulmer (Lock), Mike Geer (Hooker), Chuck Gute (Center), Todd Haitz (#8), Brian Kane (Flyhalf), Chris Kennedy (Flanker), Tony Konczak (Center), Brett Level (Prop), Mark Manning (Lock), Steve Markert (Fullback), Dan Martello (Prop), Bob Mateljan (Wing), Brian McCue (Lock), R.T. Naples (Scrumhalf), Dave Oster (Wing), Gus Saponari (Center), Bob Schweizer (Wing), Mike Sylvester (Flyhalf), Mike Verdes (#8), Andy Wasiniak (Lock), Jim Williams (Scrumhalf), Tim Yokules (Prop).
Air Force
Qualified for the National Championship by winning the Western Collegiate Championship on April 16–17 in Las Cruces, NM.
* Air Force 28-3 South Dakota
* Air Force 7-6 Kansas
* Air Force 22-13 Colorado
Roster: Coach- Vern Francis, Barney Ballinger, Walt Daniels, Coode
Captains- Alex Rosano/Steve Hajosy Record- 15–2–1
Matt Beals (Center), Mark Bissell (Fullback), Ron Buckley (Flyhalf), John Davis (Lock), Bud Demarais (#8), Dan Drummond (Lock), John Drummond (Prop), John Finley (Scrumhalf), Dave Gaines (Lock), Steve Hajosy (Flyhalf), Larry Hantla (Fullback), Tim Jozwiak (Flanker), Mike Junk (Hooker), Jeff Martinovich (Wing), Dave Mencer (Scrumhalf), Paul Meyer (Flanker), Jay Moad (Wing), Dean Phillips (Prop), Alex Rossano (Hooker), Ted Schiller (Flanker), Dave Smith (Wing), Jim Snyder (Prop), Frank Souza (Center), Dan Stone (Center), Brent Van Der Pol (#8), Art Wunder (Flanker).
California
Qualified from Pacific Coast College Championships on April 5–10 in Santa Barbara, CA.
* California 21-0 UC Davis
* California 48-0 Washington State
* California 19-15OT San Diego State
Roster: Coach- Jack Clark Captain-Gary Hein
Record- 15-4(9–0) Pat Arnold (Flanker), Chris Bachelet (Flyhalf), Scott Barbour (Flanker), Gregory Chenu (Center), Richard Donat (Lock), H.B. Drake (Flanker), Michael Dumke (Prop), Gary Ervin (#8), Ben Garrett (Scrumhalf), Joseph Grupalo (Flanker), Mark Hall (Scrumhalf), Gary Hein (Fullback), Steven Hiatt (Center), Eric Johnson (Wing), John Lukrich (Prop), Drew Marich (Center), Tom Midura (#8), Sandy Park (Flyhalf), Rich Pearson (Center), Mark Resnick (Wing), Matt Rubenstein (Wing), Rick Santos (Prop), Stuart Shiff (Flanker), David Simonsen (Lock), David Smith (Hooker), James Smith (Prop), Braden Turnbull (Lock), Jon Velie (Scrumhalf), Chris Williams (Wing).

