Photos: Rob Adelman and Belmont Shore Women’s Rugby
Tempe is the reigning DI Pacific South champion and currently 4-0, when including games against Old Pueblo and the San Diego Surfers. There’s still the second half of the season to contest and a SoCal title to win, but the Ninjas are eager to return to western regionals and build on the experience from last year’s national quarterfinals.
“Last year we won the SoCal championship for the first time,” Tempe captain Chelsea McIntosh explained. “Even though we weren’t playing the best rugby, it was a really great experience for many on the team, and we’ve been lucky to retain a core group of players from that team this season.”
Notables like McIntosh, Whitney Diem, Leah Wills, Lindsey Mahoney, Sam Santos and Kelly Pawlowski – among many others – bring consistency, and some new, quality players in key positions have added a wrinkle to the team’s game this year. Inside center Erica Hiddink and flyhalf Heleni Kuma are just two examples of new impact players. Hiddink is a recent standout from Colgate University and has scored six tries so far this spring. Kuma used to claim headlines at SUNY Cortland, also an Upstate New York program, and is directing the backline.
The Ninjas benefit from good numbers, and they’re directed by a new coaching staff of Aime Boekhout, Brad Filgas and Terri Wilson, who started at the turn of the year.
“Practices have been awesome, well designed, and much more physical than previous years, which has been very beneficial, as physicality was a weak point for us last year,” McIntosh enthused.
Tempe has defeated Santa Monica 43-10 and Belmont Shore 29-17, as well as DI San Diego 33-15 and DII Old Pueblo 41-0.
“In almost every game we’ve played, we’ve dominated in the first 40, but let our opponents creep back in the second,” the captain reviewed. “Even in the first 40, we haven’t been playing at the highest level that we’re capable, so there’s definitely room to grow. Belmont Shore gave us the most trouble, but San Diego was also a difficult game, as they were a more spread and agile offense.”
The Ninjas will round out the regular season at Santa Monica (March 24) and host Belmont Shore (April 7), and the DI Pacific South championship is April 28. The victor will represent the geographic union in the national quarterfinals, or western regional championship (May 19-20). Last year, Tempe went 0-2 at nationals, losing to the Utah Vipers and Austin Valkyries.
“I think everyone’s goal on the team is finishing the season undefeated and winning Southern California again, making it back to the regional playoff,” McIntosh explained. “I think after that, the short-term and long-term goal for the club should be a DI national championship, if not this year, then next year or the year after. We know the level we have to play at to achieve that goal from last year’s regional experience, so getting everyone on board to get to that level will be a big hurdle to overcome.”
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