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Rugby players win CIS title with Mac by Jon Kuiperij Beaver Sports Editor 47 | Thursday, November 12, 2015 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com Four years ago, while representing the McMaster Marauders at the national women's rugby championships, is when Emily Ricketts made up her mind. She was going to take her time completing her degree. "My first year... we had a couple of fifthyear players on the team, and I saw what having that extra year of experience does," the three-time Ontario University Athletics allstar centre recalled. "I made the decision then that I wanted to be a fifth-year (player). So I stretched out my kinesiology degree over five years instead of four." That decision paid dividends Sunday in Kingston as Ricketts -- one of two players on the team in their fifth and final year of eligibility -- and the Marauders won their school's first-ever Canadian Interuniversity Sport women's rugby title, and McMaster's first national title in any women's sport since 1992. McMaster locked up the gold with a convincing 27-3 rout of the host Queen's Gaels, scoring 20 unanswered points in the second half. Ricketts felt the ultimate difference was the conditioning level Marauders players had worked on developing for the past 12 months, motivated by a 43-34 loss to St. Francis Xavier in last year's national final. "The buy-in for our program was amazing from all the girls on the team. Our fitness is a huge aspect," said Ricketts, an Abbey Park high school grad. "If you look at all our games, usually in the first 10 minutes it's back and forth until we get some continuity. Then in second halves, it always opens up like that." Stephanie Black, a fourth-year member of the Marauders who moved to Oakville from Ottawa a year ago, agreed. "Even before the first half ended, the Queen's girls were hands-on-hips tired going into scrums. Our game plan was to tire them out in the first half so we could run around them in the second," said Black, who converted Mc- Master's first try of the game and also booted two key converts in the Marauders' 14-8 win over Ottawa in Saturday's semis. "We also had a feeling going into (Sunday's) game, as opposed to last year's final, there was a lot more calm sensation over the team. I think we really believed this year that we could do it, that our experience would contribute to a really successful tournament. I think that's pretty much what happened." Two other Oakville residents -- Oakville Trafalgar grad Maddy Seatle and Holy Trinity product Simona Ruso -- also played for the Marauders this year. Both saw limited playing time with the veteran-laden McMaster squad, though Seatle scored a try in the Marauders' 62-14 whipping of the Lethbridge Pronghorns in the CIS quarter-finals. "She's the fastest girl on our team, very athletic," Ricketts said of Seatle, who is in her second year at McMaster. "But it's tough to crack that starting lineup." Though Ricketts cannot return to play next season and Black has yet to determine whether she will go back for a fifth year, they may not be finished playing rugby at McMaster. The Marauders field a sevens team each spring and have won national women's championship tournaments the past two years in British Columbia. Beyond that, Ricketts isn't sure what her rugby future has in store. "I would love to keep on playing," she said. "But I don't think you ever pick your last rugby game. I think rugby picks your last game for you." In top photo, Oakville's Maddy Seatle, Emily Ricketts and Stephanie Black show off the hardware the McMaster Marauders women's rugby team earned this season. Black (bottom left) kicked seven converts in the Marauders' three playoff games at the CIS championships. Ricketts (bottom right) is a three-time Ontario University Athletics all-star. | top photo submitted/Black photo by Fraser Caldwell - McMaster University/Ricketts photo by Ian McAlpine -- McMaster University AIRE ONE MADNEss sAlE! HigH EfficiEncy fURnAcE & cEnTRAL AiR ONLY $ PACKAGE INCLUDES: * 3990 $ $ * 95.5% EFF. OR · 95.5% High Efficiency Gas Furnace · High Efficiency Central Air R410A Refrigerant · 10 Year Factory Warranty · Limited Time Offer CaLL For dEtaiLs $ 59 /mth OAC* in o.p.A & gAs compAny rebAtes $1500 up to fURnAcE OSTic DiAgnOSTic ULAR SPEciAL REG 99.00 49 Must Present Coupon. Cannot be Combined with other offers. LimitEd timE onLy! Over 120,000 satisfied custOmers 9 Locations to serve you better www.aireone.com OAKVILLE (905) 849-4998 1-888-827-2665 On Now at The Brick! For more details go instore or online @thebrick.com.