WGR 2024 Fall Girls HS Rugby League Schedule

The 2024 Fall Conference 15's season in Wisconsin Girls Rugby is one of great transition into a new era.   

Coming in are new programs:  Greenfield HS in Milwaukee and Fox Cities from the Fox River Valley area.

Moving on are some long-term coaches like the retired Boris Turcinovic (assistant coach at DSHA).

Every year sees many great kids and standouts graduate, but this past May's graduation includes an unusually significant number of standouts.

Three-time all state players like the veteran 9-10-12 combination at DSHA of Walsh, Coffu, and Okeef have all graduated. It seemed like they had been starting in league play forever.  Three time all state flyhalf Lucy Wilson has also graduated from CMH and is moving on to Notre Dame University.  

The tall #8 Melanie Sanchez has moved on to Quinnipiac University where she started in their NIRA opener on 9/31 against Brown.

Gone as well is one of the faces of the SPASH program in Stevens Point as standout Scout Spadoni, a two-time all stater, has moved on to college rugby too, joining the fast-growing Frostburg St.  She started at number eight as well in a notable two-try debut.

Visible players like scrumhalf Grace Beatty from Hamilton (headed to Lander U.) and Cece Stowers (Davenport) are moving on to the next level.

In their place are many unknowns.  New combos at flyhalf and tight head prop and 15 are scattered throughout the league.  In their place are 19 juniors form DSHA, many of whom move up from JV.  In the place of graduates and standouts are talented youth from flag programs at Hamilton HS and Madison and Green Bay who've moved up to contact rugby.  In their place is a lot of excitement and hope.  It's anyone's year.

Week One: (League Opening Weekend) Saturday Sept 14th

Green Bay @ DSHA 10am Brown Deer Park

Catholic Memorial @ DSHA JV 12pm Brown Deer Park

Hamilton @ Bruisers 10am Nashotah Park

Greenfield @Stevens Point 

Week 2 Saturday Sept 21st

Hamilton HS @ Catholic Memorial HS  10am  Minooka Park

Bruisers @ Madison Furies  10am  Nashotah Park

DSHA @ Stevens Point Area HS 10am  600 Maria Drive

Fox Cities @ Green Bay

Week 3 Saturday Sept 28th

Greenfield HS @ DSHA 930am  Brown Deer Park

Bruisers @ DSHA JV 1045am Brown Deer Park

Hamilton HS @ Madison Furies 10am Cottage Grove

Stevens Point Area HS @ Fox Cities 10am Greenville Lions Park

Week 4 Saturday Oct 5th

Catholic Memorial HS @ Bruisers  10am Nashotah

Stevens Point Area HS @ Green Bay 10am Barney Williams Field

Greenfield HS @ Fox Cities 10am Greenville Lions Park

DSHA jv @ Madison Furies 10am Cottage Grove

Week 5 Saturday Oct 12th

DSHA jv @ Hamilton 10am Nashotah Park

DSHA @ Fox Cities 12pm Nashotah Park

Madison Furies @ Catholic Memorial HS 10am Minooka Park

Green Bay @ Greenfield 10am TBD

Women's Premier League Semifinals Saturday Sept 7th at Cottage Grove 2024

 The Women's Premier League are holding their semifinal matches at Cottage Grove on Sept. 7th, 2024.

(Editor's Comment: It seems like every major rugby competition except for NCAA women and the National Teams are holding their playoffs at the all-grass Madison United Complex.  It's well-earned as the club house, facility, and staff have been outstanding in every way.  We know we're a little biased but it seems like everyone is jumping on board and it's raising the quality standards of the game).

The matches will be held at 1pm and 3pm, CST.  The WPL details can be found here as they get determined in greater detail.

A comprehensive weekend info sheet can be found here.  Interested volunteers should visit this page!  Organizers are also interested in volunteer ball boys and girls as well as interested flag rugby participants to play exhibition matches at halftime of each match.

In addition, there will be a MIDDLE and HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS CLINIC held from 10am-12pm that day. Click here to sign up.

Kudos to MUR and the women's rugby leaders of Wisconsin for putting this together.  The timing is perfect as Monona Grove expands it's flag rugby program.  It appears inevitable that the Madison area will be starting a second high school girls contact team in the very near future.  In fact, the Monona Grove Silver Sprinters were frequent champions of multiple flag rugby divisions at multiple flag rugby tournaments this summer.  If their numbers and development continue, we could be seeing more high school participants in the Madison area in the very near future.  This is also on the heels of a new girls high school team joining the WGR Fall Conference competition from Fox Cities.  

