F.P. Walshe Flyers shine like silver at rubgy provincial championship
Rugby champs - The F.P. Walshe Flyers, of Fort Macleod, took silver at the 3A high school girls sevens provincial championship tournament in Lethbridge on the weekend. The Flyers have several players from Claresholm on their roster. Photo by Amanda Zimmer
By Frank McTighe
The F.P. Walshe Flyers mined silver at the 3A high school girls sevens provincial championship tournament.
The Flyers won three of four games at Lethbridge Sports Park to place second in the tournament behind West Island College Wolves.
The Flyers are Leslie Bruised Head, Katharina Stinsky, Minnie Toone, Adelynn Van Herk, Jessica Mackin, Rowan O’Connor, Kenni Smith, Adalyn Nelson, Ammi Saunders, Aldara Eiroa Vazquez, Raegan Gurney, Maliyah Black Forehead, Berlyn Smith, Ella Rasmussen, Alyvia Steel, Laura Aradas Martinez, Rylee Stedman, Julia Rodriguez Castro and Victoria Ladornez.
Jane O’Connor and Andrew Walmsley are the Flyers head coaches and assistants are Eden Wilson, Mackenzie Martin and Maryanne Harding.
Nine teams entered the 3A provincial tournament, with the Flyers in a pool with Westmount Charter Academy Wild and Peace Wapiti Titans to start the weekend.
Pool A featured Highwood Mustangs, Frank Maddock Warriors and West Central Rebels, while Pool B had West Island College Wolves, Matthew Halton Hawks and Holy Rosary Raiders.
Flyers 29 Wild 24
The Flyers had their hands full in the first game of round-robin as they pulled out a narrow 29-24 victory over Westmount Charter Academy Wild.
Addy Nelson led the F.P. Walshe attack with three tries and Adalynn Van Herk and Berlyn Smith each had one.
Raegan Gurney kicked two converts for the Flyers.
Flyers 36 Titans 5
In their second round-robin game F.P. Walshe handled Peace Wapiti Titans 36-5.
Adalyn Nelson had another hat trick, scoring three tries for F.P. Walshe.
Jessica Mackin scored two tries for the Flyers and Adalynn Van Herk had one.
Raegan Gurney added six points on three converts.
Wolves 31 Flyers 0
The two wins in round-robin set the Flyers up for a playoff match Saturday against West Island College Wolves.
West Island rolled to a 31-0 win over the Flyers.
Flyers 36 Mustangs 5
F.P. Walshe then took on Highwood Mustangs from High River and were in control all the way in a 36-5 win.
Adalyn Nelson scored three tries for 15 points and Raegan Gurney had two tries and two converts for 14 points for the flyers.
Katharina Stinsky scored the other try for F.P. Walshe and Minnie Toone booted a convert.
When the last whistle sounded Saturday at Lethbridge Sports Park, West Island College was the gold medal champion.
F.P. Walshe was awarded silver, and the Highwood Mustangs claimed bronze.