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WINDSOR, N.S. — King’s-Edgehill School’s rugby teams are on a winning streak, and they’re hoping that continues to provincials.
On May 25, both the girls’ and boys’ Division 1 teams took on crosstown rivals Avon View for the School Sport Nova Scotia western region championship banner. The scores for both games were kept close in the first half, with the King’s-Edgehill School (KES) Highlanders scoring several tries in the second half to clinch the matches.
The girls won 50-12, while the boys won 50-14.
KES will be hosting a quarter-final next week, with the winner advancing to provincials. They will be taking on the team that finished second in the Halifax region.
Avon View’s teams could still earn a trip to provincials if they win their qualifying matches next week; both will be against the Halifax regional winner.
Provincials are slated for June 9-10.
Boys’ highlights
Jason Verryn-Stuart, the head coach of the Highlanders boys’ team, said the highlight of the regional championship match wasn’t a moment during the game.
“The highlight was the renewed confidence that the guys had relative to the last couple of times they played Avon View,” said Verryn-Stuart.
“Avon View is a big, tough, pretty skilled team with very powerful forwards. Our guys, the last couple of times, had a hard time dealing with them.”
Although King’s-Edgehill didn’t lose a game during regular season play, or during the Highlanders’ Rugby Classic earlier this month, that didn’t mean they weren’t thinking about the battle they had before them on May 25.
“We made some tactical and strategic changes,” said Verryn-Stuart, noting the boys played much better this time around.
Verryn-Stuart highlighted the contribution of several players, including captain Noah Burch-Pottie, of Kentville, who received the hammer of the match award; scrum half Yuta Takahashi, from Tokyo; Windsor captain Joe MacLean; and Kaden Smith, from Pictou County who played inside centre instead of fullback for the match.
“I could talk about any one of these guys at length because everybody played really well,” said Verryn-Stuart.
He said having such a strong squad to play against benefits both teams.
“They always give us a tough game. We’ve got a tremendous amount of respect for those guys and the coaches,” said Verryn-Stuart.
“They’re well coached. They’re highly motivated. They’re a tough team and they force our guys to play very, very well because Avon View always brings it. We’re happy to have that crosstown rivalry that makes both teams better.”
Girls’ highlights
Assistant coach Kenzie Cecchetto, who was a Highlander rugby player a few years ago, said the girls’ matchup with Avon View was exciting to watch.
“I think the girls got challenged today so it was nice to see it was a close game, especially for the first half. That’s what we were really hoping for — a good game,” said Cecchetto.
She said captains Hayden Lilly and Hanna MacGregor “were great leaders out there” and Kate Jahnke, who played the role of 8-man, was solid.
She described this year as a bit of a transition year, as so many Grade 12s comprised last year’s provincial-winning team. However, she said this year’s squad has risen to the challenge, winning all league games and capturing the Highlanders’ title before the western zone banner.
“We’re kind of in a transition year, we have a lot of girls with less experience,” said Cecchetto.
“We just have really great athletes and they’re quickly learning the game. It’s been great to see. They’ve just been such great athletes.”
She said they’re looking forward to working on few areas leading up to next week’s quarter-final.
Last spring marked the first time the girls’ squad had won provincials in nearly 20 years. They have their sights set on defending that title this year.
Carole Morris-Underhill is the lead editor of the Valley Journal-Advertiser. She can be reached by email at carole.morris-underhill@
