CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. – The Three Oaks Axewomen only led once, but it was when the score mattered the most.
The Axewomen defeated the Westisle Wolverines 15-14 to win their fifth straight Prince Edward Island School Athletic Association senior AAA girls’ rugby final Wednesday at UPEI.
“Westisle fought hard and made us work for it. It was one of the best championship games I’ve ever seen,” Three Oaks head coach Tim Hockin said.
It capped off a season of playing through adversity for the Axewomen.
“Four of our Grade 12 starters were injured early in the season, so new girls had to step up,” Hockin explained.
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The team changed its structure but continued to battle and win. It played the final with 10 Grade 11 players on the field and nerves appeared to play a factor early in Three Oaks’ play. As the game went on, and they made a few tackles, the nerves dissipated.
Hockin said he had been watching the weather for the 72 hours leading into the game, knowing a wet day would favour the Wolverines.
“Westisle has such a big, big, strong team. Their strength is through the middle,” he said. “We like to play wide, wide, expansive ball and use our speed, so when I saw the sun came out I was pretty relieved.”
Westisle held 7-0, 7-5, 14-5 and 14-10 leads in the first half. The Axewomen caused a turnover in their own end, and before long the deficit was a second-half lead.
“Our all-star Erin Arsenault-Gallant, who scored all three of our trys, went on an 80-metre run to score (a try) to put us up 15-14,” Hockin explained of the game-changing play. “She’s an amazing rugby player.”
Scorers for Westisle were not available.
