Parity expected in high school rugby league

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/04/2017 (3223 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The 15th season of Westman High School Rugby kicks off today with a pair of two-time champions looking to defend their crowns.

The Dauphin Clippers boys and girls teams visit the Swan Valley Tigers today to begin a season that will see the Crocus Plainsmen boys team and the Souris Sabres girls team both attempting to win gold for a third consecutive year.

League president Brian Yon, who also coaches the Souris teams, expects it will be another competitive season.

“I would say on the boys side there will be a lot of parity this year,” he said. “I think there are a lot of quality sides in the league this season, which is great for the competition and great for our league. I fully expect some close, tight games this year and that’s what you want to see.

“On the girls’ side, there are solid teams there. I think from what I’ve seen so far there will be a little more parity on the boys’ side, but with the girls anything can happen.”

BOYS

In the seven-team boys’ division, Crocus will battle Elton, Minnedosa, Dauphin, Swan Valley, Souris and Vincent Massey. Each team will play the other six teams once, with the top four teams advancing to the semifinals on May 23 and 24.

The final will be held on May 28.

Sean Erickson said his Crocus boys have worked hard, and were able to correct mistakes they made during the John Keogh Rugby Festival as they went 2-1 in the pre-season tournament.

“I’m hoping this could be one of the strongest Crocus teams we’ve seen to date,” he said. “We have a good mix of some returning players from our championship team last year and we also have a really good contingent of new players. I don’t think the program has ever seen 28 rostered players. If that’s my biggest problem as a coach, that’s a good problem to have.”

The team has seven Grade 12s this season after losing six players to graduation from the 2016 squad. But Erickson added some of the newcomers are so impressive that veterans are fighting to hang onto their jobs.

Erickson said the team has established a good culture and because of that the kids want to play for the logo on their jerseys. Their mission this year is a third consecutive title, and he’s seen that commitment since they started up in January.

“Right from practice one you saw them get to work,” he said. “And that’s the biggest concern, that they would lay off the accelerator a bit.”

One of their challengers this year could be a team that Crocus has had a lot of success playing in the past.

Shawn Sarkonak coaches Elton, which finished last with a winless record in 2016 and has just one victory in their first three seasons. This could finally be the year for his group to take a major step forward, he said.

“Year after year after year it’s just been getting that game experience,” Sarkonak said. “With having five guys on provincial teams last season, three on the U18s and two on the U16s, when you have that many guys it definitely adds to the calibre of your team. They elevate the play and they bring the other guys along. And the experience they gain playing at a higher level, they bring it back.”

Still, Elton only has six seniors on the 24-player roster, with two Grade 8 students practising with the team as well.

Sarkonak said the key to success isn’t difficult.

“For us it’s just about playing basic rugby, not trying to be too fancy and just preparing for our big games like the two-time defending champions and teams like Souris and Minnedosa. I really think there is going to be a lot of parity in the league on the boys’ side for sure so every game is a not a guarantee.”

Sarkonak said that with U18 provincial team members Michael Goertzen, Justin Muirhead and Dallas Lowen on board, making the playoffs for the first time is the team’s goal.

Souris will also rely on a veteran trio.

Sam West, Andy Lovatt and Zach Armstrong will be looked upon to lead a roster of 18 that suffered a major loss with the graduation of Adam Kowalchuk, who led the league in scoring in 2016.

They’ll be a smaller, more athletic group looking to capitalize on their speed.

“I think we can play some dynamic rugby,” Yon said. “You look around at some of the teams in the league like Elton and Crocus and they have some big boys up front. We don’t want to get caught up in that. We want to throw the ball around the field and play a little bit more of a dynamic brand of rugby.”

Yon said his team is banged up to start the season, with a number of injuries stemming back to hockey season.

Vincent Massey wil be trying to get out the gate quickly despite a younger team that will have to develop quickly.

Coach Dan Smith said of the 15 players who participated in the John Keogh Rugby Festival, eight of them were new and mostly Grade 9s and 10s.

“At least half the team is new to playing rugby but they seem to be catching on to the movements of the game and they’re all excited about the season,” he said. “Hopefully we’re successful.”

The Vikings will be counting on the Reid brothers, Gavin and James, along with Ravi Hunter to lead the way.

“I would like to make the playoffs,” Smith said. “We would need three wins so that would be great.”

GIRLS

In the six-team girls’ division, Souris will battle Minnedosa, Dauphin, Swan Valley, Crocus Plains and Vincent Massey. Each team will play the other five teams once, with the top four teams advancing to the semifinals on May 23 and 24.

The final will be held on May 27.

Souris lost several key players from last season’s championship squad, including team leader Kaylee Butterfield.

“Now we have some new girls who are having to step into some of those positions,” Yon said. “For us this year, Kendra Roberts and Kayla Kirkpatrick are going to have to carry the load.”

Roberts has played for Canada at the U18s and has to be the team’s best player, Yon said.

He added it’s the most inexperienced squad of 17 players he’s had in several years.

“That’s the beauty of high school sports,” Yon said. “They start off as young players and by the time they get to Grade 12 they have to become the leaders of the team.”

Kevin Chambers said his Crocus squad of 20 has impressed him with its dedication, but the Plainsmen are awfully young.

With just two Grade 12 students on the roster, four-year player and team captain Sidney Sliworsky will be expected to lead from the lock position.

“She’s turned into a real leader on the team; the other girls look towards her,” Chambers said. “She has the rare ability as a girl to not hesitate to speak up. If we can channel that positively, she’s going to be a great captain for us.”

Chambers said his biggest groups are in Grade 9 and 10, so his team’s goals are to stay close with Souris and Minnedosa and compete with the others.

Massey coach Nancy Pitcairn said her team, which will be led by track speedster Charlot Butler and Jacquie Huntinghawk, will also be inexperienced after a major turnover following the 2016 season.

“This group is very new in their leadership roles and we have six new players out there,” she said. “I will be a growth year where we’re seeing players step up. In practice I’ve already seen some players take some leadership who have never spoken up before and I’ve had some players who have come a long way.”

Massey has five Grade 12 students and five Grade 11s on its 22-player roster, which is the smallest team Pitcairn has had in a while.

The Vikings started practising ball-handling skills, fitness and positional pieces in February in the gym, but will have to transfer those skills outdoors quickly to meet their goal of a .500 season. Still, Pitcairn likes what she sees from her group.

“These girls have been really receptive to learning and improving all the way through,” she said.

After the season ends, the provincials for boys and girls will be played in Winnipeg on June 2 and 3, with the league all-star game in Dauphin on June 10.

» pbergson@brandonsun.com

» Twitter: @PerryBergson