PHS hosts full day of rugby

May 29, 2018

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The Equity

Pontiac High School played host to rugby teams from across the Outaouais on Sunday, as the short season continued through rain or shine. Pictured, PHS men’s captain Joel Rivest fights through a crowd of D’Arcy McGee High School players.

The PHS girls team went on to win all three of their games on Sunday, as they played on their home turf. Pictured, PHS’ Rebecca Nugent rushes Philemon Wright High School’s end.

PHS teams were excited to have the hometown support out at the field, especially when the crowd made lots of noise for their feats. Pictured, ESSC’s Sarah Jewell throws in, while Jordan Boisvert looks on.

Teams competed through periods of rain or shine, as games ran from the morning into the afternoon. Pictured, PHS’ James Orr tosses the ball to a teammate, after fighting through a crowd of D’Arcy McGee High School players.

PHS saw a day full of rugby on Sunday, as it played host to teams from high schools all over the Outaouais. Pictured, ESSC’s Martin Pilon gets a running start against the Philemon Wright High School team, in an afternoon game.

Donald Teuma-Castelletti
SHAWVILLE May 27, 2018
The pitch at Pontiac High School (PHS) was a war zone all Sunday, when high schools from across the Outaouais competed in non-stop rugby games as the sport’s short season continues.
Letting no weather get the best of them, teams from D’Arcy McGee High School (DM), École secondaire Grande Rivière (GR), École secondaire Sieur de Coulonge (ESSC), Philemon Wright High School (PW), and PHS played through periods of rain and sunshine in a series of hard-fought games.
New to many of the PHS players, rugby returned to the high school this year thanks to coach and teacher Matt Barlee. With its return, there was a lot of interest from the students

“I was really interested in playing a sport with full contact,” said Grace Younge, one of the PHS players on the girls team.
Eva Baldi, a PHS player who has previous experience playing rugby with another school, said that the sport is great because it’s accessible to all kinds of athletes. While the team needs strong players to muscle through a crowd, she explained, it also needs fast players to book it to the end.
Younge agreed, adding that it makes you realize how much you need your team out there.
“You really need to be close [as a team] to make sure you don’t get [destroyed] on the field,” said Younge.
Like the girls, the boys’ captain Joel Rivest agreed that the sport was an excellent chance for players to be rough, and adaptable for athletes who may have felt they didn’t fit into other sports.
“I played soccer as a kid and was just too big,” admitted Rivest. “I always knocked kids over. So, I figured this was better.”
While he highlighted that the lads aren’t on the field looking to hurt each other, injuries can happen. A lesson the boys found out last week when a player ended up in a cast.
Nonetheless, the boys felt only reinvigoration as the games continued Sunday, looking to make their injured friend proud of what they could still accomplish.
“We’re not pushing for perfection – but we are giving our hardest push,” said Rivest.
He added that while the boys may have started off a bit behind the other high schools, for a bunch of guys first playing the sport, they’re only getting better as they continue to work as a team.
“We’re really learning how to work together and how to communicate, on and off of the field,” said Rivest.
A proud moment of recognition recently came for the boys when they played Philemon Wright last week, receiving a cheer from their opponents, who were impressed at their improvements over the short season.
But for both teams at PHS, there came a lot more pride having their community on the sidelines during Sunday’s games. A sentiment that became clear whenever a PHS player had a hold on the ball, as excitement burst out of the crowd.
Final scores for the girls games were: ESSC 0 – PHS 36; GR 5 – PW 25; PHS 14 – GR 5; PW 5 – PHS 12; and GR 12 – ESSC 5.
Final scores for the boys games were: ESSC 0 – PW 10; PHS 17 – DM 0; and ESSC 31 – DM 6.

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