The Warren County High School girls rugby team captured the state title with a dominating 27-0 victory over previous champion Germantown in the TRA state tournament Saturday in Murfreesboro, capping a remarkable season.
This is the first state title for the Lady Pioneers as they dominated Germantown the whole game, leaving no doubt who is No. 1.
Jordan Bess, Kionna Smith, Lila Loftis, Sianna Womack and Emily Blankenship led the Lady Pioneers with a successful try apiece in the match. Womack was also named most valuable player by the TRA, playing an inspired game, prior to leaving with a shoulder injury with five minutes to go. Mackenzie Woods, Peyton Boren and Samantha Bell were leading tacklers for the Lady Pioneers.
Coach George Smartt said, “We used a strong defense to limit Germantown’s ability to move the ball.”
“These girls have focused on their goal, played unselfishly, and supported each other throughout the season,” Smartt continued. “They are some of the finest kids I have had the opportunity to coach. They never give up, work constantly to improve, and learn quickly from their mistakes.”
The Lady Pioneers stopped the Germantown attack in the first half by playing well on both sides of the ball, controlling most of the first half. Womack broke the scoreless tie and scored to put the Lady Pioneers up, 5-0. Lila Loftis added a try later in the half and the Lady Pioneers were up, 10-0.
The Lady Pioneer defense came up big late in the first half holding Germantown, which was threatening inside the Lady Pioneer 10-yard line for nearly two minutes, leaving them scoreless, to end the half, 10-0.
The second half was more of the same as the Lady Pioneers continued to play strong defense and Germantown didn’t have an answer on the scoreboard. Blankenship, Smith and Bess all scored in the second half, putting the Lady Pioneers up, 27-0, with little time remaining.
Germantown still didn’t have an answer for the Lady Pioneers scoring as time ran out and the Lady Pioneers became TRA State Champions in dominating fashion, 27-0, bringing home their first state title in program history, in only two years of being established.