Huskies’ Hamilton in scoring position anywhere on the rugby pitch

Huron Park ballcarrier Ana Gonzalez Cruz is brought down by a trio of Red Devils including Emily Aarts and Leona McMahon. (Jeff Tribe Photo)

Jeff Tribe, Echo Correspondent

Ema-Leigh Hamilton’s fourth try of the day was unofficially a 78-yard thing of free-flowing beauty.

But the Woodstock Huron Park Huskies girls rugby fullback took the long way home, covering an estimated 125 yards to get to the try line, performing a one-woman full reverse of the field twice before eventually crossing and touching the ball down.

“I was like, you made that so much harder than you had to,” laughed coach Brandon Thomas following a 30-10 Thames Valley Regional Athletics (TVRA) Veronica Harrigan Division win over the Woodstock CI Red Devils on April 22 at London’s City Wide East Field. “But it was fun to watch.”

Hamilton is her team’s equivalent of a baseball power hitter, in scoring position at any time, despite patrolling the Huskies back line defensively. A grade 11 400-metre track and field competitor, she displayed both that event’s speed and endurance in at least two lengthy ‘home runs’ out of her scoring total, backing up an earlier try of about the same distance on a kickoff return. Describing it as ‘much more optimal’ to run into space, Hamilton keeps her head up, looking for room, even if it means adding a few yards along her route towards the in-goal area. And while Hamilton does look for a clearer avenue, she doesn’t mind the contact inherent to the game.

“I’m exhilarated,” said Hamilton. “I want to win, so it’s a lot of aggression, but healthy aggression.”

Reagan White and Anahi Hehar had the other Huron Park tries, with Brooke Halward and Mia Hawkins replying for the Red Devils.

The Huskies had opened their regular season with a 35-5 loss the previous Thursday against St. Thomas Parkside, in St. Thomas, under chilly, rainy conditions in which the offence struggled to get going. By contrast, Huron Park’s first win came on a beautiful spring day, the Huskies building enough of a lead to get their first-year players onto the field.

Apart from Hamilton’s long ball threat, Huron Park’s offence flows through Grade 12 fly half Kaya Worthington, looking to get the most out of her final high school season. The effective quarterback, Worthington, receives the ball from the scrum, looking for both open space and subtle signals before making her first pass, down to which way defenders are turning their hips.

“Noticing the little things and how to play with them,” said Worthington, who also enjoys the democratic nature of rugby, in its range of positions, welcoming an equally diverse range of physical and athletic abilities.

“It’s nice there’s a position for everybody, nice for everyone to be included and everyone to find their strength.”

Halward’s seven-yard second half try was based on just that, strength and determination. Touching her foot to the ball following a penalty on the Huskies’ seven-yard line, she powered forward through the heart of the Huron Park defence to add her team’s second major.

“We talked about it,” said Halward of what was, in essence, a simple approach. “We did what we needed to do and executed.”

The Huskies are a very put-together team credited Halward, the Red Devils, by comparison, a younger squad with a lot of rookies, who benefited from their first outing.

“It was a good experience for us, what we needed.”

“We lost, but we learned a lot today,” agreed scrummy Georgia Kudzia, ‘really proud’ of how the Red Devil rookies had performed. “We know what we have to do in practice.”

WCI coach Candice Folkema expected the Huskies to be better organized, but like Kudzia, was impressed with her team’s effort.

“Despite that and having many rookies in the starting 15, the girls never gave up and worked together to get two tries over the line.”

Technically, the outing represented a rivalry game, said Worthington, pleased to see it had been beneficial for both sides.

“Great sportsmanship all around.”

For Thomas, who also coaches with the University of Western Mustangs, Ontario Blues at the regional level and the U18 London Club squad, having fun and getting to know the game has always been more important than victories or losses, even against a so-called rival.

“Developing process and getting better,” he concluded.