2006 Archive

Index

12/12/2006 Spring Fixtures Announced

11/27/2006 Highlanders Rep-re-sent at Territorials
11/08/2006 Get Highlander Gear and Accessories for the Holidays
11/02/2006 Nuggets Ticket Fund Raiser

10/30/2006 Highlanders Remain Undefeated at D-I Winter Break
10/24/2006 Highlanders Rope GOATS
10/17/2006 Highlanders Burn Aspen
10/11/2006 Lewis and Clark Revisited
10/10/2006 Highlanders Victorious in D-I Season Opener
10/02/2006 Like Kissing Your Sister...

09/27/2006 Ruggerfest and DU Match Reports
09/26/2006 Barbos Week
09/10/2006 Highlanders Thrash Barbos in Season Opener
09/07/2006 Captain, My Captain

08/24/2006 Highlanders to Invade Northglenn
08/14/2006 Highlanders Repeat as Summer 7s Champs
08/14/2006 The Envelope Please...
08/08/2006 Sevens Finals

07/31/2006 Fall Training Begins
07/26/2006 Summer 7's Winding Down
07/19/2006 Leapin' Lizzard
07/17/2006 Ruck and Runs (Summer Headlines)

05/23/2006 Official Match Reports from the Sweet 16
05/11/2006 Highlanders Blank Ft. Collins in Sweet Sixteen Tune-up
05/04/2006 2006 Highlanders Banquet
05/02/2006 Highlanders Take Second at Westerns

04/29/2006 Highlanders Win 1st Round Match at Westerns
04/24/2006 6th Annual All-Comers Tournament
04/22/2006 Highlanders Thump Barbos
04/15/2006 Highlanders Run Out of Wind Against Air Force
04/08/2006 Highlanders Hold Off 'Varks in 33-26 Win
04/06/2006 Highlanders Narrowly Escape With Win Over Boulder

03/28/2006 Highlanders Defeat Queen City but Fall Short to CSU
03/27/2006 Playoff Bound!
03/12/2006 Highlanders Fall to Bombers in a "Squeaker"
03/06/2006 Highlanders Victorious in Season Opener

01/23/2006 AGM Follow Up
01/28/2006 Now Hear This
01/09/2006 Pre-Season Training at Velocity Sports Performance Center
01/03/2006 Highlander Annual General Meeting Set for January 19th

2004 Archives
2005 Archives

Spring Fixtures Announced

12/12/2006
The spring match schedule is as follows:

2/10 - St. Valentine's Day Massacre - Breckenridge CO
2/24 - Life Tournament - Atlanta GA
3/3 - Barbos A & B (away)
3/10 - Wyoming A & B
3/17 - Aspen (league)
3/24 - Harlequins A & B (away)
3/31 - Kansas City Blues A & B
4/7 - Albuquerque (away)
4/14 - Air Force A & B
4/21 - B's vs. DU (away)
4/28 - Westerns - Dallas TX
5/5 - Off
5/12 - Sweet 16 - Columbia SC

More details regarding match venues and times will be posted on the calendar as they become available.

Highlanders Rep-re-sent at Territorials

11/27/2006
Highlander head coach Steve Lewis will perform his duties as Head Coach of the Western RFU's Mustangs December 1 - 4 at the US Territorial All-Stars Championships in Orlando, Fl. Though this marks Lewis' inaugural at the Western helm, it will not be an unfamiliar roster as Highlanders Scott Bredehoeft, Ryan Diehl, Tim Guerra, Jeremy Wineland, and Lief Gibson all vie for a spot on the Eagles World Cup squad for 2007. Also, Highlander winger, Andy McQuade played fullback for the US Air Force side that beat the Marine Corps 36 - 3, and captured the US Armed Forces Rugby championship for the third consecutive year on November 10.

Well done men, thanks for representing our club at such high levels.

Get Highlander Gear and Accessories for the Holidays

11/08/2006
Announcing the grand opening of the new Denver Highlanders Store on Cafe Press.

Just in time for the holidays, the Denver Highlanders will be introducing a whole new line of gifts and apparel for your friends, family, and even your pets. Carolyn, the incredibly tolerant wife of Matt Mains, has been kind enough to set this up through a website called Cafe Press. They take care of all of the ordering, shipping, etc so you know it will be done right and the Highlanders make a small profit on each item sold. However, I think you'll find that the prices are great. The main focus of this venture is not necessarily to make money as much as it is to provide our families and fans with merchandise that can be quickly and easily ordered. So send it out to everyone you know.

The team store, run currently by Dragon, will still stay stocked with items. We want players to still buy items such as player track suits, Hoodies, and polos through that store so we stay consistent and look like a team. Plus the team store items will be a little more specialized and readily available and games, events, etc.

So take a look at the store and start your Christmas, Kwanzaa, or Chanukah shopping now. Click here and shop til you drop.

Special thanks go to Carolyn for setting this up.

Nuggets Ticket Fund Raiser Update

11/02/2006
The club's auction of Denver Nuggets season tickets was completed yesterday. The tickets were sold for a price of $900, netting a cool profit of 4 bills for the club's operating fund. A definite bargain for the winner, but easy money for the club nonetheless. Thanks go to the Old Hole for providing us with the tickets at such a deep discount, and to Clinton for managing this fund-raiser.

Highlanders Remain Undefeated at D-I Winter Break

10/30/2006
The Denver Highlanders welcomed local rivals Boulder on a classic Colorado afternoon, snow on the field but temperatures in the low 70’s.

With Boulder undergoing a season of rebuilding and the Highlanders enjoying their best season in years, a home win was in the cards but a committed and fired-up Boulder came out of the gates fast and dominated early on, outrucking their opponents and forcing the pace. Against the run of play, however, Highlander wing Ryan Diehl intercepted for a 60 meter scamper up the left flank and a 7-0 lead. Boulder came roaring back and successive rucks saw them score in the right-hand corner to even the game 7-7. After 15 minutes a front-row dust-up saw one Boulder prop in the bin and a Highlander prop red-carded, leaving the home side to work a man short for the rest of the day. A Gibson penalty saw the Highlanders go in at the half 10-7 up.

Despite the numerical handicap the Highlanders went on to add 28 points before Boulder responded with an injury-time try for a final score of 38-14. Further Highlander tries were added by center Patrick Stoter(2) and winger Diehl (2) who completed the game with a hat-trick, two of which were long-distance interceptions. Former skipper Clinton Camp had a productive game as did hooker Jeremy Wineland who made two of the tries with bone-jarring hits. Leif Gibson also had a fine game against his former club and the Highlanders remain top of the West D1 at the mid-season break.

“Obviously, losing a prop that early disrupted our plans but the players responded well to post such a convincing win while short-handed”, said Highlander coach Steve Lewis.

Highlanders Rope GOATS

10/24/2006
The Denver Highlanders continued their winning ways with a workmanlike victory over the Goats in Omaha on Saturday. Travelling at strength with almost a full B side, the Highlanders started strong and early pressure led to a try from veteran full-back Bredehoeft who scored under the posts untouched. Gibson converted for a 7-0 lead. Further Highlander pressure saw a cleverly delayed chip by Gibson tapped back into play from behind the dead-ball line, in a NFL style special-teams play, by winger Ryan Diehl which Stoter touched down. Diehl, an All-American from Temple, had his best senior game thus far and made one more for Stoter before touching down himself . A Gibson penalty made for a 27-3 Highlander half-time lead.

The second half saw the temperature dip and flurries of snow but the Goats came back to win the second 8-7 for a final score of 34-11 Highlanders. For the Goats, feisty center Galen Helton and flanker Phil Lee had combative games while the Highlander effort saw some tremendous tackling by the Wineland brothers and incisive running by Diehl. Highlanders now lead the Western Northern Division and remain undefeated before facing Boulder next week. While Highlander Coach Steve Lewis was content with another road win, he noted that “we are still some way short of playing our best rugby.”

Highlanders Burn Aspen

10/17/2006
The Denver Highlanders welcomed Aspen for a friendly on Saturday and ran out comfortable winners 35-12.

