In one of the most exciting and well-played girls high school rugby games any fan will ever want to see, Divine Savior Holy Angels held off Sparta Rock 31-29 to win the 2023 Midwest Championships.
The game capped an exciting weekend of rugby that saw teams from all over the region compete.
Sparta Rock started the game with a clear game plan to control the ball and use their powerful runners to wear down the DSHA defenders. It worked like it was drawn up in the early going as flanker Alyysa Post, No. 8 Charlotte Dauser, and lock Annabelle Dauser ate up meters. Factor in center Paige Longcore in a unique role in the tournament, and Sparta Rock thundered to the line and eventually put Dauser (the lock) over.
Divine Savior answered quickly, forcing a scrum after the restart and attacking wide off that set piece. Eventually outside center Yesenia Morales cut back and found a seam to go over. Flyhalf Evelyn Coffou slotted the conversion and it was 7-5 DSHA.
Soon after the game was restarted Morales was sin-binned for a dump tackle. Sparta Rock took advantage and after a surge by Post, the forwards finished it off with prop Abby Zurek scoring her first try. Scrumhalf Avery O’Brien slotted the conversion and Sparta Rock led 12-7.
DSHA had some scoring chances but the game settled down after that. Both teams ramped up their defense, with DSHA flanker Toby Dahm putting in some of the most ferocious tackles.
With time up in the half Sparta Rock tried to kick to touch but the kick fell short. DSHA attacked brilliant down the right side hoping to unleash Elizabeth Gonzalez but also using Morales and her midfield partner Flannery O’Keef.
Somehow Sparta Rock held them out, and finally earned a penalty under their own posts. A wide tap and kick dead ended the first period.
DSHA started the second half on fire. They punished a Sparta Rock penalty by taking the lineout and mauling close to the line. They then attacked right, got a penalty for a high tackle, and they tapped quickly another high tackle—from a player who had not retreated—resulted in a penalty try and a 14-12 DSHA lead.
It was a firm but fair lesson to Sparta Rock—watch those repeat penalties.
Back came Divine Savior and some smooth passing wide unleashed Gonzalez to race in at the corner. Coffou hit the very difficult conversion and it was 21-12.
It seemed like DSHA had taken control of the game, but of course they had not. Sparta Rock got possession back after the restart, moved on thanks to a series of penalties, and finally Post crashed over. The conversion attempted hit the upright, and it was 21-17.
