by Mark Smiley | Sep 17, 2014 | Glendale City News
Denver Public Works plans to close some lanes near Cherry Creek Mall at 7 p.m. on Saturday, September 20. The intersection of University Boulevard and 1st Avenue will be fully closed by 10 p.m. that night.
During the closure, crews will work to complete the storm sewer and street reconstruction projects.
“A full closure of the intersection will allow the work to be completed more quickly in one single phase instead of in multiple phases as originally planned,” DPW spokeswoman Nancy Kuhn wrote. “I think it will be less impactful than doing it in several phases.”
The intersection will reopen on Tuesday, September 23, by 7 a.m.
The University/Josephine improvement project began in January 2014. With the new plan, the project is now expected to be completed on November 1.
During the closure, access to homes, businesses and the mall will be maintained throughout the closure.
by Mark Smiley | Aug 29, 2014 | Glendale City News
by Marco Cummings
Writer for and on behalf of the City of Glendale
One of the biggest sporting events in Glendale in the month of August, if not the entire year, took place last month when Infinity Park hosted the Serevi RugbyTown Sevens international rugby tournament.
Needless to say, the event left its mark on the City of Glendale, as 17 teams from around the United States and the world convened to compete for the $10,000 prize awarded to the tournament’s winner along with a berth in the Bayley’s Fiji Coral Coast Sevens tournament, a rugby tournament hosted in the homeland of Serevi namesake Waisale Serevi, known as the “King of Sevens,”
“It’s truly an international event, people from all over the world are coming out,” commented Glendale Mayor Mike Dunafon, prior to the event.
This year’s competition came from locales as far away as England and the Caribbean, but prior to the tournament’s conclusion, Serevi was “keeping an eye on” the USA Falcons.
As it turns out, it was the Falcons that took home this year’s Serevi RugbyTown Sevens Cup Championship, defeating the Denver 7s All Stars 36-19 in the tournament final.
A familiar face helped guide the Falcons to the championship as former Raptors fly-half Valenese “Nese” Malifa made his return to Infinity Park.
“I don’t miss the altitude,” Malifa joked.
But what he did miss was the experience Infinity Park offered to thousands of rugby fans and teams from around the world over the three-day weekend of events.
“It’s a good show they put out here. It’s family,” Malifa said.
The Denver 7s All Stars also brought familiarity to this year’s SRS tournament. The team featured a mix of players including some from Glendale’s rival, the Denver Barbarians.
“It’s a great tournament, we can’t wait to come back next year,” Denver 7s and Barbos fullback Maximo De Achaval said.
“It is a community building sport. It is played all over the world, and now we’re being recognized for it,” Mayor Dunafon added.
Unfortunately, the tournament hosting Glendale Raptors were unable to bring home hardware in this year’s tournament, after making a finals
appearance last year alongside the USA Collegiate All-Americans.
After an undefeated start in pool play, injuries started to pile up for the Raptors, eventually losing 35-7 to the Northeast Olympic Development Academy in the SRS Plate Final.
“With the new/reserve players coming in, we broke the continuity and needed to build confidence but it was too late to try and do it in a final,” Raptors head coach Andre Snyman said. “The reserves played really well and I’m grateful for their attitude and commitment to help the team at such a short notice.”
In addition to the Cup and Plate Finals, hardware was also contested in the SRS Bowl and Shield Finals as well as a third place match.
In the third-place game, Austin, Texas, area club Negro y Azul, defeated the crowd favorite U.S. Army. Azul defeated the Raptors 28-21 on Day Two of the competition in the Cup Quarterfinals.
Army was defeated in the third place match, but put together a strong tournament, winning the Military Championship with a 26-15 defeat of Air Force on Day Two of the competition. It’s the second Military Championship in three appearances for Army, who has defeated Air Force both times.
Another fan favorite throughout the years has been the Royal Air Force Spitfires. The RAF entered SRS having won hardware in each of their previous tournaments in 2014, but fell short in RugbyTown with a 19-12 loss to 2013 SRS Cup Champions, the Collegiate All-Americans in the Bowl Final.
Nevertheless, the Spitfires were ever grateful for what has become a yearly trip across the pond to Glendale.
“It’s brilliant coming here, it’s our third trip here. We love the city,” remarked RAF coach Tim Barlow, adding, “The tournament has grown over the last three years, the standard has gotten higher, the teams are better and more ranging.”
Although this year’s competition was largely dominated by American competition, one dark horse from an exotic locale was able to bring home hardware.
After failing to record a win over the first two days of the tournament, Bermuda was able to put together two wins on Sunday, concluded by a 29-14 win over the U.S. Coast Guard in the Shield Final.