Both sides were missing regulars with both Aspen’s props calling off on the morning of the match and Highlanders choosing to rest a few starters prior to this weekend’s trip to Nebraska on league business. As expected the Highlanders dominated the set-pieces and won boatloads of possession, jumping out to an early 12-0 lead with multiple phase ball recycled wide for good scores by McQuade and Bredehoeft.

However, over-enthusiasm led to over-elaboration and some choice ball being wasted. Denver scored two more tries but with Aspen staging a mini-revival the half-time score was 25-7. The second half was a lackluster affair with both sides scoring once for the final of 35-12. The Highlanders travel to Omaha next week while Aspen have the weekend off.

Nuggets Season Tickets Auction/Fundraiser

10/17/2006
The team recently acquired a set of 2 season tickets to the Denver Nuggets through Tom at the Old Hole for $500. The face value for each ticket is $21, making the retail value for the set $1,722. Selling them at that price would net a nifty $1,222 profit for the club.

For the next 48 hours, we will be holding an internal "auction" for our club members and allagadoos only. The bidding will start at a minimum reserve price of $1,722. If no one from the team is interested in purchasing them we will then begin a public auction on eBay or Craigslist. Remember, all proceeds over $500 will go straight to the team as profit, so this really will be an excellent fund raising opportunity for the club.

Also, Tom and Tim Gibson have the seats next to these, so the winning bidder has really good odds of getting upgraded to the Budweiser box if Tim and or Tom are in attendance.

The seats are in section 350, row 8, seats 9 & 10. If you are interested in bidding for these tickets, please contact Clinton ASAP.

Lewis and Clark Revisited

10/11/2006
You will all be heartened to learn that Highlander alums Craig "Nelson Mandela" Tarr and your ever-lovin' webhead, Mike "Crocodile" Prilliman, have successfully returned from a brief fly-fishing expedition to Montana without managing to lose any of their fingers (our collective brain cell count may have been dramatically reduced however, as the post-angling rituals among the indiginous fishing tribes of Montana proved to be quite arduous). Our intrepid adventurers were hosted in a most accommodating manner by former Highlander backrower-turned-outdoorsman, Greg Smith, and his fellow 4 Rivers Fishing Company/Jefferson River Campground cohorts, Frankie ("Someone's gonna lose a finger"), Elizabeth ("You guys are a lot more fun than Greg's other rugby buddies" - i.e. various and sundry ex-Barbos), and Narissa ("Please don't call me Mrs. Smith"). Rounding out the party were two other members of the notorious Prilliman clan, Big Daddy (a.k.a. "Montana Mel") and brother Keith ("The Happy 'Horn").

Upon our arrival in Twin Bridges, MT, the foursome was instantly christened as a group of "Fish hat wearin', Lear jet flyin', mother fu*kers" by the spirited, but unofficial greeter at the Blue Anchor Bar only known as Tina from Ennis. Tina's presence in the tavern was short-lived however, as she had some trouble maintaining a civil demeanor after polishing off what appeared to be about 5 fingers of Crown Royal, and then having her comments regarding the attractiveness of the bartender's boobs and butt met with an offer to step outside for further discussion. Tina's whereabouts remain unknown at this time, but the moniker she gave us stuck for the remainder of the trip.

The gang of FHWLJFMF's and their two guides proceeded to spend the next three days in fly-fishing heaven as they floated the Jefferson and Big Hole Rivers in hot pursuit of anything with fins. The weather, scenery, and wildlife viewing were simply awesome, and Greg and Frankie guided us to spots where the fishing was absolutely fantastic.

The first two fishing outings ended at a place called the 2-Bit Saloon in Whitehall, where numerous adult beverages were consumed, lies told, and new friendships formed. Someone let it slip that this trip was planned as a surprise celebration for Montana Mel's 70th birthday, but lacking anything resembling a birthday cake, the extremely obliging staff at the 2-Bit presented him with dual shots of flaming rum for his celebratory indulgence (followed by some jello shots and something called a "Juicy Pussy"). 

The group enjoyed a carniverous feast at Greg's ranch house on Saturday night that consisted of awesome 1 1/2" thick rib-eyes, a buffalo tenderloin and a beef loin, with mashed 'taters, gravy, and green salad. Apparently Montana Mel's birthday party and feast was not providing enough amusement for Mr. Tarr, so he and Frankie departed the ranch in search of more lively entertainment later in the evening. His whereabouts remained unknown until the wee hours of the morning when he slipped back into the cabin in a feeble attempt to catch some quick Z's prior to Sunday's fishing expedition. "Nelson" started the day a little green around the gills, much like a cutthroat trout, and definitely seemed to be having a few gastronomical issues with Smilin' Keith's decision to wolf down a couple of deviled eggs for lunch. But he rallied quickly, essentially because he could not find a place to lie down in the boat and had no choice but to continue fishing, and it became obvious that he had not taken enough to eat when he attempted to devour this rainbow trout sashimi-style a bit later in the day.

Sushi Time!

A great time was had by all despite our adventures driving back to Billings in the blizzard conditions that arrived early Monday morning, and saw us stuck near the top of Bozeman Pass as we waited for the highway folks to clear up a jack-knifed semi. We made it to the airport with an hour to spare in spite of the weather, and the entire crew was smiling in their sleep as they dozed on the plane back to Denver and dreamt of the big ones that got away - and those that didn't.

I was somewhat disappointed to discover that our group was the first batch of Highlanders to ever take advantage of Greg's fishing operation though. We need to do something about that in the future so that he doesn't have to hear his rugby news from the mouths of Barbos, and be there to back him up the next time someone like Jim Bob takes it into his head that it is okay to throw Greg's Highlander gear into the Madison river when he isn't looking. So the next time you get an itch to fish, give a shout to Greg and the folks at the 4 Rivers Fishing Company, they will definitely hook you up. You can reach Greg directly at 406-684-5225 or e-mail him at greg@4riversmontana.com (his contact info can also be found on the Highlander Yellow Pages).

Highlanders Victorious in D-I Season Opener

10/10/2006
The Denver Highlanders opened their 2006-7 Division 1 campaign in Missouri with a hard-fought, come-from-behind 30-15 victory against hosts Kansas City RFC.

Having warmed up with creditable results against Super League opponents K.C Blues, an 18-14 win, and a tense 13-13 draw with cross-town rivals the Barbarians, the Highlanders approached the game with confidence having made some additions to their squad in the off-season, notable pivot Leif Gibson from Boulder.

Unseasonably warm temperatures added to the hot reception the Highlanders received from the kick-off with K.C’s forwards dominating the first half hour and out-muscling their opponents for a 15-3 lead. However, with the KC fullback in the sin bin, the Highlanders clawed their way back into the game with a Gibson penalty, a McQuade try and Gibson conversion made for a 15-13 halftime scoreline.

A further penalty saw Denver edge ahead 16-15 and as the game opened up, Denver added two converted tries by Nelson and Clancy for a final of 30-15. “All credit to a fired-up, physical K.C side, they had their foot on our throat at the half-hour mark but we showed admirable character to rally for 27 unanswered points on the road”, said Highlander coach Steve Lewis.

Previous results in this Western RFU, Northern Division saw Kansas City defeat the GOATS from Omaha 35-15, and Aspen dominate Boulder 55-14. Next up, the Highlanders welcome Aspen to the Mile High City for a friendly followed by league matches in Omaha and home to Boulder.

Like Kissing Your Sister...

10/02/2006
...your big, ugly, green socks wearin' sister.

Although the Highlanders dominated every phase of the game in Saturday's match against the Barbos, their hopes for a second consecutive victory over a Super League opponent were crushed when a long try allowed the not-so-super Barbarians to draw even at 13's during the 8th minute of injury time in the extended second half. As devastating as this was, the Highlanders charged back down the pitch on the ensuing kickoff and managed to earn one last opportunity at gaining the victory when they were awarded a penalty from about 40 meters out. The penalty attempt was well-struck, but unfortunately sailed just a skosh to the right and was immediately followed by the final whistle.

The boys were tremendously disappointed in letting a match that had been in their control for the entire day slip just out of their grasp at the end, and were understandably in no mood to entertain conversations about "moral victories." But the heart and fight they exhibited throughout the day demonstrated that the Highlanders are definitely a side not to be taken lightly, regardless of the supposed stature of the opposition. The boys are now 1-0-1 against Super League teams in the past two weeks, and the Division I schedule begins this weekend in Kansas City with the squad looking to be at the top of their game. 

