West All-Stars Show Well in Charlotte Test Match Curtain-Raisers
West All-Stars Show Well in Charlotte Test Match Curtain-Raisers
Before the highly anticipated USA vs. Spain clashed at American Legion Stadium in Charlotte, NC this past Saturday, an inaugural East vs. West Coast rugby showdown set the stage with fast-paced action, rising stars, and true cross-country spirit.
Organized by Trevor Caterson of the North Carolina All-Stars and Maurice Matsumori of TOA Idaho Selects (Idaho), the event featured both girls’ and boys’ select sides, spotlighting the best of youth rugby talent from across the nation.
The North Carolina All-Stars, as the name suggests, were drawn from top players throughout the Tar Heel State. The West Coast All-Stars represented a broader geographic area—Idaho, Washington, Colorado, Utah, California, and even Hawaii. Arriving on Wednesday, the West squad had just three days to train, adapt, and gel as a team. A special thanks goes to Queens University for hosting the team on their campus and providing training access to help them get acclimated to the sticky Southern humidity—quite a contrast to the dry heat many of the players were used to.
West Girls Win in Style
Under a Blazing Sun, West All-Stars Dominate in Unforgettable Showcase
The girls took the field under the unforgiving sun at 1PM, and it was the West All-Stars who brought the real heat. From the opening whistle, they unleashed a relentless attack marked by explosive runs, pinpoint offloads, and unshakable team chemistry. With precision through the middle and speed on the edges, they carved through the opposition and never let up. The final scoreboard said it all: 82–0, West.
Maddie Cerda was very good as a playmaker. The Eagle HS (Idaho) standout moved the ball masterfully to open space up for wings and they finished nicely. Sa’ane Taufa and Reece Moody left defenders in their wake with impressive breakaway runs.
But overall the difference was a team-wide strength in the breakdown, counter-rucking or poaching to force turnovers and put the West on a scoring footing time and again.
Despite being from a variety of states in the west, and despite having played against each other recently in the Great Northwest Challenge, the team came together quickly.
NC All-Stars played hard and showed flashes, but it's tough to link those together when you're constantly back on defense. Final score: 82-0.
USA West standout performers included Alyssa Hine, Gavin Brown, and Reece Moody of Rocky Mountain, Idaho, Sa’ane Taufa from Majestics in Utah, Anna Petzinger from Eagle in Idaho, and Summit, Colorado players Delilah Staberg and Teagan Barth.
Girls West All-Stars 2025 Roster: Reece Moody Rocky Mntn., Idaho; Krista Mavy, TOA, Idaho; Lucie Reynolds, Summit, Ore.; Sa'ane Taufa, Majestics, Utah; Gavin Brown, Rocky Mntn, Idaho; Delilah Staberg, Summit HS, Colo.; Avery Disbrow, Rocky Mntn, Idaho; Trinity Wahl, Kent Crusaders, Wash.; Hailey Russer, Summit, Colo.; Alyssa Hine, Rocky Mntn., Idaho; Anna Petzinger, Eagle HS, Idaho; Teagan Barth, Summit, Colo.; Emelia Stroppa, Liberty, Wash.; Jay Tarka, East Co. Grackles, Ore.; Maddie Cerda, Eagle HS, Idaho; Paige Thomason, Rocky Mntn., Idaho; Olivia Lyman, Summit, Colo.; Kanani Watts, Eagle HS, Idaho; Meg Thomason, Rocky Mntn., Idaho; Isabel Jenks, Mountain View, Idaho
Boys West All-Stars 2025 Starting Roster:
1-La'au Maka, Rainier Highlanders, Wash.; 2-Roman Walker, Eagle HS, Idaho; 3-Peleki Vuatalevu, Eastside Lions, Wash.; 4-Asher Niemi, Rocky Mntn., Idaho; 5-Gavin Mortensen, Middleton, Idaho; 6-Tevita Valikoula, Kahuku, Hawai'i; 7-Vai'inga Havili, LCA, Utah; 8-Seamus Twohey, Liberty Wash.; 9-Hank Vernon, Cavemen, Utah; 10-Gavin Crawford, Eagle HS, Idaho; 11-Afu Liufau, Cavemen, Utah; 12-Kole Frogley, Owyhee, Idaho; 13-Easton Hansen, Eagle HS, Idaho; 14-Atraiu Nordeste, Liberty, Wash.; 15-Trevor Vach, Rocky Mntn., Idaho; 16-Caden Anctil, SOC Raptors, Calif.; 17-Caleb Koh, SOC Raptors, Calif.; 18-Bradley Robinson, Cavemen, Utah; 19-Nathan Steenblik, Owyhee, Idaho; 20-Rohan Twohey, Liberty, Wash.; 21-Mason Tapusoa, Cavemen, Utah
Coaches: Greg Turpen, Boys Head Coach; Jay Singleton, Girls Head Coach; Abe Turpen; John Brown; Brandon Crawford; Rich Vernon; Maurice Matsumori; Davis Koh
West Boys Pull Away in Tough Matchup
The boys match began at 3PM, with the heat and humidity unrelenting. The opening minutes featured tough exchanges and aggressive defense on both sides. North Carolina struck first with an 11th-minute penalty kick, but West flyhalf Gavin Crowford (Eagle HS) answered with a quick tap try, which scrumhalf Hank Vernon (Cavemen, Utah) converted.
At the 17-minute mark, North Carolina punished a West knock-on and sprinted down on the wing for a try, regaining a narrow 8-7 lead. But the West answered back before halftime with La’au Maka (Rainier Highlanders, Wash.) powering over and then Vai Havili (LCA, Utah) speeding through. Vernon converted both and the West led 21-8 at the break.
North Carolina came out swinging in the second half, putting the West under pressure. But the West held on at the goalline, laying in a series of thumping tackles while avoiding a penalty that would open up the door.
When the West finally got the ball they quickly sent it to Owyhee, Idaho standout Kole Frogley, and he raced in at the corner to make it 26-8.
Still fighting, NC drove within five meters again, only to be halted by a thunderous tackle from Tevita Valikoula (Kahuku, Hawai'i), knocking the ball loose. West seized the moment: Frogley faked a pass and broke the line before timing his pass nicely to Cavemen speedster Afu Liufau, and he burned down the sideline.
In the final minutes, Trevor Vach (Rocky Mountain, Idaho) burst past defenders and set up Liufau for his second. That finished it off 38-8.
Along with Frogley, Havili, Vach, Vernon, Valikoula, and Maka, players such as the always-working Seamus Twohey (Liberty, Wash.), Eagle's Gavin Crawford, and Cavemen's Afu Liufau were impressive. The front row, including Maka, Roman Walker (Eagle HS), and Peleki Vuatalevu (Eastside Lions, Wash.) brought the thunder.
The score was perhaps flattering to the West to a certain extent, however North Carolina Head Coach Joe Rasmus said he felt that while his players had learned a lot, they didn't necessarily put in an improved performance compared to last week's win over the Ohio Aviators. For the West, the talent was clearly there, but it was their ability bond, with each player respecting the other's abilities, that got them through.
Despite the final score, both teams showed tremendous respect and sportsmanship. Players shook hands, bowed to the crowd, and shared a post-match BBQ meal in the cool comfort of an air-conditioned facility—courtesy of the generous hosts in Charlotte.
