GRR: Rainier
The Rugby Washington boys HS season kicks off this weekend.
This remains one of the most competitive high school leagues in the country. Two season ago Budd Bay finished 5-5 in the regular season and then ran through the playoffs to win the state title. Last year, the Rainier Highlanders won a year after being in DII.
In an interesting turn of events this summer, the Rugby Washington Boys HS 7s championship was won by a JV team.
In the final tournament of the season, the Rainier Highlanders, the program that also won the Boys 15s title, fielded two teams, a Varsity and a JV squad.
After moving up from DII to DI this season, the Rainier Highlanders wanted to show they could compete in DI, and would be able to compete for a long period; on Saturday, they showed they can compete now, and for tomorrow.
The Rainier Highlanders and Liberty Patriots will face off for the Rugby Washington DI final after both somehow survived tense semifinals this weekend.
In a wild, end-to-end game, the Rainier Highlanders defeated the Budd Bay Barbarians 32-27 to improve to 4-0 in the Rugby Washington Boys DI.
The Highlanders were in DII last year, and won that division. Their special style of quick-hands rugby has stood them in good stead in DI this season.