The Great Northwest Challenge is an 15s all-star rugby tournament for high school-aged teams, and the event is regaining prominence as its heads to Fort Missoula Regional Park, Montana, on Friday-Saturday, June 21-22. Four pitches will be in motion in Missoula, and will support a six-team girls’ U19 bracket, and four-team girls’ U15 7s round robin. There are also 12 U19 boys’ squads and eight U16 boys’ teams. This piece will update with girls’ rosters as they’re gathered. [lead photo c/o Fort Missoula Regional Park]

Arizona , Colorado, Montana, Oregon and Washington have submitted their rosters, and they’ll also be joined by Hawaii in the girls’ U19 bracket. Teams are divided into two pools of three teams, and everyone gets two 15s games on Friday. Then on Saturday, the top-two teams from both pools move into semifinals, then final, while the third-place teams get a full-length 15s game for 5th overall.

The U15 bracket is 7s, and Montana and Washington are sending two teams apiece for a round robin. Each team will play three games on Friday and three games on Saturday, and standings will name final place.

Idaho was originally slated to join but had to drop, as did Utah, which has teams focusing on the in-state NAI 7s in July. It’s understandable, as Idaho’s and Utah’s top-two teams featured at high school and high school club 15s nationals in Wisconsin in mid-May.

Nevertheless, the return and expansion of this event is a welcomed sight, especially after the Regional Cup Tournament circuit dissolved. JD Stephenson, who knows all about the USA Pathways and is the CEO of Montana Institute of Sport, is driving the showcase. Stay tuned for more updates.

GIRLS’ U19 POOLS

POOL A: Colorado, Hawaii, Washington
POOL B: Arizona, Montana, Oregon

GIRLS’ U19 SCHEDULE

Times listed in Mountain Time
Friday, June 21
9 a.m. Washington v Colorado (field 2)
10 a.m. Oregon v Montana (field 2)
12 p.m. Hawaii v Colorado (field 1)
1 p.m. Arizona v Oregon (field 1)
3 p.m. Washington v Hawaii (field 1)
4 p.m. Montana v Arizona (field 1)

Saturday, June 22
8 a.m. 5th Place (field 2)
10 a.m. SF: A#1 v B#2 (field 1)
11 a.m. SF: B#1 v A#2 (field 1)
2 p.m. 3rd place (field 1)
5 p.m. Championship (field 1)

GIRLS’ U15 SCHEDULE

All games played on Field 4
Friday, June 21
11:30 a.m. Montana Blue v Washington 2
12 p.m. Montana Gold v Washington 1
2 p.m. Washington 1 v Montana Blue
2:30 p.m. Montana Gold v Washington 2
4:30 p.m. Washington 1 v Washington 2
5 p.m. Montana Blue v Montana Gold

Saturday, June 22
8 a.m. Montana Blue v Washington 2
8:30 a.m. Montana Gold v Washington 1
10:30 a.m. Washington 1 v Montana Blue
11 a.m. Montana Gold v Washington 2
1 p.m. Washington 1 v Washington 2
1:30 p.m. Montana Blue v Montana Gold

ARIZONA

Macy Baerman
Charlotte Brandt
Lucy Brandt
Sasha Crochett
Naomi Diaz Allen
Gezzalyn Espino
Lei Fulilangi
Kiana Hart
Rayanna Holmes
Samantha Insley
Cadynn Kohler
Samantha Nido
Kiley Pappas
Chelsey Patterson
Zoe Schuster
Abigail Stafford
Alexandria Sutandar
Charlotte Tahi
Brooke Taylor
Ariana Thomas

COLORADO

Madison Adkins
Amara Anyanwu-Ebo
Stella Baker
Charley Beken
Kairine Brown
Sam Buffmack
Alex Castillo
Jen Croke
Esme Gates
Brooke Harnisch
Amaelie Hunziker
Nancy Jardine
Olivia Katanic
Emily Keel
Izy Latta
Sierra Nordwald
Hazel Pron
Alanna Quammie
Lauren Rudibaugh
Kaliyah Schimpf
Jordynn Shannonhouse
Keira Snyman
Keaira White
Arianna Woolf

Idaho-Based Players
Isabel Jenks
Rebekah Jenks
Olivia Frisby

Selected Unable to Attend
Sky Gurmendi
Kylee Mercer
Lauren Rudibaugh
Natalie Vieira
Lucy Walker
Tahna Wilfley

HAWAII

MONTANA

Gabryella Allred — Flathead Valley Black & Blue
Sadie Allred — Bitterroot Warriors
Kylie Anderson — Flathead Valley Black & Blue
Kylie Baigent — Missoula Stampede
Natalie Bertram — Flathead Valley Black & Blue
Dawsyn Brewer — Bitterroot Warriors
Kaya Carlburg — Flathead Valley Black & Blue
Alexandrea Carmalt — Flathead Valley Black & Blue
Megan Carpenter — Helena Hydra
Jasmine Cartwright — Flathead Valley Black & Blue
Ashley Davison — Flathead Valley Black & Blue
Val Duval — Gallatin Wranglers
Kialee Geddes — Missoula Stampede
Catherine Hart — Bitterroot Warriors
Lohla Helpenstill — Flathead Valley Black & Blue
Madison Lee — Bitterroot Warriors
Jocelyn McKinney — Gallatin Wranglers
Avery Moen — Gallatin Wranglers
Riley Molinario — Cascade Chargers
Morgyn Ochoa-Carter — Gallatin Wranglers
Elliott Schei — Cascade Chargers
Lucia Schlapfer — Missoula Stampede
Yangchen Tshering — Gallatin Wranglers
Savanah Waters — Flathead Valley Black & Blue

Head Coaches: Dana Cather (Bitterroot Warriors) & Rob Davison (Flathead Valley)
Assistant Coach: Tim Carlburg (Flathead Valley)
Manager: Carrie Davison (Flathead Valley)

OREGON

Langiola (Ola) Afolau — Grackles
Zoe Bartlett — Summit
Jasmine Cha — Chinook
Claire Coughenour — Summit
Jordan Dunkerson — Grackles
Ally Fogarty — Grackles
Ava Fogarty — Grackles
Loseli Havea — Grackles
Snapper King — Grackles
Hazel Mcrobie — Summit
Zuzana Pleva — Grackles
Lucie Reynolds — Summit
Gloria Rivas-Ellis — Grackles
Emma Stewart — Grackles
Jay Tarka — Grackles
Alilia (Lia) Tu’itavake — Grackles
Ana Pauni Tu’itavake — Grackles
Katherine Tukuafu — Grackles
Avery Vega Padilla — Chinook
Esperanza (Za) Walsh — Grackles
Sarah (Sadie) Walsh — Grackles
Pricila Soto — Panthers

WASHINGTON

Shaidynn Elama — Kent
Kiona Hill — Liberty
Ava King — Ellensburg
Narufatiri Maiaua — Rainier
October Michael — Ellensburg
Mara Nevarez — Ellensburg
Katie O’Brian — Tacoma
Aryanna Paopao — Rainier
Ashley Paez — Liberty
Abigail Sanchez — Skagit
Kaiden Schell — Schoolhouse
Seq’hiya Simmons — Rainier
Shekynah Taape — Rainier
Lilah Tuani — Kent
Azariah Walker — Rainier
Alina Whalen — Kent
Liana Wayman — Kent