Indy Speed is once again fielding two teams at the Midwest Regional Cup Tournament in Fishers, Ind., and the three-year-old program is led by three Indiana University alumnae who are also active in the high school league. Indiana coach Vaughn Mitchell was instrumental in establishing this relationship, having previously served as Indy Speed head coach.
All-star head coach Masie Duncan coaches Indiana Super League’s Pike, while assistant Liz Weinstein leads Division 1 Avon. Coach Maria Bashmakov was an active Indiana player through this spring (she just signed with Queens University of Charlotte for the fall) and was assisting Division I Westfield, which combined with her former high school team, Carmel. Duncan and
Bashmakov have played under Garrett Fisher’s All-Midwest High School Thunderbirds, and Bashmakov herself has represented Indy Speed and played alongside and against the current all-stars.
Bashmakov served as head coach during the Midwest All-Star Challenge (not an RCT) in Elkhart, Ind., earlier this month, while Riley Horvath (Warsaw), Libby Moser (North Central) and Megan Reed (Westfield) captained the team on the day. Rising senior Reed was the only freshman to play on the varsity (now termed “Tier 1”) team during the Indy Speed’s inaugural year and went on to represent the USA Rugby High School All-American U16s. She’s also planning on attending the Thunderbirds high school camp in July.
“Despite her small stature, Reed inspires teammates, playing all over the field while breaking through defense and nailing her tackles,” Bashmakov praised. “Likewise, Moser is also a very reliable player and our current kicker. Both these ladies and their extensive rugby knowledge really fuel the team.”
That trio came through with leading performances, and Bashmakov was also pleasantly surprised by three-year veteran Claire Douglass (Westfield), who had some good runs down the wing; first-year player Alexis Finney (Fishers), an impactful forward with a high work rate; and Anna Hensel (North Central), a forceful outside center capable of strong runs.
“Ella McCool was especially impressive as a senior with literally less than a month of experience, something you wouldn’t expect for an all-star team,” Bashmakov lauded the Noblesville product. “She played wing and fullback for us that day and made some very dominating tackles against hard runners that blew me away considering her little experience.”
Super League Warsaw was solidly represented, and the coach recognized hard-working fullback/No. 8 Grisel Cisneros, defensive leader Sara Linton, and Angelica Rodriguez and Katiana Rodriguez.
“The Rodriguez sister duo was one that I loved seeing in action,” the coach recalled. “As soon as I put these girls on the field at flyhalf and inside center, they were absolutely stunning playing off each other and constantly executing a variety of plays each time they had the ball. Katiana was one of our leading scorers that weekend as well, dotting some tries against Ohio.”
The Elkhart tournament provided plenty of work-ons, and practices have been reinforcing what’s been working well, shoring up those areas that need refinement, and building overall chemistry.
“Looking towards this weekend, we expect a great showing from our girls, with no doubt,” Bashmakov enthused. “I’m excited to see how things have improved since Elkhart and how a more solidified and stronger two teams will fare.”
The staff is eager to see additional players like Beonica Fair (Noblesville), Pike’s Taylor Golder and Tiara Mason, Delaney Moyer (Brownsburg), and Westfield’s Haley Taylor, Kaylee Paino and Mary Pinaire in action. Moyer and Pinaire, who haven’t played yet this month, will be especially crucial to the Tier 2 team.
“My goals with the team include evolving into a year-long elite team with a 7s side to eventually travel to Vegas, and to overall just grow the Speed program and create a competitive [Tier 1] and [Tier 2] All-Star environment for players to grow, show their skills and experience new opportunities as Indiana athletes,” Bashmakov concluded.
Games will be live-streaming via FloRugby.com.
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