Wisconsin Girls Rugby Fall 2024 League Play

 The 2024 WGR Fall League starts up in a few weeks.

Of note is the inclusion of two new girls teams:

The Fox Cities Iron Maidens, who have been building through a youth flag program for several years, will play out of Greenville, Wisconsin north of Oshkosh.  They have a solid foundation from years of development in the Fox Cities flag rugby program which competes each summer in Wisconsin Flag Rugby.

In addition, Greendale HS is starting a school-supported team.  Sadly, this team essentially replaces the Muskego HS program, which never fully gained traction.  Encouragingly, Greendale's support stems from Assistant Athletic Director Niina Rouse, who's involvement in girls wrestling and rugby has built some significant positive momentum for improving athletic opportunities for high school girls.  The KM rugby alumn has already done some impressive things in her young career..

Conference A

DSHA HS

Green Bay

Stevens Point Area HS

Greenfield

Fox Cities

Conference B

Catholic Memorial HS

DSHA HS JV

Hamilton HS

Bruisers

Madison Furies

League play begins September 14th and concludes with the State Tournament October 27th.  The location of the state tournament is still to be determined but the league semifinals will be held October 19th at Cottage Grove.  Some teams have some pre-season scrimmages in the works before conference play kicks off.

Week One: (League Opening Weekend)

Green Bay @ DSHA 10am Brown Deer Park

Catholic Memorial @ DSHA JV 12pm Brown Deer Park

Hamilton @ Bruisers 10am Nashotah Park

Greenfield @Stevens Point

 

Girls High School Rugby Nationals Records & Notes 2024

Nationals Notes:

Congratulations to Eagle High School.  It's their first National Championship and the first National Champion from Idaho, which has seen high school girls rugby growing strong in a short amount of time.

Congrats to Eagle HS for also logging the most miles:  3,360 (approximately).  Meridian was a close runner-up at 3,354.  We used their school as the location.  

11 of our 14 sides were able to drive to this year's event.

City Honors logged 1,352 miles in vans while Columbia logged 1,324 miles, some driving through the night to attend.

This event would not be a national tournament without such incredible efforts, helping teams compete against teams they'd never otherwise see.

There were 21 matches played and only one of those was a match where two teams had played each other earlier this spring.  

Three JV teams participated, going 4-5, offering more well-coached participants to the event.

This was the first event to feature teams from Illinois.  Congrats to Hononegah HS and Taft HS for their efforts to broaden their horizons with competition.

T-Shirts will still be available online for another week.  This helps fund an event website project.

Mark May 17th-18th, 2025 on your calendars for next year's event.

2024 Order of Finish

1.Eagle HS (ID)

2. DSHA HS (WI)

3. Meridian HS (ID)

4. Columbia Central HS ((TN)

5. Catholic Memorial HS (WI)

6. DSHA jv (WI)

7. Warsaw Area HS (IN)

8. Grandville HS (MI)

9. Hamilton HS (WI)

10. Taft HS (Ill)

11. Eagle HS jv (ID)
12. Columbia HS jv (TN)

13. City Honors HS (NY)
14. Hononegah HS (Ill)

Girls HS Nationals Historical Records

2024 Girls High School Champion: Eagle HS, ID             Location: Madison United Rugby, WI

Runner-up: DSHA, WI

                                        3rd Place: Meridian HS, ID

D2: Sussex Hamilton HS, WI

2023 Girls High School Champion: DSHA HS, WI Location: Madison United Rugby, WI

Runner-up: Rocky Mt. HS, ID

3rd place: Columbia Central HS, TN

2022 Single School Champion: DSHA HS, WI Location: Notre Dame College, OH

Runner-up: Summit HS, CO

3rd Place: Eagle HS, ID

D2: Orchard Park, NY

2019 Single School   Champion:  DSHA HS, WI Location:  Infinity Park, CO

  Runner-Up: Catholic Memorial HS, WI

                          3rd Place:  Summit HS, CO

2018 Single School       Champion:  Kahuku HS, HI                        Location:  MTSU, Tennessee

                                       Runner Up:  Catholic Memorial HS, WI  

                                       3rd:  DSHA HS, WI

                                       D2:  Broken Arrow, OK

2017 Single School        Champion:  DSHA HS, WI                           Location:  Elkhart, Ind

                                        Runner Up:  Kahuku HS, HA

                                        3rd:               Orchard Park, NY

                                        D2:                 Oak Creek HS, WI

2016   Single School        Champion:  St Joseph's Academy, OH       Location:  St Charles, MO

                                          2nd:              Summit High School, CO

                                          3rd:              DSHA High School, WI

                                          Div2:            Penn HS, Ind

    Year   Champion               2nd                         3rd                             Location                  D2

