Photo courtesy Rugby Oregon. See more here. •
Midway through the Rugby Oregon state 7s series, the Valley Panthers were cautiously optimistic. The top side (“Black”) was undefeated, feeling good, but not taking anything for granted. The team had learned not to look too far down the road, and coach Jeremy Moore referenced those lessons earlier this month. But after four-straight tournaments without a loss, the Valley Panthers Black entered the championship weekend ranked as #1, and didn’t disappoint.
In Saturday’s Cup semifinal, the Valley Panthers Black blanked Beaverton 29-0 and then lined up against Battle Ground, which had defeated Linn Benton Black 21-5 in the final four. The trophy was up for grabs at the half, as the Panthers led 7-0, but a resilient defense and fit offense produced two tries in the second half for the 19-0 victory. That’s two shutouts en route to the team’s first-ever state 7s title.
“The 7s title was a hard one to get for us in previous years, always coming up short,” Moore reiterated. “It was definitely a relief when the whistle sounded, and I could breathe easily again. From past experiences, I don’t take anything for granted.”
Moore counts seven of Rugby Oregon’s top players on his team, and they were all influential in playing a composed, focused game throughout the day.
“I see great things to come,” Moore said of his core players. “Adriana Mendoza has consistently been the standout this season, followed closely by Legacy Adams. My up-and-comer future team leaders are Jazmin [Hager] and Riley Yoder. All of them are great rugby players.”
The Valley Panthers finished 14-0, outscoring opponents 385-69, averaging 27.5 points per game. Beaverton beat Linn Benton Black 12-10 for third place. Grant took fifth after first tying North Clackamas 17-17, and then getting the 19-15 victory in the rematch.
In the second division, Cleveland defeated Linn Benton Orange 29-17 for the title, while Canby took third with a 12-0 win over Centennial. West Linn finished fifth after two wins over Valley Panthers Purple, 29-0 and 21-15.
