The “Road to the Alberta Bowl” continues on many fronts this weekend as we are down to 20 high school football teams vying to be in the finals of four different Tiers of 12-man football and one Tier of 6-Man.  The Football Alberta Minor Provincial Final Games are added at the end of the article as a bonus.

 

TIER I (School Pop. 1250+)

Northern Final

CFC#14 Bev Facey Falcons at CFC#3 Spruce Grove Panthers

Sat., Nov. 17 – 4:00 p.m., Clarke Park (Edmonton)

Like two heavyweight champion contenders stalking each other around the ring these two teams have been eyeing each other up since August.  Both are undefeated, both had little trouble cruising through their respective leagues this past season, and both won by a healthy margin last week in the Northern Semi-Finals.  With weather conditions expected to improve by the weekend it could be a dry track which puts extra onus on the defences as both teams feature Team Alberta runningbacks in Edward Ilnicki (Spruce Grove) and Bryson Dobush (Bev Facey), and solid passing games to boot.  While the Panther offensive was certainly more prolific this season averaging a gaudy 59.3 points per game the Falcons defence only allowed teams to creep into double digits against them four times out of their twelve games this year giving up an average of 6.6 ppg.  Wouldn’t miss this one.

 

 

                                                        Southern Final

CFC#2 Notre Dame Pride at CFC’HM’ L.C.I. Rams

Sat. Nov. 17 – 2:30 p.m., U of L Community Stadium (Lethbridge)

Another week another Notre Dame for L.C.I.  While the Rams easily dispatched the Notre Dame Cougars from Red Deer last Saturday in the South Semi-Finals 59-0,  the Notre Dame Pride from Calgary are a completely different kettle of fish.  Playing in arguably the toughest league in Canada in Calgary Division I, it took teams nine games just to get into double digits of points against in total against the Pride (10 points against through 9 games).  That’s 1.1 points against per game if you’re counting.  Still the Rams are peaking at the right time and have blasted their way back to Provincials after an eight year absence.  On home turf in front of those famous Southern Alberta crowds could be the help they need vs. the juggernaut the Pride are in 2012.

 

 

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    2011 – Harry Ainlay Titans

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

 Austin O’Brien Crusaders at McNally Tigers

Sat. Nov. 17 – 1:30 p.m., Clarke Stadium (Edmonton)

Third year in the past four these two teams will meet in this game and it has been the best of times and the worst of times for the McNally Tigers.  In 2009, the upstart Tigers entered Provincials for the first time ever and shocked the more experienced Crusaders 25-8 in the Northern Final.  Two years later in last year’s Northern Final the Crusaders got more than just a little measure of revenge with a 62-6 blasting of the Tigers on their way to the 2011 Provincial Tier II title.  Will the experience of the Crusaders continue to carry the day or will the Tigers enthusiasm get them past their east Edmonton neighbour and nemesis?

 

 

 

 

Southern Final

Hunting Hills Lightning at Catholic Central Cougars

Sat., Nov. 17 – 12:00 p.m., U of L Community Stadium (Lethbridge)

Rare air indeed for the Hunting Hills Lightning as their program has never been this deep into Provincials before.  Their one and only other experience ended in a first round knockout two seasons ago but this year they’ve made the move to the next step which speaks volumes to the job the coaching staff at Huntings Hills is doing to build one of the top teams in Central Alberta.  A gutty win over St. Mary’s last week is now a memory as waiting for them is the #1 ranked Cougars who are also in their second season of qualifying in the past three years only their experience two seasons ago was a little better as they went all the way and finished as Provincial Tier II Champs.  The game is in Lethbridge so advantage Cougars for now.

 

 

PAST TIER II CHAMPIONS

1986 – Stettler Wildcats               1992 – Cardston Cougars          1998 – Cochrane Cobras          2005 – St. Mary’s Saints

1987 – Cardston Cougars             1993 – Cardston Cougars         1999 – George McDougall        2006 – Foothills Falcons

1988 – Salisbury Sabres                1994 – Lloydminster Barons   2000 – Foothills Falcons           2007 – Notre Dame Pride

1989 – Archbishop Jordan Scots 1995 – Brooks Buffalos           2001 – Med. Hat Mohawks      2008 – Notre Dame Pride

1990 – Cardston Cougars             1996 – Cochrane Cobras         2002 – Arch. Jordan Scots        2009 – Foothills Falcons

1991 – Cardston Cougars             1997 – Brook Buffalos             2003 – Arch. Jordan Scots        2010 – Catholic Central Cougars
2004 – Foothills Falcons          2011 – Austin O’Brien Crusaders

 

 

TIER III (School Pop. 450-749)

 

Northern Final

 St. Paul Lions at St. Albert Skyhawks

Sat. Nov. 17 – 2:30 p.m., Foote Field (Edmonton)

               This game has been the high water mark for both of these programs so whoever wins on Saturday will be breaking new ground.  St. Albert has been this far twice in 2000 at the Tier I level, and last season at the Tier III when their population dropped them to that level.  Both times ended in losses to the eventual Provincial Champs.  For St. Paul, they have had more opportunity but have only reached a North Final once in 2003.  Both teams feature electric attacks and piled on the points last weekend so it could be a barnburner on the fast track at Foote this Saturday.

