SAINT CHARLES, Mo. - The sting of a loss still fresh on the mind, Iowa Central head coach Brent Nelson was left feeling proud of his rugby program.
The Tritons wrapped up their regular season this past weekend, falling to national-title contender Lindenwood in the A-side match, 74-5.
But for Nelson, the final moments spent in the opposing locker room made him reflect positively.
"At the end of the match, you take your lumps, eat the meal provided by the home team, shower and go home," Nelson said.
"But we have this thing in rugby where you sweep the shed. When I went to check on the locker room after our guys had been beaten mercilessly and heckled, of all the times I expected our guys to forget about that role, they didn't.
"I was as proud of them as I have ever been. That locker room was spotless and maybe even cleaner than when we found it.
"To me, that is a win. When young men take a beating like that and still become the bigger person, I think that speaks volumes for who they are and what they are going to be moving on in life."
Tony Robinson had the lone try for the Tritons, which tied the match up early.
"For almost half of the first half, we were holding them," Nelson said. "Lindenwood has the ability to put out many different levels of skill and we played their absolute best. They didn't let up once they got momentum and that is what great programs do.
"I think we can really learn from that because we have been on the other side of matches like this before. You can't step off the gas until the match is over."
Rhys Smith, a former Iowa Central All-American, was among those who made an appearance for Lindenwood.
In the B-side match, Lindenwood won, 29-0.
"That was our best B-side performance of the year," Nelson said. "They came in undefeated and we held them scoreless for the final 23 minutes of the match. I was very happy and proud of our guys.
"Many of those guys will be counted on next year to step up."
The Tritons will prepare for a bowl game this December to conclude the year.
-By Dana Becker