Grit City Opener Highlighted by Inaugural Rangers’ Women’s Match
TACOMA, Wash. – The Tacoma Rangers opened the 2023 USGAA Northwest Division season Saturday, hosting the Grit City Opener 7s tournament at Silas High School in Tacoma. The day was highlighted for the men by a pair local derby wins and two Ladies’ Football matches, marking the first time in club history that Tacoma has fielded a women’s side in official competition.
In total, the Rangers fielded five teams on the day, two each in Men’s Football and Hurling and one Ladies’ Football team, with several more women’s players taking part in a mixed squads camogie match. The Rangers Ladies’ Football team played well in its first two matches in club history, losing a pair of narrow contests 3-4 to 2-1 and 2-1 to 0-1 against a mixed squad of Seattle Gaels and Columbia Red Branch footballers.
The Rangers A Hurling side had a strong outing to start the year, narrowly losing to Columbia Red Branch’s A Hurling team 5-4 to 4-4, before rebounding with a dominant shutout derby win over fellow Washington side Grit City Hounds Hurling, 8-10 to 0-0.
The Men’s Football teams found similar success, with a mixed squad defeating the Seattle Gaels 5-7 to 2-4 and the Rangers A Football team losing to Columbia Red Branch by a single point, 3-7 to 4-3 despite playing a man down for much of the second half. The Northwest Division season continues with the McEneaney Cup hurling tournament in Missoula, Montana on Saturday, April 6.
About the Rangers
Established in 2013, the Tacoma Rangers are the south Puget Sound’s original USGAA club. The Rangers aim to promote the values of inclusiveness, camaraderie and physical health while promoting Gaelic sports in the region. Tacoma competes in the USGAA’s Northwest Division and welcomes men and women of all ages and experience levels.
FULL RANGERS RESULTS (Winner in bold)
Men’s Football
Columbia Red Branch 6-13 | 0-0 Rangers B
Columbia Red Branch 3-7 | 4-3 Rangers A
Seattle Gaels 2-4 | 5-7 Rangers A/B (Mixed Squad)
Ladies’ Football
Seattle Gaels/Columbia Red Branch 3-4 | 2-1 Rangers
Seattle Gaels/Columbia Red Branch 2-1 | 0-1 Rangers
Men’s Hurling
Columbia Red Branch A 5-4 | 4-4 Rangers A
Columbia Red Branch B 5-8 | 0-1 Rangers B
Seattle Gaels 12-10 | 0-1 Rangers B
Grit City Hound 0-0 | 8-10 Rangers A
A Note on Scoring
The Gaelic sports of hurling, camogie and Gaelic football have two methods of scoring: a goal, worth three points, and a point struck or kicked through the uprights, worth one point. Scores are noted with goals listed first, then points. For example, a listed score for Team A of 2-3 denotes two goals and three points, for a total of nine points scored.