Oak Creek, WI—When Hamilton RFC assembled “Hamilton Blue,” the team tasked with winning the school’s first division championship in sevens rugby, they never though the season would start like this. After enduring an early start, a long day, and the cold spring wind, Hamilton Blue defeated their first four opponents and grabbed the lead in the state standings with 19 points, ahead of second place Stevens Point by five points, after the first of three Wisco-7s events.
Game One | Kettle Moraine
Senior Alex Werra opened the spring campaign by receiving an offload from Captain Hannah Pfersch for a long run across the goal line just minutes into the game. Minutes later, freshman Caralynn Doese added another to give Hamilton a 12-5 lead at the half. Hamilton opened the scoring in the second half when substitute Elise Rades, senior, was awarded a penalty try while the team attempted to return the opening-half kickoff. A strong clear out in a ruck by junior Chloe Miller led to a turnover that sent senior Mykayla Pena in for a score. Minutes later Doese stole the ball and ran in her second try of the game to give Hamilton a 33-0 lead. Kettle Moraine would answer in the dying seconds of the game bringing the final score to 33-5. Hamilton earned four points in the standings for the win and a bonus point for winning by four tries or more.
Game Two | Brookfield
Hamilton’s only loss in sevens play came in an exhibition contest at the 2018 Foley 7’s event. Looking to right that wrong, senior Alex Werra made a fantastic cut to give her team the early lead, but Brookfield quickly equalized by returning the kickoff. A team effort of effective passing after the restart led freshman Ayana Phelps to immediately get that try back before junior Chloe Miller added another, bringing the halftime score to 15-5. But Brookfield was able to narrow the lead to one try after back to back penalties caught Hamilton off-guard. Minutes later, Hamilton was able to replicate Brookfield’s quick-penalty success when junior Hannah Pfersch scored one of her own. On the last play of the half, Hamilton was able to steal a scrum deep in Brookfield territory and junior Taylor Fryda was able to add to the score. With the 25-10 victory, Hamilton was able to secure four points in the standings.
Game Three | Stevens Point
Both teams came into the game undefeated, but Hamilton entered with extra confidence knowing that, the last time these two teams met, the Harriers came out victorious with a 52-5 win in the state’s 3rd place 15s game. Hamilton, or more specifically, senior Elise Rades took control of the first half. She was able to earn a 21-0 lead with a first half hat trick with a scrum half pick at midfield, a scrum half pick deep in the Stevens Points’ territory, and from an offload by junior Hannah Pfersch. Rades added another after a penalty to start the half. Stevens Point returned the kickoff to close the gap. But Hamilton used a string of offloads to get that try back with a score by Pfersch. Hamilton finished the game with a 33-5 win and moved up five points in the standings.
Game Four | Pulaski
By the end of the day, Pulaski had enough bumps and bruises to their already small team that they decided to pull themselves from the tournament. This forfeit resulted in Hamilton being awarded five points in the standings without Hamilton ever having to take the field.
–The game against Kettle Moraine was the first WGR sanctioned 7s game in team history.
–Hamilton is 10-1-1 in sevens rugby.
–After today, Hamilton is 7-0, historically, at the Wisco-7s.
–Chloe Miller ended the day with a sprained knee.
–Mykayla Pena made her debut after missing much of last season with an injury.
–Caralynn Doese has scored three times in her last three appearances dating back to last’s season’s third place game against Stevens Point.
–Elise Rades was awarded the first penalty try in team history.
TEAM STATS
INDIVIDUAL STATS
Fantastic Five
- Elise Rades
- Scored five tries on some of the best runs of her rugby career.
- Kenzie Kolesari
- Led the team with 10 tackles.
- Taylor Fryda & Mykayla Pena
- Both played a team-lead 42 minutes, both registered the second most tackles (8), and both scored a try.
- Hannah Pfersch
- Scored a pair of tries and had six tackles.
Hamilton RFC 