North Central finished its undefeated fall season with an Indiana 7s State Championship. The final tournament evolved last weekend in Elkhart, Ind., and it marked the second year that Rugby Indiana organized a fall 7s circuit for the girls.
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North Central was the only team in the girls’ high school competition that didn’t field a second side, but the 10-player squad was one of four teams still standing by season’s end.
“They were very coachable and highly self motivated. They made our job as coaches very easy,” North Central coach Suzi Dillon explained. “We try to make the fall not so serious with only one practice a week and an emphasis on having fun.”
North Central won the first series leg by healthy margins, but then the field steadily narrowed the gap throughout the season. Hamilton United exerted the most pressure and the teams bookended their championship tournament against each other.
“In the first game of the day, Hamilton United scored three times on us in the first half before we realized what had happened,” Dillon recalled. “North Central decided to wake up and returned four scores to them to win the game.”
North Central prevailed 27-15 and then followed with a 30-14 win over Bishop Dwenger, setting up a semifinal against Avon. North Central earned its spot in the final with a 36-14, and Avon nominated Libby Moser as player of the game. In the other semifinal, Hamilton United defeated Bishop Dwenger 36-7 to set up the title bout.
In the rematch, North Central didn’t wait until the second half to exert itself and posted a 24-7 win. Hamilton United nominated Delaney Moyer the MVP of the final, while Dillon highlighted sophomore Megan Reed from the opposition.
North Central (red) vs. Hamilton United / Photo courtesy Rugby Indiana
“Even when she played against us in middle school, she was the absolute epitome of class and sportsmanship,” Dillon lauded. “I’ve never come across anyone like her in my 20 years of coaching in the way she never stops working to influence her team to stay positive and the respect that she gives to opposing teams.
“After losing the championship game and seeing her coach storm off the field, Megan pulled both teams together to do a combined cheer at the end in honor of rugby,” the coach added.
Dillon explained that the team doesn’t have a captain, that whoever is playing scrumhalf serves as speaking captain in that match.
Rugby Indiana photo
“However, when someone had to receive the trophy for the team, Amanda Citrino was pushed forward by her teammates to receive the honor,” Dillon said of the medal ceremony. “Amanda is a senior who has been with our team since she was a freshman. She played with every bit of energy she had until the very end, pushing herself and always positively motivating her teammates.”
Dillon further praised Wayne Eells and Evan Roberts for organizing a second girls’ high school 7s season, and hopes to carry the momentum into the 15s season.
“All teams brought extremely talented and fiercely competitive players to the pitch,” the coach concluded. “It was a really great day seeing it all come together in the spirit of having a short, fun rugby season where we got to introduce our girls to 7s and get ready for the spring!”
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