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Seattle kept their perfect start to the season intact with a comfortable 23-13 road win over Utah on Saturday night. A late consolation try made the score a little more palatable for the Warriors, but in truth the Seawolves were the better team in almost every capacity and outside of a rough start never looked in danger of losing.
The opening kickoff could hardly have gone worse for the visitors. A penalty gifted Joel Hodgson an easy three points, and to make matters worse captain Riekert Hattingh was forced off for an HIA just a minute into the contest, and he would not return. The Seawolves made inroads on their first possession but another penalty allowed Hodgson to clear to safety.
A powerful scrum gave Seattle their first points at the eight-minute mark. Mack Mason ensured his pack got their rewards with a penalty goal that rang off the upright and over the bar to even the score. An overthrow at Utah’s attacking lineout gave possession back to the visitors, and a booming punt from Divan Rossouw sent the Warriors back to their own end. It wasn’t long before Mason had another shot at the posts which he would land with ease.
The first try of the game went to the Seawolves. JP Smith hit Mason with a wide ball from a ruck, and he in turn connected with Jade Stighling charging down the right side. Toni Pulu came all the way across from his left wing looking for work and it paid off with Stighling’s offload sending Pulu in for the score.
At the half-hour mark a second try came, this time via the set piece. A lineout drive got some momentum and then Joe Taufete’e peeled off the back to crash over. The kick from Mason, who had missed his first conversion attempt, make it 18 unanswered points for the visitors.
Just before the half the Warriors finally found a response. Frank Lochore built some momentum with a line break up the middle. Utah pushed the Seawolves back to their goal line and while the defense held for multiple phases, at last the Warriors found their way to the line and it was appropriately Lochore who got the finish. Hodgson’s conversion was wide and the score stood at 18-8 to the visitors after 40 minutes.
Not two minutes into the second half and the Seawolves had a third try. Utah bobbled the kickoff and slick hands from Duncan Matthews found Stighling in space for the finish. Hodgson had a chance to claw three points back with a penalty from almost straight in front but the radar was off and the flags stayed down.
Both teams rang the changes and the game lost its shape for the last half-hour. With time up on the clock the two sides threw the ball around with reckless abandon until Phil Bradford crossed on the end of a Warriors breakout. It was academic, however, with no bonus point to be salvaged on a tough day at the office for the home side.
It’s a short turnaround for the Seawolves who head home to face the Houston SaberCats on Friday night with top spot on the Western Conference on the line. The Warriors will have a full week to regroup before their road trip to Los Angeles on Sunday.
| SCORING |
UTAH 13
Tries (2) – F. Lochore (37′), P. Bradford (80’+2′)
Cons (0) – J. Hodgson 0/2
Pens (1) – J. Hodgson 1/2 (2′)
SEATTLE 23
Tries (3) – T. Pulu (23′), J. Taufete’e (30′), J. Stighling (42′)
Cons (1) – M. Mason 1/3 (31′)
Pens (2) – M. Mason 2/2 (8′, 18′)
| LINEUPS |
UTAH WARRIORS
1 Franco van den Berg (17 Emerson Prior 22′), 2 Nic Souchon (16 Phil Bradford 52′), 3 Paul Mullen (18 Angus MacLellan 52′), 4 Frank Lochore, 5 Saia Uhila (19 Matt Jensen 52′), 6 Thomas Tu’avao (22 Kalisi Moli 61′), 7 Bailey Wilson (capt.) (20 Onehunga Havili 52′), 8 Dylan Nel, 9 Kieran McClea, 10 Joel Hodgson, 11 Isaia Kruse (23 Robbie Povey 67′), 12 Paul Lasike (21 Alesana Pohla 67′), 13 Zion Going, 14 Jesse Hamilton, 15 Caleb Makene
SEATTLE SEAWOLVES
1 Cameron Orr (17 Chance Wenglewski 61′), 2 Joe Taufete’e (16 DaQuan Perry 67′), 3 Sam Matenga (18 Olive Kilifi 61′), 4 Rhyno Herbst, 5 Jean Droste, 6 Pago Haini (19 Isaia Lotawa 67′), 7 Charles Elton, 8 Riekert Hattingh (capt.) (20 Reid Davis 1′), 9 JP Smith (21 Ryan Rees 75′), 10 Mack Mason (23 Jeremiah Sio 79′), 11 Toni Pulu (22 Sam Windsor 64′), 12 Dan Kriel, 13 Divan Rossouw, 14 Jade Stighling, 15 Duncan Matthews
| MATCH INFO |
Date: Saturday, March 16
Venue: Zions Bank Stadium, Herriman
Kickoff: 19:00 local
Weather: sunny, 53°F (12°C), wind NW 5-7mph (8-11km/h)
| OFFICIALS |
Referee: Luke Rogan (USA)
Assistants: Kahlil Harrison (USA) & Kage Green (USA)
TMO: Amanda Cox (USA)
