It may be the beginning of the summer, but the Summit High School girls rugby team is already in peak form. 

The Tigers proved that it is prepared to chase after another state title this fall, defeating Rugby Colorado Academy 48-15 in Breckenridge in the first game of the Spring 15’s Challenge on May 31. 

With confidence bubbling over from its first 15’s game of the season, Summit then traveled down to Lou Kellog Stadium in Aurora on Saturday, June 7, for a final game of the two-match series against Rugby Colorado Academy.

Similar to Summit’s first match against the star-studded, all-star rugby team, the Tigers got off to a quick start and did not look back. With rising junior Teagan Barth and graduating senior Delilah Staberg serving as captains of the team, Summit built a big first-half lead, scoring five tries with two successfully made conversions.  

Leading 29-12 heading into the second half, Summit returned to the pitch and worked as an entire unit to put the game out of reach for good. The concentrated team effort resulted in Summit scoring an additional five tries with three successful conversions.

Beyond the team’s rollicking offense, Summit also played great defensively. After allowing two tries to be scored in the first half, the Tigers allowed only one try to be scored throughout the entirety of the second half. 

Summit swept Rugby Colorado Academy with a 60-19 win. Over the two-game series, Summit outscored Rugby Colorado Academy 108-34.

The Tigers were led in the win by rising junior Jenavive Bradford and graduating senior Olivia Lyman. Bradford scored three tries throughout the course of the game and was awarded with the player of the match award from Summit head coach Karl Barth. 

Slicing her way through the Rugby Colorado Academy defense, Lyman also dotted three tries, helping lift Summit to its second win of the spring 15’s season. Other major highlights of the match included Teagan Barth dotting a try off of a beautiful kick down the field. Barth was also able to hammer home five conversions throughout the duration of the game. 

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“Jeni Bradford was player of the match but Olivia, Teagan, Hannah (Webb), Deirdre Dalzell, Lulu Krawczuk and the Averys (Thisted and Russer) all had very strong games on both sides of the ball,” Karl Barth said. 

Beyond the huge win, Barth was impressed by the team’s ability to overcome challenges, adapt and play as a team. Already masterful at playing 7’s rugby, Summit athletes were forced to learn how to play with eight extra teammates and defenders on the field over the last several weeks.

Despite having a short time to prepare, Summit rose to the occasion and rolled to two, 15’s rugby wins. 

With spring play now wrapped up, Summit athletes will turn their focus to summer tournaments, matches and camps. Krawczuk, Avery Russer, Avery Thisted, Siena Tofig and Lauren Cartner were all selected to represent Colorado in Montana at the end of June.

Outside of the athletes headed to Montana, Hailey Russer and Teagan Barth will head to the USA 7’s U21 camp in Chula Vista, California. The duo will both be competing for a spot on Team USA for the Pan American Games in Paraguay — which will take place in August.

Russer and Barth will then join Lyman and Staberg on the Western USA U18 team in Charlotte, North Carolina. The group of Summit athletes will take on USA East prior to the USA National Team Test versus Spain on July 12. 

The Summit girls rugby program will begin its pursuit for an 18th-consecutive state title in late August.