The Vermont Girls U19 Championship brought all the heat that one hopes for in a state final: two teams both capable of a title, a tight score, and a little bit of history to make winning the trophy that more rewarding. When finalists Rutland and Essex met during the regular season, the former won 37-22 – its first in two years. But during the championship, it was clear that perennial power Essex had made some adjustments to close the performance gap.

The opening kickoff landed in Rutland’s half, and there the ball remained for the next 20 minutes, as dropped passes hindered both sides’ rhythm. Rutland was able to relieve some pressure after a couple of penalties. A clearing kick to touch put Vermont Select Side player Nicole McCardle – who is Rutland’s scrumhalf and go-to lineout jumper – in the air, and the halfback’s clean grab helped set up a drive to the Essex try line. A high tackle penalty on Essex’s five meter was all prop Rocky Johnson needed to drive over the line for a try, which flyhalf Kelley Daley converted, 7-0.

Led by flyhalf Avery MacGillivray, who ended the day with as championship MVP, Essex was far from deflated. A change in tactics helped the team find some offensive success.

“Essex continued to challenge the blitzing Rutland defense, with MacGillivray close to breaking free several times,” Rutland coach Nick McCardle reported. “Essex Coach Amanda Eldridge made adjustments from the first game, preferring to pop pass and offload to neutralize our counter-ruck. We lost some defensive shape several times and gave opportunity to the Essex centers and the looping MacGillivary.”

But the Rutland defense held for the remainder of the first half for a 7-0 lead at the break.

Both teams were more precise in the second stanza, and line-breaks from Essex hooker Hollie Parks and Rutland No. 8 Mckenzie Apjohn punctuated a more exciting half. MacGillivray brought her side back into the game, breaking three tackles to score a try for Essex, 7-5.

Rutland’s first-year centers began to connect better, and Essex’s defense – again, led by MacGillivray – halted two Gemma Feilder tries just short of the try line. The death knell occurred when Essex lost its fullback for 10 minutes to a high tackle yellow card, and then lost hooker Parks to injury. Rutland ran on fresh legs at second row, and prepared for a scrum inside Essex’s 22.

Rutland stacked its backs in a single line behind the scrum, while Essex struggled with coverage. McCardle moved the ball away from the scrum quickly, and Daley swung her backs to the left to create an overload. This time, Feilder was able to cross the line, and the young center’s try produced a little cushion, 12-5. The conversion fell short, but then the final whistle blew.

"Coach Eldridge always finds new speed to replenish her backs, and as always, despite injuries, she used her flyhalf to create problems for our new backs,” McCardle credited his opponent. “Had we not played our best defensive game of the year, the score could easily have been reversed."

Another state championship in the books, these players will now work together as they vie for spots on the Vermont Select Side team – which combines with New York’s Capital District teams – that will compete at the Northeast Regional Cup Tournament in Amherst, Mass., later this month.