But with the COVID-19 pandemic still taking its toll, the league opted to take a different route this time around. And as a result, the 2021 playoffs will be a one-day affair across the league.
The Yorkton Raiders (5-1) will travel to Weyburn to face the Eagles (6-0) on Saturday afternoon for the league championship and the right to face the Saskatoon 5A champions in the provincial semifinal next weekend.
That leaves the Central Cyclones (4-2) to host the Swift Current Colts (3-3) in the third-fourth place game this Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at Gutheridge Field.
“It’s one of those weird years, we could potentially finish off the season with a win and not have to say goodbye to the seniors after a loss, even though we don’t get a trophy,” said Cyclones head coach Colin Belsher. “Even though it’s third place, it’s still a nice way to finish the year off.”
The two teams met back on Sept. 25, and the Cyclones’ offence was on point from the start, scoring 30 second-quarter points on their way to a 51-14 victory in Moose Jaw. A comfortable win, to be sure, but Belsher isn’t expecting anything close to an easy time of it this time around.
“Swift Current isn’t going to roll over a die for us, that’s for sure,” Belsher said. “It’s a meaningful game, it’s the last game for these seniors to play with this group and the same goes for Swift Current.
“Swift has a good team, too. They’re just young, where we have a number of seniors in key positions where they’re lacking at this point. I know their coaches quite well, and I know they’ll be prepared and ready to go in a big game for both teams.”
Make no mistake, the two teams would much rather be taking the field with future games on the line. Especially the Cyclones, who got off to a solid start but dropped close contests in Weyburn and Yorkton on back-to-back weekends to fall out of the championship game.
“It was discussed this year how it would play out, and I thought we had a really good opportunity to be in that one-two game, but with Yorkton and Weyburn being strong teams as well and us not being able to take one of those games, we’ve found ourselves playing this one,” Belsher said. “It’s still a big one for both teams, though, and I know we’ll both be going out there to win it.”
The league’s other three teams are in action tonight during a special Friday Night Lights jamboree at MacDonald Athletic Field. Action gets underway with the Peacock Tornadoes (2-4) against the Vanier Vikings (0-5-1) at 6 p.m., followed by the Tornadoes taking on the Estevan Elecs (0-5-1) at 6:55 p.m. and the Vikings facing the Elecs at 7:50 p.m.
Admission is $5 for adults, $2 for students.
