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SHS Rugby notches first win of season

DAILY NEWS STAFF REPORT

The Summit High School Girls’ Rugby team kicked off its 2008 campaign with a win and a loss in Littleton on Saturday.

The Tigers, playing split squads, trounced the host Swarm of Chatfield/Columbine 44-5 in the opener before dropping a close game to Douglas County 17-12.

Despite the loss, the Summit players and coaches were pleased with the results considering they played eight rookies, including seven freshmen, out of 15 players against Douglas County.



“D.C. is one of the top teams in the league this year so we are very excited at how our young players hung with them in a back-and-forth, physical and tight game,” head coach Karl Barth said.

In the opening match, the Tigers’ Green team dominated a young and aggressive Swarm from the first few minutes when senior Lauren Danielsen, playing way out of position at #8, picked the ball off the back of the scrum, breaking untouched for a 40-meter try.



Near the end of the game, senior lock Catherine Scanlon caught a clearing kick and left a 30-meter wake of would be tacklers on her way to the final score of the game.

The Tigers who also played seven freshmen in the first game. Barth said that Danielsen, Scanlon, sophomores Alex Cooper and Emmy Anderson and freshman Bianca Bolcato had outstanding games for the Tigers.

The White team followed that up with a gutty performance against a very physical and fast Douglas County team. The two teams traded the lead several times and, according to Barth, defended very well.

Flanker Hailey Curnutte, halfback Haley Anderson and wings Sarah Johnson and Robyn Kresge, all freshmen, played very well, as did sophomore Ariel Johnston, Barth said. The most dominating performance, however, came from senior flanker Alison Johnston and centre Brittany Morgan.

“[They were] a huge reason for the Tigers’ outstanding performance,” Barth said.

Danielsen ended up with 27 points on five tries and a conversion. The impressive day made her the highest scoring player in SHS history with 233 points, eclipsing Kate Orlin’s (’04) 225.

Morgan added two tries, while Scanlon and Vollya Sergeeva notched one try each. Emy Griffith (2 conversions) and stand-in captain Bobby Bouchard (penalty kick) added four and three points, respectively, each from the boot.

The Tigers (1-1, 0-1) are in New Mexico this weekend to take on Los Alamos before opening at home on Sep. 5th against Highlands Ranch.


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