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At Detroit's smallest Catholic high school, rugby is a big deal

Detroit Loyola senior Raylon Murry looks for an open teammate during the Bulldogs’ season-opening rugby match against Holland West Ottawa. The sport is thriving at the inner-city high school, and Murry intends to continue playing next year in college at Mount St. Mary’s University. (Photo by Kevin Roberts | Special to Detroit Catholic) SOUTHFIELD — […]

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April 18, 2025

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At Detroit's smallest Catholic high school, rugby is a big deal

SOUTHFIELD — Raylon Murry had played football from a young age, but once he discovered
rugby, a whole new world opened for him.

Literally.
Murry is spending this weekend playing in the Tropic 7s travel tournament in
Tampa. Two weeks ago, he played in London. Murry’s been on pitches everywhere
from South Africa to New Zealand to Dubai. And he’s accepted a college
scholarship to continue his rugby career at Mount St. Mary’s University in
Maryland.

“I
would describe rugby as a game made for vicious people, but played by
gentlemen,” he said. “One of my favorite parts is when you sit down and talk
with your opponents and chill with them after the match. In football, after the game
the teams don’t really want to shake hands.”

Murry,
a senior at Loyola High School in Detroit, discovered the game as an eighth
grader by tagging along to watch his older brother, Rahmon, play on the
Bulldogs’ club.

Romell Murry breaks away from Holland West Ottawa would-be tacklers and advances the ball. Loyola fell to West Ottawa, 29-26, on the last play of the match. (Photo by Kevin Roberts | Special to Detroit Catholic)

“It
was the COVID year, and there was nothing else going on, so I started
practicing with them, the whole year, even though I couldn’t play,” he said. “I
went to all the practices and I picked it up.”

Soon,
Murry showed enough skill on the pitch that he became one of Loyola’s featured
players, and expanded his game through the travel opportunities.

“One
of the benefits of this is the joy of seeing kids really embrace this sport,
and really connecting with each other,” said Murry’s coach, Ron Cornell.
“Otherwise, I don’t think they would communicate and have respect and
compassion they show for their teammates. I’m 60 years old and I have done this
for 28 years. It’s kept me alive and young and excited to see new kids develop
every season.”

Cornell,
who’s also chairman of the board of Rugby Michigan, said there are only about
20 prep programs spread across the state, yet the game expands at the
collegiate level, where nearly every in-state school has a club.

“We
have outstanding athletes at Loyola, several have scholarships to play sports
in college,” he said. “It’s the traction that the kids provide; they can play
really exceptional rugby, and kids want to play for us. The kids are really
committed to playing. They have competed for positions at clubs across the
country.”

The
Loyola rugby program is unique on several levels. First of all, most of the
other scholastic clubs are from suburban public high schools that enroll
several thousand students, far above the 126 students who attend Loyola, in
Detroit’s inner city. Still, because of its success in recent seasons (such as a
6-1 record last year), Loyola plays in the upper division, which also consists
of Brighton, Forest Hills, Grandville, Holland West Ottawa, and Detroit
Catholic Central (the only other Catholic League program).

The Loyola rugby club attracts students from other schools as well, including Mason Maczuga from Madison Heights Lamphere (10), Collin Cole of Oak Park (11) and Ian Laskowski of Howell (16). (Photo by Kevin Roberts | Special to Detroit Catholic)

For
a while, a touchstone for the Bulldogs was that they were the state’s only
African-American rugby squad. But since the team is classified as a “club,”
students from other schools have joined. Several travel in from places like
Madison Heights, Northville and Brighton to play with the Bulldogs, who host
home matches at Levey Middle School in Southfield.

“Because
of the (small) size of the school, we have always invited people from other
high schools to play on our club. They have to register with USA Rugby. It’s a
club sport, (so) we’re allowed to have kids from outside the school participating,”
Cornell said. “They come from all over — they will drive to the inner city to
be part of the club, because of the special environment.”

Loyola’s
club began eight years ago when Fr. Adam DeLeon, SJ, a former theology teacher
at the school, contacted Cornell to help develop a program.

