Washington Girls Repeat at GNC, And More
Washington Girls Repeat at GNC, And More
Washington Selects won the Girls U19 division of the Great Northwest Challenge, winning the title for the second year in a row.
Washington started the day by giving up their first points of the weekend, with Kylee Mercer and Lucy Walker going over for Colorado in the semifinals. However, Washington’s unique combination of big, powerful front-rowers, and speedy, smaller other forwards, along with some impressive passing skills, opened up the game for them.
Flanker Thessalez Mika scored two tries while prop Shaidynn Elama and center Emelia Stroppa each added one. All of this was nicely operated by captain and flyhalf Kalilah Tuani, who added two conversions in the 24-10 win.
Also winning in the semis was Northern California, which had all they could handle by a very effective Arizona Bobcats side. In a game where the teams traded tries back and forth, NorCal’s Jordan Kixmiller and Liongi Aiolupo staked the Grizzlies to a 12-0 lead. But Arizona showed a lot of tenacity and Lucille Brandt’s try inched them closer. Aiolupo and then Taylor Cohen scored right after halftime to make it 24-7 and a commanding lead for Northern California.
But again Arizona answered. Ariana Thomas and then Adanya Nicoson went over, with Thomas converting one to make it 24-17. Pushing to get that game-tying score, Arizona were turned around as Aiolupo raced in for her second. Arizona pressed to score once more, and got a penalty try for their troubles. That made it 29-24 for NorCal, and they held on.
Rankings Finals
NorCal’s Development team took 7th over Oregon and Idaho thanks to two tries from center Evelyn Varela-Wilkerson against the Redhawks and then a 24-17 win over the Idaho side in a round-robin.
The format left two teams to battle for 5th, so they played a full-length, 70-minute game for that prize. Montana was outstanding in this game. They had lost to Iowa on Saturday after getting a lead. This time, they worked their system a little better, were more methodical, and controlled the momentum from throughout the game. Prop Wren Waiser scored a try but really she was monumental in her hard carries and work rate. Everything good for Montana came from something she did.
No. 8 Ella Biggins was the captain and excellent as well, while center Nicolette Desch was a handful. the result was a 29-7 win for the hosts and 5th place. the day before had seen them lose games 29-22 and 5-0. But they fixed their issues.
The ride of strong showings for Arizona continued, but again it was a plucky loss. The Bobcats were down to the nubs on their bench, and if they didn’t grab an early lead in the 3rd-4th game, they were going to struggle. As it was, they worked their way down for one, but Colorado broke through for two long-range scores. Walker was once again a force for Colorado as an attacker, kicker, and defender.
Colorado capped it off with a try in the second half to win 17-5, but it was, overall, an impressive weekend for Arizona.
The Championship Game
So, on to the final. Washington were determined to go wide against a NorCal team that could also score quickly. Washington put everything into supporting their long breaks and scored a couple early and took a solid lead into the halftime break.
Washington forced a turnover and spun it wide for fullback Chloe Sandy to race down the sideline. Washiington center Kerra Tualamali’i eluded the NorCal blitz and burst through into the Grizzlies’ 22, and that set up a surge that ended with Mika powering over.
Tuani converted for a 12-0 lead. NorCal pressured right off the restart, got the ball back, and put flanker Evangeline Littler over on the right side. But Washington answered as Stroppa scampered through defenders off a bit of a broken play, and the teams entered halftime with Washington up 17-5.
A brilliant piece of open-field work from Amenekina Latu and Amelia Qoro set up a try for Hannah Glaser working hard in support, and NorCal inched closer.
Washington struck right back with an interception try from Ava King and the retained a fairly impressive lead.
Unfortunately, right after this try a Washington player took a bad injury. This final game had seen its share of players getting attention, either from injuries related to fatigue, or from the powerful collisions. This injury was attended to for a long time, so long in fact that the remainder of the game was moved to another field as a tent was brought over the player to shade her from the sun.
An ambulance was called and reports are that she will be alright. However, it did shake up the Washington players a little.
"We were absolutely playing for both of our players who had been injured, and that was a great motivator too," said Stroppa. "We just wanted to come out and make them proud and make Washington proud."
NorCal mounted a bit of a comeback with Lilyrode Lennon and Beatrix Littler scoring tries. But a late score from Stroppa capped it off for Washington. 31-22.
It all came down to the mindset, said Stroppa.
