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A stunning come-from-behind win for Life West over SFGG has earned the Hayward side a spot in the California Cup Grand Final opposite OMBAC this coming Saturday. Trailing 34-17 with only 15 minutes to play, the Gladiators scored three times with Guillaume Cazenave’s conversion of Siupeli Sakalia’s 76th minute try proving the decisive act, the final score reading 36-34.
It was Sakalia’s second score of the day, and came after SFGG had looked the better side for the first hour. A brace scored by Isoa Donaldson and 14 points from the boot of Volney Rouse looked to have been enough to carry Golden Gate into the final but instead the Gladiators led by inspirational scrumhalf Devereaux Ferris clawed their way back to record a famous victory.
In other action OMBAC surprised no-one by putting Old Aztecs to the sword by 47 points to 8. A hat-trick to fullback Zach Pangelinan in the opening 25 minutes effectively killed the game with a John Grant double before the break putting it beyond any doubt. The San Diego side will now travel to Treasure Island for finals day and given their run of form should be considered favorites having already beaten Life West once just a week ago and showing impressive season-ending form.
The first scheduled game of the day between Olympic and Belmont Shore was rained out and with the result having no effect on the final match-ups the game will not be made up.
OMBAC 47 vs 8 OLD AZTECS
Saturday, January 14, 15:00, Little Q, San Diego
SCORING
OMBAC 47
Tries – Z. Pangelinan 3, J. Grant 2, I. Cassidy, J. Gillespie, A. Kalani
Cons – K. Konrad, I. Cassidy
Pens – K. Konrad
OLD AZTECS 8
Tries – B. Roller
Pens – T. Howard
TEAMS
OMBAC
1 Josh Bart, 2 Jed Gillespie, 3 Nick Zajda, 4 Tai Tuisamoa (capt.), 5 Jay Harmon, 6 Chris Turori, 7 Shane Moise, 8 Josh Vainikolo, 9 Jamie Purcell, 10 Ben Batger, 11 Tim Stanfill, 12 Kalei Konrad, 13 John Grant, 14 Ian Denham, 15 Zach Pangelinan
16 Tai Te’o, 17 Ethan Willis, 18 Anthony Kalani, 19 Derrick Broussard, 20 Bryce Baker, 21 Ian Cassidy, 22 Damien Fatongia, 23 Matt Long
OLD AZTECS
1 Tristan Pickering, 2 Pat Blair, 3 Anthony Ellis, 4 Bill Dow (capt.), 5 Lucas Edwards, 6 Leon Hayward, 7 Joe Wesolek, 8 Jeff Diggs, 9 Robert Stortz, 10 Mike Deel, 11 James Niblock, 12 Tim Howard, 13 Jose Lugo, 14 Boomer Roller, 15 Connor Mariani
16 Alex Blair, 17 Tasi Toilolo, 18 Joe Ramonas, 19 Robert Laulaulo, 20 Erik Zents, 21 David Persson, 22 Jon Prickett, 23 Cleeandre Ross
LIFE WEST 36 vs 34 SFGG
Saturday, January 14, 16:00, Bodnar Field, Cal Maritime Academy
SCORING
LIFE WEST 36
Tries – D. Ferris, S. Sakalia 2, N. Tawake, H. Mo’ungaloa
Cons – G. Cazenave 4
Pens – G. Cazenave
SFGG 34
Tries – N. Barrett, I. Ratumaimuri, I. Donaldson 2
Cons – V. Rouse 4
Pens – V. Rouse 2
TEAMS
LIFE WEST
1 Fancy Namulau’ulu, 2 Jay Finau, 3 Holo Mo’ungaloa, 4 Alex Pedjase, 5 Rich Knight, 6 Siupeli Sakalia, 7 Zach Bonte, 8 Akuila Uaisele (capt.), 9 Devereaux Ferris, 10 Guillaume Cazenave, 11 Junior Helu, 12 Nua Vete, 13 Moni Tonga’uiha, 14 Pila Iongi, 15 Martini Talapusi
16 Lopeti Liu, 17 Tone Ngaluafe, 18 Maka Tameilau, 19 Zack Tannous, 20 Naibuka Tawake, 21 Taniela Vakauta, 22 Siaosi Lata, 23 Anthony Munoz
SFGG
1 Jacob Nelson, 2 Neil Barrett, 3 Saimone Laulaupea’alu, 4 Brendan Hardiman, 5 Tom Rooke, 6 Opeti Okusi, 7 Isaac Helu, 8 Brendan Daly (capt.), 9 Colby Stevens, 10 Volney Rouse, 11 Pila Huihui, 12 Eae Okusi, 13 Isimeli Ratumaimuri, 14 Fatai Vailala, 15 Isoa Donaldson
16 Grant Hyjer, 17 Patrick Latu, 18 J Adeamo, 19 Drew Hyjer, 20 Samuela Vailala, 21 Connor Ring, 22 Lemoto Filikitonga, 23 Tevita Vehikite
2016-17 CALIFORNIA CUP LEAGUE TABLE
| CLUB | W | L | D | PF | PA | PD | TF | TA | BP | PTS |
| Life West | 4 | 1 | 0 | 166 | 148 | +18 | 24 | 18 | 5 | 21 |
| OMBAC | 4 | 1 | 0 | 229 | 113 | +116 | 33 | 14 | 4 | 20 |
| SFGG | 3 | 2 | 0 | 163 | 145 | +18 | 22 | 20 | 5 | 17 |
| Belmont Shore | 2 | 2 | 0 | 116 | 97 | +19 | 15 | 13 | 4 | 12 |
| Old Aztecs | 1 | 4 | 0 | 114 | 182 | -68 | 16 | 27 | 3 | 7 |
| Olympic | 0 | 4 | 0 | 62 | 165 | -103 | 8 | 26 | 0 | 0 |
2016-17 CALIFORNIA CUP SCORING LEADERS
| NAME | CLUB | PTS | T | C | P | D |
| Kalei Konrad | OMBAC | 47 | 0 | 13 | 7 | 0 |
| Andy Jackson | Belmont Shore | 43 | 1 | 10 | 6 | 0 |
| John Grant | OMBAC | 40 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Isoa Donaldson | SFGG | 39 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 0 |
| Volney Rouse | SFGG | 39 | 1 | 14 | 2 | 0 |
| Zach Pangelinan | OMBAC | 37 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Tim Howard | Old Aztecs | 34 | 0 | 11 | 4 | 0 |
| Guillaume Cazenave | Life West | 31 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 0 |
