By Jason Siegel (@jasiegel1821)
WORCESTER, Mass. - Bishop Hendricken High School’s rugby team earned its third Massachusetts Youth Rugby Organization (MYRO) championship since 2011 with a 43-8 victory over Essex County on Saturday afternoon at Foley Stadium in Worcester.
Despite tallying 43 points, both Essex and Bishop Hendricken struggled to score for long stretches at the start of each 35-minute half. The two teams fought tooth and nail and, at times on Saturday afternoon, could not move the ball very far from midfield.
Bishop Hendricken broke through first, as Michael Rodrigues fought through bodies and ran up the middle to snap the scoreless tie. That try was just the beginning for the sophomore Rodrigues, who scored three tries for Bishop Hendricken on Saturday.
Bishop Hendricken head coach Phil Humphrey was very complimentary of Rodrigues as his team celebrated with the MYRO championship trophy.
“(Rodrigues) is very tenacious.” Coach Humphrey said, adding that Rodrigues is “a tough, old-school rugby player.”
The two-point conversion kick gave Bishop Hendricken a 7-0 lead.
