The weather obliged but the host team did not, as a vastly outnumbered Salmon Arm Secondary girls’ rugby team kicked off their 2014 season with a 17-point loss in Penticton last Wednesday.
The Penticton High School Girls Rugby Team opened the scoring with a sideline try in the early minutes.
The Jewels – who played a full 15 with no substitutes for the entire game – responded with a try from winger Grace Rempel ducking under the defence radar.
The teams then settled down to a bruising and fast-paced game. After four more tries from PHS, the gutsy Salmon Arm squad dug in during the second half and strung together two tries, finished by standout Olivia Plummer and inside centre Avia LaTosky. PHS scored one final try, but was denied several more thanks to determined Salmon Arm tacklers.
To a player, the Jewels showed grit and hustle throughout. They rebuffed dozens of attacks by a large and talented PHS backline, while dominating in the forwards despite a considerable size differential.
Notable Jewels efforts included Kaisha Fagrie’s gutsy debut at fullback, Krystine Hamre’s deft ball thievery in lineouts and loose play, Brooke Miller’s timely monster tackles, and rookie Heather Wolfear’s constant pressure during scrambled play.
The team finished out their first regular-season game with good spirit.
With further experience, they show great promise for the upcoming season.
SAS coaches say additional players, whether recruits or latecomers, would be welcome and should contact them at the Jackson campus for practice information. The Women’s Canadian Rugby program is ranked fifth in the world.
Game score 34 -15 for Penticton.