Rocky Mountain Wins Nationals Plate

Rocky Mountain won the Plate at last weekend’s 2021 USA Club 7s National Championship, and it’s the best finish for a Denver-area team since at least 2016. Like many teams this year, the Magic had very little game action this summer and the tournament was a learning process in and of itself.

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“We had adjustments that we made each and every game,” Rocky Mountain Magic founding member Jess Dombrowski reflected on the tournament as a whole. “Between offense and defense, we were always looking for that joining factor between the two, and it finally all came together the last couple matches. I think we’re just really happy with how we showed up for our last match in the stadium. It was a really good high to end on.”

The tournament began against NOVA and a 15-14 win, a decision that could have easily gone the other way had the Piranhas taken advantage of a closing-minutes yellow card and good attacking position. The Magic followed with a competitive 19-7 loss to Life West (the eventual silver medalists), but guaranteed itself a spot in the Cup quarterfinals. The seeding round came first, and Magic’s 40-5 loss to ARPTC (the eventual bronze medalist) pit the team against Washington Athletic Club (the eventual 4th place team) in Sunday’s knockouts.

“We were really hungry for more competition,” Dombrowski said. “This being the first tournament that all 11 of us competed in [together] this year, we weren’t really setting a lot of expectations for ourselves. To even just make it that far was a goal we had set for ourselves.”

Hometown WAC took a two-try lead early on, but then Rocky Mountain matched before halftime. The teams traded scores in the second half, with WAC leading 19-15 as time wore down. Then Nikki Kenyon broke Magic’s heart with a breakaway try, sealing a 26-15 decision to WAC.

That loss funneled Rocky Mountain into the Plate competition, and the Magic was ready for gains.

“We went into that match knowing that it was a different Tempe team than we’ve played in the past,” Dombrowski said of the Plate semifinal. “We figured out what our strengths and weaknesses were going to be and we utilized our strengths really well. Just kinda capitalized on that intensity. And we were ball hungry. I think we really wanted it. So we showed up and kinda gassed ourselves out. We were very tenacious out there.”

The 22-7 win sent the Magic to the Plate final against ORSU, which went 2-1 in Pool A, dropped its Cup quarterfinal 38-5 to Life West, and then beat Optimus 29-0 in the Plate semifinals.

Back inside the stadium, the teams traded tries in the opening two minutes. Dombrowski scored the opener beneath the posts, allowing Sam Sullivan to convert easily. Erika Farias then read a defensive gap, hit the hole and dotted down ORSU’ first five points. Adriana Mendoza Silva converted for the 7-7 scoreline.

The Magic hit its stride, and Nichole Wanamaker’s line-break and subsequent leg drive kickstarted the attack. Lovely hands followed as Hannah Tennant, Rachel Ehrecke and Sullivan moved the ball to wing Katie Lohaus for the corner try, 12-7. Lohaus then did a really nice job of cleaning up a loose ball – jarred loose when Riley Yoder tackled Sullivan – and returning it for a second try, 17-7. A nice San Jaunita Fetuuahu line-break got ORSU moving into good territory, but a penalty near the Magic’s 30 meter turned into a lightning-fast tap and try from Sullivan: 22-7 at the break.

Sullivan restarted the scoring in the second half, taking a penalty ball from five meters out. And then the sideline and cover tackling broke down to allow Lohaus score a third try in the corner. The day ended with Penn State-bound Jaida Rudkin scoring an emphatic try: 39-7 the final.

“I can’t even tell you how thrilled she was. It was the greatest moment to see that happen,” Dombrowski said of the 18-year-old’s score and reaction. “She showed up and scored two tries at the club 7s level so it was great to see her playing with the big dogs. And we’re just excited to have her.

“We had a really young team and a lot new to club 7s this year,” Dombrowski continued. “Young girl, Sam Sullivan, our scrumhalf, she kinda showed up and played her little heart out today. It was so great to watch her from our first practice to today. Hannah Tennant, our flyhalf, is a great playmaker out there and very consistent in all aspects of the game.”

Dombrowski is hoping to roll some of this momentum into a “regular” rugby season next year and get more of the Denver community involved with the 7s team. In the meantime, the Magic can build a trophy case and maybe the glint of the Plate will attract more interest.

“That was a very high note for us,” Dombrowski closed. “We worked really hard to get here and we’re just really happy with how that resulted.”