Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association’s road to the Alberta Bowl continues this weekend

Semi Final

#4 Salisbury Sabres at #1 Harry Ainlay Titans.

Sat. Nov. 19 – 2:30 p.m., Clarke Stadium (Edmonton)

Is the third time the charm for the Sabres? A close 26-17 loss on October 21 to the Titans during the regular season that was followed up by a 40-14 loss in the Metro Edmonton Division I Final has Salisbury 0-2 in their shots at the defending champions. Still, the Sabres are the only team in the past four years (counting the 2020 pandemic year) that has beaten the Titans winning the Div I title last year before falling to St. Francis in Provincials so they know they have more than a punchers chance. As for the Titans they are Tier I’s only undefeated team and very worthy of the #1 ranking. They can score in bunches in all three phases of the game but have given up a few more touchdowns than they would like in the previous four contests. Their loss to the Sabres last year may still be on their mind, but they rallied the troops afterwards and won their two Provincial games to earn the first ever Brian Fryer Tier I Title so they know a little bit about resiliency. Two of Canada’s top high school programs meet at Clarke Stadium on Saturday to determine the Edmonton areas representative to the Alberta Bowl next week.

Semi Final

#3 Ernest Manning Griffins at #2 Raymond Comets

Sat. Nov. 19 – 1:00 p.m., Comets Stadium (Raymond)

This game will end the world’s longest overtime. Back on September 16, these two teams met and played a thriller with the Griffins coming back late to tie the Comets 34-34. That game was in Calgary, but this week’s game will be in Raymond which will add Alberta’s best home field advantage to the mix. The great facility and passionate fans make for one of Canada’s best high school football experiences and Ernest Manning better be prepared for a release of Comet pride on Saturday. On September 16 we didn’t know what we didn’t know about the Griffins. Although they have a strong football tradition at the school, they’ve never been able to climb the twin peaks of Notre Dame and St. Francis until this year. Now, having defeated both traditional powers along the way, the newly minted Calgary Division I champions are on a roll and more than capable of winning the right to come home the following week at the Alberta Bowl in Calgary. It’s still 34-34 in our minds so let’s see who takes it in a full game of overtime.

Larry Wilson (Regional) Division (School Pop. 1250+)

Northern Final

Spruce Grove Panthers at Bev Facey Falcons

Sat. Nov. 19 – 2:30 p.m., Emerald Hills Stadium (Sherwood Park)

Another Metro Edmonton rematch with the Panthers going across town to play the Falcons on their home turf in Sherwood Park. Both teams pitched shutouts last Saturday with the Falcons winning 28-0 over a tough Grande Prairie Phoenix team, while the Panthers dismantled the Fort McMurray Saints 67-0. It’s been a while since these teams have seen each other having played in the second game of their regular season on September 16 with the Panthers winning 28-7. The Panthers went on to finish a strong fourth in the Metro Division I and were the only team to score more than 30 points on the Harry Ainlay Titans this season in the semi-final so they are a force to be reckoned with. The Falcons missed the playoffs by one spot in Division I but are well rested and healthy, and now sport a stingy defence that they will definitely need come Saturday.

Southern Final

All Saints Legends at Cochrane Cobras

Sat. Nov. 19 – 2:00 p.m., Spray Lakes Legacy Field (Cochrane)

Last week’s win over the Notre Dame Cougars of Red Deer was only the third of the year for the Legends, but they have put up some pretty stiff fights in the tough Calgary Division I league this year and exploded into Provincials with a 42-7 win in the first round. The Cobras on the other hand are used to winning the first round of Provincials having done so every single year since 2010, however that was at the Tier III level. This year the perennial Tier III Champ has upped the challenge to their team by declaring Tier I at the Larry Wilson level and had all they could take from the Henry Wise Wood Warriors in last weekend’s first round game winning 50-48 in five overtimes. Can they sustain their run against the Legends? Of All Saints three wins two of them came against Henry Wise Wood so this game is a bit of a toss-up at this point. Hometown advantage goes to Cochrane but we’ll see what the Legends can do when they come calling on Saturday.

