St. Joseph’s Anne Rolf (Photo: Andrea Rolf)
St. Bonaventure, N.Y., will be a place of interest this weekend, but not necessarily for its college rugby. The Bonnies are hosting a high school players clinic on Saturday, and then matches for single-school national champion St. Joseph Academy (JV and varsity), New York state champion Orchard Park and fellow Western New York power Kenmore high schools on Sunday. It will be a good first look at teams on the national radar.
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“We couldn’t be more excited to host these three teams this weekend,” St. Bonaventure coach Clarence Picard enthused. “This is an exciting opportunity for us to work closely with three leading high school programs in our region, and also show off our campus to more than 80 young women.”
St. Joseph’s spring break coincides with the trip east, necessitating some lineup changes, but there is great leadership in senior captains Anne Rolf and Bri Scebbi. They’ll guide a team that has graduated few players from last year’s national championship team.
“Anne Rolf is excited to play for Lindenwood University next year and is playing with her strong drive and leadership for her last year at SJA,” St. Joseph Academy coach Jaime Cleary praised. “[Flanker] Bri Scebbi started playing in the backline but really showed her talent for tackling and game awareness when she moved to the pack last year.”
No. 8 Claire Forrestal and fullback Hannah Carruthers are up-and-comers to watch, and have added more fitness and skill to their arsenals. The JV team will play Kenmore on Sunday at 11 a.m., and will include young players who have junior high or fall 7s experience. The varsity team will play Orchard Park at 12:45 p.m.
“SJA Varsity is prepared to bring a competitive team to play against Orchard Park,” Cleary explained. “I think all of the teams will enjoy the experience of playing teams at a higher level and will get new skills that they can bring back to their state. These young women are fortunate to have such a great opportunity.”
Interestingly, coach Cleary’s husband, Tom, coaches the boys’ high school team at Cleveland’s St. Edward – where coach Picard picked up rugby. Picard has been following Saint Joseph’s successes closely, and when he took over the St. Bonaventure program, Jaime Cleary was the first person he called.
“It’s always an honor to work closely with a championship coach like her,” Picard said.
The same can also be said for Lisa Henrich, head coach of two-time reigning New York state champion Orchard Park. Picard has shared coaching duties with Henrich on the Western New York Lightning select side, as well.
“I approach the 2017 season with guarded optimism,” Henrich reflected on 2016’s 26-member squad and the 11 players who have since graduated or relocated. “Nevertheless, my confidence in our 2017 success is bolstered by the attitude, enthusiasm and the aggressive style of play of the returning veterans, including returning 2016 co-captains Hannah Riccardi and Emily Henrich.”
The ranks have also been bolstered by athletes from other varsity sports – basketball and bowling – which isn’t common.
“I am thrilled that we have the chance to start our season against the best ‘single school’ team in the country as it will give us a sense of the competition we will face when we travel to Indiana for the Single School National Championships in May. In addition, a pre-season match against a team of this caliber will surely highlight for us the areas where we will need to focus our attention before our league season commences on April 9.”
Watch senior Hannah Riccardi (heading to St. Bonaventure), junior center Henrich (who captained the Girls High School All-Americans against Quebec last summer), and senior scrum-half Frangelica Bautz (who just finished a championship ice hockey season). Senior Catherine Matre, who has been locking for Orchard Park, focused on her fitness and skills in the off-season and has earned a look at No. 8.
The Western New York high school league has set up a two-tier system this year, and Orchard Park will play home-and-away against its DI opponents, which include Kenmore, City Honors and Hamburg.
“This weekend gives us an opportunity to test ourselves against a Midwest perennial. We will also have an opportunity to see our crosstown rivals Orchard Park play,” Kenmore coach Jerry Hann summarized. “This will give us the opportunity to evaluate our chances against the defending New York champs.”
Scrumhalf Ellie Fumerelle is the dynamo leading Kenmore, and she’ll continue her college career at Lindenwood next year. Cassi Kull moves from fullback to flyhalf, where she can employ her great field awareness, tackling ability and good foot.
“I can’t wait to show our girls one of the most scenic rugby pitches in the U.S., along with a small college atmosphere,” added Hann, who has first-hand appreciation for St. Bonaventure, having served as the men’s 7s coach and also aiding the 15s team during its DI-AA quarterfinal showing in 2013.
To learn more about the St. Bonaventure women’s program, click here.
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