Monday, September 1, 2064
WHO WILL SURGE IN SEPTEMBER?
Bottom line time is here in the Islandian Pro Alliance... it is down to the nitty gritty and time to get it done... no slumps in September is the credo... the season is riding on it... and now a quick cruise around the Islands.
Claxton has the Ruthlandian South well in hand with an 11-game lead over the second place Waleska Westerners... the Diamonds are shore 'nuff the winner... the Sligo Rovers are very secure in the Ruthlandian West with a 10-game margin over runner-up Volusia... over in the Tycobbian Union the Tuckanarra Tiger Cats are feeling good with a 6 and a half-game edge over Ozarka in the TU East... and the San Alejo Montaneros are confortable with a 6-game lead in the TU South over the Summerland Sunsets... neither of the two are playing very well right now... one would rightly reckon that those pennant races are fairly well decided... however, Hartsdale pulled it off last year, trailing Oxford by 6 going into the final month, the Hellcats miraculously beat the Red Caps in a sudden-death game and went on to their greatest season ever and won the IPA Pro Cup... so it does happen...
And now for the divisions that are still a catfight... the Ranford Bulls are up by just 2 games over the Glasco Foxhounds in the Ruthlandian North... last year's champ La Grange is still hanging in there, just 2 and a half games out... even Valmara and Far Mountain are still technically in the chase, 4 and a half games and 6 and a half games back... down the stretch in September the Bulls looks the best of the three leaders.
It down to just two teams in the Ruthlandian East... Elnora, last year's flag winner, is running 10 and a half games out and is out of it... preseason favorite and longtime powerhouse Wynnamac has a shaky 3 games edge over the Sugar Valley Rattlers... it's anybody game to win... both the Macs and the Rattlers are playing well.
Checking out the close races in the Tycobbian Union... there are two logjams there... boy, it's a mess in the TU West where the surprising La Claire Lynx are top, but Rolling Hills Racers and the Kenwood Wildcats are nipping at their heels, just a half game behind... it could be here today and gone tomorrow in the standings... the standings could change on a day-by-day basis... based on last month's play, the Kenwood Wildcats are the team to beat... but the Racers and the Lynx are still in it and are still good ballclubs... it should be quite a photo finish.
4 teams are contending in the Tycobbian North... the Oxford Red Caps were a huge favorite to begin the season, looking like they would win by double digits, but it hasn't played out exactly that way... the first place Red Caps are being hard pressed by three other clubs... the Mahaska Haymakers are just 2 games behind Oxford... the Blue Lake Schooners and North Hills Hawks are still in the ballgame... the Schooners trail by 4 games and the Hawks are just 4 and a half off the pace... still plenty of time to catch the Red Caps with 24 games to play... Blue Lake and North Hills didn't play well in August... the Hawks went into the month with a 3-game lead and blew it all and more... Oxford and Mahaska are redhot heading into the final month... the TU North looks like it will come down to the Oxonians and the Haymakers.
Ruthlandian Union Standings