“He
had a history — wherever he’s landed, he’s always been interested in starting
a rugby team,” Cornell said. “Detroit Catholic Central and Loyola started at
the same time 2017 as an outgrowth of a club in Northville which was folding.
It’s a unique opportunity for these cultures to mix.”

The
sport has ebbed and flowed over the past couple years, but is strong at both
Loyola and CC.

“The
top rugby programs in the country, such as St. Ignatius and St. Edward’s in
Cleveland — besides the Mormons in Utah — it’s all Catholic schools that have
embraced rugby,” Cornell said.

Rugby
is one of those sports that people have generally heard of, but aren’t quite
familiar with the rules and object of the game, Cornell said.

Detroit Loyola rugby coach Ron Cornell and Mount St. Mary’s University coach Jay Myles flank Loyola senior Raylon Murry after he signs his national letter of intent to compete at the collegiate level. (Photo courtesy of Loyola Athletic Department)

“I
think a lot of people compare it to a cross between football without pads, and
a continuation like soccer, because the ball is continuously in play,” Cornell
said. “There are certain rules for advancing the ball. You cannot pass the ball
forward. You can run the ball forward and kick the ball forward and go get
under it, but you cannot throw the ball forward.”

Fifteen
players take the field for each squad. Teams strive to advance the ball to the try line, which is comparable to football’s end zone, and put the ball on the
ground with force, earning five points. An extra point try follows.

“The
biggest impediment with football players, who play contact sports, is that play
continues,” Cornell said. “It’s not an eight-second play followed by a
45-second break. The play keeps going. Everybody can run with the ball, and
score. That’s the big attraction — we have plays designed for everyone, no
matter their size or their body type.”

And because Loyola has a talented senior class due to graduate — Patrick Green
(Wheeling University in West Virginia) and Don’Yale Sharp (Aquinas) also plan
to play in college — attracting new talent is one of the ongoing factors for
the club.

“Right
now we have a roster of 23, so we have eight subs,” Cornell said. “I’d like to
have a few more because we’re looking down the road for development. We’ve got
seniors who have played for us for four years. There’s a rugby team at almost
every college. If you’re looking for an opportunity to learn a sport, then
learn to play rugby — you can find a rugby team in just about every
community.”

For
Murry, attracting the next generation of Bulldog rugby stars is a bit more
organic.

“I
want to really pass down the experience to the younger guys. I want the program
to be at the same level, or higher, when I leave. We have a lot of seniors who
helped bring the program up to what it is today,” he said. “I just show them a
couple clips of my playing. When they see me play, they get inspired. When I
show them the clips, I tell them if I could do it, you could do it. I want to
inspire them to start playing.”

“A
great thing about this sport is it can give kids opportunities they wouldn’t
ordinarily have,” Cornell said. “It’s unfortunate that kids don’t always
recognize that they have skill sets that go beyond football and basketball, but
I tell them that rugby might open some doors for them, too.”

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CIF-SS Track and Field Finals – The562.org

VIDEO: CIF Track & Field Championships 2021 CIF-SS Division 1 Track & Field Championships It was a historic day for Long Beach’s high schools at the 2021 CIF-SS Division 1 Track & Field Championships at Trabuco Hills High School. For more coverage of all Long Beach sports, head to www.The562.org. We are a non-profit, community-funded […]

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May 18, 2025

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VIDEO: CIF Track & Field Championships

2021 CIF-SS Division 1 Track & Field Championships It was a historic day for Long Beach’s high schools at the 2021 CIF-SS Division 1 Track & Field Championships at Trabuco Hills High School. For more coverage of all Long Beach sports, head to www.The562.org. We are a non-profit, community-funded media outlet in the City of […]

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Virginia Women Win ACC Outdoor Track and Field Championship Title

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Virginia men’s and women’s track and field teams closed out a thrilling weekend of competition at the 2025 ACC Outdoor Track & Field Championships in which the Virginia women won the first women’s team title since 1987 and the sixth team title in program history scoring a total of 93 points at […]

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May 18, 2025

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WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Virginia men’s and women’s track and field teams closed out a thrilling weekend of competition at the 2025 ACC Outdoor Track & Field Championships in which the Virginia women won the first women’s team title since 1987 and the sixth team title in program history scoring a total of 93 points at Kentner Stadium on the campus of Wake Forest University on Saturday (May17).

