The Canada U18s lead the Can Am Series against the Girls’ High School All-Americans (GHSAAs) after winning game one 58-12 on home soil in Ottawa. Tuesday night’s match marked the teams’ first-ever meeting in 15s, and the rematch will occur Saturday, Aug. 5.
Eight different players scored tries for Canada, and Player of the Match Berlyn Seselja accounted for 23 points on six conversions, two penalties and a try.
Canada held onto the majority of possession and was confident with ball in hand. The home side moved and supported the ball well, connected at a faster pace, and could build phases. On defense, Canada most notably took advantage of slowly supported breakaways, poaching possession and ending some of the USA’s attacking opportunities before they could gain momentum.
But Canada didn’t truly pull away until the second half. From the opening kickoff, a big hit from prop Eti Haungatau had Canada retreating, and inside center Lolo Makaafi was there to recover a rattled forward pass. That USA scrum inside Canada’s 22 meter was a turning point, but for Canada, as the subsequent series went right into touch. The Americans had trouble with the sideline all game.
Canada eventually relieved pressure with a booming kick and a fast-rushing chase forced wing Marion Sellier to send a forward pass to captain Cassidy Bargell. That territory gain soon put Canada prop Valeri Wideski across the try line for the first score. Canada got its second try from Courtney Holtkamp, who capitalized on a stolen ruck to score. Seselja’s two conversions made it 14-0.
The USA hurt itself with two lost lineouts, and then Canada fullback Hunter Czeppel returned an Alex DiMarco clearance kick for net meters gained. That put Seselja in range for a penalty kick and 17-0 lead.
The All-Americans weren’t without. Players like Haungatau, Makaafi, Lote Tausinga and Tiana A’au injected big-time physicality, but Canada didn’t snap from one-off hits. When those punishing runners were able to link up with on-rushing support, that’s when damage occurred. The USA’s first try was first set up by a barreling Haungatau run and offload to flanker Liz Wilson. Support was slow, however, a turnover followed, and Canada kicked away. Good hands from Bargell allowed the captain to build an attack out wide with wing Bri Vasquez and Tausinga. A couple of phases later and Wilson was able to break through would-be tacklers for the try, 17-5.
On both of the USA’s scoring occasions, Canada was very good about answering quickly. In this case, the home team took an error on the restart for an attacking scrum. Immediately after the set piece, wing Bridget Peros slipped through the defense for the try and Seselja conversion, 24-5.
The game remained interesting, however, as the USA battled back. Tiana A’au scooped up an errant Canada lineout and made good ground. The ball moved to Haungatau, who was out with the backs, and she just pummeled her way through the defense for a pullaway try. Flyhalf DiMarco converted for the 24-12 scoreline.
But that’s as close as the All-Americans would get to the Canada U18s. Before the break, Canada flyhalf Taylor Black added another try that Seselja converted. This score evolved after the USA attempted to run the ball out of its own end but support was too slow to sustain such a tactic. Two defenders got over the ball quickly for the poach and eventual try.
Canada pulled away in the second half. The U18s seemed to make ground with every carry and never lessened in intensity. Tidy support from Czeppel saw the fullback take a final offload for a try (36-12). After a long attacking campaign, Seselja added a penalty from an offsides error. A kick-through landed in Bargell’s hands but a fast chase pushed the fullback all the way to the USA’s tryline. Lock Rori Wood eventually dove over for the converted try (46-12). Seselja finished off another attacking series with seven points, skirting through the unguarded fringe for a try that she converted.
Canada did get into trouble during the final minutes of the match, as a series of consecutive penalties eventually produced the only yellow card of the game. But the All-Americans ended their best opportunity for second-half points with a knock-on.
Instead, the home side ended the game with a Lily Stewart try. The inside center picked up a missed pass for a 50-meter breakaway try, 58-12 the final.
Girls HS All-Americans v Canada U18 1. Eti Haungatau 2. Jordan Cowan 3. Tiara A’au 4. Gracie Cartwright 5. Tiana A’au 6. Madylyn Becker 7. Elizabeth Wilson 8. Julia Riekena 9. Morgan Freeman 10. Alexandra DiMarco 11. Brianna Vasquez 12. Lolo Makaafi13. Salote Tausinga 14. Marion Sellier 15. Cassidy Bargell (C)
Reserves
16. Kateleen Dela Paz 17. Shariyf Mayer 18. Madison Jumper 20. Leilani Mendoza 21. Allison Koenig 22. Malery Billingy 23. Matja Saarenheimo-Vanderhorst 24. Haley Harris
USA 12
Tries: Wilson, Haungatau
Cons: DiMarco
Canada 58
Tries: Wideski, Holtkamp, Peros, Black, Czeppel, Wood, Seselja, Black
Cons: Seselja 6
Pens: Seselja 2