ROYALS RUGBY STILL TOO STRONG FOR THE FIELD

By Shania Bulala

Week four of the ISA rugby league has officially concluded, and the Notre Dame Royals girls rugby team continues to remain on top of the competition.

The Royals defeated the No. 2-seeded Academy Cougars 10–0 on Saturday morning at the Guam High field in Agana Heights. Royals captain Cadence Horton opened the game with the first try of the match, followed by teammate Saythien Sablan, who added a try of her own.

First Half

Early knock-ons and penalties from the Cougars allowed the Royals to steadily gain yards and build up momentum. Capitalizing on those mistakes, the Royals consistently pushed closer and closer to their try zone.

Off a quick tap-and-go following a Cougar penalty, Horton broke through multiple defenders and found space to score the game’s first try.

Moments later, Sablan added to the lead by also pushing through defenders and finishing off with another strong try. The Royals held a 10–0 lead going into halftime.

Second Half

Looking to get on the score board, the Cougars came out aggressive in the second half by attempting to capitalize on every possession. Although they were able to gain some positive yards, the Royals’ defense proved to be too dominant.

Sophomore Kayla McIntosh and Senior Aveyani Babauta led the defensive effort with several key tackles that stopped many of the Cougars’ attempts to advance offensively.

Despite a scoreless second half, the Royals maintained control throughout and held off all scoring attempts from the Cougars, securing the 10–0 victory and remaining the league’s only undefeated team.

The Royals also won their second match of the day 14-5 against the Sanchez Sharks. The record now improves to 10-0.

In their first year leading the program, Royals head coach Mariana Crisostomo and assistant coach Kenean Quinata have emphasized steady growth and consistency week by week.

“These girls have learned so much from the first game until now, and I hope to continue seeing more growth from the team,” said Crisostomo. “We take things one game at a time, and if we stick to the game plan, I know we will be just fine. I tell the girls that every week is a new week, and we focus on what we need to improve.”

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