Club Schedule/News
Congrats to the HS Girls for a fabulous season and 3rd place finish! Expecting similar success in the Spring club season 😄 . Following last Saturday’s win, HS Boys have multi-school league championship against San Clemente Saturday (up in San Clemente)…all of the other U8-U14 will be wrapping up this weekend with the big EOS tournament in Temecula. Good luck young Thunder!
HS Boys/Girls - get registered for the Spring season!!!
U8
Thunder U8 showed incredible grit this weekend, taking on both Santa Monica and Pasadena with only six players and no substitutes! Despite this challenge, the team played both matches with heart, demonstrating clear improvement in teamwork through selfless passing and support play. Defensively, Thunder took a big step forward by retreating onside and minimizing penalties, showing discipline well beyond their years!
U12
Both the A-side and B-side traveled to Hawaiian Gardens this weekend to face Pasadena, Santa Monica, and Hawaiian Gardens. While the results ended in two hard-fought losses, there was clear progress across the board.
The forwards did a great job organizing into pod formation and attacking straight ahead, and the backs found space and made strong strides downfield. Defensively, we know we need to improve our tackling and our ability to come up together — key focus areas as we prepare for the upcoming tournament, where we expect to compete in the Novice division.
This week’s practices will emphasize defense, ball handling, and team shape — plus a few fun post-practice treats from Coach Evan as the group continues building toward the next step.
U10
U10 had two games against Pasadena and Santa Monica…with an early first game at 8:30 against Pasadena, players seemed to be still waking up and lacked energy and communication on the field. As a result we came up short in that match (15-55). But it was a learning experience and a reminder of the importance of being both mentally and physically ready from the start.
Our second game at 9:40 against Santa Monica showed a big improvement. The team came out much more focused and motivated. We let the players knows that if they gave strong effort and played, hard, they would not have to run fitness on Tuesday - Coach Will would run instead. That definitely sparked their energy and competitiveness, responding with a strong performance and 45-15 win (good news is that we’ll have a fit Coach Will!).
We have many new players experiencing game situations for the first time, and they did a great job of stepping up. Improvement from the first to second game was noticeable, especially in effort, communication, and teamwork.
Overall, I’m proud of how the players responded and competed in the second game. Great job Thunder!
HS Boys
Entering the postseason, Oceanside had their semi-final match Saturday in San Clemente against Rancho Cucamonga Rebels in a rematch from a few weeks prior. The first outing saw Oceanside edge out the Rebels 31-26. The boys would be looking to exert their dominance this week and right some wrongs. Oside opened up scoring early and wouldn’t slow down. Utilizing kicks from all angles they kept Rancho on the back foot and starved them of territory. The boot paid off and unlocked the rebels defense often opening lanes for Exzodus Taele and Malachi “Loi” Misa to power through with hard lines and the forward pods lead by Ean Glover, Thomas Reynoso, Paddy Knight and Kiki Fa’atili crashing hard all game. Nate Ragudo, Kesané Barrington and Kingsley Escobar both had huge carries and line breaks. Big shout out also to Klahsyk Taele for displaying excellent command of the attack using his pass, footwork and kicking ability. This was backed by a monster performance from Kingston Garrison who made multiple plays in all phases of the game, scoring tries, slotting kicks making tackles. Final was logged as 57-19. Next week the boys face San Clemente in the SoCal multi school championship!
HS Girls
This weekend, our high school girls rugby team truly showed up and showed out. We played five tough, competitive games and battled our way to a 3rd place finish. Every match tested us in different ways, but the girls stayed locked in, trusted each other, and competed with heart from start to finish. I couldn’t be more proud of the effort, resilience, and determination they displayed all weekend long.
They supported one another through every high and low, communicated well, and played with intensity and pride. Whether it was making key tackles, finishing strong runs, or stepping up in big moments, each player contributed in her own way. Their teamwork and willingness to fight for one another is what truly stood out.
Not only did they compete hard this weekend, but they’ve been amazing throughout the entire season. The growth we’ve seen—from skills and game knowledge to confidence and leadership—has been incredible. They’ve committed themselves at practice, held each other accountable, and represented our program with class. From the very first practice to our final tournament, they’ve continued to push themselves and raise the standard.
I’m so proud of this group and everything they’ve accomplished this season. This 3rd place finish is something they earned through hard work and consistency. We’re excited to carry this momentum forward and are already looking forward to club season at the end as well. The future is bright for this team.
U14
U14 Thunder vs. Hawaiian Gardens
Another great victory for our U14 Thunder, defeating Hawaiian Gardens 40–10! As coaches, we couldn’t be more proud of this incredible group of boys and girls and their undefeated season.
This team represents athletes ranging from 12 to 14 years old — including seasoned veterans, first-year U12 players moving up, and players stepping onto the rugby field for the very first time. No matter their experience level, they have shown tremendous respect for one another, built strong chemistry, and demonstrated unwavering dedication all season long.
This is our final week of training as we prepare for the end-of-season tournament. Our boys and girls understand what’s at stake — it’s time to hit the throttle, train hard, work harder, and stay focused as we finish the season strong.
Thunder Strong
Links:
Thunder/Oceanside HS Youth Rugby - https://www.thunderrugbyclub.com/ @thunderrugbyclub @osiderugby @osidegirlsrugby
(newsletter subscribe: https://thunder-youth-rugby.beehiiv.com/)