Carson Graham's Austin James (with ball) has been recognized as one of Quad-A's Game Day XXIII for 2019. (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of VarsityLetters.ca 2019. All Rights Reserved)
Feature High School Rugby

Meet The Quad Squad: Find out who made the grade in Varsity Letters’ 2019 Game Day XXIII B.C. Quad-A rugby Dream Team!

LANGLEY — The 2019 Premier League season, one which opened with the St. George’s Saints last-second win over the Shawnigan Lake Stags in the opening round of the Stadium Series at Swangard back in April, and closed earlier this month with a B.C. finals re-match won at Rotary by the Stags, showcased B.C. high school rugby at its pinnacle.

With that said, it’s time to look at B.C.’s best Quad-A players for 2019, all of whom hail from the four schools which closed out the season playing in the top-end tier.

The BCSSRU’s recent revamping of tiers has taken rugby to a new level in the B.C. high school sports world.

Rugby’s old and welcoming adage is that it’s a sport which has a place for every kind of athlete from large to small, from slight to stout. 

In a way, expanding the divisions and adding multiple tiers to AA and AAA, has had the same welcoming effect. 

With a more inclusive system in place, dignity and pride has been re-stored at every level, with athletes of all skill levels having a chance to chase a provincial title.

With all that said, the Quad-A tier reflects the most densely populated tier of top-end skill.

With the help of the BCSSRU, here is Varsity Letters’ 2019 Quad-A Game Day XXIII.

St. George’s Tate Litherland is shown in action earlier this season helping Saints past Carson Graham in the New Zealand Shield clash at Brockton Oval. (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of VarsityLetters.ca 2019. All Rights Reserved)

THE GAME-DAY 23

B.C.’s BEST 

QUAD-A 2019

1 Moamen Elhendawi (Shawnigan Lake)

2 Matteo Mitchell (Vancouver-St. George’s)

3 Ian McTavish (North Vancouver-Carson Graham)

4 Tate Litherland (Vancouver-St. George’s)

5 Ethan Jaques (Vancouver-St. George’s)

6 Nico Falcon (Shawnigan Lake)

7 Austin James (North Vancouver-Carson Graham)

8 Brenner Kelava (Shawnigan Lake)

9 Jack Carson (Victoria-Oak Bay)

10 Jamin Hodgkins (Shawnigan Lake)

11 Max Brittingham (Vancouver-St. George’s)

12 Patrick Feng (Vancouver-St. George’s)

13 Ciaran Breen (Shawnigan Lake)

14 Graeme Norris (Shawnigan Lake)

15 Thomas Kirkwood (Vancouver-St. George’s)

16 Alex Morrow (Victoria-Oak Bay)

17 Nathan Goliath (Shawnigan Lake)

18 Owen Smith (Victoria-Oak Bay)

19 Mahyar Hosseini (North Vancouver-Carson Graham)

20 Henry Down (Victoria-Oak Bay)

21 Alex Velasco (Victoria-Oak Bay)

22 Ethan Smith (North Vancouver-Carson Graham)

23 Parker Burt (North Vancouver-Carson Graham)

Shawnigan Lake captain Ciaran Breen (with ball) battles Oak Bay in the Quad-A semifinals. A whole of Barbs and Stags were named to the 2019 B.C. Quad-A Game Day XXIII, helping Vancouver Island maintain its status as B.C. rugby hotbed. (Photo by Howard Tsumura property of VarsityLetters.ca 2019. All Rights Reserved)

By The Numbers

Players listed 1-15 are intended to be as position-specific as possible as per 1-loose-head prop; 2-hooker; 3-tight-head prop; 4-second-row, 5-second-row; 6-blind-side flanker; 7-open-side flanker; 8-No. 8; 9-scrum-half; 10-fly-half; 11-left wing; 12-inside-centre; 13-outside centre; 14-right wing; 15-fullback.

Players listed 16-17-18 are mainly front-row types.

Players listed 18-19-20 are primarily second row and back row types.

Players listed 21-22-23 are reserve backs at any position).

If you’re reading this story or viewing these photos on any website other than one belonging to a university athletic department, it has been taken without appropriate permission. In these challenging times, true journalism will survive only through your dedicated support and loyalty. VarsityLetters.ca and all of its exclusive content has been created to serve B.C.’s high school and university sports community with hard work, integrity and respect. Feel free to drop us a line any time at howardtsumura@gmail.com.

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