(Tucson, AZ) Rugby Arizona, Arizona’s state board governing youth and high school rugby, will be hosting its annual Youth Rugby Championships and U16 Girls’Playoffs this Saturday, April 17, at Naranja Park, 810 W. Naranja Dr., Oro Valley, AZ, 85737.There will also be several high school boys matches as well.
The Rugby Arizona Youth Rugby Championships will kick off at 8:30 a.m. on field 3 with Red Mountain playing against Tempe in the U10 Co-Ed Division (co-ed players 10 years and younger) for this year’s trophy. Also at 8:30 a.m., the combined team of the Eclipse and the Tucson Roosters will be battling Red Mountain for the third and fourth place rankings in the U14 Boys’ Division on field 2. At 8:30 a.m., Red Mountain will take on the Phoenix Firebirds for the U12 Co-Ed Division third and fourth place rankings on field 3.
At 9 a.m., the Sahuarita High School Spartans U18 boys will kick off against Glendale on field 1. The Co-Ed U12 Division State Championship Match between the combined team of the Tucson Roosters and Tempe against the Eclipse will start at 9:10 a.m. on field 3. The U14 Boys’Division State Championship match between Tempe and Phoenix will begin at 9:30 a.m. on field 2. The youth championships matches will be followed by a couple of youth friendlies to allow the teams to finish the season with some extra rugby fun.
The youth finals will be followed by a match between the Phoenix Firebirds and Brophy in the U18 Boys’ Division at 11 a.m. on field 1 while the Tucson Blackbirds U18 boys will also take on Red Mountain on field 2.
At 11:50 a.m., the Big Dogs, a conglomerate of the Tucson Thunderbirds, the East Valley Eagles, Eclipse, and the North Valley Scorpions will be playing against the Phoenix Firebirds on field 3 in the first match of the U16 Girls’ Division Rugby Playoffs. At 12:10 p.m., the Scottsdale Wolves will play against the Sahuarita Spartans U16 girls on field 3. The winners of those two matches will battle it out on April 24 in the U16 Girls’ Division Championships at Tempe Sports Complex. The remaining teams will also play April 24 for third and fourth place for the 2021 season. The U18 Girls’ Division Championships will also take place April 24 at Tempe Sports Complex.
The U16 Boys’ Division will begin matches at 1 p.m. with matches between Tempe and Scottsdale on field 1 and Phoenix playing Red Mountain on field 2. All matches are expected to conclude by 2:30 p.m.
“After much recent uncertainty, as an organization we at Rugby Arizona were thrilled to be able to offer youth and high school players around Arizona a season of rugby this year, particularly given that last year’s spring season was cut short due to COVID-19,” said Rugby Arizona President Taylor Miller. “It’s been exciting to watch the kids play this year and highly rewarding to see how happy the players are to be back on the rugby pitch. To see the culmination of hard work by the players, coaches, and volunteers this year to return to play has been inspiring, and we look forward to continuing to the growth of the great sport of rugby in our state.”
For more information about the Rugby Arizona Youth Championships, the U16 Girls’ Playoffs, or the impending U16 Girls’ and Boys’ and High School Girls’ and Boys’ Championships, please contact Rugby Arizona Secretary Angela Wagner-Gabbard at (806) 220-5272.
