Comets rugby team claims tournament title in Vulcan

By Garrett Simmons
Westwind Weekly News

It was a successful weekend on the pitch for the Raymond Comets.

The high school girls rugby team swept all four games in a weekend tournament in Vulcan, which culminated in a 40-0 victory over the hosts in the championship game.

“They put up quite a bit of resistance and played strong defence,” said Raymond coach Dan Bikman, who praised the effort of the Vulcan team.

The coach added his team faced the added challenge if playing through the spring snowstorm, which rolled through southern Alberta.

Raymond also posted wins over Holy Trinity, by a score of 50-5 and Foothills, by a count of 60-0, before the Comets faced Lethbridge Collegiate Institute in the semifinal. Raymond won that contest 45-5.

Bikman added his team was tested in three of the four tournament games, as the Comets fought through some challenging moments in the first half of those three matches.

“Then, our wide running and our system really took over,” he said.

The tournament gave Raymond the opportunity to utilize its entire roster.

“We travel with 28 kids, and every single player got some minutes at some point in the tournament,” said Bikman.

Earlier in the week, the Comets trounced Winston Churchill High School in league play, in a game where the Comets scored in triple figures.

“We found Winston in a rebuilding year,” said Bikman.

This weekend, the Comets will find the going a little tougher, as the team will be in Red Deer for what is traditionally a very tough tournament. Taber’s W.R. Myers will be there, along with Saskatchewan’s Notre Dame.

Raymond’s next league game will be Thursday, May 16, against Crescent Heights, with the senior game at 5:30 p.m. and the junior game at 6:45 p.m., in Raymond.

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