Spartans earn historic three-peat at Provincials

By Jerry Flaws SHS Athletic Director

The Strathmore High School Girls Rugby team traveled to St. Albert for the Alberta High School Athletic Association’s Rugby 7s Provincial Championship with one goal: to defend their 2023 and 2024 titles. Unfortunately, the tournament coincided with the school’s graduation weekend, meaning Grade 12 players couldn’t make the trip to St. Albert. As the weekend progressed, more athletes and a coach had to leave to attend graduation ceremonies.

Day One: Round Robin Matches

Game 1 – SHS vs. Peace Wapiti (Grande Prairie)

The Spartans opened the tournament Friday morning against Peace Wapiti, a team known for its physical style of play. The match was tightly contested, with the game tied at halftime. Early in the second half, Peace Wapiti took the lead, but Strathmore fought back and tied the game as time wound down. With seconds remaining and a restart required, the Spartans unfortunately conceded three consecutive penalties, allowing Peace Wapiti to score before the final whistle and secure a 15-10 win. Despite the loss, the Spartans earned a valuable bonus point for losing by fewer than seven points.

Game 2 – SHS vs. Westmount Charter

The Spartans faced league rival Westmount Charter in their second game. The teams had met twice previously in the season, each earning a win. This time, Strathmore adapted by playing a more physical game to contain Westmount’s speed. By maintaining possession through aggressive rucking and crashing through the line, the Spartans secured a 29-10 victory. They earned four points for the win and an additional bonus point for scoring four tries.

Game 3 – SHS vs. Frank Maddock (Drayton Valley, a rematch of 2024 Ffnal)

Strathmore’s final round-robin match was a rematch of last year’s provincial final against Frank Maddock. A win was crucial to avoid being relegated to the consolation bracket. Frank Maddock opened the scoring and led 7-5 at halftime. They extended their lead to 14-5 early in the second half. In response, the Spartans made a tactical shift, subbing in a smaller, faster lineup. With two minutes remaining, Strathmore scored to close the gap to 14-10. They quickly forced a turnover and, after a series of Frank Maddock penalties, scored again just before the final whistle. The successful conversion sealed a 17-14 win and another four points in the standings.

After Day 1, three teams were tied with 2-1 records. Standings were determined by total points: Frank Maddock: 11 points (2 wins, 3 bonus points), Strathmore: 10 points (2 wins, 2 bonus points) and Peace Wapiti: 9 points (2 wins, 1 bonus point)

Semifinal – SHS vs. West Island College (Calgary)

Initially, a clerical error placed the Spartans in the consolation bracket due to a missing bonus point. The correction reignited the team’s focus as they prepared to face West Island College – a team that had defeated them by 15 points in both regular season matchups.

Strathmore came out strong, leveraging their speed and strategic forward crashes to pull defenders inside and create space on the outside. Their support play was outstanding, both on attack and in defense. The Spartans maintained possession for most of the game and executed a near-flawless defensive effort, resulting in a 20-0 win. It was a true team effort – no standout individual, just a cohesive, united performance.

Championship Final – SHS vs. Frank Maddock (Drayton Valley)

In a high-emotion rematch of the earlier round-robin game, the Spartans were hungry to not only repeat their win but make a statement on the scoreboard. Despite having beaten Frank Maddock the day before, Strathmore entered the final with a mindset of, “We want it more.”

Frank Maddock relied heavily on their kicking game, more than the Spartans had seen all season. But the girls reacted quickly, doing whatever it took to regain possession. Their support play remained consistent, with players ready in rucks and on long runs. With a halftime lead of 15-0, the team reminded themselves, “The job’s not done yet.” Staying humble and focused, they closed out the match with a 27-5 victory.

With this win, the Spartans claimed their third consecutive provincial championship – the first-ever team sport three-peat in Strathmore High School history.