Portland rugby team drops a close one

The Portland U-19 boys’ rugby club lost a very close match to Seacoast (N.H.) Rugby Club Saturday in a game played on the turf at the Amesbury (Mass.) Sports Park. The match was dominated by Seacoast in the first half, as they took advantage of Portland turnovers and built a substantial 22-7 halftime lead. Portland’s first stanza points came on fine run by flyhalf Chase Rochon (Greely). Rochon also kicked the conversion. In the second half however, the Power Pigs came alive as flanker and captain Jack McDonald (Cape Elizabeth) led the comeback, scoring three tries on hard runs off Seacoast penalties, and fullback Parker Doyon (Cheverus) converted one.

Seacoast scored their only second half try in between McDonald’s efforts and that proved to be the difference. Portland’s record stands at 1-2 as the Power Pigs prepare for their league championships in two weeks on the campus of Colby-Sawyer College in New Hampshire. Portland will be the No. 3 seed in the round robin format.

SMCC hosting conference baseball tourney

Southern Maine Community College will host the Yankee Small College Conference championships Sunday. The Seawolves, seeded third, meet No. 2 New Hampshire Technical Institute at 11 a.m. Fourth-seeded Central Maine CC and No. 1 Vermont Tech play at 1:30 p.m. The championship is at 4 p.m.

Former Cheverus players lead Norwich to lax conference title

Former Cheverus Stags Grace and Mollie Fitzpatrick helped the Norwich University Cadets capture the Great Northeast Athletic Conference championship Sunday, 12-8, over Lasell. Grace Fitzpatrick, a freshman, scored five times and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. Mollie Fitzpatrick, a junior, added an assist and joined Grace on the All-Tournament team. Norwich is 10-2 and will next take part in the NCAA first round.