2015   Fallbrook, CA           Kent, WA                Danville, CA            Pittsburgh, PA      South Bay, CA

2014   Fallbrook, CA           Amazons, CA          DSHA, WI                Pittsfield, MA      Pleasanton, CA

2013   Fallbrook, CA           Kent, WA                 DSHA, WI                Racine, WI          Fullerton, CA

2012   Fallbrook, CA           Lakewood, OH        DSHA, WI                Palo Alto, CA

2011   Fallbrook, CA           Amazons, CA          DSHA, WI                Sandy, UT

2010   Amazons, CA           Fallbrook, CA          DSHA, WI                Sandy, UT

2009   DSHA, WI                Lakewood, OH        Amazons, CA            Pittsburgh, PA

2008   DSHA, WI                Lakewood, OH        Amazons, CA            Pittsburgh, PA

2007   DSHA, WI                Kent, WA                 Vernon, WI                Milwaukee, WI

2006   DSHA, WI                Kent, WA                 Ft. Collins, CO          Portland, ME

2005   DSHA, WI                Kent, WA                 Vernon, WI               Milwaukee, WI

2004   DSHA, WI                Kettle Moraine, WI   Amazons, CA           Burbank, CA

2003   Amazons, CA           Ft. Collins, CO        Kettle Moraine, WI    Kansas City, MO

2002   Kent, WA                 Haverford, PA         Northshore, WI         Seattle, WA

2001   Ft. Collins, CO         DSHA, WI               Kent, WA                  Ft. Collins, CO

2000   Ft. Collins, CO         DSHA, WI               Wayzata, MN           Milwaukee, WI

Historical Records:

The National Girls Coaches Committee (NGCC) includes:

John Klein (Chair) 

Matt Frank (East) 

Kelli Vannover (Media) 

Katie Wurst (South & NCAA) 

Talia Carrasquillo WPL and Pathway Advisory

Girls High School Nationals 2024

 

                                           Girls High School National Tournament 2024

Saturday Division I

Quarterfinals

   DSHA  78 v Grandville 0

   CMHS 7 v  Meridian 24

Quarterfinals

   Eagle 24   v  DSHA jv 7

   Columbia Central 29  v Warsaw 24

Semifinals

    DSHA 7 v Meridian 5

    Columbia Central 0 v  Eagle 36

Consolation Semifinals

     CMHS 66 v Grandville 3

     Warsaw 24 v DS jv 25

Saturday Division II

Pool A: Hamilton, Hononegah, Eagle jv 

Pool B: City Honors, Taft, Columbia jv

Hamilton 50 v Hononegah 0

Hamilton 7 v Eagle jv 5

Hononegah 0 v Eagle jv 50

City honors 26 v Taft 28

City Honors 10 v Columbia jv 34 

Taft 43 v Columbia jv 17

Sunday Championship

DSHA 5 v Eagle 24

3rd Place

Meridian 39 v Columbia Central 7

5th Place

CMHS 27 v DSHA jv 0

7th Place

Grandville 24 v Warsaw 44

Division Two

9th Place

Hamilton 57 v Taft 14

11th

Columbia jv  5 v Eagle jv 35 

13th

City Honors 44. Hononegah 7

Rankings Entering the Tournament:

1DSHA HS

2Eagle HS

3Columbia Central HS

4Catholic Memorial HS

5Meridian HS

6Warsaw Area HS

7DSHA jv HS

8Grandville HS

9Sussex Hamilton HS

10City Honors HS

11Taft HS

12Hononegah HS

13Eagle HS jv

14Columbia HS jv

Girls Single School National Tournament

 The Girls High School National Championship is coming up later this month.  Held at Madison United Rugby in Cottage Grove, Wisconsin, the event features the following teams:

Participating Single School Teams
Catholic Memorial, Wisconsin
City Honors, New York
Columbia Central, Tennessee + JV
Divine Savior, Wisconsin + JV
Eagle, Idaho + JV
Grandville, Michigan
Hamilton, Wisconsin
Hononegah, Illinois
Meridian, Idaho
Taft, Illinois
Warsaw, Indiana

Info on the event, including schedules, hotels, sponsors, and media info can be found here