We all know that a tie is akin to kissing your sister, so please let us join you in a heartfelt "P'tooie!" as you spit out the bitter taste of this draw in a match where there was no doubt determining the better club on the pitch. Well done lads, and good luck this weekend in KC!

Ruggerfest and DU Match Report

by Steve (Pearls needs to adjust his junk-mail filters) Lewis

09/27/2006
Ruggerfest:

The Highlanders returned to Aspen after a decade-long absence but excitement was cut short with the news that we were drawn to play at 8am and 11am in the toughest group which featured Elite 8 finisher Park City Haggis and Super League side Kansas City Blues.

Haggis fielded a physical-looking side who proceeded to demonstrate their new-found reputation with straight running and good hands despite the poor (cold and sleet) conditions. The Highlanders were competitive but two soft scores and some drastic re-jigging of the starting line-up for a variety of reasons saw Haggis triumph 25-8.

The second game saw the Highlanders pitted against K.C Blues in what would be an epic performance. Leading 13-7 after a Jeff Wineland try, a conversion and penalty by Brad Nelson and a drop goal from veteran Mark Mayfield, the Highlanders had to survive what seemed like a 15 minute goal-line stand with some heroic defence in which Brian Trautwein, in particular, excelled with strong support from his skipper, Jeff Wineland and Matt Mains. However, the line was finally breached for a 13-12 with the KC kicker facing what was a tricky attempt, which he goaled for a 14-13 lead. One minute to go and expectations were that a deflated Highlanders side were done for. But in as thrilling a finish as anyone could want and in a supreme test of character, a sublime Nelson break led to good hands from Patrick Stoter freeing the unlikely hero, Mayfield to score in the corner for 18-14 and a famous victory.

Sunday saw the Highlanders starting the bench and a supremely unexciting 40 minutes saw a 14-5 defeat to Metropolis of Minnesota. A good time was had on and off the field with numerous court charges being filed with your humble scribe, not least how he ended up in a Chinese restaurant in Fairplay on Sunday night!

DU:

The week after Ruggerfest saw the Highlanders B side take on the scholars of DU at Wyco Park in Northglenn on the first weekend of Fall. Two early individual scores from the DU half-backs gave them the lead and it took the disjointed Highlanders some time to scratch out a 15-12 half-time lead.

With Aspen, Barbos and the Division I league program beckoning, some differing combinations were tried in the second-half included the debut of former Boulder pivot, Leif Gibson who had an authoritative start and the return of Shayne Kawana and the best timer of a pass all day in Chris McPhilips. A final score of 39-12 was acceptable enough.

Up next on Saturday, the A's take on the Barbos Super League side and the B's will be pitted against Glendale at Cook Park, let the games begin!

Barbos Week

by Scott (didn't we just play them?) Bredehoeft

09/26/2006
[Update] - The kickoff for the first match is at 2:30, not 1:00 as previously reported.

Well, after the boys thumped the Barbos "B" side 60-7 a few weeks ago, it is now time to face their Super League squad. Game is this Saturday, 2:30 at Cook Park. Please come on out and support the young ones. This is the final test before we hit league play in October and I'm sure the Barbos will be bringing all of their top players so it should be a hell of a game.

In case word has not been put out, we've been playing pretty well and only getting better:

1. Barbos B: Won 60-7
   
2. Ruggerfest:
   1. Lost to Park City Haggis (6th in the country last year) 23-8 (or something like that)
   2. Beat KC Blues Super League squad 18-17
   3. Lost to a team from Minnesota (but that was a Sunday morning game, so I don't count that one because they cheated by showing up sober, and we were -- well, let's just say the 'old school' Highlanders all would have been proud)
      
3. DU A vs Highlander B: 39-12 victory for the good guys.

Hope to see you out there. 2:30 Cook Park

Highlanders Thrash Barbos in Season Opener

by Steve (it's not my fault our webhead doesn't check his e-mail) Lewis

09/10/2006
The 2006-7 campaign opened in up in Northglenn against old foes the Denver Barbarians who deemed the Highlanders not suitable enough opposition for their Ruggerfest preparation, and consequently sent their B-side which plays provisionally in the ERRFU D2 league. After a 35-7 shellacking in the spring, the boys in green put up even less resistance this time and were humbled 60-7 in a game inexplicably cut short.

There was a slight drizzle to greet both teams but the game got off to an explosive start with Lesnansky’s clean catch driven fifteen yards by the Highlander pack before Jeremy Wineland bolted down the blind side for an early score to settle the nerves. The Highlanders were rampant from the ensuing kick-off and tries followed in quick succession, from Jon Taylor chasing a Guerra grubber, skipper Jeff Wineland up the middle, a well-worked Bredehoeft score and one for Mike Herskowitz after a good Stoter break. Nelson provided the garnish for a 34-0 half-time score.

Although play became increasingly scrappy, further tries were added by Herskowitz, Ellsaesser, Guerra and Stoter for a 60-7 rout. There were bright spots and mistakes aplenty as one would expect in a season opener, yet reassuringly the mood in the camp was one of guarded optimism given the strength of the opposition and what lies ahead.

On the injury front veteran full-back Scott Bredehoeft sustained a second-degree shoulder separation which will mean a 4 week absence. Up next, Park City Haggis at 8am on the man pitch in Aspen.

Our new staff photographer Jill McQuade has graciously posted her pictures from the match on the interweb thingy for us. Get over to www.printroom.com/pro/jillmcquade and check them out - prints are available for purchase.

Captain, My Captain

09/07/2006
The players have selected Jeff Wineland to serve as their captain for the upcoming season. Congratulations Jeff, well done.

In other news:

Reminder - There is a pre-game dinner scheduled for players this Friday evening at Bryan Ellsaesser's (unless it is raining) in preparation for Saturday's match against the Barbos at Wyco Park (see map below). Contact Bryan for details at (303) 908-1019.

The ruggerfest draw has been announced. The Highlanders have been bracketed with the Kansas City Blues and Haggis (Salt Lake City). The competition will be strong; Kansas City is a Super League squad and Haggis advanced to the Division I Elite 8 this past spring. This is a tough draw, but it is exactly the type of competition the team looks forward to these days. Good luck in Aspen boys.

A B-side match versus Glendale on September 30 has been added to the fall fixtures.

Highlanders to Invade Northglenn

08/24/2006
Due to drought restrictions imposed by the Denver Parks and Rec. Gestapo this fall, the Denver Highlanders have been forced to find greener pastures on which to display their talents for the upcoming fall season (so to speak).

Many thanks go to DHRFC alums Doc Sean Reif and Bernie Decker for their efforts in procuring Wyco Park in Northglenn as the Highlander's new home pitch for the 2006 fall season. Mayor Kathleen Novak and the city of Northglenn are pleased to welcome us to the North Side and promise the full support of the parks department and public relations staff (so we need to all be on our best behavior, mmmmKay?).

Wyco Park is located about 1/2 mile east of Washington St. between 112th and 120th Avenues in Northglenn. Here is a map of the area, just click on the image to enlarge the view.

Highlanders Repeat as Summer 7s Champs

By Scott (Tournament MVP and Duma Fan-boy) Bredehoeft

08/14/2006
The Highlanders successfully defended their 2005 Super Summer 7's Championship with three wins in the playoff tournament held last Friday at the Jake. Some of the details are a bit sketchy, but one must consider the source, and the current elation of said source after being named tournament MVP by the unanimous margin of all one vote cast by all one of the judges (the ballot did have to be recounted however, due to complaints over lighting conditions and some questions concerning the judge's ability to count all the way to one). Given that disclaimer, here are the details as Scotty recalls them (somewhat edited):

Game 1 - Quarterfinals vs. Metro State. We won 5 to 1. I scored the first try, Nick scored a beauty in the corner, I chased down my own kick for either the 4th or 5th try, missed a tackle to give them a score. I believe we were up 5-0 when they scored to make the final score 5-1. Not sure who else scored the other 2. [ed. Translation - "The other two tries were probably the most brilliant tries in the history of summer 7's, scored with such masterful demonstrations of teamwork and speed that it was impossible to tell which of the mighty Highlander's VII was last to touch the ball."]

