WORCESTER, Mass. (10/10-2026) - Undefeated Nichols College Men's Rugby continued its impressive run with a commanding 62-5 victory over conference rival Holy Cross in its final road contest of the regular season. The Bison completed the afternoon sweep with a 29-10 victory in the B-side match.
The matchup carried added significance for Nichols, which entered Worcester with unfinished business against a familiar opponent. The Bison had gotten the better of the Crusaders in last season's three-game series, but Holy Cross delivered the decisive blow in the postseason, eliminating Nichols in the Elite Eight.
With that defeat still fresh in their minds, the Bison arrived determined to write a different chapter in the rivalry.
Nichols wasted little time setting the tone.
Garret Portesi opened the scoring with the first try of the afternoon and successfully converted his own score to give the Bison an early 7-0 advantage. Nichol Johnstone followed with Nichols' second try before Blake Moore crossed the line for the third. Portesi added the conversion as Nichols continued to build momentum.
Wyatt Sclafani added the fourth try of the half before Hayden Munce powered across for the fifth. Portesi connected on his third conversion of the afternoon, sending Nichols into halftime with a commanding 31-0 lead.
The Bison showed no signs of slowing down after the break.
Shane Okenquist opened the second-half scoring before Portesi crossed the line for his second try of the afternoon, adding another successful conversion to continue his impressive performance.
Levi Tendo followed with another Nichols try before Thomas Harper added the Bison's ninth score of the match. Joey Yearsley capped the Nichols scoring with the tenth try of the afternoon, with Portesi adding successful conversions following both Harper's and Yearsley's scores.
Holy Cross managed to break through for its lone try in the second half, but the Nichols defense remained in control throughout the contest, limiting the Crusaders to just five points.
Portesi delivered an outstanding offensive performance, scoring two tries and converting all six of Nichols' successful kicks for a match-high 22 points. Nine different Bison players found the try zone as Nichols showcased the depth and versatility of its attack.
Blake Moore and Joey Yearsley earned A-Side Co-Man of the Match honors for their contributions to the victory. Both players found the try zone as Nichols delivered another strong team performance against its conference rival.
Beyond the offensive production, the victory carried particular significance for Nichols. After seeing its postseason run end at the hands of Holy Cross a season ago, the Bison returned to Worcester and delivered a statement performance.
