The following are the draws for the 2011 ASAA Provincial High School Football Playoffs games scheduled for this weekend marking the continuation of the “Road to Lethbridge” where 10 twelve-man and six-man high school football teams continue their quest in the Alberta Schools’ Athletic Associations Provincial Playoffs in Regional Final games this Saturday to determine who will advance to the fourth Alberta Bowl in Lethbridge from Nov. 25-26.. The times and locations are included as well as the provincial ranking of the teams (as determined by Football Alberta).
TIER I (School Pop. 1250+)
Northern Final
#1 Harry Ainlay Titans at #3 Bev Facey Falcons
Sat. Nov. 19 – 2:30 p.m., Foote Field (Edmonton)
You could call this the Clash of the Titans/Falcons in high school terms but frankly no matter what you name it – it’s a biggy. The only two undefeated teams left in the Tier I draw meet in Edmonton this Saturday and come to this game as Edmonton Public and Edmonton Metro Champions respectively. These teams met in last years North Semi-Final with the Titans coming out on top 14-1 and have been eyeing each other all year with both teams holding down the number one ranking in Tier I for four and five weeks respectively during the season. Only the Falcons two ties set them apart on their seasonal records. Each team is coming off a victory although the Titans had their hands full with Salisbury while the Falcons had a relatively easy time vs. Grande Prairie, so we’ll see if the more battle tested or battle rested team will come out on top this Saturday.
Southern Final
#6 Raymond Comets at #7 Bishop O’Byrne Bobcats
Sat., Nov. 19 – 1:00 p.m., Stampeder Field at Shouldice Park (Calgary)
It’s been 20 seasons since the last time the Southern Tier I Final has been held in Calgary. The last time this game occurred in Calgary in 1991, Henry Wise Wood outlasted the L.C.I. Rams 42-35 in overtime to advance to the Tier I Final. The reason for the long absence is that the quirk in Tier I that accommodates Calgary’s playing a week beyond everyone else in league play usually sends their Champion on the road for the second round of Provincials but this year they are hosting the three time defending champion Raymond Comets in round two. Last year these two teams met in the Southern Semi-Finals in a game that was known as “jersey-gate” where both teams showed up wearing white jerseys. The Comets won 42-7. This year the Bobcats are a different team with only two losses to teams ranked #1 and #2 in Tier I respectively and took out traditional powers St. Francis and Notre Dame in a five day stretch last week to advance to this game. Raymond is holding its own with a solid win over Jasper Place last week and won’t give up its title aspirations easily but Bishop O’Byrne is the biggest mountain they will have faced to date….and the Bobcats be wearing blue this Saturday .
PAST TIER I CHAMPIONS
1986 – Salibury Sabres 1993 – L.C.I Rams 2000 – Strathcona Lords 2007 – St. Francis Browns
1987 – Harry Ainlay Titans 1994 – L.C.I Rams 2001 – Strathcona Lords 2008 – Raymond Comets
1988 – L.C.I. Rams 1995 – St. Francis Browns 2002 – Bev Facey Falcons 2009 – Raymond Comets
1989 – L.C.I. Rams 1996 – Raymond Comets 2003 – St. Francis Browns 2010 – Raymond Comets
1990 – L.C.I Rams 1997 – Raymond Comets 2004 – St. Francis Browns
1991 – Henry Wise Wood 1998 – Raymond Comets 2005 – Raymond Comets
1992 – L.C.I. Rams 1999 – Jasper Place Rebels 2006 – Salisbury Sabres
TIER II (School Pop. 750-1249)
Northern Final
#9 McNally Tigers at #1 Austin O’Brien Crusaders
Sat. Nov. 19 – 12:00 p.m., Foote Field (Edmonton)
The first game of the double header at Foote on Saturday has a bit of a David and Goliath theme. The McNally Tigers are full measure for their last two victories that have gotten them to this point but those games also represented their second the third wins of the season against five losses. They just sneaked into the Tier II top 10 two weeks ago but are playing good football and have advanced to Provincials for the third straight year. The Austin O’Brien Crusaders on the other hand have been a juggernaut all year crushing teams along the way including victories over Tier I powers Raymond and Salisbury. Their only blemish was a 25-21 loss to Bev Facey in the Edmonton Metro Championship two weeks ago and they have held down the #1 ranking in the Province from Day One. Still miracles do happen. A similar game was held two years ago between these two teams and the favoured Crusaders took it on the chin from the upstart Tigers 25-8 who advanced to their first Tier II Final ever. Can they do it again or do the Crusaders have too much horsepower?
