Early lesson
helps South repeat
Lions defeat Parkside, 18-5, in the TVRA AA girls' rugby final
By Rob J. Ross
Monday, May 15, 2017
ST. THOMAS, Ont. - The reigning champions remembered a lesson from earlier in the season and proceeded to teach one of their own.
The London South Lions repeated as Thames Valley Region Athletics (TVRA) A/AA girls’ rugby champions, upending the Parkside Stampeders, 18-5, in the championship final, at Parkside CI.
“South is a very strong, organized and disciplined team,” Parkside coach Steve McCready said. "South very much deserved to win. They held and controlled the ball very well. It’s hard to win when you don’t have the ball. We probably defended 90 percent of the game.”
The Lions kept the ball in the Stampeders’ half much of the game, thanks to a number of forced and unforced turnovers.
Kylie Veriotes gave the Lions an 8-0 lead in the first half, with a three point kick and a try.
Parkside found the scoreboard on an early second half try by #14.
But just when the Stampeders gained momentum, South created a turnover and went down field, ending with a Nykia Abram try.
South captain Taylor Hood completed the scoring with a try late in the game.
Parkside defeated South 28-10, on April 27, but the experience of the Lions being the A/AA champs two of the past three seasons showed in the rematch.
“Losing that game allowed us to reflect on things in our play that needed to improve, like better defence, forcing turnovers and simply playing as a team. Parkside taught us some lessons,” South coach Kalin Walters said.
“We have a very young team. We really weren’t expecting to be here, but we had second and third players stepping up to be those leaders.”
Lions’ Lauren Robbins earned a special team award.
“She was awarded our player of the game voted on by our team, to reflect that hard nose running style,” said Walters. “She was controlling the scrum, scrum time and had three or four outstanding runs down the field. Parkside players were hanging off her.”
For the Stampeders, the season was a success despite the final, following a 5-0 regular season, including a game played under the lights on May 11.
“We’re so happy about how our season went,” McCready said. “The girls are incredible athletes, with most of them touching the rugby ball for the first time just six weeks ago. To see them improve so much, as a coach, that’s super encouraging.”
The night game that attracted 400 spectators, was to showcase the sport of rugby to parents and fellow Parkside students.
“We’re a young team and we’re really excited for the next few years to build a program and have rugby be part of the culture here, not just at Parkside Collegiate, but in the St. Thomas area,” adds McCready.
South advances to the Western Ontario Secondary School Athletic Association (WOSSAA) game, against Clinton St. Anne’s, on May 18, in Clinton. The winner moves on to OFSAA.
St.
Anne’s has not lost a WOSSAA game this decade.