The New Jersey Blaze may have won the last two HS Girls 7s at the HSRC in Chester, Pa., but you've got to wonder if this year will be the year for the three-peat.

There are several reasons for this. One of the reasons is that the Blaze Coach Tom Feury has also headed up the Atlantis Girls U18 program, and players from various HS programs have played for that Atlantis team. Those players are now lining up this weekend for Doylestown and Westend. Then there's the fact that the New Jersey Blaze program, which used to draw from players all over the state, is now officially not part of Rugby NJ; as a result, this year's Blaze team is mostly the Morris club, plus a couple of other players.

So it's not a one-team race. The Blaze does feature Jordan and Tammy Cowan - both in their third tournament as the HSRC - and senior Delie Hellander, who will be playing her rugby as Harvard in the fall. Mia Lancellotti and Alex Kelly come from outside the Morris program, and add some talent. But Morris is just two weeks removed from playing in the Girls HS Club Nationals in Ellensburg, Wash., so preparation time has been short.

Still, the Blaze head up Pool A with West Shore, rock Rugby, and Fairfax also in the pool. Doylestown is the top contender in Pool B, with Kingswood, Union City and Kiski also in that group. And in the Pool of Death, Divine Savior Holy Angels provides a stern contest for the Westend Ruckettes, Downingtown, and Unionville in a pool that could go almost any direction.

Feury told Goff Rugby Report that he likes his team's chances. 

"I believe we will be competitive, and have a shot to make it to the final," he said.