Caledon Cavaliers’ Cristian Iacovelli and Fiona Carberry selected to play for Toronto Rugby Reds at Rugby Ontario 7’s playdowns this Fall

By Jim Stewart

Caledon Cavaliers' Cristian Iacovelli was selected to play for the Toronto Rugby Reds earlier in the Fall and his U15 West squad captured a bronze medal at the Belwether 7's tournament held in Brantford on the weekend.

The Belwether 7's was the first stage of a provincial three-stage playoff format that runs into November.

Iacovelli and his regional all-star team—comprised of the best players from many GTA rugby clubs and coached by former national team player and current Barbarians' coach Marco DiGiralamo—will also compete in the Rugby Ontario 7's championships on October 26 hosted by Brampton RFC and on November 2 hosted by the Aurora Barbarians. 

Iacovelli had much momentum heading into the Fall 7's season. His Caledon RFC squad completed a successful season in August when the U15 Cavaliers took second place in the Rugby Ontario Junior Regional Cup Finals hosted by London St. George's RFC. 

Cristian's father, Mike, is the President of the Caledon Cavaliers RFC.

The Cavs' lead administrator discussed the significance of his organization's players representing the club on provincial level teams.

“Two of our Cavaliers' junior players have been selected to represent the Toronto Reds in the regional representative program. U15 Boys player Cristian Iacovelli and U16 Girls player Fiona Carberry were both selected for their respective Toronto Red West squads and began their inter-branch tournament series this past weekend in Brantford. Cristian's U15 team earned a bronze medal, finishing third overall in a highly competitive opening round, while Fiona's U16 squad put in a strong showing as they continue to develop their provincial experience.”

The personable President expressed his satisfaction about the excellent achievements by Cavaliers teams in his season-ending post: “The 2025 rugby season will go down as one of the most successful in the history of the Caledon Cavaliers Rugby Club. Fueled by dedication, strong coaching, and a growing culture of excellence, the Cavaliers saw unprecedented success across their youth programs highlighted by the incredible performances of the U18 Girls and U16 Boys teams. Both squads embodied the Cavaliers' ‘One Club, For All' spirit, proving that teamwork, perseverance, and heart can take a community club to the top levels of provincial competition.”

Iacovelli highlighted the rise of the Cavaliers U18 Girls team as one of the feel-good stories of the year.

“The U18 Girls team emerged as one of the Cavaliers' brightest success stories of 2025. Throughout the season, the team demonstrated outstanding cohesion, skill, and determination earning their way to the Provincial Championships in Kingston. Facing fierce competition from across Ontario, the Cavaliers showed grit and maturity well beyond their years, ultimately finishing 5th in the province.  This result represents not just a milestone for the team, but for the club as a whole. It marked the highest-ever provincial placement for the Cavaliers' U18 Girls and cemented their place among the top programs in Ontario. Their journey was defined by strong leadership on and off the field, smart game management, and a relentless commitment to each other.”

In addition to the U18 Girls success, Iacovelli foregrounded the silver-medal-winning U16 Boys team as the Cavaliers' best success story of 2025. 

He described the arduous journey taken by championship caliber squad: “The Cavaliers' U16 Boys capped off an extraordinary season with a silver medal at the London Provincial Championships. The squad displayed incredible depth, athleticism, and commitment, dominating much of their regular season before carrying that momentum into the provincial tournament. The road to the finals was not easy – it required resilience, teamwork, and the ability to perform under pressure. Every player contributed, and their ability to execute both offensively and defensively made them one of the most exciting teams to watch this year. Earning silver at the provincial level is a massive achievement, reflecting both the boys' talent and the coaching staff's focus on discipline, skill development, and mental toughness.”