Valkyries captain Maya Grassi from 2016
Despite an impromptu snowstorm Saturday morning, the U19 Nash Bash delivered in terms of solid girls’ high school competition. The event is a friendly in that there is no tournament champion, but Pennsylvania’s Valkyries emerged from the weekend 3-0 and with some confidence-boosting victories.
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The Valkyries won the 2015 Pennsylvania state championship and then endured a rebuilding year in 2016. Now there’s a palpable maturity – led by the incomparable Maya Grassi, junior flyhalf, who’s been with the team since 8th grade – and Nash Bash showed that there is promising depth.
“Compared to the team I had two years ago, the skill level is there,” Valkyries coach Jesse Richter considered the strength of his squad. “[Our chances at state] depend on our competition as well, but I’m pretty excited about this season. But it’s tough to make predictions this early.”
The Valkyries are different this year. During the team’s 48-0 win over Germantown – a young team from Tennessee – the field saw a squad with intimidating forwards.
“The team we had two years ago, our strength was in our backs. We had a well rounded team though and that’s why we ended up as a championship team,” Richter said. “Now it seems we really have size and strength, and most teams that we compete with are going to have trouble matching up. The back line has plenty of good talent, too. We just have to watch our fitness level and keep up the pace for a full 70 minutes.”
Tournament MVP Anasia Martinez was the hallmark of that powerful forward presence and scored tries in all three Nash Bash matches. In fact, the pack scored 12 of the 14 tries all weekend.
“But I’d say our whole front row really stands out,” Richter included senior prop Tori Schafte and freshman hooker Heather Cosby. “They’re big and strong, but they are able to run really hard and fast. They’re fun to watch because most opponents have a hard time bringing them down.”
Freshmen forwards Sophia Martin, Anasia Martinez and Heather Cosby, all awarded MVP medals from Brookfield
On Sunday, the Valkyries lined up against the Brookfield Bruisers from Wisconsin, and a thriller evolved. Martinez scored the game’s first try, which Grassi converted, and then the Bruisers put down two scores for a 12-7 lead at halftime. In the second half, the Valkyries took two yellow cards, but managed to hold off the Wisconsin side for the remainder of the match. Cosby’s try in the closing minutes tied it up, and then fullback Kat Von Abo’s conversions gave the Valkyries a 14-12 win.
“They came out and played a really tough game,” Richter praised Brookfield. “They were tough defensively especially – good hitting and tackling.”
That set up a final match against reigning single-school national champion St. Joseph Academy from Ohio.
“I told them they were going against national champions, and they were pretty nervous going into the game. ‘Are they good?’ ‘Yes, but so are you,’” Richter spoke to the team’s mentality. “I told them to use that nervous anticipation and adrenaline, and they came out really hard right off the bat. We scored an early try and that set the tone.”
Cosby did the honors in the try zone, and Grassi’s conversion made it 7-0. Martinez then followed with a try, 12-0. The Valkyries attempted to stymie St. Joseph’s wide attack with an aggressive back line defense, and it worked for the most part. But the Ohio side is national champ for a reason and answered with two tries before the half (12-10). Captain Grassi restored the lead with a try before the break, 17-10.
In the second half, Cosby dotted down her second score, which proved to be the winning margin, 24-10 with Grassi’s conversion. St. Joseph scored at the death for the 24-17 final.
“It’s a huge confidence builder,” Richter said. “They felt a little tentative, worried they’d get their butts kicked. But when they scored the first two tries, they realized that they were the better team. ‘We can do this.’ And they kept the pressure on. … We’re coming back to Pennsylvania knowing that we really have something.”
The ultimate goal is a return trip to the state championship, and that path begins this Saturday against White Horse. In between league games, the Valkyries will play out of state more, like at D.C. Ruggerfest, and keeping building toward a height enjoyed not too long ago.
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