High-Quality HS Teams Flood LA Invitational
High-Quality HS Teams Flood LA Invitational
The Los Angeles Invitational has landed an impressive list of teams in its Boys HS brackets.
Held as part of the LA 7s weekend, the LAI will feature about 200 teams in over two-dozen brackets February 28 and 29. The games will be held at Orange County Great Park in Irvine, Calif. on February 28, and the games will finish up at Dignity Health Sports Park on February 29, when the LA Sevens games kick off.
The following brackets are active for the Boys HS 7s in the LAI:
Boys U14 7s
HS Boys Open 7s
Boys U16 7s
Boys U18 7s
The Boys U18 7s is basically an elite-level tournament with Eagle Impact Rugby Academy fielding two teams, and Atlantis, Gorilla Rugby, Rhinos Rugby Academy, the Midwest Thunderbirds,, Legion Academy, Tempe, Stars, and Kahuku set to compete. These are just teams that have confirmed, but this is clearly a high-level tournament, with several teams in the NAHS Series in action.
EiRA, Tempe, Gorilla, and Legion all have teams in the U16 bracket, and Arizona Bobcats, USA Rugby South add some additional all-star power. Canadian programs Upright, South OC, and Advantage Rugby are also in the U16s.
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The open bracket might have some space still but could have as many as 24 teams, with Belmont Shore, Arizona Bobcats,Rock Rugby Academy, and more, involved.
Several well-regarded clubs send U14 teams to the LAI, with Belmont Shore perhaps the favorite. Granite Bay and Danville come from Northern California, and Rhinos and Coastal Dragons join Belmont Shore as SoCal teams. Upright (Canada), and CSP, and Arizona Bobcats come from out of state.
This is a startlingly good development for the LA 7s. The future of the LA 7s tournaments success is in the young fans, and with over 70 teams involved just in the Boys HS section, and with those teams being of very high quality, that future seems strong.
Stay with Goff Rugby Report for coverage of the LAI.