Great eight: Belmont secures another girls’ rugby title, but rest of state is catching up

QUINCY — Shortly after kickoff, the public address announcer at Veterans Memorial Stadium announced the game-time temperature as 89 degrees, adding the turf field was likely 10 degrees hotter.

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It was so hot that the Belmont girls’ rugby coach, Kate McCabe, gave her team an unorthodox pregame message.

“She said we should be acting like it’s cold outside,” Rebecca Christensen joked.

That mind-set led to the Marauders winning their eighth MIAA Division 1 title Thursday afternoon, beating Weymouth, 36-24, to remain the only program to win a girls’ rugby in Massachusetts.

Top-seeded Belmont (8-0) and the No. 2 Wildcats (6-2) traded tries early.

First, the Belmont’s Farrah Harris cruised into the try zone, followed by Weymouth’s Nicole Moraes. Belmont then sprinted into halftime thanks to Cece Held’s two tries late in the first half.

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Christensen, a junior, powered the Marauders, barrelling in for three tries in the match.

“She has tremendous rugby IQ,” McCabe said. “She sees space and has a constant voice on the field — she’s directing where traffic goes.”

The two teams squared off on May 15, when Belmont won 42-24. As the only team to win the state title, the Marauders know every other team is gunning for them. McCabe said her program has to continue to improve with other teams making gains.

“Even though we’ve been able to take home the ultimate prize, this state is playing beautiful girls’ rugby,” she said.

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