Leila Opeti / Photo: Jackie Finlan
Rhinos Rugby Academy entered 11 teams into the Los Angeles Invitational (LAI) 7s, three of which were girls’ teams coached by USA Women’s National Team players Hope Rogers, Amy Naber Bonte and Neariah Persinger. After two days of competition, Rogers’ U18 team hoisted the Girls’ High School Open trophy, which won’t have to travel far to the academy’s home base in Irvine, Calif.
“Getting to work with Hope Rogers is just an honor and fun,” enthused Rhinos captain Leila Opeti. “She pushed us to play to our full potential and was always positive. If we were messing up in a game, she made us take a second to reset and focus. She’s the best coach to us. We as a team are grateful to have her as our coach.”
Seventeen-year-old Opeti is a Rhinos academy veteran and emblematizes the fast, big, creative play for which the all-star program is known. The Hayward High senior is built solidly and hints at her football and basketball upbringing in her nimble, adventurous play. Opeti has featured at Regional Cup Tournaments with the NorCal 15s All-Stars, appeared at several 7s tournaments with Rhinos, and is thus familiar with the process of building chemistry among new teammates in a short amount of time. So when it was time to meld players from California, Washington, Utah, Arizona and Massachusetts, Opeti was the perfect choice as captain of the LAI 7s squad.
Photo: Jackie Finlan
When the group assembled, Opeti recognized a couple of players but had only played with one.
“My former teammate, Neti Tuavao, is someone you won’t see me without in any tournament we go to,” Opeti acknowledged her compatriot. “We work very well together when we are on the field together.”
Opeti received some help from vice captain Jadyn Collins, who was one of several Arizonans on the squad. The team had one training session before kickoff and was grouped into a pool with Land Park Harlequins, Independence Lady Warriors (Mo.) and San Diego Aztecs.
Try. / Photo: Jackie Finlan
“Coming to the LAI 7s, I’m already expecting competition and hard playing from each team that’s coming from all over the country, knowing that each team is coming out to show their talent and represent where they are from,” Opeti flexed her experience. “As a team we connected very well. Our one and only practice, we got along with each other very fast and we were able to just play off of one another. So playing against other teams we just focused more on trying to get the ball out and using the width of the field.”
As the tournament wore on, Opeti was impressed by the performance of teammate Marlee Garrison.
“She’s the youngest out of all of us and every time she was in, she was always giving it her all and worked well with anyone she was on the field with,” the captain praised.
After four games on Friday, Rhinos won its Cup semifinal Saturday and then lined up against undefeated Pleasanton. Opeti knew many of the Cavaliers, which also compete in the NorCal 15s league. When players subbed on and off the pitch, there were high fives and handshakes among the opposition who were familiar with each other.
Photo: Jackie Finlan
“As a captain, since it was the last game of the tournament and maybe the last time we [would] play with one another, it was just go out and put everything out on the field,” Opeti recited advice for the trophy match. “Win or lose, just to know that we did our part and that we weren’t going to let it be easy to win.”
Collins scored the first try of the game and the Rhinos added one more for a tense 10-0 victory. Like the Girls’ High School Elite, the trophy will not have to travel far to the Rhinos’ home base in Irvine, Calif.
As for Opeti, the LAI 7s is just the beginning.
Photo: Jackie Finlan
“Being one of the captains for Lamorinda, we are building our team to get ready for [the High School Club National Invitational Tournament] in May, but focusing on trying to get to the championships for NorCal,” Opeti noted.
The plan is to also travel with the Rhinos Rugby Academy to the Tropical 7s, which is a stop on the North American High School 7s series, and other tournaments this spring.
“After graduation, I am a little hesitant about going to college, but it is one of my plans,” Opeti looked ahead. “If I don’t go, moving to New Zealand and playing rugby there is another plan of mine. My goal in rugby is to grow more in this sport and represent who I am and where I come from.”
That profile includes: leader, standard setter, and champion.
Photo courtesy Rhinos Rugby Academy
RHINOS RUGBY ACADEMY
LAI GIRLS HS OPEN CHAMPIONS
Chloe Cahoon
Jadyn Collins – vice captain
Ava Ruth Crowther
Nicole Dixson
Zariah Faaopega
Marlee Garrison
Salote Iongi
Skylar Jordan
Verna Malo
Leila Opeti
Hayden Perle
Kaelyn Rice
Makena Taumoepeau
Makineti Tuavao
#Rhinos #LeilaOpeti LAI7s