New Challengers Emerge in Post-Season
The youngest franchise in the NCABL will be making its first visit to the post season in 2021. The youthful Fort Saskatchewan Reds will not have an easy task facing the Pennant Champion Sherwood Park Athletics. The Reds, who have enlisted some promising and talented players, will be rolling out a much shorter bench than will the well balanced, deeper, and more experienced Athletics. Sherwood Park breezed to an 11-1 record during the abbreviated season to capture their third pennant. As reigning NCABL Champions, they will be hungry to repeat for their second consecutive title. Last season the Athletics captured their first crown after several disappointing losses to the Edmonton Blackhawks in previous series’. A sweep over the Red Lions in 2020 broke the ice for Sherwood Park who will be difficult to unseat from their perch atop the NCABL. Post-season action in that series, which will all be played at Centennial Park #9 in Sherwood Park, begins on Thursday, August 19th, at 7:00 PM. The Reds will be the home club for that game with the series concluding on Saturday, August 21, with games scheduled for 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm if necessary both hosted by the Athletics.
The Edmonton Athletics have not been in the show for more than a decade. Thanks to the re-emergence of all-star pitcher Mark Trela, the Edmonton club took advantage of the abbreviated season to finish with a .500 winning percentage, good enough for a third place finish this season. Trela will have to continue providing stellar performances against the rebuilding Red Lions if the Athletics are to emerge as victors from LCSFS-B. Semi-final Series B will open on Friday, August 20th, at Wally Footz Field in Edmonton. Game time is 7:00 pm. This series will return to Westlock’s Keller Field on Sunday, August 22nd, for games 2 and 3 if necessary. Game times on Sunday are set for 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm respectively. An admission of $5 per person will be charged at all venues. Children 10 and under will be admitted free of charge.