Moon, Woodland Hills girls rugby teams open 2018 season

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, March 22, 2018 | 4:30 PM

Previous Next

Previous Next

The Moon and Woodland Hills girls rugby teams are taking to the pitch this season from opposite directions.

Moon (4-0) aims for its second consecutive Rugby Pennsylvania title with two college recruits leading the way.

Woodland Hills (0-1) is a first-year program whose players are still learning the game.

Moon, at its request, moved to Rugby Pennsylvania Division 1 from Division 2, where it is reigning champion.

Tigers coach Rocky Nurss said 19 players returned, including four seniors who have played all four seasons.

“This year is exciting for us,” Nurss said. “We made the choice to move up to a higher level.

“Our schedule has a lot of top-quality opponents.”

The Tigers “A” team kicked off the campaign by winning all three of its games at the Carolina Ruggerfest tournament March 3-4 in North Carolina. The “B” team went 0-3-0.

Senior Carly Weiss led the Tigers with eight tries, or scores worth five points. Senior Holly Forkey had four tries, sophomore Sofia Mancini, senior Cassie Kotvas and junior Ava Mancini two each and sophomore Cymone Richard one.

Sophomore Emily Stanko was 12 of 19 on conversions.

Weiss, a 5-foot-5 fly-half, or outside-half, and senior Stephane Hilya, a 6-foot lock, have committed to play for Youngstown State in its inaugural season in 2018-19.

Nurss said it is the first time the Tigers have had two players in the same season make commitments since the team entered Rugby Pennsylvania in 2014.

“Steph and Carly work well with another, and we anticipate their chemistry will continue to grow,” Youngstown State coach Jeff Horton said.

Woodland Hills made its debut March 18 in a Rugby Pennsylvania Division 2 game against Kiski Valley. The Wolverines lost 36-27.

“My expectations for this season are lofty and extend beyond the pitch,” said Wolverines coach Elizabeth Rose, a former Penn State player. “I would be lying if I said I didn't expect to win.”

Senior Tatiana Coffey said the Wolverines might be new, but not to count them out.

She considers teams such as Moon role models.

“If they can do it, we can do it,” she said. “Everyone has to get through (a first year).”

Sophomore Sherrae Booker said she is trying to recruit friends to beef up the squad.

Moon and Woodland Hills have games scheduled most weekends. The “B” sides from both teams will meet March 25 at Moon.

Moon is one of seven squads in Division 1 and Woodland Hills one of 10 in Division 2. The top four teams in each division will advance to the state championships May 19-20.

Moon — the only team from Western Pennsylvania in Division 1 — will compete in a play-in game May 13.

Karen Kadilak is a freelance writer.

Tags: Moon, Woodland Hills