ICEF Old Girls Make 7s Nationals
ICEF Old Girls Make 7s Nationals
A team made up of graduates from the ICEF youth program won the second Southern California qualifier for the Women’s Club 7s National Championships this past weekend in Santa Barbara.
Headed up by current Cal captain and ICEF alum Lauren Butler, the ICEF Old Girls defeated Cal State Fullerton and San Fernando Valley in pool play, and then defeated Tempe to face the San Diego Surfers.
In that game, the Surfers won on a late try in a tight game. The Surfers, however, had already qualified for Nationals, and so ICEF OGs earned the second qualifier position.
ICEF is an educational program that operates schools in low-income neighborhoods in Los Angeles. Under Stu Krohn and David Hughes, the ICEF program runs boys and girls single-school rugby programs (namely View Park HS), and a HS club (under the ICEF name).
The program tours frequently overseas, and also works to place players in top colleges around the country.
The ICEF Old Girls team features players now at a variety of colleges, but the tea is still young - an average age of 19.
They will now go to Seattle for the Club 7s Championships August 9-10.
ICEF OGs squad
1. Lauren Butler. View Park HS '11. Cal Rugby Captain
2. Alex Walker. View Park HS '09.
3. Azjah Long. View Park HS '13. University of Oregon
4. Jenesse Bacon. View Park HS '12.
5. Jessica Mata. Cal Berkeley HS '14
6. Elona Williams. View Park HS '14. UC Irivine
7. Domo Bellinger. View Park HS '14. UC Riverside
8. Tishani Finnikin. View Park HS '12. UC Riverside
9. Kanisha Vincent. Trinidad & Tabago University’
10. Dairr Lillie. Frederick Douglass HS '14.
11. Symone Muepo. View Park HS '14. UC Irvine
12. Ricole Carillo. Serra HS '14. UCLA
Game 1 - ICEF OG's 34 - Cal State Fullerton 7
Tries: Bellinger, Vincent, Bacon, Walker, Lillie
Convs: Mata, Bacon
Game 2 - ICEF OG's 15 - San Fernando 14
Tries:Bacon 2, Carillo
ICEF OG's 25 - Tempe 7
Tries: Bellinger, Walker 2, Butler 2
ICEF OG's 7 - Surfers 1sts 12
Tries: Butler
Convs: Bacon