At USD, Seattle Seawolves Roar to Inaugural Title in Major League Rugby

The Seattle Seawolves finally defeated the Glendale (Colo.) Raptors and claimed Major League Rugby’s first championship — coming from behind in a 23-19 victory Saturday at Torero Stadium.

The home pitch of the San Diego Legion at the University of San Diego saw a tight battle.

Seattle, which lost twice to Glendale in the regular season, took an 8-7 lead into halftime thanks to a try by Ray Barkwill and a penalty goal by Peter Smith.

But Glendale’s Zach Fenoglio scored his second try of the game in the 49th minute, and teammate Bryce Campbell added a try in the 56th minute with a conversion goal by William Magie.

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Seattle Seawolves celebrate after a first-half score against the Glendale Raptors. Photo by Chris Stone

Seattle Seawolves players celebrate after winning the 80-minute championship game. Photo by Chris Stone

A Seattle player poses with his family after the victory. Photo by Chris Stone

Seattle’s William Rasileka scores a try in the second half of the match. Photo by Chris Stone

Seattle players and coaches celebrate after their championship win. Photo by Chris Stone

A Glendale Raptors player gets ready to move the ball into play. Photo by Chris Stone

A Seattle player jumps to try to block a kick. Photo by Chris Stone

Glendale fans sit quietly as Seattle players score. Photo by Chris Stone

A Glendale player crouches in solitude after Seattle wins the match. Photo by Chris Stone

Seattle fans and coaches celebrate after the championship victory. Photo by Chris Stone

Glendale players comfort each other after loss in title game. Photo by Chris Stone

Seattle fans cheer a Seawolves try in the second half of victory. Photo by Chris Stone

Glendale player eyes the scoreboard for a replay in the second half. Photo by Chris Stone

A Seattle player protects the ball from Glendale pursuers. Photo by Chris Stone

A Seattle player got medical aid after scoring a try in the second half. Photo by Chris Stone

A Seattle player advances the ball at Torero Stadium. Photo by Chris Stone

Torero Stadium fans get close to the scrum at Major League Rugby title game. Photo by Chris Stone

Seattle ballcarrier awaits impact in second-half action. Photo by Chris Stone

Glendale teammates celebrate Bryce Campbell’s try, their last of the game. Photo by Chris Stone

Glendale ballcarrier girds for collision with Seattle rival. Photo by Chris Stone

The ball appears ignored amid a clash of bodies at Torero Stadium. Photo by Chris Stone

Seattle players perform a lineout in Major League Rugby title match. Photo by Chris Stone

Seattle players embrace after a score in league championship match. Photo by Chris Stone

Glendale players perform a lineout in Major League Rugby title match. Photo by Chris Stone

Tight in a scrum, a Seattle player holds onto his teammates and mouth guard. Photo by Chris Stone

Glendale Raptors get a grip on a Seattle ballcarrier. Photo by Chris Stone

Seattle fans cheer a score in the Major League Rugby title match. Photo by Chris Stone

More Seawolves fans attended the title game than Glendale followers, observers said. Photo by Chris Stone

Amid a tackle, a Seattle player looks for a teammate to take ball. Photo by Chris Stone

A battle for the ball in front of an advertising banner at Torero Stadium. Photo by Chris Stone

Flyhalf Peter Smith gets off a kick for the Seawolves. Photo by Chris Stone

Children with Thundersticks follow the action at the University of San Diego. Photo by Chris Stone

A Seattle ballcarrier is pursued in title game at Torero Stadium. Photo by Chis Stone

Two minutes later, William Rasileka responded for the Seawolves, narrowing the Raptors lead to 19-13. And another Seattle try — by Riekert Hattingh — at the 60th tightened it it 19-18.

Smith’s conversion goal put the Phil Mack-coached Seawolves ahead 20-19, and his penalty goal padded the lead in the 67th minute.

San Diego players watched as Seattle celebrated the championship — a week after losing 38-24 to the Seawolves in the playoffs, finishing their first year in the seven-team league in third place.

Seawolves co-founder and co-owner Shane Skinner, 45, credited “Love, brotherhood” for the victory. “The guys — they worked so hard. (Despite adversity), they didn’t stop. They believed in each other. I mean, they’re just special. The boys are special.”

Glendale, coached by Dave Williams, lost only its second game of the year — after falling 23-5 to San Diego on June 23.

The league’s first title game aired on the CBS Sports Network and live-streamed on several platforms.

Seattle hooker Vili Toluta’u, the Hawaii native named match MVP, said his team just concentrated on its biggest strengths.

Ahead by only a point at halftime, “we just had to come on stronger than we [were] in the first half,” said the 24-year-old product of Central Washington University. “We came out thinking the score was zero-zero, so we had to put up a fight again.”

League Commissioner Dean Howes called the first season terrific.

“These young men played their hearts out,” said the former Major League Soccer and National Hockey League executive. “Great rugby. And it also shows that we have a ways to go — to get as big as we want to be. And as relevant as we want to be.

Howes, who turns 66 next week, noted the “heavy lift to start a brand new league. And most of the doubters didn’t believe that we would get to tonight. The fact that the owners are still here. The fact that we got new owners coming in next year, and expansion, and the fact that we had a such a wonderful night tonight is proof” of success.

Expanding to New York City and Los Angeles in 2019 and several more cities by 2020, including Washington, D.C., Major League Rugby hopes to grow interest in the sport, especially with 6,000-seat Torero Stadium only three-quarters filled.