Guelph Redcoats keep OWL Cup women’s rugby title
MARKHAM – It took three years, but the Guelph Redcoats repeated as Ontario Rugby Union Ontario Women’s League champions Saturday at Fletcher’s Fields.
The Redcoats were champs in 2019 while the 2020 and 2021 seasons were lost to the global pandemic.
Guelph Redcoats 31 Toronto Nomads 12
Saturday, the Redcoats broke free for four tries in the final 11 minutes of the first half on their way to a 31-12 victory over the Toronto Nomads in the OWL Cup game. It was Guelph’s third consecutive appearance in the final and the first for the Nomads.
The teams had finished in the top two places in the six-team league at the end of the regular season with the Redcoats at a perfect 10-0-0 and the Nomads at 7-3-0. In the semifinals, Guelph dropped the Aurora Barbarians 48-17 while the Nomads slipped by the Brantford Harlequins 12-7.
The Redcoats had won the two regular-season meeting with the Nomads, prevailing 19-14 in their season opener May 14 and 37-24 July 9.
In the final on a hot and humid afternoon, the teams netted a try apiece in the first 28 minutes.
Alyssa McDonald powered her way into the endzone for touch in the ninth minute while Olivia Sarabura added the convert to put the Redcoats ahead early.
Lauren Cranfield got that try back for the Nomads about 12 minutes later and Jessica Neilson added the convert on a tight angle to leave the score tied.
The tie lasted about eight minutes until Sarabura broke in for touch on the far right side to put Guelph ahead for good.
The Redcoats were quickly back upfield with Nat Armatage getting the try about two minutes after Sarabura’s try. The try was set up with big carries by Maddie Hobson and Kendra Cousineau before Armatage barged in from about five yards out. Sarabura added the convert.
About four minutes later, Kendra Cousineau carried the ball on an attack to her left and she delivered a straight arm to give her the room to get in for the score.
Cousineau returned to the endzone and touch for another try, this one on a 60-metre run. She avoided five Nomads on the run and just hung on to win a race to the endzone with two other Nomads while a Sarabura convert extended the Redcoats’ lead to 31-7.
The second half saw a single try with Sara Shaw of the Nomads scoring following a double give-and-go with Cheyenne De Luca.
The Redcoats’ roster for the game included 18 present or former Guelph Gryphons university team members and also included seven Guelph natives, all but UBC student Sarabura being a present or former Gryphon. Among the present or former Gryphs are Alexis Buzby, Lindsay Yuen, Steph Svaikauskas, Adea Elliott, Abby Auger, Brittany Priddle, McDonald, Armatage, Chloe Runge, Seema Abouchacra, Cousineau, Kati Hay, Hobson, Signe Caswell, Payton Brown, Nerine Cavadias and Kiersten Bell.
You can watch the league final here.
- Guelph Sports Journal
Guelph Redcoats keep OWL Cup women’s rugby title
MARKHAM – It took three years, but the Guelph Redcoats repeated as Ontario Rugby Union Ontario Women’s League champions Saturday at Fletcher’s Fields.
The Redcoats were champs in 2019 while the 2020 and 2021 seasons were lost to the global pandemic.
Guelph Redcoats 31
Toronto Nomads 12
Saturday, the Redcoats broke free for four tries in the final 11 minutes of the first half on their way to a 31-12 victory over the Toronto Nomads in the OWL Cup game. It was Guelph’s third consecutive appearance in the final and the first for the Nomads.
The teams had finished in the top two places in the six-team league at the end of the regular season with the Redcoats at a perfect 10-0-0 and the Nomads at 7-3-0. In the semifinals, Guelph dropped the Aurora Barbarians 48-17 while the Nomads slipped by the Brantford Harlequins 12-7.
The Redcoats had won the two regular-season meeting with the Nomads, prevailing 19-14 in their season opener May 14 and 37-24 July 9.
In the final on a hot and humid afternoon, the teams netted a try apiece in the first 28 minutes.
Alyssa McDonald powered her way into the endzone for touch in the ninth minute while Olivia Sarabura added the convert to put the Redcoats ahead early.
Lauren Cranfield got that try back for the Nomads about 12 minutes later and Jessica Neilson added the convert on a tight angle to leave the score tied.
The tie lasted about eight minutes until Sarabura broke in for touch on the far right side to put Guelph ahead for good.
The Redcoats were quickly back upfield with Nat Armatage getting the try about two minutes after Sarabura’s try. The try was set up with big carries by Maddie Hobson and Kendra Cousineau before Armatage barged in from about five yards out. Sarabura added the convert.
About four minutes later, Kendra Cousineau carried the ball on an attack to her left and she delivered a straight arm to give her the room to get in for the score.
Cousineau returned to the endzone and touch for another try, this one on a 60-metre run. She avoided five Nomads on the run and just hung on to win a race to the endzone with two other Nomads while a Sarabura convert extended the Redcoats’ lead to 31-7.
The second half saw a single try with Sara Shaw of the Nomads scoring following a double give-and-go with Cheyenne De Luca.
The Redcoats’ roster for the game included 18 present or former Guelph Gryphons university team members and also included seven Guelph natives, all but UBC student Sarabura being a present or former Gryphon. Among the present or former Gryphs are Alexis Buzby, Lindsay Yuen, Steph Svaikauskas, Adea Elliott, Abby Auger, Brittany Priddle, McDonald, Armatage, Chloe Runge, Seema Abouchacra, Cousineau, Kati Hay, Hobson, Signe Caswell, Payton Brown, Nerine Cavadias and Kiersten Bell.
You can watch the league final here.
- Guelph Sports Journal