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City Series rugby set to debut at Rayen Stadium
By Dan Hiner
Youngstown
For decades, Rayen Stadium was the home of City Series football.
Today, the historic football field will become a rugby pitch.
East and Chaney will meet for the first City Series rugby match with Division II postseason ramifications on the line.
The Golden Bears (5-0-1) already have clinched a playoff spot, but their seed is still to be determined. The Cowboys (3-3) need to win to make the postseason.
“I think that playing this last [regular-season] game at Rayen is gonna be big, especially for the city,” East co-head coach JT Thompson said.
Both teams play in the Div. II East district. The top two teams in each district qualify for the postseason. The Cowboys are third entering today’s game.
East has won two straight since a 15-15 tie with Lake Catholic on March 31.
The Golden Bears had an off week, so they needed to knock a little rust off in practice.
“I think that it gave some of our key players that were hurt some time to rest,” East co-head coach Timaira Gandy said. “We had a lot of key players down.”
Chaney won three straight, but lost their previous game to Northwest, 41-34.
The Cowboys could have clinched their playoff spot prior to the season finale, but they blew a 21-point lead against Northwest.
There’s some familiarity between the two teams since members of Chaney’s team played for East last season. That relationship has led to some trash talking leading up to the game.
“We all been ready for it,” East sophomore MyTwan Cottle said. “There’s been trash talking back and forth so I’m just ready to go out on the field and show up.”
The Cowboys were a little more energetic and focused in practice this week.
“I think that we just got that swagger,” Chaney senior Jarail Jenkins said. “People coming in and I just feel like we got that swagger back, and there’s gonna be a lot of intensity going on.
“It’ll be a little friendly rivalry. It’ll be a good game, but we’ll come out the victor.”
Chaney head coach Bill Burton called the final regular-season game a “storybook ending.”
“We’re playing to get in, they’re playing for seeding,” Burton said. “Plus, we’re playing for pride in the city.
“Like I said, all these kids know each other. A lot of them played with each other last year. It’s gonna be a fun game.”