Back-to-Back-to-BACK

Margot Appleton won her third straight ACC Outdoor 1500-meter title fending off Silvia Jelelgo of Clemson in second.
Appleton edged out Jelelgo clocking 4:11.28 to the Clemson Tiger’s 4:11.61.

1500m DOMINANCE

Margot Appleton (4:11.28) holds off Silvia Jelelgo (4:11.61) of Clemson to defend her title!#GoHoos pic.twitter.com/z2w788LXvQ

— Virginia Track & Field and Cross Country (@UVATFCC) May 17, 2025

Setting a High Bar

Celia Rifaterra continued her undefeated season winning the women’s high jump competition clearing a personal-best 1.86m/6-1.25.
After clearing the first two bars on her first attempt, Rifaterra began clearing on her third attempt.
Rifaterra is just the second Virginia woman to win gold in the women’s high jump alongside Ann Blair from 1983.
Carly Tarentino equaled her personal best of 1.80m/5-10.75 to tie for second place in the competition. She cleared each of her three bars on her first attempt at each height before knocking the bar down at 1.83m/6-0.
For their performance, both Rifaterra and Tarentino earned first team All-ACC honors.

Let’s watch it again

Big time performances by Celia Rifaterra and Carly Tarentino in the women’s high jump to go -!!#GoHoos pic.twitter.com/LDZy3dYLO3

— Virginia Track & Field and Cross Country (@UVATFCC) May 18, 2025

Gold for Christiana Ellina

Christiana Ellina won the women’s javelin throw on her sixth and final attempt in the competition throwing for 52.44m/172-0.
Ellina brought home the first ACC gold medal and first team All-ACC honors in the women’s javelin since Meghan Briggs in 2010.

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗠𝗣 𝗜𝗦 𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘

Christiana Ellina brings home the first ACC gold medal in the women’s javelin since Meghan Briggs in 2010!!#GoHoos pic.twitter.com/T8pGuvK8pY

— Virginia Track & Field and Cross Country (@UVATFCC) May 17, 2025

Freshman Phenom

Maya Rollins won the silver medal in the women’s 100-meter hurdles clocking 13.42.
Rollins already owns the freshman record in the event which she set in the prelims of 13.33. Her time also ranks third all-time in program history.
For her performance, Rollins earned first team All-ACC honors.

Clock it

Maya Rollins brings home the SILVER!!!! #GoHoos pic.twitter.com/EmHM9tr2W6

— Virginia Track & Field and Cross Country (@UVATFCC) May 17, 2025

Hurdle Dominance

Alex Sherman brought home the bronze medal in the men’s 400-meter hurdles clocking a new personal best of 49.98.
Sherman’s time broke the Virginia record which previously stood at 50.02 by Steve Delice in 2010.
His time ranks 17^th in the NCAA and eighth in the east region this season.
This marks the third consecutive year in which Sherman has made the podium at the ACC Outdoor Championships, winning the silver medal in the event a year ago and bronze in 2023.

