PRESS RELEASE
TO: All Media/Press Outlets (ATT: Sports Director/Editor)
FROM: Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association/Football Alberta
RE: High School and Minor Football Provincial Playoffs
DATE: Wednesday, November 14, 2012
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The following are the draws for the 2012 ASAA Provincial High School Football Playoffs that will lead up to the fourth Alberta Bowl. The times and locations are included as well as the provincial ranking of the teams (as determined by Football Alberta) and contacts for each team involved. For general information about the draw and the playoffs please contact:
Ms. Michelle Ross - ASAA Deputy Director (780)427-8182(B)
Mr. Tim Enger - Football Alberta (Results Coord.) (780)905-7822(C)
Mr. Rick Gilson - ASAA Football Commissioner (780)978-5367(C)
TIER I (School Pop. 1250+)
Northern Final
#3 Bev Facey Falcons at #1 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.
Contacts: Spruce Grove – Chris Fricker (780)850-0042(H)Bev Facey – Curtis Martin (780)467-0044(B)
Southern Final
#2 Notre Dame Pride at #5 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.
Contacts: Notre Dame – David Diluzio (403)242-1801 L.C.I. – Darren Majeran (403)328-9606(B)
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
#6 Austin O’Brien Crusaders at #8 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 a 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?
Contacts: Austin O’Brien – Darcy Ogonoski (403)466-3161(B) McNally – Senny Leong (780)469-0442(B)
Southern Final
#4 Hunting Hills Lightning at #1 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.
Contacts: Catholic Central – Anthony Vercillo (403)593-9575(C) Hunting Hills – Kyle Sedgwick (403)342-7799(B)
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 Scots1995 - 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
#3 St. Paul Lions at #6 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.
Contacts: St. Paul – Todd Tanasichuk (780)645-4491(B) St. Albert –Sam Johnson(780)459-7781(B)
Southern Final
#8 Winston Churchill Bulldogs at #2 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?
Contacts: Cochrane – Rob McNab (403)932-2542(B) Winston Churchill – Jon Dick (403)328-2746(B)
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
#5 Cold Lake Royals at #2 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 Tier’s 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.
Contacts: Ardrossan – Dave McKinnon (780)922-2228(B)Cold Lake – Kelly Johnson (780)639-0039(B)
Southern Final
#4 Willow Creek Cobras at #1 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.
Contacts: Willow Creek – Tim Bryson (403)625-3387(B) Drumheller –Ken Fournier (403)436-0030(C)
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.
Contacts: Westwood – Adam Jackson (780)791-1986(B) Millwoods – Rob Harrod (780)462-2627(B)
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 turn in Lacombe .
Contacts: Frank Maddock – Tim Richolt (780)542-4401(B) Rimbey – Bill Bamfield (403)843-3761(B)
PAST 6-MAN CHAMPIONS
2011 – Father Mercredi Trappers
Bonus Press Release!
Football Minor Provincial Finals this Weekend!
Along with all the high school fun the Minor Provincials for Bantam (age 13-15) and Pee-Wee (age 11-12) start this weekend as well. Unlike high school they are only a two week event so all listed games are Provincial Semi-Finals. Contact Tim Enger at the Football Alberta office at (780)427-8108 for more information.
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)
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