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Eugene Church · 07-03-2009, 05:28 PM

The Islandian Times

Tuesday, June 23, 2004

IPA Breaks For The All-Star Game
The 2004 Islandian Pro Alliance season has reached the halfway point. Most of the good clubs have done well and played according-to-form. However, there are several surprises. Unheralded Valka, LaGrange, Sligo, Stoner and Wynnamac have really shaken up the Ruthlandian Union standings, while Midway and Colchester have done the same to the Tycobbian Union.

At the mid-season break, the LaGrange Sports have bolted to a 5-game lead over Valmara in the RU North. The Sports were rated the sixth-best club going into the season, while the Vipers were the number one choice.

The Valka Blackhawks were ranked seventh in the preseason, but have jolted the experts by holding a 3-game lead over the Belair Beach Sunbirds in the RU South. St. John was the preseason favorite.

The Sligo Rovers are tied with Middlefield for first place in the RU West with the Stoner Stars in the third spot, 6 games behind. Sligo was picked fifth in the BNN poll, while Stoner was ranked seventh. The experts had Volusia the winner with Middlefield number two.

Only the RU East has gone true-to-form, but even there, the Wynnamac Sundowners have surged up to third place, just three games off the pace and tied with Sugar Valley. Favored teams Elnora and Marston are the front runners. The All-Stars are two games up on the Nine at the All-Star break.

In a stunning reversal, the team picked to top the RU South has floundered badly and sunk to last place. The defending division champs, the St. John Crusaders, have struggled severely and have just about the worst record in the IPA. St. John finished the first half of the season with a pathetic 26-47 record. Only Blue Lake in the TU North is worse at 25-48.

Over in the Tycobbian Union Midway and Colchester have confounded the preseason predictions. The Wolves are the top dog in the TU East with a one-game edge over the Tuckanarra Blue Jays. The High Mesa Cowboys and the Red Bluff Red Sox were labeled the top clubs in the BNN preseason prognostications.

Colchester is the number two team in the TU South and trails first place Cape Coral by only two games. Midway was rated seventh in the BNN poll, while the Elites came in sixth. San Alejo was the heavy preseason favorite in the division.

The preseason poll was badly off-the-mark with San Alejo, High Mesa and Red Bluff in the Tycobbian Union. The Montaneros, one of the IPA powerhouses, was named the best team in the South Division, but have slipped down to an embarrassing fifth place and are 9 games behind the Cape Coral Hurricanes. The Cowboys and Red Sox were forecast to run 1-2 in the TU East, but are deadlocked in the fourth spot, 6 games back of the startling Midway Wolves.

07-03-2009, 05:28 PM	#1090
Eugene Church Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Posts: 35,867	The Islandian Times Tuesday, June 23, 2004 IPA Breaks For The All-Star Game The 2004 Islandian Pro Alliance season has reached the halfway point. Most of the good clubs have done well and played according-to-form. However, there are several surprises. Unheralded Valka, LaGrange, Sligo, Stoner and Wynnamac have really shaken up the Ruthlandian Union standings, while Midway and Colchester have done the same to the Tycobbian Union. At the mid-season break, the LaGrange Sports have bolted to a 5-game lead over Valmara in the RU North. The Sports were rated the sixth-best club going into the season, while the Vipers were the number one choice. The Valka Blackhawks were ranked seventh in the preseason, but have jolted the experts by holding a 3-game lead over the Belair Beach Sunbirds in the RU South. St. John was the preseason favorite. The Sligo Rovers are tied with Middlefield for first place in the RU West with the Stoner Stars in the third spot, 6 games behind. Sligo was picked fifth in the BNN poll, while Stoner was ranked seventh. The experts had Volusia the winner with Middlefield number two. Only the RU East has gone true-to-form, but even there, the Wynnamac Sundowners have surged up to third place, just three games off the pace and tied with Sugar Valley. Favored teams Elnora and Marston are the front runners. The All-Stars are two games up on the Nine at the All-Star break. In a stunning reversal, the team picked to top the RU South has floundered badly and sunk to last place. The defending division champs, the St. John Crusaders, have struggled severely and have just about the worst record in the IPA. St. John finished the first half of the season with a pathetic 26-47 record. Only Blue Lake in the TU North is worse at 25-48. Over in the Tycobbian Union Midway and Colchester have confounded the preseason predictions. The Wolves are the top dog in the TU East with a one-game edge over the Tuckanarra Blue Jays. The High Mesa Cowboys and the Red Bluff Red Sox were labeled the top clubs in the BNN preseason prognostications. Colchester is the number two team in the TU South and trails first place Cape Coral by only two games. Midway was rated seventh in the BNN poll, while the Elites came in sixth. San Alejo was the heavy preseason favorite in the division. The preseason poll was badly off-the-mark with San Alejo, High Mesa and Red Bluff in the Tycobbian Union. The Montaneros, one of the IPA powerhouses, was named the best team in the South Division, but have slipped down to an embarrassing fifth place and are 9 games behind the Cape Coral Hurricanes. The Cowboys and Red Sox were forecast to run 1-2 in the TU East, but are deadlocked in the fourth spot, 6 games back of the startling Midway Wolves. Last edited by Eugene Church; 07-03-2009 at 05:31 PM.