Crusaders Take Sixth at Cowboy 7's

The Crusaders traveled to Pittsburgh, PA to compete in the Cowboy 7's Tournament, finishing in sixth place after a competitive weekend against a strong field. The team showed attacking firepower throughout pool play and battled in tight matches during the playoff rounds.

Day 1

The Crusaders opened the tournament in dominant fashion against Grove City. Mark Patryn and Nate Sheedy each crossed for early tries to give the Crusaders a 10–0 halftime lead. In the second half, Dan DiFalco and Frank Woltering added converted tries to secure a convincing 24–0 victory.

Against Baldwin Wallace, the Crusaders continued their strong form. Mark Patryn opened the scoring before Conrad Woltering added another try. After leading 5–5 at halftime, the Crusaders pulled away behind second-half tries from Patryn, Woltering, Henry Kolesar, and Sheedy. With multiple conversions from Frank Woltering, the Crusaders earned a decisive 31–5 win.

The matchup with Alfred proved to be one of the most competitive games of the day. After trading scores early, Alfred built a two-score lead heading into halftime. The Crusaders responded with tries from Mark Patryn, Christian DiFalco, and Henry Kolesar, with Woltering adding key conversions. Despite the late push, the Crusaders fell just short in a 28–24 result.

Day 2

In their first game of the second day, the Crusaders faced John Carroll. Christian DiFalco led the charge early with two converted tries to give the Crusaders a 14–0 halftime lead. However, John Carroll mounted a strong second-half comeback, scoring four unanswered tries to hand the Crusaders a 24–14 loss.

In the Plate Semifinal against Curry, the Crusaders jumped out to an early lead behind tries from Christian DiFalco and Dan DiFalco, both converted by Frank Woltering. Curry responded with two second-half tries, but the Crusaders' defense held firm to secure a 14–10 victory and a spot in the Plate Final.

The Crusaders faced Cedarville in the Plate Final. Cedarville struck first with two early tries to take a 12–0 lead. Christian DiFalco answered before halftime with a converted try to cut the deficit to 12–7.

In the second half, Cedarville extended their lead, but the Crusaders continued to fight. Frank Woltering added a late converted try to bring the score within five. Despite the comeback effort, the Crusaders fell just short, 19–14.

The Crusaders demonstrated strong attacking depth and resilience throughout the tournament, highlighted by dominant wins over Grove City and Baldwin Wallace. Close contests against Alfred, John Carroll, and Cedarville showed the team's ability to compete with quality opponents, while their Plate Semifinal win reflected their determination.

Finishing sixth overall, the Crusaders gained valuable experience and momentum as they continue to develop throughout the 7's season.