On one side of the girls’ high school Wisconsin State Championship, there is victor Divine Savior Holy Angels. The 2014 title sits atop a litany of state, regional and national accolades. The Milwaukee side entered this season with a lot of confidence – a boon that 22 seniors and a 57-player roster often affords – and there’s been some buzz that 2015 could be a special year for the Dashers. Catholic Memorial High School has as many players as DSHA has seniors. Three weeks prior to the title bout, DSHA defeated the Crusaders 45-7, so critics weren’t expecting a very competitive state championship.  Those critics (us included) were pleasantly surprised to see a 70-minute, 15-10 contest evolve, however.

The Crusaders were supposed to be rebuilding this year, as coach John Waliszewski worked to fill eight vacancies on the starting line due to graduation. And those graduates weren’t placeholders; seven are currently playing DI college rugby, including Quinnipiac University scholarship athletes Rebecca Haight and Maggie Wesolowski, UW Madison prop Lizzie Bellis, Northern Iowa starting scrumhalf Molly Langhenry, and Norwich scrumhalf Julie Else. But senior Elizabeth Jacobsen (flyhalf), junior Elizabeth Walicki (No. 8), and standout freshman Allison Koenig at fullback have pulled the team along.

“We're a small, tight family, and we look at that as an advantage,” Waliszewski said. “Most of our starters play every minute of every match. We only have a couple subs, and they are all rookies and underclassmen. … Toughness, leadership, rugby smarts, and fitness helped us fight our way to a chance to win a championship.”

Divine Savior Holy Angels doesn’t have roster concerns. The team is highlighted by the superb leadership of outside center Maggie Brennan and prop Taylor Bragg-Brock, and sports one of the most skilled backlines in the country. The reigning champs cruised through league season as per usual, but had an anti-climactic build-up to the final. The varsity and JV sides were paired against each other in the state semifinals, and the program opted for a controlled scrimmage that the senior side won. Although an understandable decision, the non-contact precursor to the state championship was influential, as a much closer than expected final resulted, and the JV side lost 24-12 to Brookfield in the third place match.

Circumstances aside, the hard-nosed game that one expects between these two Wisconsin titans did occur. DSHA exerted pressure through its long-passing backline, which is also very oppressive on defense. CMHS is an excellent rucking team that likes to control the ball in tight, and so a game of contrasting styles played out.

The Dashers went up 5-0 halfway through the first stanza, as Brennan peeled off a ruck for a 25-meter, try-scoring sprint. The lead held until halftime. Ten minutes after the break, DSHA inside center Meg Walker, in her first start on the varsity team, broke through the line for a 35-meter try, 10-0.

Catholic Memorial responded with a campaign inside DSHA’s 22 meter and had four tries held up before junior lock Meghan Schmitt found the try zone, 10-5. Eager to regain momentum, Bragg-Brock jumped on a quick-tap penalty and tore 40 meters to the five-meter line. Good on the chase, the team secured the ensuing ruck, and Brennan dotted down her second try of the game, 15-5 Dashers.

The game could have gone either way at this point. DSHA enjoyed its biggest lead of the game, and CMHS needed to rally. The Crusaders showed plenty of heart in what some considered the play of the game. Brennan made another big break from her 40 meter and looked good for the try. But then CMHS freshman Koenig, who had scored five tries against Brookfield in the semis, sped onto the scene and brought down Brennan from behind.

It was a thrilling moment that helped Catholic Memorial keep its composure during the final 10 minutes of the match, most of which was spent inside the Dashers’ 22 meter. After a few more held-up tries, hooker Katie McGinn scored the last try of the game, 15-10 Divine Savior Holy Angels.

“This year's [state final] was another great game,” Waliszewski said. “Last year, it was 10-7 until the last seven minutes of the game, but ended 22-7. This year it was 5-0 at halftime and ended 15-10.  … We finished stronger at the end compared to last year.”

Wisconsin plays in arguably the most active season in the country. The fall is spent playing toward a 15s state title, and once the weather clears in the spring, the teams are back on the field playing into the Midwest championship, followed by nationals. Both Divine Savior Holy Angels and Catholic Memorial have competed in 7s tournaments to boot, so expect to see much more of this great rivalry in the year to come.

* Many thanks to Rick Bellis for the reportage.