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Independence Wins Missouri 7s Title

  • 27 Nov 2019
  • 600 Views

The Independence Lady Warriors shocked the Missouri High School 7s field when it won the 2017 state title in its first year of existence, but now the expectation is that the team is a title contender. The Lady Warriors won its second championship in early November, and did it with a small but committed group of players.

The squad took some injuries and graduated quality players from the team that traveled to Salt Lake City for the 2019 Girls High School Club National Tournament. The team started with 16 healthy players and by the time the state 7s championship arrived, was down to 10.

“As we lost players throughout the season we had to make a lot of changes to the roster from week to week,” Independence coach Afa Tapusoa explained. “It was hard to do but it had to be done. Players playing out of position was very hard and there was no other option but to grind through it.”

Fortunately, the team did return knowledgeable leaders in senior captain Taua’iupolu Key and senior vice captain JC McMillian. They are the only two players who remain from the 2017 state 7s championship team, and they garner a ton of respect from the squad.

“Having the experience of being at this stage multiple times and being able to adapt to the different changes in the week-to-week roster, Key was a huge asset to the team,” Tapusoa praised the three-year veteran. “She was a sponge and was able to soak up whatever was coached, and the girls trusted her leadership.”

“JC in the pack communicates with the forwards from breakdown to breakdown,” Tapusoa switched attention to the vice captain. “The younger players had a lot of faith and trust in her leadership to win countless rucks, counter-rucks, winning defensive lineouts, dominating offensive and defensive scrums, and most of all being able to stay on her feet as a strong runner, drawing in multiple defenders and offloading for easy walk-in tries.”

Seniors Meraid Jorgensen, Victoria Stone and Destiny Wiley were also key contributors. Jorgensen has speed, vision and a solid knowledge of the laws, making for the perfect sweeper.

“From being able to field multiple clearing kicks from the opposing teams, to try-saving open-field tackles during breaks through the defensive line, her unmatched speed and fitness dominated the open-field game,” resulting in lots of try-scoring, per Tapusoa.

Stone injected power to the pitch, regardless of where she was placed. She was good in contact, making try-saving tackles and poaching possession on the ground. Wiley is a strong ballcarrier and playmaker with great vision. Her contact skills include “freight train-like tackling power – something no opponent wants to see across from them,” the coach lauded.

This foundation of seniors allowed rising talents like Laíe Tapusoa, Iemaima Te’o, Lilah Crum-Barnhill, Ana Fonua, Keili Key, Mary-Mae McMillian and Tausala Key to understand the standard of championship rugby.

The squad had four tournaments to work on its chemistry – two in September, two in October – before the state championship. Independence expected Jefferson City, St. Louis and former champion Park Hill to be the main competitors. But a new team, Nodaway, surprised the field with “dogfight-like battles … and very close-scoring games,” per Tapusoa, who is excited to see this new team pump up the competition.

“Many would disagree, but from a coaching perspective, I believe that the competition was fairly great throughout the whole season,” Tapusoa assessed. “Although, yes, we were undefeated, game to game we were exposed in some area of the game. But we were able to adjust in between games and improve in between tournaments in the areas that we needed work on.”

The Lady Warriors did their bit to elevate their game, addressing some shortfalls from previous seasons.

“For the past years our team was known to have an Achilles heel: fitness,” the coach explained. “But by the third tournament it was clear to everyone that this team had broken the stereotypes. The girls knew this, and knowing the numbers we had two weeks prior to the championship tournament, the girls agreed with us coaches that their fitness needed to increase tremendously, and so they put in the hard work. The outcome of it was no fluke.”

The Lady Warriors took the top seed into the Lindenwood University-hosted championship and received a bye through the first round.

“We reminded the girls over and over again throughout the whole season that because of the fact that we are an undefeated team, we have the biggest target on our backs,” Tapusoa reiterated. “Everyone was gunning for us. We are the team to beat.”

Jefferson City awaited in the final, and the Lady Warriors took the early momentum with the first of two McMillian tries less than a minute into the match. A yellow card at the three-minute mark gave Jefferson City opportunity to mount a sizeable attack, but the Lady Warriors defense remained composed and allowed one try-against all match. Stone added a try that sealed the win.

“Everyone had to step up, do their 1/7 of a job on the pitch and make a statement,” Tapusoa lauded. “They knew that they had to find a way to reach deep down within their mana and find themselves if they want to win with just the 10 of them.

“Te’o had a great tournament with many open-field tackles and great tries throughout the day,” the coach continued. “Jorgensen on the other hand played very well as always. Lots of long runs and fielded a clearing kick and returned it for a try. All in all the girls played very well and we as a coaching staff are very blessed and honored to have coached them this past season.”

The impact is both immediate as well as further reaching in terms of experiencing competition outside state lines.

“Just the simple fact of being two-time state champs has completely changed the team,” Tapusoa explained. “The girls sharing the successful season on social media are getting more and more peers and school mates talking about the sport and talking about joining and giving rugby a go.

“These girls have been on their bikes all summer and fall recruiting players – from basketball to wrestling – for the spring 15s season,” the coach looked ahead. “These girls are doing anything to stay fit throughout the winter preparing for their spring season. But as for those who are not doing winter sports, rugby offseason training will start the week following Thanksgiving.”

The Lady Warriors made their debut at the national tournament last spring, and did well. The team hasn’t made a decision yet about this year – a location and date have not yet been circulated – but the event is on the radar.

“Our main focus for our spring campaign is growing the sport and growing the team. But If God decides to pour his blessing on us once again and gives us another chance to compete at nationals, then the Independence Lady Warriors will faithfully march towards this great challenge. We’re prepared for whatever comes next.”

#LadyWarriors Missouri

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HIGH SCHOOL

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