PAC 7s Recap

November 6th & 7th, 2021

Oregon impressed in Berkeley all weekend as the Ducks finished 4th in the PAC 7s Championship. Without the luxury of flying down to California, and additionally entering the tournament as the 8th seed, the Ducks seemed to have the odds stacked against them. But they’re play proved to the PAC 12 that they had a place in the tournament and were a force to be reckoned with.

Junior captain Jeremy Gunderson started off the tournament with a bang, colliding with Cal’s Scrumhalf Henry Poon, and trucking him to the ground. This set the tone for Oregon, who would be the aggressor after an early score by Cal. Matching Cal’s intensity and tenacity around the ball and ruck gave the Ducks a lot of confidence in out playing other teams the rest of the weekend. The Ducks held their own on the defensive line early, with strong tackles from Rhys Kennedy and Jeremy Gunderson along with Nick Laughlin. However, the Bears, with their deep roster, and unlimited talent overpowered the Ducks, taking the tournament opener 35-5. 

Oregon was strong out of the gates, impressing both the fans and commentators, who sang their praise in the following games. Oregon quickly became the sideline favorite, and the “Boys from Eugene” used their momentum to power through Utah.

University of Utah, another physically imposing team, seemed to be taken back by the Ducks threatening offense. Utah decided to play slower, and it proved to be the wrong decision, as they wasted time kicking to touch and opting for line outs. Oregon used the faster paced game style to their advantage, controlling the pace and throwing off Utah’s timing. 

One lineup in the second half came to bite Utah, inbounding the ball inside their own 10 meter line. It was somewhat of a miracle for Oregon’s freshman, Kyle Pinkham and the Ducks. As the ball was thrown in and sailed over everyone’s head, it landed in the hands of Oregon’s scrum half Ion Goulthorpe, who threw a prayer to the far side of the field. All it took was a scoop off the ground and Pinkham had recorded his first career try. Oregon would win 15-5.

Saturday’s pool play wrapped up with USC and their dynamic offense. The Ducks got to put on a show for all the Berkeley fans, as they flaunted their confident offense. Michael Colucci was masterful, finding and space creating space with left and right foot, while Deitner and Walters racked up meters. With zero seconds on the clock in the first half, Colucci found Senior Will Bernachi-Sass who put on the burners down the sideline to score and make it 19-7 at half. 

To lead off the second half, Oregon showed off their versatility and deadly mix of speed, size, and tenacity. After Deitner secured a turnover early, Gunderson took care of his man, trampling another defender and extending the lead. The Ducks finished with 26 points to USC’s 14, going 2-1 on the day. 

Sunday kicked off with a seasoned UCLA 7s team. This would be the best matchup for Oregon, who would face off with USA Eagle Lucas Lacamp and the tournament star, Austin Keil. The Ducks started very strong, driving down the field and tacking on a great team try score going from Gunderson to Deitner to Kennedy. Colucci would add the kick to make it 7-5. Colucci, after a penalty from UCLA, would pass a dart to Laughlin to tie it at 12 going into half. With the opportunity to score, Oregon unfortunately knocked it on and Gunderson received a late blow to the ribs that would take him out. The Ducks let the game slip through their fingers just a bit and wouldn’t be able to finish. Final score Oregon 12 - UCLA 26. 

Against Arizona, the Ducks kept it interesting, although showing their fatigue. Numerous games from the weekend had finally caught up to them and Oregon looked tired. Despite this, they still had positive moments and were able to capitalize on an outstanding team try including a crazy offload by Deitner and a shoestring catch by Walters who would set it down for Oregon. Final score Oregon 10 - Arizona 33.

Ultimately, the Ducks took the opportunity to prove themselves as aggressors in the 7s arena. They had the pieces and composure to win, but fell short in executing. This tournament, however, surely put the Ducks on the map and in the minds of the rest of the PAC 12. Oregon plans to attend next year and get involved in plenty of 7s during the coming year.