Game 2 - Semi's vs. QC - they went up very quickly 3-0 which was the score at half. we made it 3-2 in the 1st 2 minutes of the 2nd half. Jeff Wineland gave up a penalty try on an early tackle (refs interpretation of the rule book game into question here because the QC guy did not have control of the ball, but clearly Jeff tackled him early to prevent the try. I dont know what the exact rule says, but I thought it was legit, however, 2 guys said after that without control of the ball, Jeff should have spent 5 minutes in the sin bin for a professional foul.) [ed. what he really meant was - "The aggressive goal-line defense of Jeff "The Unguided Missile" Wineland led to a questionable ruling that resulted in a QC penalty try."] Either way we were down 4-2 with 3 minutes left. We made it 4-3 with 2 minutes left and then we scored on the last play of regulation to tie the score. We won the toss thanks to Stoter's brilliantly played game of rock, paper, scissors and scored in the first 1.5 minutes of OT to make them cry [ed. overly insensitive to QC - I think what he meant to say here is that the boys extended the QC streak of futility against the Highlanders to about 25 games in a row].

Game 3 - Finals vs. School of Mines - They were a hard running group and it was getting dark. By the end of the game, it was basically full on nite time. We went up 2-0 after a pretty sketchy first couple of minutes. They scored a nice, hard try to make it 2-1. A Stoter and Bredehoeft miscommunication led to a lengthy 12 inch scoring drive by Mines after we dropped the ball just outside our own goal line. I did receive a very warm "Thank You" from the Mines guy who picked it up and ran all 1 foot to the zone. As it starting getting very dark, Stoter gave me a fantastic scissors play where I only had to run around one guy to go up 3-2. The final scrum came, we won, and instead of running into touch, we tried to score another one which led to an almost costly breakdown where the Mines guy picked it up, hit the corner and started towards the try line. A balls out effort by Jeff Wineland and Ryan Diehl led to him being caught 3 yards short and I just soccered the ball into touch to get the game over [ed. He forgot to mention that he accidentally sent the ball to touch while sissy-butting Stoter in the chest and saying bad things about his momma in his best imitation of the techniques he learned from French soccer legend Zinedine Zidane.]

This marks the second consecutive Summer 7's championship for the Highlanders in a tournament that we now own at least half of the hardware distributed in the 11 years this has been going on. Special thanks to Coach Craig Tarr for keeping the boys together all summer and running the show. Some top players were Quaker, Stoter, Timmy, Mike Zerr (shocker there, eh?) Jeff Wineland and Matt Mains. I won tourney MVP, but that was only a one man vote by Duma and I think he wanted a bit of "nudge, nudge lovin'" in return. [ed. Now he's just bragging] Well done by Ryan Diehl for this being only his 2nd or 3rd 7's experience. Props to Matt Stampfle for being at every one of the Wednesday nites. Duma and Clinton for running the show and of course, the Old Boys for showing up with just enough beer.

The Envelope Please...

08/14/2006
The Highlanders would like to congratulate the following winners in this year's raffle drawing.

1. 1st Prize (Denver Broncos Season Tickets): Shelley Lengieza
2. 2nd Prize (Telluride Ski Passes): Jessica Lincoln
3. 3rd Prize ($200 dinner + Limo): Somebody named Simpson from Cheyenne
4. 4th Prize (2 Broncos Tickets): Brett Hampton
5. 5th Prize (2 Avs Tickets): C. Magruder
6. 6th Prize (4 Rockies Tickets): Maria Shouse
7. 7th Prize (2 Mammoth Tickets): Dave Farmer
8. 8th Prize ($30 to North): Madelyn Dellere
9. 9th Prize ($30 to American Golf): Ashley Mikel
10. 10th Prize ($30 to Chipotle): Lee Mayfield
11. 11th Prize (Highlander Bag): Carla Gamet
12. 12th Prize (Highlander Hat): Dave Doessel
13. 13th Prize (Red Highlander Jersey): Mike Zerr

And thank you to everyone who bought or sold tickets for helping to support your Denver Highlanders.

PS - did we mention that we won the Super Summer 7's title again? Yup, I hear the QC boys are still cryin' too. Well done lads!

Sevens Finals This Friday, Raffle Drawing to Follow

08/08/2006
The Playoffs for the Super Summer Sevens will be held this Friday, August 11, at The Jake. The matches start at 6:00 PM, come cheer on the Highlanders as they defend their 2005 championship.
NOTE: There are no matches this Wednesday, Aug. 6.

An after tournament party will be held at the Old Hole immediately following the finals. The drawing for this year's DHRFC raffle will take place around 9:30 PM. All players and old boys that still have raffle tickets and/or money to turn in must do so prior to 7:00 PM on Friday. Please contact Craig Tarr to make arrangements as soon as possible if you are unable to make it to the games on Friday. You can reach Craig at 720.480.0941.

Fall Schedule Updated

Please note that there have been some recent changes to the fall schedule. Those of you who may have been planning a weekend in Breck on August 19, might want to have a look for rooms in the Crested Butte vicinity instead (hint). The Ba-Bas are now on the fixture's list for a September 30 match at Cook Park - so all us old farts will want to mark that date. We have also added some named opponents for the 9/23 and 10/14 B-side matches.

Training Begins Tuesday, August 1

07/31/2006
This week we are officially starting Rugby practice. That means everyone that is playing is expected to be there. Practices will be Tues and Thurs. from 6-8 at Garland Park for now. Get on the phones and get the word out to anyone new and old that is interested. It sounds like we are going to have a lot of great players out fighting for a spot on the field so if you want to play you better be at practice. Also try to get there on time so we can use our time wisely.

This Wed. are the finals for Summer 7's at The Jake Games will begin at 6 and I'm not sure what the schedule will be yet. If you're not playing, come out and cheer us on as we defend our Summer 7's championship.

And of course now that the season has started so has your responsibility to pay dues. Just a reminder it's $125 for returning players and $100 for new guys (this includes their CIPP). Most of you are CIPP'ed from last season however if you are not go to www.usarugby.org and get it done. Of course the easiest way to pay your dues is to simply go to the Membership page and pay through paypal. It's either $25/month, for 5 months or a lump sum and you can sign up and forget about.

See all of you on Tuesday,
Matt Mains

PS - Bring your raffle tickets and money to practice on Tuesday, this includes all unsold tickets.

Summer 7's Winding Down

07/26/2006
Tonight is the second to last night of Summer 7's. All players that are interested in playing in the playoffs next week need to make it tonight.

With the progress we have made the last few weeks there is no doubt in my mind we have a good chance of successfully defending our Summer 7's title.

Lets get numbers out there tonight so we can get organized early in preparation for the playoffs next week.

Please be ready to play at 6:00 pm.

PS - Also, please bring your $20 in 7's dues if you have not paid yet and get your sold raffle tickets and money to Dragon.

Thanks,
Craig Tarr

Leapin' Lizzard (yes with 2 'Zeds')

07/19/2006
Seems that our fearless leader has gone off and gotten himself some serious coaching cred...

[NOTE: This copyrighted article has been republished by permission of the fine folks at Goff on Rugby]
West All-Stars Select Lewis

July 18, 2006 – The West Rugby Union has announced that Denver Highlanders head coach Steve Lewis will take over as the Mustangs' senior all-star coach.

Lewis has been involved in all-star coaching at the club and collegiate levels and was selected by a five-person review and evaluation subcommittee composed of representatives of administration and coaching, with input from the current player pool.

Lewis takes over from the long-serving and successful team of Larry Naifeh, Ron Laszewski and John Wolf and will announce his support staff soon. Lewis has been hard at work with the Highlanders, leading them to a national Round of 16 appearance and generally instilling a tougher and more serious attitude throughout the club.

A former Highlander player, Lewis led the Eastern Rockies U19 team to the Rocky Mountain Classic championship in 2005.
---------------------------

Well done, Coach!

Ruck and Runs

07/17/2006
With apologies from your allagadoo of a web master for being a bit lax with keeping this place dust-free, here is a quick list of important headlines and announcements that I have been unable to keep up with in a timely fashion as a result of an extremely hectic early summer work and vacation "shedyule" (no whining).

