Hailey Russer attempts to pass the ball to CJ Traylor during the state rugby tournament on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. Summit won its 17th-straight state title by defeating Monarch High School in the championship match.
Cody Jones/Summit Daily News
This fall season has been a little bit different for the Summit High School girls rugby team.
For nearly two decades, the program has solidified itself as one of the best in the nation, winning 16-consecutive state titles and placing in numerous national-level tournaments.
The last couple state championship titles were earned by Summit relatively easily, with last year’s state championship game pitting Summit’s top varsity team against its second varsity-level team — the Tigers.
Although head coach Karl Barth is known for routinely producing state championship caliber teams year after year, this season Summit faced a series of unforeseen challenges that threatened the team’s pursuit of a 17th-consecutive state title.
Early on in the season, junior Teagan Barth broke a bone in her foot while senior Olivia Lyman broke her ankle in the team’s homecoming match on Sept. 25. With Summit playing 7’s rugby in the fall — which consists of seven players being on the field for each team at one time — athletes had to figure out how to fill the void left by Lyman and Barth.
Summit may have initially struggled to figure out how to navigate the challenge of having several players out for the season, but like any championship team, were able to figure out how to adapt and excel.
“I definitely feel like we all came together as one a lot more,” senior Delilah Staberg said. “We focused on our team chemistry in order to compensate for the lack of experience that we may have had. Us having all each other’s backs. We spend really all of our time together whether it is practice, team dinners or traveling. We grew really close.”
After taking fourth overall in the highly competitive Western States 7’s rugby tournament in Boise, Idaho last weekend, Summit took to the field at Superior Commons on Saturday, Oct. 26, prepared to add another state championship trophy to the program’s name.
Leading off the Colorado Interscholastic Rugby Association’s state rugby tournament were the No. 3 Tigers and the No. 6 Gremlins, also from Summit.
The Tigers were the first team to find the try line. After several minutes of warming into the game, the Tigers broke wide of the Gremlins and to the far end of the field for the score.
The Tigers added another try soon after, bringing the score to 10-0 as the match reached halftime.
Wanting to get on the scoreboard, the Gremlins began the second half by swiftly sprinting down the field and scoring its first try of the game. Trailing 10-5, the Gremlins tried to keep the Tigers from adding points to its lead, but failed to prevent the team from passing the ball across the field.
Following a try from the Tigers, the Gremlins brought the score to 15-10 with a few minutes remaining in the match. The Tigers concluded the game with a final try to win the game, 20-10.
After taking a match off, the Gremlins returned to the pitch to take on Monarch High School’s junior varsity team. Monarch began the match by scoring an early try before sophomore Deidre Dalzell broke down to the field to tie the game at 5-5.
Dalzell’s try gave the Gremlins the energy it was looking for, resulting in a second try before halftime.
The Gremlins put Monarch away in the second half, scoring an additional try to win, 15-10.
Summit’s junior varsity team then took on No. 4 Eagle Valley High School. Fresh off a loss to the Palmer Terrors, the Eagle Valley Devils tried to control the game early on, but were thwarted by Summit.
Within the first few minutes of the game, Summit charged down the field for the try, bringing the game to 5-0. It was not long before Summit scored again, this time dragging Eagle Valley defenders as the team pushed to the try line.
After leading 15-5 at halftime, Summit added a try and successful conversion in the first few minutes of the second half. Eagle Valley threatened the Summit junior varsity team in the waning moments of the game, but strong tackles kept the Devils from scoring.Summit won, 22-10.
After patiently waiting to take the field, No. 1 Summit jogged onto the pitch to take on the Palmer Terrors. Eager to begin its pursuit for a state title, Summit wasted little time getting on the scoreboard, scoring a try and taking an early 5-0 lead.
Summit junior Elle Chabot scored a second try before the team produced another try in quick succession. Wanting to score as much as possible before halftime, sophomore CJ Traylor juked her way to the try line, giving Summit a 20-0 lead headed into the break.
Junior Hailey Russer was the first to score for Summit in the fresh half, using her speed to swing wide of the Palmer defense and to the other side of the field. Not wanting to be shutout, Palmer worked hard to put points on the board, but the relentless Summit offense was too much to handle.
Russer scored her second try of the game en-route to a 37-0 win.
“I feel like our first games are always a little bit rocky, so it was good to have that game to work out some of those kinks that we have,” Staberg said. “I think the first game was a good warm up to get us ready.”
Following the dominating win, No. 2 Monarch took on the Tigers. With stellar passing and tackles, Monarch defeated the Tigers. With the Monarch win, the team advanced to the championship match to take on Summit.
With its sights on another state championship trophy, Summit executed its plan for the game. Summit was dominant from start to finish, securing another state title with a 26-5 victory. Russer and Traylor each dotted a try in the win while Staberg scored two tries of her own and went 3/4 on conversions.
Showing the depth and skill level of the program, the Tigers defeated Palmer in the third-place match to take third overall.
“I think it is really amazing how many girls come out and play,” Staberg said of the success of the program as a whole. “Everyone is so supportive. My first year when I was not on the top team I remember watching them and striving everyday to get to that level. I think it is amazing to see the growth of the club and everyone who is going to have that development as well.”
The Gremlins of Summit High School, light green, face off against the Summit High School Tigers’ rugby team at the state championship tournament on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.
Cody Jones/Summit Daily News
The Tigers kickoff to the Gremlins on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.
Cody Jones/Summit Daily News
A member of the Summit Tigers’ rugby team attempts to pass the ball wide while facing the Gremlins of Summit on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.
Cody Jones/Summit Daily News
The Gremlins of Summit scrum against Monarch High School’s junior varsity team on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.
Cody Jones/Summit Daily News
Summit’s junior varsity team breaks past Eagle Valley for the try on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.
Cody Jones/Summit Daily News
Summit’s junior varsity team works to break a tackle while facing Eagle Valley at the state championship tournament on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.
Cody Jones/Summit Daily News
Summit takes on the Palmer Terror in the state rugby tournament on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.
Cody Jones/Summit Daily News
Hailey Russer attempts to pass the ball to CJ Traylor during the state rugby tournament on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024. Summit won its 17th-straight state title by defeating Monarch High School in the championship match.
Cody Jones/Summit Daily News
Show CaptionsHide Captions
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source link
