Though it was one of the rougher years for local teams, the annual Rocky Mountain Rugby Challenge once again brought high level rugby to Aurora June 17-18.
A variety of top prep boys and girls rugby teams from across the country converged at the Aurora Sports Park to do battle and teams from Utah, California and Wisconsin ended up on top at the end.
The Rugby Colorado teams mix top prep players from all over Colorad0 and the boys varsity squad included John Dowling and Hayes Ward from Regis Jesuit and Justyce Cain, Isileli Olevao and Malosi Tuilaepa from the Aurora Saracens club team.
In recent years, the tournament has added girls play (five varsity teams and four junior varsity teams were onhand this season) and middle school play (three teams in attendance), plus added a youth component for kids looking to get into the sport. That growth was clearly on display during the June 17 opening ceremony, in which a massive parade of players encircled nearly an entire pitch after they were led in by bagpiper Ian Jackson, a native Scot.
The Rugby Colorado varsity boys found a difficult opening opponent in Arizona, which scored a try right away on its way to a wire-to-wire victory. Colorado scored just before halftime, but couldn’t rally from its big early deficit in a 36-10 defeat.
The locals rebounded with back-to-back wins in consolation play on June 18, a 20-0 victory over Heart of America followed by a 19-17 defeat of Atavus Academy Utah. Rugby Colorado finished atop its consolation pool, which put it 10th in the overall standings.
Team 5785, another Colorado team that featured some locals in addition to a core of players from the Colorado Springs area, fared better in boys arsity competition with a sixth-place result.
The West Valley Warriors — a club team from Utah — won the championship with a 17-3 victory over EIRA (Eagle Impact Rugby Academy) Midwest. Wisconsin handled Rugby Texas 28-14 in the third place match.
Rugby Colorado fared better on the girls’ side with a fourth place overall finish. The Colorado team finished 2-2 overall with wins over Indianapolis and Oklahoma and losses to overall winner Atavus Academy Utah and runner-up Wisconsin.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
2017 ROCKY MOUNTAIN RUGBY CHALLENGE
Champions: West Valley Warriors (boys varsity); Atavus Rugby Utah (girls varsity); EIRA So Cal (JV); Wisconsin JV (girls JV); EIRA Midwest (Red) (middle school)
Boys varsity final standings: 1. West Valley Warriors; 2. EIRA Midwest; 3. Wisconsin; 4. Rugby Texas; 5. Rugby Arizona Bobcats; 6. Team 5785; 7. EIRA So Cal; 8. OK Selects; 9. Nebraska; 10. Missouri Youth All Stars; 11 Rugby Colorado; 12. Heart of America; 13. Atavus Academy Utah
Girls varsity final standings: 1. Atavus Rugby Utah; 2. Wisconsin; 3. Indianapolis; 4. Rugby Colorado; 5. OK Selects
Junior varsity: 1. EIRA So Cal; 2. EIRA Midwest; 3. Rugby Texas; 4. Rugby Colorado; 5. Rugby Arizona Bobcats; 6. Wisconsin; 7. Nebraska; 8. Team 5785; 9. Heart of America; 10. Missouri Youth All Stars
Girls junior varsity: 1. Wisconsin JV; 2. Texoma; 3. Rugby Colorado; 4. Indianapolis
Middle school: 1. EIRA Midwest (Red); 2. EIRA Midwest (Blue); 3. Team 5785
