High School Girls
Leading into the Minnesota girls state final, Armstrong coach Jimmy Hanson anticipated one of the best championship matches that the league has seen in a long time. Hanson proved prophetic, as his side had to rally from a first-half deficit to eventually overcome North Suburban 31-17 – a score that belies the intensity and competitiveness of the game itself.
The Vermont Girls U19 Championship brought all the heat that one hopes for in a state final: two teams both capable of a title, a tight score, and a little bit of history to make winning the trophy that more rewarding. When finalists Rutland and Essex met during the regular season, the former won 37-22 – its first in two years.
It was tough for the Morris U18 girls team to properly celebrate its New Jersey State Championship, as its competition didn’t enter the final at full strength. In fact, Morris was supposed to play South Jersey in Sunday’s final, but the standings runner-up had whittled down to four healthy CIPPed players, and third-place Union competed in its place.
The Connecticut girls high school league is an interesting one. The state has three active 15s teams, and thus, the coaches and players are all very familiar with each other. They’re also very supportive. Winning the state championship is a big deal – especially now that Simsbury and Cheshire have two apiece – but so is sustaining the health of all three clubs.
In its first trip to the New York state championship, Orchard Park finished the final four weekend 2-0, ending with a 33-29 win over reigning girls high school champ Play Rugby Academy for the title.