Sunday, October 1, 2090
FC FIREBIRDS AND SUMMERLAND DESTINED FOR PRO CUP FINALS
Four teams copped division crowns in fairly easy fashion this year. The Forest City Firebirds and the Summerland Sunsets roared through the 2090 IPA season by running up over 100 victories each and blitzed everybody in their divisions by double digits. Forest City posted 106 wins, while Summerland sizzled with 101. In IPA history only three teams have done better than the Firebirds. The 2066 Rolling Hills Racers won 111 games for the all-time mark and the 2054 Midway Wolves and the Colfax Blaster each chalked up 107 victories. Forest City won the Ruthlandian West by an overwhelming 17 games better than second place Colfax. Summerland ran away with the Tycobbian South by 12 games over runner-up Southport. The Firebirds and Sunsets are fated to meet in the 2090 Pro Cup Series. They are the odds-on favorites to take the league titles.
It was closer in a couple of the division races, yet the Belle Plaine Musketeers still cruised to the Ruthlandian East flag by a comfortable 7 games over last year's champion Eastshore. South Fork also had a fairly safe 5-game margin over the Tuckanarra Blue Jays in the Tycobbian East. The Stallions repeated as division champ and hauled in their third flag in the last 5 years.
However, there were some ding-dong donnybrooks in the other four divisions. Defending Pro Cup titlist Valmara just barely beat out the feisty Far Mountain Redhawks by 2 games in the Ruthlandian North. Belair Beach claimed the Ruthlandian South by 3 games over last year's winner Claxton. La Claire notched its 4th consecutive Tycobbian West flag, edging the Rolling Hills Racers by 4 games, while White River got the best of the Hartsdale Hellcats by 5 games in the Tycobbian North race.
There were no big surprises in the Islandian Pro Alliance this year, but there were some huge disappointments. Preseason powers-to-be Wynnamac, Colfax, Ozarka, Denton City and Southport wound up more than 10 games out of first place at season's end.
RUTHLANDIAN UNION RECAP
VIPERS WIN AGAIN, NIP FEISTY REDHAWKS IN TORRID RACE
In the Ruthlandian North Pro Cup champion Valmara won its second straight division crown, but it was pushed to the max by the Far Mountain Redhawks. The Vipers prevailed by 3 games. It was three-team battle most of the season. LaGrange was in the top spot in the standings for the first half of the year, but faded badly in the second half and wound up in third place, trailing by 11 games. Far Mountain had a 5-game lead over Valmara at the beginning of August. The Vipers won out by going 36-17 the final two months, while the Redhawks could not keep that red-hot pace and went 30-23. The Gators slipped badly to 24-29 down the home stretch. Overall, it came down to the best pitching and Valmara had it.
BB SUNBIRDS NAB RU SOUTH 6TH TIME IN 9 SEASONS
The Belair Beach Sunbirds took over the top spot in the Ruthlandian South in May and kept it the rest of the year, but they were pressured by last year's division winner Claxton (3 GB), also by the third place Valka Blackhawks (6 GB). Valka was picked to win it in the preseason poll. The teams were pretty even. The Sunbirds did not have a losing month during the year, while the Diamonds and Blackhawks registered one losing month apiece. That was the difference in the pennant race. Belair Beach won the Pro Cup in 2084 and 2086. The Sunbirds just might be a Pro Cup dark horse this year.
STEADY BP MUSKETEERS HOLD OFF EASTSHORE AND MARSTON
The Belle Plaine Musketeers think they have a better team this year than their team when they nabbed the 2088 Pro Cup. The Muskies played rock steady in the Ruthlandian East this season. They didn't have a bad month and played very well down the stretch (35-20) to take the division title by 7 games over runner-up Eastshore. Last year's pennant-winning Cotton Kings had a slow start, but a good finish (36-18). Going 22-30 in June and June killed their season. The Marston Nine ended up 9 games off the pace. Teams that go 22-24 in the first two months and 13-15 in September do not win pennants. Belle Plaine will not be a pushover in the postseason. A Pro Cup Trophy is not out of the question.
FC FIREBIRDS TOTALLY TORCHED THE RU WEST
Yeah buddy, I mean to tell ya, the Forest City Firebirds were the best in the Ruthlandian West by far. By July the Firebirds were ahead by 10 games. They totally and absolutely torched all their divisional rivals and won going away. Forest City led start-to-finish and ended up with 106 victories, the fourth-best total in IPA history. The Firebirds won the RU West by a humongous 17 games over second place Colfax. You name it and Forest City excelled at it. Offensively the Firebirds were had the best attack in the IPA. They were the favorite last year to win the Pro Cup and they will be favored again this year. Valmara beat them in 5 games in the RU Title Series. Look for them to meet again in the postseason playoffs. Forest City has won the RU West the last three seasons, posting over 100 wins each year.
2090 Ruthlandian Union Final Standings
