The Bellerose Bulldogs are one win away from their second undefeated season as metro Edmonton junior football champions.
Thursday the Bulldogs (6-0) will butt heads with the Jasper Place Rebels (4-2) in the division one final.
Kickoff is 5 p.m. at Clarke Park and admission is $5.
The Bulldogs finished first in pool B and the Rebels placed third in pool A.
The Rebels upset the undefeated pool A Salisbury Sabres 23-22 after trailing 22-10 in the fourth quarter.
The 16th straight victory for the Bulldogs (6-0) since losing the 2011 premier semifinal was 44-7 over the Memorial Marauders (4-3) in Thursday’s playoff at Clarke Park.
The Bulldogs led 16-0 after the first quarter and 30-0 at halftime.
The only touchdown by Memorial was a kick return in the fourth quarter by the same player who recorded two TDs in the team’s 63-12 loss to the Bulldogs in league play.
In the first half Grade 11 quarterback Trace Stuht raced 60 yards into the endzone on the second play from scrimmage on the opening drive after Kit Liske returned the kick off 30 yards.
Stuht also fired TD strikes to Eric Calkins (circus catch just inside the endzone to end up with the ball flat on his back), Jaedon Carroll (15-yard catch and run after long gains by Mitch Kruk and Walker Sinclair) and Maverick Delmas (60-yard catch and run after the defence forced Memorial to turn the ball over on downs with 7.9 seconds left in the second half). A key block by receiver Corbin Stewart to take out two Marauders sprung Delmas loose for the final 20 yards.
Carroll also split the uprights with a chip shot in the first quarter.
Kruk rounded out the scoring with two TDs along the ground with the clock running throughout the second half.
The Bulldogs also emptied their bench as all the players saw game action.
On defence, linebacker Atuen Metallic dished out some devastating hits and played the spy role against Memorial’s quarterback to limit his offensive abilities.
James Dean successfully completed the grueling City Chase National Championships for the fifth time in six race appearances.
The founder of the St. Albert Physical Therapy & Sports Injury Clinic and race partner David Crane endured 40 hours of adventure to win the recent City Chase final in London, Ont.
The Amazing Race-style competition featured the winning team from each of the 2013 regional events in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Toronto (two), Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax, where Dean and Crane were victorious in September. Dean was the runner-up in Edmonton and joined forces with Crane, who grew up in London and was a previous two-time City Chase champion with his brother.
Challenges for the City Chase teams at nationals included extreme fire fighting, canoeing the Grand River, racing a Scion FR-S at the Delaware Speedway and conquering a high ropes course at Boler Mountain.
For their efforts, Dean and Crane won an adventure vacation to Machu Picchu and the Amazon jungle through Intrepid Travel.
They will also compete at worlds, but organizers were tight-lipped where and when it will take place.
