Wheeling, W. Va. – The race for the National Collegiate Rugby (NCR) Collegiate 7's playoffs is on and the Wheeling University Rugby team is trying to qualify. They continue writing their playoff resume on Saturday when they head to the WVU "Chicken 7's" with the first match beginning at 10 AM. The tournament will feature three opening games for each team with pool play beginning at 2:20 pm.
The Cardinals are coming off a strong showing in their home 7's tournament last week where they took home the Nail City 7's championship. They began the tournament with games against Alderson Broaddus and Robert Morris, which they won by a combined score of 74-7 as they headed into pool play with momentum on their side. They drew Frostburg State in their first pool game and secured a 36-0 win that got them to the semifinals. They would face Christendom College and played their closest match of the day, winning 29-12. That earned them a match with The Citadel in a game they won handedly 38-7 to win the Nail City 7's Championship. It was the team's second tournament won of the season as they continue to play strong Rugby.
The Cardinals had a pair of upperclassmen lead them on the day with sophomores Ayoub Jalli and Simo Haddar leading the field. Jalli got off to a fast start, scoring four tries in the first threr games of the day for his team. He had two in the opening performance against Alderson Broaddus and added one try each against Frostburg State and Robert Morris. Jalli added his final two tries when it mattered most against Christendom and The Citadel as he led his team with six on the day. Jalli now has 12 tries during the 7's season and has been a reliable conversion kicker during that time. The sophomore is having a strong campaign so far and looks to extend that Saturday.
Simo Haddar finished right behind him, using his speed to move the ball down field quickly and efficiently. He finished the Nail City 7's with six tries in the game, scoring in four of the five games, to tie with Jalli for th team lead. Haddar played a big role in his team's success during the championship game against The Citadel, scoring two first half tries to help get his team out in front. It was the second of two multi-try games for the sophomore as his speed helped him breakthrough and move the ball down field. Almost everyone who was on Wheeling's match roster scored at least one try on the day, including guys like Larry Old and Jose Oltra getting more involved on the offensive side of the ball.
The Cardinals have been down a few men the last few tournaments due to injury, but they are still getting the job done on the field. After the Nail City 7's tournament, Head Coach Mike Geibel noted that things are starting to come together for his program. He especially pointed out the job that Michael Muleya did working back from an injury he suffered in January. Muleya scored his first few tries of the season on Saturday and provides power on the defensive side of the ball. With more and more players working their way back from injury, the Cardinals will only get stronger as the season goes on. With two more 7's tournaments, and a few more qualifiers, lying in their way, the Cardinals are out to prove they are one of the top 7's teams and earn the right to compete in the NCR Playoffs.
The Matchups
Clarion: The Cardinals and Golden Eagles will be meeting up for the first time in program history. Clarion was one of the 12 teams who competed at the Nail City 7's this past weekend and made it into pool play. The Cardinals did not get the chance to face them in the tournament, but look to get the upper hand as Wheeling battled then for the first time.
Kent State: Wheeling and Kent State are meeting for the first time in program history on Saturday. The two teams were supposed to meet back on October 9th, 2021, during 15's season, but that game was canceled and Wheeling scored a 28-0 forfeit victory. As they meet for the first real time in 7's season, they look to show that they can beat the Golden Eagles in real play.
Franciscan: The Cardinals and Barons are meeting for the 10th time in school history on Saturday in the final game of opening play. The last time they met was back in 15's season when Wheeling picked up an 81-0 victory in Steubenville, Ohio. The Cardinals have averaged 57 points per game against the Barons with the series high being the 81 points they scored in the previous meeting. Mohamed Haddar led the scoring effort in that game with four tries and looks for another exciting day in 7's play.
The Details
The Cardinals first game of the WVU "Chicken 7's" is set to begin at 10 AM when Wheeling takes on Clarion in Morgantown, West Virginia.
