The Chicago Hounds' Julian Dominguez (11) battles for the ball against Utah earlier this season. Dominguez scored two tries in a 24-22 victory over Dallas on March 18. Photo by Jeff Vorva
Pro Sports Report | SeatGeek to host Major League Rugby championship; Hounds sniff out first win
By Jeff Vorva
Staff Writer
SeatGeek Stadium, host of the expansion Chicago Hounds, will host this season’s Major League Rugby championship game.
The game is scheduled to be played July 8 in Bridgeview. It will air nationally on FOX.
“Moving the championship match to a predetermined venue has long been a goal of Major League Rugby,” MLR CEO Nic Benson stated in a news release. “As the league continues to show an exceptional pattern of growth, we believe this is the perfect time to plan an entire weekend of fun rugby and fan events around our showcase game.
“Chicago’s rich history of hosting large-scale rugby events combined with a great facility at SeatGeek Stadium makes for the perfect place to celebrate and honor our athletes and fans.”
There will be a schedule of activities leading up to the game.
“We are excited to showcase all that American rugby has to offer through it’s remarkable growth from top level men’s and women’s club games to youth rugby and everything in between,” Hounds majority owner Peter Bernick stated in the news release. “The weekend will feature Chicago’s food and music scene while building toward the Major League Rugby championship match on Saturday afternoon at SeatGeek. We expect a full house for what will be a fantastic weekend and can’t wait to bring this event to Chicago.”
In future seasons, MLR intends to allow venues both within and outside the league the opportunity to host the championship final.
Hounds sniff out victory
It was a night so cold that “bring your dog to the game night” was scratched. But the humans who braved temperatures that fell below 20 degrees cheered Chicago’s newest professional team to the first win in franchise history on March 18, beating Dallas 24-22.
It appeared the Hounds (1-3-0) were heading for another defeat, but flyhalf Chris Mattina converted a penalty kick in the 77th minute to put the team ahead and Chicago native Paddy Ryan forced a turnover in the closing seconds to secure the win.
Chicago’s Chris Mattina, shown running with the ball earlier in the season against Utah, had the game-winning kick against Dallas on March 18. Photo by Jeff Vorva
The 77th minute seems to be magic for teams at the Bridgeview Stadium.
A week prior, Toronto’s Sammy Malcolm scored all 27 of his team’s points, including a drop goal in the 77th minute which turned out to be the winning score in a 27-26 victory over the Hounds.
This time, the 77th minute was gold for the Hounds. The the Jackals (0-5-0) lose their Major League Rugby-record 21st straight game.
The Jackals scored in the first minute of the game but could not maintain the momentum.
Chicago’s Mark O’Keefe scored a try in the 15th minute and Julian Dominguez scored tries in the 20th and 57th minutes.
Up next
After facing back-to-back winless teams in Toronto and Dallas, the competition for the Hounds gets ratcheted up at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 26, when they host Seattle (4-0-0).
Seattle is the last unbeaten team in the MLR and had last weekend off.
The Seawolves have beaten New York (25-11), Atlanta (28-22), Dallas (35-10) and previously unbeaten Houston (24-12) for the first 4-0 start in team history.
Fire II is back
The Chicago Fire II team returns to SeatGeek Stadium for the second year and has a schedule full of free games on tap in Bridgeview.
The first home game is at 6 p.m. Friday, March 31, against Toronto FC II.
The roster consists of first-team players who are signed to MLS NEXT Pro contracts, and members of the Chicago Fire Academy.
The season opener is Sunday, March 26 art Inter Miami CF II.
Kit n’ kerfuffle
The good news for Chicago Red Stars fans is that the team kits for the 2023 season are out, have received favorable reviews and should make their faithful followers happy.
The bad news is they are not ready to be sold to the public. According to the team, “unforeseen circumstances” have prevented the jersey from being sold at this time.
There is a presale on the jerseys for CRS Insiders that start Wednesday, March 22. But standard orders won’t be taken until July 1.
