Unbeaten Summit Rides Defense and Depth into Oregon Playoffs
Unbeaten Summit Rides Defense and Depth into Oregon Playoffs
Summit HS in Oregon is leading the Rugby Oregon girls fall 7s quite handily with an 8-0 record.
They showcased their dominance nicely in last week's tournament, beating Chinook 30-0, Highlanders 26-5, and Salem Snapping Turtles 51-0.
That has set them up in the quarterfinals against their own JV team, and as the playoffs start this weekend. Overall, in those eight wins, Summit has given up just 33 points, with almost all of that being in their first week of competition.
"Not to sound cliche but the entire team has bought into an expansive style of attack, a high work rate on defense, and focus on set piece and restarts," said Head Coach Stephen Lopez.
The solid defensive numbers are certainly a reflection of the team's defensive prowess, it is just as much because they are controlling possession.
"We have very willing tacklers and several leaders who have really established a good team culture," added Lopez. "The Rugby Oregon Girls 7s season as a whole has been very competitive and there are numerous strong teams playing good rugby. The State Finals will be a challenge and we are excited to compete."
And certainly that is true. The East County Grackles Green team is 6-2 having lost only to the Valley Panthers and, of course, Summit. East County Blue Has only lost twice and is allowing less than 7 points per game. More notably, their loss to Summit was only 15-14.
Leading the way for Summit is senior captain Hazel McRobie, who helps set the tone on both attack and defense, and junior Tatum Hoffman who has been in excellent form the entire season.
But also good news for Summit is their numbers. The program has had about 29 players this fall, allowing them to field two teams in the competition. Lindsay Gadsby, who helps run the team, said the newer players are taking to the game quickly, and Lopez pointed to an outside reason why the numbers have grown.
"I believe the USA Womens National Team's performance in Paris really helped generate interest in the girls game," he said.
This weekend, the champions will be decided as teams play quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final.
Rugby Oregon Girls Fall 7s Quarterfinal Matchups:
Summit HS vs Summit JV
East County Grackles Green vs Salem Snapping Turtles
East County Grackles Blue vs Renegades
Valley Panthers vs Chinook Lady Pack