Powered by a Le Roux Malan hat trick, New England picked up its 10th consecutive win Sunday, capturing a 47–24 win over the Houston SaberCats in front of a sellout crowd of 4,758 at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Quincy.
The Free Jacks finish the regular season with a 14-2 mark, and the top seed in the Eastern Conference. They’ll host the winner of New York and Old Glory DC in the East Final on July 1.
Malan scored three of New England’s seven tries Sunday, including a bid that opened the scoring in the 13th minute. Wian Conradie notched two tries, while Paula Balekana and John Poland each scored once for the Free Jacks, who led by as many as 30 points before a SaberCats rally.
New England’s victory did come at a price, as two starters went down with early injuries. Beaudein Waaka left less than two minutes into the match after taking a heavy hit from Houston’s Danny Barrett. Wing Mitch Wilson also left the game within the first 15 minutes.
Regardless, the Free Jacks won by double digits for the sixth consecutive week, yaking an early 19-10 lead, then pulling away down the stretch for the win.