"With the playoffs and crazy spring weather, the WI Girls High School All Star team was finally able to get together for a quick practice before heading to Indiana. As the sun set on our last night in WI, the pieces were beginning to fall into place. Saturday morning was our first match against Michigan. Many of the girls had never played on a select side and were anxious to see how things would fit together. Things could not have gone better, communication was great, it took nearly 14 minutes before we even had a knock on in the match. We had tries by 9 different players and huge runs all over the field. It was a huge confidence boost, showing that we could play together before the afternoon Ohio match.
The Ohio match was much different, they were well organized
and had a bunch of athletic talent. We were able to strike first with a penalty
kick from Anisa Feto (OC). However the resulting kickoff was poorly fielded and
led to a stolen lineout and quick try and conversion for Ohio. Fighting back
into the match, Maggie Wesolowski (CMH) disrupted a ruck that sent a lazy pass
from the scrumhalf into the hands of inside center, Cassie Schultz (KM) as she
was able to avoid the fullback and get in under the posts. Anisa’s conversion
split the posts and WI was back up 10-7. Ohio was able to answer just before
half time to make it 12-10. A fired up WI team was able to come out after half
time and Maggie Wesolowski (CMH) was able to get the lead again with a try
making it 15-12. After some back and forth play, Ohio was able to get WI to
commit a penalty around the breakdown and wisely opted for the points, and
drawing even at 15. With time winding down both sides were looking for the last
points. After a few big runs by the Ohio #8, WI found itself with their backs
to the wall, after holding up one attempt by the #8, the 2nd pick off
the back of a scrum found space for her to touch down. The conversion made it
22-15 with only a few minutes remaining.
WI worked hard to get a turnover off
of the kickoff and then were able to put Ohio under pressure. A few penalties
kept the game alive until Maggie Wesolowski was able to find some space down the far
sideline. As she kept getting slowed down by the defense it looked as though
she would end up a few meters shy of the try line. At the last moment, captain
Lindey Wise (DSHA) came through in support to gather a quick pop pass and dive
through the defense to score. The attempt at the conversion went wide and the
opportunity to tie was missed. It was by far the best match of the weekend, and
the heart and passion of the smaller Wisconsin side gave Ohio everything they
could handle.
On the final match of the weekend, the WI forwards took to a
very physical Indiana side. The extra scrum work from Thursday night paid off
as WI was able to control the set piece. With the great platform to work from,
it led to a quick scamper around a ruck for a try by scrumhalf Julie Else
(CMH). Anisa Feto saw another of her big runs breaking tackles on her way into
the try zone as well. Indiana were able to sneak a quick score around the front
of the lineout just before half to keep it close at 10-7. After halftime,
junior Beth Pokorny (DSHA) was able to loop around the back line on her way to
the try zone and build on the WI lead. A few minutes later, off of the same
backline play, Beth was able to find freshman Aliana Cervera (Brookfield) on the
wing for Wisconsin’s last score of the weekend. With a comfortable lead and
time running down on the long weekend, WI grew a bit sloppy allowing several
penalties as IN made one last push and found the try line in the far corner.
The game would end 20-12 Wisconsin. After a long weekend of some great rugby,
the team was satisfied with their performance and eager to see what is possible
next year.
Thanks to the coaching staff, the parents that helped drive
down and the teams that sponsored us: Milwaukee Scylla, Wisconsin Women, Winona
State Women and UW Oshkosh Women.
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