Chicago Lions’ Danielle Ordway / Photo: Amy Kish
The USA Rugby Women’s Club 7s National Championship occurs this weekend, Saturday-Sunday, Aug. 12-13, in Blaine, Minn. Sixteen teams in four groups will contest pool play Saturday, knockouts will evolve Sunday. Games will be live-streamed via The Rugby Channel.
RELATED: Club 7s Nationals: Pool A Preview • Teams’ Nationals Rosters • USA Rugby Club 7s National Championship
Pool B is arguably the closest to an all-club group. Austin, New York and Philadelphia are all pulling from their year-round roster. Chicago Lions is a summer-only team, but it’s not an academy or all-star program. There will be a few USA pool players – and some who should be – running around, but no current Eagles.
New York took the No. 2 seed overall thanks to the absent Old Blue and its runner-up performance at 2016 nationals. Old Blue also served as New York’s best competition during the Empire GU series and came within five points of New York during the Atlantic North semifinals. But New York persevered in that 17-12 contest and went on to win the regional title 33-12 over Beantown.
Coach Ryszard Chadwick indicated that the team has focused its energies inward – a necessity when a team is operating ahead of its competition. Captain Lisa Roselin has been directing progress, and she gets good support from influential teammates like Kristen Siano, also the team’s kicker; Emily Magee, who helped ARPTC to first- and third-place finishes at 2015 and 2016 nationals, respectively; Tahlia Brody, a former Old Blue player who is young and fun to watch; Shamira Robles, an American International College standout; and many more.
New York is relatively new to 7s nationals, with prior appearances coming in 2014 and 2015, and has finished ninth at its peak. We expect to see the team in the Cup quarterfinals this year.
Same with the Chicago Lions. The team missed out on nationals last year, as crosstown rival Chicago Griffins and Youngbloodz took the Midwest bids. This summer, however, the Lions have dominated the scene, so much so that it earned the “Golden Ticket” to nationals. The Midwest decreed this year that any men’s or women’s team that won all three qualifiers would take an automatic No. 1 berth out of the region to nationals.
Chicago Lions’ Tanya Carlson / Photo: Amy Kish
But that’s certainly not to say that the Jeremy Nash-coached team wasn’t challenged along the way, in fact, the Midwest offers a nice array of competition and fields larger-than-average qualifier divisions. That variety keeps teams on their toes, forcing them to adapt to many styles of 7s and still find ways to win. The team also ramped up its prep with a series against ARPTC.
Sarah Kish captains the team that includes fellow veterans like Tanya Carlson, Charli Jacoby, Gabby Whittinghill and Devon Gold. The team also showcases college-age players like Danielle Ordway and Brittany O’Dell, Davenport University alumnae with a lot of punch (watch for their former Panthers teammates Hannah Tennant and Olivia Ortiz with ARPTC).
New York and Chicago Lions are the top candidates for berths into the Cup quarterfinals, but as is the mantra: Anything can happen in 7s. Philadelphia will not be laying down in its sixth appearance at nationals. Like the aforementioned teams, the Mid-Atlantic squad missed out on 2016 nationals, but the region picked up three seeds this year, and Philly nabbed the third one.
Philly had the benefit of playing top-notch teams Scion, NOVA and D.C. Furies all summer long, and used that competition as a gauge and means to improvement. By season’s end, Philly was nipping at NOVA’s heels, tying the first side in the final Mid-Atlantic qualifier.
Kate Hallinan is player/coach/captain and is the quintessential veteran. She gave a full run-down of the 13-player squad, so re-read it for insight into its youth, crossovers and core players.
Austin is the only Pool B team that competed at 2016 nationals. / Photo: Carisa Weaver
Austin is the only team in Pool B that competed at 2016 nationals, but it was also the Valkyries’ first appearance at the championship, and it was rough going. The Texas side went 0-6 but played Glendale, Orlando, Chicago Griffins and Tempe to single-digit losses. Austin finished the summer 7s season behind American Rugby Pro Training Center, and the duo clinched their berths to nationals after three of the four Red River qualifiers.
Five players have returned from the 2016 campaign: Alex Frueh, Brenda Ramirez, Caitlin Reedy, Casey Reynolds and Sierra Jenkins. Joining the 7s crew are familiar names like Jordan Ynostrosa, Jack Acosta and Calista Moses, and the team also had Fijian wing Lucy Stanley mixing up the on-field weapons. Keeping it all together is coach Luis Sanchez. Austin has only way to go – up – and that can be liberating.
POOL B SCHEDULE
(all times Central)
10:40 a.m. New York v Austin (stadium)
11:00 a.m. Philadelphia v Chicago Lions (stadium)
1:40 p.m. New York v Chicago Lions (field 2)
2:00 p.m. Philadelphia v Austin (field 2)
4:40 p.m. New York v Philadelphia (stadium)
4:40 p.m. Chicago Lions v Austin (field 2)
Click here for the full pool play schedule.
NewYork #ChicagoLions #Philadelphia AustinValkyries