Okotoks rugby continues to roll sevens at one of the marquee competitions in the province.
The Holy Trinity Academy Knights repeated as Clearwater Cup rugby sevens senior boys champions on Saturday at the Calgary Rugby Union, earning the banner with an authoritative 40-0 victory over Henry Wise Wood.
“We made some line changes to get some quicker people out there to match their speed,” said HTA’s Xavier Krueger, the tournament MVP. “And we just had people who were willing to contribute where they’re needed, Cayden (McCullough) scored two big tries for us, Ben (Gutek) on the other wing moved us forward too.
“It was just people stepping up to the plate and delivering when we needed them to.”
The annual rugby showcase featured 40 senior teams, 32 junior squads spread over 18 pools with provincial contenders along with strong prep programs from B.C. and Saskatchewan in the field in Aberdeen Hall and Notre Dame, respectively.
“Rugby is all about hard work and teamwork so it was just working as hard as we could the whole time,” said HTA’s Jacques Henning.
“Lots of teams came in, it was good competition, and it feels good to win, especially against good teams.”
In pool play, the Knights overpowered Centennial, Westmount Charter and St. Francis before a playoff win over Strathcona-Tweedsmuir and semifinal triumph over West Island College, in their tightest game of the weekend.
Awaiting them in the final was a potent Warriors squad.
“We played them in an exhibition game and beat them,” said HTA scrum half Colton Boychuk. “So we knew they were going to come and they were here to play and here to win, but we just showed that we were the stronger team.”
HTA jumped out to a 14-0 lead at the half via tries from Krueger and McCullough and took over with three scores in quick succession in the second half to put the result to bed.
“When you’re on the winning side, you’ve got to keep that energy up,” said HTA’s Julian Pacione. “And keep that energy rolling and use the momentum to send the other team into a slump.”
The relentlessness of the performance is needed in sevens, a quick, open-field game where teams can score in bunches.
“Our (semifinal), we were up to by two and they scored two quick on us and got back in the game,” Krueger said. “With sevens, it can change in minutes, so we just put our foot on their throat and keep going, don’t stop.”
In the senior girls division, the defending champion Foothills Falcons just missed out on a shot at a repeat.
The Falcons were downed by Saskatchewan’s Notre Dame in a tough semifinal and bounced back with a close close match with Strathmore in the bronze medal game.
Foothills won all three of its pool games versus Canmore, St. Francis and West Island College and took out Lord Beaverbrook in the quarterfinal.
The HTA senior girls finished fourth in their pool with All Saints, Strathmore and Western Canada. The Knights also fielded junior girls and boys teams in the competition.
