The Girls High School All Americans garnered a lot of attention at the Las Vegas Invitational – that’s how program firsts typically go. But the USA needed skilled captains to lead these sides, and they found them in McKenzie Hawkins and Tess Feury.

Hawkins’ team had some roster issues. GHSAA 2 was down to 10 players after Richelle Stephens suffered a last-minute injury and Becca Jane Rosko was pulled after a big hit yesterday. Six games in the 80-degree heat is taxing, and losing two players from the rotation had consequences.

Feury by no means had it easy: She had to coordinate a squad that ranged from 15-year-old Lilly Durbin to college freshmen living in a DI varsity environment. But as one of the older and more accomplished players in the pool, Feury was a natural selection for captain. She played at the junior Olympics and won MVP at the DI women’s college fall championships with Penn State. She’s good with pressure on the field, and knows how to unite a team off of it.

“Living on the east coast, I really don’t get to play with or against these girls often," Feury said. "So being able to play with girls from Fallbrook, Fullerton and Summit is great because those are great rugby programs, and they have a lot to teach me.

“The first game was really shaky but then we started getting used to each and our surroundings,” Feury added. “We built through every game. In the final, we started off strong and then we just kept running with it.”

The All Americans struggled with a couple of penalties that allowed its final’s opponent, British Columbia, to threaten the try line. Up only 5-0 after a Michel Navarro try, the game was very much for the taking when the second half kicked off.

“BC has a great side; we’ve known that for years,” Feury said of the 2014 LVI champs. “We beat them in the first round, so we knew they’d be out for blood. They’re strong, athletic, and aggressive, and have talented players – but so do we.

“I think we really secured it at the beginning of the first half,” Feury said of the turning point. “Lilly Durbin took a really nice run and blew past them with her speed. That’s when it sunk in with me. I thought, ‘I think we really have this.’ I mean, the game wasn’t over, but I think her run really instilled confidence in the team.”

The All Americans pulled away with four tries from Feury, Durbin, Apaau Mailau, and Diarr Lillie for the 27-5 win.

“This is definitely up there in my successes of rugby,” Feury said. “It’s really an honor to be on this team. It’s paving the pathway for so many young girls – and that’s ultimately my goal: to spread passion and rugby to all young girls across the country so that they might be the next World Cup winners and Olympians.”

Feury also hopes to be included among the World Cup winners and Olympians.

“That’s the ultimate goal, to represent my country at the highest level possible and I’m going to keep working every day to make it possible.”

For a full report from the final, click here. For photos, check out Dave Barpal's album on our Facebook page.