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Written by Shaun & Krista Shepard
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What an amazing season the U19’s had this year! With an extremely hectic schedule, our young gents shined brightly. Between school, practice’s, and friendly and league games, they barely had a moment to themselves and showed true dedication and commitment.
To begin the season, the boys participated in a fundraiser to pay for their trip to New Mexico this last March. They played two games while they were there against local high school teams and won both games.
In April the team participated in the Rocky Mountain Classic Tournament hosted by Colorado Youth Rugby (Now, Rugby Colorado), and brought home the first place trophy.
As many of you know Rugby Colorado re-implemented a Two Tier Divisional structure, and the Glendale was placed in division 2 this year. Due to a lack of statistics because of the relatively short amount of time they have been in existence. Many players and supporters were a bit disappointed when they received the news. However, this will not be a problem next year because our Team finished the regular season undefeated! Their hard work paid off when they won the Round 1 playoffs, which promoted them to Division 1 and secured a seed in the Division 1 Playoffs against division 1 team, East High School (last year’s state champions) in the round two-playoff game.
Glendale Raptor U19’s, their coaches and supporters would like to congratulate East High School on a game well played. The final score East – 38, Glendale – 34 illustrates what a close game it was and we look forward to meeting on the field again next year.
The last appointment for the team for the season is the yearly team banquet and we look forward to reminiscing about the 2010 Rugby season and the accomplishments the team and the coaches achieved this year.
Rugby isn’t done for many of the players on the team though. The freshmen players will continue playing this summer in the upcoming Try League. Many of the older players will likely continue playing as well, in the Eastern Rockies RFU U19 & U17 Select Teams. |
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Written by Colorado Rugby Examiner - Rick Gustafson
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With Saturday’s Division I Quarterfinals completed, the brackets are set for the Rugby Colorado High School State Championships Semifinals. When play resumes at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park next Saturday, the four top seeded teams will be contenders for the State Championship.
In the battle of unbeatens, the defending 2009 State Champions, Denver East High School, defeated the Glendale Raptors 38-34. The Raptors, who were undefeated in Division II, moved into the Division I playoff brackets as the number eight seed by defeating Cherry Creek 63-7 in a Promotion/Relegation Playoff Wednesday.
Regis Jesuit High School fell to Chaparral High School’s Wolverines Blue 13-5. The Wolverines entered the Quarterfinals with a 4 -3 regular season record. The number four seeded Wolverines will meet Denver East next Saturday.
The 2009 state runner up, Aurora Saracens, also remained in the hunt for the 2010 State Championship by defeating Tigers Rugby Football Club by a score of 24-10, and a potential rematch of last year’s State
Championship could be in the making if both Denver East and Aurora emerge from the semis next week. Aurora will meet the Colorado Springs Grizzlies, who dominated SWARM Rugby 67-10 Saturday.
The Colorado Division I and Division II High School Rugby State Championship Tournament conclude with the State Championships at Englewood High School Thursday, May 13. |
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Written by Colorado Rugby Examiner - Rick Gustafson
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Colorado’s two unbeaten high school rugby sides will face each other when the Rugby Colorado Division I High School State Tournament begins at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park Saturday.
The Glendale Raptors, who were undefeated during their Division II regular season, earned Division I playoff berth as the eighth seed by defeating Cherry Creek High School 62-7 in the Promotion/Relegation Playoff Wednesday evening.
Glendale scored four trys (three converted) in the first half before Cherry Creek mounted a sustained attack and scored their only try (converted) of the match. An additional Raptors’ try gave Glendale a 33-7 lead at the half.
It was all Glendale in the second half, scoring four more times to win by a score of 63-7.
Glendale’s win not only moved them into the Division I Quarterfinal brackets, but also advanced them into the Rugby Colorado’s Division I schedule when the 2011 season begins next spring. The Raptors will face the 2009 Defending State Champions, Denver East, also 7-0, in the Quarterfinals.
Cherry Creek’s loss to the Raptors eliminated them from the Division I Playoffs, and they will join the Boulder Lions, who lost to SWARM Rugby 22-7 Wednesday, in the Division II Quarterfinals Saturday and in Division II play in 2011.
