MENDIOLA SEALS SHARKS WIN OVER ROYALS

By Shania Bulala

It was an action-packed day of rugby as the ISA Rugby League hosted a full slate of games on a scorching Saturday from morning till afternoon at the George Washington Field. The featured match in the girls varsity division saw the Sanchez Sharks go head-to-head with the Notre Dame Royals in a heated battle. In an intense and physical match-up, the Sharks secured a hard-fought 26-19 win over the Royals.

Mya Owens, Jessani Leon Guerrero, Doriana Penaflor, and Rozlyn Mendiola each contributed one try for the Sharks. For conversions, Plumeria Redilla contributed two, and Doriana Penaflor added one.

Mendiola’s try was the game-winning try for the Sharks in the very last play of the game.

“Scoring the winning try made me feel excited. I knew I needed to be focused in this match….. playing alongside my teammates always makes me feel more confident,” reflected Mendiola.

Sharks Bite First
The Sharks wasted no time setting the tone, striking first with an early try by Mya Owens. Teammate Plumeria Redilla kicked a successful conversion, giving the Sharks a quick 7-0 lead. But the Royals were not about to back down. Within minutes, Royals’ Cadence Horton made a huge play, breaking away for a long 60-yard run into the try zone. Addison Linek nailed the two-point conversion to level the score at 7-7.

Capitalizing on their opponent’s mistakes, the Sharks took advantage of every knock-on from the Royals to reclaim offensive control. A strategic play from Jessani Leon Guerrero exposed a gap in the Royals’ defense, allowing her to sprint into the try zone and score again for the Sharks.

Plumeria Redilla followed up with another good conversion, pushing the Sharks ahead 14-7.
The Sharks offensive surge continued as Redilla powered through defenders, gaining valuable yards before getting the ball to Doriana Penaflor, who rushed in for another try. By halftime, the Sharks held a commanding 19-7 lead.

Royals Fight Back
The Royals came out determined in the second half, cutting into the Sharks’ lead almost immediately. Within minutes, Zaiah Chamberlain powered through defenders for a quick try for the Royals. The conversion to follow was unsuccessful, bringing the score to 19-12 with the Sharks ahead by just one try.

Momentum shifted to the Royals when Addison Linek once again made her presence felt, scoring a crucial try and successfully converting her own kick. With that, the Royals evened out the score again at 19-19, with just a few minutes left in the game.

The Sharks knew they needed one more big play. With time winding down, Rozelyn Mendiola delivered the defining moment of the match, finding an opening and sprinting past defenders to score the winning try in the last play of the game. A successful conversion by Doriana Penaflor sealed the deal, giving the Sharks a 26-19 lead as the final whistle blew. reflected Mendiola.

“My teammates and I put everything out on the field. We’ve been working really hard, and we wanted to be prepared to show out,” said Mendiola. “We are always looking forward to having fun on the field, but of course our goal is to always try our best to win games and hopefully make it to the championship match this year.”

The Sharks are looking to carry this momentum into week four as they are scheduled to play next week Saturday against the Southern Dolphins at 2 pm and the JFK Islanders at 3 pm. All games next week are scheduled at the JFK Ramsey Field.