Abbotsford school rugby is alive and flourishing as the district had another successful year in 2009. Hundreds of boys and girls were active from grades 7-12 in Abbotsford school rugby programs, as many teams continue to expand and develop their rugby skills.
At the senior high school level, there were 5 boys’ teams competing, as well as Heritage Park from Mission, with Robert Bateman, Heritage Park, and Mouat all qualifying for provincials, Mouat having earned a provincial spot for the first time in nearly two decades. Abbotsford Collegiate, Yale, and Rick Hansen all worked through rebuilding years in hopes of gaining a provincial berth in the upcoming season. In the Provincial AAA division, Robert Bateman finished 6th and Mouat finished 9th. In the AA division, Heritage Park finished 9th in the province. Earlier in the year, Allan Dicks of Mouat earned the honour of being selected to the Canada U-17 program coached by Dave Chambers from Robert Bateman.
At the senior girls level, 4 teams competed from Abbotsford, as well as Heritage Park from Mission. Abbotsford teams included Abbotsford Collegiate, Rick Hansen, Robert Bateman and Yale Secondary. Robert Bateman finished 3rd in the AA division just edging out Heritage Park who finished 4th. Abby Collegiate came 6th in BC in the AAA division while Rick Hansen finished 11th. Yale completed their last year in the exhibition league, having a team comprised primarily of grade 10 and 11 players.
Abbotsford teams experienced much success at the junior level with 5 competitive teams in action, including Rick Hansen, Mouat, Bateman, Yale and Abby Collegiate and also Heritage Park from Mission. Abbotsford Traditional also had an exhibition team. All schools had very competitive teams with Yale running two teams for the 2nd year. Hansen, Mouat and Yale all had close battles throughout the season. Yale finished the year undefeated to win a 2nd consecutive Fraser Valley Championship. Bateman won their final match to finish 3rd in the Valley.
In Grade 8 action, Abbotsford schools were again very strong this year. In the boys’ division, five Abbotsford schools competed in the local league, including Clayburn, Abby, Reimer, a combined Howe/Chief team, and two teams from W.A. Fraser. Clayburn beat Garibaldi in the Fraser Valley Final to secure the 2009 championship, while W. A. Fraser finished 3rd, Reimer finished 5th and Heritage Park finished 6th.
The Abbotsford Grade 8 girls’ league saw six teams competing for the city championship, including Abby, W.A. Fraser, Reimer, and three exhibition teams, including a combined Howe/Chief team, as well as Aldergrove and Heritage Park who played with a few grade 9’s to round out their numbers. Powerhouse Abby Middle won their 2nd straight city championship defeating W. A. Fraser in the final with Reimer finishing 3rd.
The ARFC ran its annual 7’s tournament again this year on April 17 at Yale. With 29 teams competing in 5 divisions, there were some fantastic matches. Final winners included Robert Bateman edging out Yale for the senior boys championship, Bateman winning the senior girls title, Yale winning the junior cup, W. A. Fraser winning the grade 8 championship, and Abby Middle securing the grade 8 girls win.
In conjunction with coaches, the Abbotsford Rugby Club has selected a senior boys All-Star team that will play a touring side in July. It has also selected an All-City team for each playing level, comprised of five players from each school who showed outstanding commitment and skill throughout the season. Heritage Park from Mission is included in this group, as are Aldergrove grade 8’s as many of its players are involved with the Abbotsford Rugby Club.
The Abbotsford Rugby Club is very proud of the Abbotsford school athletes, teams and coaches, and would like to applaud them for their successes both on and off the field. Congratulations to all successful 2009 recipients.
