Catholic Memorial will be going for gold this weekend.
The Crusaders’ girls rugby team is one of eight teams at the USA Rugby Girls' High School National Invitational Championships at the Steuber Rugby Stadium in Stanford, Calif.
CM’s quarterfinal matchup is against West Carroll out of Maryland at 10 a.m. Saturday. CM is making its first trip to nationals, while West Carroll is familiar to this stage.
This is West Carroll’s fourth straight year at nationals, but the national tournament hasn’t always been kind to them.
West Carroll has lost its opening-round match the last three years, before finishing seventh in 2009 and sixth in 2010 and 2011. Overall, they are 3-6 at nationals the last three years.
The Crusaders’ 35-member team is coached by John Waliszewski.
If the Crusaders win their quarterfinal match, their next match is at 2 p.m. Saturday. If CM loses, its consolation semifinal match is at 1 p.m. The team’s third match is on Sunday.
Divine Savior Holy Angels of Milwaukee is on the other side of the bracket and opens with Downingtown out of Pennsylvania. If the Dashers and Crusaders win their first two matches, they would meet in the championship.
And like West Carroll, DSHA is accustomed to the spotlight.
In fact, they are one of the most successful girls rugby teams out there. The Dashers won six straight national titles from 2004 to 2009. They took third in 2010 and 2011 and are the 2012 Midwest champions.