Rangers secure a historic season

BASEBALL: If you told Toowoomba Rangers president Darryl Luchterhand that the club would finish the season with two minor premierships and a second-placed finish, he wouldn’t have believed you.

That’s the mammoth feat the club has been able to accomplish with its three teams in the 2020/21 GBL regular season, after another clean sweep of weekend fixtures.

The B and C-grade Rangers took out top spot in divisions five and six respectively, while the A-grade squad finished half a game behind Wests in division four.

“I thought we’d be thereabouts, but to have three teams in that position is quite pleasing,” Luchterhand said.

“It’s right up there with the back-to-back years where we had three teams in grand finals. It’s a great achievement.

“But that’s only half the job done.”

Indeed the Rangers focus now shifts to converting their near-flawless regular seasons into silverware, and continuing the form that has taken them to their lofty standings.

A-grade action saw the Rangers dismantle Narangba to the tune of 12-1, B-grade downed the fourth-placed All Stars 10-7 and C-grade also defeating the All Stars 7-4.

Another extraordinary subplot to the season of success from the Rangers is their record at home.

Across all three grades, the club hasn’t lost a game at home, firmly entrenching Commonwealth Oval as a fortress for visiting teams.

“It’s a great record in itself and another very pleasing thing from this season,” Luchterhand said.

“It shows how important it was to secure home ground advantage. In B-grade we lost to second place (Mt Gravatt) at their ground.

“If we didn’t secure the minor premiership, we would have to play them there, which makes it a lot harder.”

Both B and C-grade will have the chance to defend home turf this weekend and secure their spot in the grand final, hosting Mt Gravatt and Redlands Mantrarays respectively.

The A-grade Rangers will have to travel in their grand final qualifier, taking on Wests, who they defeated 5-3 in their only encounter this season.

All finals are played on Sunday.