Senior Boys All-Star Team 2009
1. Karl Reisinger Yale
2. Darwin Guevera Hansen
3. Jake Welsh Mouat
4. Sheldon Martens Hansen
5. Jozsef Csaszar Mouat
6. Jared Douglas Bateman
7. Paul Bodner Heritage
8. Jake Buskell Bateman
9. Pat Shields Mouat
10. Kris Baranowski Yale
11. Alex Thipavong Bateman
12. Kurtis Appeldoorn Mouat
13. Allan Dicks Mouat
14. Chris Calderon Yale
15. Jon Martin Bateman
16. Corey Sheremeto Bateman Hooker/Scrum Half
17. Aidan Finlay Abby Center
18. Sheldon Paulson Abby Flank
19. Ajay Sharma Mouat Prop
20. Odell Brown Yale Back Row
21. Bryan Cuthbertson Heritage Scrum Half
22. Jose Codoceo Hansen Flyhalf/Center
23. Jordan Tait-Comis Heritage Flyhalf/Fullback
24. Sheldon Bates Yale Center
25. Brayden Yasinsky Hansen Prop/Hook
Sr. Girls All-City
Abby Collegiate
Shaea Fehr Prop
Jodi Hodge 8
Megan Baker Scrum Half
Angee Loewen Flanker
Kadie Goldbaum Flanker
Robert Bateman
Karli Funk 8
Alli Greenley Stand Off
Brittany Thompson hook
Madi Blakeburn Scrum Half
Erika Martin Flanker
Heritage Park
Erin Chambers Stand Off
Lissy Vernon Prop
Kira Neu Flanker
Casey Sharpe Prop
Hillary Novokoski 8
Rick Hansen
Grace Okello 8
Kristine Abbott Prop
Mackenzie Edwards Stand Off
Bethany Fernandes Outside Center
Adriana Raine Center
Yale
Laura Peters 8
Sukrita Bolla Stand Off/Center
Annabel Arnott Center/Full Back
Mallory Dieno Lock
Marina Sidhu Stand Off
Junior Boys All-City
Abbotsford Collegiate
Joel Hand Center
Joe Hamill 8
Carter Hobbis Flanker
Dallas Yassinsky Scrum Half
Dylan Maguire Flanker/Stand Off
Heritage Park
Curtis Dowding 8
Zack Gilfillan Scrum Half
Darren Levasseur Center
Levi Neighbour Flanker
Corey Hildebrandt Hook
Mouat
Tyson Appeldoorn Scrum Half
Sammy Jasper Flanker
Cam Bedore 8
Michael Kurath Hook
Lukas Theissen Center
Rick Hansen
Eric Olson 8
Jackie Huynh Scrum Half
Justin Carey Flanker
Daniel McCutcheon Stand Off
Lucas Harder Center
Robert Bateman
DJ Thiessen Lock
Tyson Adams Flanker
Jorden Best Stand Off
Justin Douglas Center
David Rose Scrum Half
Yale 1
Caleb Reardon Prop
Tyler Barons Lock
Mark Walker Center
Paul Ahn Prop
Brandon Storey Fullback
Yale 2
Tanner Dunlop Lock
Hayden Mowbray Scrum Half
Mike Brodowski Center
Ken Presnilla Wing
Jesse Cotton Scrum Half
Grade 8 Boys
Abby Middle
Curtis Todd 8
Gagan Gill Lock
Carter Williams Flanker
James Pauls Wing
Mike Cho Center
Chief Dan George Middle
Colin Warmerdam Wing
Shawn Gauba Prop
Steven Baker Stand Off
Keenan Godden Center
Eric Modgill Scrum Half
Clayburn Middle
Justin Birchfield Prop
Spencer Mavor Center
Brett Huntington Prop/Hook
Ricky Van Bugnum Scrum Half
John Beckerleg Fullback
Colleen and Gordie Howe Middle
Jesse Feenstra Fullback
Dylan Renpenning Prop
Cody Pawliuk Center
Crysthian Reevis Center
Nathan Susheski Scrum Half
Eugene Reimer Middle
Arsh Gill Lock
Alex Ho Center
Brandon Ho Center
Nathan Cercel Fullback
Kenny Gill Hook
Heritage Park
Nathan Sawchuk 8
Karlin Schalkx Scrum Half
Kiefor Ziefflie Hook
Parry Nigah Flanker
Mitch Neil Center
Robbie Corbin Stand Off
W. A. Fraser Red
Thomas Choi 8
Jimmy Ahn Flanker
Keegan Carson Prop
Jesse Worley Wing
Rashaun Simonise-Allan Fullback
W. A. Fraser Black
Travis Murray 8
Steve Burns Lock
Jake Froehler Center
Surge Francis Center
Cameron Scott Hook
Grade 8 Girls
Abby Middle
Monique Dominique Lock
Jade Cross Scrum Half
Shelby Pihl Stand Off
Junnaya Murphy Scrum Half
Tiffany Picketts 8
Aldergrove
Kayla Singleton Hook/Lock
Kirsten Hutton Prop
Jaime Rietsma 8
Toria Aslin Scrum Half
Nici Nelson Fullback
Chief Dan George Middle
Victoria Gill Flanker
Rebecca Vedder 8
Emma Beaumont Stand Off
Amrit Dhillon Wing
Hailey Gibson Center
Colleen and Gordie Howe Middle
Breanna Hager Lock
Haley Shade Center
Jasmeen Boparai Prop
River Ned 8
Scarlett Walker Wing
Eugene Reimer Middle
Amonjot Minhas Prop
Deanna Ready Lock
Sharon Kaila Prop
Manveer Ghatora Flanker
Mary Mai Flanker
Heritage
Chelsea Fowler Lock/8
Erin Harrington Prop/Lock
Mackenzie Fowler Scrum Half/Wing
Emily Skillings Center
Mercedees McGarrigle Center
W. A. Fraser Middle
Kristine Heinrichs Scrum Half
Claire Fowler Center
Brooke Rideout Stand Off
Kara Haveman Lock
Christine Bedford Flanker
