Several Cowichan Valley-based rugby players are among more than three dozen from across the province on BC Elite Youth Sevens teams bound for the Las Vegas Invitational this week.
The three BC Elite teams — boys, U18 girls and U16 girls — are expecting tough competition at the highly regarded tournament.
“The American teams, already highly athletic, have made significant gains in tactics and game understanding in the last four years which will put the team under pressure,” said B.C. boys head coach Tony LaCarte, who is hoping for a top-three finish after placing fifth in the Boys High School Elite Division last year. “Our aim with our BCEY7s team is to expose them to a high-performance Rugby Sevens environment and see who can step up to play at this level.”
Local representation on the boys team will come from Matt McDougall-Percillier, Siôn Griffiths and Zephyr Melnyk. McDougall-Percillier and Griffiths both call Mill Bay home, attend Brentwood College School and play for the Cowichan Rugby Football Club. Melnyk also plays for the CRFC, but lives on Gabriola Island and attends Nanaimo District Secondary.
Both B.C. girls teams will feature lots of new talent, something program head and U18 coach Darcy Patterson is excited to see.
“It will be a good marker of the depth in our province, as well as a great experience for this group to showcase all they have been working on,” Patterson said.
The U18 girls side will include Valley products MJ Jumeau (Cowichan Secondary/CRFC), and the U16 squad will include Mia Eagar (Cowichan Secondary/CRFC), and Mikayla Brennan-McCann and Samantha Lillywhite (both Shawnigan Lake School/CRFC).
All three B.C. teams leave for Vegas on Wednesday for the tournament, with games taking place on March 1-3. Visit bcrugby.com or usasevens.com for more information.
boys
BC Elite Youth Sevens Boys’ Team - Las Vegas 2018
Brock McCartney, Robert Bateman (Abbotsford, BC)
Brady Smith, Earl Marriot (South Surrey, BC)
Daniel Damron, Earl Marriot (White Rock, BC)
Izzak Kelly, Earl Marriot, (White Rock, BC)
Johnny Sutherland, Semiahmoo Secondary, (Surrey, BC)
Joshua Elbourne, Canadian Sport School/Esquimalt High, (Victoria, BC)
Matt McDougall Percillier, Brentwood College (Mill Bay, BC)
Nathan Holm, Collingwood (West Vancouver, BC)
Thomas Kirkwood, St. George’s (Vancouver, BC)
Tom Abercrombie, Oak Bay High, (Victoria, BC)
Tyler Buchanan, Semiahmoo Secondary, (White Rock, BC)
Siôn Griffiths, Brentwood College, (Mill Bay, BC)
Siaki Seumanutafa, Pacific Academy, (Surrey, BC)
Zephyr Melnyk, Nanaimo District Secondary, (Gabriola Island, BC)
u18 girls
Kashish Arya, Abbotsford RFC
Tayler Bailey, Abbotsford RFC
Madison Blusson, Williams Lake
Brittany Gardiner, Castaway Wanderers RFC
Amelia Gordon, Castaway Wanderers RFC
Callie Harder, Kamloops RFC/Lillooet
MJ Jumeau, Cowichan RFC
Emily Meier, Abbotsford RFC
Jordyn Myers, Abbotsford RFC
Ella O’Regan, James Bay Athletic Association
Maelle Reed, Castaway Wanderers RFC
Rachel Smith, Bayside Sharks RFC/Earl Marriot
Non-travelling Reserves
Kelsey White, Castaway Wanderers RFC
Alancia Jefferey, Abbotsford RFC
Staff
Head Coach: Darcy Patterson
Assistant Coach: Mandy Marchak
Medical: Morgan Sangster
BC Elite Youth Sevens Girls’ U16 Team - Las Vegas 2018
Halle Smith, Kamloops RC
Caleigh Silversides, Kamloops RC
Esita Quiodravu, Kamloops RC
Cassie Hul, Abbotsford RFC
Niki Duchesne, Bayside Sharks RFC
Samantha Lillywhite, Shawnigan Lake
Mikayla Brennan, Shawnigan Lake
Mia Eagar, Cowichan RFC
Madison Makara, Abbotsford RFC
Sierra Gillis, Belmont Secondary
Libby Hogg, James Bay Athletic Association
Sarah Meier, Abbotsford RFC
Non-traveling Reserves:
Kira Peary, Abbotsford RFC
Chloe Hill Huse, Castaway Wanderers RFC
Jade Meldrum, Williams Lake
u16 girls
Halle Smith, Kamloops RC
Caleigh Silversides, Kamloops RC
Esita Quiodravu, Kamloops RC
Cassie Hul, Abbotsford RFC
Niki Duchesne, Bayside Sharks RFC
Samantha Lillywhite, Shawnigan Lake
Mikayla Brennan, Shawnigan Lake
Mia Eagar, Cowichan RFC
Madison Makara, Abbotsford RFC
Sierra Gillis, Belmont Secondary
Libby Hogg, James Bay Athletic Association
Sarah Meier, Abbotsford RFC
Non-traveling Reserves:
Kira Peary, Abbotsford RFC
Chloe Hill Huse, Castaway Wanderers RFC
Jade Meldrum, Williams Lake