/ GPLS.ca | 12:30 P
The final weekend before the ‘A’ Championship Weekend saw the best players, as voted on by coaches, come together for the annual All-Star Game Weekend, but it also provided the final three days of games that would see the standings shape up heading into the playoffs, this weekend.
And while the All-Star Games featured the best of the best, come playoff time, everyone across the Prairie League is going to take it up a notch, looking for a Maclean-Ross Cup.
In both the Lawrick and Cumpstone Divisions in U16A, there is little separation at the top, as 1.5 games is the difference between the top three ranked teams heading into the playoffs.
The Edmonton Rivercity 01s continued their perfect season, going 4-0 at the All-Star Weekend, including an 18-10 victory over the Prince Albert Aces, handing the Aces their first loss of the year. Prince Albert finished the rest of the weekend with five straight wins, but gave the game in hand to Rivercity, who now hold top spot.
But that doesn’t rule out the Calgary Kaizen, who sit in third with a 10-2 record this season, rounding an impressive top three in the Cumpstone Division.
In the Lawrick Division, the Red Deer Rage stayed above .500 with an 8-6 record, which included three victories this past weekend at the All-Star Weekend, but have a slim one game advantage on the Calgary Nose Creek, who through 13 games have a 7-6 record.
The Lloydminster Liners and Prince Albert Storm each made up some ground in the respective divisions in U14A, closing the gap the Calgary Kaizen has on the Sonnenberg Division, and the Sherwood Park Storm 03s lead in the Nichols Division.
Lloydminster went 5-1 over the All-Star Weekend, losing only to the guest team from Maple Ridge, while improving their record to 10-3, two wins behind Calgary, but a comfortable three wins in front of the Calgary Adrenaline 03.
Meanwhile, the Prince Albert Aces also went 5-1, losing only to Maple Ridge, over the All-Star Weekend, moving just one win back of Sherwood Park who dropped two games over the weekend, finishing with an overall record of 11-2.
With a four team race and only small margins separating each other in the standings, it will make for exciting matchups in bracket play.
The U12 Division may have a clear top team in the St. Albert Angels, who finished the season with three wins at the All-Star Weekend and a 10-2 record overall.
However, behind them are three teams that are just as capable of taking a top spot and championship in the upcoming Championship Weekend.
The Lloydminster Liners finished 9-3, one game behind St. Albert, while Red Deer finished a game behind them, albeit, they played one game fewer but scored 18 more runs. And the Sherwood Park Storm are in fourth place at 7-6, but their 130 runs scored was the most of any team in the U12 Division.
With Championship Weekend drawing near, the battle for the Maclean-Ross Cup is about to heat up.
If you have an interesting softball story to share, please email a.brethauer@gpls.ca