Honey Badgers: Summer 7's

By: Maria Russo

Imagine this: veterans and college students teaming up on the rugby field in the summer—an exhilarating blend of wisdom and wild enthusiasm. Switching from 15’s to 7’s is like going from a 32 oz ribeye to a petite, 6oz filet—same sport, just served up differently! It's akin to convincing a bulldozer to be a Ferrari.

At our first tournament, Baltimore 7s, the Honey Badgers fielded two teams: Honey Badgers and Honey Dawgs. Lineouts became slip-and-slides, and rucks felt like wrestling in a swamp. As injuries mounted, big shoutouts go to Veronica Krieger, who survived her first tournament with all ten fingers and just a couple of stitches, and Ally Dearing, who scored multiple tries with her speed. Katie Marshall also proved she’s a natural 7’s player. The Honey Badgers finished 4th, while the Honey Dawgs took home 2nd in a close final game. We ended the day at the Hampden Beer Social Garden, thanks to social chairs Ava Dennis and Michael Divver. Hannah Drilling earned "Bitch of the Pitch" for providing high-quality H2O without any mishaps, and Maria Russo received "Player of the Tournament" for showing that 15’s props can indeed survive multiple 60-meter runs for tries.

In our second tournament in Wilmington, the Honey Badgers showcased persistence and teamwork, finishing their bracket 2-1. In the quarterfinals, the Badgers tied against Wilmington. Erin Gallagher-Johnson set the pace with the first try, followed by strong performances from Lily Soliday, Katelynn Barkell, and Olivia Driver with their excellent tackles and runs. The Badgers tied for 3rd with the Stingers, and Gwendolynne Lindsey, scoring her first Severn try and debuting her scrum-half skills, was awarded "Player of the Tournament."

Our final tournament of the 7’s season was in Schuylkill. With the summer sun finally relenting, we faced cooler weather and tougher competition. Kale Carter dominated the tackles, while Kerry Froh led the backline with poise. Scrappy was named "Player of the Tournament" for their ferocious gameplay.

A huge shoutout to Erin Gallagher-Johnson and Katie Marshall, our newly appointed captains for 2024-2025, for organizing 7’s practices and bringing a positive attitude to our summer season. It’s rugby, dialed up to 'fast forward' mode, where the only thing thicker than the mud is the sunscreen you forgot to apply.