Photo: Bob Bruce
Two bye weeks marked the beginning of Columbus’ fall 15s season, and thus the Squirrels played their first Midwest DI/DII hybrid game last Saturday. The Ohio team traveled to Detroit for its season opener and banked a bonus-point win against the DI squad. Columbus will play the next three weekends in a row before Midwest playoffs commence.
RELATED: Fixtures & Scores: Sept. 24-26
“This league is so interesting,” Columbus head coach Katy Marlow surveyed the five-team field. “It allows us to really stretch and really work. It doesn’t give us some of the down time we maybe had before, but the last couple of years have been pure down time, basically.”
Nevertheless, Columbus managed to build during the pandemic and there’s been so much interest to play since the sport returned to the pitch. Marlow transitioned from player to head coach in spring 2021, and leaned on former teammates to ease that sometimes tenuous stage.
Photo: Andrea Sanchez
“When I started it was definitely a bit overwhelming,” Marlow said of filling a new position, post-hiatus, with more numbers than anticipated. “But it’s almost like champagne problems – having so many people come out with different skill sets and levels of rugby knowledge.
“It’s a really great environment for learning,” the coach added. “We’re able to have some groups focus on learning new skills, but we have enough people to continue to refine and hone some of our more seasoned vets.”
Columbus has attracted college grads with rugby experience as well as locals new to the sport. Fortunately, Marlow now has a support staff to help manage the work load. Mason Baum, the Davenport grad and former Pro Rugby Ohio player, has joined as backs coach. Sharyn Bosley, a long-time player who’s been involved with Girls Rugby and Try on Rugby, is now the skills coach.
DeVonna Francis / Photo: Andrea Sanchez
“DeVonna Francis has been with the team almost as long as I have,” Marlow said of influential returners. “She’s a 9, 10, but can play anywhere in the back line and is such a strong team leader and player. She sets the tone mentally and physically. She’s been a player-coach before but now she can focus on more of the playing portion, which is great for her.”
Marlow and Stephanie Bowers (“Parma”) were Ohio State rookies together, and the latter is a halfback with a ton of rugby knowledge that filters through the pitch. Brittany Latham is the backs captain, but the OSU alumna started in the second row, then moved to No. 8 and is now the inside center. Latham is a heavy hitter and brings a ton of physicality to the middle of the line. Madeline Kohr has OSU roots, too, and runs the forwards with lots of positivity and energy.
When Columbus reactivated in the spring, the focus was basics and getting back into the swing of things. During summer 7s, there was more of a skills focus, and so when it was time to roll that momentum into fall training, the team was ready to layer in strategy.
Brittany Latham / Photo: Andrea Sanchez
“Everyone was enthusiastic about the hybrid placement,” Marlow said of the league with DI and DII teams. “Sometimes it’s difficult going from games where you’re very offense-dominant and don’t play any defense, and then having 1-2 games in a season where you’re playing more defense. Knowing that we are going to play DI teams, we have to focus on strategy more and skills more – players and the coaching staff.”
Columbus got a couple more weeks of training in than the rest of the field and didn’t play its first league game until last Saturday. The Squirrels traveled to DI Detroit, which had dropped games to DII Pittsburgh and DII Cincinnati Kelts.
“There were some nerves there. We didn’t know what to expect against Detroit,” Marlow said. “We weren’t sure if teams were in our situation where we’re needing B side games essentially. But we know that Detroit is always coming to play and hits hard. After 20 minutes, though, the nerves were gone.”
Photo: Andrea Sanchez
It had been raining until 30 minutes before kickoff and there was a high school game before the senior club game, making the field pretty soggy and muddy.
“We had to keep the ball pretty tight because it was wet, so the game flow was slower with a lot of set pieces and scrums,” Marlow said. “The ball was heavy so kicks weren’t easy either. We played a lot of defense in the first 20 minutes, but we didn’t allow a try, so the resilience of my team out there was amazing. We finally had a really good try up the middle and that brought us all up. But it was a hard-nosed game with lots of tackles and crash ball.”
Back-three Nykeisia Post scored that first try. The former collegiate basketball player has great speed but also has a great read of offense and defense, per Marlow, and that’s precisely how the fullback scored the opener. Like Post, outside center Julia Konieczny is on the newer end of the experience spectrum and also had a good day.
Photo: Bob Bruce
The former hockey player “hits hard, runs great routes and is really a heads-up player,” Marlow lauded. “She seamlessly put herself in the line and is a real asset. We now have a back line that does not let people through the middle.”
But it was the tried-and-true performances of vets Francis and Latham that anchored Columbus’ success.
“DeVonna Francis always brings good hits, and Brit had an outstanding game on top of what she normally does. They had a lot of tackles and carries up the middle,” Marlow said. “Our forwards were taking on a little more ballcarrying than previously, since we couldn’t play our wide game. We’ve got some really good speed and agility on the outside, so our inside center and forwards had to take on more this game.”
Marlow called out Kelsey Reese in particular. Normally an outside center, Reese has started locking and is doing an amazing job. The newly minted second row had some amazing tackles and great runs, even while nursing a bum ankle.
Photo: Andrea Sanchez
Columbus led the whole game and finished with a 26-10 win.
“It’s really helped the team morale,” Marlow said of the win’s impact. “We were seeing that we have some depth off the bench, too. We had so many vets playing together and the newer players were stepping up, so there’s confidence in people – especially coming into this week when we travel to Buffalo. It’s not easy after a five-hour drive so I think that confidence and the reassurance that we can go out there and compete against a DI team and be successful is definitely helping.
“From the perspective of what we need to work on this week, there was a lot of skill work that maybe we weren’t sure whether it was all the way there, but we were able to see that it was there,” the coach continued. “So we’re in a good place to keep working on our strategy.”
Marlow is looking forward to the Cincinnati game, as Columbus has a long history with the Kelts.
Photo: Bob Bruce
“Pittsburgh, too,” Marlow said of the Oct. 16 fixture. “I think they’re the team to beat in this division. I’m really looking forward to just really crossing t’s and dotting i’s for that game to make sure we bring the best team we can and be prepared as much as we can.”
Like New England and Empire, the Midwest will name its club champions in the fall. The hybrid competition is unique in that the winner – which at this point will definitely be a DII team – will advance to the Midwest DI playoffs. The next three teams will advance to the Eastern Conference playoffs and a play-in will occur for the fourth seed.
“Looking back to where we started in the spring after Covid, being overwhelmed and crazed, I’m really proud of the team and how well everyone stepped up coming into the fall season, where we’ve been competitive,” Marlow closed. “Everyone is having fun and there’s good focus at practice, and it’s been fun to coach. Seeing new people learn rugby and vets step up and hone their skills, I can’t wait to see what this team can do.”
Photo: Andrea Sanchez
Other Midwest results …
DIV I
Wisconsin (1-1) 29-24 Chicago (0-2)
Chicago Lions (2-0) 45-22 Metropolis (1-1)
DI/DII HYBRID
Columbus (1-0) 26-10 Detroit (0-3)
Pittsburgh Forge (2-0) 48-10 Cincinnati (2-1)
DIV II
Twin Cities (2-1) 51-17 Scylla (1-2)
Palmer College (3-0) 89-5 Menagerie (0-3)
Illiana (0-1) fft to Chicago Sirens (2-0)
Akron (2-2) 29-7 Cleveland (1-2)
North Buffalo (3-1) 39-14 South Buffalo (1-2)
Fort Wayne (3-0) 48-12 Dayton (1-2)
Grand Rapids (2-1) 42-10 Lexington (0-3)