Surge wins state championship

The Sarasota Surge rugby team recently won the 2016 Division 3 Florida Men’s State Championship. 

The Surge edged past the defending champion Gainesville Hogs 29-20 to win the title April 16, in Wellington. The competition featured multiple divisions, ranging from boys U8 to men.
“Our success this past weekend was made possible by the hard work of countless individuals and it was a great moment for both our youth program and our men’s team,” Sarasota Surge Rugby Club president and player Troy Nealey said in a press release. 

Founded in 2010 by a small group of international and American rugby players, the Sarasota Surge Rugby Club comprises players from both Manatee and Sarasota Counties. Over the past six years, the club, which trains in Lakewood Ranch, has added a youth program, earned a playoff appearance in 2012, posted an undefeated season in 2013 and advanced to the semifinals in 2014. 

This year’s state championship a first for the program. The Surge will now advance to the USA South Regionals April 30, in Montgomery, Ala., to face the winner of the North Carolina State Championship between Chapel Hill and Southern Pines. 

For more information on the Surge, visit SarasotaRugbyClub.com.