BOSTON — It’s no secret that rugby is a physical sport, and the Brookline boys rugby team was the more physically dominant squad on Thursday night.
Under the blazing hot June sun at Boston University’s Nickerson Field, the Warriors (6-2) battled their way to a 35-26 win over Chelmsford en route to a D-II state championship appearance.
“They ran hard at us and we just kept getting up and kept going,” Brookline coach Jarrod Dyke said. “Its not something that takes talent, it’s a mindset and that says a lot about the boys.”
Perhaps no one was more physical on the field than Brookline junior Liam Griffin. Griffin broke through the Chelmsford defense twice within the first 15 minutes of play to give the Warriors a 14-0 lead.
“When he’s in there he’s a monster,” Dyke said. “We know what we’re getting out of Liam and when he’s on the field he’s performing very well. Today was just a reflection of that.”
Junior captain B’Call Hooks fought his way into the try zone a couple minutes later to put Brookline up by three scores.
“When we got our three tries early, we were just so locked in as a team, just making great plays,” Griffin said.
The Warriors only lost two games all season — the first to Hanover and the second to Weymouth — and dominated Catholic Memorial, 59-7, prior to the semifinal matchup against Chelmsford.
This is Griffin’s first year playing rugby and he credits the camaraderie of the team as a big reason why Brookline has been able to dominate teams throughout the season.
“I’ve learned so much from everybody on this team,” Griffin said. “We’ve worked so hard for this, like actually so hard, and we’re so close as a team.”
The Warriors demonstrated their gritty team-first mentality to open the second half.
In the first minute of the half, the Lions weaved through the Warrior defense to get within a few yards of the try zone.
Yet, every time Chelmsford tried to push the ball into the zone, it seemed there was a Warrior there to halt the Lions’ progress. Despite numerous bull-rushes, the Warriors defensive line got low and stood tall to prevent Chelmsford from cutting into their lead.
According to Dyke, that defensive stand was a massive boost for the Brookline team holding a 21-7 lead with half a game left to play.
“If they score, things swing for sure,” Dyke said. “The boys have been in that situation before and let themselves down once or twice so the experience of that made them react a little bit better and be ready for it.”
The Brookline boys rugby team throws in a lineout against Chelmsford on June 5, 2025Brett Abrams
While the Lions did manage to break through the Warrior defense, their efforts were too little, too late.
By the time the final horn blew at Nickerson Field, it was the Warrior bench that erupted with cheers of celebration.
“We had a lot of adversity today. The fact that we were able to stick together and push through says a lot about the boys and their character,” Dyke said. “It’s a compliment and reflection of the boys and what they’ve done this year. Every one of them committed and it shows on the field.”
The Warriors will advance to take on the winner of No. 1 Hanover and No. 4 Algonquin in the state championship game on Saturday, June 14.
“The effort has got to be through the roof compared to this game, which is hard to do,” Dyke said. “But, it’s a state final. There’s no holding back.”
Going into the championship matchup, Griffin has one thing on his mind.
“To win,” Griffin said. “To win a state championship.”
