Coming up short to the Woodlands in last year’s state championship, the Jesuit rugby squad looks to chase after a state title in the Varsity Cup League with lots of new blood in the program.
With an all-time high of around 75 players, they look to expand to 3 teams, the most ever at Jesuit Dallas. The three teams look advantageous for the program, as giving new players real-game experience is a big priority for head coach Matthew Upton.
Speaking of coaching, the club also added forwards coach John Murphy, a seasoned player coming out of the Univerity of Texas D1 squad.
Promising new players and staff lead Coach Upton to expect many of the teams this season set on a deep playoff run. Their biggest competition in the regular season is looking to be Strake Jesuit, another Jesuit high school coming out of Houston, Texas. Additionally, the Woodlands Rugby Club is expected to be lurking at the state championship, waiting for another shot at Coach Upton’s varsity squad after their crushing victory last season.
All together, Coach Upton seems optimistic with several prospective players. He only searches for a genuine leader to emerge among his players, which is the captain of the rugby team having prestigious position with plenty of responsibility. A quality captain or captains could be the difference between a state championship or another round of disappointment for Jesuit Rugby fans this season.
Stay tuned to the Roundup for more rugby news.