Fight for first
By Davie Wong, Sports Editor
SUNDAY! SUNDAY! SUNDAY! Well actually, all weekend! The Royals are in high spirits after their win against the Capilano Blues, and they will need to maintain that going into the weekend, as they take on the Langara Falcons in a double header for, essentially, the PACWEST crown. They play the league-leading Falcons at their home on Saturday, before coming home and hosting the Falcons on Sunday.
Langara will be coming in off a nice seven-day break, having last played the Quest Kermodes last Saturday. That game resulted in a 3–1 Falcons win, as they swept aside the last place Kermodes with relative ease.
On the other side, the Royals will be coming in hot as well. Finishing off a comeback win over the Capilano Blues, the team is looking strong going into their rivalry matchup. With nerves flying everywhere, the Royals coaching staff will need to focus the team’s extra energy into a productive means. As thrilling as the comeback win over Capilano was, the team only had to make a comeback because they started the game flatfooted.
It’s hard to say what will happen if they do that against the league leaders, but it’s safe to say it won’t go unpunished. The last time the two teams met, it was the beginning of both team’s PACWEST season. The Royals made a mistake, and the Falcons capitalized on it, giving them the game winning goal. Otherwise, both teams would have certainly tied.
But the competitive PACWEST landscape has changed since, and now the Falcons find themselves flying high and confident. However, their confidence just might be a little lower going into week five’s matches. Yes, they won their one match last week, but in week three, the week before, the team was delivered their first loss in the form of a shutout from the VIU Mariners. While the Mariners are a good team, the win was just their second of the season. It showed some of the Falcons’ flaws, and more importantly, showed that, yes, those birds can be clipped.
Perhaps overconfidence is the answer to the Royals’ wishes. Overconfidence leads to the downfall of many teams. Why, just last week, an overconfident Capilano Blues squad saw their lead flubbed and the tie smashed by the hungry Royals team. That hunger will need to drive the team this coming weekend, as they’ll need whatever energy they can muster and more to take on the Falcons.
I really can’t say how many points the team will walk away with this weekend. I want to say the minimum is two, but both teams are so equally powerful that it wouldn’t surprise me if the Royals walked away with zero. Of course, the goal is 6 points, which would give them a 12 point differential against the Falcons, as this is the last time this season the two teams are playing each other. If the Royals manage to win both games, they can take their spot on top of the PACWEST standings and have a very good shot at fighting for the title. Should they lose both games, it would be mathematically impossible for them to catch the Falcons, who all but secure their hands on a league win.
Either way, it will be a thriller. Come out and watch the Royals take on the Langara Falcons at Cunnings Park on Sunday, at 12 p.m. sharp.
