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Warriors Win Gator 7s

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Warriors Win Gator 7s

Navarro led with nine tries on the day. (Photo: Charlie Neuman/UT San Diego)

The Gator 7s in San Clemente, Calif., marked the second stop on the SoCal Serevi Cup summer 7s series. The Fallbrook U18 girls entered the tournament in first place, having won the Encinitas 7s on June 27. The Warriors received some push-back from Fullerton during the series-opener, but three weeks of training saw Fallbrook extend the distance between itself and the field.

Fallbrook went 5-0 on Saturday, defeating the Aztec Warriors, Poway Spartans (twice), and Fullerton 211-5, and they did it with only 10 players. Six of those players – Destiny Arena, Miriam Friebe, Meckena Hultin, Alyssa Lee, Mack Miller, and Jenny Smidt – were present during the team’s tournament victory in Encinitas, and they were bolstered by the inclusion of Alyssa Faust, Julia Haigh, Michel Navarro, and Sophie Rojas.

Miller led the way on points, scoring five tries and slotting 18 conversions for 61 on the day. Haigh (6), Faust (5), Lee (4), Arena (2), Scmidt, Hultin, and Rojas all added tries, but the leader in the try zone was Navarro. The All American played in only three games due to a sore back, and still managed to score a team-leading nine tries for 45 points.

“Her game is far superior to anyone we, or any other team, fielded on the day,” Fallbrook coach Marin Pinnell reported. “Her speed, knowledge of the game, defense, power, and experience dominated any and all opposition.”

Navarro will be pushing her game to the next level, as she attends the USA Women Junior All American (WJAA) camp in Colorado next week. She’ll be joined by Lilly Durbin, and the pair will be fighting for a position on the WJAA squad that plays Canada at the end of the August. Meanwhile Arena, Kayla Canett, Hannah Savin, and Emma Workman attend the Stars & Stripes assembly in Greeley, Colo.

But before their departure, there’s one more leg of the Serevi Cup: this weekend’s Cal State Games. Fallbrook is the heavy favorite for the gold medal, leading the standings with 10 points. Fullerton finished second at both stops and has eight points.

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