The upcoming SDSSAA football final has a very different feel than the 2024 championship affair - though it is, in fact, a rematch, with the Confederation Chargers once again facing the Lo-Ellen Park Knights.
Heck, this tilt has a very different feel than each of the last four city title encounters, all of which the Knights have won, all of which they entered either quite favoured or at very least perhaps a 50/50 pick (as some might have suggested last October after Lo-Ellen and Confed play to a tie in regular season action).
This time around, the Chargers are clearly the top dog, emphasizing the dominance of a 5-0 regular season campaign with a 51-1 drubbing of the Lively Hawks in their semi-final match last Friday.
King David Igiehon showed the way with a three touchdown performance, with Owen Blay, Meeka Duguay, Cam Quesnel and Riley Clarke all pitching in with one major apiece. Kicker Domadius Aziz contributed as well with a field goal and six converts while Brayden Gerrior punted for a rouge for the only Lively point of the game.
Meanwhile, Lo-Ellen did what it needed to do against the St Benedict Bears, combining another solid defensive effort with just enough playmaking to earn the chance at a fifth straight crown thanks to a 12-0 whitewashing of their south end rivals.
Quin Mazzuchin picked up the only TD of the game, with Luca Cucullo making good on the PAT and adding a field goal before the Knights' defense capped things off with a safety touch, just for good measure.
Kickoff on Friday at the James Jerome Sports Complex is set for 5:15 p.m.