By Alexandra Walko
Head coach Mike Fina, who was an assistant under Joe Kelly for six seasons, coached only ten days during his first year at the helm in 2020 due to COVID-19.
This year was his first full season as head coach. The team finished their regular season 4-2 overall, beating Ridgefield High 74-10, Fairfield Prep 39-10, Simsbury High 52-12, and rival Xavier High School 28-3. Their only losses came at the hands of Staples High School.
COVID put many athletic events on hold for GHS athletes. Only a few short weeks ago it was a mere hope that the Greenwich High School Varsity Rugby team would even make it to this year’s High School Nationals being held in Kansas City, MO. A championship which brings together the top 1% of high school ruby teams in the country. However, with the drive only befitting of a rugger, the collective force behind these boys worked hard to secure the bid, the school approval and the whirlwind of organization necessary to orchestrate the logistics necessary to turn the hope into a reality.
The team, coaches, support staff and parents left on multiple flights and gathered well into the night on June 16th to get set up and ready to hit the pitch for three games that ensued over the next three 100-degree days.
Thursday GHS, 7th seed, took on the #2 seed, St. Ignatius (OH), and fought a very close battle but ultimately lost 7-10. Many, many cases of water later they suited up Friday to face St. Louis University High School (MO) and came away with a win with a final score of 28-5. Harnessing that energy, the boys, some suiting up for the last time as GHS athletes, took the pitch for their final game of the event against St. Thomas Aquinas (KS). At halftime they were tied 3-3 and fans were on the edge of their seats. The beginning of the second half saw us earn 3 more points from another penalty kick and then finally a breakaway run for a try bringing the score to 13-8 where it would stay. This win earned the team a 5th place overall for the tournament – the best single seed since the introduction of the single school division.
It was an honor for these boys to be able to represent Greenwich High School and they made us proud. None of this would have been possible without the incredible coaching staff, lead by Mike Fina, the parents (both in Kansas City and working behind the scenes from Greenwich), the rugby board and, of course, the team. Go Big Red!