3 Comments
Local News
Moraine Valley’s Tom Diaz earns All-Conference honors
Spread the loveBy Carol McGowan Tom Diaz is a freshman at Moraine Valley Community College, and is making big strides with their cross country team. Diaz is also a 2021 graduate of Argo Community High School, and is the first Argonaut to earn All Region honors while pursuing his cross country career. MVCC’s Men’s an&…
Summit native marks decade with the Harlem Globetrotters
Spread the loveBy Carol McGowan Saul White Jr., better known as Flip White to basketball fans, has been with the famed Harlem Globetrotters for just over 10 years, and has no intention of stopping the entertainment he provides for his fans. White, who grew up in Summit, attended Wharton School and Graves Junior High (now…
A heavenly sound
Spread the love In what is arguably the most ornate and beautiful house of worship on the Southwest Side—St. Joseph Church in Back of the Yards–the Polonijna Orkiestra Chicago played liturgical music selections last Sunday. Founded in 2011, the orchestra is designed to teach young musicians Polish music and culture. St. Joseph parishioner Konrad Pawelek…
Crime images spark outrage in Gage Park
Spread the loveRobbed at gunpoint in his own garage By Tim Hadac Home-security camera images of a 48-year-old Gage Park man being robbed at gunpoint in his own garage outraged a number of Southwest Siders this week. Images showed the man driving his car down the alley in the 5500 block of South Richmond at…
Here’s the skinny: Trimmed-down Lawrence helps Oak Lawn top Evergreen
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Oak Lawn senior basketball player Davion Lawrence is 45 pounds lighter than he was last season, but insists his eating habits are the same. He has, however, changed up his training habits. Heading into football last fall, Lawrence and a few fellow seniors wanted to get in the…
College Report: McAuley grad Swiatek plays hero for St. Francis
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Hannah Swiatek comes off the bench for the University of St. Francis and is averaging 3.1 points per game. But when called on for the biggest shot of her college career, the 5-foot-8 junior guard from Oak Lawn delivered. Swiatek scored the winning basket in a wild 99-97…
Evans, Adams lead Argo past Shepard on Alumni Night
Spread the loveBy Steve Metsch Corrspondent Argo’s Davonte Evans and Will Adams both knew it was just a matter of time before the Argonauts would find a way to beat Shepard. That time came in the third quarter of a South Suburban Red matchup, when Argo outscored Shepard en rout to a 61-52 on Jan.…
Stagg’s Laila Barakat and McAuley’s Bella Finnegan hit 1K career points; Richards’ Kortz gets 300th win
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Look what Laila Barakat started. The Stagg senior basketball star hit a milestone when she scored her 1,000th career point against Richards on Jan. 8. That was the first of three notable career accomplishments achieved the following week. It was followed by Mother McAuley senior Bella Finnegan scoring…
Cruz booted from SD 229 school board in Oak Lawn
Spread the loveBy Dermot Connolly There is a vacancy on the Oak Lawn Community High School District 229 School Board, after members voted 6-1 last week to remove Robert Cruz for allegedly violating his oath of office, school board policy and state statutes. Cruz, a property developer, was elected to the District 229 board in…
Tax exemptions will be automatic, Kaegi says
Spread the loveFrom staff reports In response to the ongoing pandemic, the Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi’s office will continue the automatic renewal of the Senior Freeze, Veterans with Disabilities and Persons with Disabilities Exemptions. The Homeowner and Senior Exemptions will continue to auto-renew every year. If a homeowner received any of these five exemptions…
Neighbors
Flooding is Illinois’ Most Threatening Natural Disaster. Are We Prepared?
by Meredith Newman, Illinois Answers Project April 16, 2024 This story was originally published by the Illinois Answers Project. The electricity in Mary Buchanan’s home in West Garfield Park was not working – again. The outage lasted four days, starting just after a crew dug up her front lawn to install a check valve in…
Lawmakers pitch sweeping changes to energy industry and Chicagoland transit system
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com A group of lawmakers and influential environmental advocates are calling for broad changes to the state’s energy industry and a massive increase in state oversight of Chicagoland’s transit system – which faces a projected $730 million budget shortfall. Advocates for the policy platform, which is broken up into…
Democrats flex muscle to kick off final month of session as revenues remain on track
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – With about three weeks to go before the Illinois General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn its spring legislative session, supermajority Democrats showed their strength this week as fiscal forecasters noted state revenues remain on track. April is typically a make-or-break month for state coffers, as income…
Former state trooper who caused fatal crash halts effort to get driving privileges restored
By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com The former Illinois State Trooper who pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter of two sisters in 2007 has abandoned his efforts to have a hearing into the restoration of his driving privileges – for now. Matt Mitchell, 45, requested at least two delays in the hearing after he failed…
Capitol Briefs: Senate advances elections bill, measure targeting ‘predatory’ lending
By PETER HANCOCK & HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A bill that would put more controls on certain kinds of high-cost loans to small businesses cleared the Illinois Senate Thursday. Senate Bill 2234, known as the Small Business Financial Transparency Act, targets a relatively new kind of nontraditional lender in the credit…
Law enforcement community honors fallen officers at Illinois Capitol
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Six fallen police officers were honored at an annual memorial service outside the State Capitol Thursday. The Illinois Police Officers Memorial occurs annually on the first Thursday of May to honor officers who died in the line of duty and to support their families. “No one…
Democrats muscle through changes to ballot access, advisory questions
By JERRY NOWICKI HANNAH MEISEL & PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Supermajority Democrats in the Illinois House moved quickly Wednesday to push through a change to state election laws that partially limits ballot access and adds three nonbinding referendums to the 2024 general election ballot. It’s a move that caused minority party…
After 3 years, state poised to enforce law aiming to end lending discrimination
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – In 1977, then-President Jimmy Carter signed into law the Community Reinvestment Act, a federal law that sought to wipe away the last vestiges of racial discrimination and redlining in America’s home mortgage industry. The idea was simple. By requiring lenders – primarily banks – to make…
Capitol News Illinois partners with ‘Illinois Lawmakers’ program to bring it back to air
Capitol News Illinois announced today it will produce the long-running “Illinois Lawmakers” program this spring, in partnership with longtime host and producer Jak Tichenor. “This new partnership is absolutely critical to providing Illinois residents with reliable, independent, in-depth, up to date coverage from the Illinois Capitol after many newspapers and broadcasters shuttered their Statehouse bureaus over…
Election officials to weigh whether Darren Bailey and GOP operative Dan Proft illegally coordinated
By ANDREW ADAMS & HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – A year and a half after Republican Darren Bailey lost his campaign to challenge Gov. JB Pritzker, state election officials are weighing whether he illegally colluded with conservative radio show host and political operative Dan Proft in the 2022 campaign. The State Board…
[…] Source […]
[…] Source […]
[…] Source […]