Southern Final
#4 Sylvan Lake Lakers at #2 Holy Trinity Academy Knights
Sat., Nov. 19 – 1:00 p.m., Encana Field at Shouldice Park (Edmonton)
An interesting match-up in that both of these teams are the only teams in Provincials history who have played in three different Tiers. Starting out as Tier IV teams back in the day their school populations have risen and now both of them are powers at the Tier II level. The only tweak in that scenario is that should the Lakers win they will be the only team in Alberta ever to have advanced to a Provincial Final in three different Tiers having won in 2007 at Tier IV over Drumheller and lost in 2008 at Tier III to Cochrane. This will be a tough task as the Knights come into this game the only undefeated team at the Tier II level and have shown a resiliency to win the close games. The Lakers only loss this season was to Hunting Hills on Oct.28 but avenged that loss in the league final and took out a tough St. Mary’s team last week to get to this point. With consistent field conditions waiting for them at Shouldice Park this will be a great game.
PAST TIER II CHAMPIONS
1986 – Stettler Wildcats 1992 – Cardston Cougars 1998 – Cochrane Cobras 2004 – Foothills Falcons
1987 – Cardston Cougars 1993 – Cardston Cougars 1999 – George McDougall 2005 – St. Mary’s Saints
1988 – Salisbury Sabres 1994 – Lloydminster Barons 2000 – Foothills Falcons 2006 – Foothills Falcons
1989 – Archbishop Jordan Scots 1995 – Brooks Buffalos 2001 – Med. Hat Mohawks 2007 – Notre Dame Pride
1990 – Cardston Cougars 1996 – Cochrane Cobras 2002 – Arch. Jordan Scots 2008 – Notre Dame Pride
1991 – Cardston Cougars 1997 – Brook Buffalos 2003 – Arch. Jordan Scots 2009 – Foothills Falcons
2010 – Catholic Central Cougars
TIER III (School Pop. 450-749)
Northern Final
#5 St. Albert Skyhawks at #8 Stettler Wildcats
Sat. Nov. 19 – 1:00 p.m., William E. Hay H.S. (Stettler)
Looks like the Skyhawks are this years honorary “Road Warriors” as they started their first Provincials journey in 11 seasons last weekend in Peace River and now hop on the bus this week for a visit to Stettler to see who gets to continue on the “Road to Lethbridge”. It’s a lot of travel but well deserved as the ‘Hawks survived the meat grinder that is the Carr Conference in the Edmonton Metro league to take out the two time defending Tier III Northern Champion Peace River Pioneers 35-14 last Saturday. As for the Wildcats they also won on the road last weekend squeaking out a 20-14 thriller over Cold Lake. This game was their high water mark last season as they were beaten by Peace River in the North Final, but this year at home they have high hopes of returning to the Provincial Tier III final for the first time since 2007.
Southern Final
#1 Cochrane Cobras at #7 Crescent Heights Vikings
Sat., Nov. 19 – 1:00 p.m., Methanex Bowl (Medicine Hat)
Its been a long drought for the Crescent Heights Vikings having not qualified for Provincials since 2004 but an even longer one to get to this level as the Vikings went to Provincials eight times from 1991-2004 but only reached the Southern Final twice in 1995 and 1996 – losing both times. Their task this year isn’t any easier as they face the perennial powerhouse from Cochrane who remain Tier III’s only undefeated team and holder of the #1 ranking. The Cobras have been doing it with mirrors for the past few weeks without the services of star tailback Kellen Forrest, but still are a formidable opponent without him. Still, the Vikings did pretty good against another Cobra team last week beating Rundle College 41-21 so perhaps their luck against snakes will continue this Saturday and take them to heights never experienced before.
