GECKOS BLANK BULLDOGS IN RUGBY SEASON OPENER

By Shania Bulala

The George Washington Geckos opened their season with a commanding 21-0 victory over the Okkodo Bulldogs during the first week of ISA rugby on Saturday afternoon at the GW Field.

Rayn Rios led the Geckos with a standout performance, scoring all three tries with teammates Eduardo “Boom” Whitman contributing two conversions and Nizayah Untalan adding one.

The Geckos wasted no time getting on the scoreboard with Rios scoring his first try just minutes after kickoff. Whitman followed by adding a successful conversion to put GW up 7-0 early in the first half.

While the Geckos had momentum on their side, the Bulldogs’ defense stepped up, putting pressure on the Geckos offense and keeping them from gaining easy yards. However, just before halftime, Rios struck again, scoring another try for the Geckos. This time, Nizayah Untalan stepped up for the conversion, adding two points to close the half with GW leading 14-0.

In the second half, the Bulldogs made a determined push to get on the scoreboard. Ezekiel Santos energized the crowd with a skillful 30-yard run, strategically getting past defenders. However, the Geckos’ defense held strong and denied the Bulldogs offense from getting into the tryzone.

Rios sealed the game with an impressive 40-yard run, capping off his dominant performance with his third and final try. Whitman added the final two points, securing a 21-0 victory for the Geckos.

“This was a great way to start the season, but I believe that there is so much more that we can do compared to what we did today,” said Rios. “There’s always room for improvement. We are learning how to work better as a team, and we can fix that in practice.”

The Geckos aim to build on this dominant start and make another run for the championship. “As a team, our goal is always going to be to win the championship. But, most importantly, we want to progress with every single game,” added Rios.

With the victory, the Geckos hope to carry their momentum into Week Two when they face the Father Duenas Friars next Saturday at 9 a.m. at the JFK Field in a highly anticipated rematch of last year’s championship game. FD won that game 21-19 to clinch their sixth straight title.

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