Photo: Carisa Weaver (view more) •
The Women’s Premier League is the only women’s club competition that contests its entire season in the final quarter of the year and therefore provides a natural selection pool for Club Player of the Fall. Attention then focused on the 2016 champions, San Diego Surfers, which broke a string of fifth-place finishes with its first-ever WPL title this November. As the recipient pool further narrowed onto the players who served as difference-makers during the championship-winning campaign, some consideration was needed.
San Diego was in a unique position this season, as the first women’s USA 15s residency imported Eagle forwards to southern California. Players like Sam Pankey, Molly Kinsella, Hope Rogers, Jordan Gray and later Jamila Reinhardt trained daily at the Olympic Training Center and then played with the Surfers during the WPL season. They strengthened San Diego’s game, as did Surfers 15s newcomers Hunter Griendling, Dana Meschisi and Matelina Maluia.
So in singling out a club MVP, we acknowledge a player who not only has roots with San Diego and its former Plate-winning streak, but also contributed to the title campaign in a marked way.
Tia Blythe is our pick for Club Player of the Fall. The San Diego veteran was a highlight during the August club 7s championship (read more) and staked her spot on the 15s watch list as the WPL season unfolded in September. Blythe played fullback during all eight of San Diego’s WPL matches and reiterated how dangerous she can be with ball in hand. Running those smart lines that the 7s field saw during the club championship, Blythe was so good in support and elevated a backline that included the always-off-loading Gray, so-shifty Meschisi and sharp-finishing Kyla Roth.
[During a WPL bye week, Blythe and fellow Surfers helped the San Diego Galaxy to the USA Touch National Championship. read more]
On defense, Blythe plays well beyond her smaller stature. Sure in contact, and the right combination of fast, physical and relentless, the fullback is so reliable in the back field and good for the chase-down. San Diego relinquished the fewest points-against in the ultra-competitive Blue Conference.
Blythe also contributed 80 points on two tries and 35 conversions over eight games, and showed to be one of the best place-kickers in the competition. As one might expect, she claimed the fullback spot on the WPL championship all-tournament team (see the full list).
Blythe is a risk-taker with a high success rate – skilled at top speed, fiery, and crucial to the team win. She represents a part of the San Diego past that has been building out of the fifth-place bracket and that was important to the smooth integration of potentially temporary players in the Women’s Rugby World Cup buildup. And she’s just fun to watch play.
MORE AWARDS
- Best Event of 2016: NAI 7s
- High School Player of Fall 2016: Cassidy Bargell
- College Player of Fall 2016: Ilona Maher
- Club Team of Fall 2016: ORSU
- College Team, Game of Fall 2016: Coast Guard, Vassar v Davenport
- Club Game of Fall 2016: Chicago North Shore v Beantown
- College Coach of Fall 2016: Amy Rusert