FRIARS, COUGARS RETAIN RUGBY SUPREMACY

By Paradis Jolie Fejerang

With capricious weather keeping the athletes in a constant state of adjusting to the burning heat to try not to slip while running through the rain, the championship games for the high school rugby season has come to a close with two great games for both the female and male teams. Repeating last year’s outcomes, the Cougars and the Friars went home with the championship titles. Academy defeated Southern High’s girls 22-14 while Father Duenas beat George Washington with a score of 17-10.

COUGARS GO BACK-TO-BACK

Taking to the field first, Academy senior Serenity Sulla, who scored two tries for the team, says that she had no doubt about what the results of the game would be. “I knew since warmups – since stepping on the field – that we wanted and needed [the championship], so we were going to do what we had to do to get it,” Sulla stated.

Opposite to Sulla, fellow senior Lola Rosario opened up about always having nerves, but acknowledging that the support system and strength from her team helps her quickly get over her emotions. “We share history on and off the field,” Rosario shared. “The girls have really learned to pick each other up and keep each other going…even during the toughest times [such as when] Southern scored, it was still a good time.”

Impressing the crowd, Maria Paulino led the team to their victory with two of the four tries and three conversions scored for the day. Adding to her standout stats is the amount of field she covered throughout the game. With just her two tries, she made runs of 100 yards and 60 yards as she kept the Cougar energy on top to secure the win.

It has been a long road for the Cougar seniors as they all recall being at the bottom of the batch when starting rugby in their freshman year and having to work their way into the top as of last year. Now, they have not just attained their second championship, but two with completely clean undefeated seasons. 

Still, the Cougars are more than appreciative to their opponents. Fellow Cougar seniors Auri Merfalen and Hailey Roberto extended their admiration to the tough Southern athletes that they have recognized since their first years playing and feeling that a matchup against them was a great way to end both this season and their high school careers.

“They’re definitely a great team and we did underestimate them because they have a lot of grit and they have a lot of confidence in themselves too. Credit to them for a good game,” Merfalen confides.

FRIARS DYNASTY TAKES 6TH STRAIGHT

The field started off beaming in heat from the sun and an entertainingly even match between the Friars and the Geckos. As the rain came in and out every so often, the slow buildup of mud and more consistent losses from the ball slipping right out of the boys’ grasps only made for more intense energy on the field and from the sidelines. 

GW’s Reynolds Borja Jr. was first to score in the 21st minute, but FD senior and Player of the Game Tristan Burgos let us know that this only got the Friars more hyped up to come back. In doing so, the response to attain a try of their own was almost immediate from Friar Jovince Meno, but they had to do more than just tie the Geckos as Friar senior Christian Manglona completed the conversion kick to put them up 7-5.

As halftime came and passed with even more rain wetting the dirt for the boys to lose shoes, slide through tackles and drop the ball, eventually Burgos solidified his dominating presence on the field with another try that the Geckos would have to work to tie up to. 

Letting their emotion lead them to take over the field, the Geckos pushed the Friars from being able to get any further past them as they completed clean plays that the the boys in maroon and gold had no chance of stopping. Moving the ball down the line GW until it got to Hayden Aguon who took the ball just down onto the right side in-goal.

With the hopes of getting even with the Friars, there was a heaviness in the air as the crowds were silent in waiting as the wind picked up and GW’s kicker hoped for a few seconds of the wind to break to win the two extra points to add to his team’s 10 to FD’s 12. To no avail, the Gecko crowd was left to let out a disheartened breath as the kick was taken to see the ball be carried off course too far to the right and leaving GW stuck behind. 

Riding off the Geckos’ inability to even the score, the Friar Lavin Santos cemented their victory with yet another try before the final whistle blew and ended the game. 

Burgos took the time to share his appreciation for the years he has been able to participate in this sport with the teammates he has been with since his freshman year. Joining him, fellow senior Friar Ian Castro recounts their winnings. “We have been varsity since freshman year, so we started knowing how it felt to be champions and I think for the past four years we have just held onto that for our coaches and our brothers. Winning this championship just feels right,” Castro states. 

Additionally, the two have nothing but good words for the season as it was worth the hard work that they needed to put into winning, especially against a strong team such as George Washington. 

Burgos even acknowledges the entire team’s understanding of the Geckos as tough opponents. “We have faced GW for the past two or three years, so it has always been hard competition and a physical game. We practice everyday just for them, so beating them is a great experience for us.”

Following his teammates’ notes of admiration, Castro chimes in on his thoughts of the Gecko athletes. “GW is a very worthy opponent. They love the sport as much as we love the sport and that is the reason why it comes down to us challenging them for the championship. They brought a fight today but I guess we just brought a better one.”

MVPs ANNOUNCED

After the matches, the league MVP’s were announced. GW junior Rayn Rios was named the boys MVP while Sanchez Sharks senior Doriana Panflor was named the girls MVP.