Thursday, May 1, 2087
ALSO-RANS DOING WELL IN IPA OPENING MONTH
"Hope springs eternal" every season in the Islandian Pro Alliance. Several low-rated clubs have flourished in the month of April and sit atop of the division standings. Waleska and Wynnamac have blossomed in the early going in the Ruthlandian Union, while San Alejo, Colchester, Hillsboro and Bayview all had good first months in the Tycobbian Union. How long they can prosper is another story. Time will tell.
RUTHLANDIAN UNION APRIL RECAP
In April in the Ruthlandian North, the LaGrange Gators (16-8) have a slight half-game edge over unsung Radford Bulls (16-9). Last year's champion and this year's favorite Ancona (12-13) is running in 4th place. Taranto and the Bulls are supposed to be the prime challengers this season in a red-hot three-team affair. In month one, the Tars (11-14) started slowly and trail by 5 and a half games in 6th place.
Rare contender Waleska (16-7) got out of the gate quickly and has a one and a half-game edge on Pro Cup champion Belair Beach (15-9) in the Ruthlandian South. Grand City (15-10) is clinging close in third place and Valka (13-12) is running fourth. The Sunbirds were the preseason choice to garner their 5th straight division crown. The Cybercats and Claxton Diamonds are forecast to be their main rivals in a pretty close race. Time will tell if the first-place Westerners have staying power in the race.
At the end of the first month of play in the Ruthlandian East the Wynnamac Sundowners (15-9) have a one-game margin over runners-up Belle Plaine (14-10) and Eastshore (14-10). Last year's division winner Marston (12-13) started slowly and is in 6th place thus far. In the preseason poll it was the Belle Plaine Musketeers that were favored to beat out the Macs, Cotton Kings and Beechwood Blues (12-11) in rather easy fashion.
The Rocky Rapids Snappers (16-9) had a fine season last year and captured the Ruthlandian West in a tough race with the Fort Benton Cannons. This year the Snappers shot to the top in the opening month. The Cannons (8-15) are struggling in last place this season. The Forest City Firebirds were the preseason pick by the pundits. Volusia (15-10) is just a game off the pace in second place, while the Firebirds (13-11) are in the third spot so far, trailing by 2 and a half games. The Stoner Silver Sox, the Vigilantes and the Snappers were forecast to be Forest City's biggest rivals this year. The Silver Sox (12-12) are hanging close in 5th place at the close of April.
TYCOBBIAN UNION APRIL RECAP
The Tycobbian North race was supposed to be just a two-team affair again between last season's titlist and this year's favorite Hartsdale and the Fairfax Frogs. Not so, so far. The Frogs (20-5) have totally dominated the race and already have built up a good, solid 5-game lead over the second place Mahaska Haymakers (15-10). The Hellcats (11-13) had a disappointing April and already are a whopping 8 and a half games off the pace. Fairfax is playing with a vengeance and possesses the best offense and the second-best mound corps in the Tycobbian Union. Last year they missed the playoffs by dropping a sudden-death playoff game to the TU North champ Hartsdale. Oxford (13-11) and Blue Lake (12-12) are running third and fourth in the standings in the first month of the season.
In the Tycobbian South, last year's runaway winner and this year's favored Ginza Ninjas (13-12) have staggered out of the gate, but fortunately they are just one and a half games behind in the fourth spot. Upstarts San Alejo (14-10), Colchester (14-10) and Arroyo Grande (14-11) have kicked off the new year in good fashion. However, time will tell if they can sustain this type of play the whole season. Ginza is forecast to win the TU South by a pretty fair margin this year with the Colchester Elites, Summerland Sunsets and San Alejo Montaneros as distant contenders. The Sunsets had a horrendous month, going 9-15 and falling to last place.
The South Fork Stallions ravaged the Tycobbian East last year and were picked to win going away again by the sports scribes. At least in the initial month of the season it looks like they may have some challengers this year. Hillsboro (17-8) blazed to the top of the standings, but they do have company. East Point (15-9) and South Fork (15-10) are right on their heels, just one and a half games and 2 games out. Red Bluff (12-12) and Tuckanarra (12-12) are lurking nearby in fourth place.
In the Tycobbian West the outlook was for Rolling Hills to win their fourth division flag in the last five seasons. The only real competition was expected to come from the La Claire Lynx with the Bayview Vikings and Chicopee Braves standing in the shadows, but well behind in the race. Thus far, the Racers (12-12) have slumbered back in a tie for fifth place with Chicopee (12-12). The Vikings (16-9) have leaped to the top spot, but they are being hard pressed by runner-up Denton City (15-9), followed closely by Bay St. Clair (13-11) and La Claire (12-11). Only Bayview and La Claire are expected to rival the Racers this season.
