2025 Santa Fe10s
September 04, 2025 -DW
As tree-huggers are wont to say, “Nature always bats last”. Participants and fans of the 2025 Santa Fe Fiesta Tens learned the truth of the saying Sunday afternoon when a sudden lightning storm moved in to interrupt an otherwise fine rugby day to force a premature end to the tournament, before the finals of either the women’s or men’s divisions could be fully completed. Read on to find out how these championships were determined.
Four women’s and six men’s teams representing three of New Mexico’s four bordering states pitched up to compete for their respective championship titles. The women’s division was diverse with New Mexico Tech’s freshly resurrected squad bravely jumping into a competition featuring Albuquerque’s vastly experienced Atomic Sisters, a strong Pike’s Peak side from Colorado Springs, and the game young ladies of El Paso. The men’s bracket consisted of defending champions Southwest Outlaws, an academy team from Arizona, the Grizzlies of Colorado Springs, El Paso’s Scorpions, the Brujos and Aardvarks from Albuquerque, and hosts Santa Fe.
After several opportunities had gone begging for Santa Fe in their opening match versus the Aardvarks, Angel Villa scored Santa Fe’s first try of the fall season on an intercept and stroll, and Mateo Cardiel added the extra two. Rainer Ball scored in the second half to temporarily draw the match at 12, and Los Santos looked sure to ice it from sustained recycling deep in Albuquerque’s end with seconds remaining. But disaster struck in the form of a turnover just short of the line, ending in a length-of-the-pitch sprint creating a 19-12 victory for the visitors.
Santa Fe booted up a short hour later for a 38-12 whipping of perennial entrants Colorado Springs. That man Villa got things started with another intercept try and soon after K.C. Martin powered through a strong challenge to dot down for a second try. The Grizzlies next bagged an unconverted try before co-captain Mateo Cardiel snaked through defenders at his own end of the pitch before turning on the speed to make the halftime score 19 to 5 in favor of the Santos.
The Grizzlies took a try just on full time to raise their total to 12, but by then Santa Fe’s total tally had ballooned to 38 with tries taken by John Doe, Isaiah Sanchez, and Mateo Cardiel, who added two conversions. Izzy’s try will be remembered for his sprint to catch Mr. Villa’s trademark towering kickoff on a dead run to score untouched.
Making all this try-scoring fun possible were the rest of the hometown crew (w/ humble apologies to anyone ommitted):
Head captain Ryan Weir and fellow Santo stalwarts Jason Osborn, Tadeo Herrera, and Diego Cardiel.
Joseph Gallegos, a Santa Fe native and 2022 U.S. collegiate national champion prop forward with New Mexico Tech.
Ryan Means, an all-time Las Vegas Vato legend, returning to the fold following injury.
Dandy Dan Allinder, who with his family is contemplating a welcome return to New Mexico.
Coben Branch, also formerly with the Vatos, contributing his determined, gritty style.
Larry de la Garza, the rugby playing pastor.
Tyler Gomez, a few years behind Tadeo Herrera at Taos High School, getting his first taste of rugby.
And finally, in the decades-long tradition of pennies from heaven Leeds, England native Chris Noble, doing the hard graft every team requires.
Santa Fe needed to beat Arizona’s Outlaws to get to the final but fell short after equaling the defending champs in the first half. Unfortunately (or not) a final score for this match was unavailable at press time. Meanwhile the Brujos advanced to meet the Arizonans in the title match by dispatching Colorado Springs 26-15.
Advancing to the women’s final were Atomic Sisters and Pike’s Peak. It would prove significant later that the Sisters won the preliminary match between the two teams.
An entertaining prelude to the two championship matches was a fifteen-a-side exhibition between the New Mexico Tech men’s side and a team of volunteers from the other clubs in attendance. The Miners didn’t look physically imposing yet they put up three sparkling team tries before “the Motleys” got their hands on the ball. The old boys substituted wisely to score a couple of their own five-pointers to Tech’s additional one or two.
With the men’s championship to follow, Atomic Sisters led Pike’s Peak 24-7 in the women’s final when the numerous white cloud banks drifting around suddenly darkened and ominous thunder claps sounded in the near distance. Tournament officials wisely called a pause to survey the situation and shortly thereafter abandoned any further play when a lightning threat was confirmed.
With minimal if any whining, players packed up their kit and proceeded to the official post-tournament headquarters at Santa Fe Brewing Company, an SFRFC sponsor. The Pike’s Peak women ended any tensions by graciously conceding the title to the Atomic Sisters by virtue of the latters’ 24-7 lead at the time of the lightning storm. How’s that for sportswomanship?
Consistent with expectations about northern New Mexico weather, the sun beamed down on the SFBC patio in time for the decider of the men’s championship: a boat race between Southwest Outlaws and New Mexico Brujos. Unfortunately for the latter, one man chose to savor the flavor instead of throwing it down and the Outlaws were declared champions for the second year on the bounce.
The SFXs was a relatively bare-bones event this year with the conspicuous absence of a fully functioning kitchen and swag bar. The club has been uncharacteristically short on volunteers in recent months but looking back over the past five decades this is not a unique situation. For now we pause in appreciation of all the teams who traveled in, with extra thanks to those who bore the extra burden to produce a New Mexico rugby event unsurpassed in terms of competition and player enjoyment.