PAST TIER I CHAMPIONS

1986 – Salisbury Sabres 1995 – St. Francis Browns 2004 – St. Francis Browns 2013 – Notre Dame Pride

1987 – Harry Ainlay Titans 1996 – Raymond Comets 2005 – Raymond Comets 2014 – Notre Dame Pride

1988 – L.C.I. Rams 1997 – Raymond Comets 2006 – Salisbury Sabres 2015 – St. Francis Browns

1989 – L.C.I. Rams 1998 – Raymond Comets 2007 – St. Francis Browns 2016 – St. Francis Browns

1990 – L.C.I Rams 1999 – Jasper Place Rebels 2008 – Raymond Comets 2017 – Harry Ainlay Titans

1991 – Henry Wise Wood 2000 – Strathcona Lords 2009 – Raymond Comets 2018 – St. Francis Browns

1992 – L.C.I. Rams 2001 – Strathcona Lords 2010 – Raymond Comets 2019 – Harry Ainlay Titans

1993 – L.C.I. Rams 2002 – Bev Facey Falcons 2011 – Harry Ainlay Titans 2020 – No Champion

1994 – L.C.I. Rams 2003 – St. Francis Browns 2012 – Notre Dame Pride 2021 – Harry Ainlay Titans (BF)

Raymond Comets (LW)

TIER II (School Pop. 750-1249)

Northern Final

#2 St. Josephs Celtics at #3 Austin O’Brien Crusaders

Sat. Nov. 19 – 12:00 p.m., Clarke Stadium (Edmonton)

A lot of recent history between these two green and black clad teams will make for a much-anticipated contest in Clarke Stadium on Saturday. This game will essentially be the rubber match between these two Tier II powerhouses in the last three contested Provincials. In 2019 Austin O’Brien won 47-26 and St. Joseph’s took last season’s contest 35-14. The Celtics are the defending Tier II Champions and handled a game Bellerose Bulldog team 39-21 last weekend in Grande Prairie while the Crusaders crushed Lloydminster 40-3 in their first game outside of their league last Saturday. The Celtics are Mighty Peace Champions as well this year but the Crusaders strong third place finish in Metro Edmonton Division I is also a great accomplishment for a Tier II sized school. The undercard at Clarke this Saturday has the earmarks for a classic.

Southern Final

#1 Holy Trinity Academy Knights at #9 Hunting Hills Lightning

Sat. Nov. 19 –2:30 p.m., Great Chief Park (Red Deer)

After a slow start to the season, the Lightning of Red Deer have really turned it on as of late. Their 48-7 win over Our Lady of the Rockies last week showed that they are hitting on all cylinders and worthy of being in the Southern Final. Unfortunately for the Lightning, it’s a game they know only too well as five times in the past 10 seasons they have advanced to the Southern Tier II Final and five times they have lost it. This year isn’t any easier as the #1 ranked Holy Trinity Academy Knights are coming to town. The Knights also put up a similar score last weekend beating the Medicine Hat Hawks 48-6 and only have one loss on their record this year and that was to the powerful Raymond Comets. Is the momentum Hunting Hills have been building enough to get them across the finish line, or are the Knights on their way to their third straight Tier II Alberta Bowl appearance? We’ll find out Saturday.

