With Rugby Ohio concentrating on running existing leagues and expanding participation numbers, the select side endeavors have fallen to the Celtic Elite program, and so far things seem to be going fairly well.

Long a traveling side for players from St. Edward and St. Ignatius - perennially the two top boys HS teams in the state - the Celtic Elite was opened up to any Ohio HS rugby player this year. Not enough tried out, in the opinion of Head Coach Tom Cleary, but there were plenty of players outside of Ed’s and Ignatius who made the team and made an impact.

In Boys Varsity, the Celtic Elite defeated ARE 19-0, Louisiana 52-5, North Indiana Hawks 23-19, and then beat Florida 25-12 in the final to win the South RCT.

The Boys JV defeated Georgia 45-0, lost to ARE 19-12, beat Tennessee 28-0, lost to Virginia 27-21.

The Girls, with a large contingent from national champs Saint Joseph’s Academy, but with Brunswick, Padua, Parma, Highland, and Perrysburg also contributing players, lost to Wisconsin 36-5, beat Tennessee 34-7, Virginia 26-7, and lost to Wisconsin 60-7 in the final. 

Emmet O'Riordan for the Celtic Elite JVs. Allison Bradfield photo.

Against the North Indiana Hawks in the Boys Varsity semi, the Celtic Elite fell ran out to a 15-0 lead, and then managed to hold on. Late in the game, with the score 20-19, they kicked a late penalty to seal it - barely. Against Florida, they were tested, as well, but did well to slow the tempo of the game and not give Florida’s snappy halfback combination the opportunity to slice them up.

“The guys played well and they played as a unit,” said Cleary. “We did want players from all over the state, and the word we got was that some players didn’t think they’d make the team. We wanted them to get something out of it anyway, and they might have been surprised.”

While St. Edward standout Jack Bradfield was MVP of the Boys Varsity tournament, several players from lesser-known teams emerged. Brunswick prop Kareen Odeh was excellent, and among the best players of the tournament. Hooker Derek Hess out of Hudson HS stole several scrum put-ins and was effective around the field. Joseph Hawthorne of Hudson also impressed.

“You see guys who have been on teams that haven’t played at national tournaments, things like that, and they get a chance in this environment and they just blossom,” said Cleary. That’s what happened to lock Colin Sustersic of Brunswick, who was a revelation.

Certainly well-known players did their jobs - Andrew Baldado, Bradfield, Brock Yoho, Zack Heisterkamp, and Patrick Conway - but the Celtic Elites were South Champions because they opened up their doors, and a few players came rushing through.