Photos: Jean Wright •
Wisconsin high school’s regular season ends this weekend, but the state semifinals have already been set. On par with tradition, Divine Savior Holy Angels (DSHA) and Catholic Memorial lead their pools, and will play Oak Creek and Brookfield, respectively, in the final four. The perennial state finalists played a non-league match earlier in the season, and it went 33-0 in the Dashers’ favor.
“DSHA is an amazing team and they challenge us every time we play them, and I love that,” Maddie Donnelly, Catholic Memorial co-captain, nodded to the rivalry. “All I can say about our preparation of [our] next match is that we will continue to practice hard. Nothing has changed in our mentality, and I believe that you only lose when you give up. And I assure you, we will never give up.”
What has changed is that the Crusaders enter the post-season as the reigning state champion, a first for the single-school program that pulls from a total enrollment of fewer than 700 students. Donnelly joins fellow junior Allison Koenig as on-field leaders this season, and it’s the 16-year-old’s first fall as scrumhalf.
“It is my absolute favorite position, and I am so excited to learn more and get better at it,” enthused the former volleyball and basketball player who spent her first seasons rotating through the backline. “I am looking forward for what is to come.”
There’s a general sense of enthusiasm in the Crusader ranks this year, as the Waukesha team isn’t struggling for numbers. There are approximately 30 players angling for field time, with the freshmen and junior classes getting good representation.
“This year I was expecting an entirely new team, as many amazing seniors graduated and many rookies were coming in,” Donnelly explained. “But every year, I am awestruck at how through the new faces and young ages, it is still Catholic Memorial rugby. We show up to practice, give all we have for two hours, and have fun. … They are all catching on so fast. I often forget that this is their first season, and that realization excites me.”
The co-captains are integral to keeping the moving pieces in sync, but Donnelly asserted that the entire team feels the responsibility to perform.
“Allison and I are there to help remind things like where to stand or where to run, but it is up to each person to decide how hard they are going to tackle, how fast they will run, and how much effort they will put in,” she noted. “I can look at our team and I know that each person is there to help the other, and we will stop at nothing to give our all and do our best.”
The co-captains are part of a leadership group that includes seniors and coaches John “Wally” Waliszewski and Alex Glorioso. They’re all invested in developing the team off the pitch as well.
“We discuss ways to make CMH rugby more than just a sport you go to after school,” Donnelly described the buy-in. “There is a tradition we have had since the beginning of CMH rugby, and that is to ‘knight’ a player who worked hard at practice and in games. We have this sword Wally got in Europe in one of the first seasons. The leadership team helps initiate enthusiasm, drive, focus, and fun in our team. I know I can count on all of them to lead in their own ways, whether it’s in the hallways or on the rugby pitch.”
Catholic Memorial has been in league since Sept. 1, and it’s been two weeks since the shutout against DSHA. In all likelihood, the two will face each other in the state championship on Oct. 23.
“We don’t play to beat DSHA, but to get better everyday and become the best team we can be,” the scrumhalf concluded. “We are not perfect. We mess up, we miss tackles and we drop balls. But for every tackle we miss, we make the next two. For every ball we drop, we sprint to get the next one. Every time we fall, we will stand up again and push twice as hard. We make mistakes, but no team is perfect. We will strive to work hard and to keep running, and will not stop until we are 12 steps past the finish line.”
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