| Devereaux Ferris | Life West | 26 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Pila Iongi | Life West | 25 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Todd Clever | OMBAC | 20 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Pila Huihui | SFGG | 20 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Rob Newcomb | Belmont Shore | 20 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Keegan Engelbrecht | Olympic | 17 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| Ian Cassidy | OMBAC | 15 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Lucas Edwards | Old Aztecs | 15 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jack Halalilo | SFGG | 15 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Anthony Munoz | Life West | 15 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Boomer Roller | Old Aztecs | 15 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Robert Stortz | Old Aztecs | 15 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jake Anderson | Olympic | 10 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Neil Barrett | SFGG | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ben Batger | OMBAC | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Greg Daniels | Belmont Shore | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jed Gillespie | OMBAC | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mike Haley | Olympic | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Junior Helu | Life West | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Max Paronelli | Belmont Shore | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mason Pedersen | Belmont Shore | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Isimeli Ratumaimuri | SFGG | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Siupeli Sakalia | Life West | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tim Stanfill | OMBAC | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tasi Toilolo | Old Aztecs | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fatai Vailala | SFGG | 10 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hilton Mexted | Belmont Shore | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Martini Talapusi | Life West | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Pele Toelupe-Tuisila | Life West | 7 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Josh Bart | OMBAC | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Zach Bonte | Life West | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jared Braun | Olympic | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Brendan Daly | SFGG | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mike Deel | Old Aztecs | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ian Denham | OMBAC | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jeff Diggs | Old Aztecs | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nick Evans | OMBAC | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Siokatame Falatau | Life West | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jay Finau | Life West | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Joe Fukafuka | SFGG | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| John Gallo | Olympic | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Anthony Kalani | OMBAC | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Danny LaPrevotte | SFGG | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Manu Laqai | SFGG | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Matt Long | OMBAC | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tanner Mohr | Olympic | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Shane Moise | OMBAC | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Travis Moscone | Olympic | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Holo Mo’ungaloa | Life West | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| James Niblock | Old Aztecs | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kyle Peterson | Olympic | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tristan Pickering | Old Aztecs | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Jon Prickett | Old Aztecs | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cameron Reed | Belmont Shore | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Pita Semeane | Belmont Shore | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Naibuka Tawake | Life West | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mike Te’o | Belmont Shore | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chris Turori | OMBAC | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Josh Vainikolo | OMBAC | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Nua Vete | Life West | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Manu Volavola | Life West | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