PRACTICE TO RESUME ON TUESDAY, AUG 1.

This fall's match schedule has been posted over on the Calendar page. If that's not enough to shock you off your patio furniture then you had best head over to the Coaches Corner for a bit of extra encouragement from our fearless leader. Times and locations for trainings have yet to be determined, but now is definitely the time for you to start getting a head start on your fitness.

PRE-SEASON SKILLS SESSION FOR BACKS AND LOOSIES ON 7/20

Herr Bredehoeft and Company will be conducting another skills session for backs and loose forwards this Thursday at the Jake. The training session will begin around 6:00, Steve Lewis will be making a special appearance as head drill instructor for this week's run.

SELL MEL SELL

Matt Stampfle would like to remind you all that the deadline for raffle ticket sales is August 1st. If you haven't sold your allocated tickets by that time they will need to be turned in to Matt. He would also like to remind you that this is a huge fund raising opportunity for the club and it is vital that you get all of the tickets sold. The top seller amongst active players will be rewarded by having his dues waived for the fall season, so get out there and sell Mel sell!

SUMMER 7's

The Super Summer 7's action is getting HOT. Come support our defending champs, Wednesday evenings at the Jake.

Official Match Reports from the Sweet 16

by Steve "Do you mind if I dance with your date?" Lewis

05/23/2006

2006 Denver Highlanders - USARFU Sweet 16 Side

The Highlanders first ever trip to the Sweet 16 in Columbia, S. Carolina saw them land #3 seed the Boston Irish Wolfhounds in what promised to be a stern test. With a good warm-up and the heat building, the boys seemed ready to play and indeed competed gamely for the first twenty minutes, particularly in the set scrum which was a perceived Boston strength. Highlander hopes were dealt a harsh blow, however, when promising hooker Jeremy Wineland was lost for the weekend with a torn hamstring early on. Bryan Trautwein stepped up from flanker to deputise and performed heroically all weekend while out of position. As Boston developed some momentum, recycling the ball well, they began to expose positional weaknesses on the Highlander flanks where three tries were scored in quick succession. With the Highlanders starting to stand off the ball-carrier and the rucks, the half-time score of 26-0 to Boston looked ominous. However, a committed Highlander team fought their way back into the game and after repeated pressure and a quick tap from Tim Guerra, Mike Simpson squeezed in for a score to make it 26-5. The Highlanders then had their best spell of the game with Ryan Cuthers, Scott Bredehoeft and Zilla all held up over the line by excellent Boston defence. Boston added two more tries for a final scoreline of 40-5 which left the Highlanders beaten but unbowed.

Sunday morning saw different conditions with overnight rain and lightning delaying the kick-off. The opponents were Palmer Chiropractic College of Iowa who had lost 46-39 to Park City Haggis the previous day and entered the game as favorites. However, the Highlanders upset the form book by playing some of their best rugby of the year. An early break from #8 Cuthers set the tone and dominant scrummaging from the re-shaped front five promised much. But after Nelson missed a kickable penalty, Palmer broke against the run of play to score and lead 7-0. Once again, when the writing was on the wall, the Highlanders showed great character to rebound and a Nelson penalty was followed by a series of rucks on the Palmer line which John Rohner finished off in trademark style for an 8-7 lead. A Palmer flanker was then sin-binned after a late tackle on the industrious Guerra who was magnificent at the breakdown all game long and Nelson added three more for an 11-7 half-time lead. The second half was all Highlanders rucking straight and hard, consistently picking the right options. A textbook line-out drive of over 30 yards saw Brad Nelson stretching over the line for a try which he converted for 18-7. Once again Palmer notched one back for 18-14 and the game was back in the balance. A further Nelson penalty for 21-14 preceded what was the score of the game when Nelson delivered a perfect pass for the veteran Bredehoeft coming in at speed 45 yards out and proceeded to waltz round his opposite number for 28-14. Bredehoeft along with skipper Camp and #8 Cuthers all had a fine weekend, leading by example, particularly the full-back who was in some considerable pain. Further tries were added by the wily veteran Alex Agre who emerged from a line-out drive complete with ball in hand and knowing smile, and prop Matt Shafroth who capped a good season with a short-range breenge and a final scoreline of 40-14. Brad Nelson had yet another fine game with one exquisite left foot grubber to within inches of the Palmer line the highlight. A high-strung character, Nelson is a consummate footballer and has been a key man all year. A fine end to a fine season which has seen the Highlanders regain credibility and finish #10 in the nation.

Reminder - Alumni "Practice" on Thursday, 5/18

05/15/2006
Steve Z. would like to remind the old boys that "training" for the upcoming Alumni game will be held again this Thursday (5/18) at the Jake at 6 PM (or at the Hole about 6:05). Thanks.

Highlanders Lose in 1st Round of Sweet Sixteen, Followed by Win on Sunday

05/13/2006
The Highlanders dropped their first round match against the Boston Irish Wolfhounds in the USARFU Sweet Sixteen Tournament this morning in Columbia, S.C. The final score was 40 - 5, but roving reporter, Scotty Bredehoeft, claims that the game was much closer than the tally indicates. Lest we all forget, there are a whole bunch of other D-I rugby clubs that didn't even get invited to this dance, so congratulations are in order for the boys in black. Great season guys, and thanks from all us old 'Landers for restoring the club's rightful place in the upper tier of US club rugby.

Before coming home the Highlanders will be playing a consolation match against Palmer College tomorrow. Be sure to get your RSVP for the banquet next weekend turned in by the 17th (details below). We need to have a great alumni turn-out in order to properly congratulate the team on their terrific year, and possibly hoist a couple of cold ones in their honor. 

[SUNDAY]
The boys vented some of their frustration due to Saturday's loss by defeating Palmer Chiropractic College 40 - 14 in Sunday's consolation test. From all reports it was yet another dominating performance by the pack and just a well-played match in general. Nothing short of an outstanding finish to the season. Well done lads. See you all at the banquet.

Highlanders Blank Ft. Collins in Sweet Sixteen Tune-up

by Steve "Are you ready to rrrrrumble?" Lewis

05/11/2006
Fresh from going 1-1 in Texas, the Highlanders had a light week ahead of the visit of Fort Collins and the opportunity was taken for weary (or fragile) bodies to rest ahead of the club’s first ever trip to the Sweet 16 in S.Carolina. The Highlanders started well with a Nelson score from a Jeff Wineland foray and a line-out drive which Matt Mains touched down for a 14-0 lead. Nelson then scored a superb individual score from 45 yards out and added a penalty for 24-0. Defensive MVP Jeremy Wineland continues to feature on the scoresheet with a score from loose play for 29-0 until the key play of the game, when Brad Nelson, with three willing teammates lining up outside for a certain score, opted for a drop-goal which, mercifully for him, he made. 32-0 at the half and the Highlanders made a raft of changes. However, the fresh legs failed to spark a soporific second half which was marked by a team-wide lethargy interrupted only by Jeremy Wineland securing his brace with a score from a timely pass from the perennially late Tim Guerra. Another Brad Nelson penalty finished the scoring for the day at 42-0 against a Fort Collins team who competed gamely, their #8 (wearing 5) in particular having an effective game at one stage chasing down Dirk Simpson at the corner flag. Highlander Old Boy Turtle put it as well as anyone when he volunteered “the final whistle was met with a sigh of relief by all concerned.” Highlander MVP was new boy, the peripatetic Alex Johnson who played solidly all day. Next up, sterner stuff, the 2003 and 2004 National Champion Boston Irish Wolfhounds.

2006 Highlanders Banquet Set

05/04/2006
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Mark your calendars. The Highlander annual banquet is scheduled for May 20 at the Radisson Hotel Denver Southeast. The price is $40 per person and includes free Bud on draft, 2 drink tickets good for wine or well, dinner, tax, and plenty of free entertainment. An old boys vs. current players alumni match will also be held earlier in the day to kick things off. The menu will be as follows:

Main Course:
Chicken Scaloppini
Sauteed Medallions with Portabella Mushrooms, Capers and Marsala Wine Sauce

All dinners include salad, chef's accompaniments, dinner rolls and butter, dessert, coffee and tea service.

