Outside center and captain Hingano talks post-match with Carly MacKinnon / Atavus
The Girls’ High School All-Americans, Powered by Atavus, won their third-straight match against the British Columbia U18s, rallying from a first-quarter deficit to win 54-24. The junior Eagles will attempt to make it a 6-0 sweep this summer (when adding in the GHSAA East’s U16 and U18 wins against Quebec last weekend) with Sunday’s rematch (9 a.m. PST).
The match started well enough as captain Mata Hingano dotted down the opening try, and fellow center Mckenna Strong slotted the first of seven conversions for the 7-0 lead. The Canadians responded with excellent pressure, stepping into the passing lane for a pick-off and pouncing on loose ball, which resulted in back-to-back tries and 12-7 lead.
There was one more lead change in store, as fullback Nia Toliver dotted down the first of her three tries, and Strong’s extras put the Americans ahead for good, 14-12. While the Americans had some momentum heading into the break, dotting down two more converted tries through flyhalf Mele Tausinga and prop Finau Tamaivena, B.C. recorded a third try for the 28-17 halftime score.
Leaning on defensive turnovers, the GHSAAs outscored their Canadian counterparts 26-7 in the second half, sending Toliver over for two more tries, as well as Missoula’s Julia Riekena and Grant’s Sui A’au at fullback.
The teams meet for the fourth time in a year on Sunday, 9 a.m. at Magnuson Park in Seattle.
Girls High School All-Americans powered by Atavus
1. Finau Tamaivena 2. Destiny Arena 3. Tiara A’au 4. Ceara Bettcher 5. Mililani Leui 6. Lolo Makaafi 7. Julia Riekena 8. Tiana A’au 9. Cassidy Bargell 10. Mele Tausinga 11. Alex Sedrick 12. Mckenna Strong 13. Mata Hingano (c) 14. Sui A’au 15. Nia Toliver
Reserves
16. Lily Brown 17. Penina Tuilaepa 18. Rian Moala 19. Wynter O’Brien 20. Cheyenne Nielson 21. Seini Ieremia 22. Brianna Vasquez 23. MaryJane Pasioles