PREVIEW: RUGBY SEVENS TO FACE OLD FOES ON SATURDAY

MARKHAM, Ont – The Humber Hawks rugby sevens team (6-0, 1^st OCAA) returns to the pitch this weekend, marking the halfway point of the 2017 varsity season. 

After winning the inaugural OCAA championship last season, Humber's offence is once again prolific and continues to pace the league.

About Humber
The Hawks sit atop the OCAA once again and own a 22-2 record since rugby sevens were introduced to the league.  Last November, Humber claimed the inaugural provincial championship, outscoring its opponents 102-0 along the way.

Veteran Volume
The Hawks return many key players to their lineup this season, 11 in total. 

League Leaders
Through six matches, three Humber student-athletes appear on the top ten in scoring.  Team Canada standout Christina Branch leads the way with 69 points, followed by Deandra Medford (4^th) with 32 points, and Cheyenne De Luca (8^th) with 25 points.

Chasing History
Christina Branch currently sits second on the OCAA career scoring list with 166 points.  The third-year all-star trails Michaela Knowles of Conestoga by 12 points.

Scouting Mohawk
After opening the season with three straight losses, the Mountaineers (2-4, 8^th OCAA) head into this match winners in two of their last three.  Loramhel Mateo leads Mohawk in scoring with 39 points this season.

In their prior meeting this year, the Hawks exploded for 24 points in the second half, coming away with the 36-0 win.

All-time, the Hawks are 4-0 against Mohawk, outscoring the Mountaineers 193-22.

Scouting Fleming
New to OCAA rugby sevens this season, the Fleming Knights (4-2, 2^nd OCAA) have made the transition smoothly, sweeping all three of their matches in their second tournament.

Alize Spalding-Lawrence leads the Knights in scoring with 30 points, good enough for fifth in the province.

This will be Humber's first meeting of the year against Fleming.

Scouting Algonquin
Also new to rugby sevens, Algonquin's (2-3-1, 7^th OCAA) transition has not been as smooth. The Thunder have lost three of their last four matches after opening up with a 17-12 win over Fleming.

Leah Pedis has 27 points this season, the best mark thus far for Algonquin.

Once fierce rivals in rugby 15's, the Hawks and Thunder will renew that rivalry in the final match of the day.

At the Helm
Now in his fifth year as head coach, Dale Essue led the Hawks to the 2014 OCAA Rugby 15 title, and the rugby sevens title last year.  All-time, Coach Essue owns a 43-5 (.896) record.

What's Next:
The Hawks will take a break for the Thanksgiving weekend and will return to OCAA action on October 15, where they will play four matches at Fleming College.