High School Girls
North Suburban won the Minnesota Girls High School State 7s Championship, bettering longtime powerhouse Armstrong 29-10 in the final. Armstrong had defeated Hopkins 36-7 in the semifinals, while North Suburban blanked a combination side of Orono, South Metro, and Minnetonka 51-0 for the title berth.
The Kent Crusaders HS girls team ran the table in the Washington State Games rugby 7s competition, winning all of their games throughout the four-tournament season.
An element of surprise tints many of Renee Gonzalez's rugby experiences, but the now-senior was expecting to attend her second Stars & Stripes camp as a veteran. That was, of course, until the Stars staff asked the 17-year-old fullback to have a go at flanker. The forwards. Scrums.
Not since 2009, when Petco Park last hosted the USA 7s tournament, has the San Diego Padres' stadium seen an influx of rugby players through its gates. On Sunday, July 26, the Padres sponsored Rugby Day during the team's final game against the Miami Marlins. It was a good day for the home team – Padres won 3-2 to finish 3-1 in the series – but even more so for the local SoCal rugby clubs.
USA Rugby has announced the 50 girls high school players reporting to the 3rd annual Stars & Stripes assembly in Greeley, Colo. The players arrive tomorrow, July 21, and train together until Saturday, July 25, when a final match will be held. New Girls High School All American (GHSAA) coach Farrah Douglas will oversee the girls' camp.