Wednesday night’s game between the Laredo Heat and the El Paso Patriots could have resolved the race for 2nd place in the Mid South Division with a Patriots win. But the defending PDL Champion Heat had different ideas and their 3-1 victory has elevated them into 2nd place by 1 point. That means that the final regular season games will now have a much greater significance than would have been the case had the Patriots prevailed.

The Austin Aztex will be traveling to El Paso to face the Patriots in an absolute must-win for the home squad. In addition to having to beat the Aztex, El Paso has to hope that the New Orleans Shell Shockers will rally in front of their home crowd and spoil any hopes the Laredo Heat might have to repeat last year’s championship run.

If both results come to pass, the Patriots will find themselves traveling to Orlando next week for the Southern Conference playoffs where they would face the host team, the Central Florida Craze, in the semifinal. Should the Patriots fall to the Aztex, the Heat will be the ones to take on the Craze, regardless of the outcome of the New Orleans game.

But this Saturday’s game has great import for the Aztex as well. Despite having secured the title of the Mid South Conference, the team has lost two consecutive games for the first time this season and can ill afford a third headed into the playoffs. Given the high stakes now in play for Saturday night’s contest, Austin will be facing a highly motivated Patriots team, upset by the result of their midweek game against the Heat, supported by an enthusiastic home crowd that knows a loss will end their season.

The Austin Aztex game at the El Paso Patriots will begin Saturday night at Patriots Stadium at 7:30 PM MDT (8:30 Central Time). The Laredo Heat will be playing at the New Orleans Shell Shockers at Newman School Saturday night at 7:30 PM CDT.

7/18/08