The Division I and Division II playoffs run concurrently and continue with the Semifinals on Saturday, May 8 at Dick’s. The Rugby Colorado High School State Championship is scheduled for Thursday May 13, at Englewood High School. |
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During rugby season, Saturday is game day at Infinity Park in Glendale, Colorado. However, on the off-season Saturday, January 23rd, the Raptors High School (U19) Rugby squad put their teamwork towards cleaning up 8 parks in and around the City of Glendale. Twenty-one players from Glendale’s U19 Rugby team along with coaches and parents put in an eight-hour day for a total of 200 community service hours.
The team collected more than 95 bags of trash during the eight-hour period. They cleaned up Mir park, Four Mile Park, Garland Park, Cook Park, Jacobs Park, Crestmore Park, City of Brest Park and, of course, the area surrounding Infinity Park. They also cleaned along the streets between Colorado and Holly from Mississippi to Alameda - including both banks of Cherry Creek as it winds it’s way through Glendale.
According to Team Manager Rick Schmitz the team’s community service day started four years ago. “Because we pull players from lots of different high schools we wanted to help them to get to know each other by working for a common cause off the field.”
Schmitz’s son, Josh, plays on the Glendale Raptor’s D1 team and is an assistant coach to the U19 Team. “We have players from a lot of different schools including South, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and Wheat Ridge. This project is a great way for them to serve shoulder to shoulder together as teammates.”
The Urban Village of Glendale doesn’t have a high school, but they do have Infinity Park, the only municipally owned rugby stadium in the country. Part of the impetus in building Infinity Park was an effort to give a fresh identity to this little town. That identity is largely based on the game of rugby, and youth development is a big part of Glendale Rugby’s game plan.
Rugby is the world’s second most popular sport. The growth of the sport in Colorado and throughout the United States might have something to do with the ethos built into the game. Rugby focuses on ethics both on and off the pitch where the game is played. Being a good citizen outside of the game is stressed to be as important as good sportsmanship during play.
Wheat Ridge High School Sophomore, Josh Brake, gets it. “This was a great way to give back to the community and it was a great way to get to know our team mates better.”
The Glendale Raptors U19 team is still looking for players. Spring season has started with practices Monday – Thursday, 4PM – 6PM at Infinity Park South. They are working to field teams at 3 levels: a Level 3 team, a Junior Varsity Team, and a Varsity Team. This will provide opportunity for players at any level of ability.
Contact Rick Schmitz at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
for more information.
About the Author
(ArticlesBase SC #1816373)
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ - Glendale Rugby Youth Cleans Up |
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Written by Colorado Rugby Examiner, Rick Gustafson
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Colorado Youth Rugby kicked off its 2010 boys high school rugby season Wednesday night with four league matches and two friendlies (scrimmages).
In Division I action, the defending 2009State Champions Denver East defeated Colorado Springs at the University of Denver.
East jumped to an early first half lead scoring two trys (converted) and a penalty kick to take a 17-7 lead into the break.
In the second half, Colorado Springs rallied to score eleven points and late in the second half had closed the margin to within two. Despite deep penetrations into East’s territory late in the game, Denver East held on to win by a score of 23-18.
In other Division I action, the Aurora Saracens defeated Regis Jesuit H.S. by a score of 12-10.
The third Division I game scheduled for Wednesday between Wolverine Blue and Cherry Creek was postponed and is tentatively rescheduled for April 17.
Two league matches were also played in High School Rugby’s Division II. Glendale defeated Wolverine Red by a score of 38-8, and Warrior Rugby Football Club fell to Ranch Rugby by a score of 31-17.
More info:
Throughout the world people play Rugby from grade school through adulthood.
Many players consider rugby a "life sport" because, unlike American football, they often continue to play in rugby long after they leave school by joining local men or women's clubs.
Senior clubs even have "Old Boys" teams composed of players who play well into their 50s and 60s.
High school rugby in Colorado is organized through Colorado Youth Rugby (CYR).
For more news and information about rugby and the men and women who play the sport visit USA Rugby.
Follow the Colorado rugby examiner on Facebookand Twitter. |
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