Park win Highland 7’s
After losing the previous year’s final, Park returned to Itasca, home of the Illinois St. Andrew’s Society Highland Games and this year took home the trophy.
Placed in a pool with the Dragons, Lawyers and Woodsmen, Park started the day with a comfortable if not imposing win against the Dragons before following up with a rather more impressive victory against the Chicago Lawyers.
With both teams winning their opening two games, the pool decider was a close fought affair against the Woodsmen with both teams trading scores in the early stages before Park pulled away in the closing minutes.
In Pool B, the Chicago Riot finished ahead of the other pool members beating Eatin’ Park (Park’s larger bodied players), Chicago Japanese and finally NW Indiana in a tight match.
Possibly the highlight of the Pool was Waryjas converting a drop goal after receiving a long cut-out pass from Koss only to see his celebrations cut short by a penalty called to his own team and his inability to remove his jersey.
In the final, Park and the Riot traded scores in the first half and then again early in the second. Park finally took a lead they did not relinquish late in the match but had to hold on with 6 players due to a sin-bin in the final minute.
