Last year’s Pennsylvania al-stars won the Mid-Atlantic RCT
Rugby PA has named its girls’ varsity and junior varsity squads for this weekend’s Northeast Regional Cup Tournament (RCT) in Albany, N.Y. The varsity team is led by Bloomsburg coach Kevin Castner, while Penn State coach Kate Daley heads the JV squad.
The Pennsylvania varsity all-star team is grouped with Western New York and a combination squad of Rugby New York’s Capital league (which includes teams from upstate New York and Vermont) and Maryland. The other pool includes representative sides from New Jersey, Connecticut and Massachusetts.
Watch for returners like Hannah Moran, Alexis Weaver and Paige Krahling to lead in the way of defense, and Ali Wicks to inject speed into the backline. Wicks plays her regular-season ball with State College, the current state champion, and is joined by three other teammates on the varsity side. The quartet also competed at the first single-school national championship in Missouri this May.
On the JV side, look for Ariana Ramsey, who distinguished herself at the High School Rugby Challenge in Chester, Pa. Alex DiMarco is inarguably the most well known player on the team, having played with select sides like Atlantis in the past.
There are only three JV teams entered in the competition, thereby limiting the exposure of 9th and 10th graders to national age-grade scouts. Pennsylvania will play against Empire (New York) and a Northeast combined side.
PENNSYLVANIA – VARSITY
Head Coach: Kevin Castner (Bloomsburg)
Emily Blevins – Downingtown
Josie Eggert – State College
Cecilie Geraghty – Downingtown
Olivia Grimm – Unionville
Lynnzee Jordan – White Horse
Paige Krahling – White Horse
Melena Kraus – Kiski Valley
Jessica Kurtz – Kiski Valley
Grace Larko – Kiski Valley
Dana McAlpine – Kiski Valley
Madison McCormick – Chambersburg
Larissa McGhee – State College
Hannah Moran – Valkyries
Madalyn Morley – Downingtown
Grace Purinton – Conestoga
Tori Robinson – Doylestown
Sarah Rohan – State College
Olivia Searfass – Doylestown
Natalie Travaglia – Kiski Valley
Alexa Weaver – Valkyries
Janine Whalen – Kiski Valley
Ali Wicks – State College
Alina Withers – Conestoga
PENNSYLVANIA – JUNIOR VARSITY
Head Coach: Kate Daley (Penn State)
Gigi Agliardo – State College
Harmony Beppler – Penn Legacy
Maitlin Combs – White Horse
Kylie Corless – Doylestown
Alex DiMarco – White Horse
Jamilyn Dykes – Kiski Valley
Vanessa Hasandozic – Chambersburg
Kayli Honsinger – White Horse
Lily Kastelic – Kiski Valley
Hannah Keener – Cumberland Valley
Tina Kimmich – Downingtown
Colleen MacAdam – West Shore United
April Pagel – Downingtown
Ariana Ramsey – White Horse
Bayla Shindledecker – Kiski Valley
Adele Shirmer – West Shore
Joannah Skucek – State College
Mia Walsh – Doylestown