Ohio Celtic Elite look to replicate last year’s all-star success in the South. /// Photo: Allison Noel Bradfield •
As the South Regional Cup Tournament (RCT) took shape earlier this spring, interest piqued as select sides from Virginia, Wisconsin and Ohio signed on. Combined with South powerhouse Tennessee, the field was looking strong. But the registrations ended there as 2015 participants North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia/Middle Tennessee did not assemble squads. The four-team varsity and junior varsity fields will still produce good competition, but the South is missing a valuable opportunity in terms of spurring regional growth.
Wisconsin makes the farthest trip and invested its budget into the North Carolina tour in lieu of competing at the more conveniently located Midwest RCT next weekend in Rockford, Ill. That said, Wisconsin coach Jeff Noe was looking for competition outside of the Midwest, which is inarguably the most active region in terms of hosting regional events for its member states. Just last weekend, teams from Michigan, Ohio and Indiana competed in the Midwest All-Star Challenge in Elkhart, Ind., (not to be confused with the Midwest RCT), and 7s select sides will be convening at the Midwest invitational on July 9.
Between this year’s varsity and junior varsity squads, 10 teams from across Wisconsin are represented. The Brookfield Bruisers are best represented with 12 players across both teams, while state 7s finalists Oak Creek and Fond du Lac contributed six apiece. The state’s two best teams – Divine Savior Holy Angels and Catholic Memorial – combine for four players, but those two teams play much denser, travel-wearying springs than the rest of the state. In terms of players to watch, key in on Catholic Memorial’s Ellie Metz and Oak Creek’s Megan Bird, who boast the most high-level experience on the squad.
WISCONSIN – VARSITY
Seniors
Aliana Cervera – Bruisers
Raquel Galarza – Bruisers
Meghan Galaszewski – Oak Creek
Ellie Metz – Catholic Memorial
Bailey Rabideaux – Muskego
Morgan Saenz – Knightmares
Meaghan Schmitt – Catholic Memorial
Juniors
Abby Andler – Bruisers
Emily Becker – Knightmares
Zoe Bierce – Knightmares
Megan Bird – Oak Creek
Mercede Champlin – Vernon Park and Rec
Sarah Clarke – Divine Savior Holy Angels
Emma Conrad – Fond du Lac
Elyse Cornell – Vernon Park and Rec
McKenna Daams – Muskego
Monique Foster – Vernon Park and Rec
Tehya Herbert – Oak Creek
Crystal Jehly – Bruisers
Alyssa Kalusche – Vernon Park and Rec
Julie Lutzen – Bruisers
Danielle Mihalski – Pulaski Flyers
Aiyanna Primer – Bruisers
Ally Rusch – Muskego
Kaitlyn Schoepel – Dragon Rugby
Niina Sjogren – Catholic Memorial
WISCONSIN – JUNIOR VARSITY
Sophomores
Lauren Buchholz – Oak Creek
Olivia Culver – Oak Creek
Kaitlyn Demoske – Fond du Lac
Lexi Engelhardt – Fond du Lac
Kenzie Houdek – Bruisers
Nicole Lehto – Bruisers
Jenna Lewaren – Pulaski Flyers
Bella Lubsey – Bruisers
Dosia McKinney – Bruisers
Alaina Passarella – Fond du Lac
Michaela Richman – Oak Creek
Areliz Rivera – Bruisers
Savanna Roeder – Fond du Lac
Holly Schupbach – Pulaski Flyers
Anna Watry – Bruisers
Brittany Willett – Fond du Lac
Freshmen
Samantha Dreher – Dragon Rugby
Jade Green – Knightmares
Kayla Parker – Muskego
Ohio’s Celtic Elite is essentially equidistant from the Midwest and South RCTs, and is led by St. Joseph Academy coach Jaime Cleary. The squad is 20 players deep, and single-school champion Jaguars account for 11 of those spots. Watch for Stars & Stripes vet Annie Rolf to make an impact, as well as No. 8 Maeve Mullen (who scored the game-tying try against Divine Savior Holy Angels in the national semifinals), and also Mary Hirzel, who was very influential in St. Charles, Mo.
A motley team will round out the junior varsity bracket. Teams will play three round-robin matches to determine seeding into the final Sunday match for place. For more information, visit Rugby Athletic Center’s event page.
OHIO CELTIC ELITE – VARSITY
Elina Burgos – Brunswick
Leah Carsten – Highland
Kelsie Contreras – Parma
Tori Fabrizi – St. Joseph Academy
Brynn Ford – Padua (Parma)
Emily French – St. Joseph Academy
Mary Hirzel – St. Joseph Academy
Kate Jones – Brunswick
Maeve Mullen – St. Joseph Academy
Marina Mullins – Brunswick
Annie Rolf – St. Joseph Academy
Brionna Scebbi – St. Joseph Academy
Addie Schwartz – St. Joseph Academy
Angelica Simpson – St. Joseph Academy
Mady Smith – Perrysburg
Becky Sullivan – St. Joseph Academy
Faith Thrasher – Brunswick
Karlee Trickel – St. Joseph Academy
Kelly Zagore – Parma
Anna Zavoda – St. Joseph Academy