St. Joseph's Rides Four from Hubbell to Take Ohio Girls School Final
St. Joseph's Rides Four from Hubbell to Take Ohio Girls School Final
Paced by four tries from game MVP and No. 8 Maddie Hubbell, the St. Joseph's Academy Jaguars won the Girls High School State Championship title over the Highland Bees 32-21 on Saturday.
Playing at Fortess Obetz in Obetz, Ohio, the Jaguars ran out to a 20-0 but had to hold off a Highland comeback.
The game was highlighted by outstanding individual achievements from several St. Joseph's players. No. 8 Maddie Hubbell played a pivotal role by scoring four tries, earning her the title of the Jaguars' Most Valuable Player. Flyhalf Megan Chura emerged as a playmaker, skillfully leading the team and demonstrating elusive running. Also notable was Flanker Reagan Stalla, whose defensive prowess bolstered the Jaguars' efforts throughout the game.
Not only a big try-scorer, Hubbell got work done on defense and worked with her teammates. She, along with key kicking from Georgia Wagner, staked St. Joe's to a 20-0 lead. But a try late in the first half and another in the second half brought Highland closer, at 25-14.
Chura said her team faced challenges, especially as Highland began to mount a comeback. "We were getting down on ourselves. We weren't holding each other accountable. But we started to realize that and started to clean it up as much as possible," she said.
Equally deserving of recognition were Highland's Patience Rowe, Riley Erickson, and Maya Weber (along with three conversions from flyhalf Ruth Musser), as they pressured the Jaguars throughout.
St. Joe's ended the season 8-0 in Ohio, going 6-0 in the regular season to earn a bye to the semis, edging Medina 32-24 in the semifinal match, and defeating Highland 32-21 in Saturday's final. Highland ended the season 6-3, with their only losses being to St. Joe's twice and Medina early in the season.