PAST TIER III CHAMPIONS
1986 – Cochrane Cobras 1992 – Raymond Comets 1998 – McCoy Colts 2004 – Cochrane Cobras
1987 – Cochrane Cobras 1993 – Bert Church Chargers 1999 – W.R. Myers Rebels 2005 – Cochrane Cobras
1988 – Medicine Hat Mohawks 1994 – Wainwright Commandos 2000 – W.R. Myers Rebels 2006 – Wetaskiwin Sabres
1989 – Will Sinclair Rebels 1995 – Kate Andrews Spartans 2001 – W.R. Myers Rebels 2007 – Cochrane Cobras
1990 – Raymond Comets 1996 – Sexsmith Sabres 2002 – Cochrane Cobras 2008 – Cochrane Cobras
1991 – Raymond Comets 1997 – Springbank Phoenix 2003 – Cochrane Cobras 2009 – Brooks Buffalos
2010 – Cardston Cougars
TIER IV (School Pop. 449 or less)
Northern Final
#2 Ardrossan Bisons at #6 West Central Rebels
Sat. Nov. 19 – 1:00 p.m., Curtis Field (Rocky Mountain House)
When the Bisons booked their bus for this weekend they must have done a double take as their usual dance partner in this game for the previous three Northern Finals – the Holy Rosary Raiders – weren’t their destination. Instead, they are off to Rocky Mountain House for a date with the West Central Rebels who upset last years Northern Tier IV Champion Raiders last weekend 31-21. The Bisons are doing their usual Bison thing winning the Edmonton Metro Miles Conference and only suffering two losses to date, while the Rebels toiled near the bottom of the Central Alberta League this year winning only twice in regular season play. Still, they won when it counted last week against an undefeated opponent so who knows what they have in store for Ardrossan when they come calling on Saturday.
Southern Final
#10 St. Timothy’s Thunder at #3 Drumheller Titans
Sat., Nov. 19 – 1:00 p.m., Drumheller High School (Drumheller)
The Drumheller Titans keep rolling along and are looking to return to the Provincial Final game for the first time since 2007. In 2007 it would still be three more seasons before their opponent from St. Timothy’s would even field a team. Still, the Thunder have been a force to be reckoned with as this is their second trip to Provincials in their second year of operation. Last year they lost in the first round to Rundle College by a large margin but this year have moved onto the second round courtesy of their win over Bow Valley 21-14 last week. Having played essentially an exhibition season in Calgary Division III this season the Thunder is battle tested but the task of beating the Titans who beat a traditional power from Willow Creek last week might be a tall order, especially on the road.
PAST TIER IV CHAMPIONS
1999 – Oilfields Drillers 2005 – Ardrossan Bisons
2000 – Oilfields Drillers 2006 – Willow Creek Cobras
2001 – Ardrossan Bisons 2007 – Sylvan Lake Lakers
2002 – Bow Valley Bobcats 2008 – Ardrossan Bisons
2003 – Bow Valley Bobcats 2009 – Rundle College Cobras
2004 – Ardrossan Bisons 2010 – Rundle College Cobras
6-Man
Northern Final
Fort McMurray Trappers at Millwoods Christian Royals
Sat. Nov. 19 – 1:00 p.m., Clarke Stadium (Edmonton)
Welcome to Provincials 6-man! For the first time in the history of football at the high school level in Alberta the 6-man game is a sanctioned ASAA Championship. Now the fun begins to see who will be the first two teams to advance to the Alberta Bowl. The Fort McMurray Trappers are a name familiar to Provincials as that was the name of the 12-man team who represented Region 7 for years at the Tier I level but have since broken up into three 6 man teams. Out of that comes the Trappers who are undefeated at 8-0 and thumped the Royals earlier in the year 72-8 (don’t let the high scores bother you – they’re normal in 6-man). The Royals on the other hand advanced to the final last year and only have that one loss to the Trappers this year as a blemish. Should be fun in the North Final this weekend as the field turf and Clarke will provide a consistent surface.
Southern Final
St. Josephs Crusaders at Buck Mountain Mustangs
Sat., Nov. 19 – 1:00 p.m., Buck Mountain H.S. (Buck Lake)
Where is Buck Lake? And why is their high school called Buck Mountain? At the end of the day it really doesn’t matter and wherever they are they have a hell of a football team considering they have less than 100 students in their school. Two weeks ago they blasted the Ponoka Broncos with a student body 5 times their size 94-8 (again – don’t worry about the margin – it happens) to make it to the Provincial Semi. The team tasked with first finding Buck Lake then playing the game is the St. Josephs Crusaders from Brooks. Led by Coach Julian Annicchiarico who consistently took the Brooks H.S. 12-man team to Provincials in years past winning a Tier II title in 1995 and 1997, this team is looking to take a long trip this weekend to hopefully continue their “Road to Lethbridge” dreams.
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