 

 

Southern Final

 Winston Churchill Bulldogs at Cochrane Cobras

Sat. Nov. 17 – 4:30 p.m., Encana Field at Shouldice Park (Calgary)

Like some bad B-Movie monster that just won’t die the Cochrane Cobras are back in business in the Tier III Provincial Playoffs.  Try to stop them.  For 22 straight seasons of Provincial qualification very few teams have had an answer.  Throw the powerful Rundle College Cobras at them in the Region 2 qualification game and a crossbar gets in the way of a last second field goal to preserve a 16-14 Cochrane win.  Throw the #1 ranked team in Alberta at them, the Crescent Heights Vikings, in the Southern Semis and they become a turnover machine and the Cobras hastily take care of them with a 32-16 win.  Now come the #8 ranked Winston Churchill Bulldogs who aren’t exactly coming from a position of strength having only won one game all season in the Southern Alberta Division A League.  Still, they have won when it counted and are on a two game win streak that nobody predicted.  And isn’t it always the most unlikely hero who finally takes out the monster?

 

 

PAST TIER III CHAMPIONS

1986 – Cochrane Cobras                    1992 – Raymond Comets                  1998 – McCoy Colts            2005 – Cochrane Cobras

1987 – Cochrane Cobras                    1993 – Bert Church Chargers            1999 – W.R. Myers Rebels  2006 – Wetaskiwin Sabres

1988 – Medicine Hat Mohawks        1994 – Wainwright Commandos      2000 – W.R. Myers Rebels  2007 – Cochrane Cobras

1989 – Will Sinclair Rebels              1995 – Kate Andrews Spartans        2001 – W.R. Myers Rebels  2008 – Cochrane Cobras

1990 – Raymond Comets                  1996 – Sexsmith Sabres                      2002 – Cochrane Cobras      2009 – Brooks Buffalos

1991 – Raymond Comets                  1997 – Springbank Phoenix               2003 – Cochrane Cobras      2010 – Cardston Cougars

2004 – Cochrane Cobras      2011 – Stettler Wildcats

 

TIER IV (School Pop. 449 or less)

 

Northern Final

Cold Lake Royals at Ardrossan Bisons

Sat. Nov. 17 – 12:00 p.m., Foote Field (Edmonton)

Two battle tested teams will get first crack at Foote this weekend.  The Royals have put together a fine season and came up just short in the Wheatland Final to St. Paul.  The Bisons had a .500 season in the Edmonton Metro’s Carr Conference but considering every single team they played is from a higher Tier and all of their four regular season losses came from teams that were ranked in the Top-10 of those higher Tiers and you have a pretty scary sleeper coming out of Strathcona County.  This is Cold Lake’s first tour of Tier IV as they have been battling at the Tier III level for years until a population drop this year so perhaps the spectre of Ardrossan’s advancing to the Provincial Final in Tier IV for seven of the previous thirteen seasons won’t be a factor for them.  In any respect it will be fun to watch this Saturday.

 

 

Southern Final

 Willow Creek Cobras at  Drumheller Titans

Sat. Nov. 17 – 1:00 p.m., Drumheller High School (Drumheller)

Another year in the Tier IV Southern Final for Drumheller only this time they actually get to play someone.  Last year they advanced to this level only to have their opponent, the St. Timothy Thunder, get decimated by the flu bug and be unable to play resulting in an automatic berth in the Alberta Bowl for the Titans.  They used that gift wisely as they participated in one of the most thrilling Provincial Finals ever, beating the Ardrossan Bisons 41-34 in overtime.  This year they are going to have to work hard to punch their ticket to the big dance as the Willow Creek Cobras are peaking and well experienced in Provincials.  After going winless in Southern Alberta’s Division B the Cobras are on a roll piling up four straight victories and will be a worthy opponent on Saturday.

 

 

PAST TIER IV CHAMPIONS

1999 – Oilfields Drillers                       2005 – Ardrossan Bisons                    2011 – Drumheller Titans

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

Westwood Trojans vs. Millwoods Christian Royals
Sat., Nov. 17 – 11:00 a.m., Clarke Stadium (Edmonton)

Another week, another team from Fort McMurray coming down to take on the Royals.  With Millwoods Christian defeating the Father Mercredi Trappers last Saturday means there will be a new 6-Man champ this year and these two teams have the power to fill that void but will have to wait until Saturday to see who gets to represent the North.

Southern Final

Frank Maddock Warriors vs. Rimbey Spartans
Tues., Nov. 20, 5:00 p.m., MEGlobal Athletic Park (Lacombe)

Drayton Valley and Rimbey aren’t exactly from the Deep South in Alberta but they will be duking it out for the Southern representative in the Alberta Bowl.  For both teams it would be their first appearance in the big game should they win the day.  This game will be played on turf in Lacombe on Tuesday.

 

 

PAST 6-MAN CHAMPIONS

2011 – Father Mercredi Trappers

 

 

Football Minor Provincial Finals this Weekend!

 

 

 

Football Alberta Minor Provincials

BANTAM

FINALS – Saturday, November 17
Tier I – Calgary Cowboys (Grey) at Cardston Cougars
Saturday, November 17, 1:00 p.m., Walker Field (Cardston)
Tier II – Stony Plain Blue Bombers at Calgary Cowboys (Navy)
Saturday, November 17, 2:30 p.m., Hellard Field at Shouldice Park (Calgary)
Tier III – Bonnyville Bandits at Calgary Wildcats
Saturday, November 17, 12:00 p.m., Hellard Field at Shouldice Park (Calgary)
Tier IV – Grande Prairie Broncos at Medicine Hat Hawks
Saturday, November 17, 1:00 p.m., Methanex Bowl (Medicine Hat)

PEE-WEE

FINALS – Saturday, November 17
Tier III – Lacombe Explosion at Parkland Predators
Saturday, November 17, 2:00 p.m., John Bright Park (Edmonton)
Tier IV – Stettler Panthers at St. Albert Colts
Saturday, November 17, 11:00 a.m., John Bright Park (Edmonton)

Files from Football Alberta