This past Saturday the JBAA women returned home to MacDonald Park for their last regular season game. Coming off a disappointing and frustrating loss away to Richmond in a game cut very short due to injury, the home field supporters and sunny skies at the Mac would perhaps be a welcoming boost for our Bays.
JBAA received the starting kick-off but had a hard time moving forward in the first few minutes. An early turnover on the Bays 5m left the team pinned behind their own 22m and struggling to break out. One conceded penalty and Caps take advantage of a scrambling defensive line to score the first unconverted try of the game. JBAA 0-5 Capilano.
This score seemed to wake up the Bays and not long after the restart, Captain Katie McKinty takes charge with a hard run through a sea of black jerseys. New Bay, Kaitlin Hatt, is a good addition at scrumhalf, and delivers great ball for the quick handling, out-wide, style of play required against this Caps side. JBAA are pressuring and Caps concede a penalty which the Bays kick for the line-out, a recurring and advantageous choice throughout the game. A perfect ball off the top from Kylie Good to Charlotte Mackay finds its way via Sarina Brooks to speedy Sophia Erece who scores the Bays first points. Unfortunately, a kicking tee seems to mysteriously vanish at the start of the game, so our kicker struggled until the second half when it was finally located. JBAA 5-5 Capilano.
Bays take advantage of the momentum shift and catch Capilanos off the restart kick with quick ball through hands. Kaitlin Hatt picks from the ruck and goes blind, offloading to Sarina Brooks who makes her way through 2 Capilano players to score. No tee, no convert. JBAA 10-5 Capilano. to end the first quarter.
The start of the second quarter was a messy affair with errors on both sides, starting with the Bays kickoff going straight out. Caps return quickly but knock-on the ball soon after. JBAA starts to make in-roads but 2 JBAA players fall to injury and the play is stopped and delayed. Play restarts with a Capilano scrum on their 22m and hard back and forth action in the Capilano half. Caps then decide to test out the boot of their kicker and the speed of our backs camped out at half with 2 chip overs. The second long ball was chased down by Charlotte Mackay who recovered the ball at the Bays 5m and is driven back into the Bays end zone resulting in an injury that forced her out of the game. Confusion and inexperience off the restart see the Caps easily scoop up the errant drop out and score an unconverted try. JBAA 10-10 Capilano.
Soon after the restart Sarina Brooks makes a hard run through the Caps defense and is taken down by a high tackle on the 5m line, penalty try is awarded. JBAA 17-10 Capilano.
The last 2 mins of the half included a big defensive effort by the Bays, including several notable tackles from Sophia Erece and a try saving chase down tackle by Kylie Good. The Caps last try attempt is held up on the line by Katie McKinty.
The Bays look impressive with good phases of play in the second half. With Kaitlin Hatt at scrum half and Erin West at flyhalf, the ball moved well to find the hands of our speedsters out wide. Maggie Swan makes her way through defenders down field and passes to Raelee Mulholland who scores in the corner. Now that the tee has made an appearance, Kylie Good converts the long kick. JBAA 24-10 Capilano.
Perhaps as they tired, play from the Capilanos seemed to get messier throughout the second half, conceding many penalties for high tackles, not releasing, and hands in the rucks. The Bays took advantage and Kaitlin Hatt feeds Captain McKinty who carries the ball hard up field. Erin West links up with Sarina Brooks, steps past 2 defenders and passes to Maggie Swan to score under the posts. Kylie Good slots the easy convert. JBAA 31-10 Capilano.
The Bays are hitting their stride now and a quick ball off kickoff sees a reversal of roles as Raelee Mulholland dishes to Maggie Swan who runs the distance to score. Kick is good. JBAA 38-10 Capilano.
But the Capilanos still had power left and points to score and soon after the restart they gained possession. The Bays are caught unaware as a player blasts through from her 10m line to the JBAA 22m. The Bays can’t get low enough in their tackles and the Caps charge over for another unconverted try. JBAA 38-15 Capilano.
The last minutes of play of the third quarter are back-and-forth possession. JBAA is stripped of the ball, miss a few key tackles and Caps find space to score again, convert is missed. JBAA 38-20 Capilano.
Bays kickoff to start the final quarter and Caps pressure with hard runs. The Bays still struggle to get low in their tackles on players that outsize them and they are punished in yards. Capilanos push through for another try, this time the convert is made. JBAA 38-27 Capilano.
JBAA seemed to regain their composure and put back together the pieces of their game plan. Starting from a great run up the sideline by Erin West, the ball goes through the hands of Sarina Brooks, Maggie Swan and Kylie Good, finally to Hailey Clarot who scores an unconverted try. JBAA 43-27 Capilano.
The latter half of the quarter saw several lineouts near the Bays 10m line. Katie McKinty changes the pace of the game with a huge hit that both players were certainly feeling the effects of. At this point the Caps seemed to be offside a lot and Bays are awarded 3 penalty scrums in a row. Finally, the ref shows his yellow card to the Capilanos who have been warned about hands in the ruck. Off the scrum, Kaitlin Hatt picks and goes to the blind side. Lily Pham goes for a nice run and sets up the ball near the Caps 22m. Ball comes out to Sarina Brooks who passes to Hailey Clarot who scores again. The convert is good. JBAA 50-27 Capilano.
Fittingly, Katie McKinty goes for one last hard charge forward off the restart and the ball is then kicked out to finish the last game of the season for the JBAA women.
With this win, James Bay currently sits in 4th place with a game in hand. The winner of this week’s game between Nanaimo and Comox will decide if JBAA will travel to Comox for their first playoff game or once again have the supportive home field advantage at the Mac.
It should be noted that our Bays women are now totalling 19 players (on paper) and week by week this team continues to grow. They have made great strides in a short period of time and those that have been involved with this burgeoning team; players, coaches, club members and supporters, should be proud of the accomplishments of the team thus far.
Huddy Huddy Bays!
Thanks to Lisa Cooper for her Senior Women’s game report!