More Notable Performances

Virginia went three for three qualifying to the final of the women’s javelin with Christiana Ellina, Abigail Meckes and Siobhan Loughney.
Ellina won gold while Meckes (42.61m/130-3) and Loughney (42.23m/138-6) finished seventh and ninth.
Emily Alexandru ran a strong race in the women’s 400-meter hurdles clocking a new personal-best 58.13. In her first ACC Outdoor final, Alexandru finished fifth and earned second team All-ACC honors. She moves up to No.7 all-time in program history.
Lily Hulland earned second team All-ACC honors in the women’s triple jump finishing fifth with her mark of 12.89m/42-3.50 (+3.0).
On her third event of the weekend, Estel Valeanu finished fourth in the women’s discus throwing for 55.93m/183-6.
Both men’s and women’s 4×100-meter relay teams recorded season best times. The women’s quartet of Ariel Fletcher, Lola Kolawole, Sophia Akpan and Sarah Akpan just missed the podium by one spot finishing fourth in 44.30. The four tied for the fifth fastest time in school record.
The men’s contingent of Evans White IV, Jacob Garnett, Jerlan Fish and Peter Djan combined efforts to stop the clock at 40.91.
Will Daley grabbed a point in the men’s 1500-meters clocking 3:46.49 for eighth place.
In the men’s 110-meter hurdles, Peter Djan ran his way to a seventh-place finish crossing the line in 13.97.
Running a season-best 23.13, Sarah Akpan finished sixth to earn important points for the team and second team All-ACC honors.
After winning the women’s 1500-meters, Margot Appleton returned to the track in the women’s 5000-meters. Appleton was the top Cavalier finisher in seventh place with her time of 15:52.55.
Not far behind Appleton was Jenny Schilling (15:53.43) and Gillian Bushee (16:04.33) in ninth and 13^th place, both recording new personal best times. With their times, Schilling moves up to No.3 all-time while Bushee moves up to No.6 in program history.
The 4×400-meter relay team of Sarah Akpan, Ariel Fletcher, Emily Alexandru and Brooke’Lyn Drakeford ran a season-best 3:33.14 to finish in sixth place and secure the team title for the Cavaliers. Their time ranks third in program history.

Thursday/Friday ACC Medalists & All-ACC:

Jenny Schilling won the women’s 10,000-meters clocking 33:22.34.
Keyandre Davis won the bronze medal in the men’s hammer throw with a new personal best mark of 67.12m/220-2. With his mark, Davis moved up to No.5 all-time in program history.
John Fay (63.72m/209-1, 6th) and Annika Kelly (64.81m/212-7 PB, 4th) earned second team All-ACC honors in the men’s and women’s hammer throw. Kelly also broke her own school record which she set earlier in the season.
Estel Valeanu earned second team All-ACC accolades in the women’s shot put throwing for 16.47m/54-0.50 to finish fifth.

All-ACC Finishes:
The Cavalier men and women accumulated a total of 14 All-ACC performances over the course of the meet:

First team men: Keyandre Davis (HT), John Fay (HT), Alex Sherman (400mH)
First Team women: Emily Alexandru (400mH), Margot Appleton (1500m), Christiana Ellina (JT), Celia Rifaterra (HJ), Maya Rollins (100mH), Jenny Schilling (10,000m), Carly Tarentino (HJ)
Second team women: Sarah Akpan (200m), Lily Hulland (TJ), Annika Kelly (HT), Estel Valeanu (SP, DT)

The Smithfield Commonwealth Clash
The Smithfield Commonwealth Clash, originally called the Commonwealth Challenge (2005-2007), has been a part of the UVA-Virginia Tech rivalry since 2014. It is an all-sports, points-based program with the Commonwealth Clash trophy presented to the winning school each year for its dominance in head-to-head competitions. In men’s and women’s track and field, the points are awarded to the team that finishes highest at the ACC Championships. Virginia has already clinched the title; the Cavaliers get the point on the women’s side while the Hokies take the men’s point. With one more opportunity (baseball) to earn points, Virginia has a total of 14 points while Virginia Tech has 7 points.

Final Team Standings:

Women:

1. Virginia – 93

2. Louisville – 89

3. Clemson – 86

4. Florida State – 73

5. Duke – 72

6. California – 61

7. Miami – 51

8. North Carolina – 48

9. Stanford – 46

9. Virginia Tech – 46

11. NC State – 45

12. Notre Dame – 38

13. Pittsburgh – 23

14. SMU – 13

15. Wake Forest – 13

16. Georgia Tech – 11

17. Syracuse – 8
18. Boston College – 3

Men:

1. Duke – 86

2. North Carolina – 82

3. California – 79.83

4. Virginia Tech – 78.33

5. Florida State – 74

6. Clemson – 70

7. Pittsburgh – 61

8. Louisville – 50,33

9. Miami – 50

10. NC State – 40

11. Stanford 38.5

13. Wake Forest – 28

13. Virginia – 25

14. Notre Dame – 20

15. Syracuse – 19

16. Georgia Tech – 15

Up Next
Virginia will continue the championship portion of the season with the NCAA East Regional in Jacksonville, Fla. Wednesday (May28) through Saturday (May 31) before heading to Eugene, Ore. for the NCAA Outdoor Championships Wednesday (June 11) through Saturday (June 14).

