28 October 2011
The 2011 playoffs for the youth level teams starts this weekend. A season after a banner year of 2010, when both Midget and Bantam teams reached the final four of their respective top Provincial championships, and the Mosquito AAA got to play in the Alouettes Cup final at McGill Stadium, 2011 holds as many promises.
The Atoms have earned the right to compete in the Ballon d'Argent after finishing the season with a great 7-3 record. What is even more remarkable is that it is the second participation in the top playoffs competition for a program that is only in its third year. Unfortunately, they have yet to win a postseason match. Last season, playing in the Alouettes Cup, the youngest Spartans lost to St-Leonard, while they were defeated by Lasalle in 2009 in the Ballon d'Argent's 1st round. They have the chance to exact revenge this year as they travel Saturday morning to Keith Ewenson Park against those same Warriors.
The PeeWee AAA also have a bit of recent history against their opponent of the day. They lost to the Chateauguay Raiders in the 2nd round of the Alouettes Cup in 2009, and will take them on again this Saturday night under the lights. Last season, also competiting for the
Alouettes Cup, they lost to the St-Leonard Cougars in a game that could have gone either way. The 5-5 finish in the regular season allows the team to hope for a better result this season and have a sustained run in this year's playoffs.
The Mosquito AAA program finished its season with a remarkable perfect record (10-0). It is one of only two programs in the province to have accomplished the feat this year. The Western Patriots dominated debates in the WMFL and finished also undefeated and untied. Coach Jimmy Skoulos's gang will participate in the Ballon d'Argent playoffs and will make its debut in the competition when it takes on the
Châteauguay Raiders, who finished 2nd in the MRFL AAA Blue Division. Losing last season's final match at the Molson Stadium only gives the team more motivation to reach that stage again, and play in such prestigious surroundings.
It all starts this weekend. Let's hope it lasts for a while.
Go Spartans go!
