Pride is on the line Thursday, when the St. Albert High Skyhawks and Paul Kane Blues battle for bragging rights in high school football. Kickoff is 5 p.m. at the Riel Park turf field. Admission is $5.
It’s the first game in St. Albert history between the Blues and Skyhawks in the metro Edmonton league’s Carr conference. The last 13 years Paul Kane students played football for the Skyhawks at St. Albert Catholic High School.
The first-year Blues are winless in four games. Last week the lowest-scoring team (18 points) in the conference was shut out 22-0 by the Bellerose Bulldogs (2-3). Bellerose also beat the Skyhawks 13-10 in league play.
Another loss by the Blues would sink their playoff hopes. Six out of seven teams qualify. Paul Kane’s last game before the playoffs is Oct. 20 against the Austin O’Brien Crusaders (3-0-1), the top-ranked tier II team in the Football Alberta rankings. Kickoff is 7:30 at Johnny Bright Park.
A win Thursday by the Skyhawks (1-3) would nail down a playoff berth and a possible first-round playoff date Oct. 25 against Bellerose.
In the tier III rankings, the Skyhawks moved up one notch into sixth place after last week’s 16-14 loss to the 2010 champion Salisbury Sabres (3-0-1) in St. Albert.
The Skyhawks’ defence kept the fourth-ranked tier I Sabres under wraps until late in the game. With 1:46 to play, the Skyhawks huddled up at their 17 after picking off a pass on third down following a lengthy injury delay in the game. After runs of three and eight yards produced a first down at the 28, the Skyhawks fumbled the ball and the Sabres recovered with 53 seconds to play. On third and four, the Sabres completed a pass at the one. On the next play, the Sabres scored on the quarterback sneak with 25 seconds remaining.
The Skyhawks close out the regular season Oct. 20 against the third-ranked tier I Bev Facey Falcons (3-0-2) at 7:30 p.m. in Sherwood Park.
A victory Thursday by the Bellerose Bulldogs would clinch fourth place in the Carr conference. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. against the Archbishop Jordan Scots at the Riel Park turf field. Admission is $5.
The Bulldogs (2-3) have given up the most points (153) in the conference despite holding the Paul Kane Blues (0-4) scoreless in last week’s 22-0 win.
The only win by the Scots (1-3) this year in metro Edmonton high school football was 32-17 against Paul Kane.
Next week the Bulldogs have a bye in the schedule and they don’t play until the Oct. 25 opening playoff round.
