Girls victorious, boys finish close second

Glen Hartle, LJI Reporter

The Pontiac High School (PHS) rugby pitch was abuzz on Wednesday as the PHS Panthers played host to the regional rugby championships for the RSEQ (Réseau du sport étudiant du Québec). Matching the fever on the field was the large contingent of spectators camped out to take in the excitement.
The first-place teams in the league for girls and boys received direct entry into the finals. The PHS girls team had already secured its spot in the finals, as had one of two Falcon boys teams from Hull’s Philemon Wright High School (PWHS).
Two hotly contested semi-finals determined who their adversaries would be. The Rugby Sevens format was used where teams fielded seven players on a full-sized pitch, leaving lots of space for gameplay. And play there was.
First up were the girls in a game pitting the PWHS Falcons against the D’Arcy McGee High School Gee Gees from Gatineau, where the Gee Gees proved to be the stronger of the two. The size and power advantage of the Gee Gees powered them over and through the Falcons, booking their place in the final against the Panthers.
In the final, the Panthers came out of the gate firing on all cylinders and scored seemingly at will.
Iyla Smith scored within the opening minute of the game on a spectacular individual effort and, while the Gee Gees put up a good fight, they had no answer to the multi-pronged attack of strength and speed they stood against.
Standouts Hannah Twolan and Kira Paulin once again showed their sheer athleticism and determination, leading the team on both ends of the field.
Coach Phil Holmes made clear his pride in the team as he beamed from the sidelines.
“It has been an awesome journey from the first practice in the fall of 2022 with 10 girls who had never touched a rugby ball, to our final where 21 girls finished an undefeated season and won their second championship in as many years,” Holmes told THE EQUITY.
“These girls have worked hard, practicing mornings through the winter, recruiting their friends to join the team, and have built a strong and close-knit group.”
For their part, the PHS Panthers boys team took to the field in their semi-final against the second PWHS Falcon team and it was clear from the opening whistle that they intended to write their own story into the finals.
Where the Falcons brought speed and size, the Panthers fielded more grit and passion and therein found their way to victory. The Panthers had strong ball possession throughout, with Morgan Barr and Bennett Rusenstrom leading the charge in scoring.
In the final, they faced even more speed from the first and top-finishing Falcon team. In a fierce match where desire was palpable on both sides, the Panthers showed no fatigue from their semi-final and pushed hard right to the final seconds of the game, ultimately falling marginally short of victory by a score of 12-10.
Barr and Rusenstrom were once again key, with captain Cade Kuehl on the sidelines thanks to concussion protocol after a hit he had sustained in the semi-final.
Referee Mike Cheung summed up the final well.
“It was a competitive match with both teams showing a lot of heart and intensity on the field – the better team won the day,” Cheung said.
Boys coach Colin Boolsen-Vorster agreed.
“There is a phenomenal difference in skill level from the first game we played relative to the performance tonight.”
“It was unfortunate that Kuehl was injured during the semi-final as it was a challenge to replace him as he is the captain and has a unique skill set critical for the smooth functioning of the team,” Boolsen-Vorster said. “Had he remained fit and healthy, the impact on the scoreboard may well have been profound.”
Whereas the girls team now has two seasons under its belt, the boys mark this season as their first, and their march through to the finals shows that they intend to stay.
“For our first rugby season the groundwork for a boys’ rugby program has very definitely been laid and many of our key players will return next season,” Boolsen-Vorster said. “They’ve come a long way and I’m really proud of them.”
RSEQ sports coordinator Phil St-Martin was on hand for the matches and, in presenting the pennants to the winning teams, complimented the sportsmanship and gamesmanship on display throughout the season. “These pennants are well-deserved,” he lauded.
And the applause from the spectators certainly concurred.