Press Release
The Washington Loggers boys high school rep-side announced its 2015 7s player pool selections today, following trials in Seattle.
Twenty-three players were named, from over 40 players nominated by coaches from across the state.
At the core of the 2015 Loggers are experienced 7s players contending to play for the USA internationally, beginning with High School All-American Brian Nault (Shelton) who returns to the Loggers with age grade tour experience at #8 against Argentina and Italy, as well as Portugal and France. “Brian is a major young American rugby prospect from our state, similar to Titi Lamsositele,” said Brennan.
Take the jump to read more.
The Loggers side also includes HSAA candidates Finlay Bruce (Seattle), who at 6’5” is commanding in restarts and lineouts, and Will Brennan (Seattle) who moves from fullback and flyhalf at XV’s to use his speed as a wing and center in 7s. Other notable players in the trials included center/flyhalf Alfonzo Cornu-Labat (Eastside Lions), prop Kyle Saafeld (Kent) and hooker Tristan Ingold (Kent), along with Jonny Reid (Chuckanut) and Lui Sitama (Budd Bay) – whose agility, speed and size make for a potent combination in mid-field attack. Several 2015 Loggers 7s players have two or more years competing at the Las Vegas Invitational Elite High School 7s Competition under their belts.
“This is another impressive group from the Pacific Northwest,” said Loggers Head Coach Steve Brennan. Brennan, who assumed responsibility for the Loggers program this year from Pete Sullivan and Mark Sullivan, is joined in the coaching ranks by Seattle RFC stalwart Steve Bush, former Old Puget Sound Beach 7s player Siegfied Kohl and Liberty coach Jeff Candler.
The boys have also benefitted from coaching support from Washington’s top collegiate coaches, including Central Washington University coach and Collegiate All-Americans 7s coach Tony Pacheco, former Eagle 7s captain and University of Washington coach Kevin Swiryn, and former Canada 7s player and Western Washington University 7s coach Adam Roberts.
Over years, the Loggers have emerged from a regional rep-side program to serve as a platform for development of future USA national team players, including Scott LaValla, Shawn Pittman, Lamositele, Patrick Blair, Aladdin Schirmer, Scott Dean and Henry Hall, among others. In 2013 the Loggers finished 4th at the Las Vegas Invitational, tying the USA Rugby High School All-Americans II. In 2014, the Loggers won the LVI’s Bowl over British Columbia II, before claiming the championship of the inaugural Serevi Cup Invitational.
“From this pool of 23 we’re looking to take 12 players to Las Vegas in February,” said Brennan. “The bulk of these Loggers have been training this fall under the guidance of HSAA Coach Salty Thompson and the Eagle Impact Rugby Academy (EIRA), which has contributed significantly to the quality of players and their preparation for trials.” Said Brennan, “Once-upon-a-time you could select 12 good athletes from a pool of maybe 20 capable rugby players – and in the first 30 minutes of trials you’d have a pretty good idea of your talents. But, with the increasing number of players and the quality of athletes we’re seeing, it requires us to look at more players over an extended period of time, to separate the really great from the really good. These six Academy sessions are making everyone better, and give the players and the coaches that opportunity.”
“The Elite competition at LVI is a big challenge for these kids. We’re playing the USA and Canada’s elite teams on back-to-back days. The standard is very high – but we’re up for it every year. And we’re committed to getting even better.”
The Loggers’ outlook is good: The candidate pool continues to grow, as high school programs emerge and grow in Eastern Washington, including School House in Wenatchee, the Yakima Griffins, Goth RFC in Spokane and Immaculate Conception Academy Cristeros nearby Post Falls, Idaho. “After Las Vegas we’ll be pulling-in new players from across the entire state of Washington, with assemblies for Loggers XV’s as we seek to defend our 2014 Great Northwest Challenge Cup title against Hawaii, Southern California, Northern California and Utah,” said Brennan.
2015 Loggers Rep-Side 7s Player Pool
ForwardsClub
Brian Nault Shelton
Finlay Bruce Seattle
Kyle SaalfeldKent/Seattle
Uli TogiolaBudd Bay/Liberty
Halleluiah TuailiRainier
Patrick CondonChuckanut
Tristan Ingold Kent/Seattle
Kian AziziradSeattle
Caden Sarginson Liberty
Hayden Warneke Kent/Seattle
Jack WendlingChuckanut
Kasey Self Eastside
BacksClub
Alfonzo Cornu-LabatEastside
Will Brennan Seattle
Lui Sitama Budd Bay/Prairie
Jonny Reid Chuckanut
Emerick QuahEastside
Malcom Walton Liberty
Ben Broselle Chuckanut
Brandon Burn Kent/Seattle
Connor MillerSeattle
Isaiah Loucks Budd Bay/Prairie
Tristan Mohn Seattle