Cocktails start at 6pm
Dinner will be served at 8pm
Silent auction will be from 6-9pm with awards to follow

Hotel rooms are available for $65.00 per night:
Radisson Hotel Denver Southeast
3200 S. Parker Road
Aurora, CO 80014
303-695-1700

Please RSVP by May 17. Use the Paypal links below or send your payment to:
Highlander Banquet
P.O. Box 370076
Denver, CO 80237

Pay for your banquet tickets with PayPal

Singles ($40)

Couples ($80)

We could also use some volunteers to help coordinate the silent auction and awards. Please contact Clinton by email or at 720-838-8341 if you can help. 

Highlanders Take Second at Westerns

by Steve "Texans are the real funny-talkers" Lewis

05/02/2006
Wet and windy conditions welcomed the Highlanders to Fort Worth for their 9am kick-off against their Texas nemesis, the Woodlands RFC from Houston in the first game of the Western Championships 3-team round-robin. The Highlanders had traveled at almost full-strength, missing back-row Ryan Cuthers and center Brendan Clancy due to injury. From the outset Lesnansky stole the first two of the opposition’s lineouts and this was a facet of the game Denver were to dominate. With some astute play from both half-backs, the Denver men dominated the first half with Jeremy Wineland denied only by the corner flag. Excellent defense team-wide had shut the Woodlands down but it looked like a scoreless first-half until skipper Camp finished off good handling by the backs after a Bredehoeft intrusion from a set scrum and Nelson’s simple conversion made it 7-0 at the break. The second half started well with another Nelson penalty and the Highlanders continued to grow in confidence adding two more well-worked tries for Powell and Nelson, both from Bredehoeft assists for a 24-5 final scoreline. Unlike their Texan opponents, who often tried to move the ball wide despite the appalling conditions only to knock on or be knocked down, the Highlanders made all the right decisions to lay their Texas and playoff bogeys. A tremendous effort all-round.

Sunday could not have been more of a contrast with the ground bone-dry and the temperature at 90 prior to kick off against an Austin Blacks side who had demolished a dispirited Woodlands side 49-0. Confidence was high going into a match which would have brought the Western Championship home for the first time and a #9 seeding at the Sweet 16, to be held two weeks hence in S. Carolina. A good start was essential for the Highlanders but it was not to be with a charged down kick after 38 seconds leaving the boys 7-0 down with nary a breath taken. Austin put on a faultless display of rugby for the next fifteen minutes to build a 29-0 lead with their well-drilled pack dominating possession. With a blow-out threatening, veterans Bredehoeft and Camp combined off a rare loose kick to pull one back and a Nelson penalty took it to 29-10. The second half saw Austin continue to dominate for a deserved final score of 51-10 and a lesson in playoff rugby. For the Highlanders, there was spirit and character aplenty but occasional costly lapses in composure and elementary errors such as missed tackles and missed touch.

So the Highlanders go to Columbia, S.Carolina for the Sweet 16 for the first time, seeded #13 which sees them pitted against 2003 and 2004 National Champs, the Boston Irish Wolfhounds in what will be a tough test. However, this is a Highlander team on the rise, with 11 of Saturday’s starting fifteen 26 or younger and not a foreign accent to be heard.

Alumni "Practice" Set for Thursday, 5/4

05/01/2006
And by practice we mean a little touch run followed by adult beverages at th' Hole. "Training" for the upcoming Alumni game on the 20th will be at the Jake, say 6-ish? The organizers are trying to get a feel for what kind of numbers we might have, so remember this simple mathematical formula: More Old Boys = Less Running / Old Boy.

News Flash: Highlanders Win 1st Round Match at Westerns

04/29/2006
Roving reporter, and erstwhile fullback, Scott Bredehoeft called in this morning to report that our mighty Highlanders defeated The Woodlands by the score of 24-5 in their first round WRFU D-I playoff match. The forwards dominated their opposition on the soggy pitch in Ft. Worth. The boys get the rest of the day off before facing Austin tomorrow. A win against Austin will give the Highlanders the number 1 seed from the West in the USARFU Sweet Sixteen coming up in two weeks. Well done boys! Give 'em hell tomorrow.

[UPDATE]
Well, looks like the Austinians had their way with our lads on Sunday and delivered a 51-10 wakeup call to the Sweet Sixteen bound Highlanders. The boys will be facing the Boston Irish Wolfhounds in their first round action. Congrats!

D-I Sweet 16 Playoff Brackets
Las Vegas v. Baltimore-Chesapeake
Austin v. Life
Chicago Griffins v. Olympic Cub
Santa Monica v. New Haven
Boston Irish Wolfhounds v. Denver Highlanders
Palmer v. Haggis
Schuylkill River v. Atlanta Renegades
Woodlands v. Hayward

6th Annual All-Comers Tournament

04/24/2006

Brendan could still use some volunteers, so give the man a shout if you can help out.

Highlanders Thump Barbos

04/22/2006
Saturday, April 22 saw the arrival of long-time rivals, the Denver Barbarians to the Jake for what would be the final warm-up prior to the Western Final 3 in Dallas where the Highlanders will take on The Woodlands and Austin. Another beautiful spring day and a large crowd of old boys, family and friends were present to see how the boys would respond to the challenge. And respond they did, producing a committed all-round performance to post a dominating 32-7 win in what will be the last time the Highlanders play anyone’s B–side.

With Brad Nelson rested prior to Dallas, veteran Mark Mayfield started at #10 and delivered as good a performance by a Highlander pivot in many a year. Skipper Clinton Camp had been moved to the center to provide some offensive spark with the two Mikes, Herskowitz and Simpson seconded to wing duty. The game opened evenly with a larger, stronger Barbo pack looking to dominate and it was even-stevens for the first quarter with the Barbos sharper at the breakdown. Then came a piece of Mayfield magic when from a set scrum, he breezed through the Barbo backline which parted wider than the Red Sea for a score under the posts and a 7-0 lead. From here the Highlanders grew in confidence, the scrum was, for once, impressive, wheeling the men in green at will and the lineout was crisp with Taylor and Lesnansky dominating. The back-row of Wineland, Cruthers and Trautwein imposed themselves in the loose, with Trautwein, in particular, tackling hard and proving a real nuisance to the Barbos. The second score came from a fine period of phase play starting with good, fast hands from center Clancy, the inevitable Bredehoeft intrusion and Camp supplying the finishing touch for a fine score and a half-time lead of 14-0.

The second half saw the Highlanders step up a notch and add a dominating second 40 minutes for their best performance in some time. Half-backs Mayfield and Guerra consistently chose the right option, the forwards rucked harder and the backs ran straight in an impressive display of solid, boring, WINNING, rugby. A line-out take and drive resulted in a score for Trautwein for 19-0 and Mayfield converted an easy penalty for 22-0. Then came an opportunistic try for hooker Wineland who capped another impressive display with a 40 yard scamper down the home touchline after a loose Barbo kick. The Highlander scoring was completed when Scott Bredehoeft charged down an opponent’s kick and had the presence of mind to flick a sublime pass to Matt Mains who had come on for Cruthers. The final seconds unfortunately saw a Barbo score after no less than 5 consecutive penalties had been awarded in what was a slightly irritating finish to a superb team effort. Defensively, everyone stepped up to the plate, and if statman Happy Drew’s work is accurate, only seven tackles were missed all day. No surprise that hooker Jeremy Wineland registered more than twice as many tackles as his nearest challenger, Tim Guerra.

All in all, a great day to be a Highlander, sunshine, beer, food and a win over the Barbos. Who could ask for anything more?

Baaaa. Baaaa.

04/19/2006
Nope, no sheep here - just a reminder that the boys take on the Green Slime this weekend as they warm up for Westerns. The grill be hot and the beer cold. This Saturday, 1:00 at The Jake. Be there.

In other news...

Volunteers Needed for All Comers Tourney

The All Comers Tournament has been set for June 23-24. This is an extremely important event for the club both as a fund raiser and as a recruiting tool. Brendan Clancy is running the event this year and could use a few more volunteers. If you can spare some time to help with this worthy cause, please contact Brendan at 720.366.3135.

