The zone champion F.P. Walshe Flyers, back row, from left. coach Mandy Sanders, Rowan O’Connor, Allisa Ross, Lina Restrepo, Bethany Loyst, Hannah Leader, Ammi Saunders, Riley Sherman, Avery Wolstenholme and coach Jane O’Connor. Front row, from left. Beth Peck, Emilia Iwen, Zeynep Turktas, Lucia Sanchez and Estela Vale Vasquez.
The F.P. Walshe Flyers beat County Central Hawks 22-12 Friday to advance to the provincial high school girls sevens rugby championship tournament.
The teams from Fort Macleod and Vulcan met on a neutral field Friday evening at Chinook high school in Lethbridge.
The Flyers took a 5-0 lead on a try by Estela Vale Vasquez, a Grade 11 exchange student.
Vale Vasquez made it 10-0 moments later with her second try of the game.
The Flyers continued their strong play with Lucia Sanchez, a Grade 10 exchange student, scoring the third try of the game to make the score 15-0 in F.P. Walshe’s favour.
The Flyers carried that 15-0 into the halftime break.
County Central battled, however, scoring a converted try to narrow F.P. Walshe’s led to 15-7.
The Hawks then scored another try, this one unconverted, to cut the Flyers led to 15-12.
Estela Vale Vasquez sealed the victory with her third try of the game with Emilia Iwen adding the convert to make the final score 22-12 in F.P. Walshe’s favour.
The Flyers now head to the Calgary Rugby Union on Friday, May 31 and Saturday, June 1 for the provincial championship tournament.
The tournament is hosted by Westmount Charter School.
The Flyers are Rowan O’Connor, Allisa Ross, Lina Restrepo, Bethany Loyst, Hannah Leader, Ammi Saunders, Riley Sherman, Avery Wolstenholme, Beth Peck, Emilia Iwen, Zeynep Turktas, Lucia Sanchez and Estela Vale Vasquez.