## Bracket

| Regional Semifinal | Regional Semifinal | Regional Final | Regional Final | | National Semifinal | National Semifinal | | National Final | National Final |
| April 10 - Santa Barbara, CA | April 10 - Santa Barbara, CA | | | | | | |
| California | 48 | | | | | | |
| California | 48 | April 10 - Santa Barbara, CA | April 10 - Santa Barbara, CA | | | | | |
| Washington State | 0 | April 10 - Santa Barbara, CA | April 10 - Santa Barbara, CA | | | | |
| Washington State | 0 | California | 19 | | | | |
| April 10 - Santa Barbara, CA | April 10 - Santa Barbara, CA | | California | 19 | | | | |
| April 10 - Santa Barbara, CA | April 10 - Santa Barbara, CA | San Diego State | 15 | | | | |
| San Diego State | | San Diego State | 15 | | | | |
| San Diego State | | | | | April 30 – Pebble Beach, CA | April 30 – Pebble Beach, CA | | |
| | | | | | California (Pacific) | 19 | |
| April 16 - Las Cruces, NM | April 16 - Las Cruces, NM | | | | | California (Pacific) | 19 | |
| April 16 - Las Cruces, NM | April 16 - Las Cruces, NM | | | | Air Force (West) | 10 | |
| Air Force | 7 | | | | Air Force (West) | 10 | |
| Air Force | 7 | April 17 - Las Cruces, NM | April 17 - Las Cruces, NM | | | | | |
| Kansas | 6 | April 17 - Las Cruces, NM | April 17 - Las Cruces, NM | | | | |
| Kansas | 6 | Air Force | 22 | | | | |
| April 16 - Las Cruces, NM | April 16 - Las Cruces, NM | | Air Force | 22 | | | | |
| April 16 - Las Cruces, NM | April 16 - Las Cruces, NM | Colorado | 13 | | | | |
| Colorado | 20 | Colorado | 13 | | | | |
| Colorado | 20 | | | | | | | May 1 – Pebble Beach, CA | May 1 – Pebble Beach, CA |
| Oklahoma | 7 | | | | | | | May 1 – Pebble Beach, CA | May 1 – Pebble Beach, CA |
| Oklahoma | 7 | | | | | | | California | 9 |
| April 16 - Rexford, NY | April 16 - Rexford, NY | | | | | | | | California | 9 |
| April 16 - Rexford, NY | April 16 - Rexford, NY | | | | | | | Dartmouth | 3 |
| Dartmouth | | | | | | | | Dartmouth | 3 |
| Dartmouth | | April 17 - Rexford, NY | April 17 - Rexford, NY | | | | | | |
| Old Dominion | | April 17 - Rexford, NY | April 17 - Rexford, NY | | | | | | |
| Old Dominion | | Dartmouth | 19 | | | | | | |
| April 16 - Rexford, NY | April 16 - Rexford, NY | | Dartmouth | 19 | | | | | | |
| April 16 - Rexford, NY | April 16 - Rexford, NY | Loyola Baltimore | 0 | | | | | | |
| Loyola Baltimore | 27 | Loyola Baltimore | 0 | | | | | | |
| Loyola Baltimore | 27 | | | | April 30 – Pebble Beach, CA | April 30 – Pebble Beach, CA | | | | |
| Southwestern Louisiana | 0 | | | | April 30 – Pebble Beach, CA | April 30 – Pebble Beach, CA | | | |
| Southwestern Louisiana | 0 | | | | Dartmouth (East) | 25 | | | |
| April 17- Bowling Green, OH | April 17- Bowling Green, OH | | | | | Dartmouth (East) | 25 | | | |
| April 17- Bowling Green, OH | April 17- Bowling Green, OH | | | | Bowling Green (Midwest) | 13 | | Third place | Third place |
| Bowling Green | 22 | | | | Bowling Green (Midwest) | 13 | | Third place | Third place |
| Bowling Green | 22 | April 17- Bowling Green, OH | April 17- Bowling Green, OH | | | | | May 1 – Pebble Beach, CA | May 1 – Pebble Beach, CA |
| Miami Ohio | 3 | April 17- Bowling Green, OH | April 17- Bowling Green, OH | | | | | May 1 – Pebble Beach, CA | May 1 – Pebble Beach, CA |
| Miami Ohio | 3 | Bowling Green | 14 | | | | | Air Force | 32 |
| April 17- Bowling Green, OH | April 17- Bowling Green, OH | | Bowling Green | 14 | | | | | Air Force | 32 |
| April 17- Bowling Green, OH | April 17- Bowling Green, OH | Ohio State | 3 | | | | | Bowling Green | 0 |
| Ohio State | 4 | Ohio State | 3 | | | | | Bowling Green | 0 |
| Illinois State | 0 | | | | | | | | |

## Semifinals

* 30 April 1988
| California | 19–10 | Air Force |
| Try: Gary Hein 39' Pen: Scott Barbour 5', 10', 27', 30', 65' | | Try: Ron Buckley c Dan Stone 51' Con: Mark Bissell |
* Collins Field, Pebble Beach, CA Referee: Don Morrison (USARFU)
* 30 April 1988
| Dartmouth | 25–13 | Bowling Green |
| Try: Chris Tahta 20' c Mike Silberling 27' Chris Tahta Mike Silberling 66' Chris Tahta 70' Con: Jay Henry Pen: Jay Henry | | Try: Scott Ault 36' c Brian McCue 50' Con: Tony Konczak Pen: Tony Konczak 39' |
* Collins Field, Pebble Beach, CA Referee: Ed Todd (PCRFU)

## Third place

* 1 May 1988
| Air Force | 32–0 | Bowling Green |
| Try: Ron Buckley c Art Wunder Matt Beals Frank Souza Mark Bissell Dan Stone Matt Beals c Con: Mark Bissell (2/7) | | |
* Collins Field, Pebble Beach, CA

## Final

* 1 May 1988 12:30 PM
| California | 9–3 | Dartmouth |
| Pen: Scott Barbour 14', 30', 38' | | Pen: Jay Henry 41' |
* Collins Field, Pebble Beach, CA Attendance: 4500 Referee: Ed Todd (PCRFU)