South Gloucestershire and Stroud College’s American Football team, SGS Pride, continued their quest for glory with a commanding 28-6 victory over Portsmouth Destroyers in the National Vase Cup semi-final. The win guarantees their spot in Tuesday’s much-anticipated final at Loughborough University, where they will face off against Brunel Burners.
The semi-final clash took place at Langstone Sports Village, and from the outset, SGS Pride asserted their dominance. Quarterfinal MVP Adam Deverill, who had been instrumental in their previous narrow win against Northumbria Mustangs, once again showcased his talent by scoring a crucial touchdown and spearheading the team’s overall performance.
Despite the long journey to the venue, the Stoke Gifford-based squad wasted no time in establishing a strong lead. Owayne Montaque opened the scoring with a powerful touchdown, breaking through Portsmouth’s defence and setting Pride on the path to victory.
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Deverill further extended the lead with an impressive touchdown, pushing the score to 14-0. However, Pride briefly faltered with a snapped ball fumble, allowing Portsmouth’s DeShawn Afilaka to capitalize and score their lone touchdown, followed by Nebechi Abana’s conversion to narrow the gap to 14-8.
Refusing to let their opponents gain momentum, SGS Pride tightened their defence and executed strategic runs, maintaining a comfortable lead. Kacper Salik powered through for a significant run that set the stage for Corben Menton’s final touchdown, sealing the game at 28-6.
With this decisive victory, SGS Pride advances confidently toward the finals, aiming to avenge their mid-November defeat against Brunel Burners. Under the leadership of head coach Ben Herod, the team hopes to emulate last year’s senior squad, who famously lifted the BUCS trophy.
The National Vase Cup final will kick off a thrilling BUCS Big Wednesday event, featuring 120 teams competing in 60 fixtures across 16 sports, showcasing the very best of university athletic talent nationwide.