A youth movement is in full march at a high school rugby pitch.
The Holy Trinity Academy Knights might be looking towards 2019 for their girls rugby team, but things are looking darn good right now.
“We are mostly made up of Grade 10 and 11 players,” said HTA Knights coach Katie Marchant. “We are a young, dynamic team. We’re lucky to have so many good athletes… I like this team. I can see the future and the progress. They are extremely talented.”
The Knights downed a roster-shortened Oilfields Drillers 58-5 at HTA on April 26 to even their record to 1-1 in the Big Sky High School Rugby Union.
Part of the HTA youth movement comes from Knights’ back Kylie Manser, who had three of the four first trys for the Knights. She said while HTA is young, they have experience.
“We have a lot of Grade 10 girls who all came up with the Foothills Lions,” Manser said. “Once we get to Grade 12 and if we all keep practicing and doing what we do, we will be strong.”
Approximately 10 of the Knights played in a seven tournament in Las Vegas earlier this year, including HTA’s starting Grade 10 wing Jasmine Leslie and prop Jordyn Wilson.
Leslie said there are adjustments to be made as a Grade 10 player.
“You are playing with girls who have played together for two years, you have to adapt a little,” said Leslie, who had a try against Oilfields. “Against Bow Valley (a 19-5 loss on April 12) it was our first game and we didn’t know each other. Today we showed we are understanding our strengths and weaknesses.”
The Knights also have veteran experience in the likes of Maddie Powell, a student at Strathcona-Tweedsmuir who is playing at HTA because STS doesn’t have a girls rugby team.
The Drillers lone try was when Chloe Dixon bulldozed in for the try with HTA up 48-0 late in the game.
“This was a great learning experience for us — and I am happy to say they (the Drillers) played their hearts out,” said Drillers coach Pam Pracic. “Even though we were down by more than 40 points, we scored a try and that showed the girls still have the drive.”
The 1-1 Oilfields was outmanned.
While the Knights’ bench was full of players, on the Drillers side, the words “Knights Football” could be clearly read on the back of the bench. Oilfields had all their players on the pitch after losing a Driller to injury.
Manser gave the Drillers credit.
“They played really well for the number (of players) they had,” Manser said. “They kept giving us a good fight.”
The Knights take their 1-1 record into Highwood High School in High River to play the Highwood Mustangs May 3 at 5 p.m. Oilfields will play the Foothills Falcons at the Comp May 4 at 5 p.m.
