Midwest Challenge Cup, Small But Challenging
Midwest Challenge Cup, Small But Challenging
It’s a small tournament, and as such one where almost anything can happen.
The Midwest Rugby Challenge will see two Illinois select teams in the Boys Varsity Bracket, as well as the Indy Speed and Des Moines.
Illinois has split its team along geographic lines and Coach Lou Raymond said the teams are basically of equal quality. Some of the players who helped the Indy Speed perform so well in Colorado are back with their Illinois teams for this weekend, while Spencer Krueger (No. 8 converted to prop), Nick Chevalier (scrumhalf converted to wing), and fullback Austin McDonnell would be players to watch. Meanwhile Joe Fasolo, John Rizzo, and Ian James switch from the Speed to the Tornados.
The Speed always expected to field a different squad for this tournament. The only select side to play twice, this Speed squad is made up mostly of players who couldn’t make the trip to Denver due to school, work, or life reasons. However, TJ Moore in the forwards and James Bovis and Francois Smith return in the backs.
Meanwhile, the Des Moines HS team is a 15s-dedicated program in Iowa, a rarity as the Iowa league is a 7s league. They have been active this spring, playing in a small tournament with Heart of America and Nebraska two weeks ago - Des Moines beat HOA 27-10 but lost to Nebraska 10-0.
There are only two JV Boys teams, with the Tornados and Speed playing each other. In the Midwest, the Illinois Hurricanes field two teams, and Fox Valley one. But the Indy Speed program was dominant in Colorado in their bracket, going 4-0. The Midwest team is a different lineup entirely, but the preparation has been the same.
| Illinois Grey Varsity | Illinois White Varsity | Indy Speed Varsity | ||
| Yanni Ballis, Lake Forest Harriers | Spencer Krueger, Arlington Stallions | Forwards | ||
| Joe Fasolo, Arlington Stallions | Nick Lindgren, Blaze Rugby Academy | Austin Perkins (Avon HS) | ||
| Josh Mondesir, Fox Valley Chiefs | Matthew Moroniak, Arlington Stallions | Bryce Hunter (Carmel HS) | ||
| Kamil Olechno, Lake County | Jamie Russell, Glen Ellyn Ducks | Evan Boling (Avon HS) | ||
| Campbell Gunst, West Suburban Bulls | Greg Janowick, Barrington Broncos | Saikou Diallo (Zionsville HS) | ||
| Ayan Gupta, Fox Valley Chiefs | Jovan Vazquez, Morton Mustangs | Mike Rivera (North Central HS) | ||
| Sebastian Laskowski, Neuqua Wildcats | Ivan Delgado, Morton Mustangs | Logan Weaver (Fishers HS) | ||
| Andrew Guerra, Mount Carmel Caravan | Joey Backe, Neuqua Wildcats | Liam Jagow (Westfield HS) | ||
| Johnny Drozd, Mount Carmel Caravan | Nick Chevalier, Neuqua Wildcats | Lane Yeary (Pike HS) | ||
| Alan Kim, Fox Valley Chiefs | John Rizzo, South Suburban Cobra | Fernando Alvarado (Noblesville HS) | ||
| Julio Garcia, Morton Mustangs | Julio Garcia, Morton Mustangs | Alex Phoebus (Carmel HS) | ||
| Daniel Howard, Brother Rice | Lucas Donovan, Palatine Barbarians | TJ Moore (Carmel HS) | ||
| Alex Gountanis, Arlington Stallions | Charlie Stimson, New Trier Trevians | |||
| Ian James, Palatine Barbarians | Sean O'Connor, New Trier Trevians | Backs | ||
| Austin McDonnell, Neuqua Wildcats | Leo Martinez, Elgin River Rats | Von Rumps (HSE) | ||
| Tim Samuel, West Suburban Bulls | Luis Gonzalez, Fox Valley Chiefs | Tracey Daniels (Arsenal Tech HS) | ||
| Tommy Lyons, New Trier Trevians | Alfredo De Lara, Warthogs | Ray Jiang (Carmel HS) | ||
| Ismael Rivera, Morton Mustangs | Eric Jones, Noble Network | Josh Clayton (Arsenal Tech HS) | ||
| Logan Mazurek, Neuqua Wildcats | Dan Sons, Warthogs | James Bovis (North Central HS) | ||
| lonnie buchanon, Chicago Griffins Academy | Adam Gabr, Fox Valley Chiefs | Jacob DeHaai (Zionsville HS) | ||
| Ismael Rivera, Morton Mustangs | John Grant, Lake County | Francois Smith (Carmel HS) | ||
| Jose Lazaro, Lake County Mercenaries | Pierce Hourihane, New Trier RFC | Alec Burcham (Avon HS) | ||
| Ashtin Paez, New Trier Trevians | Jose Lazaro, Lake County Mercenaries | |||
| Illinois JV | Indy Speed JV | |||
| Rodrigo Avelar, Morton Mustangs | Forwards: | |||
| Chase Bahr, Lake Forest | Sam Fisher (North Central HS) | |||
| Charles Brown, Chicago Wapiti | Adam Zareb (Avon HS) | |||
| Michael Callada, Neuqua Valley | Alex Goodnight (Brownsburg HS) | |||
| Will Chevalier, Neuqua Wildcats | Alex Key (Culver Military Academy) | |||
| Will Conn, West Suburban Bulls | Gabe Black (Fishers HS) | |||
| Dylan Crawford, Neuqua Wildcats | Luke Lothamer (Noblesville HS) | |||
| Maxwell Derry, Arlington Stallions | Matt Baker (Brownsburg HS) | |||
| Tyreke Dockery, Chicago Wapiti | NIck Hammond (HSE) | |||
| Jacob Goeppner, South Suburban Cobra | Robert Harding | |||
| Gregory Hartzog, Palatine Barbarians | Patrick Rankin (Royal Irish) | |||
| Finn Henneberry, West Suburban Bulls | Spencer Strout (Avon HS) | |||
| Mitchell Hensley, Neuqua Valley | Zach Dechow (HSE) | |||
| Connor Hildebrandt, Fox Valley Chiefs | Jacob Birkofer (Brownsburg HS) | |||
| Zane Jackson, Neuqua Valley | ||||
| Matthew Knudtson, West Suburban Bulls | Backs: | |||
| Fabian Lopez, Morton Mustangs | Antonio Carranza (Pike HS) | |||
| Liam Mahon, Fenwick Friars | Christian Collier (HSE) | |||
| Jacob Mondesir, Fox Valley Chiefs | Donovan McFarland (Fishers HS) | |||
| Bruce Rigoni, Chicago Blaze Academy | Ethan Trout (Zionsville HS) | |||
| Joel Rojas, Fox Valley Chiefs | Brayden Goodnight (Brownsburg HS) | |||
| Brandon Schoo, Fox Valley Chiefs | Ben Rhodes (HSE) | |||
| Cameron Scott, Fox Valley Chiefs | ||||
| Alex Shabaz, Fox Valley Chiefs | ||||
| Bennett Whitney, Lake Forest |
