The Boys Elite bracket in the High School Rugby Championship 7s invitational in Chester, Pa. features some very talented select, regional, and high school sides from around the country.

Two of the top teams in the competition may well be in the same pool. The Utah Cannibals are part of a resurgent select-side program in Utah and will feature a well-coached, athletic group of players.

The Cannibals will play a mainly U17 group in Chester in preparation for the Summer Tournaments and next year's trip to the Rosslyn Park 7s.

The core is comprised of the 2015 U16 side that won the U16 bracket at the Victoria International 7s. The team includes Zak Barker and Beto Lui from 2016 state single-school champs Herriman, Mica Matua and Braden Calton from United, Josh Leakehe from Kau Toa, and Niua Tuita from Genesis Rugby Club.

"This is an experienced group of 15s players who will need to transition to a fast paced 7s Tournament against some very talented 7s sides." said Rob Randell, Utah Cannibals Coach.

The Cannibals played in the LVI in March. David Barpal photo.

Also in Pool A are the Maryland Exiles, who finished 3rd at the HS Elite 7s in the Las Vegas Invitational. The Exiles don't have the same group of players they had in Vegas - the senior Gonzaga players who led their effort are all graduating this coming weekend. However, they do have some serious talent. 

The Exiles are led by West End stars Dmontae Noble and Jacob Estes, two fast, skilled, intelligent players, with West Carroll standout Campbell Johnstone, and Gannon Conrad of Mount Saint Joseph's. Several Gonzaga HS underclassmen augment the lineup that should be among the favorites.

The opportunity to play the Maryland Exiles is perfect for Utah in Pool Play and a challenge that Utah is looking forward to. "We could not ask for a better 7s program than Maryland" said Mark Drown 7s HP Director for Utah Youth Rugby. "It will be a great challenge for us and a test for our boys right out of the gate."

Rob Skalka, who is part of the Exiles coaching staff, said the matchup with Utah is a good thing, and since the top eight teams will be re-seeded for the knockout rounds, it shouldn't hurt either team to play that game. 

Rhino could be a wild card. David Barpal photo.

National Athletic Village certainly could be a wild card, while the question about them, and also Rhino Rugby Academy, is really about what players they have been able to assemble, and how fresh and healthy those players are. Rhino showed some ability in Vegas, but there's also the question of unity - South Carolina and Indiana DI champs Fishers will play well together, it's just a case of whether they will play 7s, rather than a 15s-7s hybrid.

NAV has David Bortins (Southern Pines) and Korbin Miller (Charlotte Tigers), both HSAA candidates, with some talent from inside and outside North Carolina - some will be playing in the Open Division, but it's likely that the players with All American and major touring experience (Christian Newby toured with Eagle Impact Rugby Academy) will be in the Elite bracket.

Watch out also for Rock Rugby, which was a runner up in the single-school bracket in 2015 (the brackets this year are Elite and Open).

As usual, information about the HSRC is spotty, as the tournament hosts concentrate their attention on the college tournament. That's why the tournament website lists the venue for Friday's games as "TBD." (They will play at Neumann University.)

Games Saturday and Sunday will be played at the Academy Fields for Talen Energy Stadium in Chester, Pa. The final does not appear to be scheduled to be played in the stadium itself.

ADDENDUM: Greenwich HS was initially put in the Open Division. Anyone who reads Goff Rugby Report (which apparently UWS and the HSRC organizers don't) would know that Greenwich is as strong a HS 7s team as you could find. Well, late in the day Greenwich has been added as the Rocky Mountain Rebels, originally listed for Pool C, are now out. Doylestown has been added to Pool C in place of the New Jersey Blaze, which was listed but weren't coming.

Greenwich is a very good 7s team and could win it all.

Pool A
Maryland Exiles
Utah Cannibals
Kiski
Fairfield

Pool B
West Shore
Rhino Rugby Academy
South Carolina
Rock Rugby

Pool C
National Athlete Village
Fishers
Greenwich
Doylestown