Green Hornets Represent At Maryland Rugby Festival

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Over 80 local youth athletes competed on seven different teams as the Green Hornets rugby program proudly represented Severna Park at the Maryland Youth Rugby Festival in Columbia on July 28 and 29.

Green Hornets rugby teams had strong showings at the U9, U11, U13 and U15 levels to cap another successful season of summer rugby.

First-year Green Hornets rugby commissioner Ryan O’Kane said the program added coaches this summer to increase the total to nine, with two coaches for each age group, and they’re looking forward to adding a U7 team next summer.

“It’s worked out really well,” said Kane. “I can tell you that all the kids did a great job, and the support this year from the coaches has been fantastic. Although some of our teams did better than others, every one of our kids played their hearts out. To see such improvement in less than two months is always great to see.”

PHOTO GALLERY: 7.28.18 Green Hornets Rugby

Green Hornets age groups split into A and B teams based on experience for the coed, seven-on-seven, two-hand-touch (not tackle) festival, with many of the B-side players playing their first year of competitive rugby.

Severna Park’s top performance came from the U11 B team, which won all four of its games to earn the championship in the classic cup division. The U11 A team went 2-2 overall to place third in its division.

The Green Hornets U11 rugby players are Alexander Endres, Andrew Webster, Brayden Cox, Jeff Kemper, Brooke Nagle, Calhan Cassidy, Dash Havens, Faith O’Donnell, Felicity Lyng, Gideon Daubert, Grayson Robinson, Jackson Anders, Lucy Davis, Melody Eaton, Michael Stone, Noah Croghan, Ryan Jamison, Samuel Matthews, Shamaree Johnson, Skylar Marshall, Thomas Lynn, William Mazcko, Zachary Hedges and Zoey Evora.

Kemper, who also plays Green Hornets baseball, loves the competition and conditioning of rugby.

“It’s fun to play. I love the running, and the team has done pretty good,” he said.

Nagle, who also is a competitive athlete in gymnastics, cheerleading and horseback riding, said the rugby friendships throughout the summer keep her coming back.

“My favorite part about rugby is I can enjoy it with all my friends and make new friends,” she said. “The team has done really good, and a lot of the new people coming are really good.”

Johnson said she’s having fun and can’t wait to graduate to the more physical games of her older peers.

“I’m going to play tackle, so probably next year [my favorite part] will be tackling people,” she said. “But, everyone should play rugby. It’s really fun.”

The U9’s went 4-2 overall between the A and B team. The U9 Green Hornets are Ares Mason, Asher Bell, Ava Mastrodomenico, Cade Cobb, Callum Aird, Charlie Pooler, Elly Davis, Emory McAllister, Isabelle Lynn, Jack Mazcko, John McAllister, Kieran Gibson, Nicholas Reed, Oliver Hines, Rodney Anderson, Stuart Werner, Thomas Matthews, Thomas Wolfe, William Gibson and Zaine Albrecht.

The U13 A team went 0-4 in a very competitive field, while the B team went 2-1 to place third in its division. The U13 Green Hornets rugby players are Alejandro Almodovar-Vives, Bennan Aird, Brayden Albrecht, Caleb Rassofsky, Chase Martin, Evan Campbell, Finn Ackerman, Jacob Pooler, J.P. Hedges, Lincoln Scott, Joshua O’Donnell, Lincoln Boyle, Luke Cobb, Anna Mastrodomenico, Michael Maguire, Nikalena Benson, Nolan Buhler, Owen Fraser, Preston Wade, Riordan O’Kane, Ryan O’Kane, Sahara Morano, Sawyer Knapp and Zoey Evora.

The U15’s went 1-2 to place third. Some of the U15 roster of Aidan Seerey, Aiden Milewski, Callum Ackerman, Daniel Jones, Jack Simpson, Kylie Maguire, Mason Stagi, Michael George, Ryan Harrington and Samuel Feemster will progress in future seasons to tackle rugby.

U11 coach Brendan Nagle said the program brought out a great group of kids and families for a summer of productive fun.

“They’ve done fantastic,” Nagle said. “Great stuff every week, and each week has been a major improvement. I think the kids all love the game and definitely want to come back next year and play again. Very proud of them, and they’ve all done very well.”

PHOTO GALLERY: 7.28.18 Green Hornets Rugby

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