Washington DC's 'Maverick' league kicked off its second season last weekend, having added two schools to its collection of well-regarded sports preps.
In one of two opening-round matches, newcomer Coolidge downed Eleanor Roosevelt 5 tries to 1 before a Friday night crowd of 100 at the school's all-weather, floodlight field. Organizers credit a Facebook campaign for the encouraging attendance. Meanwhile, the facility will host the league championship match as well as an all-star game.
The second entrant, Our Lady of Good Counsel, is a leading producer of football players. This fall, the Good Counsel-Dematha game was an ESPN game of the week. Dematha, a charter Maverick league member, is of course a top basketball school as well as a football power.
Most of the nine-team league won't be pursuing USA Rugby's national championship, according to organizers. The conference aims to gain recognition with school athletic directors, rather than compete for national championships against community sides.
Good Counsel will depend on a core of players from the Maryland Exiles club, while Coolidge High will make use of students from Washington's age-grade team. In addition to Coolidge, Dematha, Good Counsel, the lineup of well-known schools includes Eleanor Roosevelt, Georgetown Prep, Gonzaga, Hyde, Landon, and St. John’s.
Elsewhere, defending champion Alliance defeated Strake Jesuit 19-10 to capture the Jesuit Dallas Rugby Showdown, with the hosts taking third place. Past winners include Sacramento Jesuit, the Dallas Harlequins, and the Katy Barbarians.
Twenty-five teams will line up in this weekend's Carolina Youth Rugby Festival, considered an important early-season competition. Begun in 2003, this year's edition includes an Under 15 competition.
One other thing is that Coolidge is an inner city school that is about 94% black and Roosevelt, while being located in the suburbs and a magnet school, is a majority black school as well and has produced many a fine footballer and basketball player as well. Kudos to the guys behind the maverick league and getting programs at these schools.
Posted by: Pete Murray | 10 March 2009 at 19:25
Georgetown Prep vs Gonzaga tomorrow. Big game for maverick!
Posted by: Mario | 10 March 2009 at 20:12
Happy to have this "Maverick" inside the Beltway.
Interesting to hear of the Facebook campaign.
This is DIY at its best. No lovemarks here, just kids making it happen.
Posted by: ISP8 | 11 March 2009 at 07:17
"No lovemarks here, just kids making it happen."
10 to 1 NM, KR and Bill Middleton will be taking large portions of credit in the near future.
United States of America Rugby Fraud Union = USARFU
Posted by: USARFU | 11 March 2009 at 09:48
They also have Junior Varsity programs for incoming kids, 3 & 4 sides total. Many are touring overseas.
USAR should be feeding this league, the 9th graders are your world cup pool, they are getting Int'l seasoning on their own. By the time they are 18 they could be ready for serious training. Or they could join the college/social rugby scene and wither.
Posted by: Hmmmm | 12 March 2009 at 07:45