FREDERICK, Va. – The Navy men's rugby team (3-0, 1-0 Rugby East) continued its dominant start to the season in its first road test of the year on Saturday afternoon, cruising past Mary Washington (0-1, 0-1 Rugby East), 55-6, in the conference opener.
 
Jack Skidmore, Trevor Gayron and Reid Gerber led the offense, each scoring a pair of tries to tie for a team-high 10 points. Sam Pirkl added nine points on one try and two conversion kicks. Jake Cornelius anchored the early kicking, converting three attempts for six points.
 
"We are off to a good start in our conference," Navy director of rugby Gavin Hickie said. "To win like that on the road is always a challenge, but we adapted and executed well today."
 
Navy opened the scoring in the 11th minute when Skidmore collected a pass out of a scrum, ran down the sideline and evaded a defender for a try.
 
The Midshipmen extended their lead in the 20th minute when Andrew Baublitz broke loose up the middle and offloaded to Sean Donohue for a try and a 10-0 advantage.
 
Mary Washington answered with a penalty kick in the 35th minute, marking the first points allowed by Navy this season. Just before halftime, a powerful Navy maul allowed Gayron to score a try. Cornelius added the conversion to give the Midshipmen a 17-3 lead at the break.
 
Navy's momentum carried into the second half. In the 43rd minute, a cross-field kick landed perfectly in the arms of Skidmore, who broke a tackle for his second score.
 
The Eagles responded with another penalty kick shortly after, but Navy quickly pulled away. Baublitz darted up the middle for a try in the 48th minute and Gayron plunged in for his second score off a 5-meter scrum just over a minute later. Cornelius converted both kicks to push the lead to 36-6.
 
Gerber capitalized on Navy's physical edge late in the game, powering through the defensive line in the 63rd minute for his first career try. He added a second score off a scrum in the 73rd minute, with Pirkl converting both kicks.
 
Following a lineout deep in Mary Washington territory, Pirkl capped the 55-6 victory by running in an untouched try in the game's final minute.
 
"Overall, it was a good win, but now our focus turns to the Star Game against Army next week," Hickie said.
 
Navy returns home next Saturday to host the Black Knights for the annual Army-Navy Star Game. Kickoff is scheduled for 11 a.m. at the Prusmack Rugby Center in Annapolis.
 
Box Score
10:43 – Try – Navy – Jack Skidmore (5-0)
 
19:57 – Try – Navy – Sean Donohue (10-0)
 
35:00 – Penalty kick – Mary Washington (10-3)
 
40:00 – Try – Navy – Trevor Gayron (15-3)
Conversion kick – Jake Cornelius (17-3)
 
42:23 – Try – Navy – Jack Skidmore (22-3)
 
44:35 – Penalty kick – Mary Washington (22-6)
 
48:00 – Try – Navy – Andrew Baublitz (27-6)
Conversion kick – Jake Cornelius (29-6)
 
49:28 – Try – Navy – Trevor Gayron (34-6)
Conversion kick – Jake Cornelius (36-6)
 
62:21 – Try – Navy – Reid Gerber (41-6)
Conversion kick – Sam Pirkl (43-6)
 
72:53 – Try – Navy – Reid Gerber (48-6)
Conversion kick – Sam Pirkl (50-6)
 
79:22 – Try – Navy – Sam Pirkl (55-6)