When the Iowa Hawks made their debut at Lakefront 7s in 2018, they were a force to be reckoned with. Already a mature side back then, they went 3-0 in pool play and lost in the championship match by just 9 points. Fast forward 4 years and the Hawks are the 2022 High School Boys champions for the third time on the trot (2019, 2021; excepting only the gap-year for COVID-19).
Rarely does one team have such continued success at the Lakefront 7s, but the Hawks have prevailed.
The select side for the Iowa Youth Rugby Association stepped up their game this year by bringing two very competitive teams to Milwaukee. Both Hawks Gold and Hawks Black won their respective pools with perfect 3-0-0 records.
An all-Hawks 2022 High School Boys final? Not so fast.
An all-Hawks final looked like a good possibility until the Rams (Rockford, MI) ended the day for Hawks Black with a 28-0 victory.
But Hawks Gold had firm control of the final and became the 3-time High School Boys champion with a decisive 34-10 victory.
The secret to their success
Head coach Casey Hansen was full of praise for the players on his team. “Every team we bring up has been full of kids that are prepared, eager and extremely coachable.”
Match Results - Pool Stage
| Game | Team 1 | Team 2 | Location | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8:00 AM 2 vs 1 | Hawks Gold | 54 | 0 | Chiefs 4 | Field 1 |
| 8:00 AM 3 vs 4 | Quad City 3 | 5 | 15 | Rams | Field 2 |
| 8:00 AM 2 vs 1 | Hawks Black | 24 | 17 | Predator Rugby 2 | Field 3 |
| 8:00 AM 3 vs 4 | Chargers 4 | 0 | 46 | Banshees | Field 4 |
| 9:00 AM 1 vs 3 | Rams | 0 | 42 | Hawks Gold | Field 4 |
| 9:00 AM 4 vs 2 | Chiefs 4 | 10 | 19 | Quad City 3 | Field 5 |
| 9:20 AM 1 vs 3 | Banshees | 19 | 21 | Hawks Black | Field 1 |
| 9:20 AM 4 vs 2 | Predator Rugby 2 | 26 | 12 | Chargers 4 | Field 2 |
| 10:20 AM 4 vs 1 | Hawks Gold | 66 | 0 | Quad City 3 | Field 2 |
| 10:20 AM 2 vs 3 | Rams | 31 | 12 | Chiefs 4 | Field 3 |
| 10:20 AM 4 vs 1 | Hawks Black | 28 | 0 | Chargers 4 | Field 4 |
| 10:20 AM 2 vs 3 | Banshees | 26 | 0 | Predator Rugby 2 | Field 5 |
Standings - Pool Stage
| Pool 1 | PTS | W-L-T | GP | GR | PF | PA | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawks Gold | 9 | 3-0-0 | 3 | 0 | 162 | 0 | 162 |
| Rams | 6 | 2-1-0 | 3 | 0 | 46 | 59 | -13 |
| Quad City 3 | 3 | 1-2-0 | 3 | 0 | 24 | 91 | -67 |
| Chiefs 4 | 0 | 0-3-0 | 3 | 0 | 22 | 104 | -82 |
| Pool 2 | PTS | W-L-T | GP | GR | PF | PA | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawks Black | 9 | 3-0-0 | 3 | 0 | 73 | 36 | 37 |
| Banshees | 6 | 2-1-0 | 3 | 0 | 91 | 21 | 70 |
| Predator Rugby 2 | 3 | 1-2-0 | 3 | 0 | 43 | 62 | -19 |
| Chargers 4 | 0 | 0-3-0 | 3 | 0 | 12 | 100 | -88 |
Match Results — Knock-out Stage
| Game | Team 1 | Team 2 | Location | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11:40 AM HSB – SF2 | Hawks Black | 0 | 28 | Rams | Field 2 |
| 11:40 AM HSB – SF1 | Banshees | 14 | 29 | Hawks Gold | Field 1 |
| 1:20 PM HSB – Final | Rams | 10 | 34 | Hawks Gold | Field 1 |
Playoff Bracket(s)
