After heavily outscoring their opponents through the pre-season, the Mounties are once again the favorites to capture the Bantam AAA title . While they will have to play their first 4 games of the season without their suspended head coach, the Mounties will overcome adversity and use their many weapons to lead the league once again.  With a dynamic pitching duo similar to last year’s Provincial Champions  Victoria Senior Eagles, and an influx of talent from the 2010 Canadian Little Leagues Champs from  Little Mountain, the Mounties have a great mix of pitching, power, and speed. Coach Pawlick and his staff are sure to use these weapons to dominate the league once again. The biggest question mark going into the season is will coach Sonny be in the 3rd base box for these first four games...

The Cloverdale Spurs Black will likely offer a strong challenge to the Mounties with their veteran line up and a core of 9 returning Bantam AAA players. They have a deep pitching staff which will allow them to stay in the chase with the Mounties all season long. However,  pre-season results show the Mounties have the edge.

Waiting in the wing for the two pre-season favorites to falter, will be the Mighty Tri-City Indians and their famous coach Randy Downes who has won more championships than BC Minor has Directors in his long illustrious career. Loaded with an array of talent from all over the GVRD, coach Downes is likely to work his magic once again and pounce on all inexperienced teams joining the league this year to help him stay in the top of the standings.

Benefiting from Back to Back PeeWee Championship teams, Abbotsford should contend with the league top 5 teams. The Angels have some solid bats and should be a tough team to beat. Richmond and Ridge Meadows will be on their tail. Ridge Meadows can always b counted upon to deliver some fireworks at the plate while Klenman & Son in Richmond will use their guaranteed birth in the Provincials to fine tune their squad all season long. Be prepared to defend against the latest trick plays that will make Mr. Downes and Pawlick blush with envy.

On the Island, a change in philosophy in Victoria which led to the formation of two balanced teams makes projections difficult. Both teams will now have a mix of youth and experience which will make 4 game weekends in Victoria very challenging for the rest of the league.  In 2012, Victoria will produce two solid teams that will both secure spots in the Provincial dance.

The Up Island trio of Cowichan, Nanaimo and North Island is also difficult to predict with two newcomers. Nanaimo should field a strong squad after their 2012 Western Championship at PeeWee AAA.  We have very little info on North Island but with a team made up from the merger of 5 associations and the support of the PBL Parksville Royals, they should field a very talented team. Cowichan Valley will likely benefit from the arrival of these new competitors in close proximity. The reduction in travel and close geographical rivalries will give them the spark to help them  climb the standings.

Kamloops is likely to suffer from the opposite effect as they lost their only close rival from Okanagan and will be facing a daunting travel schedule. With many returning players Kamloops should be much improved but must  overcome the burden of their difficult schedule.

Fighting for the last spot in the Provincials will likely be the Young Squads in White Rock, Aldergrove and the Cloverdale Spurs Red. Benefiting from their Partnership with the PBL Tritons, the young White Rock team will likely emerge rapidly. They will battle with another young squad in Aldergrove but one that has a nucleus from a Canadian Little League Championship in Langley. Under the tutelage of Darren “Empe” Rock, the expansion Aldergrove team should quickly emerge.

The younger Cloverdale Spurs Red will be in the mix and should contend with their two young rivals. While the Spurs Red will likely spend the first month of the season adjusting to the demands of Bantam AAA, they have plenty of firepower to stay in the race for a spot at the Provincial Championships.  The team that will likely emerge victorious between these South Fraser rivals will  be the one that manages to avoid injuries as they all face an extremely challenging schedule.

Good Luck and Good Season!