The Warsaw girls rugby team had its season end one win shy of its second state championship. Defeating Penn 10-7 in Saturday’s semifinals, the Warsaw squad returned to Elkhart’s Moose Grounds later that day to take on North Central in the state title match, falling 14-5. The loss ended Warsaw’s year at 6-1, but with small roster numbers, compared to the likes of Penn and North Central, that lone loss came in the biggest game of the year. “We’re a small team with only 17 girls, compared to North Central, which has 40-odd players,” Warsaw rugby coach Trevor Cracknell said. “In the championship, you’re only allowed to have a squad of 23 girls, but obviously, if you have the opportunity to practice with more, it’s a bit of an advantage.” And with a smaller roster, playing two games in one day can be a tall task. “It’s pretty tough on the ladies,” Cracknell said of playing the state semifinals and finals in the same day. “It’s a strenous sport. It all has all the physicality of football, all the stamina of soccer and all the ball handling skills of basketball. It’s a physical sport, so it’s tough to play two games in a day.” Another aspect of the match that could have been detrimental was Warsaw’s youth. “They were a young side,” Cracknell said. “We’re only losing three seniors and we have quite a number of freshmen. They’re kind of gaining experience all the time. They played with a lot of heart throughout the season.” Despite the youth, Cracknell did have some experience on his team, including junior captain Allyson Walls and a foreign exchange student from Plymouth High School, Valeria DiTizio, who was named the state championship Most Valuable Player. “I knew we had an opportunity to be a good side,” Cracknell said. “I didn’t necessarily think we’d make it to the state finals.”
