Idaho’s West Ada high school district is approaching the sixth and final round of the 7s regular season, and the field is tight. In week five, Meridian High School’s varsity team posted an important victory over Mountain View, asserting not only that it belonged among the top tier of teams but also that the program is no longer in a turbulent state.
Jared Turner and his sons were bred in football, but 6-7 years ago, they discovered rugby and the sport stuck. The longtime football coach learned the game with the Rocky Mountain club, and then he joined the Meridian club as the program looked for help. There had been some dysfunction with the previous coaches and parents, and Turner was brought in to re-establish a healthier ethos.
“Apocalyptic,” Turner said of the environment when he arrived at Meridian. “Mass fires. Mass dissension. No one wanted to play. The team was burnt from the top down to a dumpster fire, to be completely honest. It was torn apart by cancerous parents and coaches – who are no longer there – and it drove a wedge between everyone. There was no trust or family there. That’s when I stepped in and rebuilding that was my number one goal.”
How does one build trust?
Photo: Amy Morrison
“Slowly. Piece by piece,” Turner said. “I had to show them that I wasn’t there for me. I’ve always made it about the girls, and same with my assistant coach, Kalan Billingsley. That’s how we gained their trust.”
Meridian graduated 13 seniors last year, and that shift in player leadership has also been crucial to the rebuild.
“I love each and every one of [the 2020 graduates] like they were daughters, but they had a lot of attitude,” Turner said. “I have four seniors this year and they all said, ‘We’ll never let that happen again.’ They’ve taken on this team, and they’re so unselfish. They play for each other, they play to make everyone else better, and they’ve pushed that down to the underclassmen. Everyone’s bought in.”
Seniors Ashelynne Peart and Adriauna Smith are the two captains and they prioritize team unity.
Photo: Amy Morrison
“We had a freshman from another school walk on and they walked right over to her first thing and talked to her and introduced her and just made her feel like she was with the team for years,” Turner marveled. “They are both off-the-charts captains and so family oriented.”
Eden Anderson is also a strong senior presence and the example of work ethic. And Gwen Gravett is having a breakout season senior year. She had been sidelined for a year-and-a-half and then Covid-19 postponed her spring 2020 return.
“I had no idea she could play rugby,” said Turner, who hadn’t actually seen Gravett play until this fall, “but her play is off the charts. She popped her shoulder out [Tuesday] and they popped it back in, and she demanded to be on the field. She hits like a freight train. I’m getting whispers that she is the defensive player of the year. She’s also the first one to grab everyone in a circle and pray. She is truly a leader and tonight [Wednesday] at practice she’s going to be named co-captain. After the last two weeks, all these recruiters are asking: Where did she come from?”
Photo: Amy Morrison
This cultural turnaround not only garnered heartier support from the Meridian board, boosters and parents, but it also signaled that the team is building a more sustainable future. Even though Meridian’s numbers are down by approximately 40% (due to the pandemic’s impact on recruiting during student registration), Turner isn’t worried about roster issues. The players are back in school in some form and building some buzz with their classmates that Turner is already fielding inquiries about the spring 15s season.
Heading into Round 5 (Oct. 6) of the regular season, Meridian had consistently defeated Centennial and Eagle high schools, but lost competitive games to Rocky Mountain and Mountain West.
“The only question they had was: Can we finish a close game,” Turner referenced some single-digit losses to the league leaders.
The evening began with a 14-7 loss to Rocky Mountain but then the Warriors rallied for a 19-14 victory against Mountain West, its first of the season.
Photo: Amy Morrison
“I’ve never seen this team come together like that and play so hard for each other,” Turner said of the win. “There was no hero ball or one person standing out. They took a big step forward together and proved to themselves that they belong on the field with anyone. That was a big game and a big affirmation. Their attitude has always been good and respectful, but last [Tuesday] night they held their heads a little bit higher.”
Turner was impressed how the underclassmen performed under pressure. Nesi Tuitama lit up the JV league last year and now as a sophomore is a regular starter and league leader in tries scored. Reagyn Molyneux is right behind her on the stat sheet. Sophomore Sadie Niblett was completely new to the sport last year and stepped in at scrumhalf Tuesday to run the game.
“The recruiters are all over my four seniors, and I’ll point out Janey [Kelly] to them,” Turner said of the junior. “‘Have you watched her?’ And they say, ‘We don’t see her on the stat sheets.’ And you won’t. But she is in every block, every turnover, and nearly every scoring try is a pass from Janey. She is quietly one of the better players in the league.”
Photo: Amy Morrison
There’s one more round of regular-season play (Oct. 10) and then teams will be seeded into the state tournament. But Meridian isn’t looking further than the next game. The Warriors want to beat Rocky Mountain, and Turner expects Eagle to be the dark horse of the league. And anything can happen in playoff ball, a scenario with which Meridian is familiar.
“Last year we were walking away with things and then we stumbled at the state tournament,” Turner said of the 2019 semifinal knockout. “They’re looking to get a little redemption from last year but the main thing they want to address is the way we went out. There was drama last year, a wedge, and so the redemption isn’t just about proving that they can win but to come back and show what kind of team we are.”
With that said, the Meridian players are already counting this season as a win.
“They already know that no matter what happens at state that it’s a very special season because they’ve rebuilt this team and the family atmosphere,” Turner said. “There’s excitement around it and they’re having fun. The foundation is secure and they’re setting it up for years to come. If good things happen at state, then that’s just a cherry on the sundae.”