“We were delighted to play and be back again this year, it’s a big step forward for our development,” Veteran Bermuda scrum half Tom Healy said following the win.
The competitive action on the field was certainly a sight to behold, but what also made this year’s SRS tournament a rousing success were the weekend’s off-field events, which included a “Bruises and Brews” beer fest on Day Two of the competition and a “Taste of Glendale” on the final day of the competition.
“The participation of people locally is fantastic,” praised Mayor Dunafon. “Combine it with the beer festival and the Taste of Glendale it’s over the top. It’s really what this is all about, introducing Colorado to the sport of rugby.”
It’s another reason to check out next year’s edition of the Serevi RugbyTown Sevens tournament in addition to a chance to see the Glendale Raptors strive for another chance at glory.
“We can take a lot from this tournament and some of the younger players got a taste of what it’s like to play at the next level.” Coach Snyman said. “We look forward to regroup and get ready for next year’s tournament.”
by Mark Smiley | Aug 22, 2014 | Glendale City News
Company to perform natural gas line upgrade Aug. 26-28
Xcel Energy crews will be installing a major natural gas service line for a customer Aug. 26-28 in the Cherry Creek area; the project will impact traffic in the area as the company completes its work.
Xcel Energy will begin work for an underground boring operations beginning Aug. 26. On that day, the company will close one lane of eastbound traffic in the 2900 block of East First Avenue from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. MDT. On Aug. 27-28, the company will close two lanes of westbound traffic along the same street, also from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. MDT.
Motorists should expect significant congestion and delays during these lane closures. Alternative routes are suggested. Xcel Energy already has begun notifying local and commuter traffic in the area, through traffic message boards, of its work next week. On the day of the lane closures, barricades and traffic signs will be used to redirect traffic.
by Mark Smiley | Aug 1, 2014 | Glendale City News
by Marco Cummings
Writer for and on behalf of the City of Glendale
The summer weather isn’t the only thing heating up this time of year. The month of August also ushers in the heated competition of the Serevi RugbyTown Sevens (SRS) tournament, which will take place in Glendale on Aug. 15-17 at Infinity Park.
Rugby 7s is a faster paced version of the traditional 15-a-side rugby union, which is a sport that will debut at the Olympics at the Rio 2016 Games.
“It’s competitive, fast and skillful,” Glendale Raptors head coach Andre Snyman said of the competition. “We as a team like to play at this high level of competition, as it gives our players a great way to measure themselves against some of the best players out there.”
The Raptors will be participating as tournament hosts, having invited a variety of world-class rugby teams to RugbyTown, USA.
Glendale’s tournament offers high stakes. Seventeen teams from seven coun
tries (including three national teams) will be competing for the winner-take-all $10,000 purse as well as an automatic bid to the 2014 Bayleys Fiji Coral Coast Sevens, in the homeland of Serevi founder and rugby legend Waisale Serevi, the “King of 7s.”
In addition to the national and club teams, each branch of the United States armed forces will be fielding a side. Each military team is made up of active duty and reserve servicemen.
The United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard won’t be the only military presence at the SRS tournament. The Royal Air Force Spitfires will also make the trip from the U.K. This year marks the Spitfires’ third visit to the City of Glendale.
“Our best moments have to be the awesome welcome we get from the city and its residents every time we visit RugbyTown, USA,” remarked Royal Air Force manager Steven Mills. “The facilities and the commentary team are awesome too!”
Long travel times have not deterred many of this year’s entrants to the SRS tournament. Bermuda will endure over eight hours of travel time before training and competing at the Mile High altitude, where the team will make its second appearance at the Serevi RugbyTown Sevens.
Bermuda will be one of two Caribbean participants in this year’s edition of the Serevi RugbyTown Sevens. Team Bahamas will make its inaugural appearance at the SRS tournament.
However, the teams from England and the Caribbean may not be the most exotic, nor the most well-traveled in this year’s tournament. The Republic of Georgia Rugby Club Academia is also scheduled to make an appearance. Hailing from a country nestled in the Caucasus region, which marks the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, the Georgian team is comprised of 13 ruggers and four coaches and trainers, many of whom are involved with the Georgian National Team.
Of course, one needn’t leave the defending SRS Champions out of the conversation. The USA All-Americans will look to defend their 2013 crown by making a visit to this year’s tournament. The team is comprised of many of the best collegiate talent from across the United States. Despite only being founded in 2011, the All-Americans already have many accolades on their résumés.
In addition to last year’s SRS Championship, they were SRS plate winners in 2012 and champions of USA Rugby’s All Star 7’s Cup that same year.
The All-Americans are just one of multiple former SRS champions making a return to the tournament in 2014. The USA Falcons, 2012 winners of the Serevi RugbyTown Sevens Championship will also make an appearance at this year’s tournament.
