Gnats are known for their pesky annoyances.
Smaller than mosquitoes, they hover and swarm humans but they don't bite.
The Prince George Gnats, the human kind, played like their namesake Saturday in a B.C. Central Interior Rugby matchup against the visiting Williams Lake Rustlers.
The Gnats just wouldn't go away.
Trailing 25-5 after the first half, Prince George rallied with another try and in the end, the Rustlers swatted away the hosts and walked off the pitch with a 31-12 victory.
Williams Lake scored each a pair of unconverted tries and converted tries in the first half to take a commanding lead.
Prince George responded with a converted try of their own in the third quarter and only allowed the Rustlers to score another major in the fourth quarter.
"The second half was a much tighter game," said Gnats blindside flanker Cris Amoroso. "We began retaining balls and we were able to play and take control of a lot of passes. For the most part, we played a solid team game."
The Rustlers are the top side in the three-team division with a 2-0-1 record, while the Gnats sit in second place with a 0-1-1 record.
The Terrace Northmen are in third place.
"We didn't have a lot of guys out today but any time you play a team like Williams Lake it's always the toughest game of the season," said Amoroso.
Amoroso said Prince George has been learning a new system during the last three weeks which may have affected their play, but not their attitudes on the pitch.
"Since we changed the system the guys are coming together and today we didn't let the setbacks get in our way," he said. "We kept moving forward."
Prince George has a pair of road games this month before returning home to face Terrace on July 5.
The Gnats battle the Terrace Northmen this Saturday, June 14 at Seafest in Prince Rupert and follow that up with a match against the Rustlers June 28 during the Williams Lake Stampede.
Practices take place Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. at John McInnis Junior secondary, 3400 Westwood Dr.
Players of all skill levels are welcome to attend.