PAST TIER II CHAMPIONS

1986 – Stettler Wildcats 1995 – Brooks Buffalos 2004 – Foothills Falcons 2013 – Austin O’Brien Crusaders

1987 – Cardston Cougars 1996 – Cochrane Cobras 2005 – St. Mary’s Saints 2014 – St. Joseph’s Celtics

1988 – Salisbury Sabres 1997 – Brooks Buffalos 2006 – Foothills Falcons 2015 – Foothills Falcons

1989 – Archbishop Jordan Scots 1998 – Cochrane Cobras 2007 – Notre Dame Pride 2016 – Foothills Falcons

1990 – Cardston Cougars 1999 – George McDougall 2008 – Notre Dame Pride 2017 – Foothills Falcons

1991 – Cardston Cougars 2000 – Foothills Falcons 2009 – Foothills Falcons 2018 – Lloydminster Barons

1992 – Cardston Cougars 2001 – Med. Hat Mohawks 2010 – Catholic Central 2019 – Holy Trinity Academy

1993 – Cardston Cougars 2002 – Arch. Jordan Scots 2011 – Austin O’Brien 2020 – No Champion

1994 – Lloydminster Barons 2003 – Arch. Jordan Scots 2012 – Austin O’Brien 2021 – St. Joseph’s Celtics

TIER III (School Pop. 450-749)

Northern Final

#3 Sturgeon Spirits at #1 Holy Rosary Raiders

Sat. Nov. 19 – 1:00 p.m., Holy Rosary High School (Lloydminster)

Road Warriors vs. the Homebodies this weekend in Lloydminster. The Metro Edmonton Division III Champion Spirits are putting on the miles this year as Saturday will be their second consecutive road game in Provincials while the Wheatland Champion Raiders have experienced the opposite this post-season and will host their second straight Provincial game at home. The Spirits have yet to taste defeat this year and although the Raiders have, it was to Ernest Manning who is still competing at the highest level in the Province at the Brian Fryer Tier I Division. Both scored big wins this past weekend with Sturgeon running away from Whitecourt 64-15 while Holy Rosary had their hands full with Central Alberta Champion Stettler, gutting out a tough 17-0 victory. Holy Rosary’s streak of six straight wins in the Northern Tier III Final is on the line as well so it should be a dandy in Lloydminster this Saturday.

Southern Final

#6 Strathmore Spartans at #5 Sylvan Lake Lakers

Sat. Nov. 19 – 12:00 p.m., Great Chief Park (Red Deer)

An open spot in the Southern Draw of Tier III Provincials has proven fortuitous for the Sylvan Lake Lakers. After bowing out of the Central Alberta playoffs in the semi-finals, the Lakers took full advantage of their opportunity and dispatched the Winston Churchill Bulldogs 50-6 last weekend in the first round of Provincials. Facing them this weekend is a really unknown quantity as the Strathmore Spartans not only won their game last weekend against Crescent Heights from Medicine Hat 23-13 but also recorded Strathmore’s first ever win at the Provincial level in the team’s history. Their only other previous entry was in 2016 when they were unceremoniously dumped in the first round by the Cochrane Cobras 71-14. Now, under new management, the Spartans are for real and hope they can record their second win in team history in Provincials this upcoming Saturday in Red Deer.

PAST TIER III CHAMPIONS

1986 – Cochrane Cobras 1995 – Kate Andrews Spartans 2004 – Cochrane Cobras 2013 – Cardston Cougars

1987 – Cochrane Cobras 1996 – Sexsmith Sabres 2005 – Cochrane Cobras 2014 – Cochrane Cobras

1988 – Medicine Hat Mohawks 1997 – Springbank Phoenix 2006 – Wetaskiwin Sabres 2015 – Cochrane Cobras

1989 – Will Sinclair Rebels 1998 – McCoy Colts 2007 – Cochrane Cobras 2016 – Cochrane Cobras

1990 – Raymond Comets 1999 – W.R. Myers Rebels 2008 – Cochrane Cobras 2017 – Cochrane Cobras

1991 – Raymond Comets 2000 – W.R. Myers Rebels 2009 – Brooks Buffalos 2018 – Cochrane Cobras

1992 – Raymond Comets 2001 – W.R. Myers Rebels 2010 – Cardston Cougars 2019 – Cochrane Cobras

1993 – Bert Church Chargers 2002 – Cochrane Cobras 2011 – Stettler Wildcats 2020 – No Champion

