We're entering into championship time for girls fall 7s.
Utah Revisited
Utah's championship weekend in fall 7s got postponed a week because of weather so we're coming at it once more.
What's been interesting about this fall is that Utah Youth Rugby has been using 7s to be a bit more single-school-focused. Sometimes that has meant teams merge from a couple of schools, but the intent is there. For UYR, which was solidly moving toward school teams on the boys side pre-pandemic. But things shifted more club-ward when participation was hit during COVID.
For girls, once again COVID hit participation hard (as it did for girls nationwide) and what we saw was club teams, Majestics, Provo, United, perform exceptionally well. But what we didn't see was school teams.
So this fall has been more of a school competition. Led by Lavinia Lomu, Isabel Uyema, and Ilikea Kalama, who all got all-state nods, Skyridge HS/Lehi HS is the #1 seed and will take on Orem, the #4 seed. Orem is led by the play of Summer Mitchell and Talanoa Samani.
Westlake HS is the top performer in the north and the overall #2 seed, and are led by Tevia Nau Rarick , Hallie Denney, Lolo Mataele. They will face #3 Syracuse, led by all-North players Luisa Moala, Eseta Moala, and Lunesa Faumui.
There is also a consolation playoffs with Hunter HS/Kearns HS, Westfield HS, Wasatch HS, Herriman HS/Wallace Stagner Academy, Bear River HS/Box Elder HS, and Provo HS enter the opening-round competition
Utah Youth Rugby All-Star Selections:
High School Girls — North
1st Team
Luisa Moala — Syracuse HS
Eseta Moala — Syracuse HS
Via Reupena — Hunter HS/Kearns Rugby — Copperhills HS
Lisinge Patetefa — Hunter HS/Kearns Rugby — Hunter HS
Sophie Eastman — Westfield HS
Maycee Hales — Bear River/Box Elder HS — Box Elder HS
Lunesa Faumui — Syracuse HS — Bonneville HS
2nd Team
Kate Hitchcock — Portneuf Rugby — Pocatello High School
Charleigh Hawkins — Westfield HS — Fremont HS
Brielle Higley — Westfield HS
Brenna Smith — Bear River/Box Elder HS — Box Elder HS
Mayson Brailsford — Bear River/Box Elder HS — Box Elder HS
Jazlene Flores — Wallace Stagner Academy
Kaleeyah Galuvao — Hunter HS/Kearns Rugby — Herriman HS
Honorable Mentions
Stephanie Gonzalez — Wallace Stagner Academy
Abdy Jauregui — Wallace Stagner Academy
Sarah Carpenter — Portneuf Rugby — Century HS
Azure Gardner — Portneuf Rugby — Pocatello HS
Olivia Mafoa — Syracuse HS — Northridge HS
Adalyn Hansen — Bear River/Box Elder HS — Box Elder HS
High School Girls — South
1st Team
Lavinia Lomu — Skyridge HS/Lehi HS
Isabel Uyema — Skyridge HS/Lehi HS
Tevia Nau Rarick — Westlake HS
Summer Mitchell — Orem HS
Ava Phans — Herriman HS — Itineris Early College HS
Talanoa Samani — Orem HS
Eva Flores — Wasatch HS
2nd Team
Ilikea Kalama — Skyridge HS/Lehi HS
Hallie Denney — Westlake HS
Lolo Mataele — Westlake HS
Liz Allen — Provo HS — Lehi HS
Oloka Makalo — Skyridge HS/Lehi HS
Claire Bartlome — Herriman HS
Ana Lavulavu — Orem HS — Springville HS
Honorable Mentions
Ruby Marsh — Wasatch HS
Cici Omer — Wasatch HS
Charlee Wright — Herriman HS — Itineris Early College HS
Ellie Hoover — Provo HS — Canyon View JR
Tala Leuga — Provo HS — Oak Canyon JR
Limisesi Tauteoli — Skyridge HS/Lehi HS
Maile Moleni — Skyridge HS/Lehi HS
Northern Caifornia
The West Coast 7s has been the most notable competition for NorCal and that was four teams. The CK McClartchy Lady Lions won big over Bishop O'Dowd and Carondelet, allwing just one try. Rio Americano was also 2-0, just holding off O'Dowd.
That set up a pretty exciting final in which the Lions scored their second try late in the second half and then held on defensively to win 14-10.
Pennsylvania
Round three wrapped up in heavy rain in Pennsylvania. Doylestown and Downingtown are in control in the Rugby PA standings. Those two teams have played 21 games, winning 19, tying one, and losing one. Doylestown is undefeated at 11-0.
Pluckily hanging around in third is Berks County, which, if you'll remember, were a brand new team two years ago with a bunch of players who had almost zero experience at the beginning of last fall. Now they are 8-3.
The teams throughout the league came together to support Berks, who had a player die tragically from suicide. It was a terrible tragedy that hit her family and the team very hard. Teams throughout the competition wore blue ribbons in memory of Kylie Spatz, and decided on their own to raise funds for the Spatz family.
Kylie's sister also plays for Berks rugby and the opposing players, especially those from Doylestown, showed support for her throughout the day.
North Carolina
The Raleigh Cobras is are 4-0, but they haven't dominated. They were pushed hard by the Raleigh Redhawks in a 28-21 game. The Redhawks, Hough, and Cardinals are all right behind them at 2-1.
