CELEBRATE THE FOURTH
One PM this Saturday should find you in front of a television. The USA Eagles will be playing Canada in a World Cup qualifier on ESPN.
Not ESPNx, but thirty-year old, garden variety, throwback ESPN. You can probably pick this up on the TV in the waiting room at the bus station.
Gather some friends around to introduce them to our game, between the softball and the swimming pool. And sing along with the national anthem - we have a lot to celebrate.
THE SUMMER GAME
Palo Alto:
The Palo Alto Summer Sevens was played on two pitches with eighteen teams in attendance. It was almost a hundred degrees, but that didn’t stop a dozen Pelicans from flocking.
The tournament was mostly high school teams, two of which had three sides entered.
We would expect July 11 to be better-attended as the senior sides prepare for the regionals and nationals.
Here’s the Sevens calendar:
July 11 – Palo Alto
July 25 – Palo Alto
August 1 – Pacific Coast qualifier in Flagstaff, Ariz.
August 8 – Reno
August 15 – USA men’s club finals at Rocca Field, and the women’s club finals also on Treasure Island
FogFest:
Four referees worked this event.
Red 8 – GRAY 36 Referee: Craig Lusiani
BLUE 17 – Red 12 Referee: Roberto Santiago
This one went back and forth. With each team scoring a converted try in the first half Blue scored just before the mid-game whistle for 12-7 lead. Red tied it at 26:00 but Blue sealed the deal scoring another try at 35:00.
ORANGE 22 – Blue 14 Ref: Santiago
Orange scored three tries in the first half and led this one 15-14 at the break. This represented a good effort by Orange who had played in the previous match while Blue had had a break after playing in the first match of the tournament. At the half the Orange captain requested uncontested scrums due to safety concerns from their inexperienced front row. Things see-sawed back and forth until Orange scored and converted a try at 29:00.
Far NorCal Sevens:
Far NorCal Sevens and NorCal OBs versus Nevada OBs, in Dunsmuir
No report received.
Classics Games:
Seconds: USA 14 – Canada 14 Referee: Phil Akroyd
This was the curtain raiser, played at 3pm before the A side game at 4.30pm at Rocca Field. Great weather – sunny, dry, around the high 70s with a light breeze.
The older guys liked to play this game on the floor, so once a yellow card was given to the Canada loose-head prop for the team’s third ruck offence in a row, the game opened up a little.
The USA took the lead into half time by 7 to 0, and scored again shortly after the break to take a lead of two converted tries to none. However, the visitors continued to play well and came back at the end to score two of their own tries and convert both of them.
Neither team could find it within themselves to score in the final seven minutes, so it looks like I’ll be getting the beers at the next Pelican event.
US of A 5 – CANADA 35 Referee: Paul Bretz
The game was close at the half, and even halfway through the second half. Ah, well.
THIS WEEK’S PHOTO
Halftime of the Classics game finds Roberto Santiago, Phil Akroyd and Paul Bretz all smiles.
HAIL, PELICUS!
For the Senate
Pelicus Scriptoris
