GEORGETOWN, Ill. (WCIA) — It’s no surprise that La Salette Academy ranks eighth in Goff Rugby Report’s Top 50 high school team’s in the country.

“Rugby is our primary sport,” head coach Sean Fitzpatrick stated. “We dedicate a lot of time, effort, and resources to it, which definitely benefits us. Being a smaller school, we really optimize it.”

The investment in this atypical high school sport isn’t all about wins and losses, but a means to teach the school’s values

“The school leverages the sport to bring what they teach us beyond sports into a practical environment, applying lessons from the classroom, church, and social interactions into a physical space where we can practice,” senior Saulo Cruz explained.

“We embrace it as an integral part of the school because it’s challenging, and embracing challenges is something we enjoy,” senior Connor Hanlon commented. “Engaging in difficult activities helps you grow; as you engage with the sport, you learn a great deal about life through rugby.”

La Salette alum and former player Sean Fitzpatrick knows all about the life lessons this sport teaches, now in his first season as the Lions head coach.

“This year we have a lot of returning starters from last year, 11 of our 15 starters are seniors, most of them were starters last year. That really helps having a lot of experience with the seniors and a really good group,” Fitzpatrick said. “They really get along really well, it’s a good atmosphere in the locker room like in the team, that always makes things super easy.”

And that senior class has showed out this spring, leading La Salette to an 11-1 record.

“We’ve played good rugby and we know we can play good rugby and the best thing to know is that we’re going to keep playing good rugby and so the best is yet to come,” Hanlon said.

La Salette hopes this season’s success continues at the 2025 Rugby State Championships in Rantoul on May 31.