The Texas Stampede wheelchair rugby team entered day two of the NS9 tournament in Phoenix, Arizona with a perfect 2-0 record after impressive victories over High-Fives and At Large teams. The Stampede's momentum carried into today’s matchups, as they faced off against host Ability 360 and the defending national champion, WWAR. Texas was able to keep their unbeaten streak intact, coming away with dominant wins in both contests. The first matchup saw the Stampede defeat WWAR 53-35, followed by a 53-42 victory over Ability 360 in the second game.

Head coach Gabriel Garcia was pleased with his team’s performance throughout the day. Reflecting on the first game against WWAR, Garcia praised veteran Bryan Kirkland for his leadership and court presence. “Good first game today. Team played well against a very good WWAR team. Bryan Kirkland showed his veteran status by coming off the bench and putting his teammates in the right positions on court and leadership while dictating the defense,” Garcia said. Kirkland’s leadership helped guide Texas to a comfortable win over the defending champions, setting the tone for the day.

In game two against Ability 360, the Stampede’s depth was on full display. Garcia commented, “Good game for the 4th game of the weekend. We went through multiple lines and all played well. We have another two games tomorrow and are looking forward to finishing out the weekend.” With today’s victories, the Texas Stampede have advanced to the Championship round, where they will face the At Large team. The winner of that matchup will move on to compete for the tournament championship. For more information, visit http://www.fearthesteer.org.