The Falcons serve as the development team for the U.S. Eagles National Sevens Team and one of multiple teams in the SRS tournament that boast players in the USA Men’s Eagles Sevens National Team player pool (including the Raptors).
Another SRS team loaded with up and coming talent on its roster is the Northeast Olympic Development Academy. The Northeast Rugby ODA has been sanctioned by USA Rugby as the official Academy in the Northeast USA and a designated pathway to USA Eagles selection.
Rounding out the American teams is the Texas-based Negro y Azul. The “Black and Blue” were Serevi Invitational Plate Champions in 2013 and are hoping to add a Serevi RugbyTown Sevens Championship to their trophy case in Austin.
While the United States will certainly be well represented at SRS, the Americans’ neighbors north and south of the border will also have teams in the hunt.
The Lionheart Elite 7s out of Edmonton will represent the Canadians. The globetrotting team earned a championship on home soil at the Vancouver 7s tournament in 2012, but holds hardware from as far away as Dubai.
The Mexican National Team (Mexico Serpientes) will visit Glendale from south of the border. Formalized in 2003, the Mexican Federation of Rugby, B.C. (FMRU) is relatively new on the stage of world competition, but “Los Serpientes” are beginning to make noise. Most recently, Mexico’s U19 team finished as 2014 NACRA Cup Champions held during the third weekend of July.
In addition to the rugby action, Glendale will host a Bruises and Brews beer fest on Saturday, Aug. 16 and a Taste of Glendale on Sunday, Aug. 17. The beer fest will feature unlimited tastings from 20 local craft breweries and distilleries while the “Taste of Glendale” will offer meals and treats priced at $5 or less from a selection of local eateries.
So whether you’re a newcomer or an avid rugger, there’s sure to be something you’ll enjoy at this year’s Serevi RugbyTown Sevens.쇓
by Mark Smiley | Jun 20, 2014 | Glendale City News
by Michael Husson
Writer for and on behalf of the City of Glendale
Rugby 7s, the quicker variation of traditional 15-a-side rugby union, is on the fast track to popularity in the United States. Long enjoyed by the rest of the world, 24 nations compete annually in tournaments in nine countries in the HSBC Sevens World Series. The USA Sevens tournament in Las Vegas has grown to be the largest rugby event in North America, drawing more than 60,000 fans over three days in February. The debut of rugby 7s at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro should serve as the tipping point for the sport stateside.
Back in Glendale, Raptors Head Coach Andre Snyman, himself a former 7s star for his native South Africa’s national team, has already moved on from Glendale’s stinging one-point loss in the Pacific Rugby Premiership (the top U.S. rugby 15s competition) final in May, and is looking forward to the Raptors 7s summer tournament season. “We’re already practicing with the focus of finishing strong at all three qualifiers,” says Snyman. Glendale will compete regionally at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City on June 21, in Kansas City, Mo. on July 12, and in Omaha, Neb. on July 26. The top two clubs will move on to the national Men’s Club 7s Championship tournament Aug. 9 and 10, site to be determined.
Snyman joined the Glendale staff in 2011 in time to coach the 7s squad and has since assumed head coaching duties of the 15s side (PRP), in addition to a recent appointment as the USA Men’s Eagles Sevens defense coach.
7s rugby is played seven-a-side on the same size field as 15s (approximately 100 meters — or 109 yards — from goal-line to goal-line) in seven-minute halves (one-minute halftimes). Snyman knows, “You need to be very fit, fast and skilled. If you’re lacking any skill on offense or defense, you’ll stand out and the other team will take advantage of that.” The Raptors may play up to six matches in each regional qualifying tournament, making for a dramatic day of stops and starts, 15-minute bursts of energy followed by short periods of recovery.
Last year, the Raptors went into the third regional qualifier needing to come out on top to advance to the national championships in Pittsburgh. They ran off five straight wins, including three versus clubs who had beaten Glendale earlier in the season. The final was against crosstown rival the Denver Barbarians, also needing the win to advance. The Barbos squeaked by on a late try, 14-17, ending the Raptors’ club season but not their 7s summer.
Glendale has hosted August’s annual Serevi RugbyTown Sevens international invitational tournament since 2012, and the Raptors have fielded a team each year. In 2013, the Raptors went 2-1 in pool play, and beat the Northeast Rugby Union and French Armed Forces to advance to the Cup Final, but fell to the USA All-Americans collegiate all-star squad. It was, however, the top finish for a club team in SRS history and a jumping-off point for this season.
