Ohio Championships: All the Finals

06.04.2023HS Boys, HS Girls

Seven championships were crowned Saturday at Rugby Ohio's Finals Day.

Played at the Fortress Obetz sports stadium near Columbus, the day included finals for Boys D2, Boys D1 Club, Boys D1 School, Boys JV, Girls School, Girls Club, and Boys School Super Division

Boys D2

Withrow ran out to a dominant lead using some serious pace and the try-scoring of Khile Willis, Francois Kabumba, and Quinterrius Jemison. Key also was playmaker and goalkicker Jamez Early. But Warrior stormed back with two tries from wing Hunter Hickey and threatened to overhaul Withrow.

However, Early's four conversions made the difference as Withrow held on 36-34. This was, according to reports, the first state championship for Withrow HS in any sport.

Girls Club

Perrysburg made it three state championships in a row as they put Brunswick to the sword 56-10. Prop Emma Thomford scored three tries and wing Makenzie Morris scored two in an impressive showing.

For Perrysburg, the future remains bright as they graduate just three seniors.

Boys D1 Club

Post-Match Interview and Celebration

In a game that started off with very little scoring, the Olentangy Blues pulled away late to Hudson 29-7. Much of the first third of the gme was scoreless before the Blues took a penalty kick to lead 3-0. They followed that up with a try but a yellow card for a Dangerous tackle allowed Hudson to run ther big forwards and control territory.

It was 10-7 and on a knife edge when Olentangy made a key play. Pressuring inside the Hudson 22 the Blues tried to keep possession and work it methodically over. But the ball rolled free and that actually turned to Olentangy's favor as No. 8 Mychal Andrews scooped it up and was in at the corner.

Andrews was an effective runner for Olentangy and with a smart kicking game along with impressive finishing ability, they scored twice in the second half to pull away.

Girls School

Post-match interview and celebration

St. Joseph battled past a tough-minded Medina side 24-12 to win the state title. Both teams got into penalty trouble early and that meant the momentum shifted back and forth without any scoring. Finally a little break from SJA flyhalf Megan Chura, some Medina penalty, and solid finished by wing Nicole Gotheir put the Jaguars up.

Medina responded by kicking deep and putting SJA under pressure. It worked nicely and once the Bees got a turnover they were in at the corner. A series of good offloads and support work put St. Joe's back on top only for center Samantha Tripi to scamper through following a quick-tap. With the conversion Medina led 12-10.

In the second half St. Joe's scrumhalf Mary McEwan got Medina backpedaling off a quick-tap and the Jaguars finished in the corner. A superb conversion from Georgia Wagner made it a 17-12 lead. Medina had trouble getting into scoring position after that and St. Joe's did well to hold their lead. Late in the game Chura ghosted through a gap to go in under the posts and seal what had been a very tight final 24-12.

Boys JV

Post-match interview

St. Ignatius took on St. Edward in the JV final, and early on Ignatius looked quite vulnerable defensively. The gaps were the out wide and St. Edward had their chances, but a combination of taking safer options, and a few strong individual tackles by the Wildcats made scoring difficult for Ed's. Still the Eagles camped out in the Ignatius end of the field, helped in large part by some excellent counter-attack runs from fullback Colin Dedo. But they couldn't get points, and in fact it was Ignatius that scored first, working nice 8-9 play off a scrum for scrumhalf Ethan Oddi to touch down.

St. Ed's came right back to threaten again and opted for a kick at the posts after one penalty, making it 5-3.

Ignatius finally found a way to open it up and a nifty back-and-forth between center Hayden Voth and center Jimmy Collins put Voth over. Collins converted from out wide and it was 12-3 at the break.

The second half saw Ignatius close up those defensive gaps and opting to tap on penalties rather than risk a lineout that wasn't firing too well. A penalty got them into Ed's territory and another after a scrum led to a tap play; hooker Jack Sizemore picked up from the ensuing ruck to go over.

Right off the restart some good ball movement in which almost every player was involved got Ignatius back on the front foot. Two key power runs from center Jimmy Votypka helped sett up and overload, and finally flyhalf Nolan Magner picked up and was over.

Before Collins could attempt the conversion, a lightning delay was called and everyone had to leave for 30 minutes or so. On the return, Ignatius seemed relaxed and ready to finish off the game, and they did with two nicely-executed tries.

