NCABL games
The surging St. Albert Cardinals can punch their ticket into the North Central Alberta Baseball League playoffs with a winning performance this week with three games in three nights to close out the regular season.
The Cardinals (11-6-1) were winners of six in a row in before hosting Edmonton Athletics (4-14-1) and Tuesday’s score was unavailable at press time.
Tonight the Cardinals are up to bat against the defending champion Edmonton Blackhawks (12-7) at Legion Memorial Park and Wednesday the Red Birds travel to Westlock to play the Red Lions (10-9-1). Game times are 7 p.m,
The Sherwood Park Athletes (16-3), last year’s finalists, have first place locked up as the Cardinals, Blackhawks, Edmonton Primeaus (11-7-1) and Red Lions jockey for the next three semifinal spots.
If the Cardinals make the playoffs for the first time in team history since joining the NCABL in 2013, the senior AA team’s best-of-three semifinal starts Aug. 12 or Aug. 17.
The best-of-three final is Aug. 24-25.
Rugby match
The St. Albert Rugby Football Club can solidify its semifinal position in the division two men’s table with a home-field victory Thursday against the Clan.
Kickoff is 7 p.m. at SARFC.
Five default points dropped the Clan (4-5, seven bonus points) two points below fourth-place SARFC (4-4, four BP) in the Edmonton Rugby Union.
SARFC also has a match in hand on the Clan with three remaing after Thursday before the Sept. 14 semifinals.
Last month the Clan beat SARFC 39-15 at Airways Park.
Impact women
The division 1A and 2A St. Albert Impact women’s teams continue their quest for provincial playdown berths Thursday in the Edmonton District Soccer Association.
Division 1A Impact 4 (9-3-2) hosts Sherwood Park Reserves 2 (6-4-4) at Riel Park and division 2A Impact 5 (9-1-2) plays Sherwood Park Phoenix 3 (9-1-1) at Strathcona Athletic Park. Kickoff times are 7 p.m.
Tuesday’s score between Impact 5 and Dreadnought 2 (5-3-2) was unavailable at press time.
The top two teams in the 1A and 2A divisions qualify for the upcoming playdowns to determine the EDSA reps at the Tier I and II provincials, Aug. 30 to Sept 2 at ESA Complex.
Impact 4, last year’s Tier I provincial champion, and Spruce Grove Saints (9-4-1) are battling for second place behind Wind in division 1A while Impact 5, Phoenix and Rio Terrance FC (9-2-1) are ranked one-two-three in division 2A.
League play is expected to wrap up next week.