The 2014 Serevi RugbyTown Sevens, Aug. 15-17, promises to be the best yet. Seventeen teams from eight countries will be competing for the winner-take-all $10,000 purse, including four national teams looking to break onto rugby’s big stage. All five U.S. military branches will participate again, as will the 2012 champion USA Falcons, made up from the USA Men’s Eagles player pool, and the aforementioned USA All-Americans.
The Saturday beerfest will take place again this year. “Bruises and Brews” will feature unlimited tastings from 15 craft breweries (mostly local) and three Colorado distilleries, all adjacent to the rugby action for a perfect view with your perfect pour. This year, attendees may purchase larger pours in order to explore the stadium and enjoy the live music up close.
Friday will conclude Serevi’s youth camp in the morning and lead in to the tournament’s kickoff and a Friday Afternoon Club with discounted admission before 3 p.m.
Sunday debuts “A Taste of Glendale,” where more than 10 local eateries will offer meals priced at $5 or less. Diners will be able to enjoy the tournament’s playoffs from the Festival Plaza overlooking the rugby pitch.
In addition to the cash prize, the Serevi RugbyTown Sevens champion will receive an automatic bid to the 2014 Bayleys Fiji Coral Coast Sevens, in the homeland of Serevi founder and rugby legend Waisale Serevi, the “King of 7s.”
Rugby 7s, a variation of the game invented more than 100 years ago, appears tailor-made for the modern sports fan’s tastes. From New Zealand to Hong Kong, the newest Olympic sport has never been hotter, and Glendale and the entire Denver metro area are in for a treat this summer as the Raptors pursue a national championship, and national recognition in the three-day celebration known as the Serevi RugbyTown Sevens.
by Valley Gadfly | May 27, 2014 | Glendale City News
by Glen Richardson
When the Glendale Raptors and San Francisco Golden Gate went toe to toe in the deciding clash of the inaugural Pacific Rugby Premiership season at Infinity Park May 17, it produced a match the likes of which even the best script writers couldn’t conjure up. Accompanying incredibly good rugby was a stack of subplots together with a controversial referee call that kept the huge crowd on the edge of their seats until
the final whistle.
There have been some monumental rugby games here — the Collegiate All-Stars, two Churchill Cups, and the North American Four among others — but none that have created more excitement and drama highlighted by bruising hits and jaw dropping tries. There were five lead changes during the 80-minute contest, but despite an up-and-under try by Glendale Center Chad London in the waning minutes, the Raptors came up one point short, 39-38.
Making the game all the more remarkable is that the Raptors were ranked at the bottom of the Pacific League’s power rankings at the start of the season. Going into the playoff, however, the Raptors were ranked number one with an 11-1 record, two games ahead of San Francisco. In their previous match-ups during the season they were tied with a win apiece.
Seesaw Action Game
Despite San Francisco’s early domination, Glendale moved surreptitiously back into the game with two quick bang-bang scores due to Golden Gate penalties. Fullback Dustin Croy scored first compliments of convincing decoy runs from Centers Landon and Justin Pauga. Then Pauga scored again after bouncing off a Golden Gate player at the try line and the Raptors had erased SF’s lead. Just as San Francisco threatened to score again, flanker Spencer Scott poached the ball and passed off to wing Bret Willis who scampered down field to score. With the conversion good, Glendale had a 24-15 halftime lead.
A nifty scramble by Golden Gate had them within inches of the try line to open the second period. On the next play San Francisco scored but the conversion was missed leaving the Raptors up 24-20. A penalty on the Raptors followed by big SF runs plus an easy conversion put them up 27-24. Kicking the restart deep Golden Gate cleared its lines with a boot. Glendale’s Croy committed two defenders and passed to Preston Bryant who moved downfield and passed to London. Following broken tackles and a ruck, Scot took the ball untouched for anther Glendale score. Graham converted and the Raptors were back on top 31-27 with 30 minutes remaining. Golden Gate hit back within minutes with a quick try to get revenge and back into the game. The conversion was missed, but they had reclaimed the lead 32-31.
Just as quickly Glendale’s Croy dotted down in touch. Believing Glendale had gone ahead for good, players and fans went delirious with excitement. After watching two video reviews, however, the points were wiped off the scoreboard as referees ruled that while Croy did dot down, he was touched before he could do so. With five minutes to go Glendale was caught playing the ball in a ruck. SF kicked the penalty to the corner and took a lineout. With a short plunge and conversion they were up 39-31. Down eight points with less than five minutes to play, Mike Graham chipped a kick over the defense and reserve wing Max Statler gathered the ball and passed to London who raced in for a Glendale score. With a penalty following the kickoff, the Raptors kicked for a lineout inside SF’s 22. Glendale won the set piece but Graham opted to grubber down one point and San Francisco scooped up the ball and kicked it to touch to end the game.
