Riot gear up for playoff game at home
The Regina Riot is hoping to celebrate another first.
Although the Riot has won Western Women’s Canadian Football League championships in 2015 and 2017, the team has yet to boast an undefeated season.
Two more victories would change that.
On Sunday, the Riot play host to the Edmonton Storm in a semifinal (3 p.m., Mosaic Stadium). The Saskatoon Valkyries are to face the Calgary Rage on Saturday in the other semifinal.
This weekend’s victorious teams will advance to the WWCFL final (June 24, 3 p.m., Mosaic Stadium).
“We have a team that is focused on winning,” Riot quarterback Aimee Kowalski says. “We’d like the trophy to be in our house.
“As far as working our way towards that championship game, it brings a little bit of extra focus in during practices and during film.”
Regina posted a 4-0 regular-season record, but one of those victories was by default. As a result of the default, the Riot has played only one home game this season.
“We have some awesome facilities in Regina to utilize, so it is always nice to play at home,” says Kowalski, who has been a key member of the Riot since the league’s inception in 2011.
The Riot placed first in the Prairie Conference during the 2018 regular season. Edmonton (2-2) was third in the Western Conference before defeating the Lethbridge Steel 45-44 in a firstround playoff game. Regina had a first-round bye.
“Edmonton isn’t a team that we get to face a lot, so it’s always kind of nice to play a team you don’t play as often,” Kowalski says. “We’re looking forward to that little bit of challenge. They play a different defence than we’re used to seeing, but we’re ready.”