The leaves are nearly done falling, the weather is turning cold, windshields are increasingly frosted in the morning, and snow will soon fall.
It's that time of year again. No, not time to dust off your Christmas trees, but something possibly just as exciting, especially if you're a Bonnyville Bandits fan. It's playoff season in minor football.
The Bonnyville Bandits are coming into the playoffs after finishing their best regular season in franchise history, capping it off with a win in Wainwright this past weekend.
They are gearing up for a first-round playoff match against the St. Paul Bengals this Saturday in Bonnyville.
It's pretty much guaranteed the stands at Walsh Field will be packed with fans, ringing with the sounds of air horns and cowbells as the Bandits battle to move forward in the playoffs. Bonnyville fans aren't mellow and can cause quite a roar when it comes to cheering on their favourite team.
After an impressive regular season, the Bandits are in third place heading into playoff action, behind the Lloydminster Mustangs and Cold Lake Royals, respectively.
Players cannot be satisfied with a good regular season, however, and the Bandits need to keep their eye on the ball as they face off against the sixth-place Bengals on Saturday.
Last year, the Bandits struggled through a “rebuilding” year, finishing the season with a 0 – 5 record and in last place, a rough year similar to what the Bengals are going through now.
Still, the team can't become overly confident in their success. In the playoffs, no one can be taken lightly.
Success against St. Paul offers the Bandits an even greater opportunity — revenge. If they win, they move on to a rematch against the Cold Lake Royals, the only team to beat them in the regular season.
In a heartbreaking match against the Royals at the Scott MacDonald Memorial game last month, the Bandits lost 25 – 15. A rematch would be sweet.
Either way, one thing is for sure — it's going to be an exciting game in Wheatland Bantam Football League playoff action. Meanwhile, the Voyageurs hit the road for their first playoff game in Wainwright.
So grab a hat, some mittens, a thermos of hot chocolate, and a cowbell and come on down to Walsh Field at 1 p.m. to witness the beginning of the end of the best season in Bandits' history.
