GRR: Eagle Impact Rugby Academy
Westlake HS won the Texas state championship by a point, and it would be fair to say that without Ryan Rees, it wouldn’t have happened like that.
Of course, we could say that about anyone on the Westlake team, but we are picking Rees. The Chaps scrumhalf has had a good example to follow. His brother, Alex, is a star scrumhalf at Arkansas, and also filled that role at Westlake.
Many of the HS programs that finish at or near the top every year are senior-heavy; the programs are deep and naturally the older players have certain advantages.
But every now and then a player breaks through from the younger levels, and that’s why we’re takubg ti Bailey Wilson.
Among the players to have a big day when the Cape Pirates beat the Tampa Krewe this past weekend in Florida was a prop forward who always delivers.
OK, bad joke - his nickname is “Pizza Man” - prop forward Antonio Pizatella is one reason the Pirates have been steadily improving through the season. He’s an excellent athlete - 6-0, 280, but able to play prop, No. 8, and flanker.
St. Ignatius won their opening game of their Texas tour in large part thanks to some precise kicking and smart game management from flyhalf Andrew Baldado.
The senior flyhalf was singled out by several observers as a key performer for the Ohio state champions, and Head Coach Dan Arbeznik agrees.
Rocky Mountain started off their Idaho league season with a nice victory over Mountain View, and while Kyle van Tonder was not the player of the game, maybe that’s because he’s a victim of being the player he is.