Spartan rugby wins in the rain

By Tyler Lowey, Times Reporter

In a constant windy downpour, the Strathmore High School Spartans girls’ rugby program closed their regular season with a convincing win on home soil.
Delayed because of travel and rain, the Spartans eventually worked the Highwood High School Mustangs over with a 12-5 victory May 17.
“When it’s wet and cold like it was tonight, it is a more difficult game to play, but if you do the little things right you should be fine in the end,” said Spartans Assistant Coach Keenan Fanning. “I thought we did a great job with the little things tonight.”
The Spartans got off to a great start when senior forward Kaitlyn Stewart punched in a try after winning the ball on an in-bounds play.
The Spartans found some more momentum in the first half when Becky Driver put a great move on a couple of Mustang defenders at midfield, before racing down the right side line. McKenna Blades took a feed from Driver and used a booming stiff arm to create more space deep in Mustang territory. Near the goal line, Blades’ backwards pass to Georgia Nobilling didn’t connect, as the ball bounced out of bounds. Stewart lined up another try attempt but couldn’t ground the slick ball in the end zone.
Leading 5-0 in the second half, the Spartans struck again when Driver came out of a ruck with the ball at midfield, made a pair of quick moves and was gone untouched to the house.
The Mustangs pushed back, as they worked the ball along the Spartans’ goal line before finally punching through, cutting the lead to 12-5. But that’s all the Spartans’ banged-up defence allowed.
“I think that just shows you what kind of team we have. Highwood was making their push in the second half. Once they scored, the girls knew what adjustments they had to make and they shut them out the rest of the way. They put their foot down when it mattered and that’s all on them and their effort,” said Fanning.
It was a complete bounce-back effort by the Spartans, who got thumped 32-5 by the Banff Community High School Bears in Canmore May 15.
“That Banff game was a great example of what happens when we don’t do the little things right. We didn’t ruck well and didn’t keep possession of the ball long enough to be successful,” said Fanning.
With no south central zone tournament, the Spartans will take on Rundle College in an exhibition match to officially conclude their season.
There was too much rain May 17 in Calgary for the senior boys to play their scheduled game against the West Island College Wolves.
Already having games cancelled previously in the season due to weather-related issues, there simply isn’t enough time to make up the contest with the Wolves.
The Spartans battled the Springbank Community High School Phoenix at the Calgary Rugby Union in the semifinals of the south central zone tournament. If they won, they would have advanced to take on the Bow Valley High School Bobcats in the final.