Coventry Rugby Wildcats riding high after rolling reigning state champions

The Coventry Rugby Wildcats high school team is enjoying a highly-successful season this spring after improving to 4-0 and knocking off defending state champion Hempfield on April 7.

The high school team features players from Owen J. Roberts, Boyertown, Pottstown and Spring-Ford school districts.

Coventry Rugby Wildcats, which began in 2012, is a youth rugby club located in the Pottstown area that provides rugby opportunities for boys and girls from high school down through elementary school.

On April 7, Coventry Wildcats handled Susquehanna Conference first-place Hempfield, 19-3. Tries, rugby’s version of a touchdown, were scored by Carver Leighton, Arnaldo Montagano and Sam Willis, who also had two conversions.

Willis, a full back, is a team captain along with Garrett Bland and Jakob Reinert.

The team is coached by Mal Bland and assistants Dave Holecz, Paul Jorgenson and Jim Lamb.

The full roster includes: Quincy Allem, Rickie Beurler, Garrett Bland, Kevin Cummins, Tyler Cute, Ben Fuertsch, Patrick Green, James Hallman, Zachary Holecz, Ryan Kilcullen, Carver Leighton, Thomas McPoyle, Luke Miller, Arnaldo Montagno, Niall Myles, Richie Nathan, Drew Pusak, Jakob Reinert, Kurt Sayers, Griffin Schanz, Jacob Smith, Mark Smith, Dominic Taylor, Tommy Webber and Sam Willis.

The Wildcats high school team competes in the High School Boys Division 2 of Rugby Pennsylvania, the sport’s governing body in Pa. Coventry is atop the Valley Forge Conference at 4-0. The division also features North Penn, O’Hara, West Chester and St. Joseph’s.

The team is currently in 15-a-side play (rugby union, officially), which continues until Memorial Day weekend. The summer season transitions to 7-a-side – Rugby sevens – play, which continues to the end of July.

Coventry Rugby Wildcats have high school and junior/U15 teams, as well as rookie rugby and co-ed flag rugby (grades K through 6) during the summer.

For more information, visit the Coventry Rugby Wildcats Facebook page or the club’s website www.leaguelineup.com/coventryrugbywildcats