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Cowboys Star Dak Prescott Knocks Soccer Legend Lionel Messi Down a Peg With …

Dak Prescott inked a historic four-year, $240 million extension with the Cowboys just days before the 2024 NFL season kicked off. The extension included an $80 million signing bonus. With this deal, Prescott became the NFL’s first-ever member of the $60 million club. Now that the ink is dry, how does the deal stack up […]

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May 18, 2025

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Cowboys Star Dak Prescott Knocks Soccer Legend Lionel Messi Down a Peg With ...

Now that the ink is dry, how does the deal stack up with earnings in other sports in 2025? According to a recent ranking, Prescott has landed among the top 10 highest-paid athletes on the planet.

PFSN Playoff Predictor Try out Pro Football & Sports Network’s FREE playoff predictor, where you can simulate every 2025-26 NFL season game and see how it all shakes out!

Dak Prescott Beats Lionel Messi in Highest-Paid Athletes Ranking

In a May 15 article by Forbes, Prescott was ranked as the fourth highest-paid athlete on the planet, beating out soccer star Lionel Messi by $2 million. The breakdown claims that out of his $137 million total earnings, he made the majority from his $127 million salary with the Cowboys, while $10 million came from off-field income.

Prescott’s earnings were boosted by a “quirk on the calendar,” allowing him to restructure his deal and receive much of his pay as a bonus rather than salary, getting the money into his account faster. As a result, his salary effectively doubled for the season. While the contract’s total value remains unchanged, the payment schedule was adjusted.

Meanwhile, Forbes reports that Messi’s 2025 earnings total $135 million, with $60 million coming from on-field play and $75 million from off-field ventures. That figure is just $2 million short of Prescott’s earnings.

Prescott’s Salary Trails Three Other Athletes

While still an enormous, unconventionally high haul for the Cowboys quarterback, Prescott still trailed three other athletes in the ranking. Boxing star Tyson Fury beat Prescott by almost $20 million, earning $146 million.

Ahead of the boxing star is none other than Warriors point guard Steph Curry. Forbes reports that Curry’s earnings are less from the Golden State Warriors than Prescott’s from the Dallas Cowboys, but Curry more than makes up for it with his off-court ventures. Curry brings in $156 million in total earnings, nearly $30 million more than Prescott’s $127 million.

The highest-paid athlete in the world, edging out everyone, including Prescott, is 40-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo. His total earnings of $275 million more than double Prescott’s $127 million and quadruple his league-leading $60 million salary on average.

Prescott’s placement on a list alongside Ronaldo, Curry, and other top-paid athletes offers a counterpoint to those who say NFL athletes are not paid as much as in other sports.

However, getting placed on a top earnings list puts pressure on Prescott to elevate from his 30th-best rating in QB+ metrics by PFSN. Will Prescott follow through in 2025?

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Jadran returns the crown to Škver through new drama

Photo: PVK Jadran/Vuk Ilić Primorac handed over the crown, and Vladimir Gojković returned the Montenegrin champion title to Škver on his return. The Jadran M:tela water polo players are celebrating the trophy after defeating their Boka Kotorska rival in the third match of the final series – after two victories on five points, everything is […]

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May 18, 2025

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Photo: PVK Jadran/Vuk Ilić

Primorac handed over the crown, and Vladimir Gojković returned the Montenegrin champion title to Škver on his return.

The Jadran M:tela water polo players are celebrating the trophy after defeating their Boka Kotorska rival in the third match of the final series – after two victories on five points, everything is now settled in the regular season (11:9).

The team from Novi thus reached their 13th title since Montenegro became independent and ended the season with one trophy, as Primorac won the Cup at the end of 2024.

The third game also brought drama. Primorac opened the derby better and led 5:2 in the second quarter, but then the hosts went on a 6:0 run in a period of almost 11 minutes in which Vjekoslav Pasković’s team failed to score.

