CORNING GIRLS' RUGBY CAPTURES PROGRAM'S FIRST NEW YORK STATE RUGBY TITLE (8 PHOTOS) (June 7, 2023)

Southern Tier Sports Report
BUFFALO — The Corning girls’ rugby team claimed the program’s first New York State rugby title with a 22-20 victory over defending champions, Orchard Park.

Playing in front of a packed crowd at Tim Russert Park in Buffalo, the Corning girls saved their best effort for the biggest game. Having played in last season’s state title match against Orchard Park, the girls team knew what it would take to bring the hardware home to the Crystal City.

The opening of the match saw the two sides vying for field position and working into the match. Corning would put Orchard Park on the back foot early in the first half with big runs by Kaydence Ector and Zoe Harmer. Their efforts paid off with Kendra Close diving over for the first score of the match, giving the Lions a 5-0 lead.

Orchard Park came right back capitalizing on a few Lion miscues and knotted the score at 5-5 in the corner of the try zone. The teams spent much of the remaining half playing physical and well executed rugby, looking for a crack in the other sides defense. Close would find that crack in the Orchard Park defense late in the first half for her second score of the day. The Lions took a 10-5 lead heading into the break.

With Corning receiving the ball in the second half, the Lions looked to continue widening their lead, but Orchard Park had a different plan. Annie Henrich would quickly score twice for Orchard Park to put Corning down 10-15. Another Orchard Park score on an errant pass would see the Lions down 10 with under 15 minutes left in the match.

Senior flyhallf Kathryn Ouyang highlighted what went into the Lions comeback. “I think our biggest accomplishment during the game was conquering ourselves. mentally. Physically we were more prepared and able to win, but the majority of the work that paid off pertained to mental toughness; staying calm and collected. I believe that this was the best game each of us has ever played because we overcame ourselves.”

Needing two scores, the Lions went to work. With brilliant ball control and discipline, Corning’s captain and fullback Mykaela Reed called her own number and was able to quickly tap and go on an Orchard Park penalty, diving over the line to bring the Lions within five points. Corning would get the ball back with under five-minutes left in the match, needing to score one more to try and force overtime.

Time ticking away, the Lions found a seam in the Orchard Park defense and Tori Holmes found the ball in her hands. Holmes, breaking two tackles and tip toeing the sideline, pulled away from her defender to dot down the final score of the afternoon. Julia Gridley would hit the conversion, giving the Lions a 22-20 lead which the Lons would hold on to win their first state title game.

“The standard was set day one with this group, with one goal in mind,” said Corning coach Michael Larrabee. “We put them through a grueling 13-match schedule that saw us playing some of the best clubs on the East Coast. They kept rising the standard, demanding more and refusing to accept less. That standard was met today. These girls will forever get to say they are state champions.”

Sophomore lock Zoe Harmer said of the win, “the win felt great and we didn’t just do it for us, but everyone that came before us.” Sophomore scrum half Kaegan Rhodes echoed Harmers sentiments, “the team was ready for this game and we were excited. I’m going to miss the seniors. We did it for us and all the girls before us.”

The Lions are still not finished with rugby as they conclude their season this weekend at the Elite Girls Rugby League Rugby Showcase in Lebanon, NJ. The Lions will have matches against Illinois Selects and Wando Rugby out of South Carolina on Saturday followed by two matches to be determined on Sunday.
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PHOTOS 1-5 PROVIDED AND PHOTOS 6-8 BY BRIAN FEES