New York entered three teams into Monmouth 7s.
[Update: The women’s Northeast championship occurs BEFORE, not after, the Empire GU championship. Article has been revised.]Last weekend marked the beginning of the Empire Geographic Union’s summer 7s series, which is divided into Upstate and Downstate competitions. The two competitions will send teams to the Empire 7s championship (July 22), the results of which will have no bearing on the Northeast 7s championship (July 15).
New York was the best of eight teams at the Monmouth 7s, the first stop on the Downstate series. The club entered three women’s sides (two competitive, one social), and its first team defeated Old Blue 2, Monmouth and Danbury 137-0 during pool play. New York then defeated Old Blue 1 46-0 in the semifinal and Village Lions 26-0 in the final.
“We’ve set our own standards right now, and they’re the ones that matter,” said New York women’s 7s coach Ryszard Chadwick. “There’s good buy-in in improving on and off the field, and the culture is high, which bodes well for the rest of the season. Our challenge will be keeping the consistency.”
The first side is a mix of experience and youth, and captain Lisa Roselin set the tone for Saturday’s performance. Kristen Siano, the team’s kicker, also served as a good playmaker, while Emily Magee and Justina DeBruzzi put in standout performances. Collegiate players like Shamira Robles (AIC) and Gio Ferguson (USMA) – both graduates of Play Rugby Academy, where Chadwick is still involved – and spring addition Kim Tran logged memorable New York 7s debuts.
“That standard of play [across the field] was good … [but] we were a little ahead of everybody this tournament,” said Chadwick. “We seem to click a lot quicker than most other teams and I’m unsure of the reason why.
“The fact that everyone bought into what their roles are, and they fit into the team whether coming off the bench or subbing off at halftime,” the coach said of pleasant surprises in the team’s first fixture. “They have a clear understanding of their roles, and that helps with the bigger picture.”
New York’s second team went 0-3 in the qualifier bracket, dropping games to Old Blue 1, Village Lions and Morris. Captain Yoshi Shapiro, Kerry Conlin and Sarah Minahan all had good outings. And the third side won the social division, defeating Suffolk 20-12 in the final.
That’s three teams in motion, and that’s where Chadwick wants the club to be, with players applying upward pressure and fostering a competitive environment. Assistant coach Jodie van Ogtrop is helping the process and connectivity, even beyond the active players.
“She used to coach and play for the club. All the girls know and respect and like her, and she has a good relationship with the alumni,” Chadwick said. “She brings the club closer together.”
New York is the early leader in the Empire’s Downstate series, and there are three more tournaments (Tri-State, Hell Gate, New Haven) before Blazing 7s, the Empire championship, on July 22 in Morristown, N.J. The caveat here is the that the Northeast 7s championship – the tournament that names teams to nationals – occurs before the Empire championship, and so seeding to the regional event will be determined from the first-three Empire series events. Read more about the Empire GU series.
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