1994 – Wainwright Commandos 2003 – Cochrane Cobras 2012 – Cochrane Cobras 2021 – Cochrane Cobras

TIER IV (School Pop. 449 or less)

Northern Final

4 St. Paul Lions at #5 Ardrossan Bisons

Sat. Nov. 19 – 12:00 p.m., Emerald Hills Stadium (Sherwood Park)

Two of Tier IV’s most consistent participants meet in Sherwood Park on Saturday, although coming from completely different situations. The Lions are having a great season having advanced to the Wheatland League Championship game, losing to Holy Rosary, then winning a thriller last weekend against the defending Tier IV Champion Sexsmith Sabres 16-13. It also means that they have played every week since the season started leading up to this game. That’s something the Bisons cannot say as they finished in 5^th place and out of the playoffs in Metro Edmonton Division III. This meant a three week wait for the first round of Provincials only to have their opponent Valleyview, decimated by injury and sickness, forfeit. This means that while the Lions are battle tested with a consistent diet of games, the Bisons will have not played anyone in almost a month going into this game. Both teams met in this game in 2019 with the Lions winning 19-14. Should be an interesting one.

Southern Final

#2 Drumheller Titans at #1 W.R. Myers Rebels

Sat. Nov. 19 – 12:00 p.m., University of Lethbridge Community Field (Lethbridge)

A rematch of last year’s Southern Tier IV Final where the underdog Rebels upset the favoured Titans in Drumheller 17-14. This year’s game will be moved to Lethbridge onto artificial turf due to lining issues with the grass field in Taber. Who that gives the advantage to is anyone’s guess. The Rebels sport the best record of Tier IV sized teams only losing once this year while the Titans have lost only twice. Those feats are hard to accomplish when you are usually the smaller of the student populations in any game you play. Do the Titans have what it takes to get some revenge from last year or will it be the Rebels advancing to the Alberta Bowl for the second straight year. We’ll find out on Saturday.

PAST TIER IV CHAMPIONS

1999 – Oilfields Drillers 2005 – Ardrossan Bisons 2011 – Drumheller Titans 2017 – Willow Ck. Cobras

2000 – Oilfields Drillers 2006 – Willow Creek Cobras 2012 – Drumheller Titans 2018 – Canmore W’rines

2001 – Ardrossan Bisons 2007 – Sylvan Lake Lakers 2013 – Drumheller Titans 2019 – Willow Ck. Cobras

2002 – Bow Valley Bobcats 2008 – Ardrossan Bisons 2014 – Holy Rosary Raiders 2020 – No Champion

2003 – Bow Valley Bobcats 2009 – Rundle College Cobras 2015 – Ardrossan Bisons 2021 – Sexsmith Sabres

2004 – Ardrossan Bisons 2010 – Rundle College Cobras 2016 – Bow Valley Bobcats

6-a-side

The 6-a-side Provincial Playoffs take a break this week as last weekend’s games were the semi-finals. A rematch of last year’s Alberta Bowl is in the cards next week as the #3 J.C. Charyk Hawks upset the #2 ranked Rimbey Spartans to head for a rematch with the #1 ranked and defending Provincial Champion Millwoods Christian Royals who defeated the Holy Redeemer Rebels from Edson last Saturday. More on this match-up in next week’s Press Release.

PAST 6-A-SIDE CHAMPIONS

2011 – Father Mercredi Trappers 2016 – St. Joseph’s Crusaders 2021 – Millwoods Christian Royals

2012 – Millwoods Christian Royals 2017 – Rimbey Spartans
2013 – Rimbey Spartans 2018 – J.C. Charyk Hawks

2014 – Rimbey Spartans 2019 – J.C. Charyk Hawks
2015 – St. Joseph’s Crusaders 2020 – No Champion

by rdnewsNOW Staff

Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association’s road to the Alberta Bowl continues this weekend

What's Trending