St. Ed's kept on battling and actually scored at the death, just reward for their efforts. St. Ignatius JV 34 St. Edward JV 10.

dublin v medina 2023 ohio final alex goff

Boys School D1

Post-match interview and celebration

Dublin and Medina slammed into each other throughout this final. The game was at times nice to look at and sometimes not so pretty, but it was always engaging. Flyhalf Blake Northup was very active for Dublin it was he who started the move that resulted in Matt Atwood's try. Northup snaked round the scrum to take the pass on the wek side. He sold two outrageous dummies, took off for about 30 meters before wisely feeding Atwood on the gallop.

That made it 5-0 but Medina responded. No. 8 Bryce Morris was almost through but was stopped. Eventually it was lock Blaine Chrisman who made a brilliant run through the middle o score near the posts. Conversion good and it was 7-5 for Medina.

Northup's kicking kept Dublin in better field position. This time instead of some open-field running it was bash and crash from the forwards that got Dublin close, and quick tap on a penalty allowed No. 8 Tristan Arndt to score. Scrumhalf Taylor Swenson slotted the conversion for the 12-7 Dublin lead.

Medin equalized moments later after a series of Dublin penalties. Finally after running a set tap play Morris was over to tie it up. But Medina couldn't press their advantage and a yellow card put them at a man disadvantage.

The game-winner came off a scrum on the Medina 22. Northup popped a perfect flat pass to center Dom Giglioti, who charged untouched under the posts. Swenson converted and while Dublin had to defend their line for the final minutes, little mistakes hurt Medina and Dublin held on 19-12.

Super School Final

Post-match interview

A couple of lightning delays meant that this game kicked off close to two hours late, but the players were ready for it. Archbishop Moeller, determined to win the physical battle, attacked with aggression and with their center pairing of Ryan Mechley and Alexander Robinson certainly asked questions of the Ignatius defense early on.

Ignatius for their part had recognized that they were having difficulty with their lineouts and so resolved to avoid them. The quick tap would be the default penalty option and it had the added benefit of forcing Moeller to move quickly to stay onside. It was a quick tap that put scrumhalf Teagan Frein under the sticks for the opening try. Moeller tied it up soon thereafter, exploiting Ignatius out wide to tie it 7-7.

But after that Moeller started to get into penalty trouble. While their defense was aggressive and forcing Ignatius mistakes, offside, high tackles, and failure to get back 10 meters all hurt them. Some powerful runs from propJacob Papesh got St. Ignatius some go-forward and once they got close the pack worked their short-yardage plan to score—Pat Cooney staying low and scoring. It was 14-7 after Aiden Pickston's conversion, but it had taken a lot of effort.

Perhaps effort on both sides. Moeller, during that sequence, had suffered two yellow cards, one for a dangerous clearout and another for repeated infringements close to the tryline.

SIHS continued to tap quickly, with Frein or sometimes hooker Aidan Miczak starting the play. By using two quick-tappers Ignatius was able to drive the pace of the game, and that's exactly how they scored their third try, with Frein tapping to get them close and Miczak tapping to score.

Another quick tap led to the fourth Ignatius try, this time Frein weaving his way brilliantly through the defenders to score under the posts. Pickston converted and Ignatius led 26-7.

The second half slowed somewhat but Ignatius remained in control. They event took a lineout, only for Moeller to be penalized and for Ignattius to tap and score. Moeller did threaten but Ignatius used their ground game effectively. Fullback Ryan Putka make key yards here as did center Kevin Krebs. That set up a kick for Pickston that went from inside his 22 to rolling into touch about 70 meters away. It was 50-22 and flanker Connor Bender chased all the way down to pick up the ball and take the lineout quickly. It was a risky move but fully in character with how Ignatius was approaching the game.

Smooth hands to the left wing got them close but again Moeller infringed. This time it was a dangerous clearout and in from the side. Yellow card, and it was the Moeller player's second yellow, so a red card. Tap and try for Ignatius. Pickston converted brilliantly and now it was 38-7.

Frein was exceptional in this game, and the match was notable also for the first full runout for Ed Soeder, the USA U18 player and US Naval Academy recruit who had missed almost the entire season with a broken leg. Soeder did play at the HS National Championships, but he was full-on for this game, and was matchday captain.

Ignatius held on from there to put a cap on a season that produced a 6th straight state championship. Notable was that Ignatius had eight sophomores and a freshman on their gameday 23, giving a hint that there's more to come from this team.