Roos Push Hilltoppers in Wisconsin Final
Roos Push Hilltoppers in Wisconsin Final
Marquette HS took the Boys HS Wisconsin final this past weekend, edging a tenacious Pulaski Roos side 21-17.
The Hilltoppers scored two times before 10 minutes were up and seemed to be, maybe, in control. But the Pulaski Roos came right back and Marquette Head Coach Colin Dillon said they caught his team unawares.
Marquette had to refocus on defense, but they were forced to absorb some big carriers among the Pulaski forwards. So the Hilltoppers made some adjustments, putting some key defenders on Pulaski’s more powerful runners, and, at halftime, deciding to put more pressure on the Roos’ halfback combo.
That resulted in a key play as pressure from center Evan Maier forced a turnover and Drew Schmlezer, a freshman filling in at lock, scooped the ball up to score. That was the key play, and the defense sealed a 21-17 win for Marquette.
“The trip to the All-Catholic Rugby Festival at SLUH has again shown that this team is more about the brotherhood and off-field connections than anything else,” said Dillon. “That weekend away to start the season allows the boys to connect and build trusting, supportive relationships that then translate to the pitch.”
On the field, they had work to do, as well.
“We started the season with a new system in mind, and we stuck to that. We focused on the small aspects of it during our fall and winter indoor sessions, so that when we did more outside, we were able to put all the pieces together into a nice flowing attack,” the coach added. In the opening minutes of the final, “we kept it simple and played the same attack we've done all year. Muscle memory is important, and it kicked right in as we were able to flow through our system and make smart decisions.”
Through the season, with numbers growing at Marquette rugby, they were able to run 15-on-15 in scrimmaging. This allowed newer and younger players to get reps and the veteran players provided feedback—“which sometimes is more meaningful to them than the same feedback coming from a coach.”
And really it’s that preparation that led to the championship.
“A lot of the seniors will be going to play at the next level, so I will always look back at their first practices and matches and appreciate how far they've come, and that's all thanks to their dedication and hard work,” said Dillon.
