Navy Men’s Rugby Blanks Defending NCR Champion St. Bonaventure, 50-0, in Season Opener
Navy 50, St. Bonaventure 0.
The Navy men’s rugby team opened the 2026-27 season with a statement Saturday afternoon, scoring seven tries and shutting out defending National Collegiate Rugby Division I champion St. Bonaventure at the Prusmack Rugby Center in Annapolis.
Seven different Midshipmen reached the try line as Navy combined an explosive, balanced attack with a disciplined defensive performance. The Midshipmen scored 19 unanswered points in the first half before adding 31 more after halftime.
Senior Kade Williams led Navy with 15 points, converting six of the Midshipmen’s seven tries and adding a penalty kick on the final play. Jake Cornelius, Jack Skidmore, Andrew Baublitz, Grant Goddard, John Masino, Waylon Davis and Edmund Soeder each scored one try.
The result moved Navy to 1-0 and dropped St. Bonaventure to 0-1.
Cornelius Gives Navy an Immediate Lead
Navy needed less than four minutes to take control.
Cornelius powered deep into St. Bonaventure territory and broke through the defensive line for the Midshipmen’s first try of the season at the 3:52 mark. Williams added the conversion to give Navy an early 7-0 lead.
The Midshipmen struck again in the 13th minute. Scrum half Sean Donohue helped create space for Skidmore, who finished the sequence with Navy’s second try. Another successful conversion from Williams extended the lead to 14-0.
St. Bonaventure attempted to slow the match and withstand Navy’s early pressure, but the Midshipmen continued to win the physical exchanges.
Baublitz broke through a tackle and powered across the try line in the 31st minute. The senior center’s score gave Navy a 19-0 advantage heading into halftime.
The Midshipmen had already established control, but their most complete stretch came immediately after the break.
Defense Turns Into More Navy Points
Navy’s defense produced the first major play of the second half.
Goddard read a St. Bonaventure pass, stepped into the passing lane and intercepted the ball. With open field in front of him, the junior lock raced untouched to the try line in the 42nd minute.
Williams converted the score to push Navy’s lead to 26-0.
The Midshipmen continued to spread the ball effectively, using their experience and chemistry to force St. Bonaventure to defend the entire width of the field. Masino completed another well-constructed attacking sequence with a try in the 48th minute.
Williams’ conversion increased the advantage to 33-0.
Navy then showed it could score through its forwards as effectively as it could through the open field. The Midshipmen formed a maul following a lineout, and Davis drove across the try line in the 58th minute.
Williams again converted, giving Navy a 40-0 lead.
The balanced scoring reflected the depth of a Navy roster featuring 19 seniors. Several of those players have spent the past three seasons developing together under director of rugby Gavin Hickie.
Hickie credited that continuity for Navy’s ability to move the ball confidently between its forwards and backs.
Midshipmen Protect the Shutout
St. Bonaventure entered the match as the No. 1 team in the NCR preseason poll and the defending NCR Division I national champion.
The Bonnies captured the 2025 national championship by defeating top-ranked Queens, 55-21. St. Bonaventure also won an NCR championship in 2021 and reached the national title match in 2023.
Navy never allowed that championship pedigree to translate into points.
St. Bonaventure mounted its best scoring opportunity during the 61st minute, pushing the ball inside Navy’s 5-meter line. The Midshipmen held their ground and denied the Bonnies, preserving the shutout.
That defensive stand became one of the most important sequences of the match. Navy already held a commanding lead, but the Midshipmen continued playing with the same urgency they showed during the opening minutes.
Navy’s defensive pressure created another score in the 69th minute. Senior flanker Aidan Gerber blocked a St. Bonaventure clearing kick, and Soeder recovered the loose ball before crossing the try line.
Williams’ sixth conversion made the score 47-0.
The senior fly half and fullback completed the scoring with an 80th-minute penalty kick as the final whistle sounded.
Williams Directs Efficient Kicking Performance
Williams’ 15-point performance gave Navy stability throughout the match.
He converted six of seven tries and successfully handled the final penalty attempt. His accuracy allowed the Midshipmen to consistently turn five-point tries into seven-point possessions.
Williams was one of several seniors who influenced the result. Cornelius, Skidmore, Baublitz and Soeder each scored tries, while Gerber created the turnover that led to Soeder’s score.
Navy captains Trevor Gayron and Soeder entered the season leading a veteran roster. Gayron made 11 starts in 12 appearances last season, while Soeder entered the year as a two-time Collegiate Rugby Association of America All-American.
That leadership will be important as Navy pursues another national championship opportunity.
A Statement Against a National Champion
The victory carried additional weight because of the opponent.
Navy and St. Bonaventure compete in different national championship structures, with the Midshipmen playing in CRAA Division I-A and the Bonnies competing through NCR. However, both programs operate at the highest levels of collegiate rugby.
St. Bonaventure entered the season believing it had the depth and experience to defend its NCR championship. The Bonnies added 22 freshmen after winning the national title with several young players already contributing.
Navy overwhelmed that roster in every phase.
The Midshipmen scored through powerful individual runs, structured passing, a lineout maul, an interception and a blocked kick. They also maintained discipline and did not concede a single point.
Navy was coming off a 2025-26 campaign that ended with a loss to Saint Mary’s in the CRAA Division I-A national championship match. The Midshipmen’s response in their first meaningful action of the new season demonstrated that another championship run remains the expectation in Annapolis.
MSB Take
A 50-point performance is impressive under any circumstances. Scoring 50 while shutting out a defending national champion makes this one of Navy’s strongest opening statements since the program received varsity status.
The most encouraging aspect was not the final margin. It was how Navy constructed the victory.
Seven different players scored tries, meaning St. Bonaventure could not focus its defense on one primary playmaker. Navy scored from the back line, through its forwards and directly off defensive pressure. That type of balance becomes extremely difficult to contain over 80 minutes.
The shutout was just as meaningful. Navy protected its try line even after the outcome had been decided, turning away St. Bonaventure’s best possession inside the 5-meter line. That showed the Midshipmen were playing to their own standard rather than simply managing the scoreboard.
There will be more difficult afternoons ahead, particularly with Air Force, Army, Life, Mount St. Mary’s and Saint Mary’s all on the schedule. Still, Navy could not have asked for a more complete opening performance.
The Midshipmen did not merely beat a respected opponent. They dominated a reigning national champion from the opening minutes through the final whistle.
Navy will remain home to face the Potomac Exiles Rugby Club in an exhibition match Saturday, Sept. 5, at the Prusmack Rugby Center. The Midshipmen will then host Air Force on Friday, Sept. 11.
Sources: Navy Athletics recap, Navy season preview, Navy’s 2026-27 schedule, St. Bonaventure season preview.
