California Cup Round 3 Lineups

There’s time for one more week of action in the California Cup before the holiday break. With only two rounds in the New Year before the final, every moment counts and there are some pivotal matches this week. The two pre-season favorites will collide in San Diego as Old Mission Beach host Golden Gate at Little Q. Belmont Shore hopes to continue its winning ways against the feisty Old Aztecs, and Life West look to make it three-from-three when they take on local rivals Olympic.

 

ROUND 3 LINEUPS

 

OMBAC vs SFGG
Sat, Dec 17, 12:00, Little Q Field, San Diego

Second row Brian Doyle misses out but a few familiar names return to the OMBAC lineup for their must-win game against table-toppers Golden Gate. Tai Tuisamoa shifts into the second row for Doyle with PRO standout Chris Turori coming into the run-on side. US Eagles winger Tim Stanfill gets his first taste of the new competition, and two more internationals boost the reserves. Philippines utility forward Derrick Broussard and Eagles skipper Todd Clever should make a big impact when they take the field.

Golden Gate will miss two key players in Isaac Helu and Volney Rouse but bring in a couple decent replacements. Tom Rooke is recalled to the second row and former Fiji Warriors international Isoa Donaldson stands in for Rouse at flyhalf. Powerful winger Fatai Vailala gets the start with Isimeli Ratumaimuri shifted in one spot to the midfield.

OMBAC
1 Josh Bart, 2 Jed Gillespie, 3 Ethan Willis, 4 Jay Harman, 5 Tai Tuisamoa (capt.), 6 Chris Turori, 7 Shane Moise, 8 Josh Vainikolo, 9 Jamie Purcell, 10 Ben Batger, 11 Ian Denham, 12 Kalei Konrad, 13 John Grant, 14 Tim Stanfill, 15 Zach Pangelinan

16 Tai Te’o, 17 Nick Zajda, 18 Derrick Broussard, 19 Bryce Baker, 20 Todd Clever, 21 Ian Cassidy, 22 Nick Evans, 23 Matt Long

SFGG
1 Jacob Nelson, 2 Neil Barrett, 3 Saimone Laulaupea’alu, 4 Brendan Hardiman, 5 Tom Rooke, 6 Opeti Okusi, 7 Danny LaPrevotte, 8 Brendan Daly (capt.), 9 Colby Stevens, 10 Isoa Donaldson, 11 Pila Huihui, 12 Eae Okusi, 13 Isimeli Ratumaimuri, 14 Fatai Vailala, 15 Jack Halalilo

16 Grant Hyjer, 17 Sam Tofi, 18 Joe Fukofuka, 19 Nick Grass, 20 Drew Hyjer, 21 Ricky Reynolds, 22 Tevita Vehikite, 23 Tevita Okusi

 

OLD AZTECS vs BELMONT SHORE
Sat, Dec 17, 12:00, Robb Field, San Diego

The Aztecs have made just one personnel change to their side but also two positional switches. Mike Deel misses out so Tim Howard occupies the pivot position in his stead and Jon Prickett moves from fullback to outside center. Head coach Jaco Breytenbach will run out with the team in the no15 shirt to fill the gap.

After upsetting OMBAC last week Belmont Shore are on a high with just two changes to the starting lineup. Sam Lilley is out so Timothy Mendoza moves into lock and there are new flankers in Rob Newcomb and Cameron Reed. Wellington Lions hooker Valentine Meachan has arrived from New Zealand to take a spot on the bench, and USA Selects powerhouse Sione Tu’ihalamaka is set to make his club debut as an impact sub.

OLD AZTECS
1 Tristan Pickering, 2 Pat Blair, 3 Tasi Toilolo, 4 Joe Ramonas, 5 Lucas Edwards (capt.), 6 Leon Hayward, 7 Bryan Barnard, 8 Jeff Diggs, 9 Robert Stortz, 10 Tim Howard, 11 Cleeandre Ross, 12 Connor Mariani, 13 Jon Prickett, 14 James Niblock, 15 Jaco Breytenbach

16 Chris Gonzales, 17 Alex Blair, 18 Joe Wesolek, 19 Joe Wesolek, 20 Matt Foster, 21 David Persson, 22 Justice Cummins, 23 Jose Lugo

BELMONT SHORE
1 Mason Pedersen, 2 JP Palaita, 3 Brice Schilling, 4 Timothy Mendoza, 5 Ian Carpenter, 6 Rob Newcomb, 7 Cameron Reed, 8 Pita Semeane, 9 John Gray (capt.), 10 Hilton Mexted, 11 Andy Jackson, 12 Ed Pitts, 13 Max Paronelli, 14 Greg Daniels, 15 Peter Sio

16 Valentine Meachan, 17 Adam Channel, 18 Daniel Va’afuti, 19 Greg Justyn, 20 Sione Tu’ihalamaka, 21 Peter Nifo, 22 Ben Weischedel, 23 Mafi Seanoa

 

OLYMPIC vs LIFE WEST
Sat, Dec 17, 13:00, GAA Fields, Treasure Island

Olympic are struggling and at the bottom of the food chain at the moment but have good news with Mike Haley recovered from injury to line up in the midfield. An unusual positional switch sees skipper Tanner Mohr move from the flank to loosehead prop, with Kyle Peterson named on the blindside and the openside position set to be a game day decision.

Life West meanwhile see immediate benefits from the cancellation of the San Francisco Rush and have four PRO players back in the side to make things even more difficult for Olympic. Fancy Namulau’ulu completes a formidable front row unit and Siupeli Sakalia is back on the side of the scrum. Devereaux Ferris is in at scrumhalf with Martini Talapusi starting at fullback. Highly-rated youngster Naima Fuala’au is given a start at flyhalf in place of Guillaume Cazenave, and an interesting selection sees Pila Iongi at center with Junior Helu on the wing, when the opposite would seem a more likely configuration.

OLYMPIC
1 Tanner Mohr (capt.), 2 Travis Moscone, 3 Will Johnson, 4 Zack Purdy, 5 Jack Seymour, 6 Kyle Peterson, 7 tba, 8 Matt Frederickson, 9 Will Johnston, 10 Keegan Engelbrecht, 11 John Gallo, 12 Mike Haley, 13 Josh Tucker, 14 Torsten Christian, 15 Jake Anderson

16 Tom Bernardi, 17 Alex Drake, 18 Josh Galant, 19 Josh Gold, 20 Nick Jones, 21 Matt McCarthy, 22 Paul Saccomano, 23 Connor Rosenbaum

LIFE WEST
1 Fancy Namulau’ulu, 2 Jay Finau, 3 Holo Mo’ungaloa, 4 Alex Pedjase, 5 Rich Knight, 6 Siupeli Sakalia, 7 Naibuka Tawake, 8 Akuila Uaisele (capt.), 9 Devereaux Ferris, 10 Naima Fuala’au, 11 Junior Helu, 12 Suli Holani, 13 Pila Iongi, 14 Anthony Munoz, 15 Martini Talapusi

16 Lopeti Liu, 17 Tone Ngaluafe, 19 Kalafitoni Pole, 19 Anthony Aranda, 20 Nua Vete, 21 Tyler Harrison, 22 Guillaume Cazenave, 23 Tavita Lopeti