High school roundup [PLAYOFFS – AB] (12): Regional final brackets are set for all 4 tiers

Every week canadafootballchat.com (CFC) will be getting the scoop on what went down in high school football and what’s coming up the following week. If you have a game recap or upcoming preview, please submit it to [email protected].

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Regional Finals, November 18th

Tier I (School Pop. 1250+)

NORTH – #2 Harry Ainlay Titans 49 #5 Bellerose Bulldogs 0
SOUTH – #1 St. Francis Browns 42 #4 L.C.I. Rams 9

Alberta Bowl Provincial Final – MEGlobal Athletic Park (Lacombe)
Saturday, November 25th, 6:00 p.m.
#2 Harry Ainlay Titans vs. #1 St. Francis Browns

*see recap and previews in the #CFC50 GOTW (West/Atlantic)

 

Regional Finals, November 18th

Tier II (School Pop. 750-1249)

NORTH – #4 Lloydminster Barons 38 #1 St. Joseph’s Celtics 14

With a 12-1 record, the Celtics were stunned as they lost to the Barons this past weekend in the Tier II provincial semifinals. Their last loss came in the 2016 Provincial final to the Foothills Falcons. However, not all is amiss as they were the 2017 Mighty Peace Football League champions and can be proud of their season overall.

SOUTH – #3 Foothills Falcons 42 #2 Hunting Hills Lightning 7

In a lopsided win of 42-7 for the Foothills Falcons over the Hunting Hills Lightning, the victors will be moving on to the Tier II provincial final.

Riddled with mistakes and turnovers, the Lightning could not seem to get on the same page. Falcon’s running back, Payton Price would rush for 3 touchdowns, Payton Burbank would have a touchdown reception after two of Price’s touchdowns to bring the score to 22-7 to take the lead. Quarterback Tyson Pitcher would get a 1-yard score early in the second half, and they would then capitalize on a fumbled snap to get another score.

Keaton Neish would get a touchdown reception in the third quarter and another fumble on the Lightning goal line would give the Falcons another score late in the third. Price would finish the night off on one more 1-yard run.

Alberta Bowl Provincial Final – MEGlobal Athletic Park (Lacombe)
Saturday, November 25th, 11:00 a.m.
#4 Lloydminster Barons vs. #3 Foothills Falcons

One of Alberta’s most consistent programs is now back in the finals. Back before the turn of the century, the Barons were a frequent visitor to the Tier II Final going five times from 1987 to 1999 with their sole win coming in 1994. However it’s been 18 years, where they have qualified for Provincials in each season save for 2011, without any final appearance – until now. Backed by a solid defence lead by Ethan Mather, Garrett Hatchard and Josh Dunham, the Barons have finally pushed through the brick wall that was the #1 ranked St. Joseph’s from Grande Prairie to reach these long-lost heights.

Conversely, the Foothills Falcons are quite comfortable in this spot reaching the Alberta Bowl finals for the third straight season and eighth time since the Tier numbers were re-jigged in 1999. They too have been a constant qualifier only missing out in 2011 and 2012 and have six Tier II Provincial Championships to show for it over that time including the last two. This year they were almost left for dead for as late as the first week of October they had a losing record. However, the entire team from freshmen to the graduating class does not know what it is like to lose a game in November and they have tacked on the wins with increasing authority since that time and sit on the cusp of a third straight title. The defence, anchored by Team Alberta standout DB Seth Nelson, has put the clamps down while it’s been the offense that has really found its groove lately with QB Tyson Pitcher tossing 10 TD passes in the last three games. It’s nice to see Lloydminster back but they do have their work cut out for them.

*game preview courtesy of Football Alberta

 

Regional Finals, November 18th

Tier III (School Pop. 450-749)

NORTH – #3 Holy Rosary Raiders 35 #4 St. Albert Skyhawks 10
SOUTH – #1 Cochrane Cobras 21 #2 Cardston Cougars 7

Alberta Bowl Provincial Final – MEGlobal Athletic Park (Lacombe)
Friday, November 24th, 7:00 p.m.
#3 Holy Rosary Raiders vs. #1 Cochrane Cobras

Third year in a row these two teams will meet in this game. That’s the good news for Holy Rosary. The bad news is they once again will have the most prolific and successful Tier III team in the history of Provincials waiting for them. Two years ago, it was a tough day at the office for the Raiders as they dropped the final 55-0 to the Cobras. Last year the Raiders inched a little closer keeping it competitive for most of the game before finally bowing 29-20. This year, with the stellar graduating class from 2016 not with them anymore, it seemed like possibly a down year for the Raiders and their 0-4 start fed that narrative. But a funny thing happened on the way to obscurity – the Raiders started to win. Eight straight in fact and added their fourth straight Wheatland League Championship along the way. No stars, just hard teamwork has gotten them to this point for another date with the Cobras.

27 years of Provincial qualifying never gets old in Cochrane. Nor do the Championships as they have added 10 titles to their record in the past 14 years which makes them pound for pound the most successful team in the Province over that time period. Time for one more? We’ll find out Saturday.

*game preview courtesy of Football Alberta

 

Regional Finals, November 18th

Tier IV (School Pop. 449 or less)

NORTH – #8 Cold Lake Royals 28 #4 Stettler Wildcats 22

SOUTH – #1 Willow Creek Cobras 21 #2 W.R. Myers Rebels 9

Alberta Bowl Provincial Final – MEGlobal Athletic Park (Lacombe)
Saturday, November 25th, 2:30 p.m.
#8 Cold Lake Royals vs. #1 Willow Creek Cobras

The two teams making it to the Alberta Bowl at the Tier IV level come in having vastly different seasons. For the #1 ranked Cobras, after dropping their first exhibition game to Medicine Hat, they have reeled off nine straight victories with an average score of 38-5. Throw the ball against them at your peril as the ball hawking secondary has recorded 22 interceptions and 6 pick-six TD’s as opposed to giving up only 2 TD’s passes against. History hasn’t been kind to the Cobras at the Alberta Bowl however, as this will mark their sixth final appearance in the last 13 seasons with only one win in 2006 to show for it, however this year’s team is on a mission and could be an unstoppable force.

On the other side of the leger is a different story completely. The Cold Lake Royals won their first exhibition game of the year but when it came to the regular season, they lost every single game they played. They went 48 days without a win, only recording their second win of the year with a tight playoff win over Wainwright to secure the Tier IV playoff berth on October 28. Since then it’s been all gravy and with a gutty 28-22 win over last year’s Northern Tier IV Champs from Stettler on a frosty Friday night last week, they have qualified for Cold Lake’s second appearance in a Provincial Final, the first since 2002 when they were at the Tier III level. Their calling card is a premier defensive line anchored by Liam Blackburn and Anthony Francis and they will need them and more to upset the Cobras on Saturday.

*game preview courtesy of Football Alberta

 

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