The Howe Sound Sounders rugby program has only been around for two years, but the team's popularity and the growth of the squad are both positive signs for the upstart side.
Howe Sound hosted its final game of the season - an intrasquad match featuring current and past players, along with players from Whistler. Teams were split down the middle and it was Team Sarah defeating Team Robert 15-7 in the second annual "Lepine Match."
After the game, coaches Sarah and Robert Lepine handed out the hardware for the two teams and said it was a memorable year for all involved.
"This was one of the most fun years I've ever had involved with any team," Robert said prior to handing out the awards.
Award winners included: Dylan Auld (Most Valuable Back), Josh Watts (Most Valuable Forward), Gordon Borchert (Most Improved Back), Dominik Kalita (Most Improved Forward), Richard Wilson (Most Sportsmanlike), Pablo Garcia (Rookie of the Year) and Rolan Mendoza (Leadership Award).
This season saw the Sounders pick up two wins and learn a lot in the process. David Williams, the intrasquad game's referee, said he's noticed a lot of improvement in the team since earlier in the season.
"I'm very impressed with the team's progress," he said, noting he was officiating a game earlier this year which saw the Sounders lose 73-0. "It seemed like before that a lot of the players didn't really know what to do out there, but there was a lot less of that today. It's great to see."
He said the Lepine family deserves a lot of credit for having helped organize the team and added that he'd like to see the Sounders enter the Tier 2 conference for next year.
"Earlier in the year the team was playing these well-established teams in higher conferences," he said. "The schools they were facing have so many more kids and I don't think it was a lot of fun for them. But from what I saw today I really have to congratulate the program on its progress."
For more information on the team, visit Howe Sound Rugby on Facebook.