Highlanders Run Out of Wind Against Air Force

04/15/2006
The Highlanders set off for Colorado Springs for a joust with the Air Force Academy missing some key players up front including Zilla (wedding), Luke Lesnansky (coursework) and a revitalized Ryan Cruthers (moving). Conditions were less than ideal with a gale force wind blowing sideways across the park making passing and kicking a lottery and promising an uninspiring afternoon of rugby. Unfortunately we were not to be disappointed. As usual the Zoomies were fit, athletic and tackled hard but should have been comfortably beaten. The Highlander game plan was to pick and go, keep it tight and punish the inevitable errors. Somewhere along the way, the script was misplaced and two Highlander attempts to move the ball wide ended in Air Force scores. Rucking was spotty, scrimmaging was again inconsistent and a real weakness. Jeremy Wineland had another fine game returning from suspension and was one of the few Highlander forwards who showed any appetite for the game. He was rewarded with two tries and set a good example which only his brother Jeff, Clinton Camp and the consistent Jon Taylor responded to. Brad Nelson had switched to full-back with an abdominal strain and veteran Scott Bredehoeft again got on the scoresheet after a quick tap from Camp. Then came the one sublime moment of the day when after a speculative kick, winger Logan Shepardson made a fine tackle and the ensuing loose ball was back-flicked delightfully by Brad Nelson straight into the gut of the onrushing Jeff Wineland who scored under the posts. 28-21 with five minutes to go and it seemed like a road win was on the cards. However tactical naivety, poor tackling, poor fitness and a lack of killer instinct let the Zoomies score three tries for a 36-28 victory and a deeply disappointing Highlander defeat.

The B side played well to defeat the Air Force C side 27-12 in a game which saw the return of Matt Mains.

Highlanders Hold Off 'Varks in 33-26 Win

04/08/2005
April 8 saw the visit of old friends, the Ardvaarks from Albuquerque who have been enjoying a resurgence in their fortunes of late and were unbeaten coming in. The day was perfect and a good-sized crowd were ready for the fray, unlike the Highlanders who leaked three tries in the first ten minutes, two out wide to the Ardvaarks flying wing. However, the momentum changed just before half-time with the Highlanders beginning to dominate the forward exchanges and from that point the result was rarely in doubt. Two tries from Clinton Camp sealed a return to form for the skipper and two more from Scott Bredehoeft allied to some excellent goal-kicking from Brad Nelson on his wrong foot made for a 33-26 win which was more comfortable than the scoreline suggested.

Highlanders Narrowly Escape With Win Over Boulder

by Steve "Matches are 80 minutes, boys" Lewis

04/06/2006
An overcast afternoon at Observatory Park saw the arrival of long-term rivals and potential Final Four Western opponents Boulder for a friendly. The Highlanders were forced to make changes in the front-row with Zilla injured and Jeremy Wineland suspended. In came Trout at hooker with Mike Dellere at prop. Both second-rows, John Taylor and Luke Lesnansky returned despite missing both practices for perfectly legitimate reasons and there was a predictable rustiness to the front five’s play. A Scott Bredehoeft chip and chase early was rewarded with a try for the alert Mike Simpson who intercepted a Boulder pass behind their own goal-line for an early 5-0 lead. The Highlanders then extended their lead with a thrilling 7-pass score for Nelson and a clever Guerra break from a 5-yard scrum for a 19-0 lead.

Then, with the Highlanders threatening again and a score assured, referee Johnson marred an otherwise good game by allowing one of four Boulder players offside to intercept and race 95 yards to make it 19-7. Another Highlander score by Brad Nelson, fast becoming an assured pivot, made for a comfortable 26-7 scoreline. However, Boulder took advantage of a lazy Highlander line-out to redress the balance to 26-14. Then Highlander man-of –the-match, Ryan Cruthers chose a perfect angle to burst onto Guerra’s feed for a 40-yard canter under the post. Cruthers had been impressive all day, with several rampaging runs and sound footballing skills. 33-14 Highlanders and a rout in store?

Unfortunately not, as the Highlanders finished the game in disappointing fashion, a lone Nelson penalty against two more Boulder tries for a 36-26 verdict. Overall, the flashes of effective rugby were tarnished by a lack of concentration and occasional poor tactical decisions when a kick or two deep into enemy territory would have killed the game. Hopefully the lessons will be absorbed and we will see an 80 minute performance from the boys this Saturday at the Jake against visiting Albuquerque.

Highlanders Defeat Queen City but Fall Short to CSU

by Steve (The artist formerly known as "LIZZZZZZZard") Lewis

03/28/2006
Jacobs Park was no place for the faint-hearted on Saturday when the Highlanders defeated Queen City 29-17 in a tense and physical encounter where rugby finished second. The Highlanders came into the game after two weeks of contrasting fortunes; a dispiriting defeat in St.Louis followed by a 67-3 romp in Colorado Springs. However, the set scrummaging in both games ranged all the way from woeful to suspect and Steve Blair, the new Aspen coach and scrummaging specialist took Thursday night’s practice in an attempt to address the situation.

The game started ferociously with Queen City dominating possession and some magnificent tackling from the men in white. Gradually the Highlanders established some rhythm and were rewarded with tries from the Wineland brothers, Jeff and Jeremy from close range which with two Brad Nelson penalties and two conversions led to a 20-14 half-time lead. Queen City had competed well up front and were understandably frustrated by the score which led to a difficult second half for referee Nelson who was taking names faster than Rowdy at a speed-dating convention. Having declined to discipline the Queen City #7 in the first-half for repeated foul play, it was no surprise things came to head in a ten player donnybrook which saw the Q.C #7 and Jeremy Wineland, who otherwise had another fine game defensively, receive their marching orders. The aforementioned Q.C flanker obviously had not had enough and instigated a most regrettable off-field fracas which was a discredit to both clubs. Clinton Camp had added a try by this stage and with things fast slipping out of control, the referee called the game early. The scrummaging was certainly improved but seemed to run out of steam in the second half (might it be fitness????). Good performances from the Wineland brothers, Nelson, Clancy and re-start specialist Ryan Cruthers.

Sunday saw a trip to windy Fort Collins where an athletic CSU team triumphed 46-31 over a scratch Highlanders side in a game notable for a highly efficient Zilla hat-trick whose three scores came on a combined 2 yards. Thanks to all who traveled and especially to Rohner, Cruthers, Nelson, Powell, Guerra, Wineland (Jeff) and Lesnansky who suited up two days in a row.

Up next - Boulder.

Playoff Bound!

03/27/2006
Your Denver Highlanders are going to the West Division I playoffs (April 29-30 in Ft. Worth, Texas) as the number one seed out of the Northern Subregion. The Highlanders have a total of 15 points, while current second place team, Boulder, has 10 points. St. Louis currently has 9 points with one match remaining. Even with a win and garnering the possible bonus point, St. Louis can only attain 14 points which would still leave the Highlanders atop the table.

Congratulations!! The top three teams out of the four at the playoffs in Texas will advance to the USA Rugby "Sweet 16" to be held May 13-14 in Columbia, South Carolina.

Multi-match Weekend

03/24/2006
Just a quick reminder that the boys are back in town Saturday versus Queen City at The Jake. Kickoff is at noon.

Then on Sunday the lads head north to Ft. Collins for a tussle with the CSU folks. Kickoff for Sunday's match is 1:00, a caravan will assemble at the Old Hole at 10:30 for anyone interested in car pooling.

Highlanders Fall to Bombers in a "Squeaker"

03/12/2006
OK, so it wasn't really a squeaker, geez. Final score was good guys not too many - bad guys something slightly less than eighty.

The Highlanders endured one of their worst defeats ever going down heavily to a rampant Bombers side in St.Louis. While this was not a full Highlanders side it was not far off it and numerous deficiencies were exposed, particularly general fitness levels and the set scrum. Tackling was poor for the most part with one exception being debutant hooker Jeremy Wineland who had a fine first-team outing coming on at half-time. Others who worked hard at defying the odds were the back-row of Jeff Wineland, Mains and Camp as well as Brad Nelson behind the scrum. Scorers for the Highlanders were Lesnansky and Rohner with Nelson notching two penalties and a conversion.

