2018 All-State Game / Photo courtesy WNY Lightning Facebook
The Northeast Regional Cup Tournament (RCT) occurs on June 28-30 in Springfield, Mass., and serves as a major talent identification venue for USA Rugby age grade scouts and collegiate recruiters. Thus far, only Pennsylvania and now Western New York have are fielding Tier 1 and Tier 2 teams, while additional states are either TBD or entering one side.
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Lightning head coach Clarence Picard and staff evaluated players through in-season scouting, coach recommendations and via two evaluation camps in Buffalo. A team camp on June 23 will prepare the all-stars for the Northeast RCT the following weekend.
Western New York will field both Tier 1 (juniors and seniors) and Tier 2 (freshmen and sophomores) teams – a difficult task, especially considering that this all-star program is for the Buffalo-area league and not the entire state. A couple of players from the Capital Division (Rutland, Vt.; Adirondack, N.Y.) have been added to to the roster. Players from Western New York have also competed with the Allegheny (Pa.) All-Stars, as the Lightning are logistically closer to the Midwest than Northeast competitions.
Western New York has also lined up matches against the Celtic Elite of Cleveland, Ohio, on July 13. These games will also be held in Buffalo and not only provide more elite 15s experiences for the players but also the coaching staff, which includes two student assistants in Kelly DeGrood and Grace Weber, current St. Bonaventure University players.
WESTERN NY ALL-STARS
TIER 1
Abbey Bartenstein – Corning
Maggie Beiter – Hamburg
Abbey Beres – Hamburg
Halla Brill – Corning
Bella Fredriksen – Hamburg
Emily Hathaway – Rutland
Kayla Hoch – Orchard Park
Amanda Iafallo – South Buffalo
Anna Liddle – Orchard Park
Leah Palmesano – Corning
Brooke Paries – Adirondack
Makenna Ramsey – Syracuse
Mikayla Raspberry – City Honors
Kate Ryan – City Honors
Alexis Switzer – South Buffalo
Alyssa Tenny – Corning
Erin Terwilliger – Corning
Madellyne Thomas – Syracuse
Hope Zimmer – South Buffalo
TIER 2
Sarah Buman – Corning
Ava Dimitroff – City Honors
Alexandra Erdolino – City Honors
Emilie Grimm – City Honors
Olivia Guarino – Kenmore
Mckenna Hill – Corning
Piper Holleran – Corning
Nora Kirkley – City Honors
Allie MacDonald – Orchard Park
Shahzoda Nasimjonova – City Honors
Ella Nenoff – Orchard Park
Isabella O’Hara – City Honors
Rachael Phillips – Kenmore
Ashlee Reid – Orchard Park
Kristen Schmitz – Hamburg
Kaori Segars – City Honors
Felicia Toomey – City Honors
Danielle VanDemark – Corning
Angela Westfall – Kenmore
Kendall Wier – South Buffalo
STAFF
Clarence Picard – Head Coach
Rachel Noone – Assistant Coach, Tier 2
Jennelle Marie Rhodes – Assistant Coach, Tier 1
Kelly DeGrood – Student Assistant
Grace Weber – Student Assistant
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