Metropolis advanced to the DI semifinals Saturday with a 30-5 win over Mystic River in Pittsburgh, Pa. It's the club's first-ever DI semifinal berth.

Metro led the entire match, and jumped out to a 15-0 lead before Mystic River got on the board.

Richard Woods scored off a lineout in the second minute for Metro, and Jesse Roberts dotted down in the 17th minute. Louis Joubert converted the second try and slotted a drop goal just a couple of minutes later.

“That’s when mystic started getting to their game plan a little bit. The last 25 minutes of the half it was tough, it was a battle,” said Metro coach Nate Osborne. “Both teams sort of just defending pretty well and running hard.”

Mystic’s first and only score came in early in the second half, but Metropolis poured in two more tries, one converted, and a penalty kick to secure the win.

Joubert led the team in scoring with 12, slotting two conversions a penalty and a drop goal. Osborne, who retired after player/coaching Metro to a DIII title last year, had to dust off the boots and start at fly half Saturday.

Osborne commended wing Sean Kelly, saying he played probably the best rugby for Metro on the weekend.

“He got the hard yards and just played really well when we need him to,” Osborne said.

Kelly scored one of Metro’s two second-half tries. Reserve Brian Warden scored the other.

Metropolis finished second in the Midwest-West in the fall and second in the Midwest spring playoffs. That division saw three of its teams make the quarterfinals, and Metro and Palmer reach the semifinals. The Chicago Lions fell 19-15 to Palmer Saturday. Osborne said he thought it was the toughest league in the country.

“I watched Palmer and I watched the Lions play, and including us, I thought by far we were the best teams (in Pittsburgh),” he said.

“The fact that we get to play each other twice a year helps out, as well. We ended up having the Lions tape us all up today, because we didn’t have our medical person with us this weekend. It’s that sort of Midwest rivalry, but friendship as well.”

Metro will take on defending national champs Glendale in Glendale June 2 in one semifinal, and Palmer and Belmont Shore will meet in the other.