Three states supply athletes to the Mid-America All Stars. /// Photo courtesy Broken Arrow Rugby
The Mid-America High School All Stars has named the varsity and junior varsity squads that will compete at the Regional Cup Tournament (RCT) in Denver, June 18-19. In 2015, the program’s inaugural year, the varsity team competed as the Missouri All Stars, although players from Oklahoma populated the roster. This year, the Mid-America representative sides include players from Missouri, Texas and Oklahoma.
A bigger player pool was needed, as the all-star program has expanded its representation at the RCT. Last year, there wasn’t consistent interest across the country for both varsity and JV divisions, so in certain locations – like the Rocky Mountain Challenge – the JV division folded and sophomores were given waivers to play up with the varsity teams. Now there is firmer separation: Varsity teams are for seniors and juniors only, and JV teams are for sophomores and freshmen.
USA Rugby will have scouts at the five RCTs looking for players to populate two separate teams – Girls High School All Americans (GHSAA) and GHSAA U16 – for two separate fixtures. Eastern RCTs will be provide talent to the two age-grade squads competing against Quebec in Emmitsburg, Md., and western RCTs will supply players to the British Columbia fixtures in Seattle. With the expansion in teams and playing opportunities, the hope is that more RCTs will field full JV divisions.
Guiding the Mid-America effort is program director Anna Kunkel. She coordinates with varsity coach Gayle Adcock of Broken Arrow (Okla.) and JV coach Jay Brewer (Kansas City, Mo.). The trio will use a two-day camp the weekend before the RCT to shape up their respective squads.
The coaches will lean on veterans in the form of Madylyn Becker, who was named to the 2015 all-tournament team; returners McKenzie Borchers, Rachel Burger, Carly Doyle, Deanna Hamersley, Alicia Hicks, Mariah Huffman, Vanessa Mahan, Paige Tauveli; and Ifeoma Agali, who represented the Girls High School All Americans during the team’s trophy-winning campaign at the Vancouver 7s.
Mid-America All Stars – Varsity
Ifeoma Agali – Missouri
Isabella “Bella” Alanis – Texas
Madylyn Becker – Missouri
Rachel Burger – Oklahoma
Caila Coates – Missouri
Esmeralda Deleon – Missouri
Carly Doyle – Missouri
Zoe Fox – Oklahoma
Abby Gibson – Oklahoma
Lois Granet – Missouri
Deanna Hamersley – Oklahoma
Ashlynn Hendricks – Oklahoma
Alicia Hicks – Oklahoma
Mariah Huffman – Oklahoma
Alba Laredo – Missouri
Vanessa Mahan – Missouri
Delanna Martin – Texas
Arielle Martin – Oklahoma
Jayden Masterson – Oklahoma
Abby Miller – Oklahoma
Jordyn Ruth – Oklahoma
Kyala Taylor – Oklahoma
Camilyn Tucker – Oklahoma
Evelyn Vilingia – Missouri
Taylor Welch – Texas
Paige Tauveli – Missouri
Mid-America All Stars – Junior Varsity
Llasmin Alvarado – Missouri
Gentry Ballard – Oklahoma
McKenzie Borchers – Texas
Whitley Cary – Oklahoma
Tania Daniels – Oklahoma
Kalee Fontenot – Missouri
Diamond Gordon – Missouri
Reagan Hunter – Texas
Jessica Laughlin – Oklahoma
Jasmine McAlister – Missouri
Shandree “Sand” McNatt – Oklahoma
Hunter Medlock – Oklahoma
Hannah Moriarty – Oklahoma
Kiarah Mosley – Missouri
Mimi Pham – Missouri
Mariana Sanchez – Missouri
kamryn seale – Oklahoma
Avriel Sika – Missouri
MaRya Smith – Missouri
Cheyenne Staab – Missouri
Chaselynn Stephens – Oklahoma
Lauren Tali – Missouri
Jasmine Williams – Oklahoma