October 29, 2009

Dinos push to the playoffs

Running back Matt Walter and his fellow Dinos head back to Edmonton for Saturday’s season wrap-up against the Golden Bears. / Photo: David Moll

A year ago, the Calgary Dinos football team and Alberta Golden Bears closed out the Canada West regular season at Foote Field battling gale-force winds in Edmonton. The conditions were so bad, Calgary kicker Aaron Ifield’s chip shot 25-yard field goal “hit a sheet of Plexiglas,” according to play-by-play man Dave Rowe, as it was set to split the uprights and hit the official standing under the right goal post in the foot.

Shaw TV was forced to abandon its broadcast after the first quarter, and the 20-9 final score in favour of the Golden Bears was almost secondary, given that the game had no impact on the final standings.

Fast forward 371 days, and the Dinos head back to Edmonton for Saturday’s season wrap-up against the Golden Bears and, although the weather is forecast to be very different, the result could end up having no bearing on the final standings pending other games in the conference.

The key game both Calgary and Alberta will keep an eye on will be the Regina-Saskatchewan contest on Friday night at Mosaic Stadium in Regina. If the Huskies come out on top, they will claim first place and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs regardless of the Calgary-Alberta score because they hold the tiebreaker over the Dinos thanks to their week one overtime victory. A Saskatchewan win would also guarantee a playoff spot for Alberta, finalizing the Canada West playoff picture.

However, should the Rams upset their provincial foes Friday night, Saturday’s game takes on a whole new level of significance with both the Dinos and Bears having something to gain with a victory. In that scenario, a Calgary win would give the Dinos first place alone at 7-1 and home field advantage, while the Bears would be playing for their playoff lives, needing a win to extend their season.

Calgary head coach Blake Nill has the task of getting his team ready to play despite the circumstance after the Dinos displayed a noticeable lack of intensity heading into Foote Field a year ago.

“You always want to have momentum heading into the playoffs,” said Nill, “and last year we didn’t have that. We need to bring the intensity and focus we’ve had most of the season into this game on Saturday afternoon.”

The Dinos and Bears always seem to get involved in tight games, and even the initial meeting this season was surprisingly close after a pair of late Alberta touchdowns got them within three points before bowing out 34-31. The familiar rivals meet for the 81st time in Canada West competition Saturday afternoon.