Hersey grad Krueger drafted by Major League Rugby

Hersey High School graduate Spencer Krueger was drafted last Saturday in the second round of the first Major League Rugby draft by the New England Free Jacks franchise.

Spencer, who graduated from Hersey in 2016, is a former captain for the local Arlington Rugby Stallions team directed by Paul Bergman.

At Hersey, Krueger was a 6-foot-1 235-pound offensive and defensive lineman when he played for coach Joe Pardun and he was also a varsity wrestler, honors student and volunteer.

He was a captain and Pardun called him one of the hardest-working and most respected players on the team.

A second Chicago area player, Andrew Guerra, who played football at Mount Carmel High School (class of 2016), was drafted in the first round with the tenth pick by the New Orleans Gold franchise.

Krueger and Guerra both played rugby and football in high school but decided to stay with rugby in college.

Krueger was a captain for the rugby team at Ohio State where he studied in the Fisher School of Business.

MLR is a professional rugby league competing in 12 North American cities. The league played its first season in 2017.

Stallions head coach Bergman believes Krueger and Guerra have bright professional futures.

"These two really have it all, physical skills, work ethic and leadership exhibited through action," he said. "And we've all seen that in both of them since they were youngsters."