Burchard one of many Warrior Rugby success stories

PATASKALA - Trey Burchard was a part of a big crowd that watched Warrior Rugby host the Columbus Crusaders in an intense state tournament match in 2016.

Burchard instantly was hooked. Two years later, he is hoping to help Warrior Rugby continue the ascension in Division II in Ohio after duplicating the magical run to the state semifinals from its inaugural season.

"I watched them all play and said, 'Wow! Track is boring. Rugby looks like fun,'" Burchard said. "Junior year, I loved it, and this year, it's just making my senior year. I wouldn't have traded any of this time for the world. My only regret in high school is not playing my sophomore year." 

So far, so good as Warrior Rugby beat Northern Force 34-14 on Friday in its season-opening match at the Watkins soccer stadium. Northern Force scored first, but Warrior Rugby piled up the points before a final score from the Force against the Warriors' young players.

"Our forwards are pretty experienced, but our back line, all but one of them, this is the first time they have played 'A' side," Warrior Rugby coach Dan Hayes said. "I felt like (the team) played well at times. There were times they played terrible, but it was neat to see them be able to regroup because this is a game you can let get away from you pretty quick."

It was an outstanding first step in 2018 for a program that continues to grow. Hayes and assistant Andrew Meade, both college rugby players, wondered if rugby could work at Watkins, and the response continues to blow both away.

Warrior Rugby has a 'B' side that will play 10-man games rather than the traditional 15-man games. The junior high program has 32 kids and will play seven-man games, and a co-ed youth program will play flag rugby.

This spring, Warrior Rugby also has added a girls team at the high school level, and an abbreviated schedule still is being finalized.

"It feels great to set the example," Burchard said. "I was a natural born leader. My parents have always told me that. Hopefully as time progresses, we advance to Division I and be state champions. Who knows maybe we can even be national champions. The sport can go a long way."

Jacob Varvel, Cory Burgess and Ethan Miller, who all were linemen this past fall for the Watkins football team, showed they are adept at carrying the ball, displaying the mix of toughness and athleticism needed to excel in the sport. Noah Jones added a score, and Cooper Phillips also had a pair of conversion kicks as Warrior Rugby dominated Friday despite playing without one of its top players, Austin Branham, who is playing in Minnesota with the Newark Generals hockey team.

"The other thing I really love about this sport is it seems to be really approachable," Hayes said. "We have a lot of kids who aren't playing any other high school sports. This is the only sport Burchard plays, and he's a lunch-pail kid. He shows up to practice with his mouth shut and shows everyone else how to do things with excellence."

Warrior Rugby has an ambitious schedule, including visiting the rival Columbus Crusaders on April 6 and later hosting Youngstown on April 13 and Hilliard on April 26.

"The Crusaders are historically the best team in Division II in central Ohio," Hayes said. "Hilliard, which has been a Division I school in the past, got dropped to Division II this year. Then, we have to drive to Cincinnati to play Withrow, and last year, their kids were just enormous. We played them in the playoffs, so we are looking forward to that opportunity to take a shot at that again."

ksnyder@newarkadvocate.com

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Twitter: @newarkurt