The Lady Stallions got their first taste of 7s last fall, as Utah Youth Rugby hosted its inaugural girls club 7s season. Orem ended up winning the state title and were curious how they’d match up against tougher competition. So they traveled to the Las Vegas Invitational and entered the Girls High School Elite 7s division.

Orem struggled in pool play, losing games to Edmonton Gold (17-14), High School All Americans 2 (40-0) and British Columbia (32-0) on Thursday.

“We played club 7s in Utah, but it was just those teams,” Orem captain Kat Stowers said. “We knew how to play it over there. But we knew there were girls here who are more experienced than us.

“Yesterday was rough for our team,” the Orem scrumhalf said of the pool play losses. “It’s a mental thing with us, how we play. But it was a good experience because we were figuring out what kind of teams were coming to us."

Fifteen-year-old Stowers has been playing for three years, and half of the squad are relatives. The captain relied on some of that inherent chemistry to buoy the team on day two, as Orem prepared to meet the number one seeded All Americans in the quarterfinals.

“Teams underestimated us because we lost all of our games, but that gave us a higher advantage,” Stowers said. “We pushed ourselves and were committed to everything we did. We played with aggression and to the best of our ability.”

Emphasis on aggression. The Lady Stallions brought a physicality that typifies Utah rugby, and it jarred the All Americans. During the first game of the day, in a back-and-forth affair, Orem beat the All Americans 12-10.

“We ran off the field,” Stowers remembered the win fondly. “We were really happy to get that win. We played our pace and wanted it more.”

But Orem regressed in the semifinals, bowing 36-5 to eventual finalist British Columbia. It was a sobering experience for the young team.

“I think we got a little big-headed after that [quarterfinal] win,” Stowers said. “You can’t win one game and then expect to just keep winning. Our intensity level was down, and we got down on each other. You have to come out with 120 percent all the time, as my coach says all the time.”

The rollercoaster was not over: Orem had one more game against Atlantis for third place. The all-star team showcased some exciting athletes from around the country, including several Californian heavy-hitters and speedy sweeper Neariah Persinger.

A gritty game on a grueling day evolved, as both sides drained their energy stores. The teams traded tries, with Persinger accounting for Atlantis’ score. With her hamstring wrapped, the try-scorer came off the pitch, and Atlantis missed her sure defense. In the waning moments, the ball skittered inside Altantis’ 10 meter, Orem eventually gained control and moved the ball wide for the corner try, and 12-7 win.

Cue more field-rushing and jubilant hugging.

“There’s such a big difference in play when you’re having fun and when you’re being down on each other,” Stowers said. “The more you have fun, the more your team’s up and motivated to play as one."

Stowers embraced her younger sister, Lua, after another the second underdog win.

“She can played scared, but when she wants something, she gets it,” Stowers said of her 7^th grade sister. “The motivating talks and inspiration she gives me helps me get better. No matter how young you are, you can help anyone out. You can be the youngest player on the team and help the oldest player on the team.

"That's why we're here - it's a learning experience," Stowers concluded.

Orem is young, and young at 7s, but the team banked some very important lessons during its first outing at the LVI, and now the competition won’t underestimate them come next year.