Back on the field
Cape Breton High School Rugby League season begins next week
With the spring season finally here, rugby players in Cape Breton are preparing for the 2018 season.
The Cape Breton High School Rugby League will open play next week in both the boys and girls divisions.
Action begins on Wednesday in the girls division with the Sydney Academy Wildcats hosting the defending champion Glace Bay Panthers at 5 p.m. in Membertou.
Meanwhile, the in the boys division, the Panthers and Wildcats will tangle in their opening game of the year, also on Wednesday at 6 p.m. in Membertou.
Warren O’Neill is the head coach of the Riverview girls team. He expects the league will be similar to last year, with heavy competition.
“Glace Bay is the three-time defending champions of the regional championship, I expect them to be tough competition,” said Warren.
“I hear Sydney Academy (player) numbers are up this year, so I expect a strong team from them as well.”
Last year, both Glace Bay Panthers teams captured the Highland region championship. The boys defeated Riverview 13-7, while in girls action, the Panthers blanked the Rugrats 15-0.
This year’s Rugrats team will have experience and youth on its roster, said Warren.
“You’re always optimistic going into the season, but you really don’t know until you get your first couple of games in,” he said. “We have youth in our backs, but we have experience with our forwards.”
On the Rugrats roster are Madison MacInnis and Neelie Filegel-Doucet, both of whom recently returned from Ireland, where they played with the Nova Scotia Keltics under-18 girls team.
Meanwhile, Makenna Norris, who also played for the provincial team, will once again be part of the Panthers roster.
The highlight of the year for the Cape Breton league will come at the end of the season when Glace Bay hosts the Nova Scotia School Athletic Federation provincials, June 1-2. The field is to be determined.
Each team in the league will play eight games, four against each opponent.
The regular season will wrap up on May 14. The semifinals will take place on May 16, followed by the league championship on May 23.
Warren encourages local rugby fans to follow the league this season.
“It’s grass-roots rugby, it’s not really what people expect,” said Warren. “I think people have a misconception of what rugby is around here — a lot of people compare it to football, but myself, I would compare it more to soccer and basketball because of the speed of the game.”