Doylestown Rugby Football Club News – May 4, 2026

Doylestown Rugby Academy U12 and U14 Teams

Dragons Show Grit and Growth in Physical Clash with Montgomery-Bucks

DOYLESTOWN, PA – On a sun-drenched Sunday, May 3, 2026, the Doylestown Dragons Rugby Club returned to their home pitch to host rivals Montgomery-Bucks. For the Dragons’ U12 and U14 squads, the day was more than just a fixture; it was a measuring stick for three months of grueling practice and development since their initial scrimmage back in mid-March. While the final scores favored the visitors, the Dragons displayed a level of technical improvement and “never-say-die” spirit that left the coaching staff encouraged.

U12: Technical Prowess vs. Physical Might

The U12 match kicked off the day’s action with high intensity. From the opening whistle, the young Dragons showcased a refined offensive strategy, emphasizing hard running and efficient ball movement to the backs.

The Doylestown side applied relentless pressure early on, translating their supportive play into several well-earned tries. However, as the match progressed, the sheer physical stature of the Montgomery-Bucks team began to take its toll. Despite the Dragons’ disciplined defensive line and constant hustle, the size advantage of Montgomery-Bucks proved difficult to overcome, allowing them to secure the victory.

U14: A Halftime Stalemate Turns into a Test of Endurance

The U14 match up followed a similar narrative of tactical growth meeting physical resistance. The first half was a bruising, back-and-forth affair defined by physicality and teamwork. Both sides traded heavy tackles and hard-hitting runs. Supportive play was the hallmark of the Dragons’ strategy. The teams went into the halftime break with Montgomery-Bucks holding a narrow 14-7 lead.

Coming out of the halftime with increased focus, the Dragons looked to turn the tide. But as the clock ticked on, the size and strength of the Montgomery roster became the deciding factor. While the Dragons executed several brilliant plays, the Montgomery-Bucks’ defenders were often able to neutralize the momentum through sheer power. By the final whistle, Montgomery-Bucks had pulled away for a 42-7 win, although the scoreline failed to reflect the Dragons’ persistent effort.

Despite the losses, the day served its primary purpose: demonstrating the club’s evolution over the last quarter. “The Dragons’ never-give-up attitude and teamwork were on full display for the entire game,” noted club supporters. With the team looking forward to a playoff opportunity, the Doylestown coaching staff remains focused on leveraging the Dragons’ technical skills and supportive team culture as they prepare for their next outing. If the weekend was any indication, the Dragons are a team that may have been outsized, but they are rarely outworked.

Link to Match Film: https://youtu.be/AwKsf1DJYs8

Doylestown Rugby Academy U16 Boys’ Team

The Doylestown Rugby Academy U16 Boys’ Team hosted the Gryphons of Montgomery-Bucks U16 Rugby on Sunday, May 3, 2026 for their fifth and final regular season RugbyPA U16 league match. Montgomery-Bucks traveled to Doylestown with a physically large team. Doylestown needed to play very well because the Mont-Bucks team came to physically match Doylestown’s hard-running and hard-hitting style of play.

As in the past, Doylestown focused on playing a wide and spread-out format this match which proved to be beneficial to the young Dragons. Doylestown discovered that they could move the ball through their backline’s hands and out to the wing where players like AJ “Pete” Kelhart were waiting to finish off a score from the outside. A Jake Beckenhauer conversion made the score 7-0 in favor of the Dragons in the first 5 minutes of the match. Then, the flood gates opened for additional tries from Brady Flynn, Finn Riley, Jackson Backus, and another from AJ “Pete” Kelhart. These scores made the halftime score 31-0 in favor of the Doylestown U16 Dragons. Montgomery-Bucks would not allow another one-sided half to happen when they opened up the scoring in the second half with a penalty try that made the score Doylestown 31 – Mont-Bucks 7. However, three more scores by Doylestown’s Justin Grosso, Mario Palena, and Jake Beckenhauer put the young Dragons ahead by 50 – 7. Finally, the Mont-Bucks Team would have the final say in terms of scoring for the match with the last two scores of the game. This made the final score: Doylestown 50 – Montgomery-Bucks 21.

Try scorers for Doylestown were: AJ “Pete” Kelhart (2), Brady Flynn (1), Finn Riley (1), Jackson Backus (1), Justin Gross (1), Mario Palena (1), and Jake Beckenhauer (1). Beckenhauer also kicked five conversions. Montgomery-Bucks had three converted trys. The Doylestown Man of the Match was Brady Flynn (Scrum-Half) for his first half try and for playing scrum-half like a football linebacker and making hard, thorough, and consistent tackles throughout the match. On Sunday, May 10, 2026, the Doylestown U16 Team will host an opponent to be named later for the RugbyPA U16 State Championship Semi-Final at their Maennerchor home pitch in Doylestown.

Link to Match Film: https://youtu.be/OF-HYt9zVUQ

For more information about Doylestown Rugby Football Club, go to www.doylestownrugby.com