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The Canby girls rugby team began their year with a close loss to David Douglas, falling to the Scots 15-25 on March 19.
Rugby, while not an official OSAA-sanctioned sport, has been one that Canby has historically excelled at. In 2019, the Cougars rode an undefeated season all the way to the state championship before being ultimately dethroned by Linn-Benton.
Three years and one pandemic later, the Canby girls returned to the field against the Scots, playing at Portland’s Delta Park.
The match saw two equally talented teams duke it out for 80 minutes. And while the Cougars have a rich history on the rugby pitch, Saturday proved that many on the current roster are still learning about the sport.
“For many players, it was their first time playing rugby,” said head coach Heriberto Aguilar. “The first minutes of the first half were confusing for some, but that’s how first games go.”
Once the Cougars got their feet under them, the Scots found they had a tough opponent on their hands after all. Ultimately, though, Canby fell to David Douglas, 15-25, a two-try difference.
“The girls had a ton of fun,” Aguilar said, “and many were ready to come to practice and continue to work on the small things we need to work on!”
After a spring break with no games, Canby will be back in action against the Valley Panthers this Saturday at Duniway Middle Scool in McMinnville. The game is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m.