Carmichael Hawk fullback, Seti Perona, runs through a tackle during the Boys High School Rugby National Championship game on May 23. Photo by Brandi Curry

CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - Having already been invited to participate in the Boys High School Rugby National Championships, the Carmichael Hawks Varsity Rugby team had something to prove at the Rugby Norcal Gold championship. The Hawks capped their undefeated regular Norcal season with an impressive 27-12 win over rival East Palo Alto on May 9 at Stanford's Stueber Rugby Field.

Led by their quick attacks, the Hawks set the pace midway through the first half. A long run by Devin Pointes initiated a series of perfect passes, which led to a five point try by Payton Templeton. 

Before the game the Carmichael Times spoke with Templeton about his love for the sport.  

“It's just a very quick game. You’ve always got to be looking, you know, always got to be focused. That's what I like about it.”

Carmichael’s quick-paced teamwork continued in the second half with Rupeni Rukuvau’s try capping a strong drive to put the game out of reach 22-7. East Palo Alto added a late try, but it wouldn’t be enough. The Hawks lifted the Gold Cup as a team and proved that their place at Nationals was no fluke.

Ten days after winning Norcal, the Hawks soared to the Midwest to compete in the Boys HS Rugby National Championships in Elkhart, Indiana for the first time in Club history. Carmichael was placed in Tier II and given the 8th seed out of eight teams. Once again, the Hawks felt like they had something to prove.

“We took (the eighth seed) with a little disrespect and a desire to go and show them that they got it wrong,” said Head Coach Sam Enochian. “It definitely was extra motivation.”

The Hawks first matchup on Thursday, May 21 was against the top seeded team from Fort Hunt, Virginia. The Hawks raced out to an early lead with steady, athletic play. A powerful run and try from Ronan Curry gave Carmichael a 22-0 lead late in the first half.

In the second half Carmichael focus shifted to defense, slowing down the pace of the Fort Hunt attack. Sam Enochian, Jr., capped a long, plodding drive with a try to make it 29-5, and the Hawks never looked back. The Hawks won 36-12.

Game two on Friday saw the Hawks face off against the fourth-seeded Raptors from Williamson County, Tennessee. Once again Carmichael got off to a good start, sprinting to a 24-10 lead at halftime.

Carmichael’s Joeli Karavaki opened the second half scoring with an impressive run and try, extending the Hawks’ lead. The Raptors responded with three unanswered scores to cut the lead to 31-22 and momentarily stole the momentum of the game. However, Carmichael’s long, grinding possession deep in Raptor territory late in the half eventually sealed the win, and earned the Hawks a place in the finals.

Co-captain Sam Enochian, Jr., center, gets a special airport greeting from Hawks teammate, Joeli Karavaki and his father, after the flight back home. Photo courtesy of the Carmichael Hawks


The Championship game on Saturday, May 23 pitted the Hawks against the sixth-seed Charlotte Tigers. The match was a hard-fought grind from the opening kick. The Tigers kept the Hawks’ speed in check, but Carmichael still led at the half 12-8 behind scores by Ronan Curry and Cash Lazard.

The Hawks came out strong after halftime. A full-team effort ended with an Isaac Gomez try, but a missed conversion kept the game close, 17-8. Charlotte’s strong defense then took over, stifled Carmichal’s high-flying offence and forced the Hawks into too many penalties and missed opportunities. Charlotte took advantage, scored two tries down the stretch and held on for an 18-17 Championship win.

Despite the loss, Coach Enochian remained positive. “I am extremely proud of our boys,” he said. “We started the season with the goal of just making Nationals, so we were able to check that box. Although the final outcome of the final game was hard, we always talk about how rugby teaches resilience; you get knocked down and have to get back up. The boys are already talking about returning to Indiana next season and coming home with the trophy.”

Big goals will require filling some big holes.

“Next season will need to be a big reload for us,” said Coach Enochian. “We are losing several seniors that will be hard to replace; but we also return a core class of juniors that now have championship experience. With the success of our 2026 campaign, we are hoping to add new faces to the club and to continue developing the boys that are already committed.”

The Carmichael Rugby Football Club practices and plays home games at Rio Americano High School. The club welcomes boys and girls of all ages to give rugby a try. For more information visit: https://carmichaelrugby.com/.