Playoff spots sewn up in dramatic final weekend

Most of the playoff spots were finalised this weekend as the regular season drew to a close for the majority of BBF sides (only the rain dates remain to fill in the numerous missed fixtures), with some unbeaten runs continuing and some winless streaks coming to an end.

As predicted, history was made in Oldham as the Newton Aycliffe Spartans won their first ever game against the North Stars on Sunday. A 21-10 victory added to make-up wins against the side from Oldham to give them a handy 3-23 season – not good enough for a playoff spot, but certainly strong enough to have earned respect from the rest of the division. Oldham won nine times as many games as last season, completing the double-header with a victory and claiming a few from earlier in the summer, moving to a 9-17 year as the club continues to build towards success.

Elsewhere in AA North, the Sheffield Bladerunners and Harrogate Tigers played out a split series to ensure they went through as first and second into the playoffs, the Sheffield club’s first division win in a while, while Harrogate’s impressive return to the leagues was excellent news for baseball. The Manchester Torrent picked up two forfeit successes over the Hull Scorpions to leapfrog them and move into third place – the home draw in Single-A regional playoffs – while the Scorpions finished fourth.

AA Midlands was mostly finished heading into the weekend, but the Birmingham Maple Leafs ended fourth after being swept by the Nottingham Rebels – already champions – and the Leicester Blue Sox finished third with their win over the Stourbridge Titans. The Titans were the only side not to win a game in the division and the only side to miss out on a playoff place.

Signs were ominous for the Liverpool Trojans to defend their AAA National Championships as they beat their closest rivals, the Cartmel Valley Lions, 30-1 in the first game of their double-header on Sunday. As a possible prelude to what will be a first-vs-second match for the only NBC place from the division, the Trojans were in fine form, but the Lions answered to take them the distance in Game 2, only for Liverpool to edge out 11-9 winners.

However, the Menwith Hill Patriots threatened to disrupt the party as two wins over the Halton Jaguars moved them up to second (forfeits still to be accounted for) and things will go down to the final weekend of action this coming Sunday with all the teams in action. The Robots of Doom and Manchester As were wiped out again as the rain continued to claim victims in the north.

Rain also forced the Bristol Badgers and Oxford Kings to oblige to split officially in AAA South, meaning the sides will play next weekend knowing it all comes down to then for the divisional title in Pool A of the league. The Essex Redbacks beat the Cambridge Royals in the first game on their double header to claim the Pool B title and their second consecutive NBC place, and though the Royals won the second fixture, they’ll find out who they’ll need to beat after next week’s decider between the Kings and Badgers.

AA South has been an interesting division all season, and though Pool A was initially stronger, with the top two teams combining for a 30-1 summer, Pool B’s playoff qualifiers are generally stronger. The Southampton Mustangs II and Croydon Pirates III have both lost a series of their most recent games but take third and fourth spots respectively in Pool A for the final playoff positions, while the Herts Hawks swept the Daws Hill Spitfires to take second in Pool B. The London Mammoths finished third and the Spitfires fourth, while the Sidewinders topped the division. There was no slip for the Guildford Mavericks as they remained perfect with a win over the Brentwood Stags, and though the Essex Redbacks II upset Croydon, there was never a chance for the Chelmsford-based team to take a playoff spot.

Single-A ended with a bit of an upset, as the London Marauders beat the Essex Archers to drive the side from Waltham Abbey into second place in Pool A following the Old Timers’ success over the Guildford Mavericks II. The Herts Raptors beat the Richmond Dukes, while Hove Tuesday continued their impressive form with a humungous 44-4 win over the Herts Eagles.

Jump to the top of the pile and we have the NBL.

The Harlow Nationals secured the NBL title with two forfeit wins over the Croydon Pirates, who drop to the bottom of the pile, while the Herts Falcons will finish second following their home-run laden split with the Lakenheath Diamondbacks. That’s because, contrary to prior form, the Bracknell Blazers swept the Southampton Mustangs, who themselves were fortunate to stay comfortably third after the Essex Arrows prevented the London Mets from gaining a sweep as the Essex side will finish sixth.

Single-A

Final standings and playoff spots are still to be defined at the time of writing, but currently it would appear to be the Essex Archers playing Hove Tuesday and the Old Timers taking on the London Marauders for two divisional series in the South, with the winners fighting out for the NBC spot.

The Manchester Torrent host the Birmingham Maple Leafs while the Hull Scorpions visit Leicester to take on the Blue Sox, with the victors later challenging to be regional representatives at the NBCs.

AA

The Bladerunners will face the Milton Keynes Bucks in Sheffield while the Harrogate Tigers travel to Nottingham to take on the Rebels, with the winners of these two matches going through to the NBCs at the end of the month.

In the South, there are two rounds of playoffs before the championships, as the Guildford Mavericks take on the Daws Hill Spitfires – who have been Guildford’s toughest opponents this season so far – and the Poole Piranhas host the London Mammoths, while the Sidewinders host Croydon Pirates III in an all-London tie, and the Herts Hawks welcome the Southampton Mustangs II. The next round of the playoffs sees the top-seeded sides remaining (winning percentage) earning home advantage and a preferential tie, so it’s impossible to say who will take on who in the final stage.

AAA

First vs second in the north, but other than knowing the Liverpool Trojans will have home advantage, it’s still to be decided whether it will be Menwith Hill or Cartmel Valley who are their opponents. The winners go through to the NBCs, and the Trojans would be top seeds if they win. That’ll all be decided next week after the final weekend of the regular season on Sunday.

In the South, it’s either Bristol or Oxford vs Cambridge, but that’s not until the 19th as there’s a lot to be played for still this weekend.

NBL

The Lakenheath Diamondbacks and London Mets will face off in Finsbury Park to see who takes the final NBC berth. That, again, won’t be until the 19th.