Saint Martins Academy Kingfishers Crush SLUH in Ruthless 82-0 Rugby Rout

By Vincent Prezzia, March 9, 2025

In a display of unrelenting dominance, the Saint Martins Academy Kingfishers dismantled St. Louis University High (SLUH) with a staggering 82-0 victory on Saturday, a result that will linger long in the memory of both sets of players and supporters. The short forty-minute thrashing, played under slate-grey skies, showcased the Kingfishers’ attacking verve and defensive steel, leaving SLUH shell-shocked and searching for answers.

From the opening whistle, Saint Martin's seized control with a ferocity that bordered on the surgical. At the heart of it all was captain Ethan Blakie, whose leadership was nothing short of inspirational. Barking orders and leading by example, Blakie marshalled his troops with a calm authority that belied the chaos around him. Whether crashing through tackles in the tight or rallying his side during rare moments of SLUH pressure, his presence was a galvanizing force, knitting together an already formidable unit into an unstoppable machine.

Fly-half Will Van De Ryt, orchestrating play like a seasoned general, stretched the field with an almost telepathic understanding of space and timing. His vision and deft handling set the tone for what would become a relentless onslaught, as the Kingfishers ran in tries with a rhythm that SLUH simply couldn’t disrupt.

Adding fuel to this attacking fire was scrum-half Robbie Ritson, whose quick-paced play and unrelenting aggression turned the base of every ruck into a launching pad. Ritson was a dynamo, snapping the ball out with whip-like precision and darting through gaps with a ferocity that kept SLUH’s defense on edge. His tenacity was infectious, driving the tempo of the game and ensuring the Kingfishers maintained their breathless momentum. One moment of brilliance saw him dummy a pass before bursting forward himself, wrong-footing the opposition and setting up a phase that ended with yet another score.

The highlight of the afternoon came early in the first half when winger Henry Schafer lit up the touchline with a breathtaking dive into the try zone. Collecting a looping pass from J.P. Van De Ryt, Schafer evaded two despairing tackles before launching himself over the line in a moment of pure athletic poetry. The crowd erupted, sensing that this was not just a try, but a statement of intent. Converted with ease, it was a sign of many more to come as the scoreboard ticked over with merciless regularity.

Saint Martin's pack was no less impressive, dominating the set-piece and turning SLUH’s scrum into a disheveled mess. The forwards, led by Peter McDonald, provided a platform that allowed Will Van De Ryt to dictate terms, his kicks pinning SLUH deep in their own half while his distribution carved open gaps that the Kingfishers exploited with glee. By the halfway mark, the scoreline already read 40-0, a testament to the Kingfishers' unrelenting pressure and clinical finishing.

SLUH, to their credit, showed flickers of resistance, but their efforts were snuffed out by a Kingfishers defense that swarmed with intent. Every foray forward was met with a wall of blue and black, and as fatigue set in, the Bilikens’ discipline frayed. Penalties mounted, and Saint Martin's capitalized without hesitation, piling on points with a ruthlessness that left no room for sentiment.

As junior John Arthur Denton put it, "There was one try in rthe first half SLUH was under the posts and Will drained it and they saw we were already set up and their heads all dropped seeing that"

The second half offered little respite for SLUH. Van De Ryt continued to pull the strings, his cross-field kicks and clever offloads creating opportunities that his teammates devoured, while Ritson’s relentless energy kept the opposition scrambling. Schafer added a second try to his tally, and the backline’s interplay left SLUH defenders grasping at shadows. By the time the referee blew for full-time, the Kingfishers had racked up an astonishing 82 points—12 tries and a flawless kicking display—without conceding a single score.

For Saint Martin's, this was more than a win; it was a declaration. Blakie's leadership, Van De Ryt’s masterclass at fly-half, Ritson’s dynamism at scrum-half, and Schafer’s flair on the wing underscored a squad brimming with talent and ambition. 

As the Kingfishers faithful filed out, their chants echoing into the crisp March air, one thing was clear: Saint Martin's Academy is a force to be reckoned with, and on this evidence, few will relish facing them in the weeks ahead.