Last-Second Invite Yields An OFSAA Silver Medal For Holy Cross Girls' Rugby

The returning-champion A/AA Holy Cross Hurricanes almost successfully defended their title with a last-second invite and earned a silver medal at the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations (OFSAA) Girls Rugby Championships on Wednesday.

Front row (left to right): Audrey McDonald, Audrey stone, Logan jolley, Jenna whynot, Katie Belk, Emma Belk, Olivia gaebel, Jordyn Scott, Macy Harper, Shannon Elliott

Back row (left to right): Jake Fowler, Marielle Collins, Mariah Maybee, Charley Wade, Kassidy buott, Iza Buott, Payton cough, Jordan bankes, Riley Stone, Sophie McLean, ruby Briand, kyrsten white, Chloe ward, alara Rourke, Brian Greer, Chris Paige Photo courtesy of Holy Cross Secondary School.

The Hurricanes originally were not qualified for OFSAA after suffering a defeat at the hands of the Cobourg’s St. Mary Thunder in the Central Ontario Secondary Schools Association (COSSA) championships, 7-5. The team received an invite from OFSAA organizers last Thursday after a last-second vacancy was made.

Holy Cross took another loss from them again in the OFSAA finals, 14-5 at Mary Ann Sills Park in Belleville in a three-day event from Monday to Wednesday.

Head coach Jake Fowler said that he’s proud of the drive, determination and team’s character which resulted in second place, considering the short window of opportunity to prepare for OFSAA.

“It speaks tremendously to the girls and their hearts and the pride they take in our program,” he explained. “Many of them were members of the gold-medal team last year so they went back to their experience and that was what propelled them.”

Holy Cross opened their day with a 60-7 rout of Toronto’s Ursula Franklin Academy Flames on day one to advance them into the quarterfinals.

They continued their run, playing their first of two games on the second day. Holy Cross advanced to the semifinals, defeating the Cairine Wilson Secondary School Wildcats out of Orleans in a close 15-12 win.

The Hurricanes kept their winning streak going with a tight win over Shelburne’s Centre Dufferin District High School Royals, 14-12. That win gave them the rematch against St. Mary’s, resulting in a loss.

“It's been quite a season,” said Fowler. “To go from not getting an invite to pulling it off just speaks to the group of girls.”

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