Jadran led 8:5, Primorac reduced the lead to 8:7 through Nemanja Vic and the phenomenal Đorđije Stanojević, and then the game was goal for goal.

The new champion could have gone three points clear on several occasions in the last period, Primorac could have evened the score, and Uroš Vučurović put an end to the uncertainty with a goal four seconds before the end.

Vučurović scored after a timeout by Gojković after a foul was called on Dragan Drašković with 23 seconds left. There were huge protests from the Kotor fans about the referee’s decision, and coach Pasković was sent off, but Jadran didn’t look back…

Dmitrij Holod, Aleksandar Ivović and Vuk Milojević were double scorers, Vučurović, Danilo Radović, Đorđe Lazić, Matija Sladović and Danilo Stupar scored once each.

Stanojevic stood out for Primorac with four goals, while Nika Shushiashvili scored twice.

JADRAN M:TEL – PRIMORAC 11:9 (2:4, 4:1, 4:3, 1:1)

Herceg Novi – Swimming pool at Škver. Spectators: 1.000. Judges: Mišković, Ivanovski.

Jadran M:tel: Đurović (six saves), Holod 2, Vučurović 1, Obradović, Vujović, D. Radović 1, Lazić 1, Gojković, Ivović 2, Sladović 1, Milojević 2, V. Radović, Stupar 1, I. Radović.

Primorac: Masaro, Brguljan, S. Cetkovic, Susijasvili 2, Murisic, Draskovic, Matkovic 1, Janovic, Vico 1, Brkic, P. Cetkovic, 1, Stanojevic 4, Vuckovic, D. Cetkovic.

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Returning to action: North Lamar volleyball releases 2025-26 schedule | Sports

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Naperville Central girls water polo holds off Waubonsie Valley to reach sectional final

Three-seed Naperville Central girls water polo and Waubonsie Valley square off for a chance to play against Naperville North in the sectional finals. The Warriors defeated the Redhawks 7-6 in the regular season. This highlight is sponsored by BMO. Kaylee Shiffer records an early hat trick for Naperville Central In the early going, Julia Weber finds […]

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May 18, 2025

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Kaylee Shiffer records an early hat trick for Naperville Central

In the early going, Julia Weber finds Kaylee Shiffer near the net, and she puts the Redhawks on the board. It’s 1-0 after three minutes of play.

Now in the second quarter, the Warriors are looking to answer. Malini Madiman passes to Reece Clavey on the right wing, and she tosses it over the goalie’s outstretched arms. That one ties the game at 1-1 with five minutes left in the half.

Minutes later, Maddie Malinger connects with Kaylee Shiffer near the goal, and she goes up high for another score. Shiffer now has a hat trick, giving the Redhawks a 4-2 lead with three minutes to play in the second quarter.

Waubonsie Valley girls water polo keeps it close in the IHSA Girls Water Polo Sectional Semifinal

With a minute left in the half, Reece Clavey delivers a perfect pass to Calin Ball, and she tosses it into the back of the net. The Warriors close the gap to 4-3 with one minute left in the half.

Now in the second half, Meghan Tueting connects with Molly Moore, who gives a couple of pump fakes before firing it into the back of the net. That one extends the Naperville Central lead to 6-3.

Moments later, Calin Ball passes it ahead to Ruby Meier, and she’s all alone. She goes one-on-one with the goalie and wins the battle. It’s now a 6-4 game with four minutes to play in the third quarter.

Meier and Weber score two more, and Central girls water polo defeats Waubonsie

After a penalty, Ruby Meier has a free shot at the goal against Eleni Nicoloudes. She targets the top corner, but Nicoloudes gets a hand on it and keeps it out of the net. The big save preserves the Redhawk lead at 6-4.

With less than a minute left in the third quarter, Megan Tueting throws it to Julia Weber in front of the net, and she’s able to ward off the Waubonsie defenders and score another goal for Naperville Central. That one gives the Redhawks an 8-4 lead. Waubonsie Valley goes on to score two goals in the fourth, but Naperville Central hangs on to win 8-6, advancing to the sectional finals against Naperville North.

For more prep sports highlights, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page.

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