First place and a trip to provincials are at stake tonight when Mavericks 09 and the Morinville Ladies kick off the biggest game of the year in the St. Albert Women’s Soccer League. Start time is 7 p.m. at Grosvenor field.
Both teams are deadlocked at 14-0-1 on top of the division one table with two games remaining in the season. In May, they battled to a 2-2 draw.
The pennant winner will represent the league at the tier IV provincials, Sept. 2 to 5 in Calgary. Last year, the first-place Mavericks (17-1) finished fourth, the highest placing at provincials by a league team since Morinville won bronze in 2005.
League play wraps up Sunday for both teams. The Mavericks face St. Albert FC (2-12) at Grosvenor while Morinville tackles the Storm (7-5-4) at Forest Park field. Kickoff times are 4:30 p.m.
If the Mavericks (105 GF/12 GA) and Morinville (99 GF/13 GA) finish tied in the standings, goal differential would determine the division champion and provincial rep.
Seven of the top eight scorers in the division play for the Mavericks and Morinville. The leader is Suzanne Gaetz of Morinville with 28 goals, followed by Natalie Miller of the Mavericks with 22 and Amy Suggitt of Morinville with 15.
The St. Albert Steel play four exhibition games in five days in a mini-tournament format, starting Friday against the Sherwood Park Crusaders. Puck drop is 5 p.m. at Performance Arena.
The Steel also skate twice Saturday in Sherwood Park: 9 a.m. against the Spruce Grove Saints and 5 p.m. against the Drayton Valley Thunder.
The four-team draw ends Sunday in Spruce Grove with games at 2 p.m. (third versus fourth) and 5 p.m. (first versus second).
The remaining pre-season schedule for the Steel is as follows:
• Aug: 30: Camrose Kodiaks, 7 p.m. Performance.
• Sept. 2: at Sherwood Park, 7 p.m.
• Sept. 3: Sherwood Park, 7 p.m. Performance.
• Sept. 4: Spruce Grove, 2 p.m. Whitecourt.
The Steel start into their fifth Alberta Junior Hockey League season on Friday, Sept. 9, when they visit the Olds Grizzlys.
The home opener is Sept. 16 against Sherwood Park at 7 p.m.
Rugby rivals St. Albert and the Clansmen renew hostilities Saturday at 4 p.m. at the Leading Edge Physiotherapy Fields.
It’s the last home game for St. Albert’s first 15 until they host a quarter-final match Sept. 17.
The reigning Labatt’s Cup premier men’s provincial champions share second place with the Clan at 7-3. They trail the Calgary Hornets (9-1) by seven points in the pennant race with two games remaining in the fixtures.
The firsts are undefeated in seven games and the Clan have won six in a row.
In May, the Clan beat the firsts 25-20 with a try on the last play of the game.
