Rugbyfest Prepares Teams for Highlanders Classic

The young men of the King's-Edgehill senior boys rugby team travelled to Rothesay Netherwood School's annual Rugbyfest tournament this past weekend. This tournament provides exciting opportunities to play teams from around the East Coast, and for our Grade 9 players to show their skills in 15-a-side rugby (Nova Scotia is the only jurisdiction in the world in which Grade 9 students are not allowed to play 15s rugby). This coach is proud to say that the boys conducted themselves in an excellent manner befitting King's-Edgehill students all weekend, on and off the field. 

 

The team faced stiff competition from St. Malachy's Memorial, from St. John, on Friday afternoon. Our team used skill and speed to get the better of the physically larger team by a score of 15-10. Graydon Spence '24 won the Hammer of the Match for the first time, due to his excellent rucking and tackling skills. 

 

The next morning, we played an older and more experienced fellow private school team from Stanstead College. After a hard-fought game, our guys came up short 7-3. The highlight of the weekend for us was the game against our Maritime boarding school rival and tournament host, Rothesay Netherwood School (RNS). Many of our players experienced their first wet, muddy rugby game in front of the home crowd and a determined RNS. After a somewhat slow start, our team got into the "zone" and got serious in the second half, winning the game after two tries and a penalty kick from Yuta Takahashi '24. Only in Grade 10, Tommy Upton '26 won the Hammer of the Match after a brilliant kicking display. Young Grade 9 and wrestling champion, Giacomo Pogliani '27, also played very well, especially in and around the rucks. 

 

We had the good fortune of a rematch against Stanstead College in the final. Alas, Stanstead's age and experience proved too much for the boys to handle. The KES boys managed to get the best of the opposition in the forwards, but Stanstead's skills in the open field won them a well-deserved banner by a score of 26-12. 

 

The team travelled home better than when they arrived, which is the main thing this proud coach asked for. 

 

The senior girls rugby team also made the trip to Rothesay for the annual Rugbyfest tournament this past weekend. They sent two teams, one to compete in the seven-a-side division, and the other to defend their D1 banner in a 15-a-side competition that they won last year. We are very proud to say that these young women conducted themselves superbly on and off the fields, representing our School in the dignified, respectful, and highly competitive manner that we expect of them. 

Our 7s team, made mostly of younger and/or less experienced players, finished with a respectable 3-2 record. They were led by exceptional performances by Jada Moxam '27 and Ali MacLean '27, who distinguished themselves by earning Players of the Day on Friday and Saturday, respectively. Ali MacLean characterized her performance with selfless play, putting the team first by sharing tries with her teammates.

 

Our first team was successful in defending their title, earning 173 points and only giving up 24 over the course of four games. Sierra Phillips '25 dominated the opposition on Friday, earning Player of the Day. Chloe Moxam '25 continued the Moxam family's excellent weekend performance by earning that title on Friday, and team Captain Ava Shearer '24 led the girls on Sunday to their ultimate victory. 

 

With performances like this, we are confident that the young women of the senior girls rugby team will work hard to earn more accolades when we host the Highlanders Rugby Classic this weekend.