Highlanders Victorious in Season Opener

by Steve "Lizzzard" (I'd like 3 zeds please) Lewis

03/06/2006
The Denver Highlanders kicked off their spring season with an emphatic 35-15 win over crosstown rivals the Harlequins on a sunny Colorado afternoon at Observatory Park. Playing into the wind, the Highlanders started nervously with unforced errors at the kick-off and allowed the Harlequins to goal an early penalty for a 0-3 lead. However the Highlander pack began to assert its dominance which resulted in tries for Nick Powell and Scott Bredehoeft and an 18-8 half-time lead. Making five changes at the half did not upset the forward dominance with good rucking and continuity allied to solid work at the lineout assuring a steady stream of ball. However, some poor decisions tactically did not allow the Highlanders to reap the benefit, with the ball being run three times from the 22 with predictably dire results. Against a better team than the Quins, who competed gamely all afternoon, such tactical naivety will spell disaster. Tries were added by Brad Nelson, who finished with 20 points on the day and captain Clinton Camp after sustained scrimmaging pressure on the Quins line for a 35-15 final scoreline. Some woeful first-time tackling had allowed the Quins a second try. With only one practice outside, Highlanders coach Steve Lewis deemed it “an acceptable start but we will need to step up a couple of notches for next week” Next week refers to their Division 1 match-up against Super League newcomers St. Louis Bombers in Missouri, which could decide seedings at the Western Championships in April. While the Bombers will be favorites this will be a good test for the resurgent Highlanders.

The B-side overwhelmed their Harlequin counterparts in the second game with the whole squad getting plenty of playing time in this first outing of the year. Training attendance has been good with over 30 players out last Thursday and there will be interesting selection decisions to be made in the coming weeks.

The first “Herminator” award for defensive MVP was selected by former Highlander Scott Herman, respected throughout the league for his defensive prowess, and was awarded to Tim Guerra, who has added defensive tenacity to a consistent pass. Other honorable mentions went to Clinton Camp for a big hit in the first-half and Brendan Clancy. Mark “open field” Mayfield also made a bone-crushing tackle which dislodged the ball and led directly to a Highlander try. Brad Nelson received no nominations.

March Madness Draw at The Hole Next Tuesday

Craig Tarr would like to remind everyone that the annual DHRFC March Madness Raffle will be held 8:30 pm at the Old Hole on March 14, 2006. Tickets are $10.00 per draw and need to be paid to Mark Mayfield or Craig Tarr. Please contact me if you would like to place orders to purchase tickets. You do not need to be present to participate. However, its a great excuse to get to the Old Hole and have a few beers with the guys.

Spring Season Kicks Off This Weekend

02/28/2006
The mighty Denver Highlanders will begin their spring season this Saturday with 2 matches against the 'Quins at Observatory Park. These games will be the last chance to tune up prior to heading off to St. Louis for the final Div I match of the '05-06 regular season against the Bombers next week. The first game kicks off at 1:00 (last time I heard anyway). Be there, or be square...

For all you active player types, practice is manadatory this week (duh). See Steve "Lizzard" (he hates it when I use two z's in "Lizzard") Lewis' latest announcement in your e-mail or over on the Coach's Corner

AGM Follow Up

The following is a letter from your new Vice President for 2006

01/23/2006
All,

First, I want to say thank you to everyone that attended the AGM this year. We had a pretty good turn-out, especially relative to years past, and we got a lot accomplished. That said, it would still be nice to see a little more attendance at similar events in the future, in particular from key veterans of the club.

There were a lot of items that were addressed at the AGM and I wanted to provide everyone with a brief overview.

Most importantly, we elected 2 new members to the Board of Directors and elected new or returning officers. Those positions were filled as such:

New members of the Board: Scott Bredehoeft and Dave McLain
President: Zilla, moving officially into this position from VP
Co-Vice-Presidents: Brad Nelson and John Taylor (with John clearly in the position of Brad's whippin' boy)
Co-Secretaries: Matt Mains and Matt Stampfle
Treasurer: Clinton Camp

Next on the agenda is the Velocity training, which begins next Tuesday (directions on below). This is something that we ALL need to participate in and will give us great footing in terms of fitness and readiness for the season. This may not have been made clear, but the club is picking up half of the $10 admission per session. Meaning, that the cost to each individual is going to be just $5 per session. That's $50 for 10 sessions of top-class training that will go a long way for us this season. This should be affordable to virtually everyone and there is no reason to not attend most, if not all, of these sessions.

Administratively, we all need to get CIPPed. Again, this may not have been clear, but everyone except rookies is responsible for CIPPing themselves on-line (cost of $50). That $50 is credited toward dues, so each half-season is then $125, which can easily be payed on a $25 a month payment plan via the Highlanders website and Paypal. Everyone get CIPPed so that we don't have to hound you about this and we are eligble to play.

Finally, there was one other point brought to light that many people are not aware of: the Highlanders Trust Fund. Art Sans (sp?) has done an incredible job with the work and donations of several Old Boys of setting up a trust fund for the club. This may be redundant to some of you, but for those of you not savvy in finance, this trust fund allows us to begin an endowment for the club. This is NOT just money stored in a bank account that we can draw on. This is money that has been placed in stocks, mutual funds, index funds, etc. under the care of a Board of Trustess and is managed by them separately from the other day-to-day operations of the club (for example your dues money does not go into the trust fund). This fund will allow us to grow the wealth of the team and can be a source of financing (in particular through dividend payments) external to donors, dues, etc. that can be used at times of need. It is critical to the future of the club for us to GROW this fund.

So, for those of you interested in a long-term role with the Highlanders this is how you can help. By going onto the Highlanders website and under Membership setup a Paypal account for one of the Social Member options. If I am correct, 75% of the money from those donations will go to our trust fund, the other 25% goes into the liquid account with dues and all that other stuff (if I am wrong on this could someone please let me know). Donations in the past were a pain because you had to constantly beg for money from people, but with Paypal it is easy to just setup an automatic $10 a month donation (kinda like buying some starving African kid off one of those commercials). That isn't too much to ask and by doing so we are ensuring the long-term health of this club. If we can get 20-30 of the active players to put away that $10 a month along with the donations from Old Boys we can do a lot with this trust fund. I have already signed up and I hope the rest of you do to.

I apologize for the length of this email and thanks to everyone who made it through the whole thing, but there was a lot that needed to be covered from the AGM.

I hope to see all of you on Tuesday at Velocity,
Brad Nelson

Now Hear This

01/18/2005
A new message from Steve can be found over on the Coach's Corner

The Spring "Shedyule" has also been posted over on the Fixtures page.

Reminders: The AGM is tomorrow evening (details below) - This is your club and your vote counts. Be there, or be ridiculed. Pre-season fitness sessions begin at Velocity (details below) on the 24th. Be there or be extremely sorry when real practice starts.

Saturday Touch at Garland

01/13/2006
Tomorrow (1/14/2006) at 11:00. Come out and have a bit of a run, toss the ball around, and work up a thirst. Then maybe have a beer or 4 afterwards as you get ready to watch the Bronco's thrash the Brady Bunch.

Pre-Season Training at Velocity Sports Performance Center

01/09/2006
The club has booked time at the Velocity Sports Performance Center in Centennial. Ten one hour training sessions will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7:00 PM beginning on January 24th and running through February 23rd. The cost is $10 per session. This is a great opportunity for you active players to get some intense pre-season conditioning done as you head into this spring's playoff run (in other words coach Steve expects all you A-siders to be there).

The Velocity Sports Performance Center is located at 6981 S. Quentin Street, Suite B, in Centennial near Arapahoe and Peoria (next to Centennial airport and Broncos headquarters).

**Tap, Tap, Tap. Is This Thing On??**

Highlander Annual General Meeting Set for January 19th

01/03/2006
Man it's been quiet around here for the past couple of months...

The annual meeting to elect club officers for the upcoming year will be held at 7:30 PM on Thursday, January 19 at the Denver Community Church (thanks Frank). The church is located at 1101 South Washington Street (right around the corner from The Pub on Pearl). Last year's attendance was abysmal, so act like you give a rat's a** about the running of the club and get yourself to the meeting this time, mmmmKay?