Harvey Girls Rugby Wraps Up First Season

It’s been a season of firsts for Harvey’s girls rugby team. First girls rugby team in school history, first match, first score and Sunday, May 18, first home game.

In their first home match, the Lady Cavaliers hosted Play Rugby USA, an elite New York rugby academy who clearly had the advantage in experience, size and conditioning. Harvey’s girls were undaunted as they stayed strong throughout the game. Coach Susan Harris said the team’s defense “became more and more focused and intense leading to aggressive tackles by Shelley Pitterson, Macy Drude, Jaeden McKenzie, Ariel Chiverton and Brianna DeFeo.” 

The Harvey girls caught fire in the second half and played with renewed vigor, winning scrums, and a few rucks.  This allowed the backs to get off clean passes down the line to Aila Prieto who ran the ball more than half of the field, dodging several defenders to score a try at 46 minutes.  Harvey played great defense as evidenced by one instance in which it took the opponents nine phases to score a try late in the game.

The five seniors on the team were honored for their leadership and dedication before the game. Later, at the team’s first awards dinner, the coaches and captains presented medals to the outstanding contributors.  The coaches congratulated the team captains, Jenny Jacobus-Oseroff and South Salem's Claudia Smith and announced the names of the players who exemplified the tenets of the team throughout the season:  Respect - Laura Spung; Discipline - Macy Drude of Katonah; Sportsmanship - Odelya Simoni; Dedication - Louise McManus of Bedford Hills; Solidarity - Jenny Jacobus-Oseroff. 

As the coaches look back at the initial season of girls rugby, they can take great satisfaction in knowing the team scored a try in each of its three outings. Maybe next year there will be another first for Harvey – the first win by the girls rugby team.