ARROYO GRANDE, Calif. – The Golden Bears racked up 13 tries and yielded just two penalty kicks in an 81-6 win over Cal Poly Saturday on Talley Field.
 
California (5-0) got its try scoring from 10 different student-athletes, as flankers Thomas Spradling, a sophomore, and junior Nic Mirhashem, and sophomore scrumhalf Keanu Andrade scored two apiece.
 
Flyhalf Jamie Howells added a try and finished 7-for-10 on conversions, hitting seven straight after missing his first three attempts, while Elliot Webb also scored a try and went 1-for-3 off the tee. The Bears built a 22-6 halftime on tries by four different players against two penalties kicked by Mustangs inside center Alex Wormer, then piled nine more tries into the scoring column as Cal cut down on errors and penalties, and replacements maintained the intensity.
 
"We did a good job of adjusting at halftime to learn from some early mistakes," said match captain Kevin Sullivan.
 
Starting inside center Aisea Tongilava, who debuted at wing last weekend at the Dennis Storer Classic, was effective Saturday in the midfield. "On-field communication was key to the transition," he said. "Christian Dyer and Howells did a great job staying vocal with me."
 
A Cal football crossover making his first start at No. 12 in his first spring as a Rugby Bear, Tongilava added that after watching many spring Saturdays as a fan on Witter Rugby Field during his gridiron career, he's excited by the possibility of playing in Strawberry Canyon when the team's home schedule begins next weekend.
 
Cal's home opener on Witter Rugby Field takes place Saturday, January 27, at 1 p.m. against the Olympic Club.
 
"We can't wait to get out there in Blue and Gold in front of our fans," said winger Sam Cusano.
 
Prior to Saturday's varsity match, Cal's reserve-grade side shut out the Mustang reserves, 70-0.
 
The Scoring Timeline vs. Cal Poly
 
03:00 Cal Poly (Alex Wormer) 3
 
06:00 Jamie Howells 5
 
10:00 Nic Mirhashem 5
 
25:00 Aidan Flynn 5
 
30:00 Cal Poly (Alex Wormer) 3
 
35:00 Damon Wiley 5, Jamie Howells 2
 
Halftime Score: California 22, Cal Poly 6
 
45:00 Keanu Andrade 5, Jamie Howells 2
 
47:00 Thomas Spradling 5, Jamie Howells 2
 
53:00 Sebastian Bader 5, Jamie Howells 2
 
55:00 Zachary Tavenner 5, Jamie Howells 2
 
68:00 Nic Mirhashem 5, Jamie Howells 2
 
72:00 Kevin Saunders 5, Jamie Howells 2
 
74:00 Keanu Andrade 5
 
76:00 Thomas Spradling 5, Elliot Webb 2
 
79:00 Elliot Webb 5
 
Final Score: California 81, Cal Poly 6
 
The Team vs. Cal Poly
 
15. Flynn, 14. Cusano (Dunn @ 55:00), 13. Dyer, 12. Tongilava (Saunders @ 55:00), 11. Tavenner, 10. Howells (E. Webb @ 72:00), 9. Andrade, 1. Sullivan (Iscaro @ 50:00), 2. Ogburn, 3. Wiley (Baylor @ 55:00), 4. Casey, 5. Bader (Le Merle @ 30:00, Bader @ 35:00), 6. Spradling, 7. Mirhashem, 8. Robles (Heaney @ 55:00)