A few years ago, Highland didn’t have the numbers to field a team. And then even after stable coaching arrived and quality players dug in, it took a couple of seasons before the Lady Buzzards could solidly stand on their own. It’s been a trying journey, but the staff and veterans focused on fostering the right culture that could withstand the frustrations that would follow. Today, Highland fields full A and B sides, and is readying for Rugby Ohio’s High School Club DI Championship (June 5, Obetz).
Highland head coach Dave Sambor never played rugby but got involved with the game when his children showed interest in the sport. His daughter, Jessica, started playing co-ed flag in 6th grade, and today, she’s one of four senior captains leading the Lady Buzzards. Sambor coached her middle school team when there was no one there to lead the squad, and then he followed her to high school when a coaching vacancy handicapped the program.
Highland was in an anemic state when the Sambors joined, so Jessica and four teammates joined Brunswick for the 2017-18 season. In fall 2018, Highland had the numbers for 7s and competed in Ohio’s DIII series for new and developing programs. The Lady Buzzards won that DIII 7s title and then combined with another team that spring to form a 15s team. The combination team was placed in a developmental league and went 8-2-1 in spring 2019. But the competition didn’t offer a final or championship tournament, which was a disappointment for a team looking to break through.
By fall 2019, Highland was positioned for a turning point. The team warmed up during the Ohio 7s series and then rostered more than 30 players for the spring 2020 season. The team went to Ruggerfest and went 2-1-1, and then Covid-19 hit.
“From the very beginning, even during the year we spent in the developmental league, we have always promoted that it’s about our culture and how we come together as a team,” Sambor said of the team’s response to all adversity. “Even though we’re not a school sport, we did whatever the schools allowed us to do. We had socially distanced practices and went through the whole process with masks, temperature checks, tracking symptoms, all that. We practiced over the summer and fall and did conditioning. We stayed engaged without ever pressuring anyone to participate. And then we kept that momentum.”
Highland also built some buzz by planning an overseas tour. The Lady Buzzards worked with Irish Rugby Tours and had originally planned to visit the Emerald Isle in July 2021. The trip has been pushed to March 2022 but will now include a Women’s Six Nations match. On-field success, connectivity and attractive extras saw 35 players sign on this year. Sambor credited four special seniors in not only retaining numbers during Covid-19 but growing the ranks.
“They were the group that, right when the pandemic hit, were already in that mindset of, ‘Let’s stay engaged,’” Sambor said.
Marley Wiley has been playing since 7th grade and has shown well when representing the Midwest Thunderbirds, Celtic Elite and Badgers Selects. The Queens University of Charlotte commit influences the game from fullback, is a fabulous weapon on attack and a sure defender in the backfield. Jessica Sambor, as mentioned, has been playing since 6th grade and she applies her game understanding at flyhalf. She’s currently decided between Queens or a rugby program closer to home this fall. Alexis Miller is only in her second year of rugby but is already playing at a high level. She does damage from No. 8 and is heading to Kent State University later this year. Jackie Pierson, too, was very active in the planning and scheduling of team activities in the fall.
When it came time to vote for captains this year, the team didn’t hesitate in picking the senior quartet. Finally, especially for that group that joined Highland in 2017-18, the team was well equipped for a proper season that provided a championship opportunity.
The Lady Buzzards started indoor training in February and got in one outdoor practice before a pre-season friendly against Charlotte Tigress in West Virginia (read more). The team also played the Moon Area Tigers, who traveled from Pennsylvania to Ohio three times for extra matches (read more).
Rugby Ohio has restructured into regional conferences for regular-season play (read more) and then reconfigures the field for the post-season (read more). During league, Highland’s A side went 6-1 against Western Reserve teams in the Cardinal and Flint divisions, outscoring Amherst, Medina, St. Joseph, Brecksville, Hudson and Mentor 487-29.
Brunswick served Highland its lone loss, 54-17, and has been the standard this season (read more).
“Players later admitted that they were intimidated because Brunswick has been a powerhouse DI team, and we’ve never played a competitive season before,” Sambor said of the current player pool. “They admitted afterward that they weren’t scared but more nervous about it, and that they could do much better and make it closer if they played again.”
Highland was grateful for the learning experience against the Valkyries and appreciated the game time against local competition, but some concern regarding future implications arose.
“Really competitive rugby is going to help grow the sport,” Sambor said. “We blew out teams. I don’t like coaching those games, and teams don’t like getting beat like that. If we have to run very experienced players against inexperienced players, that’s not going to be safe. Any system of divisions, to me, that doesn’t consider skill level and ability and experience, strength of program, is working against the goal of competitive rugby, which is needed for growth.”
Rugby Ohio moves into the post-season this weekend, and now there are four different playoff pathways (read more) and thus four state champions for high school girls. The state-wide field is re-categorized by two metrics: student population (Large = Division 1 and Small = Division 2) and percentage of players from one or more high schools (Single School and Club). Most of the girls’ games Saturday are play-ins to the June 5 finals, meaning the 2nd- and 3rd-seeded teams will play each other for a berth to the title match. All the #1 seeds have a bye this weekend. See the full schedule.
Highland is categorized as a Division I Club and receives a bye to the June 5 final. The Lady Buzzards will play the winner of #2 Walnut Hills and #3 Dayton/Dublin – two teams that Highland has not seen this spring.
“If it was more established, they would like it better,” Sambor said of veterans’ view of the final as a reward for the last few years. “All of this work, it was more, ‘We’ve got to do this to build momentum for our program.’ We thought we would be competitive last year, so that was frustrating [when Covid-19 ended the season]. We had all this momentum in our developmental season and not being able to compete in the last tournament was another frustration. It’s been a battle through frustration to get us where we’re at.”
Sambor clarified that the team is thrilled for the opportunity to compete for a state title, and no matter what happens, the players will lean on the philosophies that have allowed the team to grow and have fun despite the frustrations.
“Last year at Ruggerfest, the last match we played was against a really good team from Charlotte that was planning on going to nationals,” Sambor shared a memory that typified the team’s ethos. “They handled us – they were the well better team all the way through. After games we circle up and captains recognize players from the other team whether we win or lose. We did that and their team had to speak up about the character and culture of our girls. There was no in-fighting or playing dirty; just clean play. No bad attitude no matter what happened. They weren’t used to seeing that.”
Sambor counted that moment as his best with the team so far, and it’s one reason why he won’t be leaving Highland after his daughter graduates this spring. It’s a common occurrence in volunteer positions, “but I’ve seen what this sport does for the girls,” the coach closed. “I can’t walk away now. We have a good thing going here.”