RUGBY: Kalispell Black and Blue take two at MYRAFest

HELENA — The Kalispell Black and Blue rugby team swept a pair of contests at MYRAFest to remain undefeated in 15-man play this season.

The Black and Blue took control early in their first game against the Rimrock Rattlesnakes of Billings, with Colton Boyle touching down a try five minutes into the contest.

Tilor Mercier scored his first try match ahead of another Boyle try, then followed with two more to give the Black and Blue a 28-10 lead at halftime. Mercier scored his fourth of the match just after halftime on his way to man of the match honors in a 42-22 Kalispell victory.

“Tilor Mercier is absolutely unreal,” Kalispell assistant coach Bob Keisel said. “He’s grease lightning, you can’t catch him. He had one where seven guys tried to tackle him but none could bring him down and he went 70 meters for a score.”

Sophomore Daniel Long took over for the Black and Blue in their second match of the day against the Immaculate Conception Academy Cristeros of Post Falls, Idaho. Long won man of the match honors as Kalispell easily took a 34-14 win, controlling the ball in the ICA zone for most of the game.

The Black and Blue host Great Falls on Saturday at Evergreen Junior High, but may need more bodies for the game. The team finished one of its matches this weekend with 14 players due to injuries, and could use a fresh infusion of talent to bolster its lineup.

The match against Great Falls is the first of three at home to end the regular season for the Black and Blue. A rematch against North Idaho, who tied with Kalispell in Post Falls earlier this year, is on deck. The Black and Blue will close with Montana Iron Horse of Frenchtown. Should they hold serve, Kalispell will enter the state tournament as the top seed.